A Young Wife's Tale

Earl Grey Shortbread

2012-02-13T16:17:00.001Z

I've got the perfect thing for all you last minute valentiners.... Shortbread! I don't usually get JR anything big for valentines. Normally, I get him a little gift and make him something extra special. Once I made him Mini cheesecakes in Chocolate cups and put different toppings on each one. Another time I made him chocolate covered strawberries and did all different decorations and different kinds of chocolate on them. Recently, my neighbor made some shortbread cookies. JR pretty much ate them all before I could get any. He loved them--so when my neighbor asked if we wanted to make them together, I jumped all over that.

these earl grey shortbread cookies are delicious with the perfect hint of earl grey goodness.

There are tons of recipes out there... and you only need 3 ingredients butter, sugar, and flour.

We used her mother's recipe:

1 cup butter softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

1 earl grey tea bag (optional)

cream together butter and sugar.
add flour in 1/4 cup at a time and stir till well incorporated. continue till all flour is mixed in.
if you want to add any extras now is the time... earl grey tea, lavender, food coloring, mini chocolate chips... whatever tickles your fancy. I split mine into a few different batches and did different things to each batch.
roll out on floured surface to 1/4" thickness.
Cut out your shapes
bake at 325 for 13-17 minutes until golden brown.
transfer to cooling rack

Here is my favorite part...decorating! While the cookies are in the oven, I go through my kitchen and pull out anything I can use to decorate or flavor them.... chocolate, powdered sugar, nuts, sprinkles... whatever.

Here are the ones I made.

I found this great edible decorative glitter at the kitchen shop here.... word of warning: its messy... it sticks to everything and gets everywhere like real glitter. I sampled a few--just to ensure their safety :)--and the glitter doesn't seem to have a taste....but it makes them super pretty.

Another thing I want to try in the future is that Metallic/pearl dusting powder.... For the hearts on the glitter, I just cut out a paper heart and laid it over the cookie before sprinkling the glitter. I think this would be really cute for a kids birthday or something to do initials on shortbread or sugar cookies.

These are scrumptious--filled with nutella. Before you bake the cookies, Cut out 2 of the same size/shape cookies. Cut another smaller shape in the middle of the top cookie. Spread the Nutella out over the bottom cookie and lay in on like a sandwich. Word to the wise--don't try to glob it on the top thinking it will spread out once it cooks.... it will just stay a big glob.

You could also do this with Jam or preserves.... I think strawberry or raspberry would be delicious.

If you don't wanna bother getting any glitter, powdered sugar works great as well for making designs....plus it tastes yummy.

You can melt up some chocolate and dip the cookies in....or your fingers, no one's watching. You can even add nuts on top of the chocolate.

Or you can have fun with a little food coloring and drive home the point that this is for valentines--so don't expect this to happen again next week after you've eaten them all.... except for maybe the glitter stars because they are so fun!

Well, I hope everyone has a lovely Valentines day....

Onion Head

2012-02-10T23:39:00.000Z

I've seen toe heads but, in true Milo Fashion, She has to be unique. She is the first onion head I have seen :)

Milo is finally feeling better. We are all feeling better.....and just to tempt fate, We went to the sing song play group at the library on friday. Milo was a little overwhelmed by all the people. She clung on to my leg the whole time.....and looked at everyone like they were crazy when they were dancing and doing motions. Her favorite song was The Grand Old Duke of York...

After singsong, we went to a nearby play center with our neighbor and her 2 year old son. Milo gained a little confidence there....let her hair down...and dove right in to all the toys.....

Milo has recently learned how to give hugs. It is adorable and warms my heart.... Right now, she just leans in to you when you ask for a hug... I'm trying to teach her how to wrap her arms around me when she gives hugs.... but she is just looking out for me....she knows that I would die of cuteness.

Instead, she put her adorable self to good use as a little model.

The lighting in our hallway happened to be so beautiful....

Milo's new favorite fruit is Strawberry...Food-wise, she's into pita bread and rice.

She loves to be chased and to chase me and JR. We run and hide. She cases us...we hide...then BOO! we jump out when she gets close and she just cackles.

We usually hide behind doors or around corners. She peeks around inquisitively.

She's recently discovered the home phone.... I hear "you have no messages" about a million times a day. She just pushes the buttons over and over.

Well, that's what's up with us..... hope you all had a great week and have a wonderful weekend.

Little Red Riding Milo

2012-02-05T18:42:00.002Z

Just popping by to say hello....HELLO!

It snowed last night....Not a ton, but just enough to make it pretty.

I'm feeling much better, but Milo is still under the weather....She's got a ton of drainage and is coughing.

poor child...she looks high.

So, I thought I would share some pics from earlier this week when she was feeling better...It gives me hope... knowing that she will soon be back to her happy energetic self.

This little red coat is a gift from Auntie Jenn all the way in hawaii....She got it as a Christmas gift.... and Milo just got these new jeggings from our friend Sue and they are so cute together.

