Playing

Playing
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie is saying, "Thomas get Mater, Oliver get Mater." For those of you who aren't die hard Thomas fans, Oliver is one of the green trains. Just thought it was a cute moment to watch O play on his own without knowing that the camera was on!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Most people know about Ollie's food issues.  He spent the summer of 2007 puking, and after numerous visits to the doc and then finally to a pediatric gastroenterologist, O was diagnosed with an allergy to casein.  Instead of being lactose intolerant (lactose is a carbohydrate), he is allergic to the protein in milk.  This means that we avoid anything that has milk in it (yogurt, butter, or anything cooked with milk) and the protein in soy is similar enough that we avoid soy as well.  It is a pain, but its far better than not knowing the cause of the puke!  

  

Today, I had a dietician come to our home to help me make sure that he's getting as many calories and the right kind of calories as well.  We're doing pretty well overall, according to Ruth.  She was able to give me some pointers and some recommendations for a dairy-free margarine that we can use on toast and in recipes.  So, with a new margarine and some dairy free dark chocolate chips, Ollie and I are going to bake and eat our first batch of chocolate chip cookies this afternoon!  I can't tell you how excited I am to watch him enjoy something that so many kids his age are able to.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Oh, there's a silver lining to all of this as well.  Ruth gave me the stats (can't remember them now), but most kids grow out of this allergy by the time they're two or three.  She thinks that O will be ready to slowly reintroduce some dairy this spring!  

Here's the recipe for the Deceptively Delicious Cookies that some friends were asking about.  They're REALLY yummy...

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread (I normally use light butter)

2 large egg whites

2 t pure vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I usually process them in a blender)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats (like Quakers)

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Mix the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon or on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then the chickpeas.  Add the flour and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.  Add chocolate chips.

4. Drop the dough by tablespoon full onto the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.  Press gently with a fork to flatten.  Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11 to 13 minutes; do not overbake.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

5. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Hilarious!

Its times like these that make me REALLY miss living in the US.  Check out this link if you want a great laugh...

Tina Fey Parodies Sarah Palin on SNL Premiere - TV News, Sarah Palin, Tina Fey : People.com

Tears are rolling down my cheeks!  

Thank You

Abi and I ventured up to Nottingham yesterday so that I could run in the Robin Hood Half Marathon.  There were something like 13,000 people running in some capacity yesterday.  Its an amazing experience to run 13 miles in a crowd!  The town of Nottingham put on a great event, with tons of cheerers, lots of water stands, and a jazz band playing live music.  I saw scooby doo, a caveman, a super hero, a cow, a mouse, and a man pushing another in a wheel chair.  It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.  If you get the chance, Nottingham is a great town with great architecture, fun history, and a fabulous shopping area.  On our drive home, we also detoured through Stratam to avoid some traffic.  We saw three huge churches and lovely brown stone buildings as we sat waiting for traffic lights.  

I wanted to post a thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me as I trained and ran the half marathons...

To my husband and son, thank you for the support and the encouragement to run both half marathons.  Having you both in my life inspires me to be a better person.

To Abi, thanks for making the mini road trip with me, thanks for cheering for me, and thanks for encouraging me throughout the whole process.

To Julie S, thanks for training with me and for running the Mildenhall Half with me.  Yesterday wouldn't have gone so well if you hadn't been my running buddy!

To Anna E, thanks for watching Ollie on some of the long training runs...couldn't have done it without your help.

To friends and family, thanks for the encouragement and the congrats.  The kind words are very much appreciated!

Congrats--again!

Congratulations again to Dori--this time for finishing the Robin Hood Half Marathon in 2:02!

Fun finds

Google Analytics is amazing!  I could tell that someone in New Orleans (I'm guessing my Aunt B) checked my blog on the 9th of September AND I could tell that someone (Katie) checked my blog from Hanoi!!  I was able to find some extra blogs to add to my list!!!  Thanks friends...its good to read about your adventures : )

Helping Mommy

Helping Mommy
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Isn't that the cutest grin that you've ever seen!  Does this kid know what to do in front of a camera or what?  Last weekend, Ollie and I adapted a recipe to meet his dietary needs. They actually turned out really well without eggs or milk.  Ollie nibbled some of them, but I don't think that he was to keen on the texture just yet.   Things here are going pretty well.  The sun made a brief appearance last Wednesday while Ollie was at nursery.  After a nice run, I took the pup into town so that I could enjoy Market day and a cuppa at our favorite coffee spot.  You might think that tying a dog to the center of an outdoor table would signal dibs to the world, but not so to one couple walking by.  Fortunately, the couple took my polite hints well enough and let me enjoy a cappuccino and a chapter of my current book while the dog ate a pigs ear from the pet stand.  I don't often indulge on pure Mommy time, but the day was to nice to pass up.  

In other exciting news, we're planning a T & D getaway to Rome for a few days in early October.  Instead of carting Ollie-man around to the Coliseum and the Vatican, he's going to spend a few days with some friends.  I'm not sure if they'll be able to pry him away from the train table or the copious amounts of little boy toys.  We're going to have a trial run while they watch Ollie for my second half marathon.  Really, I'm going to run an entire marathon if you don't think much about the two week break that I took in the middle!  

Ollie and I are planning some nice surprises for Dad, who should be back from a long "business trip" in just a few more weeks.  I would tell you, but then I'd have to kill you (or block Tim from reading the blog).  Alright...I'm off to bed after a nice evening with the girls.  I was able to employ one of the babysitters last minute in order to escape to the movies.  Hope you're all doing well!

Popsicle

Popsicle
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Eating a rare treat at the Bressingham Gardens.  This video isn't nearly as cute as the other one, but I've figured out how to easily upload videos.  Thought the grandparents might enjoy this, at least.

I Love You Daddy

I Love You Daddy
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

The first "I love you" goes to Dad! Its amazing to watch Ollie's vocabulary skills develop. We're also working on please and thank you, but they're not nearly as cute. Gramma's, hopefully you're next!

Congratulations

...to Dori for running the Mildenhall Half Marathon on Friday morning.  Well Done!

Tim

Sleeping Angel

Sleeping Angel
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

There is nothing like the looking at your child as they sleep...a perfect picture of peace and serenity. Ollie's still doing well with the big boy bed, so I finally removed the crib from his room while he was at nursery today. We'll see how nap time goes!

Ollie does the funniest things sometimes. After a pretty naughty morning, I asked Ollie if he wanted to go to bed. I've found that he acts out if he's particularly tired or hungry. Since he wasn't eating much, I thought I'd try option B. Oddly enough, he answered "Ollie nap," after I asked him! He made his usual noises, but when I checked on him, he was curled up in the corner between his animals.

