I feel so obligated to blog right now because there are so many things going on that I don't want to forget about.
First of all, Nana and Papa came to visit for 10 days after their Norwegian cruise. It was so fabulous to have them here! Highlights include the following: a show at the Polka theatre where we got to meet Jacqueline Wilson, a trip to Cambridge for punting, lots of World Cup Football matches, Alison doing lots of rainbow looming, a trip to Wimbledon for Brad, Nana and Papa and 10 days of sunny weather. And we got some new garden furniture, which has made sitting outside even better and more comfortable!
The hot weather has been amazing (for someone like me that loves the heat more than the cold especially.) It has been a bit hot to sleep a couple of nights but not too bad. People are always asking me if this weather is similar to home and I say yes, but the difference is at home we have air-con, but we also have loads of bugs. We have had our windows open for over a month now with no screens because there are no bugs, it's amazing!
World Cup mania has come to the Scheiner house!!! I have never watched an entire football match, and in the past month I have watched about 15 I think. Drew has become a true England football fan, and we really enjoyed watching them play well enough to get themselves into the quarter-finals. He experienced his first real sports heartache ever on Wednesday night when they lost to Croatia. He cried so hard for at least 20 minutes. Bless him! It is so great to see him so into it, and I think this year will be the first year that he is able to sit and watch an entire Michigan game this autumn. Lauren had her year 6 production on Tuesday night, and Drew and Alison went to our neighbour's house while Brad and I went to the show. Our neighbour is a huge France football fan; France was playing Belgium and Brad sat right next to him and watched the entire first half while his own 2 sons were off playing with Alison. He is a true football fan now! He said that when he gets older he is going to play for the US and win all the games.
In between the football, we had the summer fair (my last one as the PTA chair), which was great fun with a climbing wall this year. And we had to change the time because of England playing in the quarterfinals. And Lauren had her induction day at what we thought was going to be her new Secondary School, Burntwood. However, we received a letter two days before school was out that she was accepted to her second choice St. Cecilia's. Lauren had a decision to make: Burntwood , a larger all girls school where she has been and met her tutor group and is more familiar, or St. Cecilia's, which is a co-ed church school about half the size of the other but she missed the induction day! In the end, she chose St. Cecilia's. We told her she would get a good education either place, but it was her decision! She wasn't sure at first but once we went and purchased the uniform and read over all the information, she is now very excited!!!
Monday, September 3, 2018
Monday, March 12, 2018
SNOW DAYS, Secondary School, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and tea
I am always late in my reporting of events, but I am having a personal admin day at home today whilst we have some painting done, so I realized I needed to write up about the first snow days we have had in London!!
The last week of February was BITTERLY cold, like in the negative degrees celsius and SNOWY!! It all started on Monday with HUGE snowflakes, but not much accumulation. Wednesday, we woke up to about an inch on the ground and at 7:15, we got a message from the school that the school was closed. (We found out later that day that it was due to burst pipes and staff who couldn't get into school.) Most other schools in the area were in school as usual. It's very different to the US where they call the schools by county rather than individual school (which I guess is how the private schools determine it in the US.) The kids were SUPER excited, and played in the snow for about an hour before we had to go to the playgroup I take part in at church on Wednesday mornings. Since most of the other schools were and the snow was not really that bad, it was still on. They had a great time setting up all the ride-on toys in the hall. Lauren even squeezed herself into a Little Tikes car. Alison and Drew made friends with a little 2 year old, and made them beg for a little brother even more than usual. (that is totally NOT happening......)
It's interesting because the garden is JUST big enough for all three of them to be able to lay down and do a snow angel. They tried to have a snowball fight, but the snow was a bit too powdery for that. They attempted to build a snowman, but it was VERY small.
Thursday was still very cold, but not much more snow.
