I just wanted to share a conversation I had with my children while taking Ava to school. Ava had started talking at 7am when she woke up...and had not stopped. Eli started eating at 7am when he woke up...and had not stopped.
Ava: Mommy, what kind of gas do airplanes eat?
Me: Um...I think they take diesel fuel.
Eli: I eat "geezel" (diesel), I honrey (hungry)!
Ava: So does diesel give planes power?
Eli: I see tower!
Ava: No Eli, I said power.
Eli: I eat a geezel in a tower! Yummy!
Me: Huh?
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Hello Spring!
Well, I believe we are finally getting the hang of this whole "gardening" thing! And Spring has really sprung in the ever-dreary UK. We have had a whole weekend of mostly sunny 70+ weather, and the garden is actually looking pretty nice. You see ... Ness and I have realized that we have a perfectly symbiotic relationship when it comes to gardening. Ness loves to plan out and enjoy the garden, and I love to actually get dirty and spend the mindless enjoyment that accompanies the hours of planting, weeding, and maintaining the garden. (Yes ... it's an escape from the realities of life.) It's perfect for us both!
This is a lovely white rose bush (that would be protruding from the top of the picture) in the middle of our front yard. That beautiful hot pink and yellow flower was actually grown initially in Ava's class and then transplanted into the bucket. Ava makes extra sure that plant is well hydrated!
Here is the part of our yard that will eventually feed us. It is full of some of our favorite foods - three kinds of green beans, two kinds of lettace, spinach, and a couple odd plants/foods of which I have never heard. The row of pansies divides Ness and my part with the part that is for Ava and Eli. Although their section does have seeds planted, the children love to dig holes in it and makes huge puddles and ponds. It should be noted that the kids are not allowed to mess with any other part of the yard. Now watch their section be the most prolific!
This is an example of how Ness has a wonderful eye for tastefully decorating our yard. Often is the occurrence lately where I go into the garden and see new plants on the ground waiting for plantation. My job is simply to make them look good (i.e. the grunt work - Ness is the brains of the operation).
I don't know what this is but the bees already have pegged it as their favorite.
This is our front corner. Much of it was already here when we moved in, but thanks to contributions for Grammy and Mimi, everything up front looks neat and beautiful!
And it is of ridiculously high importance that our surroundings be soothing. Because Ness is attempting to complete SOS and a MSN, and this has made life slightly hectic. So it's nice to forget those things and escape to the beauty of the garden (with the wonderful sounds of bouncing youth on the trampoline in the near distance).
This is a lovely white rose bush (that would be protruding from the top of the picture) in the middle of our front yard. That beautiful hot pink and yellow flower was actually grown initially in Ava's class and then transplanted into the bucket. Ava makes extra sure that plant is well hydrated! 
Here is the part of our yard that will eventually feed us. It is full of some of our favorite foods - three kinds of green beans, two kinds of lettace, spinach, and a couple odd plants/foods of which I have never heard. The row of pansies divides Ness and my part with the part that is for Ava and Eli. Although their section does have seeds planted, the children love to dig holes in it and makes huge puddles and ponds. It should be noted that the kids are not allowed to mess with any other part of the yard. Now watch their section be the most prolific!
This is an example of how Ness has a wonderful eye for tastefully decorating our yard. Often is the occurrence lately where I go into the garden and see new plants on the ground waiting for plantation. My job is simply to make them look good (i.e. the grunt work - Ness is the brains of the operation).
I don't know what this is but the bees already have pegged it as their favorite.
This is our front corner. Much of it was already here when we moved in, but thanks to contributions for Grammy and Mimi, everything up front looks neat and beautiful!And it is of ridiculously high importance that our surroundings be soothing. Because Ness is attempting to complete SOS and a MSN, and this has made life slightly hectic. So it's nice to forget those things and escape to the beauty of the garden (with the wonderful sounds of bouncing youth on the trampoline in the near distance).
