School Update

A couple of weeks ago I went with Sloane' class on a field trip to London to visit the Imperial War Museum.  I have to say, it was a little sureal taking a coach to London for a field trip.  I thought going with Sutton to the Alamo in 5th grade was pretty neat, but it is hard to beat a day trip to London. 

Sloane and her buddies.

Imperial War Museum

Sloane's class went to the War Museum to learn more about WWII.  They have been learning about kids in England during WWII.  Several weeks ago, they all were supposed to dress up like kids during the time of WWII.  They had a day where they learned what it would have been like to be one of the children who was sent from the cities to the country during the Blitz.  They had to make boxes to hang around their necks for their "gas masks", and they had identification tags made just like the kids then had.  They also got to go into the bomb shelter at their school that was used during the war (thier school was actually used as a hospital during WWII).

Sloane dressed as a girl during the Blitz.

Sloane's class in the schoolyard preparing to be "evacuated during the Blitz".

Sutton's move to Cardinal Newman has been great.  She is settling in nicely and making new friends pretty easily.  Sutton likes her classes, and has even been excited to have more homework. 

The timing of Sutton's school move could not have come at a better time for Sloane.  We are in the process of applying for secondary schools for Sloane for next year.  In the UK kids go to primary school until Year 6 (5th grade), and then they go on to secondary school for years 7-11 (6th-10th grades). 

In Brighton secondary schools are allocated based on catchment areas where you live.  Everyone is allowed to give their top 3 school preferences, and then the kids are allocated school spots by the council in the Spring.  After assigning kids with special circumstances and kids with sibling links, the council assigns the rest of the places based on catchment area.  If a school has more requests than places, the council uses a lottery for those spaces. 

Cardinal Newman is a little different because it is a church-aided school.  It is still a public school, but because it is a church school, its governors are allowed to do thier own admissions.  That means they take Catholic children first, and then move down to siblings and kids from church primary schools.  Luckily, Sloane has a sibling at Cardinal Newman now, so she should be able to get in next year.

Cardinal Newman Catholic School.

Sloane wasn't very excited about going to Cardinal Newman at first because she didn't think any of her friends were going to be going there (and school is all about friends for Sloane).  We went to an open evening at Cardinal Newman last week, and there were lots of other kids from her school there.  She also realized that one of her good friends has a sister at Cardinal Newman also, so she will be going there too.  After our visit to the school (Sloane had never been there before), Sloane is now excited about going to Cardinal Newman.  She told us it wasn't as "churchy" as she thought it would be.  I am not sure if she was expecting nuns walking around hitting people with rulers or what (there are no nuns by the way). 

Sloane's Birthday

Sloane turned 11 on 15th September, and since her birthday fell on a Thursday, she had to go to school.  To celebrate that night Sloane chose to eat our our local pub down the street, the Chimney House.  She really loves that place because that is the same place she chose to eat last year for her birthday.  The Chimney House actually has a really nice burger that Sloane loves, and it was quite a treat for the rest of us too (especially me because I didn't have to cook!).  After dinner we came back home and ate the Lemon Drizzle cake Sloane requested I make for her, and she opened all of her presents.

Because we moved right before her birthday last year and she didn't get to have a birthday party, Sloane was determined to have a big party this year.  She and Sutton had been talking about it for ages, and they finally came up with the idea of having a carnival party.  I always try to talk my kids into having small parties that involve inviting a couple of friends out for pizza and a movie, but Sloane wasn't going for that this year.  She was determined to make up for no party last year.

We had Sloane's party our church at Florence Road where we had Sutton's party last May.  She invited about 15 of her friends from school, and the invitation told them to dress colorful and fun.  Sloane of course, proceeded to tell everyone that really meant to dress crazy.

When the girls arrived they were able to go downstairs and play games on the wii or the Xbox Kinect.  After everyone got there, we took the girls upstairs to the "carnival".  Sutton invited her friend Ellie (whose little sister was at the party) to help us, and we couldn't have done it without them.  We had game booths that included a ring toss, tin can alley, stand the bottle, guess the number of Starbursts in a jar and a photo booth.  The girls won prizes at all of the games, and they were able to put them in the goody bag Sloane gave them.  The craziest dressed girl also won a giant candy necklace as a prize.

After the carnival we went downstairs for pizza, gifts and cake.  Then the girls were able to go back upstairs to win some more prizes at the carnival, or they could stay downstairs and play video games, ping-pong or pool.

