Only 10 days to go....10 reasons why I'm SO excited to go home this year!

1. To see my FAMILY!!! I haven't met (in person-skype doesn't count) my one year old niece Georgie! I have not seen my sister since she found out she was pregnant. I have never visited either of my sisters houses! Only my parents have met my second child. I'm so excited for Oli and JJ to play with all their cousins that they never see. The price I pay living so far away. So yeah....I'm excited to see my family.

2. To see my Friends! SO excited to see my girlies who I've known since primary school. None of them have met JJ yet. Lots of lunches and catching up and laughing. Lots of boring times for Tim.

3. To see England baby! No matter how long you live in another country, it never feels quite like home. The green, the rain, the freezing cold mornings. The tiny roads and one way streets. The town center with rubbish shops. Living in another country I find myself missing the dumbest things: Tesco value frosties, traffic jams in loughborough, rows of orange houses, the list goes on...

4. FOOD! When I was pregnant I craved everything. Fish and chips all greasy and yummy. Pickled onion monster munch. Baked potato with beans and cheese Shelley style. All the cadburys I can eat. Skips. Apple tango. Yorkshires. And because it's Christmas extra treats like Roses and roasted parsnips with dinner.

5. Shopping!!! I can't wait for H&M, Primark, Boots....oh and let's not forget NEXT sale. Living in Lubbock, I'm seriously deprived.

6. The Sock man. Who knew I would miss Loughborough? I miss Thursday market with loads of yelling and rubbish stuff to buy. I miss the Carillon Court, only go in there when it's raining. I miss walking around town freezing. I miss the Curzon, worst cinema ever, apparently its gone? Sad.

7. Christmas morning at the Ford residence. Some of my best childhood memories ever are Christmas morning, they all take place in Quorn, but hey can't have everything. I love waking up to stockings and all coming downstairs in PJ's tired. ALWAYS open presents before Church, still can't believe some people can wait until after! Everyone sits around while someone hands out presents, opening all at the same time while mum picks up wrapping paper. SO much fun.

8. Christmas dinner at the Ford residence. Always the best meal ever. Turkey and cranberry, parsnips, mash and roasties, pigs in blankets (gross), yorkshires, gravy, trees, brussell sprouts (have to eat one), stuffing. All squashed around the kitchen table with the mickey mouse place settings, pop the crackers, hats on and tell the rubbish jokes. Tummy ache from drinking too much shloer.

9. 4 year wedding anniversary getaway! Our anniversary is Dec 22nd and we're going to Warwick for the day sans kids. Cute bed and breakfast in quaint English town without kids......awesome.

10. Mum's home made chocolate chip cookies: worth travelling 5000 miles for? Yes, they're that good.

Only ten days to go!!

Thanksgiving in Dallas

This Thanksgiving was really great. We went to Dallas to see Tim's brother and his family. It's about a 5 hour trip, depending on stoppage time for child related issues. Although now JJ is taking a bottle roadtrips are a lot easier! It's funny, I would used to have said that 5 hours is a really long drive, but now, with the size of Texas, it really feels like nothing! Well, not nothing, but it doesn't seem far at all.

We arrived on Wednesday morning and hung out for a while. Lawson (our 4 year old nephew) was really cute, Tys & Sara said he was holding Oli's toothbrush (that we had left last time we were there) for a few hours before we got there waiting for us to arrive. In the afternoon we went to the Galleria mall in North Dallas. It was a really amazing mall with loads of English shops so I was really excited, and a fun playplace for the kids. We also went to dinner at Genghis grill, it's mongolian bbq and it's amazing!

Oli & Lawson by the huge Christmas Tree

Dads!

All the Oblad cousins in tow

The next day was Thanksgiving! Tyson and Sara made the dinner and it was soooo yummy. We also found out JJ likes yams, but doesn't like turkey baby food.

Almost 7 months...he's so big!

I don't think we went out at all that day, just a lot of eating and then some naps. Perfect. The next few days were filled with lots of playing and shopping (for me). On Saturday we went to a local park to take some pictures. They turned out really great, the Fall leaves were so gorgeous. Here's a few:

Porter, JJ, Oliver, Makayla & Lawson

On Saturday night Sara and I went to Olive Garden (with a gift certificate I'd gotten from complaining!) and to Kohls for some shopping. It was SO nice to be out without the kids! We had a  really good time and love being with family, especially since the kids play so well together. We're back in a few weeks before we go to England and for New Years.