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Dress up
I just needed to show off our beautiful spring day! It's nice to have a break from all the fog and rain. Posting this is my "quick" break from finishing a project for school...I wish I could just fast forward to Thursday and be done with this. I have been reading my APA manual until my eyes were almost bleeding! Ughh...guess I brought it on myself...anyway, more importantly, my lovely children...
Eli the giants fan helps us plant some flowers. His job is dig up whatever Eric has just planted and then pour water down the slide and on his sister. Very important.
Ava got her own little 1foot by 2foot plot to plant some vegetables. She very diligently digs them up to "check on them" every day. Then she and Eli create a lake in her plot. Probably should just have her plant rice next year...
If any kind person has a hat, cape, holster...anything a little more masculine for Eli to play dress up in...please send it our way. We will be happy to repay you in belguim chocolate or English tea!
Eli the giants fan helps us plant some flowers. His job is dig up whatever Eric has just planted and then pour water down the slide and on his sister. Very important.
Ava got her own little 1foot by 2foot plot to plant some vegetables. She very diligently digs them up to "check on them" every day. Then she and Eli create a lake in her plot. Probably should just have her plant rice next year...
If any kind person has a hat, cape, holster...anything a little more masculine for Eli to play dress up in...please send it our way. We will be happy to repay you in belguim chocolate or English tea!
Friday, 18 April 2008
Pictures of our trip home in Indiana
Wow! I wasn't sure if anyone would be back to visit after my dissertation on NWA! Here are the pictures of why we gladly braved airplane food and long check in times. Enjoy!
Yes, it is a little blurry...we kept telling Grammy to hold still....
We got to visit Cody and Julian for breakfast and a trip to the park. Eric and Cody have been friends for many years and it's always good to see them!
Aunt Jane invited us over for a lovely lunch to visit and celebrate Great Grandma Potash's something something birthday. It was almost 70 degrees out...heavenly.
"Ikel Michael" holds his little nephew. (well you try to say uncle Michael 5 times fast!)
Sorry the pics are a little jumbled...we are back to Grandma's birthday!
I am very tempted to kidnap this precious girl...she played dress up, read books, and otherwise kept my children entertained. Hannah- if you ever want to "study abroad", I happened to be married to a very good teacher and we would gladly take you!
We got to meet up with my friend Kiley and her adorable (almost 2 year old!) triplets. They let Ava and Eli push and pull them all over the parking lot for almost 45 minutes. I don't know when I've ever seen such well behaved, sweet babies.
We have been VERY busy girls!
Ava gets a coloring lesson from her Great Mamaw!
All the boys are rockin' out to some of our old favorite songs.
Eric and Cody...reunited at last!
Eli has a new favorite accessory...he still likes to play cars and ball...just with his hat on...
Yes, it is a little blurry...we kept telling Grammy to hold still....
We got to visit Cody and Julian for breakfast and a trip to the park. Eric and Cody have been friends for many years and it's always good to see them!
Aunt Jane invited us over for a lovely lunch to visit and celebrate Great Grandma Potash's something something birthday. It was almost 70 degrees out...heavenly.
"Ikel Michael" holds his little nephew. (well you try to say uncle Michael 5 times fast!)
Sorry the pics are a little jumbled...we are back to Grandma's birthday!
I am very tempted to kidnap this precious girl...she played dress up, read books, and otherwise kept my children entertained. Hannah- if you ever want to "study abroad", I happened to be married to a very good teacher and we would gladly take you!
We got to meet up with my friend Kiley and her adorable (almost 2 year old!) triplets. They let Ava and Eli push and pull them all over the parking lot for almost 45 minutes. I don't know when I've ever seen such well behaved, sweet babies.
We have been VERY busy girls!
Ava gets a coloring lesson from her Great Mamaw!
All the boys are rockin' out to some of our old favorite songs.
Eric and Cody...reunited at last!
Eli has a new favorite accessory...he still likes to play cars and ball...just with his hat on...
