Around the World in 17 hours!

We made. We're safe. I'm still sane. The kids weren't murdered (by me or anyone else) :-). We set off at 9am UK time Tuesdady, and arrived at Nana and Tata's at 9pm same day. Carys and Adam were REALLY good on the plane, we had a VERY good journey. Carys pestered Adam like there was no tomorrow but he did really good and just put up with it. I did spend some time telling her off for fighting nto sharing, jum,ping on Adam, pulling his hair, wanting his things. But all in all was a good trip. They only slept for about an hour from heathrow to D.C. and then about an hour and a half from D.C. to ABQ. So we were all very happy to crawl into bed when we got here.

Yesterday was a laze about day until late afternoon. Adams cousin came over and they are having a really good time playing together. Poor Carys doesn;t understand why they have ganged up on her and won't let her play. They have been digging in dirt piles, watching lizards and running away from LOBO, the demon cat of barton road.

Will post soon.

BYE

Early Bird gets the Worm!

There must be a button you can press to make your toddler sleep in!!! Someone please tell me the secret!! Carys has been waking at such an insane hour everymorning... We are lucky to make it to 6:15 am before she comes bouncing into our bedroom. Yes we do the usual, put her in our bed, lift the dozen or so toys she has brought into the room in with us, say shhh shhh not time to get up yet etc. Doens't work! Not one thing. She is bouncing, poking me in the eye, pulling my hair, poking my belly to see it jiggle, having a good 'ole time. I end up getting up and we go doenstairs for a good 'ole breakfast of coco shreddies. I know it is not the healthiest thing but this kid picks at her food and will only eat rubbish! She is watching balamory at the momemt. Adam is snoring in bed with his dad. Back an incy bit better, magic pills work wonders.
Speak to ya soon.

Trip in Jeapordy!

I hurt my back!!!!! Whay do these things come at such inopportune times!!! I feel like crying! Little miss heffalump(carys) was in a particularly 'colourful' mood yesterday I bent over with her in my arms.... to keep her from throwing herself out of them mid-tantrum... and twisted my back!! I have been so careful since Tuesday---- when I twisted with her in my arms and had a 'bit' of a sore back-. I have not been picking her up.. not lifting heavy things or moving furniture etc etc....because i know I have to endure 14 hours travelling next week. Well what do ya know.. i did it again. I 've got some painkiller s and muclse relaxers from doctor so everyone cross your fingers it GOES AWAY BEFORE TUESDAY!!!!! Had to call in to work.... they were not happy to say the least... like you PLAN these things!

Adam's got football tonight.. my friend is taking him...Carys has had to play on her own....

No funny or witty kiddie news I am afraid... .. just boring old story.

bye

parent teacher conference!

We have our final parents open evening tonight! Adam and Carys will be going to Giselles house, the two horrorbags will have great fun turning it upside down! :-)

Me and Patrick will present ourseleves to Mrs D. (adam's eacher is mega scary), and listen to how our boy is doing. We hope that there will be an imporvement over the last one. Adam does okay in school. But he only likes to pay attention to the thigs that interest him.. and tunes out all others... hmm sounds like most of us doens't it!

Room Check!

Right! I've had.... I have become 'Miss Pick-up-after-everybody', Adam and his dad leave 'bits' everywhere! Carys is a human tornado! We did room checks on a Saturday at 2 pm when we had our MAP Placement with us.....everyone had to have their rooms clean for inspection at 2pm on a Saturday.. this included us! Since Phil left, room check has gone by the wayside.... so 'fed-up' mamma is bringing it back!

Room check includes:

Toys- put away where they belong ( not just dumped into any old toybox)

Laundry- in the laundry baskets ( not left on the floor)

Shoes- paired with their partner and along the wall or in the wardrobe

Books- one next to the bed, all others put away in the bookcase in alphabetical order ( ha ha jsut joking about the alphabetical order part!!!)

Beds- everyone does there own clean sheets!!!! Adam is old enought to change his and either me or Patrick can help Carys do hers!

that should about cover it!

