anyone need a new laptop?

If so, boy can we recommend a strong, durable brand!!!!
Friday night, we decided to take the girls (or Emma really--Michaela just went so she had something to do) to see the Veggie Tale movie at the Community Center on base. Stephen was loading somethings in the back of the van and remembered that we had a Netflix movie we needed to mail back. So he sets his laptop bag on the ground (WHY????? I do not know!) and ran inside. I grew impatient (imagine that) and backed up the drive way to see what was taking so long. I felt a bump. Didn't think too much of it. Felt another bump and said, "What was that?" As I looked over into the doorway and saw the horror on Steve's face, I knew!!!!!!! He was very calm! (I think he was in shock and close to tears.) He picked up the bag, got into the van and just sat there. I of course had to laugh because Mr. Murphy, of Murphy's Law, has had residence with us for a quite a while and this is just another incidence in what is the chaos of our lives lately. Its going to keep coming at us, so you have to laugh. ( I have grown a lot in handling crisis and confusion in the last 3 years with the Air Force!)

Well, after rambling on this long..... Steve finally opened it--with some difficulty--turned it on AND IT WORKED!!!! There is a small dent on one side and some reader on the side is crushed. Pretty impressive for having been run over by two tires.
***This is the same computer that as Steve was putting it into the van, right after I bought it for him in July, he bumped the windscreen with the corner of the laptop bag and shattered the window!!!!

So, if you need a new laptop, we highly recommend the Fujitsu:)

spring break is over

The girls went back to school yesterday!! YEAH!!!! Two weeks off and we did nothing exciting.

Emma Shea is very excited about her new summer uniform. Steve thinks it looks like a tablecloth, but it is a dress so Emma is very happy. The only things that would make her happier would be if it was pink and it twirled!!!!

Emma is also growing her fringe out. This has been a conversation with her for months. She asked and asked and I told her she looked good with fringe. She would come up to us at least four times a day with her bangs pulled back and say, "Don't I look pretty with my hair like this?" A few weeks ago she asked me to cut her bangs up to the top of her forehead! "If I cannot have my fringe long, will you cut it to here please?" (Pointing to about 1/2 inch of fringe.) I have finally decided that there are so many other battles with Emma Shea to work through, I could let this one go. Plus, how many times can you see the look of hope in her face when she is asking if she is pretty with no fringe???

our friendly protester

Lindis Percy, famous around military bases as the 60 year old woman who despises Americans and their presence in her country. George Bush mentioned her in one of his speeches. She has snuck onto bases and turned the flags upside down. She was actually caught on Croughton, a trial was conducted, and she was released because the local MOD had not personally told her to stay off the base!! I would think the fences, barbwire, signs and the fact that she had to SNEAK on would have been a clue! She also likes to come stand as close to the base entrance as she can with an upside down flag with her message about 'the evil Americans'.

We haven't seen her for quite awhile, but she's back. Tonight, as Steve and I headed onto the base to play racquetball, she was there in orange coveralls, her face covered with a burlap sack, and a new flag talking about the shame of America.

What a life!!!!

**As a side note I would just like to mention that I FINALLY beat Steve at racquetball. I am not sure I have ever actually beat him but I took the 2ND game 16-14. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

three days and 350 miles later....

We survived the recital.

Michaela was exhausted, but she had a great time!

Now she will have extra classes on Saturdays to get ready for her ballet exams!

She is very nervous about them, but she will feel great once they are done!

Emma Shea was sad when it was all over. She wanted to do a few more shows.

She was very excited today when I told her she gets to move up to the next class!

puttin on the ritz!

TARANTELLA

The girls' dance recital is finally here. The huge sigh of relief you hear tomorrow will be me--thankful that this year's recital is over!!! Michaela has had extra practices on every Sunday for the last few months--which makes it fun when your church is 2 hours away. We had dress rehearsal yesterday until 7:00pm and today is a juggling act of having the girls where they need to be at various times.

