Off We Go...

Off We Go...
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Little boys LOVE jets and trains. What fun when they're both in the same room!

Fixing the Jet

Fixing the Jet
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Its a Girl!

20 Weeks Pregnant with a Little Girl
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Here I am next to the Valentine's Day roses sent by my secret admirer. I couldn't resist the adorable little onesies the other day. Too much fun!

Ollie Playing with Toby

Ollie Playing with Toby
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie had a great time playing trains with Sam. The two boys are just a few months apart and they share the same cousins. Here are some videos to enjoy!

Fun in Ft. Worth

Tim's folks have done their best to give Ollie and I a great time while we're here in Texas. Grandparents are wonderful! We've visited the stock show, which is a uniquely Texas experience, visited the zoo (we missed you Tiff!), shopped, and I have eaten at most of my favorite spots around town. Ollie loves the extra attention and I love not having to cook or clean much! Mom and Dad S are also great at giving me MANY opportunities to have some time to myself...every mother's dream! I've read books at Starbucks, seen a couple of good chick flicks, and we caught the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art.

We're going to Alabama the Beautiful on Tuesday and I have an ultrasound on Wednesday. Stay tuned...as long as the little one cooperates, we'll have gender news to share.

Hope you are well!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The kitchen floor is clean, the freezer is defrosted, and the fridge is clean, and our bags are packed.  That's right!  O man and I are beginning the long trek back to the U.S. of A. this morning.  If you're counting, that's transatlantic trip number four for my toddler.  I hope that fortune favors us with Ollie's new Thomas backpack (filled with some new books, a Thomas magazine, and Harold the Helicopter still in the packaging).  I also have some tricks up my sleeve with a new portable DVD player, new Thomas videos, and Kung Fu Panda.  I'll let you know how it all goes!!

O man

O man
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Video of Ollie playing on a lazy Saturday morning. Life has been so hectic lately that we spend the weekend chilling in PJs, watching cartoons, and living the easy life.

Spaulding Update

After a long wait, we were very excited to hear that Tim was accepted into Test Pilot School.  Its a very competitive selection process, so we feel very honored that Tim made it.  Congrats Love!!  We'll move to Edwards AFB, California (about two hours North of LA) in November.  We are both very excited to see what adventures await us on the west coast.  Hope all is well!

The Bright Side of Life

It seems that every movie that you see involving London or England involves snow, but in reality it hardly ever snows here.  Ollie and I were excited to wake up on Monday morning to a nice dusting of snow, and I am very happy to report that it lasted a full three days!  The snow wasn't enough to make the roads dangerous, but it did carpet the fields so that the shining sun looked that much brighter.  We didn't get out to play in it too much, but we sure liked looking at it.

In Ollie news, he's somewhat successful at using the potty.  Ollie is also Mr. Independent and is very excited to help out, "Mommy, I vacuum" or he often proclaims, "I do it myself."  He climbs in and out of the car and he likes to open and close doors.  Ollie definitely exhibits some first child tendencies, so its going to be fun to see the next kid grow.  He's also a hoot and is a ton of fun to be around.  He likes to make animal noises, especially in the car ride home as we see different animals.  Ollie also has the memory of an elephant, so don't ever tell him something to appease him without planning to follow through!

Life around here isn't so bad now that we've gotten over the goodbye.  It seems like Tim has had a busy week at work.  I hope that by the time I realize that he's going to be gone for a long while, I'll be on the plane headed for the US!

Hope you all are well.  I promise to post a belly and Ollie pics soon.

Farewell

As I sit here, I contemplate whether or not I should to clean out my refrigerator at 11:30 at night.  If you know me, you know that neat freak is NOT a word used to describe me.  Why the urge to clean?  Its easier than thinking about the many miles that are about to separate Tim and I.  From what I've read, cleaning is a normal reaction and I can tell you that its much better than lying on the sofa and moping (that was the last deployment).  So, if all goes well with the moving parts, Tim and his brothers will depart this island for the continent and beyond and will reach their destination in a few days.  Once they leave, we can plan their homecoming.

Lots of my fellow bloggers post about the things for which they are thankful and now is probably a good time for me to share my own reasons to be grateful...

I'm not the most vocally religious person that you know...okay I'm not vocal about my religion at all, but I believe in God and I am grateful for all of the blessings that He provides for my family and my country

A loving husband, who is willing to serve his country, who provides very well for Ollie and I, and who is everything to me

My adorable son who brings a smile to my face and challenges me to grow and become a better person

A very supportive and loving family (both Tim's and mine) 

A great group of friends who make me laugh when I need to, listen to me, and love me for who I am

And I love my dog...she might just be the best dog in the world

So thanks to all of you for your love and support.  The next time that you see a service member, please thank them for serving their country.  And if you see their family, please thank them for their sacrifices also.

