From Strollers and Sweaters To Buggies and Jumpers

Where Thou Art - that is - Home....Emily Dickinson

2009-04-21T01:29:00.003+01:00

We arrived back stateside March 1st and the transition "home" has been seamless. Caroline is thriving in her new school. Chris is enjoying his new job. And Sadie, who I truly believe had permanent-jet-lag in England, is sleeping like a champ! We've all quickly adapted back to the American way of life and it is great to be back near family. This all being said, I still get misty-eyed thinking about our time in England and just how PERFECT it was.

So, as I am officially declaring this my last installment of "From Strollers and Sweaters..." my shout-out goes to the whole English experience and all the friends we met along the way. While it was brief, it was a chapter in our life that I will cherish forever. And if I learned anything it was to live each day to the fullest - we truly felt at "home" in Claygate, because of this mantra. Here's a poem given to me by my dear friend Susan at our leaving deux. It perfectly sums up my feelings about our year in the U.K. and it is my sincere hope that I haven't seen those that made it so special for the last time.

It seems, wherever I go,
people come into my life or go out of it
touching me where I can feel
them leaving me only memories,
like the gossamer fairy tales of children,
easily forgotten and I wasn't through knowing them yet.

How do I know when I am seeing you for the last time?
How do you halt your life to gather and keep around you
all those whom you have ever loved?
And how do you stop fairy tales
from losing their magic?

But come
Brush against the walls of my life
Even though we both know
The longer you stay, the more I'll want you back
when you are gone.

But come anyways
For fairy tales are the truest stones we read
And good books are made of little chapters...-Anon

Cheers!

Hazy Shade of Winter

2009-02-09T20:03:00.004Z

One of the things the British are known for is their constant talk of the weather. Well, they've had A LOT to talk about lately! Last week England was hit with its biggest snowstorm in 18-years. It "paralyzed" London and the Southeast - no public transportation, shops and businesses closed. Caroline had two snow, days and Chris had one too, so we made the most of it and went "sledging." Our neighbor was kind enough to knock on our door and offer us his "sledge" so we trekked through Claygate to Telegraph Hill and a had a few hours of fun in the snow! The snow was gorgeous and the village was so peacefully perfect. It's one of those days I will not soon forget.

Earlier in January our good pal Steve, who I attended Muskingum with, and with whom Chris has become obnoxiously good friends, visited us from Columbus. We all had a fab time together at Windsor Castle, the Queen's weekend residence, and later in the week Steve, Sadie and I spent a lovely day together in London at the National Portrait Gallery and in Covent Garden for lunch. Steve then ventured up to Norwich, England to see a U.S. based band, and he and Chris also painted London "red" one evening in the hip Camden Town area checking out some live music. Steve was a model houseguest and even did a few short babysitting jobs for me! We are so glad he came to visit.

Later in January, my new friend Jennifer Waxenberg, who I will furthermore refer to as J-Wax, and I did a quick 36-hour girls weekend in Brugge, Belgium. A two-hour ride on the Eurostar landed us in Brussels, where we caught a connection to Brugge - considered to be the "Venice of the North" by european standards. Some retail therapy, a fab dinner, followed by a little dancing was just what the doctor ordered, for these two thirty-something stay at home mamas! Brugge is a gorgeous city, one that was on my backpacking stop nearly 12-years ago, and as luck would have it we stumbled upon the youth hostel I stayed in way back then. I have to say, I much preferred this trip's lodging and dining to that of an unemployed recent college graduate!

So, to our old friend Steve and new friend J-Wax I dedicate this shout-out. Steve-O, thanks for visiting. We hope you enjoyed your experience in the Old Country, and took back some proper pub knowledge with you to Columbus! (Goodness knows you visited enough pubs whilst here...) And J-Wax, my most random friend ever...(we met while both sight-seeing at Canterbury Cathedral) we will miss you and D-Wax fiercely when we are back state-side. But, I take solace in knowing that Ohio and Tennesee are only separated by one United State, and look forward to many Yapp/Waxenberg adventures in our future.

I haven't written about the fact that our time in England has nearly expired, because it still puts a lump in my throat every time I think about leaving. But, we are within three weeks now of coming home. My sadness is in no way a reflection on the home, family and friends we are coming back to in Ohio. We are SO excited to see everyone and resume our midwestern life. My heavy heart is simply caused from falling in love with a community here, and leaving just as we are hitting our stride. For example, we had a "leaving deux" at our house this weekend, and mid-way through the party I walk into the kitchen where Chris has the "men" divided into two teams. One person on each team is blind-folded and partaking in a bourbon .vs. whiskey taste test. This is such a Chris Yapp silly move, but our new friends embraced it! We have been blessed with meeting such fun, honest, live-in-the-moment people, who I hope to have as life-long friends. And, because a big 'ol ocean separates our countries, it makes me a little blue to leave.
To view all photos from our Claygate Leaving Deux go here: http://gallery.me.com/jsyapp#100159

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T10:32:00.003Z

Happy New Year!!! A big shout-out to my mom (Mary Jane) and my aunt (Dorothy) who left yesterday, after a two week visit with us in the old country. I am so happy that they got a glimpse of our life in Claygate, in addition to exploring London and the english countryside. Not to mention being able to spend Christmas together - what a bonus for us and the girls!

The "grannies" as my friend Lisa affectionately began calling them, arrived the Friday before Christmas, and got an immediate tour of Claygate, walking Caroline to school her last day before Christmas break. We spent Friday recovering from jet-lag, before hitting the London tourist scene on Saturday. On Sunday my mom attended church with us, a place she's heard a ton about. Then, that evening we had a true English experience - the English pantomime. If you're not familiar, the "panto" is an adapted version of a classic children's story, sprinkled with adult humour, and typically men dressed as women! The panto we saw was Cinderella, where the stepsisters, were played by hysterical male actors. Laugh out loud funny, is the best way to describe it, and if you ever have the chance you must see one!

Christmas Eve was filled with a trip to church for the Christingle children's service, followed-by another english experience - a trip to the pub! Then, on Christmas day we awoke to find that Father Christmas had spoilt everyone with loads and loads of Christmas goodies - including new dolls and buggies for Caroline and Sadie, a Hannah Montana guitar for Caroline, and the latest and greatest talking Elmo for Sadie from Grammy. We don't get Sesame Street here, but Sadie took an immediate liking to Elmo - who is quite funny - in small doses. We stuffed ourselves with a traditional English Christmas Feast, complete with a Nigella Lawson (celebrity english chef) style turkey! It was my first turkey, and it turned out pretty well! On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), we took another walk back to the pub where we had another true english experience - watching the Morris Dancers! Apparently back in the 1700s most villages had their own set of gentleman dancers (all ages), and the tradition is still alive and well in Claygate today! Very entertaining stuff...