Normal life

Not much has been happening here recently, just normal life. This usually consists of JJ waking up too early and I end up feeding him in bed, but at least he's sleeping through the night. He just got his first tooth so maybe its to do with that. Anyway, then Oli's up an hour later. And when he's up everybody's up. You know how normally it takes a little time to wake up in the mornings? Not Oli, as soon as his eyes open he is UP. Running around, playing with toys, being usual Oli. I love this about him, but sometimes hate it, especially when I have to deal with his loudness in the mornings because those who know me know I am NOT a morning person. I could sleep in every day until 11am easy, probably noon. If Tim doesn't have a busy day or lots of assignments due, sometimes he let's me sleep in a little with JJ which is SO nice. So on the days when Tim has to leave pronto it's Toy Story on for Oli until mum is fully with it. Bad parenting? Probably. I'm afraid I'm not the kind of mum who is up and ready before everybody else, maybe one day! JJ is usually up about an hour later from his morning nap. If I'm really good I'll be dressed by then, maybe hair done but probably not. Pick up toys, feed JJ. By 10 or 11am we're all ready to get out. Kids dressed, fight with Oli to get shoes and socks on. JJ is car seat, crying. We're out! Usually meeting friends at the park, trip to Walmart or run some errands. Lots of parks in Lubbock, we rotate playing at different ones. Oli loves the ones with SAND. Which means me saying "Don't throw sand" a million times and lots of time outs. Other times its "Don't throw rocks." JJ sitting on my lap all cute while I chat with other mum's about who knows what, our labour experiences, how hard our toddlers are, and how much we miss Cafe Rio (most are from Utah/Arizona areas). By noon JJ and I are ready to go home, fight with Oli to leave and get into the car. Come home for pb&j/grapes/apples/crisps/gogurts. JJ takes a nap (usually). On the days he won't take a nap I feel like I want to cry! So JJ either napping or in jungle gym until he crys and then holding him while I get stuff done. Oli plays around, gets a few time outs and quite a few "NO's" for going in the fridge/knocking down all the DVD's/pulling out all his clothes etc. Mum trys to clean up, laundry, dishes, etc. Sometimes Oli helps. JJ awake by about 2pm, we're all ready to go out again. Oli rides his bike around the parking lot, mum and JJ follow behind him. Afternoon's usually full of playing outside, or arranged activities inside for Oli, like colouring or play dough etc. By 4pm I am DONE! Need a break, when is Tim coming home. I keep checking the clock! Sometimes he is done by 4, on the bad days he's done by 6. What shall I make for dinner? Let's eat out. Tim gets home, burst of new energy for mum. Happy he can hold JJ and entertain Oli. JJ takes a late nap. Clean up some more, watch TV, Oli runs around, a few more "NO's" for knocking over JJ who is cutely sitting in the middle of the carpet grabbing Oli's toys. 7pm: Oli in pajamas and usually a bath. Read endless books with Oli (his way of getting out of going to bed). Then finally, Oli gets into bed. Tears! Sometimes he goes easy, sometimes he really does NOT go easy. Followed by a lot of "Daddy's" and "I need Milk's" Oli has either fallen asleep on the ground or sometimes in his bed. Feed JJ, wrap him up, pack n play in mummy and daddy's room. He usually falls asleep pretty fast, sometimes not, I really don't enjoy those nights when we listen to crying baby for a while. Lots of rocking and singing. JJ asleep. About 9pm. Kids asleep. Tim sits at the desk and writes a paper or studies. On the best nights no homework just a movie and diet dr pepper and food that is bad for you. 11pm or so: move JJ into the living room (trying not to wake him up!) head on pillow, talk for a while. Tell Tim the funny/cute/naughty things Oli and JJ did that day. Asleep!

Happy half-birthday JJ!

Happy half-birthday to my gorgeous baby Jordan! I can't believe 6 months ago today you were born. It seems like so long ago but so its gone so fast at the same time. Here's a little montage of JJ's growing up so far:

About 4 hours before you were born

Just a few hours old

4 days old

3 weeks old

5 weeks old

About 2 months old

About 3 months old

4 months old

5 and a half months

6 months old

JJ you are such a lovely baby. You sleep 9 hours at night (usually). You are smiling all the time and love to watch your brother Oliver, he makes you laugh all the time. You can sit up by yourself and love to play in your bouncy chair. You will not take a bottle which makes mummy mad, but you love to cuddle, which I love. You do not like being in your car seat and cry when I put you in it. You are very interested in everything around you and you are about to start solid foods. You have a very sweet personality like your brother and I can already tell you will be best friends. We love you baby JJ!

Tonight we went to a trunk or treat! Yeah I'd never heard of it either. Basically everybody decorates their car boots (or trunks, hence trunk or treat) and the kids walk around from car to car getting candy. It was nice because we didn't have to walk up to random people's doors and Oli LOVED the displays people had made. Every 5 seconds he kept saying "Pumpkin" "pider" (spider) and "cary" (scary). Oli dressed up as a cowboy which I got for $4 from a used clothes sale in Dallas, people kept asking me if I'd made it, I wish! It was tough getting him to keep the hat on but he was very cute.

JJ was a monkey and wore Oli's outfit from two years ago. Here's a pic of both of them wearing the monkey suit, so similar looking!

