July and August leftovers. . .

Just wanted to get these in the blog while I am playing catch-up. . just some random things from July and August:

Charlotte takes a music and dance class called Jo Jingles. . .like Kindermusic. . and she is obsessed with it!  This is her teacher, LeAnn.

Charlotte and her buddy, Lucie.

Hands-down, the parachute is Charlotte's favorite thing. . .she squeals when she sees it!

This is in Nuneaton, which is the next town over from us.

Charlotte really enjoys our conservatory furniture. . .

Our 4th of July picnic--we had planned to go to TGIFriday's for the celebration they have there, but Keith ended up having to work late.  The girls and I had hot dogs and potato chips--we did have sweet corn. . not on the cob.. .but still sweet corn! :)

Maggie having fun at her Field Day.

St. Peter's Summer Fayre

Hannah's Leavers' Assembly. . .her class, Year 2, was moving on from the Infant School and Key Stage 1 to the Junior School and Key Stage 2.  They had an assembly to say goodbye.

Hannah front and center as letter F.

Our sweet girl getting choked up.

Charlotte's first movie at the cinema. . .Cars 2!  Love that so much was set in England!  And I love the Brad Paisley-Robbie Williams song, Collision of Worlds, at the end of the movie!

Pretending to be Gabriela and a cheerleader from High School Musical--we love those movies!

Hannah with her teacher, Mrs. Dakin, and the student teachers, Mr. Maximuw and Mr. Kelly.

Keith and the girls go to the driving range most Saturday mornings if we are around.  The golf pro there gives free lessons to kids each week, and they have been learning quite a bit about what it takes to have a better golf swing.  He gives them certificates for the distances they can hit to--Maggie is up to 50 yards and Hannah is up to 75 yards. 

Cheeky. . .

. . .cheeky. . .

. . .and more cheeky!!!

Friday is Movie & Popcorn Night.

Mags is turning into quite the little reader!

Fun in the garden. . . on the far left is Georgia, a friend from school, and on the far right is Leah, our neighbor.

Charlotte is mad about shoes. . especially her big sisters'!

Mom and Dad's Visit--Miscellaneous.. .

Just a few other things we did while my parents were visiting. . .I am ready to be caught up on this blog, so I am going to attempt that today and tomorrow!!  (attempt being the key word, of course!)

We took a walk to our local (pub)--the Hinckley Knight-- down the public bridlepath by our house. .

We went to a boot sale!  These sales are how they do garage sales here; everyone loads up the boot (trunk) of their car and drives to a field, parks, and sets up their own mini-sale.  They have food and drink and bouncy houses, etc for the kids.  Every Sunday morning and some Saturday mornings, too.  It was FABULOUS! I can't wait to go back again.  . .and eventually sell some, too!

Both Dad and Mom tried out driving on the left side of the road (not just in our driveway). . .it didn't take too long for them to catch on!

Keith and I got to have a date night!!  We took a mini pub-crawl and shopped for some antique furniture in Northampton. [We did end up buying a piece--I will blog about that when the finished product arrives]  Dinner and an overnight. . .felt like it had been forever since we had a night out just the two of us!!

Keith on his "throne" at one of the antique shops.

One of our pub stops. . .along a little canal--drinking Hoegarden pints.

This is the picture that Keith took of his beer. . and oh yeah, me, too!

We had a bit of leak in our kitchen. . .a pipe somehow came completely disconnected in one of the upstairs bathrooms and water was pouring out of this light fixture. . and from the edge where the wall and ceiling meet. . even outside along the brick.

The younger girls thought it was fun--grrr!! 

 We went to Leicester City Centre and walked around. . thought it was ironic that we found this gate while my parents were here (my maiden name is Butler):

We had to go to Subway. . it is one of Mom and Dad's lunch spots back home.  It is by far the most American US franchise here. . the food actually tastes the same as opposed to McDonalds, Burger King. . which aren't quite the same!

It was wonderful to have my parents here. . nice to have hugs from home. . and to get to see them face to face.  (But it was also a lot harder to say goodbye!)  I think it makes it easier when they can visualize where we are and know that we are okay here in the UK.  Thanks for a great visit, Mom and Dad. . . we love you very much!  Come back soon!

Mom and Dad's Visit--Part Six: Warwick Castle. . .

Warwick Castle sits about 15 miles from our house, and was originally a wooden structure built in 1068, by command of William the Conqueror.  Throughout the Middle Ages, it was gradually rebuilt into a stone castle.  After its military importance began to decline, Warwick Castle was converted into a residence palace of the very wealthy--and eventually of the Earls of Warwick.  It is definitely one of the more touristy sites we have visited, but still impressive and really interesting nonetheless.  

What can I say. . .they were getting a little rowdy!

The hill is called "The Mound"--built by William the Conqueror in 1068 and because of is the perfect vantage point, was the most important part of the castle's defence system.

This is one of the nice things about the more touristy locations. . you get a little more for the kids!

He reminded us of Maximus from "Tangled"--a fan favorite at the Brummel house!

the State Dining Room. . .George IV and Edward VII dined here and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had lunch here. . .

. . .and of course Her Majesty, as well!!

I assume Henry VIII and his wives in the Green Drawing Room

The Chapel, built in the 1600s--families of the Earls would have worshiped here, as well as the servants, who would have had to stand behind a screen (in the sight of God, but out of sight of their masters)

The Princess Tower was fun for the girls; the Princess Arabella lived there and we got to watch a little demonstration of the Princess and her sister preparing for Arabella's upcoming royal wedding.

Peacock Garden

We got to watch a jousting/battle re-enactment. . very fun!  Sat and ate our lunch on the bank of a small pond and watched the show.

It's okay, Charlotte and Maggie. . .they aren't really fighting! :)

View of the Central Courtyard from Guy's Tower--built in the 14rh century.  The staircases throughout this tower and the other were all spiral and at times very narrow both in the width of the passage and also the stairs themselves.  And there weren't handrails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mom and Dad's Visit--Part Five: Stratford-upon-Avon. . .

I had been really excited to visit Stratford-upon-Avon; when I was an English major in college, I took my electives in Shakespeare courses and had even helped to teach an Intro to the Bard freshman course when I was a senior.  I love Shakespeare (although mommy-hood seems to have crippled my ability to read him!!) 

On one of the weekdays of Mom and Dad's visit, we decided that we would head over there because we had heard that there was a ton of good shopping to be had, but that it was always busy.  I was a bit disappointed to find that there was not a lot of educational focus on the Bard, but that the town had gone tourist--with most of the focus on selling something to the hordes of people streaming into town.  Of course there was the house that was Shakespeare's birthplace and street entertainers, etc, but it really is a tourist trap--a somewhat quaint tourist trap--but still a trap!