And it was World Book Day, so the kids were happy to be able to still dress up for that: Lauren as the dictionary, Alison as Hetty Feather (even though she hasn't read the book, I think she just didn't want to be Hermione like so many others) and Drew as Harry Potter. It snowed more after school and the school was called off for Friday at around 6 PM. And we revealed Lauren's secondary School: Burntwood School, an all girls school which is about 15-20 minute (1 Mile) walk from here. She is SO excited! She knows one girl who is the year ahead of her, and she found out that a girl in her dance class will be attending there next year as well.
Friday, the kids got another taste of my life, as I had told Leila (the baker) that I would come to work but that I would have to bring the kids with me. I took their Kindles, as well as snacks and lunch and they sat in Leila's parents house and played their Kindles, did a bit of reading and drawing and had eaten all their lunches after we had only been there for an hour and a half. They had a great time playing with Leila's one year old daughter, Ayda as well. We came home for a bit, and then went back out to Stagecoach, although the kids (especially Drew) were not too keen to go out in the snow again. Bonus was that Brad and I got to have an impromptu date night as he took an early train home to make sure he didn't get stuck in Woking.
We were supposed to go to Bath for the weekend so Brad could run the half marathon, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the weather. The craziest thing was that on Saturday, all the snow was melted here in London by about 10 AM. However, I think other parts of the country got lots more snow than London.
Drew has discovered the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and he has read 6 books in as many days....thankfully I was able to find several of them at charity shops last week. It is impressive as they are marked as 9+.
Alison has discovered loose leaf tea, and she even drinks it the proper British way with milk and sugar.
Next up....visitors and Dublin!!
The last week of February was BITTERLY cold, like in the negative degrees celsius and SNOWY!! It all started on Monday with HUGE snowflakes, but not much accumulation. Wednesday, we woke up to about an inch on the ground and at 7:15, we got a message from the school that the school was closed. (We found out later that day that it was due to burst pipes and staff who couldn't get into school.) Most other schools in the area were in school as usual. It's very different to the US where they call the schools by county rather than individual school (which I guess is how the private schools determine it in the US.) The kids were SUPER excited, and played in the snow for about an hour before we had to go to the playgroup I take part in at church on Wednesday mornings. Since most of the other schools were and the snow was not really that bad, it was still on. They had a great time setting up all the ride-on toys in the hall. Lauren even squeezed herself into a Little Tikes car. Alison and Drew made friends with a little 2 year old, and made them beg for a little brother even more than usual. (that is totally NOT happening......)
It's interesting because the garden is JUST big enough for all three of them to be able to lay down and do a snow angel. They tried to have a snowball fight, but the snow was a bit too powdery for that. They attempted to build a snowman, but it was VERY small.
Thursday was still very cold, but not much more snow.
Friday, the kids got another taste of my life, as I had told Leila (the baker) that I would come to work but that I would have to bring the kids with me. I took their Kindles, as well as snacks and lunch and they sat in Leila's parents house and played their Kindles, did a bit of reading and drawing and had eaten all their lunches after we had only been there for an hour and a half. They had a great time playing with Leila's one year old daughter, Ayda as well. We came home for a bit, and then went back out to Stagecoach, although the kids (especially Drew) were not too keen to go out in the snow again. Bonus was that Brad and I got to have an impromptu date night as he took an early train home to make sure he didn't get stuck in Woking.
We were supposed to go to Bath for the weekend so Brad could run the half marathon, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the weather. The craziest thing was that on Saturday, all the snow was melted here in London by about 10 AM. However, I think other parts of the country got lots more snow than London.
Drew has discovered the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and he has read 6 books in as many days....thankfully I was able to find several of them at charity shops last week. It is impressive as they are marked as 9+.Alison has discovered loose leaf tea, and she even drinks it the proper British way with milk and sugar.
Next up....visitors and Dublin!!
Monday, January 1, 2018
3 years later
Yesterday (28 December) marks the third anniversary of our move to London. And London is now the place that Alison and Drew have lived the longest. (Lauren still has about 2 more years to go, as she lived in New Jersey for 5 and half years.)