Can you tell which one is Oli and which one is JJ? They could be twins (I'm glad they're not)! We had a fun night, Oli got a LOT of candy, of which we let him eat probably too much, hence he's still awake at 10:40pm.

Happy Halloween!

Cooking fun...

Ladybird Cupcakes

Just use a regular cupcake recipe. Here's how to turn them into ladybirds:
I iced the head and body by hand. I used chocolate frosting for the head and vanilla for the body (with lots of red food dye-couldn't find red frosting!)
For the eyes use small white marshmallows with a dot of chocolate frosting in the middle.
The spots are just chocolate drops. And that's it! They were far from perfect but looked really cute.

100 Calories Cupcakes

Chef Curtis Stone made these on The Biggest Loser and I wanted to try them! They definitely do NOT taste like traditional cupcakes but they weren't bad, they were...different. Just a lot of substitutions, whole wheat instead of regular flour, honey instead of sugar and just use egg whites. Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.examiner.com/weight-loss-in-national/curtis-stone-biggest-loser-raspberry-cupcake-recipe

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa----Amazing!

One of the hardest things about leaving Utah was leaving Cafe Rio behind, my absolute favourite place to eat ever. My friend told me about a recipe for the pork on somebody's blog so we made it and it's pretty close! Here's everything we used to make the pork and dressing:

Seems like a LOT but it's really not hard to make. The hardest part was finding all the ingredients at the store. All you have to do is put everything in the crock pot and cook for 18 hours! Seriously try this it's soooo good. Here's a link to the blog with the recipe and full instructions: http://heidikins.com/2008/08/29/whippin-it-up-cafe-rio-pork-barbacoa-salad-with-tomatillo-dressing/

More to come soon!

Fall update...

Sorry it has been a while since I have made a proper post. Turns out life at home with my two boys is a lot more time consuming that I thought! We feel like we've settled in to life here in Lubbock now and Oli has finally stopped saying "I wanna go home" referring to Provo. Here's a couple of pics of how our apt looks now:

Living room

Oli jumping on our bed

Oli's room, yes he's asleep on the floor

Tim is doing really well in his program and is enjoying school. Things are getting a lot busier for him now with his coursework. He is also having one of his undergraduate papers published in the Stance For The Family Journal and is working with the editor on that. He is serving in the young men's and is also an assistant scout master!

Oliver is speaking and understanding amazingly well these days. He is learning his ABCs. He loves playing with JJ and making him laugh. He's learning to use the potty but still needs some more time. He loves to take baths, play at the park, and ride his bike. He is also an aspiring photographer! (Visit http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=242803&id=718372056#!/album.php?aid=242803&id=718372056). There is a Krispy Kreme around the corner from our house and he doesn't forget it! Every few minutes I hear "donut, I want donut mummy." He has a very sweet personality and can be very sensitive. He can also be very naughty and sometimes defiant, but then he's always making up for it by doing something funny and making us laugh, hence the picture below!

Needs no explanation!

JJ is getting very big and is comprehending more and more. I can tell his little mind is slowly processing everything that goes on around him. It is interesting to watch. He's LOVES Oliver. I can already tell he is going to look up to adore him and look up to him as he grows up.

JJ is usually very good natured and smiles all the time. He does not like car rides, and cries when I put him in his car seat. He loves to lay on his belly and kick around. He has a high pitched scream that he does when he's frustrated which drives me crazy. He grabs everything within his reach. He is doing very well at sleeping through the night and is learning to sit up!

Until he falls sideways...

What we've been up to:

We went to Colorado Springs in September to see the BYU football game and to see our friends, the Carters. About a 9-10 hour drive from Lubbock, felt a long way with two kids!

Us at the game

Falcon Stadium

Poor JJ had to wear one of Maelie's (our friend's little girl) sunhats because I forgot his.

It was a brief but really fun trip. Oli was really excited to see his friend Griffin who he played with everyday over the summer in Provo.

Oli and Griffin: Best buds

We have also been to see Tyson and Sara (Tim's older brother and his wife) twice in Dallas. They're only about 5 hours away. It was really nice to be with family and really fun. All the cousins played together really well, especially Oli and Makayla. We ate a lot of really good food and watched football/conference. Sara and I went to a used kids clothing sale and got a lot of really good stuff. I got Oli's halloween costume (pics to come later). I also got Oli and JJ ugly Christmas sweaters (family pics to come later!)

Lawson, Oli, Porter, JJ and Makayla

Porter and JJ (JJ is 3 weeks older than Porter)

Makayla and the babies

So that is pretty much everything we've been up to. I am spending my days playing, feeding, cleaning and going to the gym. I am also the new ward choir director which I am really excited about. We are going to England for Christmas in less than 2 months. Even though the plane ride will probably be a nightmare with the two boys I cannot wait!

Here's one last picture to make you smile: