If any of you have the chance to go to London I highly reccomend going to Hard Rock cafe for a meal, Hamleys toy store on Regent if you have kids and you must go to Harrods to look around, shop and grab some yummy goodies from their food court.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Christmas in London....Cheers!
So our trip to London was fabuloso!!! We spent 4 days taking in all that London had to offer. I have to say the biggest thing I learned from being there at Christmas time is that we as Americans expect a lot more from retailers then any European country gives. All the stores closed on us early Christmas Eve and almost nothing was open Christmas day. I guess they think we are nuts with our store hours. It was hard to get kicked out of the Hamleys toy store Christmas Eve before our girls were able to pick what they wanted but we ended up having a really great time in spite of all the closings.
Across from St. Paul's Cathedral. On the back side was a button that the girls were dying to push. What they thought it did I had no idea but they pushed it and DD2 was covered in water and we had to find a close by restroom to dry her off before continuing for the day. Kids!! lol
View of St. Paul's Cathedral from the Milennium bridge.
The London Eye. Very cool to ride on and the views were fantastic from the top.
Parliment and Big Ben.
Buckingham Palace...we arrived there just in time to watch the changing of the guard. Really cool to see!
Of course we had to go to Harrods on Christmas Eve...busy and fabulous!!
Don't all tourists take pics of the red phone booths?!?!
Westminster Abbey..simply gorgeous!!
Mr. M and the girls couldn't stop laughing as the horse would not stop biting Mr. M's arm so we could get a pic!! Awww memories from London!!
If any of you have the chance to go to London I highly reccomend going to Hard Rock cafe for a meal, Hamleys toy store on Regent if you have kids and you must go to Harrods to look around, shop and grab some yummy goodies from their food court.
If any of you have the chance to go to London I highly reccomend going to Hard Rock cafe for a meal, Hamleys toy store on Regent if you have kids and you must go to Harrods to look around, shop and grab some yummy goodies from their food court.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Christmas miracles through the eyes of a child (you will need tissues for this one)
So lately I keep having these mom moments with my kids that make me laugh or cry or smile or even question where they go that from. I love those moments where your kids do stuff that amaze you or make you so proud it brings you to tears. It seems lately though my kids have been on this roll with the mom moments and I have come to the realization that my kids rule! Yeah yeah I know I am totally prejudice but I do have proof and here it goes.
Moment number 1: child: Mom can I have some money to play video games?
Me: yes here (handing her $20)
child: That's too much! (gets change and bring me back $15)
Me: (open mouthed) Thanks!
Moment number 2: child: Mom I would like to buy some presents for people but I don't have enough money.
Me: How much do you need?
child: I think $20 is a lot for someone with nothing.
Me: what do you mean?
child: I saw a girl on the other aisle who told her mom she wanted something and her mom said "sorry I can't get you that" So I thought maybe since I have a lot of money and I don't need that toy I can give her what she wants instead.
Me: show me the toy (it was a littlest pet shop house for $39) now where is the girl (she is sitting on the floor looking at more toys and her mom is frantically going through her wallet trying to see how much money she has)
child: excuse me but here (handing the mom the toy and the money to pay for it) I would like to get this for her (pointing at the little girl).
Me: please this was all her idea and she really wants to do this for you and your daughter
The mom: Starts tearing up and hugs my child and runs off to pay for the gift.
child:mom that was the best christmas present ever! (hugs me)
Me: sweety you are the kindest person I know and I am so glad you asked me for the money.
Now if that didn't make you tear up just now then maybe this will...
As we are walking out of the store we see the mom and child waiting at the bus stop to catch the bus. We stop and ask where they are going and if we can offer them a ride. The mom says "yes that would be wonderful thank you" and they both get in. The little girl spends the whole ride telling my child how her mommy said they are going to have the best christmas ever thanks to an angel she ran into at the store. I about lost it right there but held it together and just smiled at the woman. When we dropped them off we both wished each other a Merry Christmas and the mom once again said to me "I can't thank you enough and I hope you know that you are our angel"
Yes I pulled over at the next street just to cry and to tell my child that she was special.
So have you had any mommy moments lately that not only made you proud of your kid but let you know just how much they actually listen to you when you talk?!
I will never forget this Christmas and the special moment my daughter gave me and that other little girl!
Moment number 1: child: Mom can I have some money to play video games?
Me: yes here (handing her $20)
child: That's too much! (gets change and bring me back $15)
Me: (open mouthed) Thanks!
Moment number 2: child: Mom I would like to buy some presents for people but I don't have enough money.
Me: How much do you need?
child: I think $20 is a lot for someone with nothing.
Me: what do you mean?
child: I saw a girl on the other aisle who told her mom she wanted something and her mom said "sorry I can't get you that" So I thought maybe since I have a lot of money and I don't need that toy I can give her what she wants instead.
Me: show me the toy (it was a littlest pet shop house for $39) now where is the girl (she is sitting on the floor looking at more toys and her mom is frantically going through her wallet trying to see how much money she has)
child: excuse me but here (handing the mom the toy and the money to pay for it) I would like to get this for her (pointing at the little girl).
Me: please this was all her idea and she really wants to do this for you and your daughter
The mom: Starts tearing up and hugs my child and runs off to pay for the gift.
child:mom that was the best christmas present ever! (hugs me)
Me: sweety you are the kindest person I know and I am so glad you asked me for the money.
Now if that didn't make you tear up just now then maybe this will...
As we are walking out of the store we see the mom and child waiting at the bus stop to catch the bus. We stop and ask where they are going and if we can offer them a ride. The mom says "yes that would be wonderful thank you" and they both get in. The little girl spends the whole ride telling my child how her mommy said they are going to have the best christmas ever thanks to an angel she ran into at the store. I about lost it right there but held it together and just smiled at the woman. When we dropped them off we both wished each other a Merry Christmas and the mom once again said to me "I can't thank you enough and I hope you know that you are our angel"
Yes I pulled over at the next street just to cry and to tell my child that she was special.
So have you had any mommy moments lately that not only made you proud of your kid but let you know just how much they actually listen to you when you talk?!
I will never forget this Christmas and the special moment my daughter gave me and that other little girl!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Does Santa come to hotels?!?!
So later in the Summer we decided we wanted to go away this year for Christmas. Honestly, since we have been here in Europe we have lost so many family members and they all seem to be right around the holidays that we have started talking about making other plans to get away from the whole family Christmas thing. Ok I know that probably sounds like a bah humbug moment but really we have lived away from family for so long that it has really never been a part of our lives. However, it was always in the cards that one day we would be close to family and be able to have a big family Christmas again.
This is just not looking like an option seeing as Mr. M is so close to retirement and yet our family seems to be dwindling smaller and smaller every year. Yes it's sad and yes we are crushed but more then anything we are really trying to figure out a way to make the holidays really special for the girls despite all the their family being gone by the time they are able to enjoy it.
So the plans to go away began and the plane tickets were purchased and the hotel reserved. The questions to anyone who has been there began to find out the best things to do while there. We were actually doing this and we were so excited. The closer it gets to us leaving the more I think how this is the best thing we have done in years. I was always one of those people who said "I want my kids to wake up in their own home on Christmas morning and be able to play all day with their toys and be left alone" and yet I am not the person that says "where can we go so we don't have to have another day filled with cooking and cleaning and picking up trash all day". Nice right?!?!
Ok so everything planned out and reserved and mapped and then it hit me......Does Santa go to hotels?!?! O.M.G.!!!! How are we going to explain this to our youngest and how in the world will we fit all these presents into our bags without her seeing. Oh well this is just great on my part!! Duhhh!!
So anywho, I began talking with friends and actually had a very dear friend offer to play Santa while were gone and so the plans began. She would "watch the cats" for us and we would leave a note for Santa telling him that we were on vacation and sorry we missed him.
My only worry right now is that something will go wrong and we will come home to an empty house because maybe the weather was too bad for my friend to come and put all the presents out. Maybe the cookies and milk will be accidentally left on the table. I'm really really dying here and fear that Christmas secrets may have to be broken if this doesn't work out.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooo what I really am saying folks is......any ideas on how to make sure that we don't burst the bubble for our little one?!?!
