🎶Over the castle on the hill!🎶
We played games, watched different comedy shows as well as quiz shows, and ate snacks for the entire evening. We really wondered whether we would make it to new year or not. But in the end, we actually made it until after 1 am, which might have been silly since we had about a 6 and a half hour drive the next day. But it was great to end and begin a year with our friends.
The lights of London helped us celebrate.
Watching fireworks on the television is so much cozier than actually being in downtown London.
We were up at 7:30 am and packed up by 8:45. We headed out the door and said our goodbyes. We drove to Tipton, which is close to Birmingham, to pick up Hope. We met at a Costa Coffee shop and met her boyfriend. He was a very nice young man. While Stuart, Millie and Hope took Kai back to his house, Jack and I walked to the local Tesco. We just walked around and wasted time until the rest of the crew showed up. We then began our 3 and a half hour trip to the south coast.
Road trip with these crazies!
Road trip with these crazies!
We got back to Grandma and Grandpa's house just before 5 pm. We started laundry and unpacked our bags. We started dinner and ate around 7 pm. We then opened presents from Hope and she opened her presents. We sat around the table for a while, just talking. The kids all showered and went to bed, but didn't go to sleep. We retired around midnight and insisted the kids turn off their devices.
Tuesday morning I didn't wake up until almost 9 am. I unloaded the dryer and folded the clothes. Stuart and I ran to Sainsbury’s to get breakfast food to cook. We also got some items we would be bringing back home. These items are some of our favorites that we can't get in Arizona. While in the grocery store, a display of spirits crashed to the ground and made a horrible mess. However, the mixture of the spirits and the mixers created a lovely cocktail smell.
Around 2 pm we decided to take the kids down by the seafront. The waves were crazy as the weather was very stormy. We shopped for a bit because I had a gift card to spend. I bought some long pajamas and some perfume. We then drove along the seafront to see the waves. We stopped in at a pub for a drink and then headed back to the house to play games. We started with Uno Flip and then decided to play Old Maid. From the time Millie was really little and learned how to play the game, she has been so hilarious when playing. She always lets you know when she has the Old Maid! We would laugh for hours while playing. Today was exactly the same. And then we were all in hysterics.
I lost twice!
All had a fun time!
Wednesday morning no one was up early, but at least everyone was up by about 10:30 am. We went to have lunch at the Queen's Head, my favorite pub in Sedlescombe, with Granny.
There is nothing better than a pub lunch!
That evening Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to let us go out with Nathan and Craig, our friends from Eastbourne, which they watched the kids. We had a lovely meal and we were able to walk to their new place after and have a beverage.
I love all of these humans!
When we got back to the house we witnessed the last bit of a very long Monopoly game that really didn't end. We called a stopping point at midnight.
Thursday morning we got up and headed to lunch at the Italian restaurant in Eastbourne. The meal was wonderful and since it is Granny's favorite place to eat, we always try to go there when we are in the UK. In the afternoon, we headed to an escape room with a Sweeny Todd theme. It was actually next to a barber. They had prepared it well and everything we did was centered around helping a woman escape Sweeny Todd. We did escape, but it we were given a lot of hints.
It was raining when we headed back to Highwoods. We decided to turn in a bit early as we needed to be up, loaded up and out of the house by 9 am in order for Stuart to drive Hope back to Tipton and the kids and I get the train into London.
Friday morning we got up, stripped the beds, packed up and discovered the trains from Hastings were canceled do to all the rain. So Grandpa ended up taking us to Orpington, a station about an hour away. Stuart was taking Hope back to Birmingham so we had intended to train into London for the day. We were so thankful Grandpa was willing to take us to a station closer to London. Once we got off the train at London Station, we were to transfer to a train to get us to Charing across where we would meet up with Henry. That train got canceled, so we were allowed to use the tube to get to Charing Cross. Good thing I know how to use the London Underground. Millie commented that Stuart would have been stressed had he been with us, while Jack questioned whether I knew what I was doing. Ha!