OUR LITTLE BUNNY

Michaela is doing all three shows so Stephen (who surprised me by getting the day off so I did not have to go crazy driving back and forth all day!!) drove her to the theatre (which is only 20 miles way, but for those of you who have never driven in this country, that is a 50 minute drive with the roundabouts and country roads). She will stay with the chaparones until the evening performance at 7:30. Emma is dancing tonight's performance. Steve and I will drive separately to the theatre. Emma will dance the beginning of the show and then I will take her home (or to the hotel on RAF Alconbury--if they have a room?) Steve is staying to watch the performance tonight. The show is sold out and we barely got a ticket for me. Because he was supposed to be working, he did not have a ticket until last week. We were very upset that he was going to miss the performance--the first one he would have missed since Michaela was three. Luckily a relative of another dancer was unable to attend so we were able to get a ticket for him. Tomorrow Steve will go to work and I will drive to church, with the girls in full theatrical make-up!!--leave at 12:00(hope the preacher is done by then:), drive the hour and forty five minutes to the theatre...AND HOPE THAT THERE IS NO TRAFFIC AS THEY HAVE TO BE THERE AT 1:45.. AAAHHHH

RAMA AND SITA

But after saying all that, they have done a great job with their dances and are having a fun!!!

NOTICE THE TONGUE!!!!

Oh yeah. Emma has a birthday party to be at in 20 minutes so I guess I had better gather up her stuff and head out!!!!!

some things are universal

We arrived from our afternoon out just in time to hear the ICE CREAM TRUCK coming down the street. Of course, as if it is an inborn trait with all children, Emma came running in yelling, "Mommy, the ice cream man is here!!!" Michaela was not far behind ( a little less exuberant!)

I think Emma enjoyed her first experience with the English ice cream truck!!!

it is good to try something new!!!

Today, in order to celebrate our life being in so much chaos and uncertainty:), we headed to Frankie and Benny's for lunch. Steve ordered some calamari for his appetizer...Michaela tried it not knowing what it was, and loved it until I told her it was squid!! Emma was not phased by the word 'squid'. She ate as much as Steve I believe!!!! She also ate a good portion of my mushroom Alfredo (whole button mushrooms sauteed in a Alfredo sauce).

She was very adventurous in her cuisine today!!!

murphy's law prevails

Ever have one of those days? Well, I am having one of those days ALL WEEK LONG!!!!!!!!

It has to get better, right?

Hope everyone's week is going well, and that there is sunshine where ever you may be living!

spring break begins!!!!

This week begins Michaela and Emma's two week Spring Break--the first week consists of watching 9 extra children. AAAAHHHHH!!!! Not sure what the second week will hold (all of my extra children will be back at school), but hopefully a family activity of some sort!

Of course, Spring Break began with 4 inches of snow!!!!! We unfortunantly(??) missed it. Yesterday after the girls' dance rehearsal, we headed up to Cambridge to drop Michaela off with a family from church--she and Rebecca stayed up until 1:00am watching a Dr. Who marathon--and Emma and I headed to RAF Alconbury to stay the night with Steve. ( It was the 21st anniversary of our first date--and they said it would never last) There was no snow where we were (60 miles north of Brackley) nor any in Mildenhall where we go to church. I was very worried about what I was going to find when we arrived back home since I had left two windows open upstairs (it was mild and sunny when we left on Saturday) but by the the time we arrived home at 4:00pm, this was all that was left!!!!

I think I can handle shoveling this!!!

Gotta love that GLOBAL WARMING!

angelina ballerina

It is National Reading Month --or Library month--I can't remember!!! The students at Emma Shea's school all dressed up as their favorite character in literature. Because Emma loves all books, the difficulty was choosing ONE!! We chose Angelina Ballerina because it combines a favorite character and ballet.

She was so excited to be able to wear the costume to school and not have to put on her uniform!