30 Year Record for Snow...

Two weeks ago the boys came home from school with a note saying they probably wouldn't have school tomorrow because it was supposed to snow. I didn't think much of it since it never snows here and we'd already had snow this school year. But, when I got up the next morning I saw 8 inches of fresh snow. Yep, no school. And the next day? No more snow, but no school. And the same for the next day. We have maybe one or two snow plows in the county and the grit (aka salt) was cut in half this year, so only major roads were getting it, making it impossible to get anywhere. People here freaked out. It's the equivalent to a place like North Carolina getting snow. Here are some of the SNOW highlights.

1. The night before the "storm" a friend went to three food stores to find no bread and no milk.

2. No such things as snow shovels here. I saw someone using a leaf blower to move the snow, a sign, and a lot of cardboard taped to wooden sticks.

3. Biking to the train station is popular here. If you ever want a good laugh, watch someone try to bike in the snow...in a suit. It doesn't work and people get really frustrated and slightly embarrassed.

4. Strollers don't work in snow. We all began walking to town with toddlers in sleds behind. Kind of fun, but you must make sure that the toddler doesn't roll out when you turn a corner. (Like mine did several times - always into the hedge and not the road!)

5. Cars don't work well when roads aren't plowed or gritted. And we live in a hilly area. I came down a hill on a road I shouldn't have been on only to see a car sliding down sideways on the next hill that I was meant to go up. I told the boys to pray and I floored it. The van just made it to the top - barely and I think she was smoking for the next thirty minutes!

What did we do? Here are some of OUR highlights:

1. The first day we were so excited, so we decided to go sledding. We drove halfway and then walked the rest. Which went fairly well. Once at the hill it all went down hill. Jacob didn't want to do it after a few gos and Aiden was sick of walking up the hill. Sorry, this isn't Austria and there is no magic carpet! Jeb was in heaven, so I focused on him. I should have kept focused on all. I looked up to see Aiden take his mitten that was attached to his wrist with elastic and swing it right into Jacob's face. What happened next is priceless. I could see the rage come into Jacob's face and then he body tackled Aiden to the ground like a linebacker. Long story short - Jacob stood at the bottom of the hill and Aiden at the top. I had just witnessed the first of many fights that are sure to happen in our house. And the walk home? I don't even want to discuss it. It wasn't pretty.

2. That same day my friend called to alert me there was homework. What? I remember snowdays being fun. Not so. Thanks to the internet, kids now have to work during snow days. And when I say kids, I really mean moms. I'm not meant to home school my children. Again, it wasn't pretty.

3. Aiden's homework was to build a snowman. So we went out and he refused. I wasn't putting on all the clothes for nothing! So guess who built it? ME. Guess who didn't like it? HIM. We still took a picture for school.

Alas, the rain has come. I usually hate rain in January because it rains every day. I have never been so happy. And within 8 hours, the snow was gone. A distant memory, until tomorrow. Flurries are forecasted. We could get an inch. Sounds crazy, but school could be off. And it won't be pretty.

Jacob is SEVEN!!!

It's hard to believe it, as I say every year! We started the countdown to Jacob's birthday back in November, I think and it finally arrived, along with a ton of snow! Jacob's first present was no school - SNOW DAY for the third day in a row. He was excited. So, we had our family party at breakfast. Lots of fun things, easy enough to get for Jacob whose only request was, "just get me what you want and I'll like it." Wish I was more like him! He got to choose his cereal for breakfast and he chose Lucky Charms, at a cool £7.00 (bout $11) a box. The lady at the check out couldn't believe it once again!

Three o'clock rolled around and we headed out into the snowy streets of Beaconsfield. Almost everyone could make it to the party despite the snow and most parents had a look of glee on their faces as they were finally getting rid of their boys for a couple of hours after three days at home! The pizza party went great - the boys made their own pizzas, we told jokes while they cooked, we ate (and no one complained!) and then cut the cake. The pizza cake was super sweet due to the amount of marzipan needed to make the toppings. Not sure any of the boys really liked it and one even flew to the bathroom, faking getting sick. Oh well, it really wasn't about the taste, but the look!! Tom and I left feeling not too exhausted, the boys must have matured from last year because we swore never to do it again after last year's party!

