Splendid

skater nerd

 

I love this girl.

PL week 7

week highlights:

-Valentine's Day, I got a dozen long stem roses and the girls got daisies and Roses from Dave. -Little sis had her second grade Olympics, she won 2 first place ribbons and 1 second place ribbon. She also had the Second Grade Hero Show at school with singing and poems. (so cute!)  -Ladybug Release Day at the Science Museum, the girls were handed about 20 ladybugs to take out to the garden and release.  The new otters were there, too. Dave got another tattoo, his right arm is a full sleeve now (oy vey...)

we are the champions

A couple weeks ago little sis had her school's Fun Run to raise money for new technology.  My little sweet-tart ran 2.5 miles in 40 minutes!

 
She raised $450 in pledges and we're super proud of her!

PL week 6

This week is more than half over and I am still remembering last week like it's right now. Agh, I wish life would slow down just a bit........

PL week 5

week 5.

and page 2 of week 5

Weeks highlights;

-we spent a lot of time outside, nature walks, skateboarding, playing soccer, etc. Got my nails painted pink to get ready for Valentine's day, I painted an xo on my ring fingers. BBqed and watched the Super Bowl (Hello Madonna!), Dave invited a well-known MMA guy to his jujitsu school, little sis got another A on her spelling test. Yep. It was another goodie of a week.

seashell searcher

From last weeks daytrip to Naples, same design, but different pictures, each tailored for each girl's albums. (When I finally PUT them into albums, but, hey, you know...)

It has been "unseasonably warm" people tell me here...I can tell you, I am feeling slightly jealous of my pals in the northeast or Lake Tahoe area, who are getting some snow and brisk air. It seems unnatural to have summer all year 'round...but I guess I shouldn't complain, there's nothing you can do about the weather, right?

PL: week 4

I am loving this.
 
( liftable sleeve I made)
This past weeks highlights;

Little sis ran 2.5 miles for her school's Fun Run to raise money for technology. Big sis made some rad duct tape crafts, she is really into it! Dave came home Sunday from London with gifts from our favorite city. We made paper crystals for little sis' door at school, they were the Crystal Kids for the Boosterthon Fun Run. I taught the second grade Matisse art lesson. Big sis was asked out by a boy at school (middle school), she kindly declined. Selina (my fur baby) also declined the advances of a couple dogs at the dog park.

valentine

I used the new Crate Paper line (and some oldies stuff) to make a Valentine-inspired page with my favorite guy.

( my Valentine gets back later tonight from being in London for a week, so excited to see him!) I'm also wanting to make a couple crafts for Valentine's Day, I have 2 ideas in the works. Any craft ideas you want to share?

Project Life; Week 1- 3

Okay, I was a little behind starting this, but I'm ready to go with my Project Life album for 2012. Here's weeks 1-3, I can't believe how much has already happened in 3 weeks, agh, I'm exhausted...

week one  (front first, then below back) ) (I used the 3 long sheet insert )

week 2

 

week 3

 

and close- ups of week 3, I copied my friend Vee with her liftable sleeves ( thanks Vee!)

I've already started week 4, so I'm finally ahead of the game... I've seen some awesome PL albums out there, but I'd love to look at yours, too, let me know if you're doing one!

she sells seashells by the seashore

We went for a little picnic on the beach today in Naples.  Dave had to fly to London for work, feeling rather bummed we couldn't go with him this time, we decided a beach day was in need. On the way down we drove through Alligator Alley and I'm not joking that we easily saw 100 alligators on the side of the road in a canal and on the shores. Crazy!! Then we were star-stuck by wild dolphins swimming along the shore at the beach, it was lovely!





It was a good day.

some warmer pages

From my winter Christmas mini album to warmer weather layouts, I finally scrapbooked some of the dolphin swimming pictures from our day in the Keys a few months ago.  

Same design, just different pictures, one for little sis, one for big sis.  And below, my three favorite people!

I don't know about you, but I am having a hard time keeping up with blogging. Sometimes I think I should just go on a blog vacation.  Do you ever feel like that?
Well, I ordered my Project Life album, I'm getting things together to start it hopefully this week.  Anyone else doing one?

and the rest of it...

