The Newest Koops Family Member

Oh, don't get excited, there are no baby announcements here. Before I tell you who this new member is, let me give you a little background.

The weather here is so great. 80 degree days and no rain! May is supposed to be one of the best months in England. That must be why the Beaconsfield Fair is held every year in May. It's bigger than the Hudsonville Fair and our town is not all that big. So, we were going to go as a family, but Jeb was sick, so I stayed back. The boys had a great time and told me so as they jumped out of the car with a fish. Yes, we now own a fish. I took it all in stride, Daddy won it while playing darts. Thanks Tom. So we put it in the water pitcher and I expected it to die within a week. Tom didn't. He came home today with an aquarium. You can imagine just how happy I was! He tried to make me feel better..."Joy, if the fish dies, the boys can use it for bugs or a hamster." That, as you can imagine, only made me more mad. But, it is now his responsibility, I'm not touching the tank and any water spilled by the boys (Tom's idea to keep it in their room) will be handled by Tom. Welcome to the family Goldie.

Oh, Tom's final remark to me..."You look like you've lost weight." Nice try Tom...

Jacob Rides a Bike!

We've been doing a bit of practice without training wheels, but tonight was the night that Jacob "got it." You can see in the video, but he improved more after that by learning to stop by himself instead of yelling "Mummy, stop!" I felt like I did when I watched him take his first step...proud, yet sad to see yet another milestone slip through the sands of time. Ahh, my little boy is growing up. How bittersweet.

Our Three Day Weekend

Another UK Bank Holiday weekend this past weekend. That means we were on the road to see some sights! This time it was all about the kids. On Saturday we went to the coast: Brighton. It's what I picture Coney Island to be - a pier full of carnival games and cotton candy (which we had to get). The boys were happy on the beach just collecting shells and rocks (no sand on this beach, just rocks). They had so much fun and the weather was actually decent. Aiden was exhausted as we drove home.

Sunday, we went to the London Zoo. Again, another fun filled day for the boys. Jeb loved the butterfly display - his eyes watched in amazement. The other boys loved the bug exhibit (mommy could have sat that one out) and the giraffes. The day was long and we were all tired by the end. So, Monday was our catch up day. We also had some English friends over for an American bbq. The kids tore the place up (4 boys in total) and we sat outside and acted like we didn't care. Ha! Now it's back to reality...