We finally have a yard!

For the past 7 years we have been anxiously waiting for a yard. We finally have one!!



Much to my dismay I have realized that our yard is
50% weeds
30% moss
20% grass

Barbecue Time

Keanna is always eager to help with food, and today I was pretty eager to show her the basics to barbecueing.


Here we are with the veggies, cheese, and the beef. Keanna is just waiting for her chance to pounce on the burger and hot dogs with her tongs and oven mit.


While Keanna eats all of the perfectly sliced cheese, I'm realizing that only a few things make me feel more manly than assembling the barbecue which is cooking the beef which my family is about to eat.


But the manly feelings quickly fade as a I realize that I get a blisters from assembling a barbecue. Can you believe how soft these hands are? No, I didn't get this blister from a shovel, ax, sword, or anything manly like that. This jewel came from using a screwdriver. In my defense, however, the screwdriver is manual--not electric; plus I didn't even have any gloves.

Ayla's Birthday Party

We didn't rehearse the proper technique on how to blow out candles. Ayla just starred at them for awhile. We had Keanna and our neighbor Christopher help her out.






We didn't need to rehearse eating the cake, she did this very well.

German Kindergarten

The German Kindergarten has had many ups and downs for Keanna, currently we are on an up. The other day she told me that she wanted to go to school everyday, and that she wants to learn German (she hasn't always been so enthusiastic). She has been doing well and is always picking up new words. I am often corrected, by Keanna, on my German pronunciation. Its just nice to be on an up.

Well Baby Check up

On friday we had Ayla's 2 year well child check up. She is in the 90th percentile for both heigth and weight. I like this picture of her eating some yummy ground beef.

Look a-like

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

It looks like Justin also looks like Ashton Kutcher. I wonder if our little girls also look like Ashton Kutcher??

Celebrity look a-like

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

I found this off my friend Rachel's blog. I think its so funny. I did it previously with a different picture and I was 6 pence or someone like that. Me and pop culture. I will do Justin tommorrow. Its getting late.

My first ticket

• The other day I was pulled over for going 7 miles over the speed limit. I got a 20 euro ticket. OUCH! Keanna was very curious about this, I explained to her it was a BAD ticket and I got it for speeding. 5 minutes later she says "Mommy, I'm very dissapointed in you for speeding, I hope you don't do it again." Wow, she laid that one on thick!

P.S. let me add that this was my first ticket EVER

My baby is two!!!

My baby has turned 2! I have really wanted to hold on to her babyhood and now its gone. We all adore Ayla she has a unique and fun personality. A few tidbits about her.

• She has a good sense of humor and enjoys laughing.


• Ayla definitely has her own opinions about what she is going to wear. Typically she dresses herself to look like a little homeless girl.


• Until about a month ago Ayla didn't like movies or the TV. Within the past month she has caught on, a little.


• Ayla adores Keanna. In the morning when Justin takes Keanna to preschool she will look out the window and cry "Na Na." When she wakes in the morning she asks "Na Na, go?"


• Ayla is a terrible sleeper. It hasn't bothered me, but when I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I will hear her in her bedroom talking to herself. From infancy she has done this. I hope she grows out of this one, for her sake!


• Ayla is really good at keeping herself entertained. She will wander around the house finding toys to play with or paper to color.


• Ayla loves meat especially ground beef. When I cook it she will pull up a chair and wait for me to turn my back so she can start eating. Make Uncle Jake proud!

I love my sweet Ayla. I can't imagine life without her.

Daily Funny

Today Keanna was sent to time out (which is in the bathroom). She stomped in yelling at the top of her voice and sat on the toilet (which was open) and fell in. We both couldn't help, but laugh as she stood up with a wet circle on her behind. Keanna stuck with it though. She kept on yelling in between the laughs. I just kept laughing.

London Calling!!!

First off, we need to give a BIG shout out to the Mcleans! They watched our girls for our 4 day weekend so Justin and I could visit London. Even without children we only skimmed the surface of London. Thank you Mcleans, we had a great time!

Day1: We arrived to London early that morning and took our first Double Decker ride across town to our humble little hotel. We began at West Minster Abbey. This was Justin's favorite, it was amazing. We walked over to the Parlimant Building and Big Ben. Did you know that the tower is not Big Ben, but its actually the bell within the tower thats Big Ben?!

Next, we went over to Trafalgar Square ABOVE(this is basically central London) and made a quick stop in the National Gallery. The National Gallery is full of European Paintings. I wish Holly or my Mother were there to educate me about painting.

We stopped for a quick power nap at the park and watched the ducks in the pond. We were lucky, it was very warm day. Then we visited the Churchill Museum and that evening went to the production WICKED. We loved WICKED it was a lively production, very entertaining.

Day 2: That morning we visted the Victoria and Albert Museum. This was one of my favorites. It had soo many forms of artwork from home decor, musical instruments, clothing, statues... I enjoyed myself so much, I didn't want to leave, we ended up missing the changing of the guards. Oh well!

We hopped into the Natural History Museum. This was basically a natural science museum. A must if we had our kids.

Next, we stopped by the British Museum and we were shocked by all of the mummies.

That evening we went to Les Miserables. This is one of Justin's favorites. It wasn't a Big Show production like WICKED, but the music was incredible. We HAD to see it.

Day 3: We headed over to the Tower of London (ABOVE) and nearly spent all day here. The history here was amazing. Kings and Queens lived here for hundreds of years. There was a chapel here that was the tombstone for 1500 people. Only 30 or so have been identified. Many prisoners were imprisoned then beheaded within these walls. So much history... so little time.

We ran over to St. Pauls cathedral. This is were Princess Diana and Prince Charles were married. It was a gigantic cathedral that was remarkably beautiful. This is my favorite church thus far.

Later that evening we walked past Buckingham Palace and stopped into another church for an Organ concert.

What an amazing weekend we had. I am sorry this is so impersonal or rather a travel log. I just don't know how to blog a weekend like this.

If you want to see more pictures you can go to the website below

http://picasaweb.google.com/bettibing/20080408London/photo#5186827428880228146