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Airplanes
We all arrived back to the UK safe and sound on Monday evening…safe and sound and a little frazzled. A small (or maybe even medium sized) part of me would like to write a letter to Northwest Airlines, and, if I did, it might go something like this…
Dear NWA,
In light of your recent merger with Delta airlines, may I offer the following advice? Keep Delta’s employees and give yours the sack! On April 1, my husband, children, and I arrived at Heathrow so that the kids and my husband could catch a flight home to Indiana. I do realize that it was not your fault that we showed up and parked in the wrong terminal and had to “trot quickly” to the train with 2 large suitcases, 2 tired preschoolers, and a stroller. It was also not your fault that trolleys aren’t allowed to be taken down to the train making our “parade” all the more difficult. It was your fault that we arrived to find what can only be described as a cluster at the NWA check in point. After waiting for nearly an hour and a half in the line with our children, suitcases, stroller, and unraveling sanity, a “customer service expert” pulled our family out of line and put us in our own special line. We watched every other person in line check in while our children cried that they needed to eat/potty/be entertained/destroy something. After the very last person had been helped, the “customer service expert” um, “kindly” checked my husband and kids through. She must have “forgotten” that she promised to expedite them through security and on to the gate, but my husband, channeling his inner track star, scooped up Ava (who was in mid meltdown), Eli, backpacks, stroller, and boarding passes and sprinted through to the gate. I’m humming “Eye of the Tiger” just thinking about it.
The problem with getting on the plane last is that sometimes the luggage doesn’t make it. Eric and the kids touched down in Minneapolis to find that only the small suitcase had made it. Just for good measure their flight was delayed. Sometime after midnight, three weary travelers arrived in Indianapolis ready to get in the car with my father for a 14 hour drive to South Carolina. The South Carolina suitcase was still at Heathrow. After many phone calls, promises, and several days…NWA had failed to deliver the missing suitcase. At one point I called my husband to find that he was on my parent’s boat, the boat was out of gas, they were in the middle of a lake, and it was too foggy to even see the shore. Oh…and he was on his third day in the same pair of boxers. (If he would tell me which pair, I would burn them. Really. I would.) Husband and children returned to Indy…still no suitcase.
Meanwhile, I arrive at the airport on the 7th to catch my NWA flight. It had been cancelled. I waited two hours in line and was put on a BA flight. It was delayed…so I missed my connection, but, the wonderful people at BA had already booked me a flight on UA. I arrived to Indy late that night….my luggage did not. Nothing like buying underwear at Meijer at midnight with all the other crazy people. Our time in Indiana was wonderful and Eric’s suitcase did finally arrive (8.5 days later!) pretty much just in time for us to return to the UK.
We arrived at the airport without incident and were waiting for our plane. Suddenly we saw fire trucks and emergency vehicles driving down the flight line, lights and sirens blazing. I turned to Eric and said, “Wouldn’t it just be our luck that they are headed to our plane?” Of course they were. There was a fuel leak…so we were delayed. We did eventually arrive back to the UK (with all of our luggage-hooray!). We missed our bus by minutes…but it is great fun to feed your kids chips and cookies for lunch in a crowded little coffee shop…then Eli got all hyper and chased the pigeons. I don’t really think the other “bus waiters” appreciated having pigeons flying around in terror. There is only so much you can do to keep two kids entertained for two hours. Then we got to get on the bus and ride that for 2.5 hours, each holding a child. Good times.
So, in conclusion, while not every “adventure” can be attributed to the carelessness of NWA, some are all our own. It is possible that the Condermans just have “plane” bad luck!