Sloane has really great friends, and the party ended up being really fun.  It was worth all the planning because Sloane had the time of her life.  I think it may have even made up for her getting ripped off last year.  I am just hoping it will get me off the hook for having to have a big party next year.  I know, who am I kidding?

First Day of School

The girls started school a couple of weeks ago.  Sloane returned to Stanford Junior School, and she is in year 6 (5th grade) this year.  It is her last year at junior school, so she is in the oldest group on campus.  She loves her new teacher, and she is in class with all of her friends (her class from last year all stayed together when they moved up).  Also, this week Sloane was elected Head of House of the Unicorns.  The whole school is divided into four house groups (it is very Harry Potter).

Sutton has been first on the waiting list at Cardinal Newman since we moved to Brighton, so we were hoping that she might get in this year.  Cardinal Newman was our first choice for secondary schools because it is a really good school and it is close to our house, but it is almost impossible to get in if you are not catholic.  Despite a lot of e-mails and a visit to the admissions office before school started, there still wasn't a place for Sutton at Cardinal Newman, so she returned to Hove Park.  Sutton is in Year 9 (8th grade) this year, and because her school is split into a lower and upper campus, she is the oldest on her campus also.

Last Thursday we were surprised to receive an e-mail from the admissions officer at Cardinal Newman asking if we could come in for a meeting with one of the school's deputy head teachers.  We scheduled the meeting the next day and took Sutton in on Friday.  The deputy head informed us that there was an open place they were offering Sutton.  He said it was a place they didn't really have to fill because they were actually oversubscribed.  A few of the places were held by kids who had moved in last year and the council made the school take them but didn't count them against their numbers.  He said that since Sutton had been waiting on the waiting list for so long and there would be no other way she would get in because we are not Catholic, they decided to go ahead and give her a spot.  It probably didn't hurt that she is a good student and we were driving the admissions lady crazy.  Sometimes persistence pays off. 

Sutton went to school at Hove Park on Monday to say goodbye to her friends and teachers.  Her friends baked her a cake and made her a giant card that everyone signed.  It was really sweet.  After school we went and bought Sutton's new uniform for Cardinal Newman.  It was quite the expenditure, but it really is a nice looking uniform. 

Today was Sutton's first day at Cardinal Newman, and she had a great day.  They put her in the same form as the only person she knows in her year, Will, so at least she saw a friendly face.  Will goes to our church and his parents are in our small group.  She didn't really have her own schedule yet, so she just followed another girl today.  It sounds like everyone was really nice, and Sutton already feels like it is going to be a better fit academically.

This is just another example of God's provision for us on this journey we are on in the UK.  It really is quite a miracle that Sutton got into this school at all, and now Sloane has a lot better chance of getting in also.  I am reminded that God's timing is not always my timing, but I know He has perfect timing.

End of Summer Festivities

The summer went by quickly for us this year.  The girls didn't get as long a summer vacation as we are used to in the States, and we were gone to Texas for 3 weeks of their break.  At the end of the summer, the British have a bank holiday.  For those of you who don't know, bank holidays are public holidays in the UK that occur throughout the year. 

The Summer Bank Holiday is a little like our Labor Day.  To celebrate the day we went to the beach with a big group from One Church.  I am still trying to get used to going to the beach when it is not really hot (much less very warm).  Despite the chill, we had really great day kayaking, eating and hanging out with good friends.

"Chilling" at the beach.  Notice the wind barriers.

These nut jobs actually got in the freezing water.  Crazy!

Sloane and the Maskells.

Keith and Sloane kayaking.

On the Sunday before school started, our street had a Street Party.  A British Street Party is a little bit like our block parties at home, but because it is so densely populated here and there are so many people who live on our street, it was a huge event.  The organizers got permission from the council to close down our street, and everyone moved their cars off the street the night before.  Everyone was encouraged to come outside and eat, drink and be merry all day long.  People hung bunting and decorated their houses.  Some people even organized events like a dress-up stall for kids, a book exchange, tug-o-war, face painting, tea and cakes and there was even a bar and a DJ at the end of the street.

Our festive street.

Eating lunch on the street.

Sutton and I enjoying the party.

The roller derby girls.

Me and our next-door neighbor Rose.

The Street Party was one of our favorite events, and it made us feel a real part of the community.  It was a little bittersweet for us though because we are having to move house in November.  Unfortunately, our landlord lost his job and wants to move back into the house.  Even though we had just renewed our lease for another year, we are trying to do the right thing by moving and allowing him to have the house back.  We love our street, neighborhood and neighbors, and we are going to miss everyone very much (especially after this great party)!

