Reasons I haven't updated my blog

1- computer virus- being without a computer for 3 days and then shelling $150 to go back to my factory settings and missing all my other handy settings ( I am a little bitter- but bright side is I didn't lose most of my hard drive)

2- Chris out of town the rest of this past week (translates into paranoid me who sleeps with cell, landline, car keys, and lights up the whole house and only watched hgtv type shows that won't air scary movie trailers)- side note I finally requested a friend here to check in every morning that I was alive. No one was volunteering so I had to make the request

3-CJ had the stomach flu which I guess was better timed since I was already up in the middle of the night

4-Coffee maker broken- and no it is not convenient to get to starbucks with both kids. The poor customer rep on the line who dealt with me- I was not happy about 3 week turnaround time.

5-the sunniest weather I have ever seen in England (its like 72) but kid you not people are swimming in outdoor pools (brings back MI and Chicago memories of memorial day weekend pool openings)

6- I attempted to cut the lawn here (itty bitty small lawn) and I butchered it (had no idea how to set the length so it basically looks like we have no grass)

7-purchased Fitflops ( cute flipflops that CLAIM to have you lose inches on your booty and thighs just by walking around)- totally sure they don't do that but I have a cute bronze pair just in case they do.

8-attended cricket game where the most exciting thing was young men in white polo/pants. Damn that sport is long and boring!

9 - made it to church with kids and Casey volunteers to bring up the communion. (which they allow her)- who in their right mind let's a 3 year old carry the GLASS bowl of communion. (sidebar in pure Casey fashion she makes it down the aisle, hands the bowl to the priest, and then refuses to leave the alter.

10-did I mention the lack of resteraunts in the burbs will send me home (seriously I don't want to cook 21 meals a week)

Prague

So 13 years ago I backpacked through Europe post college and one of my fave cities was Prague. To be back toting a family was different but weirdly the same (see photo of mommy drinking Pilsner Urquell)

1- My backpack was replaced with a 30 pound Casey. The only saving grace of having a little more money than I did as a backpacker was this go around I didn't have to wear that nasty sweaty stomach pocket thingy to hold my passport. ( mine was disgusting after 6 weeks of touring Europe)

2- Drank some beer but a lot less of it. The hostel I stayed in was on the water and had 2 things going for it- beer for a 25 cents and some hot guys from UNC. (oh yeah the city's architecture was breathtaking as well)

3-Casey and CJ allow cultural happenings in 45 minute incrementals every 3 hours. Talk about trying to plan around kids- I'll take my lonely planet guide and zero $ any day.

4-Prague is alot more commercial in some areas and seedier than I remember 13 years ago (again it may be the beer that helping me to forget) but its hard to beat the Charles Bridge at night and we lucked out with awesome weather.

5-The kids had moments of being rockstars like when they charmed the pants off of this couple at dinner (who subsequently invited us to their country home in the Cotswold)- btw the "English" do not invite randoms to their home so that was big. We shall see how the couple reacts when we actually show up there:)

6-Lego obsession to a new level- CJ trying to figure out how many legos it would take to build the Prague Castle.

Quick vent

Okay so I sent an email a week ago to the nursery parents seeing if anyone wanted to meet up at the local park for a picnic after school. Totally made the invite weather dependent as I DON'T want 20 kids and 20 moms hanging out in my kitchen. Well my harmless little picnic idea has created quite a ruckus - let's see

1- one call can we make a list so all the kids have the same food (20 ham sandwiches, apple slices, etc)?
2- should we detail if the kids can bring scooters and bikes?
3- if it is overcast will it be cancelled?
4- are you letting Casey change out of school uniform before picnic?

Answers to the Questions above

1-No- I am sorry little george will have to learn sometime that other kids will have better stuff in their lunchbox- in fact we still have some Oreo cookies that Mommy will be eating at the picnic:)

2- No- I am sure some kids have scooters but we will just let everyone bring their own stuff

3- let's be honest it will be raining tomorrow

4-no

Will report back on how/if the picnic happened. How George reacted when his ham sandwich looked different from a turkey sandwich. How we all need to relax and not create drama or else I will never invite anyone (except the 4 cool chicks I have found here)on a picnic. Okay -I feel better:)

A few random things on my mind-

1) i still hate how in May all the shows I watch end- the lost finale was good but I will be happy in a year from now when have less questions and more answers. ( Locke dead or alive?????)

2)school calender here is whacked - strange to have kids going to school until mid july- but when you are still wearing a sweater and a coat in May it won't feel like summer anyhow.

3)cooking- Both chris and I are so bored with what I throw together for dinner- I think we have had chicken stir fry a zillion times (this no decent restaurant in a 15 mile radius will be the death of me)- I have started leafing thru cook books in hopes that a magical chef will appear and cook the items for me:)

4)CJ first field trip (w/o mom) is tomorrow- yes we have heard about the bus, not having to wear a uniform, getting a packed lunch (no fizzy drinks (soda) or sweeties (dessert), and going with his class to Celtic Camp a million times this week.

5)Casey is moving backwards on staying dry at night- she now wakes up in the morning-throws her wet pull up in the garbage and then tells me "Mom, my pull up was wet but I didn't poo poo in it." (at some point I will bite the bullet and remove the pull ups but the girl sleeps from 7pm-7:30am and hate messing with that.

6)hosted a playdate on Monday for which the child stayed from 3-6:30pm- when I said the kids could watch a show while I made dinner- the little boy informed me that his mummy does not let him watch the telly during the week. Interesting concept but think I will stick with my routine.

England

Picture Casey drew at nursery. On the back if it the teacher wrote what Casey said: "Its me and mummy, CJ and Daddy, its raining like it always does here." From the mouths of babes come the truth:)

Show and Tell

Okay - I am over my pity party (cure -train to London, sushi, 2 sappora beers, and premiere screening of Angels and Demons)(spoiler alert- good but not as good as the book or the first movie- plus Mr. Hanks looks so old which will remind yourself of getting older- yuck)

CJ has show and Tell tomorrow- ( an yes you can't bring in any toys- so mummy (as CJ refers to me) came up with the posterboard idea of taking pictures of toys (legos) to get around their rules. (Yes I am a rule breaker)

My little guy came up with the concept all by himself-

4 Things you need to do legos:

1. legos

2.patience (note all those bitty pieces drive me nuts -kind of the way I hate Polly Pockets or Lil Petshop :)

3 Partner (daddy- Chris is in heaven that CJ loves legos-kinda like when I took Casey Jane to ice skating and the American Girl Cafe)

4 Pocket money (poor guy get 1 pound a week and the legos are pricey- luckily the grandparents dumped some treat money into both kids piggy banks before leaving.

F

Lets see 19 years of driving experience gets you nada in this country. I FAILED my driving test- no I did not commit any serious penalty (I even parallel parked like a rock star)- I got 16 minor faults (didn't use mirrors 100% of the time and undue hesitation for roundabout) and yes 15 is the pass score. So I am livid- the instructor/test giver was an arse from the get go 1. He mentioned a zillion times how he believed England's driving standards were so much harder than the States. 2 that most experienced drivers have not kept up to date on the highway code.3. of course it rains for my test- lest I expect anything else

So yes- I have a test date in july (some reason they are all booked up for the next 6 weeks and yes I have to pay another $100 to retake the test). Feeling like cher from clueless when she fails her test.(except its not sunny and my closet is so super small here) Feeling like this is a nice out for the company to send us home- can't drive anywhere need to go back home. The biggest joke was the test guy reminded me to remove the L plates to drive home since I can still drive on my USA licence until fall. I am going to start with the fake english accent and see how that works next time around:)