Also, I am thinking about maybe letting the girls have one present each from us while we are gone. It wouldn't be too hard to pack just one present each.
Why is it that I always freak out right before a trip like I haven't spent hours figuring it out and thinking and planning and mapping. Oyyyy I am not sure why I do but I need some help ya'll so please any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!
If I don't speak to you before Christmas then I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and I will update with pics of London when we get back. Ohhh yeahhh duhhh I forgot to tell you where we were going. We are headed to London and super psyched about it.
Cheers!
This is just not looking like an option seeing as Mr. M is so close to retirement and yet our family seems to be dwindling smaller and smaller every year. Yes it's sad and yes we are crushed but more then anything we are really trying to figure out a way to make the holidays really special for the girls despite all the their family being gone by the time they are able to enjoy it.
So the plans to go away began and the plane tickets were purchased and the hotel reserved. The questions to anyone who has been there began to find out the best things to do while there. We were actually doing this and we were so excited. The closer it gets to us leaving the more I think how this is the best thing we have done in years. I was always one of those people who said "I want my kids to wake up in their own home on Christmas morning and be able to play all day with their toys and be left alone" and yet I am not the person that says "where can we go so we don't have to have another day filled with cooking and cleaning and picking up trash all day". Nice right?!?!
Ok so everything planned out and reserved and mapped and then it hit me......Does Santa go to hotels?!?! O.M.G.!!!! How are we going to explain this to our youngest and how in the world will we fit all these presents into our bags without her seeing. Oh well this is just great on my part!! Duhhh!!
So anywho, I began talking with friends and actually had a very dear friend offer to play Santa while were gone and so the plans began. She would "watch the cats" for us and we would leave a note for Santa telling him that we were on vacation and sorry we missed him.
My only worry right now is that something will go wrong and we will come home to an empty house because maybe the weather was too bad for my friend to come and put all the presents out. Maybe the cookies and milk will be accidentally left on the table. I'm really really dying here and fear that Christmas secrets may have to be broken if this doesn't work out.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooo what I really am saying folks is......any ideas on how to make sure that we don't burst the bubble for our little one?!?!
Also, I am thinking about maybe letting the girls have one present each from us while we are gone. It wouldn't be too hard to pack just one present each.
Why is it that I always freak out right before a trip like I haven't spent hours figuring it out and thinking and planning and mapping. Oyyyy I am not sure why I do but I need some help ya'll so please any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!
If I don't speak to you before Christmas then I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and I will update with pics of London when we get back. Ohhh yeahhh duhhh I forgot to tell you where we were going. We are headed to London and super psyched about it.
Cheers!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Window shopping and European living
Believe it or not I actually had some time to myself today. By that I mean all emails were answered and returned early this morning, the house was picked up and dishes done early this morning and my errands were super fast since I wasn't able to find a dang thing I was looking for anyway.
So by 11am today I was home and bored. What to do...what to do....OMG I am going to window shop. It's a bit chilly here so going outside or downtown is not going to happen so I go online to window shop. How do you window shop online you say?! Well let me tell you. It is much more fun then window shopping in real life with the one exception of there is no coffee stop on the way..bummer!! Oh well, so you go to random shopping sites and check out what they have and add anything you want to the cart...don't hold back ladies add it ALL!! Then when you are done you go check out your cart, marvel at the insane total of everything you really want and then you start deciding what you really want and what you can do without. Once you have deleted enough that you actually think you could buy it without feeling too guilty then comes my favorite part....close the browser!! Yupp you heard me right! Close. That. Browser! That is how you window shop online. It's not as much fun as real life but I have found the older I get and the busier I get window shopping just haven't have the same luster as it used to. Sighhhhh that means I am losing some of my shopping gene.....EEEEEKSSS!!!