London Trip

Because we spent 3 weeks of the girls' summer holiday in Texas, I was determined we were going to do something fun and English when we returned to the UK.  After rejecting my suggestions of visiting castles and gardens, I finally got the girls to agree on a trip to London.  Unfortunately, Keith had to actually work, so it was just a girls trip.

We took the train from Brighton to London, and then we headed straight to the Science Museum.  Since it was still summer holiday and a bit of a drizzly day, the museum was crowded.  We explored for several hours and ate some lunch at the museum.

A Ford Model T - way to go America!

After the science museum, we went to check out Harrod's.  The girls had never been to Harrod's before, so they weren't too excited about going to a department store.  As you all know, Harrod's isn't like any other store in the world, and they were actually impressed.  We had a fun time trying to not get lost, and our favorite department was definitely the pet department.  Sutton was a little upset that I wouldn't let her get a hamster from Harrod's, but I knew Keith would never forgive me.

This Harrod's Lego man reminds me of Elf.

Sloane was so embarrassed of us taking this picture,
she wouldn't talk to us until we left Harrod's.

The actual reason that the girls agreed to go to London with me was because I promised I would take them to the new M&M's World London store.  I have never seen anything like this store except maybe the whole spectacle of Disney World.  It was over-commercialism at its finest, and the girls loved it. 

Just to add a little culture back into our day, we headed to the National Portrait Gallery after the M&M's store.  We happened upon the BP Portrait Award 2011, and it was really great.  My favorite portrait in the gallery though was a frame containing a running film of David Beckham sleeping.  Now that is art my friends.

Of course, we had to eat dinner before we headed back to Brighton, so we headed to Covent Garden to our favorite spot, Wahaca.  It is still the best Mexican food we have found in the UK.  Granted it is not Tex Mex, but the chips and guacamole can't be beat.

They actually licked this bowl of chocolate.  I am not kidding.

The Big 4-0

I am sure everyone would agree that a person's 40th birthday is a big occasion (especially if you are a woman), and it seems like there is usually a big trip involved in the celebration.  I have always had visions of relaxing somewhere quiet and warm.  You know, lazy days spent at a  Four Seasons somewhere with a beach and a really good spa. 

Well, I got a big trip alright - a trip to College Station, and it wasn't just warm it was hot.  Technically, I did get a trans-Atlantic trip.  It just happened to be a trip to Texas that the entire family was taking anyway, but I am not complaining.  Seriously, I had a great birthday, and I was able to spend it with the people I love most in the world.

We actually started my birthday celebration a day early when my family took me out to eat at an amazing steakhouse called The Republic.  I just couldn't get enough steak while we were home, so it was the perfect treat to celebrate my big day.  It also was special to enjoy that great meal with my parents, grandmother, brother and sister-in-law, and nephews (and of course Keith and the girls).

Very happy (and full) girls.

The whole family ready to eat (again).

The girls and Hayden looking good.

Chuck and Meme.

On my birthday, I had no choice but to start the day off with a quick run.  It was hot, but it was also very necessary after all of the food we had been eating.  After showering and while I was getting ready for the day, my family surprised me with their big "gift" to me.  Keith and the girls made t-shirts for my birthday, and they were sweet enough to make one for me.  Really, what more could I have asked for?

The front view of the birthday t-shirts.

The back view.

Seriously, I am a good sport.  My family insisted that we wear our shirts for the day, so we all went to eat lunch at Raising Cane's sporting our matching t-shirts.  The perfect sweet tea was the only thing that got me through that meal.

After lunch we got a visit from the Dallas contingency of the family.  My cousin couldn't make the trip because he had to work, but his sweet wife Lynne brought their three boys to visit us, my brother's family and my grandmother.  Luckily, Lynne had backup from my Aunt and Uncle.  It was so much fun getting to hang out with the whole crew, and it was quite a sight to see the house full of 5 little boys.  We missed my cousins, Michael and Laura, but it was great seeing Lynne, Charlie, Joey, Sam, Jean and Stormy.

Meme and the great-grand kids.

Hayden and Charlie.

Nana, me and Jean.

Sam, Lynne and Devin.

Carson, Sutton, Charlie and Sloane.

After the excitement of the Days' visit, we were all hungry again, so we headed to Chuy's for some Mexican food.  Really there is no better way to celebrate than with some chips, queso and margaritas.

I changed shirts, but my family didn't.

Me, Nana and Meme.



Chuck, Devin and Carson.

The kids' table.

Thanks to my sweet family for making my 40th birthday so much fun and so special.  After spending a year so far from home, getting to spend the day with all of you was the best present I could have received.