Happier and less sappy posts will follow in the near future, I promise!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!  Tim, Ollie and I were fortunate enough to spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with some great friends.  We went to our good friend's the Taylor's last night to eat some delicious steak and sides, chat by the fire, and watch the New Year ring in at Big Ben and the London Eye on the tube.  Julia is the mother of Archie and Tom, Ollie's twin pals that we see most often at the gym creche.  Jules was kind enough to set Ollie up with a pack n play so that he could get some shut eye, which she and her husband provided excellent company, as always.

This morning, we took the train into King's Cross to visit with some friend's in town from Chicago.  Our normal lunch spot, Pret-a-Manger, wasn't open today so we searched around for a place to eat.  We were able to eat at a Prezzo (yummy Italian food) in Mayfair for a late lunch before checking out the Cabinet War Rooms Museum.  If you get the chance to visit London, its a great place to visit.  During the blitz (and until the end of WWII), they moved the major offices underground beneath steel reinforced concrete.  Most of the rooms are as they were when the lights were turned off after V-J Day.  We followed our museum tour with a walk down Picadilly to Covent Garden and our favorite restaurant Wagamama's. 

We always like to spend New Year's Day as we envision the rest of the year, so it was great to catch up with some friends.  More and more, I realize how blessed we are to have wonderful people in our life.  My wish for you in 2009 is that you are able to spend great time with the friend's and family that you love.  

The coming year holds many blessings, but also a lot of changes for our family.  In a few short days, Tim will go with his squadron to "fight the bad guys" as I tell Ollie.  We are very proud of him and the work that he will do to protect the soldiers and marines on the ground, and we pray that the separation will be a growing experience for our family.  Most of my friend's can confirm that I was a GIANT basket case before Tim's departure last time, but this time hasn't been quite as bad.  Anticipating our newest addition and chasing after our busy toddler will be a great distraction for me!

Alright...enough rambling for one night.  Happy New Year to you all!

Love,

The Spauldings

PS The Christmas card pics arrived YESTERDAY, so we'll get those in the mail soon!

A Little Delinquent

What every Santa wants, locally brewed beer, dairy free cookies, and broccoli for the reindeer.

Decorating cookies on Christmas eve.

Tim and Ollie dressed up for the Christmas service.

Eating some rice with chopsticks at Wagamamma.

Like everyone else, December was a very busy month for the Spaulding clan.  Here are some highlights:

We celebrated my 30th birthday in style.  I went out to lunch with some friends on Friday and went to a movie with some of the same friends that night.  Tim graciously stayed home to watch Ollie man.  On my actual birthday, we made a trip into London to spend two nights at the RAF club.  We've visited London so many times, that its nice to go into the city and just enjoy being there.  That's also a plus when a toddler is involved!  We managed to visit some of the museums and walk around Trafalgar square at night.  Amazingly, we also nabbed a lot of sleep as a family.  Ollie was exhausted from a busy day on Friday at nursery, so he and Tim slept in until 9:45!!  That's a record in our house when jet lag isn't a factor.

The cathedral here in Bury has a crib service every year, so we enjoyed taking Ollie to help him understand the real reason that we celebrate.  Its fun to watch all kinds of little kids running around...it makes Ollie look tame!  Our friends Kate and Dave invited us back to their house for some very tasty lasagna.  If Kate ever offers anything she's made...say yes!

Christmas morning was very special this year.  Ollie isn't old enough to wake at the crack of dawn yet, so Tim and I were up making coffee before he made it out of bed.  Opening presents with a toddler is fun, to say the least.  He played with each toy before opening them all.  The joy lasts a little longer.

We spent the next few days organizing and cleaning the house.  I'm happy to say that the crib is out of storage and assembled in the nursery.  We're also down a chair in the living room.  We put one of the comfy chairs in storage to make room for the tree.  The extra stains from the stay in storage were enough incentive to toss the well loved, but old chair in the bin.  Amazingly, our little English living room is much better off with one less piece of furniture.  What a difference some space makes!

The last update is that I've decided to make the blog private.  I'll be able to post more about what's going on in our life without worrying who's reading what.  I'm very happy to add friends and family (and family of friends) to the list.  Just send me an e-mail and I'll make sure that you are allowed access.

Hope all is well!

My Handsome Boy

I haven't posted in a while, but I really should post more often about the cute things that Ollie does.  As I was cleaning and cooking to have some ladies over for a cookie swap, I walked into the living room to find Ollie sitting in a corner eating a candy cane from the Christmas tree!  I had a hard time keeping the smile off of my face as I sent him to time out and then explained why he needed to ask helping himself.  The poor kid is having a hard time waiting to open the presents sitting under the tree, so I've got to cut him a little slack.  I love this little guy...he's such a wonderful blessing in our life!

We also had a teachable moment this afternoon.  Even though I told him (not a second before) that the skillet was hot, he decided to touch it and find out for himself.  Hopefully he believes me next time!!

Until the next cute story, I hope that you are doing well!  Merry Christmas!!