Since I'm on the sleeping topic, I'll give you the complete update. His bedtime has been bumped up to 7:30 or 8, depending upon our day. I was actually able to get up BEFORE him this morning, which was a welcome break. If he hadn't heard me moving around he probably would have slept in later. With the later bedtime, he's had later wake up times too. It probably helps that I tried my hardest to get him to stay in bed until 7!

Since I have the crib out of his room, I have finished hanging things. All that I need to do is order some pictures to fill a couple frames, and his room will be DONE! I'm also in the midst of painting our house. I know, you might think that its not worth it when we'll only be here for another year and a bit, but I am done looking at dirty walls. So if you're in my neck of the woods, pop over sometime and check out the "slate green" in my hallway or the "crushed cotton" in the master bedroom.

Hope all is well with you all!

All About Me

"Its when you're safe at home that you wish you were having an adventure.  When you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home." - Thornton Wilder

I sometimes feel that I should put an advance warning on a long, wordy blog.  Perhaps I should let the reader know that I'm about to expound upon my life and thoughts in a chaotic, tangent filled, ramble.  But...I won't warn you.  Its a blog and if you don't want to read it, you won't.

I recently stumbled across two friends' blogs and I've enjoyed reading about their adventures this summer and I'm inspired to write more about ME this post and less about my kid.  In England, there seem to be two types of spouses.  Those who have kids, and those who don't.  Most of us will eventually wear the Mommy hat...it's just a matter of time.  Despite the inevitability, there is a divide between the two.  No one can prepare you for the all consuming job of motherhood.  So you join the club, looking over your shoulder with sad eyes during another two am feeding at the days gone by.  The Moms wonder what those people without kids do to fill their days (they must be so happy ALL of the time!  Honestly, how do they fill the hours?), and the "single" gals stay busy taking care of life (running their own small business, continuing their education, helping the Moms with their little ones, keeping our community strong, and taking care of life in a different country).

So, I  sometimes feel a slight pang of jealousy after browsing my friends' summer stories...I can't travel easily, I can't sleep in (I say a prayer of thanks when I don't hear my "alarm clock" until 7 am), I can't go out at night without paying an ungodly amount to a babysitter, and I can't lay on the sofa and watch movies all day (or do anything else that interferes too much with nap time).  Its so easy to fall into the "what ifs" day dream, but its a slippery slope. 

Its all a reminder that the grass is always greener on the other side, you shouldn't wish your life away, and you can't have your cake and eat it too.  I have to remind myself that one day, I will sleep in again.  I too, will be able to travel on a plane without chasing a toddler up and down the aisle, and reading Where the Wild Things Are to my not-quite-two-year-old son brings an amazing amount of joy to the both of us.  My life would be so different if I hadn't had a baby and the experiences and friendships that go along with the journey. 

If you see me chasing my busy kid around, please remember a few things:

I have galloped bareback, I was at Woodstock '99  watching the Red Hot Chilli Peppers play while the fires started, my husband and I had a very romantic long-distance relationship during college, I'm training for a half marathon in 8 days (and I'll probably run another one two weeks after that), I finished a sprint triathlon this summer in 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 45 seconds,  one day I will get my masters degree and find employment outside my home, I love my husband, and I love my little boy.  

I am a great Mom, but I am more than just a Mom.   

Life is a juggling act, so we have to examine the balls that we have in the air to see if they're still worth the bother.

  

My life is made wonderful by the fabulous friends that I am privileged to know.  My husband, is of course, the best friend that I have.  I also have friends that I can call after a six month lapse in communication, and talk like we live down the street.  I have a great friend who endlessly listens to my worries, fears, and insecurities and always gives me great advice (you know who you are), I have a friend who hires a babysitter and has her husband stay with my kid so that I can get out of the house.  I have a friend who kid-swaps so that I can get a workout and another who watches my kid so that I can train for the half-marathon.  I have friends who laugh at my jokes, give me parenting advice, and I have two friends (who write about their summer adventures) that were willing to watch my son so that my Mom and I could enjoy some time together in London.  I have a great family that loves me and cares for me while my husband is away, great in-laws who spoil me (and take care of me), and a fabulous husband who works very hard to provide for our family and who also trains very hard to be the best at what he does (the guys and gals all train very hard).

My life is full of blessings, so here's to appreciating what you have when you have it.  When you start to add them up, the blessings overwhelmingly outweigh the "what ifs."  My cup runneth over.

Swing

Swing
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Wow! I finally figured out an easy way to upload videos. Hope it works and enjoy! Ollie sure did. We had a nice day at the Steam Gardens and Museum. Thomas was there that day, so Ollie had a blast seeing Thomas the Tank Engine and his pals.

Such a Joy

Ollie and I have had such a good morning.  Life has been so hectic and busy lately that I decided to really relax today and enjoy his company.  

We played with his "new trains" and some of the other toys in his room.  He spent a solid five minutes putting the trains on top of the wooden bridge just to watch them slide down one way or the other and say "Wee!  Thomas, wee!  Percy, wee! Oliver, wee!"  There is also an engine named James, which he calls Jimmy.  For the life of me, I can't figure out where he picked that up!  

We read some stories before naptime (one of our favorite activities...you can't beat cuddling time).  It's amazing to see him explore and discover the same books that we've been reading for months.  

The big boy bed is still going well.  I'm going to bite the bullet and remove the crib next week.  I was also able to locate the charger for the camera battery, so I'll post some pictures soon.

Compromise

I LOVE this age.  Okay the tantrums aren't fun, but it seems that Ollie and I have figured each other out lately so the tantrums seem to come less often.  Its a fine balance between accomplishing what I need to and letting Ollie take the time that he needs to explore and discover.  It also helps to have a regular food and sleep schedule.  Anyway, we had the perfect example of this compromise on our walk home this evening.  A good friend invited us over for dinner and since she lives only about a half a mile away, we walked.  Ollie didn't want to ride in the stroller on the way home, so I let him walk for a little while.  The street that my friend lives on is rather busy, so I wanted Ollie to ride in the stroller.  Since he has perfected the arching back/board baby technique, forcing him into the stroller isn't an easy option.  So, I decided to try and reason with him.  He needed to ride in the stroller, but when we got to our neighborhood he could get out of his stroller and walk.  I'll be darned, but it worked!  The walk into our neighborhood also took about 30 minutes, but we thoroughly enjoyed picking grass, petting the cat and dog that passed by, and inspecting the ground.  Its an amazing experience to watch him explore all of the things that we take for granted. 

One quick story before I sign off.  While we were on a walk in Germany last weekend, Ollie picked up a stick and began to walk with it or pull it behind him (who knew how much fun a stick could be).  At one point Tim handed him a taller stick (Ollie was hunching over so that he could walk with the stick like a cane), but Ollie told Tim that it was Daddy's stick.  After a few more paces, he stopped and picked up another stick and handed it to me saying, "Mommy's stick."  Its the little things in life that bring joy.