The one thing I absolutely hate about living overseas is having a great big American suv....ohhh the things I have to deal with because of it. Aside from Mr. M making several dents and dings in my baby so that I have to wait to get back to the States to get those fixed because here they woud charge me an arm and a leg just because for some reason they see big American suv and think big money..haha they are NOT funny!! I recently found out that my old rims had ruined my front suspension and I needed 2 new wheel bearings...oh joy to the world for me..NOT!! So as I go online to try to order the parts...have you ever gone into a German parts store and tried to ask if they happen to carry a part for your big American suv?!?! Not fun ladies..not fun at ALL!!! So yes I had to go online and of course I have no idea what I am doing so I am finding stuff and emailing the site to my mechanic who probably thinks I am nuts but that's a whole other story to find out yes I finally found the right part. Yay me!! Then the wait begins. Wait for the email saying they got your order. Wait for the email saying they shipped your order. Then wait for the post office to email you and say you have a package only to go and realize it is something from someone else and then keep waiting for yet another email. If I don't get my truck fixed by this weekend I am not going to be happy. Not happy at all!!
Did I mention my mom is coming next Monday for a few weeks visit?!?! I need my truck!!!!! Pray for me people...seriously pray for me!!!!
So by 11am today I was home and bored. What to do...what to do....OMG I am going to window shop. It's a bit chilly here so going outside or downtown is not going to happen so I go online to window shop. How do you window shop online you say?! Well let me tell you. It is much more fun then window shopping in real life with the one exception of there is no coffee stop on the way..bummer!! Oh well, so you go to random shopping sites and check out what they have and add anything you want to the cart...don't hold back ladies add it ALL!! Then when you are done you go check out your cart, marvel at the insane total of everything you really want and then you start deciding what you really want and what you can do without. Once you have deleted enough that you actually think you could buy it without feeling too guilty then comes my favorite part....close the browser!! Yupp you heard me right! Close. That. Browser! That is how you window shop online. It's not as much fun as real life but I have found the older I get and the busier I get window shopping just haven't have the same luster as it used to. Sighhhhh that means I am losing some of my shopping gene.....EEEEEKSSS!!!
The one thing I absolutely hate about living overseas is having a great big American suv....ohhh the things I have to deal with because of it. Aside from Mr. M making several dents and dings in my baby so that I have to wait to get back to the States to get those fixed because here they woud charge me an arm and a leg just because for some reason they see big American suv and think big money..haha they are NOT funny!! I recently found out that my old rims had ruined my front suspension and I needed 2 new wheel bearings...oh joy to the world for me..NOT!! So as I go online to try to order the parts...have you ever gone into a German parts store and tried to ask if they happen to carry a part for your big American suv?!?! Not fun ladies..not fun at ALL!!! So yes I had to go online and of course I have no idea what I am doing so I am finding stuff and emailing the site to my mechanic who probably thinks I am nuts but that's a whole other story to find out yes I finally found the right part. Yay me!! Then the wait begins. Wait for the email saying they got your order. Wait for the email saying they shipped your order. Then wait for the post office to email you and say you have a package only to go and realize it is something from someone else and then keep waiting for yet another email. If I don't get my truck fixed by this weekend I am not going to be happy. Not happy at all!!
Did I mention my mom is coming next Monday for a few weeks visit?!?! I need my truck!!!!! Pray for me people...seriously pray for me!!!!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Final orders, busy, planning, excited and terrified at the same time!
Well it actually happened the other day.....Mr. M got orders!! We are so excited and yet at the same time as we realized this will be our last set of orders it's a little scarey as well. Once we leave Europe then we will have one last duty station before he takes the plunge and slams those papers down on someone's desk saying " I want to retire!" Ohhhhhh lord I am so nervous, excited, terrified and at the same time I am so far ahead of myself it's not even funny.
Before we even get to the whole getting out, retiring stuff we have to first plan our move and get set up at the next, last, final duty station!! OMG I am terrified I tell ya!!! Excited as heck to be going to some place we wanted to go and have been before and especially since our first born was born there and hasn't been there since she was 3 months old it's really super exciting. However, as I have been planning and googling and trying to find anything I need it is very hard. Why is it so hard to get the info I need online or to get someone to help me. Facebook is my best friend right now! I found tons of groups and people who will tell me just about anything including where not to live because it's a dump. You can't get that from a booklet folks!!
