We found a house!!!

I am so excited I could scream! Today at 10:30am we sign the lease for our new house!!! It is gorgeous! It is a stone house. The exterior is a couple centuries old but the interior has been completely remodeled and it is stunning. Atleast compared to the other homes we had to choose from in our price range. It has 2 lounges (living rooms), a dining room, large open kitchen, 3 bedrooms, the master has an ensuite, 2.5 bathrooms, and it's 1400 sq feet. I love it! One down side is it's 3 stories and it has no yard. However there is a park a couple blocks down the street with lots of fun toys in it and a huge field next to it, we are also a couple blocks from the footpath that leads to the trail by the river. Also there is this dog park that is probably 10 acres all fenced in with forest and grass that Grace could run free in. Here are some pics of the house:

The front of the house. We have all the house including the pop out part and everything to the right of it.

The kitchen and living area with the dining room off to the right. Believe it or not there is a dishwasher in those cabinets by the sink. Fancy huh?

Upstairs living room with a little nook

Master bedroom with ensuite through that door.

Family bathroom, a shower is hidden to the left.

2nd bedroom, the 3rd bedroom is similar.

We have a view of this church right outside our windows.

our cool keys

We feel so blessed to have found this house. Believe me we were starting to feel worried that we'd be stuck in a cramped tiny house for 3 years. But luckily it fell into our laps.

We had some silly experiences while we were house hunting. Like, one landlord told us the neighborhood was very safe. The only thing that happens is that in the summer the gypsies would walk through the neighborhood and knock on your door if you have scrap metal in your yard and ask if they can have it. I can't believe they really have gypsies! I could legitimately say, "Those gypsies are back!" haha!

Another interesting experience was that the first house we saw looked large and nice in the pictures. When we went to go see it we realized why it was so cheap. It was literally 6 feet from the train tracks and right next to a rather busy road. While the letting agent was showing us this house we could see the train worker walk right past the living room window in his reflective vest. Later while we drove past it we saw a pay phone on one wall and a bench for passangers to wait at against another wall. When Matt asked the agent about the train she said, its just a passenger train so it just wooshes by. The previous tenant never complained. Matt then asked how often it passed by and she said EVERY HALF HOUR. Ridiculous huh? Needless to say we weren't that interested in that place.

While we were house hunting it started hailing! In June!

We also had fish and chips for the first time in England. We ate it in Newmarket in a shop that was run by an Armemian or someone of foreign descent. We probably should've had the kebabs and it would've been more authentic but the fish was super flakey and delicious. The ketchup was TERRIBLE! It must've been homemade or something but it was super tangy. yuck! Definitely not Heinz. Matt liked it though {of course he would, his taste buds are weird, he doesn't like chocolate :) }

Ketchup was squirted before I knew how vile it was.

Matty enjoying every bite

Yummm! Just a side note, I love malt vinegar on my fries and fish. Matty says it's disgusting and no one else likes it but me. I'll have you know that there was a bottle of malt vinegar on every table at this little shop.

We also got to go on a side trip to Cambridge. Wow, talk about stressful. Cambridge is a pretty large city, we didn't really know when we started driving there but as we were driving through all the traffic we realized it was a lot bigger than any of the places we'd been to so far. As we were driving into the city center we saw all of these signs for park and rides into the city. Matty thought we should do it but I didnt want to. wah waaaahhhh. Not a great idea. So we're driving in this city Matty's getting stressed cause we have no clue where to go and I keep telling him to go left or right just barely before the intersections and it's driving him bonkers. Then, as we are getting totally lost Matt informs me that he SERIOUSLY has to use the restroom and that he just might pee his pants. We look anywhere for a place to park and can't find anything. Then to top it off Ty is getting frustrated and has a meltdown. Ty's sobbing. I'm trying to find his binky from the front seat and trying to soothe him while Matt is stressed about having to use the restroom and being completely lost. We finally pass by a gas station and we pull in but they dont have a bathroom so we're left to drive on. Finally we pass by a McDonalds and he runs in while I try to cheer up Ty. We quickly got back on the road and drove straight home. As of right now Cambridge is not our favorite place. But while in the traffic jams and being lost we found this cool church.