A German Wedding

Tim and I were honored to travel to Germany this weekend to attend the wedding of our good friends Lukas and Anna.  We've known them for several years and have become closer since we moved to the UK.  Lukas and Anna are always gracious hosts, and this weekend was no exception.  Not only did we meet some really interesting people, we had a very unique and unforgettable experience.  

Ollie was able to hang out with Erik (2) and Sophie (2 1/2).  Even though none of them were proficient at their first language, it was amazing to watch them communicate and play in the universal language of toddlers.  I think Ollie has even picked up some German words over the weekend.  

Every experience that we've had with Germans (okay, they are friends and not just random people off of the street) has been great.  Although we were the only non-Germans at the wedding, everyone that we ran into spoke very good English.  It speaks to their good manners, but many times someone would apologize for not speaking proper English (and invariably they had near perfect fluency).   

Overall, we had a very relaxing and long weekend.  Tim was able to take Friday off, so we relaxed and enjoyed some quality family time.  Ollie finds lots of pleasure in throwing rocks and identifying every thing that he can.  He runs an almost constant commentary on what he sees, what he's doing, what he has just done, what he's about to do, and if all else fails he will talk about his favorite things.  We'll ride along in the car for a little while and hear, "Freight cars.  Naughty freight cars." (Thanks Grandma M for the Thomas videos!)  Freight cars sound a lot like white cars.  It was an exciting moment when Tim and I realized what Ollie was saying, because Ollie will often repeat the word or phrase until you acknowledge what he's saying.  A good strategy when you're working on diction.  A quick note on all of this chatter, by the way.  I remember hearing, many times, that I would be so excited to hear him speak his first words (very true), but very ready for him to stop talking once he started.  I must say that the second half of this statement isn't true.  The exploding vocabulary helps he and I communicate better, which cuts down on temper tantrums (always a plus).  So, I love the talking.  Ask me again in a year, and maybe I'll feel differently.  I hope not.  

Big Boy Bed

It all happens SO quickly!  Ollie is asleep in his big boy bed for the first time.  I thought I'd just put it in his room and let him get used to it, but he was so excited about it that there wasn't much choice in the matter.  He climbed into it and proclaimed, "sleep, Ollie."  And, instead of the tantrum associated with bedtime, he fell asleep after about 15 minutes of winding down time (pretty standard).  Let's hope the happiness continues!  And a big thanks to Kim.  I learn so much from observing her and the great way that she raises her oldest son, Adam.  Taking her lead, I told Ollie that he had to stay in bed until we get him.  So far this evening, its worked!

Ollie Update

Ollie continues to thrive in toddler-hood.  He says a TON of words, with new ones everyday.  I'm afraid that glimmers of terrible twos appear without warning.  Ollie is still a very opinionated kid, and look out if he's tired or hungry.  On the flip side, he's also a very sweet kid giving kisses and hugs to everyone.  The picture is of a play-date with Adam and Will.  They were giving each other a group hug.  You can see my hand stabilizing the toddler tower, since they often push each other over in the process.  Little boys...never a dull moment!

Busy Day!

                     William Ellis Kinzer, 7 lbs. 12 ounces, and 21 inches long

                      Josiah Paul Ganske, 8 lbs. 2 ounces, and 19 inches long.

We're very pleased to welcome both William Ellis Kinzer and Josiah Paul Ganske, both born on July 24th (Zach Segal's birthday).  We're very thankful that all three of these baby boys made it into the world safely.  Congrats guys!

Zachary David Segal

Our good friends welcomed their second son into the world this afternoon.  He's 21 inches tall and a hefty 8 lbs 7 ounces.  Congrats Kim and Scott!  Days like today are great reminders of the miracle of life.  Kim is a great Mom, and its been nice to have her a little ahead of me to warn me of the pitfalls of parenting.  I know that she and Scott will be fabulous with the second one as well.

Time Out

So what do you do with a misbehaving toddler?  All parents go through the discipline question...it's inevitable.  Tim and I don't love the idea of spanking (at this age, at least), so time out seems like an acceptable alternative to let Ollie know that some behavior is unacceptable.  So, this morning when he pulled Risby's tail, I put him in time out.  He's only there for a minute, and when he's done I reinforce, "No pulling Risby's tail."  Ollie knows that he isn't supposed to do it.  I continue to get some work done around the house, and I notice that Ollie is bringing lamb, bear, bus, and Sally (from Cars) to sit in time out with him (he put himself there again).  "Bus, time out, lamb, time out."  It was adorable, but oh the guilt I felt!  After we returned from the gym, I gave him a reprimanding look for eating a freezer cube (its nontoxic, but it doesn't need to be destroyed).  I didn't intend for him to go to time out, but he sent himself there anyway.  Oh, the things these kids do!  He keeps a smile on my face, that's for sure.

At the Beach

At the Beach
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

While my Mom was here, we went to Southwold, a cute town on the coast about an hour from where we live. We had a good time and Ollie loved everything about the beach. Unfortunately, its not North Carolina, so it wasn't very warm. What you see in the picture is as far as I went into the water.

Spaghetti Night

IMG_8121.JPG
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Gotta love a toddler feeding himself. Man, does this kid love spaghetti sauce!

Editorializing...

Want a good read about the US and the problems we face?  Check the link below:

Article on income inequality

Comments are welcome... encouraged in fact.  I like this article because I think it gets to the heart of what politics and government is all about when it asks: "what kind of society do we want to live in?"

- Tim

Driving

Driving
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

This is one of Ollie's favorite places to be. He loves to "drive" the car and I often find that the windshield wipers and blinkers are on once I start the engine. Always good for a laugh!

cheering section

cheering section
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

reference previous post -- here's Ollie with the sign he made (OK, well he didn't really make it) for mom.

He didn't quite get what was going on (when Dori got in the water he starting taking his clothes off because he thought he was going to go swimming too), but by the end he had it figured it out and was very happy to see mom at the finish line

Triathlons and Barbeques

Happy 4th everyone!  We decided to celebrate Independence Day with some British friends and neighbors and some old friends who are moving to our (relative) neck of the woods.  We made do with Coors Light instead of Sam Adams, and Tim made his famous burgers.  

Since we're staying in the UK for another year and a half or so, we decided to rent a storage unit nearby in lieu of moving house.  We're putting Ollie in the bigger room and his room will become a study/storage room.  I bought blue paint for Ollie's walls, so I'll update with pictures once I get the room painted.  After moving furniture, we managed to take a walk through some of the public footpaths that fill the countryside here in Suffolk.  Our walk began through a horse pasture, home to a large and very curious chestnut.  Ollie, as always, was a character.  He had a great time pulling a large stick behind him and checking out the goodies that nature had to offer.  Things were going well, until he decided to stop, turn around, and announce "Home, back," and he began to walk in the opposite direction.  We were able to continue on a bit further, but it was the beginning of the end.  After our walk, we visited the Flying Fortress where we enjoyed a pint and Ollie enjoyed his dinner, the wheat field, and the playground.