Back home for the sleepover. Jacob had his two best mates over, Fraser and Joe Harris (three boys named Joe in class, so Joe is never called Joe!) They watched Star Wars and ate popcorn til 9:30, then chatted until 10:00. Tom told them lights out and of course they listened. Not sure if they would have if it was me! They were up again at 7:00 for American pancakes, which they ate. I was worried that they'd miss their eggs and baked beans!

I'm feeling a bit sad about this birthday as it's the last that Jacob will have in England. He has such great friends and I don't even want to think about leaving them. I just have to wonder who will be at his party next year???

The boys enjoying their pizzas

Making the pizzas

With Joe and Fraser

They don't look to tired do they?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We had a great time ringing in our last New Year in England. We went to a friends house and were lucky enough to have a couple of pre-teen girls there that love Jeb, so I was free for the night! In fact, Jeb walked in to super-star status. No one really said hello to us when we walked in, all we heard was, "JEB! Ahh, he is SO cute!" So funny to hear when you have only boys and don't experience the pure emotion of a girl!

Anyway, we had a great night with the Bryants and the Konings. Lots of game playing and laughing. At one point the words "Do you think he's going to throw up?" were spoken (and he did - not my child! )

So, for the last time we watched the fireworks go off over the London Eye and heard Big Ben toll his midnight chimes. I'll miss that sound!Jacob and Aiden thought it was so great because they stayed up until 12:45am! (And, no, of course they didn't sleep in!).

The next day Aiden asked if we could do a popcorn prayer. Here is what he said, "Dear God, please help us to celebrate 2010 again!" I think he enjoyed it!

A weekend in Prague

One good thing about driving across Europe is the freedom to head in a different direction while going home and stopping in a former communist country - the Czech Republic. Prague is a town that wasn't touched in the war, so it maintains it's old world look.

We found this out the first night we were there - cobble stoned streets everywhere and none of the streets went in a straight line. They all led to the town square. We were within 5 minutes of walking to get there. We walked down a few quiet streets before turning into a crowd of thousands and then finally seeing the town square, which took our breath away. An enormous medieval church, which looked like it was from the dark ages and a huge Christmas tree beside it. It was truly breath taking!

After a night of hanging out at the Christmas markets and listening to locals sing traditional Czech songs, we headed back. The next morning we saw it again in the daylight. Still remarkable. We headed to the top of the town hall tower and looked at the city from a birds eye view. After, we stood and watched the 500 year old astronomical clock ring. I still have no idea what time it was or how it worked.

We spent the day walking to different sights. The Jewish quarter with it's cemetery of 12,000 stones, but estimated 100,000 people buried there. And then on to the palace and cathedral. That is when the complaining began from all three kids. Cold and tired, we stopped for hot cocoa. After we warmed up and spilled plenty of the cocoa, we continued on with the kids playing in the square. Tom and I knew there was so much more to see, but when you have kids, you see a different side of the city. So, we never made it to the museums, but we had a great Czech meal and did walk the Charles Bridge.

The highlight of the Charles Bridge is rubbing one of the statues for good luck. We each did it and as I touched it, Jeb awoke from his hour nap in a very foul mood. So much for good luck.

We had a great night with more mulled wine, crepes and trdelnik. Thus, ended our time in Prague and Eastern Europe. The ride home? Much better than the ride to Austria - we could see out the window and there was no snow. But there was when we came home! Funny, we had a rainy Austrian Christmas and England had a white Christmas. Go figure.

A European Christmas...

We are back from our 10 days away in Europe with our major stop in Austria and then a minor stop in Prague. It was an interesting start.

8 inches of snow. Doesn't seem to be that much according to our prior life in Michigan. However, when it's in England, it's a major issue. And that is what we woke up to on the morning that we were to DRIVE to Austria. Yikes. Tom was a bit over excited about the snow chains that we needed to have for Austria and put them on for our ride to the motorway. You should have seen the looks! So, five minutes later, we pulled over and spent the next 30 minutes removing them. Luckily the next hour of driving was fine. It was the last 30 minutes that turned into 180 minutes (3 hours!!). Let's just say, I took a walk for about a mile and went back to the car, which had moved about 100 feet.

Ok, back on the road after the channel crossing. Hmmm....the windshield washer fluid doesn't contain antifreeze in the UK and it's 2 degrees. Doesn't work. This is what we saw on the motorway.