After Christmas illness plagued me and the girls, but that didn't stop us from spending a couple of days in the Cotswold region of England, known for it's limestone architecture and picturesque villages. We also did a brief tour of Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace), Stonehenge, and Salisbury. The countryside in the Cotswolds was the prettiest I've seen in England and we had a fab couple days away.

On New Year's Eve, the grannies babysat while Chris and I spent 24 whole hours in London sans kids! We had a fantastic lunch at Nobu, stayed in the beautiful Mayfair section of London, and went to see Wicked in the West End. (If you haven't seen Wicked and have the opportunity - go! It is such a clever story about the witches from the Wizard of Oz, with absolutely beautiful music...) Chris and I came back to Claygate for a fabulous pork and sauerkraut meal prepared by the grannies, and having just purchased the North American Sports Network, watched some American football bowl games. What a great way to start 2009!

The grannies rounded out their stay with another full-day in London to see the landmarks, and an evening at the Ritz for tea along with myself and Lisa. Thanks again Mom and Aunt Dorothy for making the journey to visit us in Claygate. It was wonderful having you here, for both us and the girls. (And, the Claygate shopkeepers are all sad to see you've gone...) We will see you back in Ohio in a few weeks!

Rainbow Connection

2008-12-05T14:36:00.011Z

In mid-November we welcomed our good pals Heidi and Lisa to England for what was sure to be a fun-filled visit. Since they were flying-in from Cincinnati and Chicago respectively, they arrived bright and early into separate airports, which made picking them up slightly challenging! It all got sorted, and the girls (Heidi, Lisa, Caroline, Sadie and I) headed for a day-trip to Bath, England. Bath is famous for its natural hot springs, which back when the Romans occupied the area were considered a luxurious getaway. Now, Bath is a lovely mid-size city which brings in tourists to see the hot springs, and then relinquishes them of their money at one of the many high-end retailers in town!

Heidi and Lisa explored London on their own one day while Caroline was at school. They came back to our place to eat the one English dish I can prepare - cottage pie - before Chris and I showed them Claygate's finest pub, The Hare and the Hounds. The night at the pub was actually very low-key, as we had a big day ahead of us. Once again it was nice to have extra hands as we boarded our flight to Ireland. Caroline insisted on sitting next to her old pal Heidi, and Sadie took an instant liking to Lisa, so Chris took a nap and I sat in idle amazement at all the items the RyanAir flight attendants were trying to peddle to the passengers.....2009 RyanAir calendar anyone??

I should probably take a moment to explain how we know Heidi and Lisa. Chris and I both worked with Heidi at P&G Pharmaceuticals in '00 and together formed the infamous PharmClub softball team. The decision was made after our first game to have a pint or two at O'Bryons Irish pub, which instantly became our weekly ritual...so how fitting that nearly 10-years later we trek to Ireland together! As for Lisa, we really got to know her when we moved back to Cincinnati in 2003. We will be forever grateful to her for introducing us to the beautiful Keeneland horsetrack in Lexington, KY, and the uber-fun semi-annual pilgrimages there to bet on the ponies!

So, we arrived into the Cork, Ireland airport in the late afternoon and after a rough start (i.e. long wait for the rental car, followed by a long/winding/motion-sick drive with cranky kids, etc...) we arrived into Killarney where we had rented an apartment for the weekend. Our friend Eric (i.e. our travel companion in both Norway and Paris; he also knew H & L back in the 'Nati) arrived later that night from Amsterdam, and the following day we drove the whole Ring of Kerry in Southwest Ireland. Ireland WAY exceeded my expectations. Of all the countries I've traveled in, it is probably the one with the most unspoiled beauty. We'd be driving along and all of a sudden you would see a partially delapidated castle in the middle of the most beautiful green, rolling pastures. As you will see from our pictures - the scenery is truly breathtaking.

And the hospitality, in my opinion was the best we've had in all of our European adventures. We hired a babysitter through the apartment/hotel where we were staying, and had a fun night out eating a great meal, listening to some traditional irish music, and "borrowing" a pint glass or maybe six?? (What are we 12?!?) And, all the locals seemed to get a kick out of our crew! (We were quite a charming group after each having a few glasses of Jameson's...)

On our final full day in Ireland, we drove back towards Cork and went to Blarney village and visited the famous Blarney Castle. Again - spectacular, probably the highlight of the trip for me. Unfortunately, we were forced to move pretty quickly up the narrow stairwells to the top because the weather was monsoon-like for a few minutes! So, I don't have as much history on the castle or the Blarney Stone as I would like to share....but, we did ALL kiss the Blarney Stone - which is on the Discovery Channel's list of "99 things to do before you die," and said to give whoever kisses it the gift of "eloquence." Cool.

As I mentioned and as you will see in the pictures, the weather in Ireland was unpredictable. It could go from brisk and sunny, to windy and raining, to cold and sleeting in a matter of seconds. We all agreed the weather made the trip perfect though...totally what you would imagine it to be in Ireland. And, without the rain, we never would have seen not one, but two huge, beautiful rainbows. So to my dear friends Heidi and Lisa (and yes, Eric too) this shout out is for you! Thank you for making the trip across the pond to visit us in the UK - we loved having you here. And, I am so thankful for, and will always remember the Rainbow Connection we had in Ireland.

In other news, I survived the Claygate Primary Christmas Bazaar...barely. We celebrated Thanksgiving on the Saturday after the holiday with some American friends, and are now full-steam ahead for CHRISTMAS!

Halloween in the Old Country

2008-11-09T20:43:00.003Z

October has come and gone and just thought I'd add a quick post to remember our goings-on this autumn. We attended the Halloween Party I helped out with at a local farm that had traditional farm animals, and tons of playground equipment for the kids to play on. A couple of pictures are attached from the party where Caroline wrapped her "mummy" and Sadie won the costume contest for "most original" costume! She was a pumpkin. Sound original to you?!? Yeah, me either...but the judges were british, and as I've learned throughout the month, Halloween in the UK translates to scary wherewolves, witches and skeletons. Not cute little pumpkins or little girls in "fancy dress!" Nonetheless, we are very proud of Sadie for being such a cute little pumpkin!

On Halloween night, Chris stayed home with Sadie to pass out candy and I took Caroline around to a few houses. Again, all the other trick-or-treaters were dressed in dark, scary garb, so Caroline in her 50's poodle skirt really stood out! And, most recently Caroline's school held a "Spooky Disco." Think back to your first school dance. Mine was in 7th grade. Well, honestly these 4-7 year olds probably had more fun, and did more dancing than I at my first dance! They were all dressed in, you guessed it, "spooky" garb (we invested in a pirate costume for Caroline), there was a booming sound system complete with DJ, disco lights, etc! I think Caroline was a little overwhelmed at first with the loud music and low lighting, but once she caught up with some of her friends, she seemed to have a great time.