Tim and Ollie were great cheerleaders for me as I took raced another sprint triathlon this morning.  I managed to finish a 750 m swim, 18 km bike, and 5k run in about an hour and a half.  The run was a little bit short, but overall the course was pretty good.  Two of my friends ran the race with me, which was a nice treat.  After a hot bath, a power nap, and a neck rub, I'm as good as new.

PS Check out the Anna and Jim link to the right if you're interested in a more detailed description of our trip to Bordeaux

No Excuse is a Good Excuse

It seems that every night arrives after a very busy day, leaving me little to no time to post.  As I was checking my friends' blogs (something I do obsessively), I realized that I should just go ahead and post even if its not the perfect post.  Ollie man and I took the trek down to Gatwick Airport this morning to drop my Mom off.  We were very sad to see her off after the best visit that we've ever had.

We were REALLY lucky and didn't hit any traffic to speak of, and the day was beautiful and sunny as we drove down the M11.  Since Ollie slept in the car, we stopped at the BXtra to buy some paint supplies and a new lunch box.  We're switching Ollie to the bigger room and converting his old room into a really big closet.  You know that men designed the bathrooms in the UK, because the only thing that you can plug in in the bathroom, is a shaver.  This leaves me several feet away from a mirror as I dry and fix my hair.  So, the new room will be the place for that.  Exciting stuff!  Well, I'm acutally really excited to get Ollie's room set up, because we're going to put him in a big boy bed AND I will be able to take a shower while he's napping (sounds like a small thing, but its actually a real hassle).  He's able to climb out of the crib, he just doesn't know it yet.  We'll have to take the plunge one day, so it might as well be before he hurts himself climbing out.

Ollie's still a busy little guy.  He says a TON of words and his enunciation gets better everyday.  He can clearly say "Thomas," as in the tank engine.  McQueen has a rival for his affection.    Ollie has been a ton of fun lately, as long as he's not throwing a typical toddler temper tantrum.  Ollie is no shrinking violet and will let you know exactly what he'd like you to do, and if you don't do it, you might see the angry upset face.  Fortunately, the episode's don't last too long.

Alright...I'm out.  Hope everyone's well!

Bavaria and Bordeaux

Where to begin...the past three weeks have been the busiest on record for us.   I promise to elaborate more (with pictures), but here a quick summary: the Mackay/Laney clan arrived on the 23rd of May to visit the local scenery before hopping on another plane to Munich.  We spent a great week in Garmisch-Partinkirchen with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and their three kids.  We ditched them with Ollie at the airport in London and began the drive to Bordeaux with our good friend Tom.  Our friends Jim and Anna met us in Bordeaux city, where we enjoyed a fabulous Moroccan restaurant and a bottle of Dom courtesy of Tom's future employer.  We then enjoyed a child-free week (Thanks to Mom and her friend Danielle) in the countryside of Bordeaux.  As you can imagine, the full details will take more than one post.

Hope you all are well and I'll leave you with the news that the Spaulding clan is set to reside in the UK for another year!

All our Love,

Tim, Dori, and Ollie

My Favorite Men

Reading
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie LOVES to read stories, especially with his Dad. Not much is better than story time with the old man. Here's an update of the cute things that he's up to these days...when Ollie sees his toothbrush (or the bathroom its kept in, for that matter), he says "Toofies," which translates to "Mom I'd like to eat my toothbrush and I would love it even more if you'd put some of that yummy Thomas the Tank Engine toothpaste on it!" His obsession with McQueen continues and Mommy's kiss fixes everything. He loves to "help" vacuum the stairs or sweep the kitchen floor, and he likes to give the dog treats. We're in the stage where he'll pull me (or you) along by the hand if he wants you to sit with him, move, or anything else his toddler mind thinks up.
Hope all is well with everyone. We're busy planning our 5th anniversary trip to Bordeaux (combined with Grandma Mackay's trip to England...gotta love Grandparents!) and the trip to Bavaria with my sister, her husband, their three kids, and my folks. Should be a TON of fun and I can't remember the last time that I had two full weeks of vacation. Stay tuned for pictures!

for sale

market day
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

OK, some explanation here. The bazaaris in Bury sell many things: meat, cheese, vegetables, flowers, cards, books, and clothes. This particular stall has been selling clothes for as long as we've lived here anyway.

It might just be my foreign sensibilities, but I have always thought the type of clothes they sold at this particular stall was slightly odd...it just doesn't seem like the kind of thing that you would generally buy outside, in front of 200 of your neighbors!

I've wanted to get a picture of this unique point-of-sale for a long time, but was unable to muster the courage to stand there with my camera and take a picture...I don't embarrass all that easy, but I didn't want to get a reputation for being 'that pervy guy' taking pictures of knickers on the street.

So anyway, I was stuck. Normally in this situation I would use a telephoto lens, which is a good way to get candid photos of places and people without having to interrupt them by taking pictures of things they probably consider quite boring and usual. This place sits right against a building however, so that wasn't an option.

So this weekend, I was reading a book about Ian Fleming and had a flash of genius; on saturday I took ollie up in the pushchair, borrowed dori's camera, and flashed a picture, 007-style, as I walked by. Truly great (or truly sad), depending on your viewpoint I guess.

Important Phone Calls

Phone Calls
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

In the latest and greatest stage of development, Ollie has begun some imaginative play. He feeds lamb, puppy, McQueen, or bus (some of his favorite toys) bananas, pretzels, raisins, or whatever else he's snacking on. His bus obsession continues, so much so that he told the phone this morning, "the Bus! Car!" followed by some unintelligible phrases.

We're in the middle of Ollie's first ear infection. Knew that one had to come sometime. Fortunately, I think that we caught it early enough to avoid the super bad middle of the night high fever.

We're excited for a visit from the family in just a couple of weeks. We've told Ollie that Aunt Becky, Uncle Chris, Grandma, Grandpa, Alex, Sarah, and Katie are visiting soon, but all he seems to care about is his cousin Katie. She's four months younger than he is and they really hit it off. When they all get here, I'm sure that he'll be pumped to see the rest of the folks as well. We're blessed to have some great friends for Ollie, but there's something extra special about cousins. We can't wait to have them here!

Hope all is well with everyone. Drop us a line anytime and let us know how you are!