19,900 steps in London. We went to the British Museum, had a wonderful meal in China Town, and were able to make our way via train and bus to the hotel we were staying in on our last night in England. It was a great day!
We left London on Saturday around 2:30 pm, London time, and arrived in Phoenix at 6:30 pm, Phoenix time, which was 1:30 am London time. I didn't sleep a wink. This made for a very weary human. Grammie and Pop picked us up and Grammie was coughing her head off. We got home and I started unpacking. I had everything unpacked by the time I finally decided to go to bed, around midnight.
Sunday we were all up before 6 am. Stuart and I went grocery shopping and then Stuart started for Gallup as it started snowing. He went about 45 minutes and turned around as it wasn't safe and he was pretty sure school would be canceled the following day. Once he was home, he helped me continue to get the Christmas decorations down. It was January 8th after all. We ate dinner with the neighbors and it started to get cold. It was due to be a cold week in our part of the country. They did cancel school in Gallup on Monday due to the snow, so it was great that Stuart hadn't gone up. This time of year is so sketchy with the weather. We tried to go to bed at a reasonable hour, but that didn't help.
Stuart and I were awake just before 4 am. Jet lag is a real thing. We had coffee and tea and watched some television. Millie got up and came downstairs. I left for school and Stuart brought Millie later. Jack got to be home all day due to Chandler in-service for teachers. Pop took him to his girlfriend's and picked him up as well. Stuart left for Gallup around 9:30 am and got there with little issues.
After school I took Millie to gymnastics and came home. I cleaned out some junk drawers and finished the laundry from our trip. I put Millie's clothes away as I have decided she never will. I made her macaroni and cheese and took it to her when I picked her up. I made Jack and myself fajitas. Nightly routine happened when Millie and I got home, and everyone was in bed at a reasonable hour. Jack went to bed shortly after Millie as he was tired.
Tuesday we were all up and out of the house as scheduled. School was non-eventful. It always is these days as I have 18 weeks left before I retire. I took Millie to gymnastics and on the way we dropped snacks at the Meyn house. Ryan had agreed to take the boys to volleyball practice, which meant I was off the hook. So the least I could do was provide snacks. I then ran Millie to gymnastics. I went home and wondered what I would do with a few hours to myself. I decided to just chill out in front of the television and watch my trashy shows. They did not disappoint. I picked Jack up from the Meyn house and then we headed to get Millie. I had warmed up the twice baked potatoes from our Sunday dinner. She ate them on the way home. Fortunately she didn't find the piece of plastic fork that broke off in them when I was cutting them up. Oops! When we got home we all took showers in our own bathrooms. My shower and Millie's shower started to get cold shortly after getting into it. Eek! Does this mean our water heater is going out? Oh Lord! I was hopeful that it was simply because we were all showering at once.
Wednesday Jack sent me a text after his volleyball academy class. He told me he was really irritated that we made him go to England for two weeks as he missed volleyball and feels he had lost muscle memory. Who is this kid and why does he think he can call the shots? Needless to say, we had a very long conversation about his attitude and entitlement. He saw things my way in the end.
Wednesday evenings are generally our nights at home. Jack ate all afternoon, and still ate more late in the evening.
This was 10:30 pm on Wednesday night. Seems maybe he is growing again.
Thursday once Millie was at gymnastics, I went to Gina's so we could all celebrate Sherry's birthday. Boy do I love these women. We had hours of chatting, very loudly might I add, and laughing, also very loudly, and just enjoying our time together. We don't do this often enough, but we do make the most of it when we can get together.
When I got home, Stuart had picked up Millie from gym. He left Gallup earlier than planned as a storm was coming in. We were due to fly to LA on Friday for a volleyball tournament and he didn't want to risk getting stuck in Gallup.
Friday after school we dropped Millie at gymnastics and then headed to the airport. We left Grammie and Pop in charge of Millie. She had her first flag football game and looked so cute. Unfortunately, they got killed as their team has just started this new game and the team they played were a club team and had been playing together for three years. But she said she had fun and that was all that mattered to us.