We haven't done much traveling this month, instead we have spent most of our weekends watching College football. We are fortunate to have become fast friends with another American couple from Tennessee, and Danny, like Chris is football obsessed. So, between our slingbox and their NASN subscription, we've been able to watch the Illini and Alabama's Crimson Tide....who are conincidentally ranked #1 right now! Roll Tide.

It was a little disappointing to be overseas during arguably the most historic presidential election...ever. We are able to get one American news channel "real time" so we didn't feel completely out of the loop, and were kept informed by Republican and Democrat friends/family at home! We did our part and mailed our absentee ballots, although I doubt they'll even be counted. All of the English mum's at Caroline's school, and Chris's co-workers are very interested on our opinion of the results. In a word, we are "pumped!" I do not fancy myself a Democrat, but with the state of the world and the economy, I completely bought into Obama's "change" message. Plus, living in the UK has changed my views on some things, and ultimately I think Obama will provide the leadership the U.S. needs right now.

My honorary shout-out for correctly identifying my literary reference in my last post goes to my pal in the 'burbs of Cincinnati, Sara Potter! Thanks Sara for reading...I love keeping in touch with you on FB, and look forward to re-connecting upon our return to Ohio. Hugs to Olivia and Jack! ;) Oh - and Sara correctly identified George Orwell as the author of "Down and Out in Paris and London." Not my favorite of his books, but he nonetheless is one of my fave authors...

We have some visitors arriving in two weeks and are heading to Ireland for a long weekend. I cannot wait!

Down and Out in Paris and London

2008-10-12T21:55:00.008+01:00

I just noticed it's been nearly a month since my last entry. Wow - time is really flying! We've been CRAZY busy. I've settled in to the school routine with Parents Association meetings and am now officially (and reluctantly) on the committee to plan the school's Christmas Bazaar. Agh - more fundraising - I thought I was done with that when I "retired" from the Arthritis Foundation! Additionally, I am helping with the International Mom's Club halloween party. I am a glutton for punishment, for sure...

Also this past month, we received our first visitors! Chris's parents flew over from Frog Hollow (their Ohio home in the woods) at the end of September for a 10-day visit. We started their visit off by showing them around Claygate, followed by a day in London together. From there, they were model houseguests and journeyed into London on their own several days while Chris was working and Caroline was at school. They took in all of the key sites - Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and of course several of London's finest pubs! As good timing would have it, Caroline's "harvest assembly" at school happened to occur the week they were here, so they got to see her sing "Big Red Combine Harvester" along with the rest of the Willow class!

Later in their visit, Chris was able to take a couple of days off work and we took the Eurostar to Paris for a long weekend. For those not familiar, the Eurostar is a high speed train that takes you from central London to Paris, through a tunnel under the English channel in about two hours. Except for Sadie's constant squirming, squalking, and general misbehavior, it was a fab trip on the Eurostar!

We landed in Paris late on Thursday and by the time we got to the proper hotel, it was straight to bed for the girls and me. On Friday we immediately tackled Paris's metro system and headed to the Eiffel Tower. I should mention that we spent most of the day on Friday with the Smith family (Eric, Canetti, Aiden and Carson) who drove in from Amsterdam to tour Paris, before heading to Euro Disneyland. We lucked-out with gorgeous, albeit crisp, autumn weather. Before leaving the Eiffel Tower and heading down the Champs d'Elysses towards the Arc d'Triumph, we were able to capture some Christmas-card worthy pictures in front of the tower, complete with cheesy french berets that just SCREAMED - tourists!!! (It is important to note that MY hat is NOT a beret, and I have owned it for several years...) :)

After seeing the "Arc" (my favorite Parisian structure), we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe, people-watched, and enjoyed our beer and wine. Shortly after, we bid adieu to the Sminetti's and the Yapp's continued their exploration of the city.

As I have mentioned before, I backpacked through Europe in 1997, and Paris was the last city we visited before heading home. After a month of traveling, I think Jen, Becky and I were all ready to come home, so for me, Paris was one of my least favorite destinations that summer. That said, I was really looking forward to giving it a solid "re-do." And, I must say, I definitely appreciated it more this go-round. I had forgotten how absolutely beautiful Paris is up and down the Seinne River. Our second full day there, we took a boat ride on the river, and any direction you looked was just more beautiful than the last, with famous structures all around - the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, Musee d'Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, Alexander Bridge - all so STUNNING.

For me, there were two highlights to our time in Paris. The first was our lunch at a quaint little French bistro in the Latin Quarter. The food was AMAZING. (And, the children cooperated...oh - AND we had two bottles of wine between the four of us at lunch!) Actually, I'm not even sure that the food was amazing, or if I'm just so used to eating English food now, that something different tasted better??? (No offense to any English readers out there...) The second highlight for me was seeing the Eiffel Tower at night. Chris's mom really wanted to see it all lit up, but I wasn't sure Sadie could "hang," so I almost missed it and am really glad I didn't. Very beautiful, even if some people think the structure isn't.

My shout-out this time goes to my fab, fun in-laws, Donna and Charlie Yapp. I'm so glad you came to visit and got to see and experience a little of our life in England. We had a great time sharing Claygate with you, showing you around London, and experiencing beautiful Paris together. And most importantly, it was wonderful for Caroline and Sadie to have a dose of grandma and papa's love and attention....even though I am still de-tox'ing Caroline from your visit! Thanks for all of the girls' gifts and our meals out. We loved having you here and hope you will come back soon!

To view all pictures from the Yapp's time abroad go to: http://gallery.me.com/jsyapp#100118

Bonus points and an honorary shout-out to the first person who can identify the literary reference to the title of this blog posting...

School Days

2008-09-16T14:58:00.007+01:00

Caroline started school last week and is LOVING it. And, I am loving the routine that going to school has instilled in our lives. I had almost forgotten how much I crave and need that - maybe even more than the girls! The summer was beginning to drag-on, so having to be someplace by 9am everyday, has whipped us back into shape! (And, I'm hoping walking 3+ miles a day to/from school will whip me into shape!) Plus, it gives Sadie and me a few hours to ourselves to hang at home, hit the gym, or go to a toddler playgroup.

In addition to school, Caroline also recently started playing football (i.e. soccer for all you american readers) and dance. Her 4-year old football team is coached by none other than former Bumble Bees stand-out Chris Yapp. Daddy was a bit of a distraction for Caroline in the first game, but by week two she seemed to ignore him and chase the other kids (and sometimes the ball) around. Her dance class is a ballet/tap combo, and I can tell already that Caroline is going to favor the tap portion because of the clickety-clackity shoes! Speaking of shoes, I almost fainted when we purchased Caroline's ballet shoes and was told that I needed to sew the elastic band on them! This is such an easy job for anyone that can thread a needle, but I, simply put, DO NOT SEW!! So sad, I know...luckily my friend Lisa had a sewing kit handy, and completed the job in under 5-minutes.