Take Care,
Dori

Ready to Party

Ready to Party
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

In the Tunnel

In the Tunnel
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

We're having a grand time with this age. Ollie loves to "help" with whatever I'm doing. We water the plants, cook, give treats to the dogs, or whatever else Mom or Dad are doing. Tess Wee is with us this week and man does Ollie love her. Ollie has also developed a love for "Puppy," a stuffed puppy dog that Meg gave him a LONG time ago. His other favorites include "There's a Wocket in My Pocket" and "Dinosaur Roar." Doesn't get any better than rhymes! He's very happy to read Dinosaur Roar over and over again. Mostly as a stall tactic to avoid bed or nap time.

The man's also going through a bout of separation anxiety. We pulled up to his nursery today, and he began to cry and scream before I'd even parked the car. The ladies at the nursery assure me that its harder on me than it is on him, and its a phase that he's going through. I hope so!

Ollie in the Gardens

Ollie in the Gardens
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

We've had GREAT weather here in jolly ol' England. Here's a pic of the man enjoying some outdoor time. He loves the fresh air.

Down With the Aphids!

The return of spring weather motivated me to garden a bit during Ollie's afternoon nap.  We're fortunate to have several rose bushes in the garden, but they're already covered with aphids.  Instead of covering the roses with noxious chemicals, I think that I'm going to head over to the garden shop again and see about some natural predators.  If only the spiders ate them!  We already have a generous helping of eight legged creatures out there.  

I'll post some pictures of the garden soon.  My mother-in-law is very handy in the garden and helped me get it started this year.  Should be nice once everything gets going.

Ollie's doing really well still.  Slept about two and a half hours today...woo hoo!  We're going to a luau themed event this evening so I'll post a picture of him in his real deal Hawaiin Shirt, courtesy of Katie Mills.

Hope all is well with everyone,

D

Papa

Papa
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie LOVED his Papa. Anytime we were away from him, he would ask in his adorable toddler voice "Papa, papa?" Its going to be a beautiful relationship as Ollie gets older.

On a side note, Ollie continues to do really well at nursery. He didn't even blink as one of the ladies took him back to the toddler area this morning. And normally, when I come to pick him up, he heads right for the door.  Today he was content to stay and play a little longer. 

In other good news, the transition from one nap to two seems to be complete. He sleeps between 2 and 3 hours in the afternoon, instead of one hour with a very grumpy afternoon ahead.  Its amazing how much you can get done without the pitter patter of his little feet!

Tired Boy

Tired Boy
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

After two days in London, Ollie was ready to sleep anywhere. Sleeping children are so peaceful, aren't they? We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa Spaulding, visiting the Natural History Museum and the Churchill War Rooms. Ollie had a fabulous time with the grandparents. Come back soon!!

The man is still a ton of fun. Ollie has definite ideas about what he does and doesn't want. He does like to watch Elmo (five-minute podcasts) and he does NOT like any type of clothing/diaper change. It slows down playtime to much. He really likes his books and will sit in a laundry basket on top of a pillow with Elmo, lamb, a blanket, and a few books while I shower or straighten the room.

We've hit another milestone this week. For the first time, Ollie used the potty. We've had many episodes where he says that he wants to use it just after a bath, only to have him pee all over the floor. It was nice to hit the bulls eye for once. We're in no rush to complete the training, but if he asks to use the potty who am I to deny him!

Keep an eye out for some great pics. We had a session with the fabulous Tara Lohse while the folks were in town. The sky was blue and the sun was shining...can't get better than that!

Ollie Update

Closeup
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie is more fun than not these days (when he's not recovering from a cold, that is!) He says some two word phrases like Choo-choo, bye-bye. Bye-bye is his new favorite these days.

Coffee with Grandpa

Coffee with Grandpa
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

We're having a great visit with Grandma and Grandpa Spaulding. It sure is nice to have extra help when Ollie hits the "five o'clocks" as we call them.

McQUEEN!!

McQUEEN!!
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Yes, those are swimming trunks he's wearing. If Ollie sees even a little bit of these, he grabs them and begs to put them on. He's a little obsessed with cars, trains, and Elmo. That's a boy for you!

Cooking Attire

Cooking Attire
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

After Tim wore his apron one evening, Ollie asked to wear it. He does the cutest things sometimes!

A Climber on Our Hands

Squinty Smile
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Yes, Oliver has learned how to climb OUT of his crib. Right in front of me, after an afternoon shower, the kid hiked one leg over and scaled down the side of the crib. I'll post a picture of his new big boy bed soon. Hah! The kid has an amazing amount of upper body strength.

On another note, Ollie is doing REALLY well at the Green Wellie. I celebrated by taking a riding lesson. Its been a really long time since I've trotted without stirrups! In typical English weather, the sun shone and spit hail on me within an hour. Me time is a fabulous thing.

not broken yet

not broken yet
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

OK, one more: our daffodils (2 weeks behind the rest of the daffodils around town), weren't big fans of the snow either.

al fresco

al fresco
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

And, in case you didn't get it enough already, it snowed this weekend, throwing my plans to enjoy a glass of wine on the patio into disarray.

sweater vest dudes

sweater vest dudes
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

I have been accused of being behind the camera far more than I am in front of it, so I am posting this picture to prove that the rumors of my disappearance have been greatly exaggerated. Note from this picture that even though I try to dress like my son, he still ends up looking cooler than I do!

Tim

Ollie and Mom in the snow

Ollie and Mom in the snow
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

I'm Dreaming of a White Easter

We had a GREAT Easter Sunday today, celebrating with some good friends. Despite the snow falling in big chunky flakes, We trekked out into the snow to attend the services held at the Abbey Cathedral in downtown Bury. After church, we enjoyed a quick coffee at Cafe Nero, and then it was off home to get ready for our dinner guests. Ollie did us the great favor of taking a two hour nap, so we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves when the guests arrived instead of slaving away in the kitchen, like we usually do! We had the pleasure of six adults and four babes (Ollie was the oldest) for Easter dinner. I'm happy to say that it was a success.

Go Gmail

Books!
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

I'm making the switch to gmail after several years with yahoo. If you're sending an e-mail to me, the first part stays the same and the last part is @gmail.com.

Ollie and I had a nice day today, but unfortunately no camera. He played in the creche (British word for nursery) while I jogged with the jogging group at the gym. After a nice nap, we walked into town so that Ollie could chase the ducks. There's not much cuter than a toddler trying to pet ducks and the ducks staying just far enough away. After some quality time in the playground, we met our friends Julia (a Mom friend), Archie, and Thomas (twin one-year-olds) at Starbucks for a nice dinner. It was a great way to break up the often painful late afternoon. By the time we arrived home, Ollie was almost ready for bed.