Mom, dad, there are tons of these all over the place. But they're definitely not sports cars.

But Ty has been getting so big and doing so many fun things. Here is our section dedicated to our little man:

Sitting in the high chair while I make dinner.

Making faces

Ty standing.

What's up?

Mommy!!!

 

Standing unaided. 

Doesn't he look like he's praying? He's so cute.

Daddy son time. Just goofin' around

Again, I was not present for this.

Laughing at the doctor's office.

More fun.

Looking at daddy.

East Anglia

My boys, gotta love em'

Lakenheath, where I currently reside, is in East Anglia. It is so fun to say "Anglia" and it sounds so pretty. And it is soooo beautiful here. The rolling hills, green fields, stone homes and tall trees are so picturesque.

Every little town like, Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Ely, Brandon... all have their own stone churches that look ancient. It's so cool. They all have little graveyards with mossy and lopsided old stone tombstones. I am so tempted to pull over and run into the cemetery and just see if I can read how old one of them is. This is in Eriswell.

One of the many stone cottages in the little villages. I would feel completely transported into one of my Jane Austen novels if it weren't for the cars that are parked everywhere. Did you know they park their cars on the streets so that they completely block your lane  and you can park on any side of the road facing any which way. Its very confusing. 

Yes, that is a legitimate thatched roof. Crazy huh? 

 Its been almost a full work week since we've arrived. We've had the chance to drive around and look at a few houses. Apparently they raise the prices on homes to let that are around the base. Especially if you are an American. We got to see one home that the tenant showed for us and gave us some inside information. He is also in the military. The two homes next to his with 4 bedrooms are currently being let to a Brit for 700 pounds a month. The home we looked at was a 3 bedroom home and it was listed at 1075 pounds a month. What a difference in price eh?

So I just had a terrifying experience. I was driving on base in our...NEW CAR!! Well...technically not new but new to us. It is a Toyota, steering wheel on the right side and its a different model but basically like a Camry but with leather seats. Its nice. We got it for 1550 dollars, not pounds but dollars. We feel so lucky we found it. Definitely an answer to our prayers. But I was driving it back and I couldn't figure out why this guy was driving in my lane. We were getting closer and closer and he wasn't figuring it out. Then I realized I was driving on the right side, not the left!! I seriously ducked my head and made sure not to make eye contact with the other driver. SOOOO embarrasing.
I constantly have to chant to myself, "left side, left side, left side...." or else I get confused.

We got new iphone 4s!! Yay! I took this video of Matty driving in a roundabout.

So Matt has been going to all of these classes and briefings to get him all set at this base. Today I got to go to one with Ty who has been wonderful except for the fact that he has a cold. So I was at this class with Ty and he starts pushing and farting and making lots of bowel noises. Also, you know when they push out the poop and you hear it shoot out and fill their diaper? He did that like 4 times in this 30 minute class. It was really akward for me to leave so I was just trying not to hold him on his bottom or let him sit down. But then he got fussy and I had to pick him up and hold him in the back of the room. The class ends and I look at the back of his cute sleeper and he's had a blowout. Here is a pic of his first blowout in England. We're excited to see more houses and continue to explore. We love it here!!!

Laying there as I grab wipes, stuff for a bath and his new clothes.

A pic from behind. it was much darker in real life and had seeped out of the sides of the diaper as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kentucky and Tennessee visit

So much fun crammed into so few days!! I can't believe we're in England already. I feel so blessed to have been able to be with all my immediate family and grandmother. There were some definite highlights like we got to try Chipoltle for the first time. I agreed with my dad that Qdoba is better but it was fun to be with everyone. We tried Steak and Shake and I like it! (think of commercial for shake and bake with the little girls saying it). And we also got to try a fab new frozen yogurt place called Orange Leaf.
It was just like Froyo Earth except it's flavors were better and there were sooo many of them. I loved brownie batter and confetti cake.

