Trip to England

Anna's first pair of high heels. Girls wearing all their new clothes.

Feeding the ducks with Grandad and Tony.

Making cookies for Santa with Roxie.

In the background is the Natural History Museum and the ice rink that we skated on. Eating bucket of chips (fries), think that is what Anna and Olivia lived on. Must admit I love the sausage rolls.

London Bridge in the background and yes it is as cold as it looks.

Dancing in Hayley's kitchen, perhaps too much wine at dinner...

Fun with Aunt Kelly and soon to be Uncle John.

Hayley and Olivia. Everyone was calling Olivia (chocolivia) because all she ate was Chocolate, can't think of a better place to eat it though. Must admit I had my fair share.

First night in London.

Top of the Double Decker bus.

Entering the Grotto, it is a maze of Christmas at the end you go in a tent and see Father Christmas.

Snow in England, not suppose to happen....especially when we are there.

Feel lucky to have Kelly and Hayley to show us around London, Norma taking us to Grotto, Pantomime, Christmas Dinner and all around spoiling her Granddaughters, Grandad feeding us the best breakfasts every morning.

I think my favorite part of the trip was watching Anna and Olivia experience a different country and see how and where their Dad grew up. I felt like I could actually sit back and enjoy this trip. No diapers, bottles, strollers or cribs to worry about.

Things we did while in England: Trains, double-decker buses, tube (subway), boat on the River Thames (don't know why in England they say river first??), Natural History Museum, Ice-skating, Winter Wonderland (a fair in Hyde Park, London) never gone on roller-coasters in pissing down rain. The grotto and the pantomime.

Anna loved the clothes, she shopped with her Aunt Hayley and Grandma Roxie to buy all sorts of styling outfits. Anna asked if she could come shopping here when she if 14, she bought her first pair of high heels. Anna said "I love how they speak here, I want to talk like them."

Olivia asked if she could come to England next Christmas, she loved the Pantomime that we saw. I am amazed that they don't have Pantomimes here, the kids get to yell out during the play, the parents are laughing hysterically because most things can be taken two ways (one for kids and one for dirty adult minds). The actors are usually giggling throughout, reminds me of the Carol Burnett show.

My girls were angels the whole trip, made me realize it even more when we had the 3 year old from hell in front of us on the plane. She was so obnoxious and loud and to top it off she started spitting at us while we were eating...wow clueless parents.

PJ's

I love going in to check on my girls just before I go to bed. They are always upside down sideways.... must admit I loved this one.

Anna received some hand-me-down pj's from her cousin, they were too tight in the waist so I cut the elastic. Thinking I had cured the problem, confidently showing my daughter I can fix anything. This is what we got, couldn't stop laughing.

Polar Express

The Polar Express is such a fun little trip. You start at Heber City in the light and end up in the dark at the North Pole. Santa is outside with flairs all around him waving. He gets on the train and gives all the kids a bell (like in the Polar Express Book). Anna was so excited to see Mrs. Clause because we had lost her recipe for chocolate chip cookies. It was a cold night when we left it was 0 degrees, brrrrrr!

Poker Face

Couldn't get this video to download...check out the link. Livy was home sick with me, sitting next to me and singing this song over and over. When I recorded it and played it back on the computer she was not happy, she said it sounded bad. She told me not to show anyone, so it is our secret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRBOa3qDNL4

Olivia loves getting dressed up

Olivia has been sick this week, I asked her if she wanted to go back to school only half day and miss her afternoon class, she said "Mrs. G will miss me too much if I don't go". Gotta love this girl.

Halloween

Halloween Party at the girl's school. Such a fun night. Tony loves painting faces, pretty good at it as well. I love spending time as a family. Tony and I stayed up late watching movies, had a serious giggle fit together. I am always telling Tony he isn't funny but last night he had me in stitches.

Crazy Hair Day

Cute girls for crazy hair day at school. The bottom one Livy was dressing up as a teacher, she was so excited to wear her glasses.

Brennan's b-day party.

Brennan's birthday party. The kids were in heaven, great farm in Syracuse.

Love this picture of Anna just heading into the corn maze. They had the most incredible mazes, we kept getting lost, even with the map. They are open at night for Halloween, can't imagine going through the maze in the dark, think I have watched too many horror movies in my life.

They had a piglet race, they get the pigs to run by giving them oreos at the end.

Olivia picked out her pumkin, still on the vine.

Anna with her best friend Shay on the hay ride.

Birthday group.

Anna very proud of her pumkin, ended up being too heavy for her to carry (lucky me).

Snowbird

Oh, still in love after how many years...wow! Who would have thought??

Tony and I took Kelly and John to Snowbird. It snowed just before they arrived from England. What a gorgeous day. Love spending time with Kelly and getting to know John, they are good together, nice to see Kelly so happy. Can't wait for the wedding!!!

Balloon Ride w/Kelly & John

Tony, Anna, Kelly and John all went on a balloon ride. Anna has been asking to do it since she was 5 years old, I told her she had to be tall enough to look over the edge. I was hoping she would forget about it but each year she keeps asking. She had a ball.

It was our first time meeting John (soon to be brother-in-law), he is a wonderful guy. Love seeing Kelly happy and in love.