As a family, we've been busy with a day trip to Leeds Castle and the Canterbury Cathedral - both beautiful. Apple picking with the american contingent in Surrey. Pub lunches and dinners. Entertaining at home. Attending church. Tennis and picnic with Claygate friends, and for me - netball has started up again. Oh, and while Caroline was at school on her first day, Chris, Sadie and I did a little pub-crawl around Claygate to compare and contrast all of the pubs...although Chris and I differ on our favorite! Sadly, it was my first time being in some - the english aren't really child friendly, but since Sadie was in a buggy and it was only 2pm, I guess they looked the other way?!?!

I am dedicating this shout-out to someone who has made this transition to a foreign land look incredibly easy, someone who has enabled me to transition more easily by getting me introduced to so many people, and someone who has helped carry-over normalcy from our house in Dublin to our house in Claygate. That someone is...Caroline Jane Yapp, my beautiful 4-year old. I seriously cannot imagine what moving here would have been like without her. Literally, every person I have met is BECAUSE of Caroline. She loves other kids, and plays so well with them. I am so happy that Caroline gets to experience going to a british school, and it's funny b/c she's already making an impact on some of the english kids. One mum from church said her daughter came home and was talking differently and the mum asked her "are you talking like Caroline?" and the little girl said "YEAH!" in a strong american accent of course! The jury is still out on whether Caroline will pick-up an english accent. She is however picking up on phrases and on the weekends frequently asks us if "we are going to the pub for dinner??" Also she is using the word "bit" as an adjective pretty frequently now. For example, "It seems a bit cold outside today, mommy." Funny stuff.

Caroline is also such a good big sister to Sadie, and I think once Sadie starts walking they are going to be very good playmates for one another. I could go on and on about Caroline, really, but the point I want to make and for her to know, is that she has transitioned so remarkably well and has made this experience so wonderful for all of us. I love you Caroline, and I promise when we move home, we will get you a kitty...

Newcastle to Norway

2008-08-24T20:30:00.009+01:00

From 10-15th of August we took an incredible trip to Stavanger, Norway. It has taken me this long to feel "recovered" from our travels and enter a post about it. Traveling with children (particularly a one-year old) is, in a word...EXHAUSTING. Now that the suitcases are unpacked, laundry is caught up, and kids are back into their regular routines I am finally able to blog again.

Now, I know Norway may not be at the top of many people's 'places they want to see before they die' list, so let me provide a little background on why we chose to go there. Way back in Jan/Feb when Chris and I were here house-hunting, we stayed with our friend's the Rudie's (refer to first post), and started tossing around places where we could travel together while we were all living in the UK. Scandinavia came up as a possibility, Norway in particular because of Brian's Norwegian heritage. And, I know Chris and I viewed going there as only feasible while living here...i.e., there's no way we would travel to Scandinavia from the U.S. - too far, too expensive, too cold!

Fast forward to earlier this summer when just before we arrived in England, we find out the Rudie's - our mentors, our travel buddies, our dear friends - have been told their "assignment" in the UK has been cut short by one year and they are headed home to Cincinnati. (agh - boo hoo for us) But, their early departure increased the momentum to go "somewhere" with them before they moved. So, after more deliberation and much consideration, AND the recruitment of another ex-Procter, now europe based family - the Sminetti's...we settled on Norway.

The three families met in Newcastle, England (a three-hour train ride from London; an overnight cruise from Amsterdam for the Smith's), and boarded a cruise ship for an overnight cruise to Stavanger, Norway. Between us, we have six children ages 6 to 1, and I think everyone will concur with me that the highlight of our cruise ship was the children's play area, where during any period of downtime, our kids could just run rampant, and the adults could sit back and have an adult beverage. After dinner, the men offered to babysit the kids, so the ladies could hit the piano bar and "disco." I won't go into detail here, but let's just say, we learned that the "daddies" weren't the most conscientious of babysitters - and in hindsight we can laugh at how lucky we are not to have become a dateline exclusive!

I should mention that this is not the first time these three families have traveled together. In early 2004, when I was pregnant with Caroline, Sarah was pregnant with Grace, and Canetti was pregnant with Carson, we did a long weekend in Gatlinburg, TN together. There was only one child at the time - 18-month old Aiden, so this trip was a little different! For one, it was so fun just to sit back and watch the kids interact. Caroline and Grace had already had two sleepovers together earlier in the summer, so picked up right where they last left off. They are both 4 and VERY girlie, and enjoyed applying their play make-up whenever there was a break in the action. Aiden and Carson Smith are the sweetest 6 and 4 year-old brothers I have ever encountered. They are SO polite, funny, and patient with Caroline specifically, who became quite smitten with Aiden and was a bit of a space invader! Max Rudie (2) is also very sweet, and completely went with the flow of the big kids. And then there was Sadie. Who, in all honestly, was a fantastic little traveler. She napped when necessary in the buggy, and slept very well at night. She too, is able to just "go with the flow" when necessary, we just end up paying for it later...:)

Stavanger, Norway is located in the southwest of the country in the fjord region. It is a small city of about 100,000 people and completely pedestrian friendly. Each day we were there we walked to the town centre, restaurants, old town, etc...from our hotel. The highlight of our trip was seeing the fjords. We took a 3.5 hour fjord cruise one day and saw some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever, and may ever see. It is simply breathtaking. Chris took 450 pictures, only a few I'm able to post here. If you are interested in seeing more, go to this site: http://gallery.me.com/jsyapp#100102

Obviously, my shout-out this time is to our travel companions. Vikings - Fjord Fjun 2008 is not a trip any of us will soon forget. I'm so glad to have experienced Norway, and more importantly to have experienced it with such good friends. Rudie's - we will miss you terribly, but look forward to reconnecting in the buckeye state. Sminetti's - our travel adventures have just begun. As Yapp would say "it's crazy that we're living in Europe at the SAME time!" Let's make the most of it - what do you say, a winter trip to Egypt?? In the meantime, come to Claygate!

Happy Birthday Dear Sadie-Kat.....

2008-08-03T14:55:00.005+01:00

.....Happy Birthday to You!!!

Yesterday we celebrated Sadie's 1st Birthday. Since we don't have any family in the greater London area, we decided against having a party, and instead thought it would be fun to spend the day at the beach. Although it's been quite hot here the past couple of weeks (in the low 80s without air-conditioning is HOT), in true English weather fashion, if the sun doesn't shine, or if the wind blows the slightest bit, or worse yet, it rains - it can become quite chilly. Yesterday, we experienced no sunshine, rain, and wind! It was just far too cold to stay by the sea, so we posed for one quick picture and quickly made our way into the beach cafe to warm up with coffees and hot chocolate, before driving an hour and a half home. I shouldn't be surprised that the weather didn't cooperate. Everyone warned me about the awful English weather, but yesterday was really the first time in two months that it has let me down.