Sincerely,
Your ex-customer
Seriously though, we did have an awesome time and enjoyed seeing all of you! I promise that I will post pictures (and not so many words!) in the next day or two. BTW…anybody know how to get pen marks off a computer screen? Anybody want to baby sit Eli until he is 5 or 6? Just kidding…we love him anyway…
Dear NWA,
In light of your recent merger with Delta airlines, may I offer the following advice? Keep Delta’s employees and give yours the sack! On April 1, my husband, children, and I arrived at Heathrow so that the kids and my husband could catch a flight home to Indiana. I do realize that it was not your fault that we showed up and parked in the wrong terminal and had to “trot quickly” to the train with 2 large suitcases, 2 tired preschoolers, and a stroller. It was also not your fault that trolleys aren’t allowed to be taken down to the train making our “parade” all the more difficult. It was your fault that we arrived to find what can only be described as a cluster at the NWA check in point. After waiting for nearly an hour and a half in the line with our children, suitcases, stroller, and unraveling sanity, a “customer service expert” pulled our family out of line and put us in our own special line. We watched every other person in line check in while our children cried that they needed to eat/potty/be entertained/destroy something. After the very last person had been helped, the “customer service expert” um, “kindly” checked my husband and kids through. She must have “forgotten” that she promised to expedite them through security and on to the gate, but my husband, channeling his inner track star, scooped up Ava (who was in mid meltdown), Eli, backpacks, stroller, and boarding passes and sprinted through to the gate. I’m humming “Eye of the Tiger” just thinking about it.
The problem with getting on the plane last is that sometimes the luggage doesn’t make it. Eric and the kids touched down in Minneapolis to find that only the small suitcase had made it. Just for good measure their flight was delayed. Sometime after midnight, three weary travelers arrived in Indianapolis ready to get in the car with my father for a 14 hour drive to South Carolina. The South Carolina suitcase was still at Heathrow. After many phone calls, promises, and several days…NWA had failed to deliver the missing suitcase. At one point I called my husband to find that he was on my parent’s boat, the boat was out of gas, they were in the middle of a lake, and it was too foggy to even see the shore. Oh…and he was on his third day in the same pair of boxers. (If he would tell me which pair, I would burn them. Really. I would.) Husband and children returned to Indy…still no suitcase.
Meanwhile, I arrive at the airport on the 7th to catch my NWA flight. It had been cancelled. I waited two hours in line and was put on a BA flight. It was delayed…so I missed my connection, but, the wonderful people at BA had already booked me a flight on UA. I arrived to Indy late that night….my luggage did not. Nothing like buying underwear at Meijer at midnight with all the other crazy people. Our time in Indiana was wonderful and Eric’s suitcase did finally arrive (8.5 days later!) pretty much just in time for us to return to the UK.
We arrived at the airport without incident and were waiting for our plane. Suddenly we saw fire trucks and emergency vehicles driving down the flight line, lights and sirens blazing. I turned to Eric and said, “Wouldn’t it just be our luck that they are headed to our plane?” Of course they were. There was a fuel leak…so we were delayed. We did eventually arrive back to the UK (with all of our luggage-hooray!). We missed our bus by minutes…but it is great fun to feed your kids chips and cookies for lunch in a crowded little coffee shop…then Eli got all hyper and chased the pigeons. I don’t really think the other “bus waiters” appreciated having pigeons flying around in terror. There is only so much you can do to keep two kids entertained for two hours. Then we got to get on the bus and ride that for 2.5 hours, each holding a child. Good times.
So, in conclusion, while not every “adventure” can be attributed to the carelessness of NWA, some are all our own. It is possible that the Condermans just have “plane” bad luck!
Sincerely,
Your ex-customer
Seriously though, we did have an awesome time and enjoyed seeing all of you! I promise that I will post pictures (and not so many words!) in the next day or two. BTW…anybody know how to get pen marks off a computer screen? Anybody want to baby sit Eli until he is 5 or 6? Just kidding…we love him anyway…
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Yes we made it!
Hello! I realize that it is a bit late to say that we made it to the US safely...wish I could say the same for our luggage. Anyway, my camera is full of pictures and we have several very interesting stories about airlines and their policies...We fly back to London tomorrow. Please pray that our trip home will be far less eventful than our trips here. I will try to get something more substantial posted on Monday. Cheers!
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