Observations, day 7

*Whole Foods (or Whole Paycheck as Paul now calls it)in London is actually CHEAPER for some things than the local grocery store!
*Still haven't found a home.
*Decor fits into 2 categories: 1. STUDENT--throw sheets over old couches and throw your stuff in a corner 2. GORGEOUS--family home have done A LOT with a little bit of space. There is little in between.
*Lots of cute, comfy shoes here.
*Diana, Princess of Wales Playground in Hyde Park--AMAZING. We were there for hours today.

In Love with London

Ahhhhh...we are here in London, finally. We have had a different hotel room every night since arrived on Monday, and we are finally in a place we can stay put until we find our new home.

We hit the ground running, seeing 12 places within the first 3 days we were here. We then reevaluated our finances (expensive doesn't even BEGIN to describe) and have expanded our search.

A few observations for now:

1. What looks like a 20 minute drive on a map is really a 20 minute walk.
2. After long walks....Tate has really smelly feet for a 3 yr old!
3. The tea is SO good.
4. The food has been very good. We have had a wonderful selection of chinese, italian, cafe/bistro sandwiches, thai, etc etc.
5. The sun comes at 4AM.
6. Londoners all dress very fashionably. Even the kids!

Paul leaves for Germany on Monday, returning Friday, so Tate and I will explore on our own. I secretly am excited to have my little guy all to myself and get back into our little routine. Sometimes with 2 tired, stressed parents who are desperately in search of a home can be harder than one parent who is just sightseeing until Daddy returns :)

No room at the Inn!

I really want to add pics, because just words on a blog are boring! I, however, have Paul's work computer and unable to add anything off our camera...

So, yes, we are still in the US. Long story short, some butthead on base messed up our visas. The last few days have sucked, with at least one day where we seriously didn't know where we were going to stay at 4pm! All hotels were booked and we only had 5 days allotted to us anyway, even though it was the USAFs mistake. Big thank yous to all of our friends and the numerous offers for housing, even though we were toting along a VERY cranky 2 yr old who was wondering where all his stuff was.

Good News: We are leaving Sunday and we are now in a hotel.

What's been up?

1. Decided on Monday at 4pm to drive to MI to drop off our unsold jeep (8.5 hr drive). Departed at 6pm. Flew back to StL on Thursday.
2. Visas not here yet! Can't leave until 27th instead of 18th as planned.
3. House is mostly empty. Movers to pick up last things (our 2 wk shipment) on Monday.
4. Do I really have to wait 2 months to scrap/create again?
5. Enjoying computer time while Tate watches a show next to me. TV weaning will start after the move! (along with potty training!)

**I took some pics of my layouts from my video that I will post later today.

First blog video

Ok--I wanted to try this.... My hair is really bad and I really don't like taping myself, but I love watching other people's videos, so here ya go.

I could never be an actress...

Last Week in bullet format

*Lunch outside at Shining Rivers (Tate's school) with fresh grown lettuce, berries, cheese, nuts, bananas, mini PBJs, and fish crackers.
*Realtor appts.
*Driving in the car, windows, radio cranked. It feels good to be warm.
*Learning how to share...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
*Zoo on Thursday? Hopefully.
*In my fav "uniform" of tshirt, shorts/skirt, tevas or flip flops. I actually prefer barefoot, though.
*Taking a Scrap/art break until move it over.
*Hoping all this outdoor play helps shed the extra winter poundage.
*Finally excited now that the stress is subsiding.

Goodbye Party

**Recipes for Cheesecake Pops and Mac and Cheese are linked to title of pics!! luv-cat

Boxed Carrot Cake Mix, Ready-to-Spread Frosting, Sprinkles from Dierbergs.

Cheesecake Pops
Mac and Cheese
Beans, with Bacon and Brown Sugar...dump in to taste.


Pulled Pork: Roast a Pork Shoulder for about 8 hours (salt and pepper)at 350 degrees, cool a bit, then remove excess fat and shred. Add LOTS of BBQ and heat up in a crock pot.

Home Again!

Drinking tea out of this... Have I posted a pic of this teapot before? I can't remember this morning.

And here is my brother and my nephew at the BBQ my parents hosted for us in MI:

Still haven't sold house or car. Going away party is this weekend. Wanting to nestle into "home" for the last few weeks before the big move.

Have a great day!

In Michigan

Sorry for the lack of posts, but we are in MI visiting my family (and dropping off Sabrina, our cat) before we move.
.
food, scrapbooking, ice cream at the park, helping with new flooring, laughing at inappropriate things with my siblings, lots of puppies, and more....
.
Pics to follow sometime between returning home and movers arriving.
Yep--I'm slightly freaking out that time is going by so quickly! I am looking forward to our adventure, but moving...ICKY.

Rainy Day Activities

I watched this movie on Mother's Day. I loved it and cried multiple times...I just love both Keri Russell and Jonathan "My Boyfriend" Rhys Meyers.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, MOM!!

With love, Cat

Stink Mop and Rag Ball

Hi all--
I know I haven't blogged for awhile and I wish I had some creations to post...but I don't. I got out to Archiver's last Sunday but didn't really get a chance to even make an ATC. We kind of were ambushed by a very friendly guy that wanted to teach us how to draw. He was nice, but I wanted to say "I only get this afternoon of free time! LEmme SCRAP!" (I didn't say it, just thought it.)