We're off to the nursery tomorrow, so I'll let you know how that goes. Hope you're doing well,
D

Goodnight Gorilla

Goodnight Gorilla
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie did the cutest thing the other day. As I was putting clean sheets on our bed, he gathered the pillows and made a spot for himself. He then went into his room and brought back lamb (his favorite stuffed animal) and one of his all-time favorite books, "Goodnight Gorilla." He then began to "read" to himself, using some of the same hand movements that I use when I read the book to him. It was so cute that I stood around the corner and pretended to do something else so that I could watch him without disturbing the moment.
In other Ollie news, we counted his words and he's over fifty. A light went on in his brain on Sunday, and he now understands what keys do. He took the car keys and walked around saying "KEY, KEY" as he tried to put them into anything remotely resembling a keyhole. Ollie still loves his dog, and can say "Risby" pretty clearly. On the down side, he's got the patience of a one year old, which means none at all. We have a little teddy bear stool that I've named the patience stool. I sit him on it while he waits for whatever I'm getting (lunch, milk, snack). It sort of works.
Ollie's going to nursery for the first time on Wednesday. The socialization will be great for him (he's got a LOT of Tim in him), and I'm very excited about some me time. Its a win-win situation! On our initial visit, I had a hard time tearing him away from the sand-pit. Overall, I had a warm and fuzzy feeling about the place, with nice, friendly staff and loads of activities to enrich his time. I'll keep you posted.
Hope everyone is doing well!
Talk to you soon,
D

Give me the Camera!

Give me the Camera!
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie only tolerates picture taking for so long before he wants to play.

Ollie in the Daffs

The Daffs
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Among the daffodils. Ollie had a great time walking and looking around the pretty yellow flowers.

Nowton Park

Nowton Park
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

We had a lovely Saturday afternoon walk among the daffodils in Nowton park.

Container Fun

Container Fun
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Since Ollie has shown some interest in the potty, we bought one for him. Its so fun that the box that things arrive in are just as much fun, if not more, than what's actually arrived.

What is she Doing?

What is she Doing?
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Really, the look says it all.

Fort Fun

Fort Fun
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

After our good friend John VY visited, I turned the pack-n-play over for Ollie's first fort. The man love to get into, well, everything, so he had a blast playing with this.

Stylist Ollie

Stylist Ollie
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

I don't normally put this much energy into fixing my hair, so the sight of Mom in curlers is a novelty. Ollie had a great time helping me take these out.

Life is a Cabaret

Well, we're back in the UK again. I meant to write a while ago, but I seem to stay busy these days. We've been back for a week and a half now and the jet lag wasn't too bad. Ollie really is a trooper. We were back in town long enough to unpack, dust, and do the laundry before heading down the road to see Cabaret in the Lyric Theatre in the West End. Our good friend's the Segals were able to watch Ollie, so Tim and I enjoyed some kid-free time. Although we had a later start to the day than we'd wished, Tim and I were able to catch the Rodchenko exhibit at the Hayward Gallery in London. Not only did I learn a lot about the artist and his influence on graphic design (he was the first to make collages) and art, we were able to visit the land of modern art while touring the other exhibit "Laughing in a Foreign Language." Where else can you enjoy listening to a cardboard box speak to you?

After the museum, Tim and I walked past the Eye and the Aquarium towards Westminster Abbey. Its always fun to watch the different people try to take shots with Big Ben in the background on the very busy bridge and to listen to the many different languages and dialects. Tim and I separated for a small while so that Tim could take some pictures and I could tour Westminster one more time. (The last time we were there, two month old Ollie became hungry in the middle of the Abbey and began to scream...needless to say, we didn't see all that the Abbey had to offer.) Unfortunately, the Abbey was closed by the time I arrived, so I walked around instead. We enjoyed a nice walk back to the RAF Club and then a leisurely walk to the West End. While a romantic dinner out would have been nice, we opted for a faster (but still very good) Japanese noodle bar instead. We enjoyed the first sushi that we've had in a long while. The show was amazing, set in the intimate Lyric Theatre. I'd forgotten how much I love live music and theatre.

We woke up early on Sunday morning to get in a 6 mile jog before breakfast. Sounds crazy, I know, but I'm training to run my first ever half marathon on April 6th. Something has to get rid of the pesky ten (ish) pounds that still hang around from Ollie's stay in my belly. If the thirteen miles won't do it, I hope that the five weeks of training will!! Anyway, our run was splendid and in perfect weather. Cold enough to make you want to run and warm up, yet not sweat very much. It was a great way to see the city in beautiful morning light. After working up an appetite, we had the Full English breakfast (tomato AND mushrooms) along with a nice cup of tea. It was a very British experience and one that I always enjoy. We made our way back to Bury after that, only to discover that part of the tube line was out of service. Fortunately, we were back on track after a ride on the national rail and a bus.

Thanks again to Scott and Kim for keeping the Ollie man. I don't think that he was in his best humor, getting over a cold and working on those last two front teeth! You guys are awesome.

Ollie continues to chat away. In an effort to teach manners, he has learned how to say please. It sounds much more like "peas" and is adorably cute. His personality shines through more and more everyday. His obsession with cars continues and he's still in love with Risby (who's still a saint). Ollie loves raisins and the computer. Its amazing to think how much more technologically savvy this generation will be. Ollie is also now awake, so I'll end this very long update with the promise to update more often (with more pictures!)

On the Road Again

As you can see, Ollie's anxious to get back to the island. While we're excited to sleep in our own beds and return to the Riz, I must admit that I dread the week of jet lag that's inevitable with toddlers. But before we know it, the daffodils, crocus, and tulips that I planted this fall will pop up announcing the arrival of spring. The ducklings that live by the pond in front of their house will waddle quickly after their mothers and the days will become longer and warmer. Yes, we eagerly anticipate the end of winter in East Anglia.

Can't wait to see you folks in the UK...I hope to make it to crud practice on Monday!
Cheers,
Dori

Friends and Mochas

Hope you enjoy this classic family picture. After a long Christmas day, the kids enjoyed splashing and playing with the rubber ducks.

Life's been busy but fun for the Spaulding clan. During a week visiting our friends the Teels in North Carolina, Ollie and I drove to Asheville for a friend's wedding. We had a great time catching up with the Colorado crowd and taking in a little of the beauty that part of the world has to offer. It was painful to keep left instead of right as I drove back east to Goldsboro instead of heading west to Maryville. One day I'll make it back there for another visit.

Tim and I had the opportunity to get away for the weekend and drive down to the Big Easy. We had beignets, drinks at the famous Carousel Bar (which is in the hotel where our reception was), stood in Jackson Square where he proposed, and shopped at Tim's favorite used book store. If that wasn't enough fun, some of my cousins and an Aunt and Uncle came out to my Aunt B's house to spend some quality time with us. And last, but not least, we finished the night with a walk down Bourbon Street. This was my first visit back to New Orleans since Katrina and I will say that the French Quarter is alive and well. The city still has a long way to go, but there is no question that it will come back even better than before. After home-made Eggs Benedict, Tim and I drove back to Montgomery with a stop in Mobile to visit my cousin Miranda and her beautiful daughter Helen.

