TLF

Alissa trying on Remi's shoes

 While we have been in TLF we have been through more shoes than anything. The first week one of Broden's flip flops broke, then we lost his other pair of flip flops. We lost Alissa's only pair of church shoes besides boots, Remi lost a strap to one of her new shoes and Broden has grown out of the brand new school shoes I bought him. Not looking forward to buying shoes here. They are the same price, except in pounds, which is almost twice as much!

Parker enjoying the view

Watching some more

He loves his toothbrush that lights up

Alissa playing on the shelves

Remi and Alissa's room. There are drawers under the beds and a huge closet.

The living room/Broden's room.

 Broden sleeps on the pull out couch in this room and keeps his clothes in the drawers under the TV. When he is doing something and we ask him to stop we say you need to stop or you'll have to go to your room. He gets the biggest kick out of it because he says he is in his room.

View to bathroom and kitchen

Kitchen and dining area

Our bedroom.

View out the window. It is right on the edge of base

Parker sleeps in this crib in our closet

Parker loves when we pull out the bed. He love sitting on it and bouncing on his bum.

Broden playing with something he found on the tree outside

Showing me his thing that has a fish inside of it.

The kids found these our first few days here and came up with the idea that they will turn into fish. So they thing they are things that have fish inside of them and if you keep them in water they will hatch into a fish. Too funny. They do look like puffer fish.

We will be leaving TLF and moving into our house on Thursday. I have been thinking a lot about what really matters in life. I actually haven't minded living in TLF. I think the hardest part has been that our cell phones don't work because of the security of the building and they charge us to call of base on our room phone. So when I want to make a phone call I have to literally hang out the window to get service.

We have huge closets here and I actually like not having all of our stuff. The kids have had to actually be creative. They have some toys, but they also build forts, play hide and go seek, and we even played games like London Bridge and the Farmer in the Dale.

We have decided to put Remi in British schools. I am excited for her. Its funny but one of the reasons why I am excited is because she gets to wear a uniform. I like the fact that all the kids wear uniforms and I think it makes them equal. It takes the clothing issue out of things. I don't want Remi to think that she is better than anyone, or not as good as someone based on her clothes. I want her to not judge because of what people are wearing and not be self conscious because she doesn't have certain clothes. I think uniforms are good for this.

After being in temporary housing I have realized how lucky we are. I am fine here, except that it is like a hotel, so we have to come up stairs to get to our room. We are so lucky to have a big home though. It has a laundry room and more rooms than we have had in any other house. We get to have a yard, we have cars to drive and the list goes on and on.

I think back on the way I was raised and I am so grateful for the things my parents taught me. They didn't have lots of money and I don't remember if we had tons of toys or not. I do remember playing in the fields on the ranch, playing with our animals and being creative with what we did have. I remember taking one of the eggs from my Grandma's chickens and wrapping it in socks and putting it on the heater hoping it would hatch. This is when we lived in a doube wide trailer. There were 8 of us there and I don't ever remember being unhappy having to share a room with my sister. I loved sharing a room with my sister Julie. We would talk and talk after we were supposed to be sleeping. Then when my little sister was born I got to share a room with her. This was HEAVEN!!! I got to get up with her at night and take her to my mom to eat. Then I would bring her back to her crib. I didn't mind at all that we lived in a trailer, I never remember being self conscious of it or caring what my friends thought. We were happy.

I hope somehow I can teach my kids the same things. I don't want them thinking they get anything they want. I don't think they should learn that their happiness is based off what they do or don't have. It is a choice they make. I want them to learn that we just need to be happy with what we have and not always want more. So if I seem like a strict mom that doesn't give my kids anything this is why. They don't NEED everything they want. They do NEED to learn to be happy with what they have. Yes it is ok to want things. I want things too. Everyone does. But they do NEED to learn to be happy even though they still have wants. What we have and don't have isn't as important as how we treat those around us and what kind of person we are. We have been working on this while we have been here in TLF. We have told our kids multiple times when we get back from doing something fun for them and they ask for something. Our answer is can't you just be happy with what you just got to do. Why do you always need more. We have started saying no to them when they immediately want more. We get them a treat at the store and as soon as its gone they ask for something else. So our answer is now no. Well anyway. We are those strict parents, but hopefully our kids grow into happy adults anyway:)

London

Well I had a really nice long post about London, but it didn't save, so now its going to be a short post about London because I don't feel like writing everything about the day again.