Speaking of hawaii, I'm really starting to miss it now that We have been on and off sick... I miss the beautiful scenery... right now it's quite dreary here...

the sun rises at 730 or 8 and goes down at like 430 or 5....

But I knew this day would come. The new would wear off and it would be cold and damp. So I prepared Myself. I tried to take account of all the things I don't like about Hawaii. I've had to remind myself of these things a lot lately... when I'm flipping through old photos like this...

Makapu'u lighthouse hike... my favorite lookout

And this.....

Kailua pillbox hike

I start to doubt my sanity... Why was I so ready to leave?!? I have to stop, take a deep breath and cherish all those beautiful places...then come back to reality... and remind myself what it was really like... no AC, not much to do, the people aren't all as awesome as my friends there, rock fever, a dot in the middle of the pacific... now that I am writing these things out, I realize it doesn't quite paint an accurate picture....I love hawaii. I love the scenery. I love the Hikes. I love the weather. Would I move back tomorrow if given the chance? No. Would I go on vacation there tomorrow if given the chance? OH YEAH!... But I am so happy to live here and get the opportunity to travel.

ok. so I got a little off topic there... aloha to my hawaii peeps. Soak up some sun for me!....and eat a little extra good food :)

But let's get back to Milo and her adorable self.... She wouldn't get to wear a cute coat like this in hawaii... and that alone is worth the cold.

She's so adorable... she's sitting on my lap now as I type... coughing. Poor little baby. She's got so much chest congestion..... I'm hoping that she gets to feeling better soon. We both hate being cooped up in the house, but I hate taking her out in the cold for too long.

Well, dinner is just about ready and I gotta go....Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Milo's Table

2012-02-03T20:13:00.000Z

Milo was definitely in need of a table... a place to eat on, play at, snack at.... I've been searching high and low for the perfect table. After a trip to Ikea, I found just what I was looking for.....

Milo and I were so excited... In comes Daddy to put it together. Milo wanted to help...

She wanted to help, but we all know how it goes... a few minutes later...

Milo decided she was needed to supervise to be sure that everything was squared away.

Then she decided to help me take photos....she took this one....

(well she looked through the eye piece while mommy clicked it)...

This table was originally a 2 person adult dinner table. We borrowed a saw from our friend Sue :) and JR chopped the legs off the table and chairs. The chairs were kid chairs and were a bit to tall for Milo to handle them by herself.

And there you have it.... How will she fit the biscuit into the cup? Milo's new obsession is putting all her food in her cup and then eating it smooshy.... so gross...

Its pretty good Milo size... she still needs to grow a tiny bit into it.

And so far the chairs support Mommy and daddy too :)

Sharing is an important part of meal time in our house.

Isn't the wood on this table great?! I really wanted a wooden table and chairs....JR thought I was crazy buying an adult table....but It works perfectly.

And... just in case you didn't know...Milo and I are under the weather again...I know. I can't really tell when one sickness ends and another begins. This is our first winter in 3 or 4 years...and we are in a foreign country with foreign germs... We are so not prepared.... This makes like the 3rd or 4th time sick for us. I really hope that this is just some cruel initiation into the country and we won't get sick this often the entire time we're here.

see those pitiful sick eyes :(

I've whipped up some homemade medicine... you know you can't take normal meds when you are nursing. I started taking it yesterday and it really seems to be helping. We will spend this weekend getting some much needed R&R... Hope everyone has a good weekend...Milo is telling me it's bath time.

This week with Milo

2012-01-29T18:51:00.000Z

I'm feeling a bit random today. Don't have anything major,

I just had some cute photos I wanted to share.

Milo has been sick this week....

The fever came on sunday... Then Vomiting came on tuesday...Doctor on Wednesday who diagnosed as a UTI and prescribed antibiotics....Thursday came the rash from the antibiotics..... Friday night came the sleepless nights with tossing and turning and crying.... It's been an eventful week, but she is on the mend. So in the meantime, I thought I would put up some random cute photos of Milo.

Lounging in the carseat.

She's a little hummus loving lion....

We went shopping and I didn't even realize she was asleep till I went to talk to her and saw this... Hanging limp like she passed out in the carrier.

You know what stinks about Christmas PJs... you can only wear them for a short time.... But just as I wear white after labor day, I wear Christmas PJs in January... But they are still cute!

A friend I worked with in hawaii got Milo some ring pop Popsicle molds....I've made her these popsicles with just water and crushed fruit. This is grape. She loves them. Mommy loves them too.... which is good considering that I usually end up finishing them.

Milo the Model.

JR was so exhausted that he fell asleep while "playing with Milo"

In other news... I am now the proud owner/renter of an allotment space. I have been wanting to grow my own veggies for quite some time....to my husband's dismay. Let's just say that I don't have a green thumb...but I have been making progress....and that's what google is for. My friends Sue and Suzanne have offered to help out. I think that between the 3 of us we can make something happen. I am so excited!