Two weeks to go until we're home again and we're soaking as much Americana in as we can. I put a limit on the Starbucks. Really, how many lattes does a girl need in one week? Ollie is doing really well and enjoys the playground that's right outside our doorway. There are lots of little people to keep him company and lots of Moms for me to hang with as well. I was really excited to learn that two of our friends from our time in Texas would be here. Both Sherri and Amy have two little girls, so there's rarely a dull moment. With all of the fun, we're ready to head back home to our own beds and our black dog. The Riz is loving life with our friends Chris and Jen and her doggie friend Tess. She might not want to come back to us after we've been gone so long! We're also excited to meet John and Kiernan. Don't grow too much more before we get there kids!

While six weeks is a big chunk of time to be away from home, its been amazing to catch up with so many friends and family. Its been a great reminder for us...people are the most important thing in life. The size of our house or the cost of our car are not what I want my child to care about as he grows into a man. To everyone that we've been able to visit this trip, thanks for your time and the chance to connect with you again. To those of you whom we weren't able to see, we hope to see you again soon. You're always welcome at Casa de Spaulding.

Hope everyone is doing well and we hope to see you soon. The Garden Suite is ready and waiting!

Words, Words, Words

We're happy to say that the we've had a GREAT Christmas holiday this year. We're still enjoying time in the states. Here are some of the highlights...

1) A good, old fashioned Christmas with lots of kids running around

2) Lots of quality time with the Mackay side of the family

3) A great, if a little too brief, visit with the Spaulding side...really, a visit to the states isn't complete without a visit to the great state of Texas

4) Ollie's booming vocabulary...he says Ma Ma, Katie, Sara, and gate just to name a few

5) A visit to the B'ham zoo which included Ollie walking around saying "Ssss ssss" to all the snakes, "Ooo ooo ahh ahh ahh" to the baboon, and eating some of the food meant for the fish and geese (he's fast when he wants to be!)

Tim's enjoying the bachelor life in Montgomery for two weeks while Ollie and I visit some good friends in Goldsboro. It should be lots of fun...three adults, and four toddlers (14, 15, and 16 months, and a two and a half year old!) I'm sure to have some great stories from that!

Hope everyone is doing well. We miss you guys back in England. Keep in touch!

Goodbye to all that (for now)

bury face
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Tim here. I am safe and sound in the states as well - hanging out in the ultra-nice Charlotte Airport, enjoying some free internet. FREE? Can it be? Yes, here in the land of the big Walmart, some things are free, and others are very cheap. And the people are very nice to you, even though they don't know you! And I'm not even out of the airport yet!

What does this have to do with the picture? Nothing. The picture is some cool statuary that I found in the Abbey gardens the day before departing. I imagine the artist didn't plan on the moss (maybe he should have) but it makes a nice touch.

I took a solo walk around downtown Bury, soaking up some euro-ambiance before departing. It was kind of a philosophical moment -- standing in the cross of the abbey ruins, with the shrine of St. Edmund ahead of me, and the crypt below, I could, for the first time, imagine standing in the medieval cathedral -- what a stunner it must have been for a fen-bound peasant whose previous architectural experience was a four room thatched roof cottage.

The walk downtown was the highlight of my three days of Class-B bachelorhood. I had big plans to party it up while Dori and Ollie were in the states. Instead I ended up with a bunch of dishes in the sink and an average bedtime of 9:30 over the course of the three days. Such is life! I am happy now to be only a few hours away from being back with the family.

Happy Christmas!
tim

Safe and Sound

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers for safe travel for Ollie and I. We're here with all of our luggage after an uneventful trip across the ocean. Tim arrives late on Sunday evening, so we're excited to have him with us soon. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!
Love,
The Spauldings

Walking Man

Walking Man
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

At 14 and a half months, Ollie looks more and more like a little boy everyday. Ollie is wearing his new backpack in preparation for our journey home this week. No, we aren't carrying so much with us that I need him to tote the excess...the backpack has a tether that attaches at the top so that my child won't run past security or out of sight. I never thought that I'd be one of those Moms who put a leash on her kid, but traveling through two international airports with a mobile child gives me a whole new perspective on things! Ollie and I will be at Heathrow on Wednesday, connecting thru O'Hare before making our way to Birmingham. Tim will join us a few days later, which means that Ollie and I will fly across the Atlantic with just each other for company once again. He's been a great traveller so far, but we're armed with a whole goody bag of tricks this time. Its amazing what excites toddlers...stickers, paper, and crayons just to name a few.

We'll Be Home For Christmas

We've received the official word...we'll be in the states for Christmas this year. We're VERY excited to spend the holiday with Ollie (who'll be old enough to enjoy the holiday) and his three cousins. Okay...the Grandparents and the Aunts and Uncles will be nice to see as well. If you're in the Birmingham/Montgomery area, feel free to pay us a visit. We'd love to see you!

More Pics

Just a smiley pic of the man..I thought you might enjoy. We're lucky to have such a happy kid. This age is my favorite so far. He follows some directions (which means that he understands them), and he doesn't throw real temper tantrums yet. The whole world is out there to explore and discover.



Adam and Ollie sharing a meal. Adam really was a laid back and easy going kid. The smile in the pic is the same one that we saw many times during his short stay with us. He's a pleasure to be around. Kim, Adam is welcome any time!

Story Time

Story Time
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

One of the things I really enjoy is checking out my friend's blogs, so I thought I might update ours in case anyone is checking in.

Ollie had his first sleep over with his pal Adam. Our good friends Kim and Scott went into London for a night on the town, and we were happy to have Adam spend some quality time with us. While two toddlers are a handful, its easier in many ways to have two kids on the same level. They play pretty well together and they learn from each other.

Ollie continues to learn more each day. He'll give me a hug and a kiss when I ask him to. It melts my heart every time. His favorite things include the classic "Pat the Bunny," climbing the stairs, bath time, and his dog. Risby tolerates him really well...probably because she gets to clean up the floor after Ollie eats!

His walking gets better and better. He's able to stand up from a sitting position. Doesn't sound all that cool to people who've mastered the art of moving on two limbs, but its a small challenge for toddlers.

Ollie's other feat is that he drank from a cup all by himself. He can also follow some simple instructions, like going down the stairs feet first (on his belly). We introduced peanuts for the first time, with slightly disastrous results. No trip to the ER, but if you're ever around the man, no PB and Js, please.

Well, that's all for this update. Hope you're all doing well and we hope to see you soon.