Adam did great at tennis this morning! Apparently he has goog hand eye coordination ( he can throw and catch better then me.. how embarassing) and can really 'move' (when he wants to that is....) I think we'll enroll him in the tennis camp this summer. It's expensive though.. so he may only be going for 1 week. I haven'[t told him yet but I want him to go to bible school this summer as well for a week. The kids only have 6 weeks off and were nearly all booked up:

School finishes 22-July.

Week 1 moms house ( we are leaving school week early to get another week at moms before she goes back to school)

week 2 trying to plan a camping trip with Pauline her crew and Margret + dogs. 4 red setters in a tent??? I don't think so! They are trying to find somewhere in Cornwall. We arrive back from New Mexico morning of the 1st and then rest a few hours before a 6 hour drive to cornwall!!! Then pack up and head the 8-10 hours back to Liverpool. we are not quite sure abotu this one.....but will do camping somewhre this week

week 3 tennis camp

week 4 bible school

week 5 ??? maybe camping???
week6 ???

4th Spetember back to school..... arghhh!

Patricks mum baught a hamster cage for Adam.. looks like we'll be keeping a hamster until a) beano eats it or b) carys squashes it.

HAPPY 4th of JULY

Happy Independence Day!!! (to my fellow Americans!)

Not onlyis it independence day, my littlebrother isgetting married today!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Guilty

Arghhh!!! Further to yesterdays post about reading book and spellings....... I went to pick Adam up from school and here he comes dragging his teacher across the playground......

Teacher: " I heard Adam went to bed early for having no spellings. Adam said I had to come tell you myself or else he'd have to go to bed 30 minutes early tonight as well."

Me: " I keep reminding him to bring them home, and he forgets"

Teacher: " Well .. sorry to have to tell you this but I didn't give any spellings out on Monday!"

Me: "UH OH"

Adam: (not one to miss an opportunity) " So mum, how are you going to make it up to me?"

Opportunis that my son is! Adam woke me up at 6:20 am this morning. He wanted a bath. His bed, blankets , and sheets were soaked. He forogot to go to bed weraing his 'pajama pants'. We are goping to hav eto crack this wet the bed thing. I'm just all out of ideas. Anyway.. ran a bath super quietly to le tthe hellion sleep a bit more... but Nooooooo.. she heard us and jumped in there tooo!

wish I could take back this one!

I came down on Adam like a ton of bricks last night... and oh do I regret it now! For months and months Adam chooses not to bring his reading book home on the nioght it is given (tues and thur) nor his spellign words (mon). After reminding him everyday.. bring your spellings and your book home... he never does. At the weekend we had a very serious chat about listening to Mum and Dad or else he will begin to get punished. So yesterday I reminded him..... and he forgot! So he went to bed early. We had to hear about the 'unfairness' of it all.. the mean mum.. the 'it;s not my fault'.. the they did not give it out business. Well this morning my friend called and said Adam left his reading book at her house afterschool! Oooops!!!! I had to apologise to Adam about the reading book but not the spellings as those were no where to be seen.

HE got his school report yesterdy. He is doing well... right where he should be everywhere but his handwriting..... so we've got that to work on over the summer.

Flasher

Carys is a right little flasher! She waves 'Hi' to everyone we pass and then presents her bare tummy for inspection! Up. down. up. down goes the shirt. on off on off on off on off go the trousers ( at home usually). She then presents her little tooty pegs in a so cheesy smile as if to say.. "whhhhhaaaaatttt". Adam had a little mate to walk to school with this morning. Paul , his brother and mum walked to school with us this morning. Uneventful walk kiddiewise.... I actually got to talk grown-up talk!
Adam is at a friends hosue until Karate.....so me and Carys are enjoying some chill time... in Carys' case it's naked chill time.

I give Adam £10 pounds this morning to give to the dinner lady (lunch lady) and he says Mum, I'm all paid up. I say Adam are you sure you asked because I haven't given you any lunch money in like 2 weeks! He doesn't waste brain time on something so inconsequential as wehter the dinner lady gets paid or not!

Nearly time to go home to visit!!
Bye