It is a good time for reflection. Life here is similar, yet different in so many common ways. The biggest difference is definitely not having a car and walking or taking public transport everywhere. And depending on delivery services for everyday things like groceries and household supplies. We definitely have not missed the hassle and cost of having a car here. Although there have been a couple of occasions where having a car could have saved some time: like the time I had to collect Alison's guitar from a school about 1.5 miles away, but I took the tube and a bus to get there and it took nearly an hour and a half! If we had a car, it would have taken about 20 minutes. However, I always get my step goal on weekdays. And the kids rarely complain about walking anymore.
I am still amazed at the diversity and mix of people that I am surrounded with on a daily basis here. I am not at all fazed by people speaking in another language or wearing a hijab or a man wearing a robe by now. I am truly thankful that my kids are much more sensitive to and aware of others being different from them; it has made them more accepting of everyone I think. I have learned about many different holidays and also about halal meat, which refers to the way it is slaughtered.
British TV is not quite the same as US TV. I have been following all of the US dramas that I watched before, but they are a few episodes behind here. The one show we have really enjoyed here is "First Dates," which is a show where people are matched up for first dates at this one restaurant near St. Paul's. It's very interesting because they have daters who are 18 all the way up to widow/widowers in their 80's! Brad and I even had dinner at the restaurant one night, where we got the scoop from our waiter that they film on the weekends for 3 months and then they take 3 months off where the restaurant is open for regular dining. It is closed to the public during filming.
One of the things I miss about the US (other than my family and friends) is being able to go into the school more often. The schools here are so much smaller that it is not possible to go to school for lunch or for class parties or other activities. We are invited to school when our child receives the achievement award for the week, which I LOVE because it is such a treat to go to assembly and see all the kids in the main hall and support each other. I am always impressed with how quietly all the students come into the hall and sit and wait for all the other classes to come in. And all three of my kids are in assembly this year since Drew is in Year 1 now.
I know that a lot of people here complain about the NHS, but they have obviously never had to pay for healthcare! I am so pleased with the NHS because we don't have to pay out of pocket for our epi-pens or allergy testing or any of the kids prescriptions. I can understand why some people get frustrated because when you need to see the GP for a same day appointment you have to call over 40 times at 8:30 AM on the dot while you are in the middle of doing the school run, nevertheless at least it is not a £10 co-pay! I do miss taking the kids to their annual check-ups and getting their height and weight and seeing how it compares on their growth chart.
I do have to say that we are all really loving it here. I really am a city person. I remember when we moved to New Jersey from Chicago and really missed the El and the buzz in the city. There is always something going on, and it will probably take about 45-60 minutes to get there. The kids are enjoying being in a smaller school with only 2 classes on their year and they have stayed with all the same kids. Brad is thriving in his job; he works with a really great group of people where there is mutual respect. I have become involved in the school and at church and have started working at a bakery part-time, which I am really enjoying because every day is different.
It's not to say there haven't been challenges....it was really hard at first to make friends and there are still days that I feel lonely and I miss my family and the comforts of home. I miss being there to celebrate all the birthdays and the random weekends to visit friends.
I am glad there are no guns allowed in this country, and it is something that gives me pause about going back to the US where it seems guns are everywhere. There are days that I miss my big house with my basement where I could store anything and everything. And I miss my big backyard where the kids could go and run around. But I love all the green spaces here!
Since we bought the house about a year ago, we think we may be here for a while. These three years have gone by so quickly and we still have so many more countries we want to explore in Europe and further afield. So far, as a family we have visited the following cities:
Edinburgh, Scotland
Dublin, Ireland
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Valencia, Spain
Sopot, Poland (not Brad)
Rome, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Paris, France
Normandy, France (Lauren & Brad)
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Sidmouth, England
Copenhagen, Denmark
Lagos, Portugal
Barcelona, Spain
We love showing people around London, so if you are London, please let us know! It's only a 20 minute train ride from Waterloo to Wimbledon!
