Getting Settled

Saying good-bye to England was hard (blog posts to come when I can emotionally stomach it), but saying hello to many new and exciting things has helped the transition. So many things have happened since we arrived in the USA - it is hard to believe it has only been three weeks. Highlights include:

• getting to see almost all of our family
• buying a new mini van
• lots of playing at the mall (too hot to play outside!)
• First Mizzou football (American football!) pep rally with the grandparents and the Abbotts
• Lots of playing with cousins
• First paediatric appointment with Dr. Holly (whom we are going to LOVE - she gave us her cell phone...just in case we have a need!)
• Jack joining his first soccer team
• Theo getting his first big wheel and driving it lots in Granddad and Grando's driveway
• Addie's speech therapy beginning
• Eliot attending lots of house showings as Mom and Dad try to find the right house for us

We hope to still use this blog as a scrapbook recording fun and important things of our family. Admittedly some of the motivation for the blog (being far from grandparents) is gone, but we have grown to love it as a family scrapbook and hope that many of our friends across the pond will still check in every once in a while. For now, here are some pictures:

Kids with Uncle Brian

Addie with Uncle Brian

Playing at the Mall (over 40 degrees)

Astronaut Theo at the Mall

On your Mark, Get Set, Go - Races in the driveway

Addie on Mom's old bike

Addie chalking in the driveway

Picnic with the Abbott cousins

Cousins - Ages Josiah 7, Jack 6, Esther 5, Theo 4, Miriam 3, Adelaide 2, Ezra 1, (and Eliot sleeping!)

First Mizzou Football Watching Party at J Finneys (a local sports bar)

Goodbye England

Arrival - 2 September 2004 

Departure - 12 August 2012

Ice Lollies

Any time is ice lolly time when you you are defrosting the freezer - 10 am and 60 degrees farenheit!

Olympic Experience

Charles and Jack went to Wembley last night to watch the Olympics semi-final football match. Theo didn't go, but he was happy to dress the part leading up to the departure: 

A day at the Olympics

We were fortunate to get some Olympic tickets. It was a lottery system and the majority of our friends who applied did not get any so we felt really privileged to get tickets to two events: volleyball and football. Charles and I went to the volleyball match today. We watched Japan vs. Dominican Republic in the first match and Russia vs. Algeria in the second match. The first match was fairly close with Japan winning. The second match was completely lop-sided. Russia crushed Algeria. It was close to embarrassing at times. The crowd really got behind Algeria and cheered really loudly whenever they got a point, which really wasn't that often. There were times when I thought my high school volleyball team could have beaten them. But overall, it was a really fun experience. We have never seen London before more efficient or friendly in our time here. Here are some pictures:

The Earls Court Venue:

Ready to go in (the stewards were so friendly they were offering to take people's pictures!): 

Pretty high up but still in the arena so we were happy:

Eliot was a star. At one point we laid him on the ground on a blanket and he had a fun little kick about. We got a couple of funny looks, but mostly smiles from those around us. We wondered if we looked negligent or laid back, thoughts?

A close up of Eliot which is both cute (with the smile) and kind of scary (with the red eyes!). 

All in all, it was a great day. A big thanks to Charis for watching the older three kids. We will do the same for her next week as she and Seulgi have the same tickets for next Monday. There was part of us who felt bad for not taking the older kids, but we are confident they were more excited about going for a long playdate at the Byuns than they would have watching the volleyball. :)