Milo's First Birthday

2012-01-26T12:20:00.000Z

In case you didn't already know, Milo and her daddy share the same birthday. When I first got pregnant, JR joked that the baby would be born on his birthday.....with a due date of 9 days before his birthday, I thought it was unlikely. But Milo decided she would hold out. (you can read about the birth story here)

I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by. I mean, CRAZY. We've had so many changes. Gaining a baby, Losing a dog, Moving from hawaii, Moving to London... and those are just the major ones.....but here we are and we are so happy and blessed.

Milo is a completely different baby. I mean she's not a baby anymore. I got an baby update email the other day except it must have been sent to the wrong person because it was titled: "Your Toddler this Week." ummm... excuse me but my child is not a toddler....(DENIAL)

yes that is my lip gloss...

So enough mommy blubbering about my ONE YEAR OLD... have a look at these pictures while I grab a kleenex.

This was a big year. JR turned 30 and Milo turned 1.... I love that my husband is older and responsible. It makes me feel young and crazy....Which is nice because I was never the crazy type. Ok, Maybe I was crazy... but what I mean is that I was never a wild and crazy youngster.

JR got the cake he wanted, thanks to all our family back home that have been sending me necessities. Like Jiffy corn muffin mix, Yellow cake mix, Chocolate pudding, Chocolate chips, Kodiak Cakes Pancake mix, White Almond Bark, Graham Crackers, and all kinds of other things that are bound to make me fat. But hey, I love them and they don't have them here in the UK. It's nice to have a taste of home occasionally.

I thought about putting something other than icing on Milo's cake...like whipped cream. But then I thought, it's her birthday....and it's not like she's going to eat it every day.... so I let her have the full sweet sugary chocolaty goodness.

We didn't have a huge thing because, well we went to Paris for their Bdays, but we don't know too many people and it was a week night. But our neighbors came over and sang and had cupcakes. I'm glad they were there because it would have been pretty awful if I was the only one singing happy birthday.

Here are Milo's Cake eating pictures. I can't even comment on them because they are so cute. Enjoy!

And there you have it. After dinner, Milo opened her presents....

Then she got a sleepy and we all sang, "It's my party, I can cry if I want to....."

The next day I tried to get some shots of the ONE YEAR OLD! I must say that it's like a million times harder to get photos once they start walking. She is too busy doing what she's doing to stop and pose. So I had to follow her around and snap like a million pictures...just hoping to get a few good ones.

This is her serious look.

I Love our current house.....besides the fact that it is 3 stories...it's great. It's so open and has great natural light.

Milo is a practical joker. She likes to put toys and blocks down in your shoes to surprise you when you try to put them on. She also hides things from us...phones, thermometers....pretty much anything she can get her hands on. Yesterday, I found the baby monitor in the dirty clothes basket. True story.

Well, I'm off. Milo is under the weather with a UTI....which has included Fever, Vomiting, Crankiness, Exhaustion (for us all), and lethargy..... she's got some antibiotics but spits it out or gags when I give them to her. I'm making some applesauce now in hopes that she'll take it if its mixed in. Any tricks from those experienced moms/nurses out there?

Notre Dame and Sacré Coeur

2012-01-22T15:42:00.000Z

This is Part 3 of our Paris weekend get away....the final part.... I know you are getting tired of seeing pictures of Paris (if that's even possible). But don't worry. You will get to see Milo's Birthday pictures soon! On to the photos.

So, I promise we didn't wear the same thing every day. We did change our clothes. It was just so unexpectedly cold that we wore our warm gear every day.... and one thing we've learned about traveling is: Pack light.

Ever try taking a picture of yourself with an SLR? I'm always terrified that I'm going to drop it.

Inside the cathedral was beautiful. The way the colors from the stained glass speckled the wall.... beautiful. The high ceilings and dark crevices gave it a secretive flare. I felt like I was going to trip over a loose stone in the floor that led to an unknown crypt where I would find beautiful jewels...A gift from the king to his mistress. Hidden away for hundreds of years... I have an active imagination.

Some of my favorite movies are Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and the Davinci Code. Living in Europe where everything is so old really makes it feel possible.

that night we moseyed on over to the eiffel tower again.

on the hour it lights up....twinkling.

again, it was freezing!

my poor little baby's cheeks were wind chapped.

Up bright and early to head to Montmartre.... to see Sacré Coeur.

poor Milo always gets cut out of the shot.

amazing view of the city from the top

so to give you some background of this next picture...When we first got to Paris at the train station, A young asian woman came up to JR and asked him (in broken english) if he spoke english... he said yes and she started pointing to this piece of paper in her hand. He assumed that she needed help reading the english. It said something about the deaf and mute community something.... it was a petition or something. She wanted JR to sign it. He did. Then she asked if he wanted to make a donation. He pulled the change out of his pocket and was trying to look through it to decide what to give. She grabbed the coins from his hand and told him he needed more because it was a minimum donation of like 8 euros... we said no thanks and she left, but JR realized he was duped. She was talking so fast and just grabbed his money. It was confusing and all happened so quickly that she left you in a whirl.... they do it on purpose.