Remi, Broden and Alissa trying to see The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Watching the guards march past

Dad, Remi, Broden Alissa and Parker in front of Buckingham Palace

Remi and Broden with Guard picture in front of the Guard Museum

We did finally get to see a guard marching in front of the palace when the crowd cleared.

Dad in front of cool building near The Tower of London

Remi and Broden in front of the Tower of London

Dad, Remi and Broden checking out the people in costumes in front of the castle.

Remi and Broden feeding the pigeons. They could do this all day and be happy.

Mom and Remi in front of Tower Bridge

Dad and Remi in front of Tower Bridge

Dad, Remi and Broden walking across Tower Bridge

Mom, Remi and Broden in front of Tower Bridge

Remi and Alissa on the Tube

Remi and Alissa on the Tube

Friday we decided that Saturday we wanted to go to the Robin Hood Festival. It was only about 2 hours away and sounded like lots of fun for the whole family and it was cheap. So we watched the Disney version of Robin Hood and prepped the kids. After they were in bed Blake went to print the schedule of events and realized that the Festival had been the weekend before. We were so bummed. We decided we might as well go to London instead.


So on Saturday August 27th we took a trip to London as a family. Driving to London is crazy with the traffic, the fee you have to pay, a congestion fee possibly and not knowing our way around, so we opted to drive part way and park at a tube station and take the tube. The tube is London's version of an underground rail system, or subway. It was pretty nice and user friendly. We just bought a day pass for Blake and I and under 11 are free!!!


We left TLF at 8:00am and drove to Epping Underground station. It took us a few tries with our GPS malfunctions and our lack of knowledge about the area. We finally reached the station at 9:30 and took the tube to the stop where we could catch the next tube to go to Buckinham Palace. We got on the right one, just headed in the wrong direction. So we had to go back and catch a different one and eventually we made it to the stop by Buckingham Palace. We got off and hurried towards the Palace hoping to make it in time to see the changing of the guard.

We got there at 11:30, which is right when they do the changing of the guard. We missed the guards marching with the band and got caught in a HUGE crowd, we couldn't move anywhere and couldn't see anything. Eventually a police officer directed us out of the crowd and we got to see the top of the guards hats as they marched past the park we went to.

Then it started pouring and we only had 1 umbrella because I was waiting for a "good deal" on umbrellas. I guess I should have just bought some because Blake and I got SOAKED! When the rain stopped we ate lunch in the sun and tried to dry off. Then we headed to The London Tower and Tower bridge. The castle was awesome and the bridge was beautiful. It is the one you see pictures of. It is called the Tower Bridge, not London Bridge. That one isn't so grand. We didn't go on any tours, but now we know what we want to do next time and what is good to do with kids and what we should do by ourselves!

After The London Tower and Tower bridge we rode the Tube back to our car. We ate dinner in Eriswell. I dried lamb kebob in a pita. I thought it was NASTY! I don't like Lamb I guess. Blake had Chicken Shish. The girls had chicken nuggets with chips and Broden fish and chips. His poor fish was so burnt you could only taste burnt batter. We were not impressed with that place. It was nice that we had the whole place to ourselves though. Now we know why.

We got dessert at a local market. We were hoping for a little candy shop, but everything closes at 6, so we got delicious chocolate cookies and some jam filled donuts at the store. They were day old and cheap, but so yummy!!!

What we're up to

 We are getting a little more settled, but are still working on our have to's while trying to enjoy a few outings. The weather here is up and down. It will get up in the seventies, then drop into the 50's and be rainy. Yesterday there were even some snowy flecks in the air. I call it snow, but I don't think anyone else really considers it snow.

Cheap Bowling!