So, we had to stop every 20 minutes to clean the windshield. In short, our intentions of stopping at the German Christmas Market turned into a 10 o'clock arrival at the hotel and the next day was pretty much the same. Our 12 hour journey was actually 23 hours!

Anyway, we got there and found such a beautiful chalet waiting for us! Tom's parent were also there to give us a warm greeting after a year of not seeing the boys. The kids were more than excited!

So, our week started the next day, on a cog train up to the half way mark of the mountain (imagine The Sound of Music - we were staying right in the area where it was filmed). The snow was beautiful, making the view so great despite the very cold weather! I went up to take a closer look and on the way back heard the train whistle blow. I missed the train, so I headed to the little train concession, only to find Tom and Aiden. We had a great hour spent eating donuts and drinking mulled wine. We never get one on one time with Aiden, so it was a little gift. Tom's parents had the pleasure of watching the other boys at the bottom of the mountain!

That night we had our first trip down to the Christmas markets in town. Again, it was freezing!! The highlight was walking through the nativity scene. We weren't sure what everything meant since it was all in German, but Jeb understood quite well that Jesus wasn't in the manger. He threw a fit, screaming, "Jesus, Jesus!" Sorry, you have to wait five more days!

The rest of the week just flew by. We got beautiful snow at the beginning of the week, but it all melted away on Wednesday. Our Christmas felt more English than Austrian. Lots of rain, but it let up in the afternoon so we could go for a walk to town to see Baby Jesus in the manger.

Here are the other highlights:

1. Tom and Joy having a day away to Hallstatt and taking a cable car up the snowy Dashstein where we were greeted by tons of snow, sled dogs, and beautiful views.

2. Jacob and Aiden learn to ski (kind of). Aiden stood at the top of the hill for 10 minutes vowing not to go down. He came down with Tom and all we heard was giggling!

3. Tubing down the ski hill and using the "magic carpet" to get back up! Jeb loved going down!

4. Salzburg. Not quite as beautiful as we imagined, but we did make it to the VonTropp mansion!

5. Christmas dinner. Couldn't find a turkey, so we had goose. It was good and we'll probably never forget it!

6. Christmas shooting. 24 Austrians shooting off guns that sound like cannons. Still haven't figured out why they do it, but it was so cool!

7. Christmas Eve mass. Didn't understand a word, but the music was pretty and the girls sitting next to me couldn't believe they were sitting next to an American!

The best highlight of all was living like an Austrian and learning a new culture. It all makes so much more sense at Christmas. A nativity in every town. I don't think we ever saw a Santa Claus. Songs about the birth of Jesus being sung. Christmas trees go up on Christmas Eve and the big celebration is the week after Christmas - Jesus is finally born and put in that nativity scene. After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about??

Jeb the Shepherd

Jeb also had his program last week. Very laid back, thank goodness. Jeb sat with me until it the point in the nativity when the shepherds entered. It all went well - the minute that he was up. BTW, the tea towel is meant to be the shepherds hat. Oh, and most shepherds aren't seen with Lightning McQueen - consider yourself lucky. This is a once in a lifetime sighting...until next year.

Adding a little video of Jeb. Ignore the craziness within the video - there is a lot of it, but the main point is Jeb's name for Jacob...

Sparkle Christmas Production!

Last week was the big Christmas production at school. With Jacob and Aiden both in it, you'd think I would have had a clue as to what it would be. Nope, they never sang a song at home and barely practiced lines/dances. I was worried. The morning of the first production, I set some ground rules for Aiden. 1. If you smile and do your dance, I'll pay you £1 at the end. 2. Don't pick your nose. You can itch it, but please don't shove your finger up there! You'll see that both boys were smilely (money works every time!). The nose thing, well that obviously didn't hit home for Aiden. Luckily his gal pal, Ruby, finally held his arm down to stop him. Thank goodness for that.

Jacob performed great. I didn't include his other line, but let's just say that many people commented to me that Jacob has totally lost his American accent. Amazing what peer pressure will do - he sounds so American to me, but when his friends are around, it's British all the way!

So, here is a glimpse of Sparkle. A story about a star who just wouldn't sparkle. The moral of the story is that God gave a gift to everyone - the sun, the moon (with it's moonbeams - Aiden), and to stars. Sparkle became the Star of Bethlehem.