We saw them at several other places.... and tried to warn their poor future victims. It was like a pack of wolves...they would just all flurry around their prey. This group above was surrounding 2 people. Yes, the rest are these awful con artists. Word to the Wise.

headed down to the Moulin Rouge and passed a little bakery with these beauties...

Tah-Dah!

That's all folks :)

Eiffel Tower and Versailles

2012-01-20T19:06:00.001Z

A trip to Paris is not complete without a trip to the Eiffel tower. When I went 10 years ago the top level was closed for refurbishment. So this time we had to go all the way to the top.

We got there like 45 minutes before it opened so we could be in the front of the line. I was in front till some guys that had been waiting earlier (in the wrong area) decided they had dibs and skipped me.... really?! you're going to skip a lady and her baby....JR was off taking pics... but if it's that important to them then be my guest.

Anywho... It was SO C-C-C-Cold. Poor little Milo... poor us. We wanted to get some photos with her standing by the eiffel tower, but I didn't want to take her out of the carrier because she was ~~keeping me warm~~ snuggled in there good. We'll do it next time.

I don't remember an elevator ride last time... I have a slight fear of heights... I usually just push through (like when I went skydiving in hawaii :) but this elevator was moving diagonally and it was messing me up. I closed my eyes and JR thought it was hilarious.

In honesty, I think he was making fun of me so he didn't have to focus on the fact that it was actually scary......Men.

After that we had some breakfast at a little cafe and found this wonderful view

Then Off to Versailles. If you have ever been to visit the Bookers, you may know that we run a tight ship. When we go on vacation, we mean business. We like to cram in as much as we possibly can.

We've definitely slowed down since having Milo, but not by much.

I kinda had this fetish with the cobblestone here. It was beautiful and the sky was amazing. Completely untouched photos. (Have I mentioned I love my polarized filter)

Wearing my polarized sunglasses is like seeing the world through rose colored glasses. Everything looks better.

Milo loves listening to the audio guide... It's like talking to a really smart person on the phone.

In big palaces like this, it can be overwhelming.... beautiful room after beautiful room. I try to focus on the little details.

Or things that make each room unique.

the famous hall of mirrors....

What better place to fix your hair.

Milo went rogue...

Exploring with Daddy.

A ceiling tile... I know... crazy.

Well that's all folks. More to come... Hope you all have a marvellous weekend.

Louvre and Arc De Triomphe

2012-01-19T23:14:00.000Z

So this is the first of three posts on our trip to Paris. There are so many photos that I couldn't decide which ones to put in.... I'm still posting a ton, but I have gone through and taken out pictures twice... this is a fraction of what we took.

So we took the Eurostar train from london to Paris. It only took about 2 hours and Milo did pretty well. ~~She tired us out~~ We tired her out by walking around the train station.

Once we got there we settled checked in to our hotel and hit the ground running. First off the Louvre (which was right near our hotel).

It's just like the davinci code....

JR wasn't really excited about the louvre....just another museum--that is, until we got there. Then he was all about it.

We only spent a couple hours there, but the truth is that you could spend an entire day.

It was so beautiful and absolutely freezing. Way cold....about 20 degrees colder than it has been in london.

I realized it's been 10 years since I had been to Paris. It makes me feel so old. It's crazy how time flies. Pretty soon Milo will be 10.... OMG!

What's wrong with the picture below?

Here are some of the pieces that we really liked....

Now that Milo is walking, we let her walk around.

Isn't she so cute!

I remembered these after all these years. They were my favorite at that time and now....

After the louvre we went back to the hotel, bundled up, and hit the town... and went to the Arc de Triomphe.....

JR and I sort of have a little friendly competitive thing going on with taking photos. It's unspoken--well, until now. So we kept trading the camera back and forth to take shots. I won't bust anyone out by saying who took what photo. lol

I know this is pretty heavy on the photos and light on the text....but let's face it, that's what you wanna see anyway. Hope everyone is having a great week--Tomorrow is FRIDAY!

We Went to Paris!

2012-01-17T11:20:00.000Z

So, we had a great weekend. We went to Paris to celebrate Milo and JRs birthday this week.

I am going to post some pictures. A lot of pictures. So many pictures that you will wonder how someone could take so many pictures over a weekend trip. But first, I am going to go to the grocery store because our fridge is empty then I am coming home to rest. Period. I am a huge fan of baby wearing.... and just in case you haven't been to europe recently, its way too crowded for strollers. And they don't always have escalators or lifts. You have to carry your stroller up and down stairs. So, We left our stroller at the hotel and wore Milo everywhere. And it was cold. Not just cold, FREEZING!!!! so after 3 days of non-stop walking, sightseeing, baby wearing, and being a tour guide; I am going to be a bum....and maybe take a hot bath with Milo to soothe my achy back. And whenever I ~~realize being a rested mom is an oxymoron~~ am rested, I will post some pics and tell you about our awesome trip. It may be tomorrow or later today. I can sleep when I'm dead right?

