Some things that are different. . .

• light switches. . down is on and up is off
• there are no outlets in the bathrooms, except for ones for shavers
• no screens on the windows because there aren't many bugs
• no central air conditioning and radiators in each room for heat
• many of the light switches are outside of the room, especially for bathrooms
• US DVDs and video games can't play on UK devices, and vice versa
• you can park on either side of the road facing in either direction--even if it means you are forcing the road down to one lane
• most people don't use their garages to park a car--the weather is never extreme enough to need it
• no garage sales. . just boot sales where everyone loads up their trunk (boot) and parks in a field to sell their junk. . actually sounds pretty cool
• carpet in the bathrooms is a normal thing
• can't use the hot water taps for drinking or even cooking because the water runs through pipes that are far too old to be safe
• only way to lock our front door from the outside AND the inside is with a key
• all the rooms, even the kitchen, living and dining rooms have doors like bedrooms (this has actually been great with Charlotte
• we can't find big glasses/tumblers anywhere. . they are either glass or small for kids
• the sodas at even McDonalds are smaller--their large is a medium back home

We found a car!

We finally settled on a car today. . and it's about time because I am certain our family might not have survived another day on a car lot!  We bought it from the owner of a dealership. . his wife had been driving it.  Ironically, they have three kids ages 6, 4, and 1. . .when we went to their house to look at it we found out their 1 year old is Charlotte, too!  It is a Vauxhall Zafira (which is a GM car) and it is quite a bit smaller than our Town & Country.  But, then again, most everything here is! 

Today was a good one!

It was one of those days. . .started out hectic like always. . but got the girls to school on time!  It was beautiful outside, so after I dropped Mags off, I wandered over to Center Street, which is the high street in Hinckley.  The picture doesn't do it justice, but it is only for pedestrian traffic and is full of shops. . .coffee, bakers, flower shops, green grocers (fresh--and beautiful--produce), resale/thrift shops, clothing, furniture, home decor. . .a little bit of everything.  And as a bonus, it was Market Day. . on Monday, Friday, and Saturday each week there are additional vendors selling everything from bird seed to fresh fish to off the truck makeup and beauty supplies.  I strolled down the street to Costa--essentially Starbucks--got my skinny vanilla latte and just took it all in.  Picked up a sweater for 2 pounds. . a couple of DVDs because we still haven't got "real" internet and television at the house. . .Monday I am grabbing some flowers for the yard.

Then it was time for the school mass at Saint Peter's. . .Maggie's school (and hopefully Hannah's in the fall) was celebrating Our Lady with all the students bringing flowers to lay at her feet and a crowning ceremony that has been happening at that church for over one hundred years.  The homily was all about grace and how Mary was full of it and all the wonderful qualities that mothers and grandmothers all possess little pieces of.   Grace is what I pray for every morning (lots of unanswered prayers there :), so the words coupled with a church full of angelic voices was exactly what I needed!

Then back to the house where Charlotte took a good solid nap and gave me time to get some things done. . and back to the school.  Maggie got to participate in a maypole dancing ceremony.  Very British and very cool.  This one was called the Skipping Song. . Mags is there in the front on the left. :)

We are still working on a car for me but getting closer. . .so that is what we have been up to tonight. . .but the finishing touch on what has been a very good day is that we had dinner and a margarita! at TGI Fridays (nice to have the familiar. . .now I am at home in my pjs and results night for American Idol from last night is just starting!

Pretty cool. .

We have driven around a little bit this weekend, and it is really amazing how quickly the landscape changes from antiquated village to modern motorway.  All the little villages seem to have an old church in the center of them and these little winding roads that you can barely get one car through, much less two passing each other.  And the rolling hills and the views for miles are AMAZING! 

This church was about half a mile from the motorway below!

I am a UK driver!

Got the rental MPV (van). . the people mover. .  a Ford Galaxy.  It is automatic (thank God!) and it really wasn't as scary as I thought it might be to drive here. . .being on the right side of the car definitely helps!  BUT this van is one of the biggest on the market, and I am concerned that there will be plenty of places where getting through will be tough and many many parking lots where it will be too big to park easily.  Funniest thing about that is that it is still much smaller than my Town & Country.  :)

bathrooms in the uk are not good!

NO water pressure
NO cold water in the shower. . so scalding hot
NO outlets except for shavers
NO combined faucet so have to fill basin or tub to mix water temps.
NO tile. . carpet. . actually saw bathroom carpet on the wall at a carpet store I walked by yesterday.
NO cabinets. . only pedestal sink

The waiting is over . . .

We are in our house now. . .after two weeks living out of a suitcase.  It was great to be able to see family, and when being this far away really sinks in, we will be sad, but it is such a relief to be settled somewhere! 

Made it through O'Hare and through the flight; Charlotte slept most of the flight zonked out on tylenol and motrin because of her double ear infection.  The older girls slept, too. . .or watched a movie and played their DS.  They all did a really good job and even Keith and I were able to sleep.  We got to Heathrow a little early, which was nice.  There was a driver waiting to pick us up--it was kind of cool to be one of the people with their names on the little sign!!

Got to the hotel Tuesday late morning and had what seemed like the entire hotel staff to help us get our stuff to the room.  We had 10 suitcases, 2 duffles, 5 backpacks, a car seat, and a violin.  Struggled our way through the jet lag. . .I fell asleep at the table at lunch!  We all got naps and slept through the night. . .good thing because the next day was a long one!

We woke up a little late and had breakfast.   Then Keith started walking loads of our luggage to the house--the hotel is only a block from here.  The rental company was there delivering furniture and the agent arrived shortly before we walked over.  Steph (who showed us around when we were here March) went through some of the details on the house and lease and the rental company finished up.  Then it was just the five of us in our new house!

Our air shipment arrived Wednesday afternoon--it was nice to see our stuff starting to fill up these rooms.  Went to Pizza Hut for supper and then to Asda which is owned by Walmart.  I guess it was a little bit of an American night! :)  It was funny, though, at Pizza Hut I asked the waitress for some pizza sauce to dip our crusts, etc in and she said that we were only the second ones to ever ask for that at that restaurant. 

Got home really late. . girls went to bed at 11:00 pm. . .woke up to more sunshine this morning.  Keith went in to work for a little while and then we went and checked out another store, Tesco.  Just trying to get a feel for where to get groceries, etc.  Came home and ordered kebabs (chunks of meat, etc in a pita) for supper and then had baths and watched Charlie and Lola.

Now is is 11 pm here and Charlotte has been screaming to get out of her bed for the last 45 minutes.  Guess she is still a little bit messed up from the time difference.  Luckily, the prince decided to get married tomorrow so Keith has a four day weekend!