On August 2, 2007 Sadie Katherine joined our family, and shortly after her homecoming adopted the nickname "Sadie-Kat," created by her father. (I think Chris drew his inspiration from the star studded uber-annoying couple, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, aka - TomKat, but he denies it...) As all babies do, Sadie has changed so much in the past year, and while it sounds completely cliche - I really can't believe my baby is one already! (sniff sniff)

So, I'm dedicating this blog and shout-out to our precious Sadie. Your personality is really taking form, and I can tell that you are going to be a spunky little thing. (God save the person who tries to take a toy out of YOUR hands!) And, when you are ready to get up from a nap, you certainly let us know! You mastered crawling months ago, and quite frankly I'm shocked you aren't walking yet...any day now. You are babbling up a storm, and I think once you get the hang of forming "real" words, and associating them with an object, we will have a proper little chatterbox on our hands! You have a special relationship with Caroline, and my hope is that you always will. I tell her daily, when she is just hoping for a reprieve from her baby sis, that she is your very favorite person in the world and she should take it as a compliment when you follow her around! (For the most part, she does enjoy your company...) You have eight teeth already, and gave-up on mushed baby food weeks ago. You are a fabulous eater, which makes my life so easy at dinner time...you have not met a food you have not liked!

Happy Happy 1st Birthday, sweet Sades. I love you with all of my heart, and feel so blessed to have you as my daughter.

Edinburgh

2008-07-18T14:13:00.010+01:00

After a 4.5-hour train journey from London we arrived in Edinburgh (pronounced Edinborough) last Friday afternoon. After checking-in to our hotel, we promptly hopped on a city bus to get to the city centre, and then onto an open-air double decker tour bus, where the fun began! Edinburgh is a great place to be a tourist. The city centre is quaint and compact, so there is a lot to do and see just by walking a short distance. And, we saw it all. As you will see in the pictures the architecture is very medieval and any direction you look up or down the Royal Mile, you have a great view. From Arthur's Seat and the start of the rolling grassy highlands, to the ocean, to Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh Castle is definitely the most impressive castle I have ever seen, and ranks right up there to being one of the most impressive structures I have ever seen. (Roman Colosseum is number one on my list, in case you're interested!) Now I'm no historian, but I found myself completely in awe of it's magnitude and well, history. Google it if you'd like more information, because I only wore my head-set on our "self-guided" tour for a portion of the time!

After the castle we needed to warm up. (Scotland was chilly - only about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, overcast and raining most of the time we were there.) So, what better way to warm up than with some authentic Scottish Whisky, right?? We took a brief tour of a mock-distillery and then were able to sample four drams of scotch. Definitely not my drink of choice, but Chris bought a bottle to share when he has someone who will listen to his philosophy on life....or at least that's what I picture people sipping scotch to do!

We debated taking a day-trip into the Scottish Highlands or to St. Andrews, but in the end we just stayed within the city limits. Went to an incredible science museum called Our Dynamic Earth, which explains the Big Bang Theory, Global Warming, and other relevant earth "issues." A must-see if you're ever in Edinburgh. Didn't go inside Holyrood Palace - home to the Royals (not the baseball team) when they are in Scotland. But, we did see it from all angles outside it's gates, and it too is breathtaking. We wrapped up our sight-seeing at the Edinburgh Zoo and arrived just in time for the penguin parade. The only parade of it's kind in the world - where every afternoon, the penguins are let out of their containment area and parade in a loop through the zoo. So cute, and Caroline loved it.

Overall the girls were good little travelers. Sadie is not the best sleeper in perfect conditions, so the first night in the hotel was a little rough. We knew we had no chance of instilling a naptime in our shoebox sized room, so the girls napped when they felt like it in the buggy while we were on the go from 8am-8pm. By 8:05pm I think all four of us were in a deep slumber!

We returned on Monday, and at the train station in Edinburgh came across several backpackers, many of which had attended a festival somewhere around Edinburgh over the weekend. Seeing these backpackers, mostly in their early-20s, took me back to the summer of 1997. It was then that I, along with my college roommates, Becky Parrott and Jennifer Sathe, freshly graduated from college, postponed entering the "real world" and embarked on a month-long european adventure. Eleven years later, I couldn't help but feel some pangs of envy while I watched these young backpackers waiting for their trains. The freedom they had to just hop on a train and "go," is something I haven't felt since I stepped off the plane from Paris after our return flight in 1997. Where were they headed next? That summer we often didn't know where our next european stop was going to be until we arrived at the train station. These days, I don't hop in the car without a backpack full of nappies, formula and a clear plan of when and where I will next feed my children! Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change my non-freedom now for anything, but did I really appreciate it then? Appreciated it or not, it was a month of my life I will never, ever forget. So to my dear friends, Rebecca (Parrott) Armrose soon to be mother of three, and Jennifer (Sathe) Thon, mother of four, I dedicate this shout-out. Our trip around Europe was one that I will never forget, and living here now has triggered so many happy memories from it. Cheers to you both.

America, America

2008-07-08T09:56:00.013+01:00

We celebrated my favorite holiday, the Fourth of July, with several of Chris's co-workers, a few neighbors and new friends, by having a bbq at our home. There were just five of us American's (including Sadie and Caroline) here, but everyone showed their support by dressing festively, and partaking in a true American cocktail - Kentucky Lemonade! (Made with Maker's Mark, of course...) We had patriotic American music blaring throughout the party, and we capped the night off with a fireworks show. I should mention that we purchased the fireworks from inside the van of a nice Englishman the day before. His whole operation was rather dodgy (read - SHADY)...but, the fireworks were a hit and we celebrated America's Independence this year, ironically with those that we sought our independence from all those years ago.

As I write this, I am nursing some sore muscles from my netball game last night. Ahhh netball...an Olympic sport that I had never heard of. Google it, if you have interest in learning more, but as described by a fellow American over here, it is rather like "wussy basketball." Wussy basketball or not, I love it! The key difference between netball and traditional basketball, is that when you catch the ball you must stop...no dribbling. And, it is also a little like soccer in that you must play within your position - only shooters can shoot, defense is defense, etc... Having never played a field sport of the sort, I am constantly being called for being "off-sides." Nonetheless, it has provided a great outlet of exercise for me - reminiscent of my glory days hooping it up for the North Union Wildcats! In addition I have met a brilliant group of Englishwomen. After last night's game (the last of the summer before it picks up again in September), we hit the pub and I had my first pint of lager shandy - half lager (beer) and half sprite. Refreshing, but too sweet for my taste - I prefer my lager straight up!