Rocking Cater

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000Z

We are having fun doing our weekend stuff, but I just wanted to share this video with you.

I can't wait to tell you about our fun weekend.... Once the fun stops.... :)

Little Miss Milo

2012-01-13T10:18:00.000Z

I wanted to post some pictures of the little munchkin. It's been a rough week. Teething is the main cuprit. Milo's 7th tooth just broke through but it seems that a couple more are making their way to the surface on bottom. Great :)

We've kinda taken a beat this week. I tried to be really hands on with Milo this week. She is teething and needing her mama.....and I have made some changes. One of them was to make sure that when Milo and I are home during the day, the TV stays off....no kids shows, mommy shows, news, music.... whatever..... that means I had to entertain her more than usual. Not that I mind.

I've noticed JR doesn't turn the TV on much either when he watches her while I cook dinner. Then after dinner, we do other things....like have a hand stand competition. I must admit that JR won. Even though I think he should be disqualified because he actually went too far and flipped over. I keep telling him it's like black jack. You gotta see how close you can get without going over. Anyway, enough rambling.

Milo is changing so much. I feel like I say that every time I post, but I speak the truth. She can blow kisses-- I know, so Cute!

She can also play the music on my iphone. She walks around the house with the phone to her ear like she's talking on it with the music playing. It's like her mini boom box.

We streamlined her toys to make it less cluttered and simplify it. We made her a toy station in our dressing room and in my craft room.

Now that the toy area is cleaned off, she plays more on her matt. I've been teaching her to put her blocks back in the container. She loves to put them away--so much that she dumps them out right after just to put them back in again. At least that's what I tell myself.

JR has been teaching her to stack blocks. Look how hard she is concentrating to stack these. It's adorable.

The baby doll was a gift from her Great grandma. She prefers to carry it around by the foot.

We also rearranged her bedroom (a converted walk-in closet in our bedroom). We put her bed on the floor (Montessori Style). She loves it. The room is completely baby proofed so it's not like she's going to get into anything dangerous.

She loves to play in her bedroom now that it's all on her level. I think she finally feels like it's her space.

We even got her a pink pig night light... so that she can see when she wakes up. Isn't she just adorable... all innocent when she's asleep.

This was after i woke her up... lol. She wasn't too happy. See the sleep line on her face?

She usually perks up when daddy gets home....which happens to be shortly after this nap.

And she's walking like crazy!!!!

Doesn't she look like a baby prisoner in this outfit...lol. It's hilarious.

Hope you all had a great week. It's friday!!!! and we are doing something really fun this weekend... I'll tell you all about it later....

Family Visit. The End.

2012-01-05T10:42:00.001Z

Today is a bit of a photo dump of the last bit of their trip here.

We went to Windsor on one of their last days. This is my brother, Paw, and Me....

Milo was too busy eating to be in the picture.

This is the whole gang.....10 of us. Try keeping track of these guys in a crowded area.

The Womacks...

JoJo Bear with a kids soldier hat on.

Milo listening to the tour audio guide.

Next....

We've decided to start collecting pins for Milo. This is the Windsor one.

Typical Joe and Heather Pose.

Excuse me while I chew a big piece of Chocolate in this cute picture of me and Jason.... Van you believe his cute dimples... I think this is the best picture we have ever taken together.

The guys and the guard.

OK...Prepare yourself for the these next photos.....

Are you ready. Maybe you should sit down....

Ok. Brace yourself.

Can you handle the cuteness?!

Everyone in the crowd was oohing and Ahhing over her.

And just in case that wasn't enough, here are some more.

We got Milo a tunnel from Ikea to crawl through. Addie liked it too and they decided to go through it in opposite directions.... Well, as you can see, the bigger baby won.

2012 Goals and More Family Visit Photos

2012-01-03T15:13:00.001Z

I don't like the term "New Year's Resolution." I mean, it's like setting yourself up to fail. Calling it a resolution makes it so...well, resolute. I like things a little more easy going..... So I shall call them goals.

By the end of 2012, I want to be able to say that....

I made a Quilt.... including quilting it by hand and everything.

I read a book to Milo every Day.

I ate one raw thing per day. Don't judge me. I eat a lot of veggies, just not raw ones.

I visited 3 (or more) other countries. Plans are already in the works for a trip soon.

Aside from make-up, everything I put on my body is edible/organic. This is something I have already been working on, but still have a few things to cross over.

I read 12 Books. That may seem like a meager goal, but I just want to have fun with my goals.

I use all homemade Cleaners and Detergents. I am loving the all purpose cleaner I made.

I read my bible every day. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't do this now.... and I really want to..... in my head.....but day to day it gets bumped to the bottom of my list.