I took the pictures of the rest of the album yesterday.  I don't know why, but I feel like the last month has been SO hectic! Anyhoo, here's the rest;

So that's all of it!  Even though it feels like December flew by, looking over these pages makes me feel so happy for having such a wonderful family and group of friends.  I hope you had a good holiday as well, and a awesome start to the new year!

is this too late???

I know, so bad. Here's my 2011 December album. I'll do a a few pages today and a few another, a few another. I bought this rad mini kit from Marcy Penner who I adore.

okay, more next time! Stop by Marcy's, she has a sweet store with some pretty cool products!

Happy new year!

Hello all and happy new year! I hope you had a smashing time ringing in the new year! 2012 is going to be a great year!  It's the year of the dragon in Chinese astrology (starting January 23), which means it will be a year full luck, passion, excitement and new accomplishments.  What are your hopes for 2012? I am hoping for many things; exercise more, eat healthier, learn to bake better, get better at photography (like take some classes and get the right photo editing software), make more dates with my hubby, keep traveling, keep practicing my Spanish before I loose it. And there's more, but that's just the first layer...

Here's my The Creative Type layout for January, all about what else, resolutions. I wanted to have a picture of the stockpile of fireworks we bought for our New Years's Eve party.  Everyone wrote down a resolution, wish or goal for 2012, then I taped them each to a huge firecracker my hubby purchased at the Indian reservation ( like, totally scary and unsafe... but a great way to usher in 2012!) It was so cool to see each person's firecracker explode in the sky, sending that wish out into the new year!

We have the amazing Revlie as our guest designer, she is one of my favorites! She is also donating a pdf of one of her lovely classes as the prize this month, soooo, check it out!!!!

santa's on his way...

The girls are loving being on winter break and doing all this holiday-ish. We've been baking, sending out cards and drawings, watching movies with snowmen and miracles, listening to our favorite Xmas tunes and wrapping lots of presents. We had a small Xmas Cheer party, with gingerbread decorating and snow-globe making and cupcake eating ( oh, my Xmas jammies are getting tight.) ( I need to start my New Year's resolution of more exercise sooner rather than later.) ( oh, and I have been working on my December Daily album, but I am way behind, all mixed up and will take pics hopefully in the next couple days.) 

sugar addict.

cookies packages for friends and neighbors

this is little sis' snow-globe...she glued 2 little critters together kissing while another guy hides behind the tree watching....I don't know, I don't know.... ( we still need to add snow and water at this point here)

finished gingerbread houses


Lil' Siszilla strikes again!!!

No matter where you are or what holiday you celebrate, I wish you lots of love and peace!

lots of white glitter snow + a dash of green and red

I'm feeling rather festive here in south Florida.  Minus the weirdness of December and it's 76 degrees, I am loving being back in the States for the holidays. The girls, Dave and I have gone looking at Xmas light  shows, gone to see Xmas movies and have made a couple batches of holiday cookies and treats.

I have more pictures and I'll post them later!  Are you decorating for your holidays?  I'd love to see pictures!

fa la la la la....

la la la laaaaaaa.....

a quick card...

the best gift...

We all can come up with things that we've gotten as gifts that mean a lot to us, and this month's prompt over at the Creative Type is to scrap it.  I searched my brain for what I could scrapbook; the trip to Europe, my favorite purse, a mom's day at the spa coupon, the toilet paper roll decorated so pretty with crate paper and macaroni...they all mean a lot to me.  But at the chance of sounding corny, really the best gift is time.  I cherish the time I get to spend with my friends and family, that's honestly the best gift.

So come play along with us!!  There's fun prizes, special guest designer, You Tube vids, come and see!

 

pockets full of thanks...

I made these little sewn pockets for gifts for my mom, sisters and MIL this Thanksgiving. I cut the paper and rounded the edges and then sewed them into pockets.  I then made 4-5 pages/tags (depending on the number of photos I was going to add) to slip inside. Each recipient had pictures specific to them, as well as handwritten notes of heart-felt sentiments. I added washi tape, old Spanish dictionary pages, doilies, and paint/mist to decorate. The front of the pocket is a copy of a vintage Thanksgiving postcard, along with feathers, jute twine, stickers, theatre ticket, etc., I tucked some small flowers in the top as a little somethin'-somethin'.   I would have loved to have received this gift, and you could certainly tailor it to any color scheme or holiday.

 Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!

Tall tree...

Last week we had to stop to climb this tree. The pictures do not do it just, it was a massive beast of a tree.  So many long strands of branches and willowy vines dangling down, it beckoned my girls to come up for an investigation...

I am so thankful for my girls!

thankful...

The other day I glittered some fallen twiggy branches to make a "thankful tree." We made one of these a few years ago when we lived in Philadelphia, and the girls loved it.  It's nice to have an activity that reminds us to remember what we're thankful for. I also wrapped a G (for Grateful or the first letter of our last name) in burlap and made a burlap flower with a nice yellow organza ribbon middle.  I hand cut some autumn-inspired felt feathers to go along with it.

And I decorated a bit for Thanksgiving...My Mayflower...

Do you have any family traditions?

scraplift yourself

2 Peas has a scraplift yourself challenge this last couple days and I haven't done a scraplift in a long time. I decided to do the all smiles layout I just completed as the design. I made my delight, big sis blowing bubbles with her friends.  The Delight layout is vertical where as the all smiles is a horizontal picture, but it's still pretty much the same design.

and all smiles,

I also wanted to point out Amy Tangerine is guest designing this month over at The Creative Type and is giving away a prize of a set of her washi tapes!!!  Better go over and play along!!!

 

fall memories

I used most of October's Studio Calico kit for these 2 layouts, and a little of American Crafts fall line, too.

and fall festival, a great day, sweet carnival games and hay rides...

I have more fall crafts and projects I'm working on, so hopefully I can get them done soon and share.  Are you working on any fall-related crafts?  I'd love to see them!

October Afternoon, sketch thursday

Another lovely sketch by October Afternoon, so I had to use it.  I had these 3 pictures laying around staring at me these last couple weeks, so I decided this sketch would be perfect! Oh, and almost all is October's Calico Studio kit, Field Guide, too.

and here's the sketch;

Hope you're having a great weekend!  Any plans?

spooktacular party

Just wanted to share a few pictures with ya alls. We had a Halloween party with themed foods and trick-or-treating.  I was so busy cooking and putting out food and talking and making spooky cocktails I was terribel about taking pictures. Here's just a few...

 



What a fun, spooktacular night! I'm already planning for next year!  Now onto decorating for Thanksgiving!

best advice

The Creative Type's  November prompt is "the best advice I ever received..." I had this picture of the girls from a couple months ago, lounging, cuddling on the couch, and I loved it.  I am so happy my daughters have a good relationship and truly care for each other.  They occasionally butt heads and we talk and I tell them they have every right to their feelings, but remember to always cherish each other and love each other because no one else is ever going to love them the way a sister does. I hope it is good advice and they'll always remember that, even when they're seeing red.

Come play along, we would LOVE to see your layouts and projects.  We have Amy Tangerine as a guest designer and some fun prizes!!

candy corn craft and muffin luminaries

We made a ton of these little candy corn gift bags this week.  I punched out the scalloped circles and hand cut the simple paper ribbons. Big sis has 6 teachers now that she's in middle school, so these will be easier to take with her. We also made extras for neighbors and some friends.

I wanted to do something kind of special for my littlest's teachers. She is so lucky to have an amazing staff at her school that help her and treat her with so much love and kindness. I bought these metal luminaries and kitchen towels from Target and baked a ton of miny pumpkin muffins. I lined the luminaries with the towel and added the muffins. Tie on a tag and I was done. The teachers loved them.

Happy Halloween everyone!

my pumpkins

This time of year is my favorite time of year, I love fall!!  This past week it cooled off considerably, and I felt renewed.  South Florida summers are humid and hot, and I felt like I might just freak out as I don't really love the heat...but since this past week or so has been mild, I may just stick around...We went to the pumpkin patch with friends and got a couple pumpkins, walked through the butterfly garden and enjoyed some apple cider...

It was a good day.

black and white with a speck of orange...

Halloween is my favorite holiday!  I love all the holidays, but there's something about Halloween; the goofiness of costumes, mummy dogs and trick-or-treating, plus the magical, mystical and aura of the unknown, I must admit I find it captivating!  I pulled out my decorations last week, mostly sticking with a black and white palette, but adding some orange here and there.  I love the old, retro decorations, too.  Most of my decorations are vintage-inspired by artists like Bethany Lowe, Wendy Addison or Lori Mitchell.

