Aoife is 7 months!

Aoife was 7 months old last week and she is really coming into her own! She is sitting up well on her own now and really enjoying being able to interact with the world. Aidan and Emmy think it's great that Aoife can play with them now and Emmy has stepped up and taken a leadership role with Aoife which I think is so cute!

Faringdon Christmas Fayre

We went to the tree lighting and Christmas Fayre - yes, that's how they spell it here - over the weekend. It was a chilly evening but it was still fun. We saw Father Christmas, the kids rode on rides, we ate roasted, spiced nuts and browsed the French market.
Aidan and Emmy visit with Father Christmas - kids don't sit on Santa's lap here. Although you don't get a good picture - you also don't get screaming terrified children!
Emmy and Aidan playing with the "snow" made by a machine up in the window. It looked real!
Roasted Chestnuts - still haven't gotten to try them - but I will!!
French cheeses - mmmmmmm
Calvados
If you are a real garlic lover you can save 10 pence (17 cents) by buying an entire kilogram of garlic instead of the measly 1/2 kg.

A Day Out...

Brendan had Monday off from school so we dropped Aidan off and took the girls to Bristol for the "German Christmas Market". It turned out to be a few stalls in the main shopping area of the city instead of the large craft market I had anticipated but we made the most of it. I got a little German ceramic house and we had lunch at a nice woodfired pizza restaurant. It was a little strange to be without Aidan but it was nice to be able to give Emmy more attention than she normally gets. She was pretty happy about being out with us and behaved wonderfully but was really happy to pick Aidan up at school that afternoon.
Here's Emmy with Santa - it was really cold and windy - a good reminder of what winter is like!

Winter is coming...

We had our first real frost on Monday night. It got down to 27 at night and there was a beautiful frost all over everything on Tuesday morning. I guess that is the benefit of living in such a damp climate - when it gets cold enough all the water in the air freezes to anything it can find!

Thankful

I am grateful for:

...my family, near and far, inlaws and outlaws. How they love and support us and each other while inspiring and helping those around them. How we've all managed to stay married and added another member via marriage and another 3 members via birth this year. Welcome to the madness - Nicole, Aoife, Mary and Bryna.

...the time we've been able to spend in England this year and the opportunities that we have had to meet new wonderful friends and see old wonderful places.

...the birth of Aoife. She is the most wonderful addition to our family. I feel so lucky that she is happy, healthy and the easiest baby on earth!

...the continued development of Aidan and Emmy. It has been fun to watch Aidan learn to ride a bike, start to read, make new friends, enjoy school and gain a well deserved sense of independence. Emmy has decided that she loves school and it warms my heart every time I drop her at school and she runs into the waiting arms of her teachers. There is nothing more comforting that knowing your child is loved when you're not around. She has also begun to speak more and more clearly. It's fun to be able to see a little more of what goes on in that little head of hers.

...my wonderful husband for still loving me after 14 years. For being the best father to our 3 beautiful children and being incredibly supportive to me in my endless quest to find SOMETHING that I am good at.

...finding a wonderful babysitter. Brendan and I have been out together more since August than we have in the entire time since Aidan was born.

...no deployments this year. I am enjoying this and trying not to think about the next one.

...my country. There is nothing that makes me feel more thankful to be American than living overseas. I am proud that my husband has dedicated his life to protecting our way of life.

...the really good days when I feel like supermom - empty hampers, dinner on the table on time, vacuumed floors, clean kitchen and made beds. Doesn't happen too often but it feels soooooo good when it does.

International Families Day

Last Saturday Brendan's school hosted the 2009 International Families Day. It sounds like it would be for us international students and families but in fact WE put on the event for the Brits - very convenient! Brendan was the chairman for the event and it was huge and everything went off wonderfully! Each country (25 or 30 countries) had a table/booth the we decorated and served food from to the enormous crowd of Brits. As we have no national dish or costume - the Americans all wore football jerseys and we cooked chili and corn bread and served Jack Daniels by the gallon!! It was a hit - I think they liked the free alcohol best of all!

Here are all the kids - Aidan is in the middle holding the American flag:
Here are some of the men - Brendan is not in the picture - he was running around getting things all set up.

An evening out

Brendan's class had a dinner party last night at a beautiful restaurant in a nearby town. They actually only do private parties so I don't know if you would call it a restaurant but it was fantastic. The men all wore tuxedos - very British! The meal was excellent - appetizers and champagne, baked brie or pate as a starter, Beef Wellington as the entree, creme brule or chocolate tarte for dessert, then cheese, biscuits and port and then tea or coffee. The meal took about 4 hours - and no one cried or had to be put on the toilet!