The girls and I have been keeping busy with many, many play groups. I am still trying to stay connected to the American's in the area, but since Caroline is going to the local school, I'm also taking advantage of all of the children's activities Claygate has to offer. Caroline had her second school orientation last week, followed by a picnic. The kids in her class are all so darling - Barnaby, Phoebe, Ewan...just to name a few. And, the parents I've met are wonderful. I am really looking forward to school starting, as I know Caroline is going to love it, and I'll get to meet more people that way too -through the Parents Association...no one laugh, I'm turning into a PTA mum!

Another huge outlet for us, and one that is really making me fall in love with our little village, is the church. I originally went to a play group that the vicar's (head minister) wife holds weekly, and then followed it by attending church. The church's new youth pastor is actually American. He and his wife (who is English), moved from Atlanta to Claygate the day before us. They, along with the vicar and his wife all have young children. It is a very young, vibrant church, and Chris and I both enjoyed the service. Caroline enjoyed the "Jumpers" kids church, and Sadie had fun in the creche! I didn't anticipate in a million years that after one month living in England, I'd be hanging-out with the local clergy! Clearly, someone is looking out for me...

And finally, I have to make mention and give a shout-out to my new friends Lisa and Karen who have played a major role in helping the Yapps feel so welcome in Claygate. Karen, a fellow American has been a true mentor to me, by answering all of my gazillion questions, taking me to the grocery store and even giving Caroline her daughter's gently used school uniforms. And, in a roundabout way, Karen also introduced me to Lisa - however, I first met Lisa at Caroline's school orientation. Her daughter Sasha will be in Caroline's class. The afternoon after the orientation, Lisa invited the girls and me over to her house to play - she introduced me to a few of her friends, and every time I see her, she introduces me to a few more. Lisa and her husband Raymond are South African, but have lived in Claygate for eight years and they know EVERYBODY. (They are pictured here decked out in red, white and blue...) Oh - and, Caroline is OBSESSED with Sasha - they are going to be rockin' the Willow Class at Claygate Primary this fall! In a nutshell, I am feeling incredibly indebted to these two lovely ladies, and look forward to getting to know them better during our time in England.

We are setting off on our first family adventure this weekend, to Edinburgh, Scotland. And then, next week we are keeping our fingers crossed for our first visitors...Cheers!

Chris's Week

2008-06-19T14:06:00.004+01:00

I can hardly believe two weeks have gone by since we first landed in England! I think it has only rained one day, and the weather continues to be beautiful. Before we moved, I logged-in to the American Women of Surrey site and signed-on as a member. The women have been incredibly welcoming, and to date the girls and I have been to two play groups and a picnic, with two more activities scheduled for next week. I continue to adore Claygate and met a nice "local" at the playground this week who clued me in to a play group at the Village Hall, which I think we'll check out next week. My goal by the end of this experience is to have a bevy of new, international friends!

Sunday was Father's Day. We took the train to London and had a wonderful time. We rode the London Eye to get a bird's eye view of the city, before taking off on foot to see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. I think we mapped out a pretty good loop of the city's "must-sees" to show visitors when they come! Being a "local" now myself, I did not consider it necessary to wear sensible shoes on our self-made walking tour of London, and have been paying for it all week with blisters all over my feet! Ouch.

Monday was Chris's birthday, and as a belated gift to him, I'd like to dedicate this post's "shout-out..." Without him, I would never have started this silly blog to document our crazy european adventure! I am so proud of you, CC. You are an incredible father to Sadie and Caroline, and and an amazing partner to me. I still love you as much as the day we were married in that old stone church, and I still LIKE you and all of your crazy whims too! You are my best friend, and I am already loving this incredible new chapter in our life. I look forward to exploring as many european nooks and crannies as we can fit into our budget this year! Cheers.

Claygate FINALLY Meets The Yapps

2008-06-08T15:20:00.009+01:00

We're here! We landed at Gatwick around 9am Wednesday morning after being delayed about an hour in Newark. The delay actually worked to our advantage because both Caroline and Sadie were sound asleep before the plane even took off, and slept the ENTIRE flight! I didn't sleep as much as I would have liked, because since we received business class seats (thank you Scott's!), I stayed up for the fine food and wine being served. Seriously - the food was really, really good and the accommodations on Continental (my new favorite airline) were amazing. I fell in love with the business class seats and could get quite comfortable there. :)

After loading our five large suitcases, four carry-ons, and two car seats into what is the equivalent of a Subaru stationwagon, we headed to our house. (The pre-arranged taxi service sent the wrong car for us...it all worked out, but it looked dicey for a few moments on whether we would be able to fit all of our things, not to mention children into the car!). When we arrived in Claygate my first impressions were: a) Chris did a pretty good job cleaning the house before he left, and b) the village in general, and 23 Meadow Rd. in particular, are even cuter than I remembered. What a relief.

Caroline's transition has been even better than I could have hoped for. She loves her new room and bunk bed, and has been enjoying playing with all of her toys that were shipped from Ohio in the middle of May. Plus, I think she is just relieved to be with her Daddy again! We had a wonderful letter waiting for us when we arrived, telling us that Caroline got "in" to the local public primary school. This has alleviated a major stressor for us - whether I would be traveling miles and miles a day to get her to school and/or paying a gazillion pounds to send her to a private school. As it turns out, Claygate Primary is just a ten minute walk away and very well-regarded.

Sadie's transition on the other hand, has not been quite as seamless! The day we left, Chris took her to the doctor in Dublin as we feared she might have an ear infection. Instead, she has a lovely virus known as hand, foot and mouth disease. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for her, other than love her and pump her with fluids. Between her illness and being moved across four time zones, she is not sleeping great at night or napping well during the day. We are hoping she starts feeling better soon so we all can feel a little more rested!

Chris went back to work on Thursday and the girls and I spent most of Thursday and Friday unpacking and exploring Claygate. We found the park, went to the school to pick-up Caroline's registration materials, and stopped by the local market and stationery store. I don't have a car yet - the jury is still out on whether I'll be needing/getting one - but the weather has been so nice, that's it's just been great to walk around outside. I still feel like I'm on vacation, because when I'm out and about and add up the architecture with the local accents you can just tell you ain't in America anymore! I mean this in a good way - Claygate is truly a classic english village - and it's crazy to me that we are LIVING here.

This weekend, I tried my hand at driving Chris's company car. Let's just say, it's a bit confusing driving on the left side of the road, from the right side of the car, and shifting with your left hand! Not to mention, the english roads are AT LEAST five feet narrower than the typical american road and the drivers here follow so close behind. They aren't being aggressive necessarily, but in America we would consider this tailgating bordering on road rage! Oh - and the round-a-bouts - don't even get me started on the round-a-bouts.....they. are. EVERYWHERE.

