In a Funk

I'm in a funk. Ready for a change of scenery. Ready for Grandma and Grandpa to entertain my kids. Ready to eat some Mexican food. Ready to visit Target, Willowbend Mall, Chick-fil-A and lots of other places. Things have been slow here and it's left us both feeling ready for a break. I hope and pray that our time in Dallas will be refreshing and that we will both come back feeling ready for the next 9 months of work before our stateside assignment.

Ok, now that I've vented a little- several have asked about the couscous salad recipe. I took the recipe from a vegetarian magazine that I like, and sort of tweeked (is that even how you spell that?) it and "made it my own"- I've been watching American Idol. :) So, here it is:

Make as much couscous as you plan to eat. (This will be really precise if you can't tell!) My couscous I use is super easy, you just pour your couscous into a bowl and add bowling water and let is sit for a minute or two. Chop up tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion. Fluff your couscous with a fork and add the veggies. Then add a few squirts of lemon juice and salt and pepper if you want. Give it a good stir. Then sprinkle with dried apricots and sunflower seeds. That's it!

I have my six weeks check up in the morning, then I'm off to city centre or "the high street" if you prefer- to do a little shopping! I need to pick up a few things for our trip. GAP is having a sale, men's graphic tee's for 4.99 GBP. Not bad.

Only six more sleeps until our trip. I'm not even ready. I usually make list after list of things to pack and do and I have not done one thing yet. I will hopefully get myself organized this weekend. I am not sure what to pack for the girls- we have mainly winter clothes and who knows what the weather in Dallas will be like. It better be SUNNY and WARM is all I have to say. People keep saying to us, "You are going to fly with 3 young children?" And I am resisting the urge to say, "Well, yes, that is the only way to get there!" I guess after living overseas and traveling as much as we have, it's not a big deal anymore. Stressful? Yes. Tiring? Yes. But you just do what you gotta do to endure the flights! Each of the girls will have a backpack full of things- not sure what things yet but I'll come up with something. I pack snacks and small toys or games. Plus we will have the computer to watch a DVD on if there is nothing child-friendly showing on the airplane. We are in the bulk head seats, thank you Jesus, so I'm praying that Addison will sleep in the pull-out bassinet that will be provided. It's a day time flight as usual, so I will be happy if the big girls at least take a small nap on the plane.

Y'all remember last two times we did a long-haul flight don't you? It was pretty rough for Bailey. Well, I'm confident that things will be better this time. She's older and can communicate this time. And she understands the words "restroom" and "spanking" so things should be much better!

I just pray we can all stay healthy between now and next Tuesday! I feel a sinus infection coming on and Addison has been stuffy for a while now too. I plan to have her checked out at the GP's tomorrow too just in case! I've been trying not to be paranoid about ear infections this time. Bailey had her first ear infection at 2 weeks old and we had not been anywhere with her! So with Addison having some drainage I'm afraid it will go to her ears. I didn't tell y'all about our recent Ear, Nose and Throat doctor experience with Bailey did I? This was the appointment that has been rescheduled multiple times since September. I better not get started actually because it was so pathetic that I still get mad thinking about it. I'll just tell you that as soon as I got home from the appointment I called the doctor in Plano that put her tubes in and made an appointment for her the day after we get there. The ENT here was a joke and I was very disappointed. I hope to get some answers next week and get her ears cleaned out so she can hear better! And I thought she was just being two! Ha.

And this just cracks me up... The President is here in the UK today.

"During their private meeting, President Obama and first lady gave the queen a personalized iPod with video footage of her 2007 visit to Washington and Virginia."

I would love to see Her Majesty with her ipod.

KP Duty

Ok, this is random...

I'm making a list of items I need to purchase and bring back with us when we got to the states. The countdown begins...only 8 more sleeps!!!

I have KP- Keratosis Pilaris- tiny bumps on my upper arms. Has anyone out there ever used the DERMAdoctor's brand of lotion and exfoliating cream called KP Duty? If you have, is it worth it and do you like it? Do you know if you can purchase this at Wal-mart or Target?

Other items on my list are :

*seasonings/spices
*new socks (for everyone in the family!)
*shoes for the girls
*clothes!
*baby things- mary jane socks, more hairbows/headbands, hats
*medicine- Tylenol, cold meds
*junk food (Nilla wafers, semi-sweet chocolate chips, etc)

Good thing Addison gets a luggage allowance too on our flight, our bags will be loaded!

We Should Know Better By Now...

If you are going to change your infant daughter's nappy on your bed, do it fast! We should know this by now, and we even had a changing pad under her, but that still does not guarantee there will be no accidents. We were reminded of this this morning- when Daddy was in the middle of a nappy change, Addison sneezed and pooped at the same time. (She will kill us later for letting everyone know this!) It was quite impressive actually, but now our duvet cover is in the wash. We really should know better by now!

Anyway, here are some cute pictures of her this morning at 5 weeks old! Thanks to Uncle Shane and Aunt Deanna for this cute little stylin' outfit! And...the best news of all...Addison slept for almost 7 hours last night!!! Can you hear the Hallelujah chorus? We sure can!


Media_http2bpblogspot_gecnt


Media_http4bpblogspot_qsicl

Let's Talk About Food

This is my newest obsession for lunch- Couscous Salad


Media_http2bpblogspot_qvwpu

It's super easy- plain couscous, chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, salt and pepper (I'm out of apricots, so this picture does not include those). I have had this for lunch the past week and I'm in love. I love simple salads!