So that's really it. Sorry if it was anticlimactic :) Onto the Family Photos....

Here is me playing tour guide... I really could have used a bright umbrella so they could spot me in the crowd.

Here is the royal pavillion in brighton

THen we hit the buckingham palace for the changing of the guard. We didn't really see much because these ~~really smart people~~ losers got here really early to get a good spot.

Off to West Minster abbey....

Check out my cute Niece, Addie

Their Great Aunt Got them some cute matching outfits.

This is them at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Then Milo hit up the jewelry counter at Harrods on our girls day out.

Milo Walking Video!!!!!

2012-01-02T16:29:00.000Z

We finally got Milo on video walking. I know I posted earlier, but some people have been waiting for this video... so I won't leave them hanging any longer.

This is from this morning. Happy New year everyone!

Family Visit Part 1

2012-01-02T12:53:00.001Z

This past week, My family was in town....My grandparents, sister, brother-in-law, niece, 2 brothers....Including the 3 of us, That's 10 people all under one roof. We had a great time. So I thought I would share all the photos. On day one, we went to Hampton Court Palace.

First, we did the maze. It didn't really pose as a challenge because ~~I just followed the little kids in front of me~~ we are just that awesome.

doesn't my grandma look like a little swedish snow bunny with her hat and uggs. She was so cute.

We had a late Christmas ... Milo got some awesome Toms from her Aunt and Uncle. (I love toms)

She got a cool puzzle too! She uses the pieces like a defibrillator and tries to shock me back to life.

I got lots of workout clothes....and a cool infinity scarf. I put on my workout clothes and felt like I could be the missing team mate of the cool runnings crew.

Keeping it short and sweet today because we are in cleaning mode. But I will leave you with this photo of Milo before I woke her up at 4:30am to take everyone to the airport. She was so mad at me for waking her.

Happy 2012

Syon Park

2011-12-30T12:36:00.000Z

We recently went to Syon Park for their light show. I just wanted to share a few pictures. I don't have a tripod--so these were taken with me holding as still as I possibly could...I was channelling Bob Lee Swagger in Shooter. Exhaling then pulling the trigger.....granted they still are blurry. That's why I'm not a sniper. Anyway. Here they are:

Obviously, It's hard to capture just how cool it really was. Walking through the park in the dark with all the pretty colored lights. Milo seemed to really like it. There is also a Duke that lives in syon park... he has his own little castle! we were all walking in his back yard pretty much.

Cave Baby/ Table Dancer

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000Z

Milo has developed a personality... She has arrived. She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.....starts dancing as soon as it comes on. She also likes to sit on the table and watch the tv.... And sometimes Dace on the table.

Ballerina

Yayyy!!!

And Milo has really taken an interest in Meat... Finally. She never seemed to be too interested. But the other night, I cooked ribs and she was just going for it.

Today I made some Roast Chicken and she was just gobbling it up. I kept thinking she must be hiding it somehwere, but I never found any pieces. They must be in her belly. Hope you are all having a great week.

Milo's First Christmas!

2011-12-26T23:49:00.000Z

I hope you all had a great Christmas! I know we did. Tomorrow I have some family coming in town to visit…..My sister, brother-in-law, niece, 2 brothers, and grandparents…..all staying in our home. It's going to be full of laugher, love, chit chat, and probably a few quarrels with all 4 siblings together again…. and I can't wait. When we were teenagers and we actually fought each other, my sister always won because she had a fool proof plan. She would corner herself in against the kitchen cabinets and kick anytime I got close. Her legs were longer so I couldn't ever reach her without getting kicked. I eventually just gave up. But, I don't think she has quite the stamina these days. So, if a situation should arise, I think I will have a leg up :) Anyway. on to Christmas. I wanted to post some pictures of Milo's First Christmas before we got caught up in sight seeing with all our family.

Every Christmas growing up, my family always opened presents on Christmas eve and we always got pjs...and we would all put them on and take our picture in front of the Christmas tree. So, here's our photo.

We didn't even wrap Milo's Christmas presents on Christmas morning. We just draped them and let her Unveil them. First were blocks.... Daddy has been playing builder and Milo has been playing Godzilla.

The second was her wheelybug Bull. She has been pushing this thing around everywhere.

My parents sent her a dance and sing station.

Then a walker from our 3rd Family, the Underwoods

Our neighbors invited us over for Christmas Dinner.... Milo was great and we had a wonderful time...

Then we got home and she turned into a sad sally... tired and worn out from her big day..

Climbing up all over me.

Isn't her outfit cute?! Top was £4.95 at H&M (heather and Milo's store).

Then she was happy again after some Milk and a snuggle.

Ready to play some more with Daddy

On Christmas, Milo decided that she was going to walk pretty much everywhere. She still falls, but she walks all over the place..... Video to come soon.

Milo is getting ready for bed.

So that was our Christmas... it was simple but wonderful.