Millie was able to live her best life with Grammie and Pop this weekend, while we watched hours of volleyball in LA. Millie shopped and had all the ice cream she could hold. We are so thankful my mom and dad are still able to have the kids with them for the weekend.
Saturday we were up early. Stuart filled out principal applications in the hotel lobby. His big desire is to get back to the valley with an administrators job. Jack was up around 9 am. I went to 7 Eleven to get him some breakfast and lunches for the next three days. We walked to Vicki's hotel to collect our beer and water Ryan had driven to LA for us. We then went back to the hotel. We met up with some people at 11 am for lunch.
Just down from our hotel was the stage for the Emmys. It was starting on Monday at 3 pm, just about the time we would be headed to the airport.
After lunch we went back to the hotel room while the boys went to the convention center to watch another team play volleyball.
Jack's team was in the afternoon wave, which makes for a long day for sure. Thank goodness they decided to show up. They won two of their matches and lost one. Although they were hopeful to win all three, they would still move forward and have a chance of getting a medal. After the matches were over, we headed back to the hotel and ordered the boys Chick Fil A. The adults hung out at the bar for a while and then headed to bed.
Sunday morning I woke up with a cold. That was fun! I felt like garbage, but carried on in the name of volleyball. Ha!
We decided to take the team for lunch at the Yard House. It is one of the few places in downtown LA that can accommodate a large group.
The dads! Stuart, Tom (Owen's dad), Ryan (Gavin's dad) and Jeremy (Carter's dad).
Sunday games didn't go as well as expected. They lost the first two matches. In the third match it went to three sets. On the next to last point, to win the third set, there was a controversial call. Jack was frustrated and expressed that frustration with some choice words, which is SO out of his character, and he was given a red card. This resulted in the other team getting two points. Fortunately, the last point was won be Fear and they would move on to the Silver bracket for Monday.
After the game I spoke with Jack as I couldn't believe he would say what a parent told me they saw his lips say. Nope, in fact he did say exactly what was reported. We spoke to him, told him to go and apologize to the referee, and carry on with life. But that wouldn't be the end of it. He was so disappointed with himself.
Monday morning he was full of all kinds of regret. This is where he is more his father's child. He had some serious emotions about it and was hopeful people didn't think poorly of him. I told him that being frustrated was fine, but channeling it correctly was the challenge. He agreed and carried on for the day. They lost their first match, but both sets were close. Jack missed the last point in both sets so blamed himself. This knocked them out of the tournament. He is so passionate about the game. His emotions are what we are going to need to work on as he proceeds through these next 4 seasons of volleyball.
Look at his right ankle! Fortunately, it looks worse than it was.
The Emmys were to be in downtown LA on Monday afternoon, so getting out of there before that mess started was our main goal. We attempted to get on an earlier flight, and it seemed that there were plenty of seats, however, we were not called up on the standby list. So that was a bummer. We ended up not getting home until after 11 PM. I started laundry. Millie was in bed when we got home. My mom and dad were at our house. They left and we carried on getting ready for bed. The three of us showered and hit the bed.
Tuesday morning Stuart was up at 5:30 and left by about 615 to go to Gallup. Tuesday was our hundredth day of school so my team did our best to dress as 100 year-old women.
After school on Tuesday, I took Millie to gymnastics and then went home for a while. I started ridding myself of 30 items, as were the directions that I was given from my friend Gina. The rules of this particular activity are to get rid of 30 items every month for an entire year. I think as I get older living more minimalistic is probably the best way forward. I don't want anyone to have to go through my crap once I die. So if I get rid of it all before then no one has anything to do. Is that morbid? I suppose. After my sort out, I made mac and cheese for Millie and took it to her when I picked her up from gymnastics. I made pasta with meatballs for Jack and he ate that prior to me leaving to get Millie from gymnastics.