Okay - onto my shout-outs. On May 31st we attended a most special event. Our beloved friend Kate, who we first met in Cincinnati our first go-round there, got married! We were lucky enough to get Chris back in town for the occasion and celebrate with Kate, her new hubby Jeff, and their wonderful families. It was a beautiful wedding followed by a tremendous party. As a bonus for us, we were reunited with many of our Cincinnati pals (even some from the aforementioned first go-round), which is always a pleasure. So, congrats Kate and Jeff - wishing you many happy years together...including an '08-'09 trip to the UK?!?

The day after Kate's wedding we began our formal goodbyes with our families. We celebrated Chris's mom's birthday at his parents house, and even attended a Wild West Festival in Brown County, OH with them! (It's on-going this month, so for any Wild West fans - you may want to check it out!) Chris spent some time on the internet at his parents and found flights for $650, so they are gearing up for a visit. As always, we enjoyed our time at Frog Hollow, especially the girls, who get spoiled rotten by Grandma and PaPa.

Finally, my mom picked-up pizza from our favorite pizza place (Benny's in Marysville) and brought it over on Monday. My brother Matt, and sister-in-law Susan as well as our best pals and house-sitters, Catherine and Rich joined us. I am going to do the unprecedented now and give a second shout-out to my mom...(Not that it matters because at this point she is probably the only one still reading this obnoxiously long blog!) My mom is quite a gal, who has become my dear friend over the past several years, and I am going to miss her enormously while we're in England. I can't even imagine the last couple of months back in Ohio without her nearby to help with the girls, and I know they treasured every second of their time with Grammy as well. So mom - GET YOUR PASSPORT, call the doctor and get some Ambien, and get across the pond for a visit! Love you...

Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road

2008-05-19T01:15:00.001+01:00

Today was a day I have secretly been looking forward to since the doctor declared "it's a girl!" nearly four years ago. Today was Caroline's first dance recital. She and her 7 creative dance classmates performed in the Dublin Dance Center's, Broadway Babies show. Their song was "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz. I have a video of the 3-minute performance, but of course am having a difficult time attaching it, so instead - here is a blurry picture of Caroline on stage, blowing kisses during the finale. Although I am just a tad biased, I thought the performance was just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! And, yes - those are french braids in Caroline's bobbed hair - I will proudly pat myself on the back for that accomplishment!

Earlier in the day we celebrated Caroline's 4th birthday with my mom, Chris's parents, my Aunt Dorothy and her husband Dick, as well as my brother Matt and sister-in-law Susan. Since the movers came last week and our possessions are already in route to England, I implored everyone not to go overboard on the gifts! Caroline is stocked and ready to go now though, for the long plane ride to England which we'll take on June 3rd. On Caroline's actual birthday (May 20th), we are having all of the neighborhood kids over for a pizza party. As resistant as I was to move to the 'burbs, I have to say I am really loving it. We have awesome neighbors, as houses continue to turn over with young families moving in. I've asked each kid to bring a picture of themselves instead of a present for Caroline, so she can remember all of her pals when we're in England. I am praying that our neighborhood in Claygate offers a similar family friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately Chris, who has been there on and off for two months now, has not so much as SEEN a neighbor let alone talked to anyone, so is not able to clue me into the neighborhood dynamics!

We spent 5-days in Colorado Springs last week for Chris's best friend Brian's wedding. I'd like to dedicate this post's shout-out to the new Major and Mrs. Brian Bone! Chris met the girls and me in Denver and we drove down to "the Springs" (as I heard the locals refer to it...) together. (I will not even get into heavy details about traveling BY MYSELF with the two munchkins, but let's just say I think I deserve a day to myself at some fabulous european hot springs for my efforts...) Anyway, I've attached a picture of the happy couple. I told Chris I kind of felt kind of sad when we were leaving the wedding festivities on Sunday. It was obviously awesome to see Brian and get to know Annette, but because Chris was the best man (and gave an incredible speech - again, I'm just a smidgen biased...), we really got to know the rest of the wedding party and families and had a wonderful time with everyone. So - Brian and Annette - thank you for including us in your special weekend. Hope you had an amazing time in Italy and we'll look forward to seeing Brian in England this summer. Additionally, Colorado Springs is one of the prettiest places I've been in the U.S. We had a great time with the girls exploring Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls, and the Zoo which has an awesome giraffe exhibit among other things.

This will definitely be my last post on American soil before the move. We've been easin' on down this road to England for awhile now, and while I'm still pretty excited about living abroad, at this point I'm just ready for the four of us to be under the same roof, whether that be in Ohio, England or Timbuktu! Please keep us in your prayers on June 3rd and the weeks shortly thereafter as we get settled. Until then....Cheers!

Spring Break 2008

2008-04-01T19:01:00.000+01:00

Well, our new routine is in full-effect with the girls and I holding down the fort in Columbus, and Chris getting settled in to our house in Claygate. Last week was Easter (which Chris was home for) followed by spring-break. Caroline spent a few days with Chris's parents and had a fabulous time, so a special shout-out goes to them! Thanks grandma and papa for spending some extra special time with Caroline!

I met Chris's mom on a weekday for lunch at the outlet malls in between Cincinnati and Columbus to "exchange" Caroline. Before meeting Donna, I did something I'm not really accustomed to doing...I became a fierce consumer! Here's the background story....Chris and I bought running shoes at the Nike outlet last fall. I have been wearing mine at the gym consistently, but not doing a ton of running in them. Well, my feet HURT constantly, which I thought was weird since I'm not wearing them that hard. I knew I needed to either get a new pair of shoes, or some inserts. So, we went to Fleet Feet last week to look for inserts. To make a long story short - I had the BEST experience there. The CEO of Fleet Feet, Tom, happened to be visiting this particular franchise store, and since they were short staffed, he waited on me. (Tom was super cool, and yes, I did end up getting a new pair of shoes which I absolutely love!) But, the point of this whole story is that Tom encouraged me to take back my shoes to Nike, b/c Fleet Feet would absolutely take them back if a customer were that unhappy with them. I never would have even tried this since I had bought them months before, but I was able to leverage my foot/back pain, with my wonderful experience with Fleet Feet to get a store credit at the Nike Outlet - with only minimal resistance from their management. Clearly, this was a very empowering moment for me or I wouldn't be blogging about it!

Anywho, moving on...Chris's work permit is finalized and we will work on getting our visas completed when he is home next week. I think that is the final step before we can make the big move. We're still sticking to our early-June move date though, to complete the school year here, dance recital, weddings, etc...Speaking of school, the English school process couldn't be more complicated for getting your child into a local/public school! It has been quite a challenge figuring out which school Caroline will attend next fall for her "reception" year. We're leaning towards not getting a second car, so it is important for whatever school she attends to be near the train or bus station. We shall see.