Battling the Mondays....

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000Z

Not only is it Monday, but it's the day after Christmas....which means it's a bit of a downer. Have no fear. to cheer you up, I thought I'd share a few other great blogs.

Mason's Mama

Hi everyone!! It's Crystal from Mason's Mama. I blog over at www.2hallsbecome3.blogspot.com. Things you may find on my blog include daily adventures with a {now} toddler, mommyhood, trips, recipes, crafts and lots of pictures. But let's be real, it's mostly about my little boy Mason Lane. We welcomed Mason into our lives in May of 2010 after trying for over 2 years. He's such a blessing to us and we couldn't be any more proud. Mason's awesome Daddy, {Nathan} and I have been together for 15 years and married for 5. That's half of our lives!! Come on over and say hi. I'd love to meet you and follow your blog!!

Crystal

Sweet Green Tangerine

Sweet Green Tangerine is just a quirky blog where I share the things I learn & experience in this crazy world I live. I am an Army wife & mom of two. Photography hobbyist. Obsessive thrifter. Novice Sewer. Indie music addict. Book worm & best friend. I am learning to take life one identity crisis at a time.

Karly at Three in Three

Christa at Young and Restless

Hey there!! I'm Renee from A Shoe that Fits! I'm Mama to my gorgeous baby boy, Wife to Hubby, new gardener,
crafter, wannabe photographer, excessive exclamation mark user and newbie runner...as in yesterday!! This is home
to all my ramblings and photo dumps!! Welcome!!"
Renee from A Shoe that Fits

Well, This is Christmas!

2011-12-24T17:00:00.000Z

This has been a year of many changes.

We've grown as a family. On JR's birthday in January, Milo was born. We've moved half way across the world.....literally. We are finally settling in to Weybridge and taking a breath to stop and smell the roses that are the blessings in our life.... Our baby girl (who is about to be 1) is experiencing her first Christmas of many...2011 was filled with a few challenges and several blessings. This year God has given us a love that we could never have imagined, which makes God's love for His children much more real. Our Prayer for 2012 is that God will permeate through our family and enrich us spiritually. Life is busy and hectic and complicated. Hopefully we can all take time this Christmas to enjoy our family and friends....and remember it's not about the gifts or Santa. It's about love....the love we have for one another.....and the love that God has for us. So much that he sent his precious child to save us.

Father Christmas: Milo's Meets Santa

2011-12-22T11:47:00.000Z

Welcome to Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park....

The Winter Wonderland fair has food booths, a craft market....rides, games....and most important--Father Christmas.

The little elf recommended holding Milo for fear that she may pull Santa's beard and spoil the surprise for all the other kiddies waiting in line. I obliged.

Milo Just looked at him like he was crazy dressed up like that. She played with his beard and robe

She is not crying in this picture..she's going "ooooh!"

All in all I think she enjoyed it... even if the only reason was that Santa looked crazy.

Keeping it short and sweet today because I've got some present wrapping and stuff to do. I have been making a ton of gifts. I wish I could share them with you, but it would kinda spoil the surprise... but I will tell you late and you can make them for birthdays, hostess gifts, or just for the heck of it.

Gluten Sensitivity: My experiment

2011-12-18T08:00:00.000Z

I couldn't decide if I was gonna post this or not. I mean it's a little boring.... but then again, this is a blog about my life and sometimes my life is boring. But, to make it a little interesting--and in true masochistic fashion... I will share a few of my favorite Gluten filled recipes.

Since giving birth, I've been having some issues. People don't tell you all the things that happen to your body once you have a baby. Not only is there the obvious, but there are smaller things..... like the fact that I am now allergic to gold.... I have old lady hips... It's impossible for me to sleep without a pillow between my knees due to pain....and then there are the digestive issues. Acid reflux, major bloating, nausea, general ugh feeling after eating certain foods.

These Pioneer Woman Rolls are to die for. I could eat the dough raw... People always flip when I make these.

In an attempt to lose some baby weight I began eating Paleo (AKA the caveman diet). The Paleo diet consists of Veggies, meats, nuts, fruit. That's it. No dairy, No wheat, No Corn, No Grains of any kind, no Processed foods. There are also a few other things like No beans and no starches (like potatoes) except for sweet potatoes. I ate this way for 3-4 weeks. It was nice. My digestive issues were gone. When I started adding other foods back to my diet, I learned that Grains seemed to be a problem and dairy was questionable.

This is my FAVORITE food discovery in the UK so far. This is amazing on a toasted bagel.

This past week, I went gluten free to as an experiment. The results are conclusive. I am gluten sensitive. Luckily, it seems as if its mild....and I'm 99% sure its simply gluten sensitivity and not Celiac Disease. I don't plan on being completely gluten free. I do plan to cut down a lot. This week, the gluten free diet actually wasn't bad. I just ate potatoes, rice, or quinoa instead of bread or whatever. I did find that I was more hungry. I seemed to get the munchies often.... and I had a hard time with my evening snack...or dessert. Since we are up like 5 hours after dinner--I usually have a bagel or dessert of some sort in the middle. I couldn't really figure out what to eat at that time that was gluten free. Also, I lost 1lb. I am 150--the weight my driver's license actually says...lol. Now that's an achievement.