Adventures in Wales

Snowdonia with Trefriw in the foreground
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

For Thanksgiving this year, the Spaulding trio were invited to join our friends Chris, Jen, and their two month old son Cole in Wales. We had a lovely drive out to Snowdonia, watching the British terrain move from flat forests to hills and small mountains. For an island about the same size as the state of Alabama, the United Kingdom has a very diverse landscape. The other big difference is that signs in Wales have two languages on them. A road sign will say both "Slow" and "Araf." Growing up in the states, I always knew that Ireland and Scotland were fiercely independent. Only after moving to the island did I realize that Wales is just as autonomous.

We spent the first day checking out a local village near the cottage. Its an hiker's dream town, with Mom and Pop shops and more out door clothing stores tan you can shake a stick at. Wales is also dog heaven, since most of the stores in the town let dogs in the door. Risby and Tess (Wee) also devoured some sausage as the rest of us enjoyed warm drinks and a snack at a local tea shop.

The next day was even better. After a grand breakfast we set off to hike to a lake with two dogs, a baby in the Bjorn, and Ollie in a backpack. The dogs had the time of their lives, and the rest of us truly enjoyed all that nature had to offer. Cole was snug as a bug next to Jen's chest and Ollie did well riding up on Tim's back. We didn't quite make it to the lakes, but we had a great time hiking up the mountain. Ollie surprised us by walking down 95% of the mountain.

It was a trip that we'll never forget, made perfect by our friends Chris and Jen. Ever the most gracious hosts, the Spaulding clan loved spending a holiday with the Wees. Thanks again guys!

We're Expecting!

After a visit to the OB this morning and a healthy view of the heartbeat and the baby, we are very pleased to announce that the newest Spaulding is due in early July!  As soon as we get the them scanned, we'll post the pics of the bean.  The doc says that everything looks good and there's only one in there.  It was great to hear the heartbeat and to see a little movement.  We're very excited to add another little one to the family and we'll keep you updated on the progress!

The Fabulous tLohse

Our good friend Tara took another photo shoot of our fam this past week.  Its been awesome to watch her business boom during our time here in the UK.  We're really going to miss her when she and her husband move back to the states in a few short weeks.

To check out some of the pics, visit her blog at:

T Lohse Photography

Dancing

Dancing
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

When you feel the beat, you've got to dance

Harmonica

Harmonica
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie's showing extreme amounts of musical talent at a very young age

When the Saints Go Marching In

If you make it to New Orleans, the best place to eat is this little kitchen on Dauphine Street. Its sometimes standing room only, but you know that the food is great by the happy noises that emanate to the street. You also have to know someone to get in (or know someone who knows someone). If you're lucky enough to get in, you'll enjoy gumbo, a cocktail, or some other delicious meal made with all possible calories (don't look for anything low fat). My Aunt runs this kitchen (now famous in the Marigny), and my family and some select friends have had the privilege to eat there many times. The lucky ones are invited to watch a football game on the large screen TV, and the most privileged of all are the ones who go to a Saints Football game with my Aunt. She's been a season ticket holder for over 20 years. So, when the Saints announced that they were playing the San Diego Chargers in London, my Aunt and some friends bought their tickets.

Tim, O, and I trekked into London yesterday to meet up with the Saints fans, donned Saints gear ourselves, and set out into the city yelling, "Who Dat!" to anyone wearing Saints or Chargers apparel.  We came across all sorts of Londoners who wished us and our team well, and we danced to the buskers playing "When the Saints Go Marching In."  The highlight of the day was our hour long private ride on the London Eye. We enjoyed wine and canapes as we took two revolutions on the Eye, courtesy of my Aunt's good friend Ross. Thanks Ross!! We had a fabulous time chatting, eating, and drinking while we took in the beautiful sights. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Ollie as the littlest Saints fan, had a great time running around the cabin, watching the trains, boats, birds, little people and cars.  Who knew you could see so much from one place!

Family pic in our Saints gear

Todd and Aunt Booga

All of us on the Eye

Tagged

10 Years Ago (Oct. 1998):

1. I was a sophomore at Maryville College

2. I rode horses three or four times a week on the Equestrian Team (and loved every minute of it)

3. Kat and I were living the good life in Lloyd Hall (they tore the building down soon after we graduated)

4. I was suffering through 8 am organic chemistry classes

5. I was a Bonner Scholar (received a small stipend in return for 10 hours of volunteer work in the community)

5 Things on Today's "To Do" List:

1. Finish Thank You notes

2. Laundry

3. Workout

4. Clean the Bathrooms

5. Pick up the Mazda from the mechanic

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire:

1. Buy a Horse

2. Pay for college for O

3. Find a way to give back to my community

4. Travel

5. Take care of my parents and my in-laws

5 Places I have Lived:

1. Bury St. Edmunds, UK

2. Boston, MA

3. Birmingham, AL

4. Wichita Falls, TX

5. Maryville, TN

5 Jobs I have Had:

1. Mom

2. Chemistry Teacher

3. Optometry Assistant (can't remember the exact title, but the person you see before the eye doctor)

4. Camp Counselor

5. Cashier

Alright...answer if you dare (if you haven't already)