I still have a bunch of ripped cheesecloth to hang up over windows and drape across tables, as well as a cemetery to build in the front yard.  We're having a Halloween party here, with themed foods, games and trick-or-treating around the block. Can't wait!

fall festival

There was a sweet, little fall festival here.  Actually, in my terms, a fall festival should not be 89 degrees and humid with you searching for shade under a palm tree, but I shouldn't complain. There were some carnival games and a hay ride, that's very fall festival-ish, right?

 
    
  
 
 
We're off to a pumpkin patch next weekend, and word on the street is it'll get much cooler 'round these parts soon.  It better. Or else.

pocket pies

Giggle.  That name makes me giggle, but as I'm always trying to do something different for dinner around here, then I saw this fun little contraption at Target the other day.  Like empanadas or turnovers, these could be filled with almost anything.  Little sis loved making them for her dad.  Turkey meatloaf stuffing and hand-cut sweet potato fries for dinner, followed up with 3 different types of pies. One cinnamon apple, fresh raspberry and the last banana-nutella, yum! 

These little pockets of yumminess were as autumn cozy-comfort foodish as it gets here in south Florida when it's still 87 degrees and humid...

15.

15 years ago today, I married my best friend. Since then we have made two beautiful, amazing girls, moved almost countless times living abroad and across the US, laughed and cried, traveled the world, supported each other through thick and thin, brought each other coffee in bed, can read each others thoughts, and he still gives me butterflies in my stomach. I love you Bear.

 then.

 

(Wellsville Canyon, Utah, 1996)

yep, rockin' the 80's eyebrows in the mid 90's... rad, I know...

 

(omg, even from the side my eyebows are huge...and those ringlets through the crown...major, I know. Don't be too jealous.)

now.

 
(Eiffel Tower, Paris, France)

He's been gone on a business trip for 9 days and gets back tonight.  I love you Bear, can't wait to see you!!!

Refrigerator dish gift

It was my good friend's birthday a couple days ago and I wondered what I should make her.  She loves handmade, crafty things and she likes retro, thrifty stuff.  I decided I'd make her white and milk chocolate dipped pretzels sprinkled white nonpareils. I layered the pretzels in a glass refrigerator dish and added this cupcake liner flower on top.

I'm going to make more, these were so easy and I feel like a gift I would LOVE to get.

Flipper's home

Yesterday we went down to Marathon, Florida to the Dolphin Research Center for a "dolphin encounter" as they call it.  Little sis had said she wanted to swim with dolphins for her bday gift from us, and after asking around about places that have safe, clean and humane dolphin experiences, we found out this place was the best.  The DRC is the original home of Flipper and they currently do rehab and house dolphins that other aquariums cannot keep.  It's a beautiful little place and you can tell the staff really love these flipper-ed guys and take really good care of them.  What a beautiful afternoon!  The girls loved it as much as I did! Bear acted as photographer and took pictures. 

 

Little sis started it off with a hand shake, so cute, they come up and stick their little flippers in your hands.

Then they gave us each a kiss on the cheek!

 

 We got a dorsal pull ride and got to do hand signals for them to show us their favorite tricks!

 

The DRC also has small water park area and some beautiful waterfall and gardens.

    

After we grabbed lunch at this neat little place on the water (the ahi tuna nachos were delish!). The windows are all open and while it was warm and humid, it was also relaxing. We watched the boats pull up and dock in the back, people coming to grab a piece of key lime pie or a cold beer from the bamboo-covered bar. (And while there was a lot of Tommy Hilfiger tropical shirts going on, but it was still nice...)

          

  
(Pretty sure she cheated here...)

and finally, had to laugh and snap a photo of this beauty. I just about peed my pants at this billboard, so fab-u-lous!

Sketch Thursday

October Afternoon's Sketch Thursday  was a great sketch, and it prompted me to grab a couple pictures.  These are from our European vacation 2 years ago...I still haven't scrapbooked that trip...or the European trip last year, I am slacking...

Hope everyone has a happy, safe weekend.

read me...

we left some love...

Love notes that is. Positive little messages that will hopefully brighten someone's day.  In between the walking around and leaving of notes, the girls got feather-like hair extensions and little sis got a glittery tattoo from a street vendor.

and then we left one more note.