And, since I can't get any Girl Scout Cookies, I found these-

Media_http3bpblogspot_ehcea

Media_http1bpblogspot_cuaxd

Not quite the same, but very similar in taste. YUM! :)

I don't think I've ever devoted a post entirely to food before. Interesting.

Date with Daddy

The summer before last, so that would be 2007? Marc and I saw Mary Poppins in London, and it was fabulous! It's now here in Cardiff, so Marc took Cerys on a date this afternoon to see her first show at the theatre! If you ever get the chance to see it, don't miss it!

Media_http1bpblogspot_fdgmd


Media_http1bpblogspot_avbid


Her favorite part was when Mary Poppins flies in with her umbrella. Marc said their seats were really good and if they had been one or two rows up they would have been able to touch her feet.

And here's out little chunky monkey. I had her weighed yesterday- at 4 1/2 weeks old she weighs 11 pounds 6.5 ounces. What? What is going on?!? I think Cerys weighed that much at 13 weeks. Addison does not miss a meal, as you can see from her double chin! (Not a good picture, but it's the only one where I got half a smile!) What little hair she had is falling out already, looks like she will be a baldy like her big sis Bailey.


Media_http1bpblogspot_fophd

Just Keepin' It Real

1. I would like to lose 20 pounds. 10 more pounds baby weight and 10 pounds of other baby weight I never lost the first two times. Thank you all for your sweet comments about how nice I look- I just cringed writing that sentence. Marc told me just to say thank you instead of giving you a list of reasons why I don't feel it. In all honesty, I've not done anything different this time except that I did not gain as much as I did with Bailey. And, Addison was 9 pounds, so it's nice to lose at least 12 pounds instantly! And we do a lot of walking around here. But thank you all very much, you are all so sweet!

2. I'm fed up with kids who will not eat their dinner. We have tried everything that we know to try and they won't eat. What kid does not like pizza and chicken nuggets (not the fast food variety either!). I know I have blogged about this before, last year I think. But we welcome any suggestions. It seriously is an every night ordeal and we are worn out.

3. I am seriously behind on house cleaning. I need a maid. Not really, I am capable but I am just not motivated at the moment.

4. I enjoy nursing Addison because it's my "excuse" to actually sit down and do nothing else. Except read books to the girls.

5. I look forward to 7:30pm every night. It's when things start to wind down around here and we put the big girls to bed. Silence falls on our house and it is wonderful. Please don't judge me.

6. I have 2 lovely patterns by Amy Butler that I'm dying to sew, but don't have the right fabric yet or the time. I'm hoping to get some cheap(er) fabric while in the states!

One Month

Media_http4bpblogspot_rbbhs

Dear Addison,

One month ago today you entered the world ever so quietly and alert. You were a big girl and so sweet- even though you were two weeks late. I will remind you of that from time to time I'm sure. You are such a sweet baby and very laid back. I think that's good since you are the third girl in this family- you will need lots of patience I think. You don't seem to mind being in your swing or in your crib. You only cry when you are hungry or if you have a dirty nappy. You are the only one of the girls to actually take a pacifier, and you love it! You are starting to have more alert time during the day and last night you slept 6 hours for Mommy and Daddy! That makes us very happy. We love you sweet girl!

Media_http1bpblogspot_eblad

Media_http4bpblogspot_gqhqe


Here is her official one month picture. As you can see, she was thrilled.

Media_http3bpblogspot_nzxek


And just for fun- here is Cerys and Bailey's one month picture-

Media_http3bpblogspot_xknce
Media_http3bpblogspot_yeefh


Can you tell who is who?

Tomorrow is Mother's Day!

Sunday is Mother's Day here in the UK. I know, I get to celebrate twice! I'm not sure what we will do to celebrate, if anything- our life is a bit crazy right now with a newborn- acutally she is one month old tomorrow! Marc has already done so much for me, the past month in particular, that I can't really say I need anything or want anything. A nap would be nice, maybe I can get one of those tomorrow.

Cerys came home from school with this on Friday- a fairy cake and tea bag, with a card


Media_http1bpblogspot_vmaqi


Media_http4bpblogspot_biumo

Media_http4bpblogspot_spyhd

Isn't that cute? She's been asking me all weekend when I'm going to put my feet up and have a cuppa, so tomorrow is the day! They have been learning about outer space this term at school and she told me that the front of the card is a girl alien with hair clips in her hair.

Any Guesses?

This is what I saw Bailey doing this morning. Any guesses?

Media_http3bpblogspot_pjabc

Media_http1bpblogspot_giadw

Media_http1bpblogspot_mdxss

She is soo funny.


Yesterday went well, but it was a LONG day. Most of it spent sitting on a train or the underground. We got all of Addison's paperwork done- including her birth certificate! Her passport will be sent to us just in time for our flight to Dallas in April! We are so thankful that everything went as smooth as it did. Unfortunately I have no pictures of our trip! We were told that we had to leave our phones and camera in a locker, nothing was allowed near the Embassy. We totally understand, but I was bummed that we don't have any pictures of Addison outside of the Embassy. We have a cute picture of Cerys when she was 3 months old, but times have changed! There was not time to do anything else in London, although we walked down Oxford Street for little while- it's a big shopping area. I went into GAP but didn't buy anything. And as I told Marc after walking down that street looking at everyone- my hair did not seem to stand out quite as much. In fact, it was pretty tame compared to some things we saw! But I'm still not really liking it. Sigh. Thank you for your sweet comments though, they did make me feel better!

Posterous theme by Cory Watilo