Wednesday was a half-day, as usual in Queen Creek, and I was due to pick Jack up at 2:30 like I typically do. I couldn't get to him and messaged him so he could message Grammie or Pop to pick him up. There was a misunderstanding, and Grammie didn't have her phone, so therefore, she tried to pick him up at school when he was actually at Rock Point church. I ended up going to get him at 3:10 and drop him by the house before I went to do some grocery shopping. When I got home, I made Jack a baked potatoe for dinner. What an easy meal that is! Elise came over for a chat. We really hadn't caught up very well since Christmas break.
Thursday I met Kristi, Carter's mom, for dinner after I drop Millie gymnastics. This relationship is a bit tricky. I am friends with all the moms and with Carter's step-mom, but all 5 moms don't hang out together. I try to keep thing separate and never discuss with anyone what the others say.
Millie had her second football game. She's fast as lightning, but still learning the strategy of the game. She seems to be having fun and that is all that matters at the moment.
While Millie was playing football, Jack was playing sand volleyball at the Kings of the Beach tournament hosted by Casteel. It is a rotation type of tournament and very physical. He and Parker, his partner from his club team last year, did quite well, but got knocked out before the finals. I think he was relieved.
Stuart and I helped at the event.
Saturday evening, Jack stayed at Owen's house and Millie stayed at home. Stuart, myself and our friends John and Jeni went to Drunk Shakespeare. I had bought tickets for Stuart for Christmas and knew all along I wanted to take John and Jeni. The premise is a Shakespeare play, acted out by 5 actors, where one of them has 4 shots of booze before the play starts. It was hilarious! It is not for young ears by any means.
Sunday afternoon was Millie's first gymnastics meet of the season. She fell off the beam, which was a bummer. She placed 4th all around and, although she didn't say so, was disappointed with her performance. We are not sure yet, but this may be her last season. That will be a big decision for her. Stuart left for Gallup before the presentation of the medals.
Monday morning I dropped Jack at school. Before he got out of the car, I asked him if he remembered to put his volleyball shoes back in his bag after the sand tournament on Saturday. Nope! Then he begged me to go get them for him. There wasn't enough time and I wasn't willing anyway. Tough lesson! Oh, but he figured it out. Coach Meyn sent me this picture with the message 'they always find a way'.
After I dropped Millie at gymnastics, I went to hang out with Melinda. We discussed life and the problems of the world. We solved nothing, but had a nice chat. I had brought Mac and cheese for Millie and warmed it in the microwave before picking her up from the gym.
Tuesday was relatively uneventful. I took Millie to gym and then went home. Elise came over for a while before I had to go back and collect Millie.
Wednesday Elise and I took Millie and Weston to the Casteel Open House. They got a tour of the school and got a bit of a feel for what was going to happen as 7th graders. Millie didn't lean Weston's side. I think she is nervous about going to junior high. It will definitely be a big change.
Thursday after school I took Millie to gymnastics. When I got home, Jack and I moved the sofa up to our loft. Jack had asked if his girlfriend could come over on Sunday. Then he proceeded to ask if they could hang out in his room. Uh, seems the loft needed to be set up again. He tried to argue that it would be fine. Not happening. Poor raging hormones!
This seemed suitable for the kids!
Friday one of my students went on the Project Exploration trip to San Diego and 5 of my students just decided to stay home because they were 5th graders and didn't go on the field trip and used this day as a 'ditch' day, which is terribly out of character for my students. The day was relatively easy as my 6th graders went to a Star Lab in the afternoon. I took Millie to gymnastics after school and picked her up just before 6 pm and took her to her flag football games. They won a game and lost a game, but she seems to be getting the hang of it better.
Saturday I got up and picked up the RV in order to clean it out and list it for sale. My mom came over and we got everything out of it and started to clean it.
I took Jack to Tatum's dance recital. He had asked me a few days before if he could get her flowers. I told him we would stop at Trader Joe's on the way to the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center. I asked him who gave him this idea, and he said no one. Then after we bought the flowers, he was nervous he was going to be the only one that had brought flowers. I assured him that there would be a lot of people who brought flowers, and that it was a sweet gesture.
After the dance recital, Tatum's family took Jack with them to his favorite place, Raising Canes, for dinner.
