White Christmas

It snows in Glasgow. Properly. This year we are going to have a white Christmas! We didn't bring gloves or snow pants or snow boots nor drive a 4x4 but we love it! The kids have made snowmen and have begged to go outside to play in the garden. There are impromptu snowball fights everywhere and with anyone. One must always be on guard! Glasgow is lovely in the sun but spectacular in the snow. Today as I picked up the kids from their last day of school, all the parents commented on the bright smiles of the kids as they burst through the doors. And it was not because of it being the last day of school. Our usually laborious walk home was playful and fun. The ice is treacherous, but the snow is great!



And so far my flight is not cancelled!

Staying home for New Years?

About 2 months ago I booked a flight for me to go to San Diego over New Years to attend my dad's wedding. He was planning on getting married earlier but because of my complaints of not being able to attend mid-semester, he pushed it back so I could be there. Well, I booked my tickets through British Airways... They are striking from the 22 of December to the 2 January. My tickets are for 29 December to 5 January. My dad's wedding is the 2 January. I can't go!!! I am so, so sad!

Any time I am done with school I help out at the kids' school- Tuesday I went with Emilia's class as they sang carols in the city center.

I love hearing songs with the Scottish accent. At 18 sec. listen for "pur" Rudolph. We have a running list of words that are pronounced very different (really funny- another post).

Life never slows down... I guess I don't let it! Seriously every day this week there has been something and I am still having to write an essay over the holidays. Since I can't say no to help out at school or let the house get too messy as it really is too small already and I am finding it difficult to even want to buy stuff for the kids (for Christmas) that we will have to take home and airline baggage allowances have changed since we first came here (now we are allotted one bag instead of two- yes, such a horrible run-on sentence). So what can I let go? Cooking! This new fancy/gourmet grocery store came to the neighborhood... I am having a lovely delivery Friday evening... minimal cooking for me until someone else wants to contribute...

December!

Time is passing way too fast. The kids are getting older: Atlas will be a teenager in a few weeks... can I really have a teenager? In trying to be 'on the ball', Rich and I bought the kids' advent calendars a few weeks early. I put them on top of the fridge and promptly two fell in between the wall and some panelling. There was no way to get to them.... Richard came up with the idea to fish them out after attempting to unscrew the sub-wall and moving the fridge... Thank you Grandpa Frank for ensuring that we have a fishing rod and that my kids can fish!

It worked!

I went to London for a quick trip to a Human Rights Seminar with another girl from my class. We took an overnight bus there and back! I'll never take the bus to London again, but had a fun time! Before the seminar we did a bit of shopping and site seeing. I like London! I Love London! Maybe some day could live in London...

When I got back it was rainy, no surprise, but the day next there was a lovely rainbow.

This morning we got our Christmas tree and the kids decorated it. I love that they have taken over! I know that one day I'll get to be in charge again, but for now am loving the break!

Exams this week... pressure. stress. very deep breathes. and yes: I chose this. I know! I know! xxx ♥

this dojo

The boys had their first karate grading today and are now orange belts. The first night I tried to take them to karate I got lost driving and the car almost overheated. Atlas REALLY didn't want to go and it rained so hard and so much that I thought we were all going to float away. Karate makes me laugh. I loved the first karate kid movie and even did a semester of karate at BYU! My mom has been telling me to sign the boys up since we moved here. But karate makes me laugh. I changed my mind about karate this past summer when we were in Paris. Richard and I were watching some boys dance in a little park when one of them started doing a kata. The other guy could not get the moves and the karate dude was a better dancer... do you see where this is going? I resolved that my boys would get rhythm and be coordinated in any way possible. The boys have admitted (finally) that they enjoy it. We tease them and make all sorts of karate jokes but we do take them and would make them go.... The night Atlas got his karate gi he put it on for me and I laughed so hard I cried. He indulged me by letting me take pictures of him in various stances. My camera light broke (why I usually NEVER let the kids touch my camera!!!), so the pictures aren't great. He is totally the bad boy in The Karate Kid!

It's November!

The leaves on some of the trees are gone!
I took Emilia out to lunch one day last week (I never came back) and we went to this great little cafe called "Heart Buchanan". If Williams-sonoma was ever a cafe this is what it would be. The food is gourmet and simple and there is a little shop. My favorite is their rocket pesto. Not cheap but worth every pence!
Paris turned 6.
We had a birthday party for her. Richard and I took 9 little girls to a craft shop where they decoupaged animals.
And of course the kids dressed up for Halloween.

October week

The kids got a week off from school last week. I didn't. Richard worked. So we sent the 3 littles to Theatre camp for the week. It was a huge hit. (Atlas spent the week at the skate park) Leif and Paris starred in "Peter Pan". Leif was Peter and Paris Tinker bell! They had just a week and the play was great. All the kids memorised their lines and we enjoyed watching it!!! Paris died, Leif had his first sword fight, stage kiss... so fun.

This autumn has been beautiful. Last year it rained and rained and rained (I could keep going). The rain hasn't started yet... All around it is so breath-takingly beautiful. I could post so many photos, but these few will give you the idea.

A new leaf

I am in my last stretch here at 'uni' with just 9 months left in Glasgow. We plan on leaving right after graduation. So I thought that instead of trying to blog about what I am doing and trying to make it interesting, I would blog about what I like here. Yesterday was absolutely beautiful, the sun was out and the leaves so many amazing colors- it was a spectacular day. So I am going to post photos of my favorite venues here. The first up is Crossraguel Abbey. It is located about 45 minutes away by car, south, near a quaint little town by the name of Maybole. I tried to go to the Abbey 3 years ago on a day out with Atlas. We took the train and then the bus and then tried to walk the 2 miles, but as we had no idea how far 2 miles was we never quite made it to the abbey. Instead we stopped at a shell of a castle that was filled with hay. There were giant rounds of hay stored in the building. When we finally got to the abbey a few weeks ago, we could see the ruined castle from the abbey grounds. The Abbey was just 500 yards around a bend and could not be seen from where we stopped! We took a picnic lunch and my mom and explored the beautiful ruined abbey. The kids played tag and hide-n-seek. My mom did the abbey worksheet given to the kids (word puzzles and clues) and I had a great time ignoring my rowdy children and playing photographer!

The last image is from another outing- Stirling Castle, about an hour north of here by car. We visited the ancient graveyard and challenged the kids to find the oldest grave. The kids found a lot from the 1500's! I found this statue of a child. Unfortunately it lost its head.