OK on to Stink Mop...SO Paul and I were watching a show (I won't admit to which one but it is intended for high schoolers/20 yr olds and it is about basketball and drama in a small town..LOL) and the characters were having a water fight. Paul and I start reminiscing about stupid stuff you do as a kid. Paul tells me about STINK MOP, which I guess is made up on Simpsons or Mike Myers or something...I had a hard time googling it. Apparently, you pee on a mop and play tag with the mop until your parents come home. I know, I know...you are all appalled. I died laughing. And then said "Oh yea...we soooo would have played that!"

Ok-- on to Rag Ball. This was an actual game that we played. We would stand at the kitchen and toss a wet washcloth into the dishwater. You got points for making it and more points for the size of the splash.
1. We were supposed to be washing dishes when the game was invented.
2. No...there weren't any parents home.

I can't believe the stuff we would do and the messes we would make. We also had "Chin Power Clean" that would occur about 20 min. before my parents were due back. We turned up the radio REALLY LOUD and frantically tried to clean up whatever mess we made.

I totally understand if you have lost all respect for me....

In Iowa

Yep...I'm in corn country. NO corn to see at the moment, but it does smell like cow poop when the wind blows.
I'll get back to blogging when I return! Have a great week :)

Cool, crisp weather almost like a fall day. We snuggled up with tea, warm pajamas, and evening snack before bed... Tate hosted his first puppy dog tea party with his stuffed dogs at the table. It was perfect.

"Between the dark & daylight

When the night is beginning to lower

Comes a pause in the days occupation

That is known as the Children's Hour"

.

.

OK, so Tate got to bed wayyyyyyyyy later than that due to a trip to WalMart's toy section, but when I saw him find the baby spoons and coo at the stuffed puppies he had collected, I went with it.

My to-do list shot to H*%#

8a--What are we going to do today?

1. Breakfast

2. MTV Yoga Tape

3. Laundry

4. Make Soap

1pm-What was I thinking????

1. Breakfast took about an hour, mainly because Tate wanted to eat on the deck. It was fun, I'll admit.

2. When I put the DVD in, Tate just yelled "Backyardigans! Backyardigans!" and wanted nothing to do with yoga. He later used the yoga mat as his magic carpet...or train carpet, whatever.

3. Got one load in. That's it. It isn't even dry.

4. Soap Making--was fun for the first 5 minutes. It then was a disaster that ended up with my saying LOUDLY, "Lower your voice!" Yep--total parenting hypocrite. We do have few cute soaps that we ended up with though.

**As I was cleaning up the soap mess, I heard typing, but knew that Tate was on the deck right outside the kitchen. THIS is what I found when I went into the family room. Yep--Tate typing on the keyboard and ALL the computer stuff carefully turned toward the window!! (no--he doesn't know how to type for real yet. Hee Hee!)

Fashion, Feeding, Fun

FASHION- I realize when I became a mama, I thought "Oh cool! I can wear fun casual wear without having to impress a client or a boss!" You would think I would run with it, but instead, my wardrobe has become MORE boring and just plain functional. (I'm sure the extra 10 lbs on my frame has NOTHING to do with it. wink, wink.)

This Spring, I hope to change that. With a move coming up, I have an excuse to purge everything in my closet that I don't love. Any "fashion covets" that you have on your list for Spring??

FEEDING- Our friend, Jen, sent us a spring kit, complete with critter corn and birdseed. Every morning, we are outside even before coffee and I am really enjoying this new ritual.

FUN- Heading to Earth Day Festival today in St. Louis. We always have a blast and are inspired in new ways to help the planet in our everyday living.

Speaking of fun, here are some pics from CKC Scrapbook Convention:

Have a great day!!!

TAG overdue!

I was tagged by Lisa awhile ago...with the upcoming move, I'm just getting around to it:

1. Link to the person who tagged you - Done

2. Post the rules - Done

3. Share 6 non-important habits/quirks about yourself:
*Room must be clean before I scrap, but I don't mind messy once I am creating (Probably the only time I don't mind messy!)
*Habit--cuticle biting when tired
*I can put something off FOREVER, but if it gets put on my "to-do" list, for some magical reason, it gets done that day.
*Must close shower curtain after shower
*I have to eat Pot Roast with tortillas.
*I love tv, but I try to minimize it for Tate.
Yea, I know, I am a total hypocrite.

4. Tag 3 other people: I'm a passive tagger...if you read this consider yourself tagged if you want to participate :)

Mother's Day Cupcake Idea

I Want to try this!! She makes it look so easy...

Party Food

Paul wants to haev a big going away party before we head to London. Sounds fun and all, but the to-do list is currently GINORMOUS. To make things easy, I am thinking about:

1. Catering/Take Out

2. Easy Party Food

ANY SUGGESTIONS? If you went to a party, what would you want? What are your favorite party foods? Think about appetizers, main entrees, and desserts...

**Thanks in advance for your ideas:)

My *first* ATC

So here she is... Not sure how to start trading them, or who to trade them with, but sooo fun and ready to make new ones.

Happy Monday :)