I had a fabulous night out in Cincinnati last weekend with some girlfriends. First I attended a "wine" bridal shower for my friend Sarah Walton who is getting married in June. It was at a fantastic new restaurant and wine bar in Over the Rhine called Lavomatic. I knew the area was an up and coming one, so I felt comfortable wearing my newly inherited mink jacket from Chris's grandmother. Not sure that GiGi would have approved of me wearing it with jeans, but I loved the look!

Later that night, I met up with my friends Heidi and Suzanne. We attended a local party where the median age was about 25, so thankfully I didn't wear my mink inside, as I don't think they would have appreciated it! (Or stopped their beer-pong game to even notice!) We capped the night off, just as it started, at a wine bar in Hyde Park. It was so fun hanging-out with all of my girls.

The picture on this post is of the four of us on Easter morning. Sadie will be 8-months old tomorrow, and is crawling all over the place, babbling a ton and starting to fuss when mommy leaves her sight - a phase I'm hoping will pass soon! I really missed Caroline when she was away on "spring break." On our way home, we again stopped at the outlet malls so I could feed Sadie. We stopped at a McDonald's which had a massive play area. Caroline played for awhile after we ate, and made a little friend. What I love about my little girl, is when it was time to leave I gave her a 2-minute warning, and instead of saying "no - I don't want to leave!" she said to her friend, "friend - I have to go in two minutes!" It just struck me as sweet and responsible - our little Care Bear....

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2008-03-15T21:28:00.000Z

...JUST KIDDING! Well, not leaving yet anyway. Chris's work permit and letter of assignment which outlines all of the job details and benefits, have been delayed. And delayed. And delayed some more. He has been a trooper trying to manage his european responsibilities from his desk in Marysville, going overseas only for important meetings. Starting this week however, he will start traveling back and forth, staying in the UK for longer stretches. So where does this leave Caroline, Sadie, and myself?? Without visas, we are staying put in Dublin! And, since it is already nearly April, we have decided not to move our entire family over until the first of June. We were planning to come home in May for two important weddings anyway, so staying put for a couple of more months will make attending those events that much easier, economical and less stressful overall! Plus, now Caroline can finish out her school year, perform in her dance recital, and celebrate her 4th birthday with some family and friends! We will miss Chris, since he'll be gone for two-week stretches, but this temporary separation feels like the right thing to do at this point.

In other news, as I type this we are waiting to hear back on the counter-offer we made on our Cincinnati house. That's right, a year nearly to the date we listed our Homewood Road home we received our first offer! It has been an annoying and painful journey, but hopefully soon we will no longer own that adorable little bungalow! Keeping our fingers crossed.

This whole waiting period for moving to England, has taught me a lot about patience and living day to day versus planning into the future. (A tall order for a former event planner...) It has also made me really appreciate more than ever all of my wonderful girlfriends who have put their best feet forward to see me "one last time" before the big move! So to all of those wonderful women in my life, I dedicate this post's "Shout Out!" I've treasured my weekend away in the Big Apple*, dinners out in C-bus, laughing 'til my cheeks ached at a comedy club, and sharing Sadie's baptism with some truly wonderful pals. I cherish you all and look forward to our next get together.

I still can't figure out how to download pictures to this blog! (I can't even blame it on our computer, because we just got a new one, so I'm not sure what the mystery is!) I will persevere and hopefully by my next post, I can share some pictures of England and my darling daughters. Speaking of, Sadie has started scooting all over the place, and Caroline has started yelling at her for touching her toys. It is comical at this age, but I am fully aware that I have a good 15-20 years of these squabbles ahead of me!

*if interested, check-out my pal Karen's blog, A Tale of Two Twoddlers (link below), for full details on our recent adventures in Manhattan...the post is affectionately titled, "Strayer in the City..."

Pre-Move

2008-02-12T14:20:00.000Z

The possibility of moving to the UK has now become a reality. It's been a long six months since we first caught wind of this ex-pat assignment, and within the next month we should be getting settled in the Old Country. ("Should" being the operative word!) Like I said, it's been a long six months living in the land of the unknown - located somewhere between Columbus, Ohio and London, England.

I just got done reviewing e-mails from the moving company. We aren't moving much more than clothes, toys and a few key pieces of furniture, and will rent the rest. Having just moved from Cincinnati to Dublin last year, I'm all too familiar with the pre-move survey, the moving company invading your house with packing tape and boxes, and of course lots and lots of paperwork. This time we'll pile-on a bit of customs paperwork to shake things up a bit! All in all, I'm not that worried about the actual shipment of goods, because as I said we are renting virtually everything when we get to England. From beds, to TVs, to silverware.

Chris and I were in England for our househunting trip a few weeks ago and in the afternoon of Day 1, we found our house. All the pieces just came together for us - it's a charming semi-attached home located in a classic English village called Claygate. It is the perfect location, with easy highway access for Chris to drive south to the Scott's offices in Godalming, and just a 5-minute walk for the girls and me to hop on a train and head north into London for the day. And, of most importance it is also just a 5-minute walk to the local pub! I will write more about our house and Claygate once we get settled, but all in all, now that I'm able to visualize where our family will be living for the next year or two, I am feeling exponentially better about the entire move. Because, let's be honest - I have definitely had my fair share of freak-out moments over the last few months!

Just a couple of housekeeping items before I wrap-up my first blog...the purpose of me "blogging" about this experience is two-fold. First and foremost, Chris and I recognize what an incredible opportunity we've been given. Not only will the day to day cultural experiences be eye-opening, but we hope to travel a lot, and I want to document everything for our memories. While Sadie (6-months) might not have a clue what is going on, I think this experience is going to have a profound impact on Caroline (3 1/2-years). I can't wait to see how she responds to living in the homeland of Harry Potter! She's very excited about that...

Secondly, I am "blogging" to keep our family and friends in the U.S. updated on our adventure. Once we are settled, I hope to do a weekly post. (Probably a stretch goal...) To encourage everyone to stay in touch, I am dedicating a "shout-out" at the end of each blog! I hope this little incentive will encourage some visitors - i.e., you are guaranteed a shout-out if you come visit! So, without further a-do, my first "shout-out" goes to....(drumroll please).... Sarah and Brian Rudie!!! The Rudie's are our long-time friends from the 'Nati. Also ex-Procter, they are 1 1/2 years into their ex-pat assignment in London with Brian's company. The emotions of this move have been all over the place for me, but after talking with Sarah for the first time, I calmed down - for a day or two at least! During our first trip to England, we stayed with the Rudie's one night and completely picked their brain about everything from English schools, to on-line grocery shopping (which I am REALLY looking forward to), to Brian's new Euro fashion style! Sarah and Brian have truly been an invaluable resource for us, and we look forward to exploring some of Europe with with them over the next year!

Signing off for now. I have pictures from our househunting trip to post, but am having trouble getting them downloaded. Chris is in France right now, but will have him work on it when he returns. I will write more when we get up and running in Claygate. Cheers!