We took a little walking tour of base and went in some of the buildings to see what they had to offer. We got some library books and movies and checked out the gym, the skating rink, craft building, bowling alley, and theater. Last Tuesday we decided to go bowling. We took the whole family and had a blast bowling. We just did one game and that takes long enough. The price was AWESOME!!! 50 cent shoe rentals and the first game is FREE. So since we rented shoes and only played one game it was only 2.50 for our whole family to bowl!!!

Friday morning we headed to Erisweel barn. This is one of the coolest places so far. It is only like 2 minutes from base. Someone converted this really old barn into a place to auction off furniture or whatever else people want to sell. I went the first time the week before and checked it out and loved it!!! They have really nice furniture you can get for really cheap. Some furniture dealers around the area will take their furniture here when they don't carry a certain line. Also I think lots of Military families take their stuff here when they are leaving.

Waiting outside the barn

So we checked out the goods on Friday morning, then headed to a town that was supposed to be about an hour and a half away. It ended up being about 2 hours because the traffic was so bad. When we were about 15 minutes away I was looking at the sheet about the car and realized it said the car only had 4 seats. Great! Not something we would consider buying, except that we had just driven 2 hours. So we looked at it and it ended up having 5 seats, it was just listed wrong. We ended up buying it for a good deal. It was 690 pounds, which is about 1,400 dollars. I don't know what year it is, 2000 maybe? I think it has 110 or 120 thousand miles and runs great! It kinda smells like smoke:( but we are getting that out. We were just glad to have found a car and be done with that hassle of searching.

Hiking at Anglo Saxon village

Since we drove there, we had 2 vehicles to bring home. That meant I had to drive 2 hours home on CRAZY British roads. After we left the guy's house that sold us the car we drove to a gas station. I got out and opened the door to the gas thing. It had a lock. I tried putting the key in and couldn't get it to fit. I was looking all over for Blake for help, but didn't want to go to far from the car because Remi and Parker were in it. A nice British lady realized I was a silly American and tried to help me.

Eventually Blake came over and I realized there was another key hiding on the key ring. We got gas then went across the street to the grocery store to get some treats for the drive home. As we were leaving Blake was following me because I had the GPS. I went to pull out at the round about. Here you go left around the round about. I needed to turn right, so being an american driver I naturally just stopped, checked for traffic then headed right. LUCKILY no one was coming and I realized what I was doing and jerked the wheel left and corrected my mistake. I'm sure Blake was just laughing at me. We eventually made it home though and decided we don't really enjoy the backed up traffic and are glad our house is close to base so we don't have to experience it every day.

Picnic by Anglo Saxon Village

Saturday morning we went to the barn again for the auction. I bought a Dyson vacuum for 30 pounds. Its probably more than I would normally spend on a used vacuum, but they are supposed to be really good vacuums.

Swinging on trees during hike

After our big purchase we tried to find a little park we had seen on our way home from Bury. We drove in circles a couple times and finally just drove toward the place the sign called Anglo Saxon Village. We passed a picnic area so we stopped and had a picnic. Blake, Remi and Broden played soccer for a while and we just relaxed. Then we continued driving towards the Anglo Saxon village. It did turn out to be the park we had seen on our way home from Bury. I actually remembered the name and that there was a sign! This doesn't happen very often. Blake definitely has a better memory than me with things like this. That's why its exciting when I do remember something.

Enjoying the park

When we got there we stopped in the visitor center to see what we could do. They offered tours, but we didn't actually tour the village because it was kinda pricy They also had a couple trails around the park and to a lake, so we took one of the trails. We just had a little umbrella stroller for Parker, not the best on trails. We just turned it backward and pulled him along and it worked out fine. He even fell asleep.

Climbing the wall

After we hiked we headed back to the parking lot and let the kiddos play on the play ground. Parker LOVED the sand. He didn't even try eating it, which amazed me because he loves eating anything he can off the ground. Remi loves to play with the other kids at the playground now, so there aren't very many pictures of her. She was too busy with her new friends. Blake did finally convince her to come build the little stick houses with him and Broden. They had fun building those. Then Broden climbed the rock wall. I was impressed that he could climb so well all by himself. He did need help getting down when he got to the other side, but we couldn't reach him to help, so we just talked him through it. It took him a while, but eventually he got it.