It is a good time for reflection. Life here is similar, yet different in so many common ways. The biggest difference is definitely not having a car and walking or taking public transport everywhere. And depending on delivery services for everyday things like groceries and household supplies. We definitely have not missed the hassle and cost of having a car here. Although there have been a couple of occasions where having a car could have saved some time: like the time I had to collect Alison's guitar from a school about 1.5 miles away, but I took the tube and a bus to get there and it took nearly an hour and a half! If we had a car, it would have taken about 20 minutes. However, I always get my step goal on weekdays. And the kids rarely complain about walking anymore.
I am still amazed at the diversity and mix of people that I am surrounded with on a daily basis here. I am not at all fazed by people speaking in another language or wearing a hijab or a man wearing a robe by now. I am truly thankful that my kids are much more sensitive to and aware of others being different from them; it has made them more accepting of everyone I think. I have learned about many different holidays and also about halal meat, which refers to the way it is slaughtered.
British TV is not quite the same as US TV. I have been following all of the US dramas that I watched before, but they are a few episodes behind here. The one show we have really enjoyed here is "First Dates," which is a show where people are matched up for first dates at this one restaurant near St. Paul's. It's very interesting because they have daters who are 18 all the way up to widow/widowers in their 80's! Brad and I even had dinner at the restaurant one night, where we got the scoop from our waiter that they film on the weekends for 3 months and then they take 3 months off where the restaurant is open for regular dining. It is closed to the public during filming.
One of the things I miss about the US (other than my family and friends) is being able to go into the school more often. The schools here are so much smaller that it is not possible to go to school for lunch or for class parties or other activities. We are invited to school when our child receives the achievement award for the week, which I LOVE because it is such a treat to go to assembly and see all the kids in the main hall and support each other. I am always impressed with how quietly all the students come into the hall and sit and wait for all the other classes to come in. And all three of my kids are in assembly this year since Drew is in Year 1 now.
I know that a lot of people here complain about the NHS, but they have obviously never had to pay for healthcare! I am so pleased with the NHS because we don't have to pay out of pocket for our epi-pens or allergy testing or any of the kids prescriptions. I can understand why some people get frustrated because when you need to see the GP for a same day appointment you have to call over 40 times at 8:30 AM on the dot while you are in the middle of doing the school run, nevertheless at least it is not a £10 co-pay! I do miss taking the kids to their annual check-ups and getting their height and weight and seeing how it compares on their growth chart.
I do have to say that we are all really loving it here. I really am a city person. I remember when we moved to New Jersey from Chicago and really missed the El and the buzz in the city. There is always something going on, and it will probably take about 45-60 minutes to get there. The kids are enjoying being in a smaller school with only 2 classes on their year and they have stayed with all the same kids. Brad is thriving in his job; he works with a really great group of people where there is mutual respect. I have become involved in the school and at church and have started working at a bakery part-time, which I am really enjoying because every day is different.
It's not to say there haven't been challenges....it was really hard at first to make friends and there are still days that I feel lonely and I miss my family and the comforts of home. I miss being there to celebrate all the birthdays and the random weekends to visit friends.
I am glad there are no guns allowed in this country, and it is something that gives me pause about going back to the US where it seems guns are everywhere. There are days that I miss my big house with my basement where I could store anything and everything. And I miss my big backyard where the kids could go and run around. But I love all the green spaces here!
Since we bought the house about a year ago, we think we may be here for a while. These three years have gone by so quickly and we still have so many more countries we want to explore in Europe and further afield. So far, as a family we have visited the following cities:
Edinburgh, Scotland
Dublin, Ireland
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Valencia, Spain
Sopot, Poland (not Brad)
Rome, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Paris, France
Normandy, France (Lauren & Brad)
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Sidmouth, England
Copenhagen, Denmark
Lagos, Portugal
Barcelona, Spain
We love showing people around London, so if you are London, please let us know! It's only a 20 minute train ride from Waterloo to Wimbledon!
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