Category Archives: England

Sick Day

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My boys both stayed home sick today from school.  Maddox had been sick the day before, and so he had to stay home one more full day to make sure he was fully recovered.  Ronan unfortunately hurt his foot the day before in gymnastics at school.  It was not swollen, but he was still limping around the house this morning.  I left both boys with Ryan and went to work, wishing I could stay home and give them extra cuddles today.  It looks like they had a successful recovery day because they were both doing much better when I got home tonight.  Since I work later on Wednesdays I did not get to capture any photos of the boys today so I am uploading a few I took the other day.  We were walking home from school and I had brought my camera with me as usual.  My boys played models for me underneath the perfect overcast skies.  You have to hand it to England.  Their dreary weather makes for a great diffuser against the sun.  Here are a few of my favourite images of the boys.
Not sure if those are Doctor Who, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, or Super hero poses. Take your pick.
Brothers and best friends. To me they are my my world.

Signs of Christmas

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Signs of the Christmas holidays are now popping up in the store fronts of the shops on the high streets in England.  There is a cute botique of bespoke interior design pieces for the home on our walk to school.  They have recently redone their window with many Christmas elements, including two vintage wooden rocking horses that the boys like to look at when we pass by.  I cannot help but be drawn into the window myself, looking for any ideas we can use at home for our own holiday decor.  There is something about the dark overcast skies, that causes the holiday fairylights to grab you like a magnet.  Ronan was also really impressed by the Christmas tree at the grocery store with all its holiday decorations.  He has  already been bitten by the holiday bug and has started writing Christmas poetry too.  Maddox has been talking about what cookies he wants to make with Ronan.  So far Monster cookies are on our list as well as homemade marshmellows.  I will need to trade in our gingerhouse this year and teach the boys the deliciousness that is Christmas pudding.   I so look forward to celebrating our first holiday here in England.

Ronan & Maddox gazing into the shop’s Christmas window display.  

Poetry of the Season

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My son Ronan, who is in Year Two, has started writing poems at school. They wrote a poem for Veteran’s Day and Bonfire night. For homework last night Ronan wrote a poem about Fall. My son has already been dubbed ‘the romantic one’ by my husband and I. Since he started school, there has always been one girl that he has had a crush on, sometimes more than one. He will come home and tell me how pretty they look. Just the other week I took the boys to the store to get some ideas for Christmas cookies (yes, I am all to eager to start the holiday celebrations!). As we are paying and leaving, Ronan says to the young 20something shopkeeper, ‘You are really beautiful.’ I had to turn my head away so Ronan would not see me stifling a laugh. He is just so sweet and honest. Now that he is learning about poetry in school, I can just see him writing poems to all the girls in his school. Of course right now he has a crush on a girl who is in Year 6. For now I will share the poem he wrote about the Autumn season:

Holiday Forecast calls for Snow!

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I love the winter holiday season, though I usually wait until after the American holiday of Thanksgiving in November to start ‘Decking the Halls’. It is no wonder when every department store and other businesses start celebrating earlier and earlier each year. Even here in England, before Halloween has arrived, there are Christmas decorations and goodies for sale in the shops on the high streets. This year I feel a little bit different about the whole affair. Part of it is because the usual marker of when to officially start preparing for Christmas, is not a celebration here in England obviously. There is also the reasoning that because Thanksgiving falls on my birthday this year, I am not all together to keen to go out of my way to celebrate it. My partner’s birthday is coming up this week for his big Three 0 and my birthday will follow it an exact week later. Having just moved to the country we are not really going to be going all out with celebration parties. So with Bonfire night behind us, the next holidays are Hanukah, Christmas, and New Years and I am definitely looking forward to bringing some holiday cheer to our house. I have been on Pinterest, Etsy, and a few other websites looking for some creative and fun ideas that the boys and I can do this year. The easiest and most affordable was to start making snowflakes, and I really want to make quite a lot to put up around the house and from the windows. We started tonight with me teaching the boys as they learn how to make
snowflakes from cutting up pieces of paper. I let the boys fold the paper and draw their design, while I cut them out with the scissors. We had quite a bit of fun as we talked about other things we could to decorate our house. I look forward to the further posts I can share with you all about how we are getting ready for the Holiday season ahead.

Bonfire Night: November 5th, 2011

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REMEMBER, REMEMBER, THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER…


“Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…”


Some of my most cherished memories as a young girl is celebrating the fifth of November. Having been born in England and growing up there a few years later down the road, I picked up the fondness and excitement about Bonfire night and watching the ‘Guy’ burn on the Bonfire while watching fireworks with my family. Even when we were not living in England, my father made sure I got to keep my English heritage close at hand. While residing Napoli, Italia we met with the RAF families at the receiver site in Lago Patria and celebrated the 5th with a bonfire and eating jacket potatoes and bangers.



Having relocated back to England with my family this Summer, this holiday has been awaited with much eagerness by us all. The boys a little unsure of what to expect, but excited by the outcome of fireworks and good food. Ryan, having enjoyed the graphic novel and film ‘V for Vendetta’ was only spurred on by more excitement from the parents at the boys’ school about the night’s festivities. Not only would we be attending Bonfire night, but we would be involved with the rest of the parents, students and staff of their school. We lined up in a group, representing the school with a variety of signs and lanterns, and paraded through the town of Lindfield. We led a procession which aside from our group consisted of a band and the Lindfield Bonfire society. I would say my favourite part was getting to hold a torch a lit with fiery flames as we walked through crowds that lined the high street to the Bonfire area. The night just got better as we had a VIP front row view of the burning of the Guy and the amazing firework display. Afterwards my family enjoyed a nice supper of burgers and bangers from one of the vendors, and walked home talking about the fun that we had. It was definitely a night to remember and one I know my dad would have enjoyed with us.