Building Anglo Saxon style houses

After the park we came home, ate and bathed and got things ready for Sunday. Sunday Blake and I got called to be the 6 year old Primary teachers. There are like 120 kids in primary. I think there are like 14 in our class alone. It will be fun, but completely new for me. I have only been in Young Women's and occasionally taught the youth for Sunday School. So teaching Primary will be a fun change. It will be fun to enjoy their innocence. It will be fun to prepare lessons with Blake too, and to hear him teach. I love hearing him teach our kids too.

This is Parker's new found love. When I do laundry and leave the door open he will crawl over and just watch the washing machine. I think it is so funny. He will watch the water run down the glass, then when it starts spinning he will get really excited and start bouncing. Better than any Baby Einstein movie yet!

The first of many

Today we got to go to our new ward for the first time as a family. It is so comforting to know that wherever we go in the world we can walk in to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and feel like we are home and like we have a family. Blake already knew some of the men in our ward from high school and dental school. I love that the kids can go to primary and already know the routine. They know that they will have singing time, sharing time and a class. This routine is so important to them, especially Broden. He has a hard time with change and I think because primary is pretty much the same wherever you go he did ok with it. I also love knowing that no matter where we live we will be taught the same lessons. It doesn't depend on our bishop, or Stake President or anyone in our church building, we are taught the same lessons, or same values and principles as the rest of the church throughout the world. I also love meeting new Young Women. It is great getting to know them and seeing them interact with my kids as babysitters. Although these things seem small, they strengthen my faith. I know that God is unchanging. His true church is on this Earth and I find comfort in the consistency I have found in church.

City sign

 Today after church we headed to a town called Castle Acre. I researched online castle ruins, hoping to get to a castle that was free to go into on a Sunday. We found one to explore. There isn't much castle left, but it was fun to explore.

Walking to the church

 We put Castle Acre in to the SatNav and headed up there. When we got to the town it was the cutest little town with beautiful old houses and cottages. We parked and headed to the biggest building we thought was a castle. It was the church and it was amazing. I think it was built in like 1116 or sometime around then. The gentleman working there was great! He showed us how the top part lifts off the font? I think that is what it was called. I am so bad at history, probably because I don't remember things. This was just a couple hours ago and I already forgot most of the things he told us. While we were there I took Alissa to the bathroom. While we were gone he let Broden ring the bell. Broden thought that was AWESOME! Then he showed us a huge key and let the kids hold it. Then he showed us how it opens the smallest door in the church where they keep the treasury I think he said. Broden said, "I want to see the treasure." The man explained that all the treasures are locked up in safe's to keep them safe.

Phone booth on the way to the castle

The kids didn't know what it was for

After we left the church we headed to the castle ruins. It was neat to see something so old. They had signs showing what it probably looked like at different time periods. It was called a Motte and Bailey castle. I worried that Remi wouldn't think it was that great because it didn't have a real princess living in it, but she still thought it was great. She is very into the history. She asks lots of questions like, why are most of the princesses dead? Who broke the castle? Where do the princesses live now? Why did the kings fight eachother? Where did the bad guys come from?

Castle Acre church

The font

I guess Blake and I need to do our research so we can answer all her questions. It will be fun to go to the castles that have tours so she can ask the guides all her questions.

Huge Key

When we got to the grassy area by the castle there was boy teenage rugby team playing some kind of game in the grass. When we got done looking at the castle we walked past them and they were having a little afternoon tea. When we walked past them they offered the kids some rockcake. We all thought it was really good. It was like a mixture between a cookie and a biscuit. I liked seeing all these teenage boys just lounging in the grass having tea and little cakes in the middle of a grassy meadow. That was the picture in my mind of us in England. Having relaxing afternoon picnics in the grass by castle ruins. I wish we would have taken a picture of the boys and their picnic.

Listening to the gentleman explain the key

After we explored the castle and walls around it we just played in the grass and had races and just enjoyed our Sunday afternoon together. What a fun day in Great Britain. We are excited to explore more!

Sitting in the chairs the munks would sit in

Castle Acre Castle ruins

Opening little door with key

old gate to the castle

Rock cake

Running in the grass