Sunday stroll along the Thames

We now have a new car with enough capacity in the boot for both of the girls bicycles, and Saturday, we bought Sarah her new bike (after leaving her old small bike in Prague).  On Sunday, we decided to go to the Tesco and do some grocery shopping, and afterwards take the girls for a ride on their bikes along the river.  This is a great opportunity for me to put on my running shoes and for Colin to take a leisurely stroll with his camera.

The river has quite a number of canal boats that moor along the edges, so it makes for a very picturesque scene.

A view along the river facing east:

Mom and girls jogging and biking:

(Belated) New Posts

 

Sarah’s School Concert – 19 Dec 08

Christmas Market – Starometska, Prague – 14 Dec 08

Eufrat Week-end in Elsyn Dvůr – 7 Dec 08

Well, 2008 is now a closed chapter.  2009 blogging starts tomorrow!

Disco Girls

The girls’ school organised a Disco as part of a fund raising programme.  They had to dress up as a diva or as their favourite character – our girls just wanted to be beautiful.

We had quite a packed day as we were hunting for cars during the day and ended up racing home with only a few minutes to get ready and leave for the school.

Fortunately, they had already decided the previous night what clothes they wanted to wear and so all that was needed was a dash of make-up and they were true princesses.

The party was great.  They had a DJ lined up and the Year 1&2’s danced from 4.00 – 5.30 and then the rest of the school danced from 6.  Amber, after just having seen Riverdance, was showing off her tapping and “happy feet” dance moves and they both came home quite worn out.

A Home with a Garden

There were many moments while we were in the CZ that I was really worried that we were severely depriving our children whilst living in a flat without any gardens.  There was one time while we were walking on our way to the bus stop in the morning and we walked past a house that had a really scruff little patch of garden in the front.  They had made a concrete wall alongside the pavement that had flowers growing in wells, that made it look like part rockery, part wall.  There were some very tired looking flowers growing and Amber stopped and wilted, declaring in the most love-sick, soppy voice how much she wished that we lived in that house so that could be her garden.  My heart nearly broke, considering our 4200 m2 of an immaculate park of a garden that we left behind.

In Reading, we now live in a house with a garden, not only in the front, but also in the back.

The first realisation now though was that it means another whole slew of “stuff” that we had to buy to be able to maintain the garden.  Fortunately, our neighbour helped out and lent us his lawnmower – this was a big novelty for the girls!

I think our neighbours in the street must think we are completely mad.  With the first inkling of sunshine, we are all out front with our forks and watering cans, arms deep in mud, weeding and playing games.  Surprisingly, it does not appear to be a trend – we never see a sole outside of their front door.

Even the Thomas Mouse is out in the yard:

The next week-end and the bikes and skipping ropes are out front and we spend the whole day running, skipping, cycling up and down the street.  Fortunately we are in a cul-de-sac so we are not too bothered by cars.  The neighbours have started warming up to us now and we get the wave and a smile through their windows as they drive by.  You never know – maybe we will set a new trend.

Amber’s 7th Birthday

The big day arrived after the customary countdown from 364 days to go…

Amber was at a real disadvantage this year.  At the school in Plzen, we overwhelmed the Czech culture and created a new trend in making a big doo about birthdays.  We had class parties with games, cakes and sweets, which compensated in us not having any friends outside of the school or the need to have a separate party.  With us only arriving in Reading a few weeks before her birthday and Amber now being in “big” school, we were unable to arrange a school birthday and Amber was not yet familiar with any of the children to invite them for a party at home.

We gave her some options, and she voted for a trip into London to visit Hamley’s, the biggest toy store in London with £50 to spend, and Sarah with £20.

The night before her birthday is always saved for the icing of the cake, where Amber and Sarah pour on every sprinkle and glittery spronkle onto the top of the cake and wait in anticipation for having Cake for Breakfast in the morning.

In the morning, Amber went on a present hunt, looking for the gifts from the grandparents and cousins from far away.

There is no better treat than cake for breakfast before school…

Happy Birthday, Amber!

The next day was Saturday and we were up early to catch the train into London. 

Hamley’s was fantastic.  It feels like you are walking into Disney Land as you are greeted by dressed up characters on the side walk blowing bubbles and doing tricks, making it impossible for any parent to walk past the shop without being dragged inside. 

The shop was enormous, covering 6 floors of toys, toys, toys, oh and then some more toys.

After a couple of hours, we escaped without any change from the £50 and a rucksack full of goodies and a McDonald size hunger.

Sarah has decided that she want the same now for her birthday in a few months time.