Owen's 5th Birthday Party - Newcastle

Waiting outside Play Area, getting ready to start the FUN!

Owen: "This is the best birthday party ever!"

Grace

Owen, Grace and Lilly

WEEEEEEE

Party Food

Having a little run around

Ollie, Ben and Jack

What Fun!

And he still has to have a Cars cake

Very proud to have blown out all of his candles!

Me and my boys

Sledging, that's right Sledging

And the snow just keeps on falling! The boys have had a great time sleding (or as the Brits and the boys call it, Sledging). The hill across the street from us is absolutely perfect.

I think it snowed all night!

Joni the Sled (sledge) Dog. I pulled the boys to and and from school yesterday, and they kept yelling "faster, faster" They had me running just about the whole way home!

Putting up the Christmas tree

All of our Christmas decorations are in storage, and the boys really wanted a tree, so we got a small tree for them and they had a lot of fun putting on the baubles. Although it is a tad bit sad looking, the boys think it is great!

First Snow!

The first snowfall and the boys are loving it!!

On the way to school

Owen playing baseball "sledge"

Nice warm snack after playing in the snow. Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Yuletide cake.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We had a lovely Thanksgivng, but really missed being home and spending it with family and friends! We had a full on Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. It was my first time at making a turkey, which turned out well, but definitely not as good as deep fried! I also had to make pumpkin pie completely from scratch, which was a bit of a pain, but turned out very nice. Samuel took pumpkin pie to his playgroup to share, as not one person I had talked to had even had a try of pumpkin pie, so we brought a little American tradition to Northeast England.

Bonfire Night

Last night we got to partake in a British Tradition. Bonfire Night!  Every year on November 5th around the country bonfires are lit and fireworks are displayed. This actually happens to be the first British history lesson that Owen learned in class, and can now tell anyone the reason why the fires are burned. In 1605 there was a plot to kill King James I, known as the Gunpowder plot. Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.
On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.

Happy Halloween!

No trick-or-treating this year, but we did get to have a little Halloween fun. We went to Wallington Estate and got to search for pumpkins in the "huge" house, wonder through the woods to find halloween clues to earn a prize and make a halloween lantern. We had a great day and enjoyed the autumn weather.

Sportacus and Batman

Picnic in the boot

Statues

Wallington House

Woodland Trail

searching for clues

Halloween Lanterns

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Samuel

Samuel turns 4! Samuel's birthday was a little different this year, but it was a good one! He got to have a party with his friends, got a bunch of packages in the mail, and a surprise visit from Grandpa and Bette! It just doesn't seem possible that my baby is four!

Elle gets new pajamas!

New Puzzle from Grandma and Grandpa Stevens

Party with Samuel's friends

Soft Play where Samuel had his party with his friends

Knights to defend the castle

This is a nice dragon that protects the princesses in the castle

Samuel Doll

Very exciting getting presents from "Greenfield"!

Snow White from Aunt Wendy

The Castle!

Samuel helped to decorate his own birthday cake!

Surprise birthday guests

Samuel always getting a laugh!

Elle in disguise

New T-shirt from Romie & Addie

New Shoes from Liz (he has been wearing everyday!)

Package from the Capens! He got a toy story lunch bag, which he immediately filled with snacks and carried with him while we traveled South, he wouldn't let it out of his sight!!

Moat Monster

 Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful gifts and for making Samuel's birthday special when he is so far away from home!!