Keep an eye out.

pink & yellow back-to-school pool party.

That was the girls' pick for the party yesterday. Big sis had seen these adorable pink and yellow salt water taffy at the store last week and that sent the wheels a'turnin' for the pool party we wanted to have to get back in the mood for school starting soon.

All the girls had a fun time and hopefully it set the mood for this next week when school starts. School is gonna rock!

artist <3

little sis, she's always had this funny edge about her.  She loves anything punk, and every 3-4 days puts another temp tattoo on, likes her long, wild bangs, her skateboard and her occasional colored strip of hair.  She says she wants to be an artist (or a tattoo artist) when she grows up, so we've put her in formal art classes.  Here's day 1, she got a little dressed up.

pigs in the blanket

was the movie theme last night...

http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/screenplay/vi4226351385/ 

We often watch movies and make a night out of it.  Summer time is especially nice for these times.  An old favorite for us girls around here, Penelope (oh, I love thee!) and we made a "fancy" assortment of pigs in the blanket and made a bed of blankets on the floor to settle in and watch. These are the times I love about summer, cuddling with my girls late at night and watching chic-flicks.

Summer silliness

My daughters think it is like the funniest thing to run and jump in the pool with their clothes on. (Sometimes they strip down to their birthday suits and dive in.) Here big sis has convinced her bf to join in...

 

School starts in a couple weeks.  I must say I will miss the kids all being here all the time ( well, some kids, but you know.)

I scrapbooked today...

(I thought I had posted this last week, just saw it, duuuh...)Today was the first day this summer vacation where I haven't had a kid(s) other than mine over at my house all day. It rained a lot and the girls watched old movies from my days of summer vacation ( Never Ending Story and Lucas), and I scrapped these.

14 years, this was last October when I was in the US doing some shopping and doctor visits and my husband was back in Mexico City. It was the only time I could go back to the States, but it was also the week of our 14 year anniversary. I went to the photobooth and held up my signs, each with a new message, and the last frame I blew him a kiss. Then I put it on my blog and told him to check on our anniversary. This year (our 15th-whhaaaaa???) we're going to Argentina and Patagonia, whoop!

Home., just a picture of our living room

buddies and bowling

I made 2 almost identical pages, one for each of the girls albums.

and for big sis' 50's themed end of the year party, her and her friends dressed in poodle skirts and pink lady jackets, so cute!  this is not my favorite page, but little sis picked out all the colors and papers and helped with the design, and I think she did a pretty good job!

I have a couple more, but I need to upload them. Hope everyone is doing well!

cupcake lovers

but who isn't?

    

right?

and it was hot and muggy

and buggy, but we loved spending the day in Key Biscayne together.

and it doesn't look like it, but behind us was a large, looming dark cloud, then it started to rain.  But we were still together.

sea turtles and moonlight

Big sis turns 11 this next Monday and she picked as part of her family celebration to go watch the sea turtles come in from the ocean, lay eggs and hopefully find some hatch-lings, too, making their way out to the big, bad ocean for their first time. We were blessed with both a couple nights ago. The Science and Discovery Museum has guided "Sea Turtle Walks" for a month each year here in south Florida. Since the sea turtles are all endangered, it is against the law to go searching for the turtles, especially at the egg laying and egg hatching time of year, unless with an organization with permits, such as a museum. We started the night off arriving at the museum early, which ended up being great because the guide gave us a private tour of the museum's animal section. He took us behind the tanks where they feed the animals, climbed inside a tank and got out a baby alligator we could pet (carefully!), a starfish and a cousin to the cockroach, a horseshoe crab (yuuuck...) The girls were so excited!