Naan... oh how I love Naan with some hummus.

I plan to keep my gluten intake pretty low and limit dairy as I have been. I really don't know why I am writing this or why you might be interested, but I am. And if you made it this far, I am extremely impressed. If you are out there reading and think you have similar symptoms, you should really look into it more. I have felt great this week! More energy (the days I wasn't sick), no bloating, no ughh feeling, no acid reflux. There are other things I have found in my research that I think could be related such as my anemia (unresponsive to iron), recurrent tonsillitis, skin irregularities, and more... but those are more long term things.

PW BBQ chicken pizza.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a huge PW fan. I make this with shredded pork
minus cilantro.

I think JR thinks I'm crazy. Maybe you do too. I just wish that I had read about it earlier. I only stumbled upon it because I happened to be doing that diet. If not, I would have just continued to pop tums or take the pills the Doc prescribed.... And although the extra calcium from the tums is probably good, unnecessary medication is no bueno. So, I hope that maybe me sharing this here will help some of you that have been having strange symptoms. Supposedly around 10% of people have some form of sensitivity to gluten.

As I type, I am having some yummy cookies--at the request of my sick hubby. How could I say no?! and How could I make them and not eat some?! But here it is.....that ughh feeling.... although they are worth it. Completely delicious. Click on the image for the recipe....

And just to leave you hanging.... Milo met Santa today. Pictures to come soon.

Milo Look Alike

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000Z

Milo looks a lot like JR.... When she was born she was identical to him. Like scary identical. I was a bit worried for her ( I kid). But as she has gotten older her looks are changing... and she seems to have another look alike.... ME!....Let's do a few comparisons....

Exhibit A:

Check out that carseat....

B: Me... Snoozing

C: Me and My Mom... Believe it or not, I had never seen a picture of me this young until recently.

Aren't I an ugly baby?!... Isn't that an ugly top.... But those lips...I definitely got my mom's lips

D: This is me with my great grandfather...Papaw Mac

E: This picture really makes me think of Milo... I couldn't quite find the perfect shot. I don't have many of Milo not smiling....and evidently I'm depressed and never smiled... or they just never captured it. I guess they didn't have digital where they could just click away.

F: I love this picture of me... I mean, the tweety bird sweatshirt it priceless.

So, there you have it.... Milo really is my daughter. What do you think?

Milo Minute: My little pony

2011-12-16T12:02:00.002Z

One Year ago this weekend JR and I were having our maternity photos taken.... I mean Whoah!!! the time has flown..... and our lives are so different. This weekend last year....

I was living in hawaii...37 weeks pregnant....

Hoping Milo would make her arrival early. Walking, drinking tea, swinging....trying to get her closer and closer to the outside world. I used to sing "swing Low sweet chariot" to Milo but changed the words to "Milo, Milo Booker, Milo, it's time to come out"

Really though, I loved being pregnant. I had a great pregnancy... Minus the acid reflux, back pain, sleep deprivation, nausea, swelling, weight gain....but I mean, I felt like it was a small price to pay. I'm starting to miss being pregnant.

We tried to soak up our last few weeks of freedom. Going out on dates and to the movies.

JR hates this photo. I love it :)

Obsessing over having everything ready for Milo...even though in the end I only really need 30% of that. If you've worked with me or know me well, you know I am a little over prepared.

FAST FORWARD

One year later.....We live in London...

Milo is almost 11 months old..... That means she's almost one....

(excuse me while I blow my nose and cry like a baby)

Milo is learning so much. She can now stack discs on posts... Daddy taught her that.

(its the little toy in the back right of this picture).

She Has 2 little snuggle suits that she wears when we go out in the cold. She's like a little stuffed animal... super squeezable

She LOVES the vacuum cleaner.

Can you catch her whipping her hair in the wind from the vacuum.

She loves Jesus :)... well she likes to play with daddy's Bible. It's a good start.

She likes to brush her hair... she'll want to brush yours to but don't give in. She pretty much just bangs on your head with the big brush.

I was fixing breakfast in the kitchen and came in to see this.... She was watching mickey mouse club house. Its her favorite show. She dances to it. So i guess she knows how to climb up onto the couch.

Today, she is wearing her first pony tail.....at 11 months!...a pony tail!!!! A cute little pony

Milo took 10 steps in a row yesterday.

We her teaching her to blow her nose. She gets that she needs to blow out when you put the kleenex up there. But her nose blowing attempts have yet to produce and....well, you know... boogies.

I can't believe so much has happened in this past year. Time kinda warps. It feels like forever, but like it all happened in the blink of an eye if that makes any sense....