Now we just have to get ourselves set up with where we are going to live and we should be good. We have so much going on right now and the thought of packing everything is just not in the cards right now. I have holidays to plan, organizations to run and people and places to see way before we go anywhere. I only hope that when the day comes to start packing that I have done it all and seen it all and nothing will stand in our way.
Oh and btw in case any of you were wondering we are headed to Ft. Riley!! So anyone with any great info please send it my way. :)
Man I do remember that sign!!
Our new....temporary home when we arrive!!
Before we even get to the whole getting out, retiring stuff we have to first plan our move and get set up at the next, last, final duty station!! OMG I am terrified I tell ya!!! Excited as heck to be going to some place we wanted to go and have been before and especially since our first born was born there and hasn't been there since she was 3 months old it's really super exciting. However, as I have been planning and googling and trying to find anything I need it is very hard. Why is it so hard to get the info I need online or to get someone to help me. Facebook is my best friend right now! I found tons of groups and people who will tell me just about anything including where not to live because it's a dump. You can't get that from a booklet folks!!
Now we just have to get ourselves set up with where we are going to live and we should be good. We have so much going on right now and the thought of packing everything is just not in the cards right now. I have holidays to plan, organizations to run and people and places to see way before we go anywhere. I only hope that when the day comes to start packing that I have done it all and seen it all and nothing will stand in our way.
Oh and btw in case any of you were wondering we are headed to Ft. Riley!! So anyone with any great info please send it my way. :)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Post it note Tuesday...fractures, crutches, broken elevators and pumpkins!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Facebook: Fabulous or Evil?!?!
Since I got into using Facebook I have always thought that it was a great way to keep up with good friends, find old friends and especially being military keep up with friends after you or they move away.
Sometimes though I really think it is used for pure evil and I can not stand it when others choose to use it as a pawn as a way of them getting to someone. I have no idea why some people just can't seem to grow up after high school or college even but I am so disappointed in so many people it's just ridiculous!
If you have Facebook would you ever allow someone to bash someone else on your page? In my opinion it's highschool and I have no room for it in my life.
Would you ever use the unfriend button just to try and make someone feel bad? Again, highschool and I could care less. Go ahead and unfriend me to your hearts content and no matter what you think you are getting at by keeping my hubby on your page again I DON'T CARE!!
I am over 18, out of highschool and college for that matter, married with kids and way too old to play drama queen y'all!! So what do you do if someone decides to use facebook as a weapon on you? Do you ignore them and laugh it off as I do or do you take it to heart? Is facebook that big of a deal in your life that it would crush you to be unfriended by someone? How old do you think is old enough to have facebook?
I used to just think of it as a great way to keep in touch but lately I have begun to think of it as another way for the bullies in our lives to feel they have control over us whether they are dimeaning us or unfriending us. So what do you think?
Sometimes though I really think it is used for pure evil and I can not stand it when others choose to use it as a pawn as a way of them getting to someone. I have no idea why some people just can't seem to grow up after high school or college even but I am so disappointed in so many people it's just ridiculous!
If you have Facebook would you ever allow someone to bash someone else on your page? In my opinion it's highschool and I have no room for it in my life.
Would you ever use the unfriend button just to try and make someone feel bad? Again, highschool and I could care less. Go ahead and unfriend me to your hearts content and no matter what you think you are getting at by keeping my hubby on your page again I DON'T CARE!!
I am over 18, out of highschool and college for that matter, married with kids and way too old to play drama queen y'all!! So what do you do if someone decides to use facebook as a weapon on you? Do you ignore them and laugh it off as I do or do you take it to heart? Is facebook that big of a deal in your life that it would crush you to be unfriended by someone? How old do you think is old enough to have facebook?
I used to just think of it as a great way to keep in touch but lately I have begun to think of it as another way for the bullies in our lives to feel they have control over us whether they are dimeaning us or unfriending us. So what do you think?
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