Ollie Update

Slain Dragon
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Wow! The thirteen month mark arrived faster than I thought it would. Ollie is officially a walker now, with more confidence day after day. His favorite things are stairs (he wanted to explore every one that we passed in Germany), his dog (who's a saint), and bath time (he knows how to put the stopper back in the drain). Ollie's vocabulary grows and grows. He likes to "repeat" what we say, so you can imagine that we're even more careful about the words we use. My favorite new trick is that Ollie now cuddles and if I'm really lucky, he'll give me a kiss. All those sleepless nights were worth it!

"Reeeeeeeeee-co-la!"

Alpine meadow
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Wow. Back from Germany last week. We spent a week in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a pair of villages sitting under the shadow of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in the German Alps. The sights and sounds of the Alps are hard to describe, even as I sit here having had a couple of weeks to think about it. Here goes anyway:

More than any other place we've visited, the Bavarian Alps seem to live up to its sterotypes. You imagine peaked roof houses with flower draped balconies. You are surrounded by them on every corner. You expect couples striding along a mountain path with alpine trekking poles in each hand. They pass you on the left and right. You picture beer halls tucked into mountain valleys accessible only by horse or foot (or ski or snowshoe, later in the year), and you can't throw a pretzel without hitting one.

Visiting bavaria made me realize just how silly (actually, more sad than silly) the places that try to imitate it are (yes Ober Gatlinburg, I'm looking in your direction). I guess calling Gatlinburg silly and/or sad isn't especially new, but that's what struck me after a few days in Garmisch.

Here's another thing I realized: olympic ski jumps are ridiculously large. This experience has convinced me to place my olympic ski-jumper dreams on indefinite hold.

Like everywhere we visited, we saw things we want to add to the collage of our lifestyle. Here they are in no particular order:

- Ride a bike: bavarians (like most europeans) consider bikes an honorable mode of transportation. Why not take the bike to the store? Or to your meeting?
- Drink beer out of doors: Drinking beer inside is depressing.
- Get a good southern, afternoon exposure: After several mountain beer halls, I realized that this is the key to drinking your beer out of doors.
- Pork is OK: man, Bavarians dig on swine, that's for sure. I tried all kinds of pork, and like most of it. I'll pass on the Schwinhoxe next time though.


All in all, the Bavarian lifestyle was refreshing: simple, honest, hardworking, frugal, fit, "outdoorsy," relaxed, and community oriented. It would be the kind of place you'd want to raise your kids. I feel traitorous as I type this, but I think in some ways, it might even be a better take on 'the good life' than in many parts of America. If we could find a way as Americans to refocus our singleminded obsession with MORE and BIGGER into a desire for BETTER, and temper our raging individuality with reminders that we can only prosper as individuals when our communities prosper, maybe we'd be better off. I don't know. I guess that's why I'm a little more left-leaning than most.

What I do know is that we have lots of pictures of Germany (and Austria) at:


GERMANY PICTURES


Enjoy!
Tim

Worthy of note

Breaking with tradition, this post is news related, not Ollie-related.

Due to recent events

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/11/06/air_force_grounds_entire_fleet_of_f_15s/

I've had a bit more time to peruse the internet than normal. A dangerous thing as it turns out!

Here's what I've learned in the last few days:

1) Mary Tudor is buried in Bury St. Edmunds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_St_Edmunds

2) Greene King Brewery (our local brewery) makes the most popular lager in England, and has been brewing beer in Bury St. Edmunds since 1700

http://www.greeneking.co.uk/

3) Pakistan is not a nice place to live

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/world/asia/08pakistan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogi

4) Don't get in a land war in Asia, don't mess with a Sicilian when life and death is one the line, and don't screw with MIT when it comes to quality buliding practices

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/us/07mit.html?em&ex=1194584400&en=0d81ad17dbaee6c4&ei=5087%0A


I also had time to read a big chunk of the current issue of the Economist. I claim the *free* electronic version of the Economist (which covers almost the whole print edition) is the best thing going as far as internet news. It is the most thorough, comprehensive, and well written thing out there. It also has the added bonus of being able to stake out political and editorial ground that simply does not exist in the american political scheme.

The current issue has a special report on religion, politics, and international relations that is well worth anyone's time. It can be found at:

http://www.economist.com/index.html


Tim

Welcome to the World Reagan Emily Basel!

We are so blessed to welcome the Basel's beautiful daughter into the world. Congrats John and Meredith! You guys will be great parents!!

One year on

Hard to believe it, but Oliver is a year old this month!

We gave him an impromtu party on the streets of Edinburgh, with a piece of carrot cake (which he didn't eat) and then held a real birthday party back here in England, with a chocolate cupcake (which he also didn't eat). He was excited about the candle however, which mom managed to blow out just before he got his hands on it!

Although he's been standing on his own and taking a few tentative steps these last few days, in large part he still has to play the 'lava' game and only move around where there is something to hold on to. He's become quite resourceful though...he's learned that any wall can be used for transport, provided that he leaves into it a little bit. He also found out that if he pushes on a laundry basket, it'll slide aong the floor, getting him pretty much anywhere he wants to go. He kind of looks like an old man with a walker. In the absence of laundry baskets, he sometimes catches a ride with the dog as she passes by -- he can grab ahold and walk with her for about three steps before he falls down.

He's also realized that no one (not even dad!) is irresponsible enough to leave him on top of anything high up without being close by to intervene. This means he can play 'everlasting tuck,' diving headfirst off the bed or stairs, knowing that a set of hands will magically arrive to set him gently down!

He can say a few words now - most notably, "Uh Oh!"
Ollie defines uh-oh as follows:

uh·oh [ut-ooo OR ooo-ut OR ut-ooo-ooooo]
–interjection
1. I've dropped something on accident
2. I've dropped something on purpose
3. I'm about to drop something on purpose
4. There is something over there that I can't reach, please get it for me

The latest Ollie pictures are at:

OLLIE PICS

Enjoy!

"The birth-place of valour, the country of worth"

We just got back from spending a few days in Crianlarich, Scotland, in the western highlands. Crianlarich is a small town that sits underneath the peak of Ben More, halfway up the "West Highland Way," a long distance footpath running from Loch Lomand (just north of Glasgow) to Loch Ness (at Ft. William).

We were there for a few days, exploring the highlands by day, and having dinner and a pint in the pub next door in the evenings.

We took a day to walk through Glen Dochart, just oustide of town, which is a broad valley that runs between Crianlarich and Tillin. The picture above is the start of our walk, which was authentically Scottish, as it was conducted in spite of a cold, fall rain throughout.

We also toured the coastal village of Oban (to include the Oban distellery, where they make some pretty nice Scotch), and made a pass through Edinbrurgh on our way back down south. For pictures of scotland, go to:

SCOTLAND PICS

We liked our trip, but both agreed that though they might be the birth-place of valor, we're glad we don't live in the higlands year round!