Kristin took us on a Frankfort adventure. We saw the governer's mansion. Ate at Melissa's in Versailles. Which was super yummy and home towny.

 Then we got to see....drum roll please...a Frank Lloyd Wright house!!! He's my favorite architect of ALL time!!

 Then Cassie and Kevin flew in and Ty got to hangout with his aunt and uncle!! He LOVES them!! Don't worry other aunts and uncles. He loves you too!!

We were going and going and going like the Energizer bunny and obviously Matt couldn't keep up. Neither could Ty, Grace or Ben.

 Here we are at a family breakfast before Matt and I left for Tennesse for a few days. We all ate at Cracker Barrel. Again, here I am talking about how amazing the food is. I think I know why it's so hard to get rid of the weight. I love the food too much. But just so you know, the blueberry pancakes are stellar!! Take my dad's advice and get extra syrup. Yumm!!

 Here is Ty in the pool for his second time swimming!! The first time we were at a lake and had the boat breakdown and we all got in the water and pushed and pulled the boat. It was inching along and then I jokingly suggested they should tie a rope around me and we'd really start cruising. Well...they threw me a rope and I towed the boat!! It was pretty cool!! Great workout.

 Then Matt and I went to Tennessee and saw Josh and Brooke.It was super fun. We hung out at Brooke's gym and jumped on all the crazy trampolines, did cartwheels, tried back handsprings and the best part about it was we were the only ones there!! Then we swam at Brooke's mom's pool. Marco Polo has never been more fun! And finally we drove to Nashville and visited the Opry Land Hotel. AMAZING!! It was gorgeous! I wanted to spend the night there!

This is a pic of Nashville as we were getting ourselves lost trying to find Bombasha. A Brazilian steakhouse! YUMM!! I got a real taste of the joys of motherhood that night. First Ty had a blowout and I had to change him at the restaurant. When I went into the bathroom there was no counter or any space to change his diaper. So I had to put down the toilet lid and change him on top of it. Then he started crying at the top of his lungs cause he didn't want to be changed. And after I had calmed him he started bawling again and Matt took him outside so I could eat something but it was obvious that Ty was hungry. The car had been parked by a valet so I had to ask for the keys and nursed Ty in the car for the next 20 min. By the time I got back everyone was stuffed and so I had to eat as quickly as possible as it was getting late. The bonus about being outside of the restaurant was that I didn't get swept into the craze of feeding frenzy. I was able to eat as much as would satisfy me. Then I had enough room for Maggie Moos!! 

 One really exciting part of our trip was the fact that Ty has grown soooo much!!! He had a few firsts. Like he started playing with toys for the first time. Now he can't stand to be in his seat without a toy! Also, he started taking steps (while being supported). It was sooo cool!!

I loved our time in horse country! The rolling hills were beautiful, the homes were stunning and spending time with family is priceless!

Did I mention I have some pretty cool sisters? One of them, Kristin just got a new camera and her husband Gus took pictures of Ty for us. Here are a few!

 Gracie running free in my parent's 5 acres of grass!! I think she like it there!

 Bennie Boo wishing he could join in the fun. Too bad he runs away when he's let loose.

 Some family fun pics.

 Kristin Grandmother and Cassie after our big family dinner with the Wilsons and Christine. Kevin and his dad caught fresh King Salmon in Alaska and brought some for us to eat!!

 Gracie and Bennie Boo just chillin' together!

Mimi with her first grandbaby Ty!!

It was sooo fun, sad its over but the good news is that since my parents discovered they can't stand to be away from us they're planning on visiting us next January for a month!!! Atleast they say that now. It could be that once my sister Kristin has her baby they won't want to leave him or her. Hope they know we would love for them to come!!!

I know I could make this blog more interesting but life has been so jam packed with fun and craziness that I have soo much to cover. For instance I have to let you know that Ty is a pro traveller. He is amazing on the plane. He never cries and all of the passengers around us were so surprised at how good he was. He slept almost the entire way here. I definitely feel like Heavenly Father blessed us. Well, gotta unpack!! Next time I blog it will be about the England adventures!!