After a presentation on the Loggerhead turtles, we went down to the beach to wait, and wait.... we laid in beach chairs and hammocks listening to the oceans gentle lapping and far off into the distance the sounds of rumba-ing Latin beats... When we arrived some other turtle conservationist group was there helping release the newly hatching eggs into the sea, which was so cute and so sweet to see. The little turtle munchkins were like the size of a small pancake and had to paddle with all their baby might to make it over the waves and out into the sea. From about 10:30 until almost 1 am we laughed, talked with the guide in the pictures above about his work on a gator farm and fire spinning (the male version of fire hooping), traveling, etc. then suddenly another guide called in that he'd found a mama laying eggs about a half mile down the beach. We high-tailed it, quietly, yet quickly down to where the 300 pound mama sat in her egg-laying zone. The guides whispered for us to get low, get back as not to disturb her, and be careful and quiet. The group of 20 sat, open mouthed or slightly smiling, at the once in a lifetime sight of this huge prehistoric shell of a turtle plop egg after egg into her deeply dug pit. The girls were right up front, probably 2 feet from her, and were amazed. You could see the markings on her shell from propeller damage, a long piece of seaweed was stuck to her, and you'd hear a small grunt or snort every once and awhile.

( picture taken from the web as I was too in awe -- and it was pretty dark and flashes area no-no--to remember to get out my camera, but this is what she looked like. ) Then after she lays her eggs, she throws sand over the pit to cover up the many eggs, and then hauls herself back over the sand and out to the sea. It's an amazing sight. There are only a handful of places in the world where there are turtles, and they only do this a couple months out of the year, but if you ever have a chance to go walk along the ocean in the moonlight and see one of nature's wonders happen, I highly recommend it!

red, white and blue rewind

The 4th was a blast back here at our place. We started the day off with a parade that went through the Town Center, then a swimming and BBQ party all day at our place. We ended the day with watching the fireworks across the lake from our home (some nice people had a lovely fireworks show from fireworks they'd purchased on an Indian reservation). We had the "safe and sane" you can buy, which I have to say I don't think are all that safe, or sane.

We missed last July 4th living in Mexico, and it was so nice to be back! I hope all my American friends had a nice Independence Day, too!

bowling 101

This is I know...

1. We are not bowlers.

2.We get a lot of gutterballs.

3. But we love how bowling allows for fun chattering with friends and frequent trips to to the vending machines for cool, glittery tattoos and plastic erasers shaped as animals or foods.

4. The shoes are so ugly they are actually cute.

5. Bowling alley french fries are the most delish!!

6. I am scared of what is deep inside those bowling ball holes, therefore I require that my girls not eat all the snack bar french fries, eat to almost your fingers then leave nubs of french fries...

just huck that ball down the alley... and big sis says this is her watermelon baby...that's so not okay, but pretty funny I must agree..

I said just HUCK it!!! WHOOOPS! It's supposed to go the OTHER way!!!

Little sis, Big sis and BF to big sis.....add bowling to our list of fun summer activities.

strawberry pickin'...

We heard about a hydroponic farm that had a U-pick strawberry crop and so a few days ago we decided to check it out. We belonged to an organic U-pick farm in Philadelphia a few years ago and loved the weekly outings to see what had become ripe and ready to take home. I love to see children get so excited over picking their own food, as well as the education associated with learning about where our food comes from. Since we just moved here, next year I hope to have a couple square foot gardens with some of our favorites.

Next week or so should be grapes, so we can't wait to load up our baskets! Are there many U-picks where you live? Here is a handy website I found on the internet if you want to see what's around your area.

spring break eternal...

We are adjusting to life here in Florida quite well... We just had spring break here, sun and sand were our theme.  We had a "staycation" and went to the beach, watched movies, lounged by the pool, rode new bicycles, visited the Everglades, BBQed with burgers and toasted smores and slept in...loved it.

 

The girls have had 1 1/2 weeks of school now, and luckily they both were welcomed by their classmates more than I could have hoped for. Big sis has 2-3 of the girls calling and texting her numerous times a day, she is happy and I am, too. Little sis was excepted quickly as well and as her teacher said, "had girls fighting over sitting next to her at lunch."  I feel so content, my heart is smiling. This week they started dance lessons and next week they start swimming twice a week.

We also put an offer on a home that was accepted, so around April 28th we'll have a new place to hang our hats. It has a cute little backyard with a lovely pool with a waterfall, hot tub and large patio perfect for entertaining. It is a very plain-jane home, but has good bones. The kitchen and baths are a little outdated, and I am dying to finally get my IKEA white country kitchen. I am already dreaming of Anthropologie rugs and IKEA storage containers and big sis has a whole new bedding set picked out from Urban Outfitters. Agh...now to win the lottery...

fancy that...

