Dusting Off the Keyboard

 Hello, is this thing on?

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I didn't really have the motivation to keep up with this blog during the beginning (2 years) of the pandemic.  After the novelty wore off, it was depressing and incredibly boring. While the kids were off school, I spent my days immersed in virtual schooling, which is not my strength at all. When they went back to school, there were still restrictions, mask mandates, etc. All restrictions have since been removed in England, so we can move around freely, get our hair cut, and attend events. And more importantly, we can travel again!

For our first trip since 2020, we decided on a short break to Glasgow during the kids' Easter break. However, plans were changed when Lily and I both got Covid. Although we missed our holiday, thankfully we weren't extremely ill. 

We have since been able to leave Yorkshire, yay! Details will be coming on that trip soon.

 

We did have a few exciting things happen in the past couple of years.

 Last year we bought a house! Going through lockdowns in an apartment without a yard was so difficult. We knew we didn't want to do that again- plus there was a nice tax break going on. It's still smaller than what we could have in the US, but it's been really great to have our own place, no downstairs neighbour, and a backyard for the kids. 

We love the door to the backyard!

Living room

Kitchen/dining room

Utility room!

During this time, we also had another exciting addition to the family - Matt got a plot at an allotment (community garden)! He enjoys the planting and being outside, and I enjoy the food he brings home. Last year he grew onions, garlic, rhubarb, peas, lettuces - just to name a few. 

These next photos show the beautiful handmade raised beds he built. I was very impressed with his hard work!

And here are just a few shots of some of our harvests!

Different kinds of beets

Purple potatoes

I think those are the two major things that have happened. Stay tuned for a relaxing island vacation!

 

 

Doo Doo Doo...

... Lookin' out my back door

Technical Difficulties

I have a lot to blog about, since my parents came to visit a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble uploading photos from my phone, and it looks like our PC is completely dead.

I'll keep trying, and hopefully we can get a working computer soon!

Little Things

Wow, I have been very bad at blogging this month. I think it's because we're just living our day to day life, and that seems so boring to share. So here are some of my random thoughts.

One of the things I thought I'd miss terribly about the US was Target. I went often, and it got to the point that if I asked Lily what she wanted to do, she'd say, "Go to Target!" But honestly, I'm not missing it at the moment. I can't think of anything I would need from that particular store. Not to say that my feelings won't change...

Another place I frequented in the US was Starbucks. Of course, there are Starbucks here (although not on every corner like in the Denver area). And I have been to the one in our town... once. I'm just not compelled to keep going. There are other coffee shops that are closer to home and have good lattes, so I just go there.

One thing I am missing at the moment is ice. We don't have an ice tray for the freezer, but I'm thinking I may want to get one. Since the weather has been a bit warmer I've been wanting cold water to drink, and I'll definitely need ice for mixed drinks in the summer. (Side note: I tried Pimm's and lemonade this weekend for the first time. It's a common drink in the UK, and I thought it was refreshing. Definitely something to have on hand in the warm weather.)

Speaking of the weather... We moved from a place that boasted 300+ days of sunshine per year, but the weather here isn't as bad as I'd thought. Sure, we get a lot of great days, and a lot more rain, but it doesn't rain all the time (or even every day).  The weather is very changeable, just like the places I've lived in the States. It just doesn't have extreme hot and cold like I was used to.

Okay, with those thoughts out of the way, it's time for pictures. Here are some recent trips to the park when the weather's been nice.

And of course when the wading pool opened, they had to get in fully clothed.

Lastly, here are a few from US Memorial Day/UK bank holiday. We didn't do much, just a little rainy day thrift store shopping. We did walk through the park on the way home though.

That's about it for now. We haven't done much traveling yet, even around England, but we're trying to make an effort to plan things so we actually go places.  So the are fun things on the horizon. I'd also love to answer any questions anyone has - about the move, living abroad, or whatever.  Cheers!

Bits and Pieces

I've been slacking a bit on blogging, I know. But right now we're just doing the day to day regular life thing. We do have a few fun things on the horizon (travel!), and hopefully once we're headed into spring we'll get to explore our area much more.
But for now, here are some random thoughts.

I've never cared much for hot tea, until I came to the UK. It was a hassle to make, and I like my hot drinks sweet. But here I'll make tea with a little milk and a spoonful of sugar, and I like it. And then there's the electric kettle. I know, how hard is it to boil water in a stove top kettle or the microwave? But I love the convenience. And it's not just for tea. There are huge varieties of cup of soup or ramen here that you make using the electric kettle. (I just won't mention the popularity of instant coffee, yuck.) Lastly, you can use the kettle to preboil water for things like pasta or vegetables. Convenient!

The kids are assimilating very well. Both of the older kids have picked up so many English terms and phrases, and when Miles is reading, he sometimes uses British pronunciation. It's pretty cute, and I'll love it if any of the kids develop an accent.

A few things I've heard from Miles and Lily lately:
- I'm cross with you!
- No, mom! Pants are called trousers, and underpants are called pants!
- I've got a cheeky little raisin!
- I keep getting all muddled up.
- We should take a picture of the telly.

Matt took Lily to a daddy/daughter dance this weekend. She was so excited to dress up and go to a dance, and it was adorable! Matt said she danced a lot, and they both had a great time.

Miles, Clara and I had a movie night while Matt and Lily were out.

That's all for now. I'm hoping we have new adventures soon to blog about!

Foggy Morning

A few pictures from our walk to school this morning.

It was cold, but still, so it didn't seem that cold. A nice, peaceful morning (even the kids were pretty calm).