In London it's bloody cold this winter...the first 3-4 days were actually not too bad, damp and chilly, but the last 5 were SOOOOO cold! While I usually like the winter cold and really don't mind a brisk day, it had been really nipply...but I'll take it happily. I love this city!!!

 
 
 
 

We went down to Harrods one afternoon. We've seen it before, but each time we're amazed at the store's grandeur.  It goes on and on, one room of designer clothes spilling over into another room of fine gourmet foods. We bought a few trinkets as gifts for family and had lunch at the Chinese counter. 6 chicken-chive dumplings and 3 jasmine blossoming teas=28 pounds....but the experience was so worth it.
   
 
 
 

The girls also met their British pen pals, who've they've been corresponding with for 4 years. Last year when we were here they were sick and couldn't meet up.  But this year we met up at the British Museum and had a lovely day!  Big sis and her pen pal are the same age and little sis and her pen pal are the same age. There is a middle sister in their family and little sis and her bonded quickly, now they have decided to be snail-mail pals, too!

  
   
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 

On day 6 we went to The Sherlock Holmes Museum located at 221b Baker Street.  What an amazing place, all the authentic Victorian items whisked us back in time. The girls loved it, and I must say, I did, too.  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
We also stopped by the Tate Modern  Museum. While most of the art in there is not my favorite type of art, it's still a beautiful museum with many great pieces by quite a few famous artists.

 

Matisse
 
Jackson Pollack

 

Joan Jonas

  
 
And a day with my lovely, lovely, lovely pal Steph at the Natural History Museum and later dinner, was fun.  Last year we met for the first time since (we're both crafty bloggers and are on the Creative Type DT) at Hampton Court. It was great to see her again!! My daughters adore her and love her "fancy" way of talking.

  
  
 
 
 
Can't wait to see her again next year (hopefully it won't be SO cold.) (geez.) (Or she could always come visit me here in the US whn we move back in a month...ahem...)

Another day, London Tower and London Tower Bridge.  Dave was free that afternoon to join us! He hasn't been to that part of London for many years, so I was glad he was able to come with us more this time.  

 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
 
In the Salt Tower there are these beautiful, ornate carvings in the walls from the prisoners held there hundreds of years ago.

Portabello Road was fun, too.  We looked at many antiques, cute boutiques, bakeries and fun kitschy things. The girls each got a matryoshka for their collections and I bought a Matryoshka pepper grinder. Dave bought me an antique ring as a surprise when I was inside a store, making it even more of a special gift!

  
  
 
  
  
The last two days we just sort of went wherever the Underground took us.  We ended up at places such as St. Paul's Cathedral, walked over to Shakespear's Globe, back to Big Ben, Hyde's Park to watch skateboarders and ultimate frisbee players, Hamleys Toy Store in Piccadilly and through Borough Marketplace.

  
  
  
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  

 

It was, as always, a fantastic city to visit.  We ate yummy pub food, had fun with new and old friends, toured a lovely city and can't wait to go back next year!

A wish and review...

Hi there new year! I'm glad to meet you...I hope you'll be good to me this next year.  I'm looking forward to being friends..And I'm wishing you all the most wonderful year to come!  Can you believe it's 2011?  Any special wishes for this new year?  Mine is smooth transition. We have a lot of big things happening, even in the first 3 months, and I wish, eyes tightly shut, for a smooth transition, free of hiccups and nervous feelings, my girls effortlessly making new friends in a new town in a new school...poor chicas...Dave's new position turns out to be the best ever...I get to shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods once again-whoop!....unpacking our little treasures that have been in storage for over 2 years now ( my milkglass, antique camera collection, half of my clothes, cooking gadgets), look for a new home, need to buy a new car, a new couch, find a school for the girls, find a new hairdresser, find new doctors, new acupuncturist, new driver's license, new phone number, pray the girls are happy, poor chicas.... well, you?  What's your wish?  I hope we both get ours.

Now onto a year in review with pictures...I made 2 mosaics.  I thought about doing more, I take a lot of pictures, so 2 was hard to cram in only the most important. Which is hard, because each day is important to me... There's quite a few trips and special times missing, but this gets the 2010 gist across.

 
 
Travel, birthdays, holidays, lost teeth, living abroad, meeting new friends, visiting with old friends, crafting, heartache over lost pets, lessons learned, all in all, it was a good year.