Stuart, Millie and I went to the Lloyd's house. Brandy works with Stuart and Millie loves her son, Bentley. Their kids go to Casteel as well and Bentley will be a 7th grader next year, so Millie will know another student there.
This was her snap chat post that I saw the next morning. Poor little dear doesn't know what to do with these feelings. This is why I am so thankful for her new counselor, Aimee! Although Millie did tell me earlier in the week that she thought she was about done with Aimee. When I asked her why she thought that, she said, 'Well, I haven't told you I hated you for a really long time'. I actually laughed at this. Then she followed up with, 'Mom, you know I really never hated you, right?' She is getting so much better, and I think I am as well. Thank the Lord!
Sunday we had Ken and Maytee over for ribs. Tatum and her sister came over for the afternoon as well. I took Jack and Tatum to the movies around 4 pm. He picked a scary movie. He has skills. When they got home, we fed them chicken tenders and fries. The girls were collected around 6:30 pm. They are very nice and normal girls.
Monday Stuart finished cleaning out the RV and my mom came over to clean the inside. We listed it in Facebook and were hopeful to sell it quickly. Stuart left for Gallup just after noon. I took Millie to gymnastics and then came home and warmed up food for Jack. There is nothing wrong with leftover ribs.
Tuesday my mom finished cleaning the RV. Without a doubt, it was as clean as it has ever been. I got a Facebook message and booked someone to come see the RV on Wednesday afternoon. When I picked Millie up from gym she was ranting about her coach and how he had taken something out of her routine. I let her know that if she decided she no longer wanted to participate in gymnastics, that would be fine. She ended up having a bit of a breakdown regarding this. Once we were home, she disappeared upstairs. I went to check on her and she was in tears.
This was her snap chat post that I saw the next morning. Poor little dear doesn't know what to do with these feelings. This is why I am so thankful for her new counselor, Aimee! Although Millie did tell me earlier in the week that she thought she was about done with Aimee. When I asked her why she thought that, she said, 'Well, I haven't told you I hated you for a really long time'. I actually laughed at this. Then she followed up with, 'Mom, you know I really never hated you, right?' She is getting so much better, and I think I am as well. Thank the Lord!
Wednesday a couple came to see the RV. They seemed interested and said they would let me know if they wanted it in the next couple of days. Millie went to football practice with the twins because I forgot I had these people coming to look at the RV and I also had to take Jack to open gym before football practice. When I got home from taking Jack, Millie arrived shortly after that. I fed her dinner, and then she went to take a shower. As she was taking a shower, I heard her listening to her Alexa and it was playing the Star-Spangled Banner. She was singing along. It just made me laugh! I then went to pick up Jack from open gym and he was super pumped about the season starting.
Thursday after school I took Millie to gymnastics and met up with Chrissy, Carter's mom, again for dinner. Once again, we solve the problems of the world in three hours. Jack had been picked up by my dad and brought home and I left him to fend for himself. I picked Millie up from gymnastics and remembered that it was McDonald's night so I ended up getting food for Jack as well. Stuart had messaged me earlier in the day and told me there was a snowstorm coming that would likely prohibit him from coming down through the mountains and getting home on Friday. So he decided he would drive home on Thursday night. he arrived around 11:30 PM. Was asleep in the chair and once he was home, we both went to bed.
On Friday, we went to my mom's for lunch and had bacon and eggs and biscuits. It's some thing that I've committed to do for the rest of the school year. I think they like it and I get a free meal. After school I took Millie to gymnastics and then went to meet, Sara, Chris, and Vicki for happy hour. We were celebrating Sara's birthday. We sat there much longer than we planned. In fact, I think we were there for four hours. But when time passes that fast, you know you're amongst good friends.
I got up Saturday morning and woke Millie up. Her football game was canceled because of rain. I guess the fields were in bad shape. She went to see her counselor, Emy, and Amy was quite impressed with her progress. So we've moved to just going once a month now. It thrills me that Millie is feeling so much better about things and is able to be a little more mature in her reactions.
We got home and Stuart was cleaning the yard. I went inside and watched television. I then changed the sheets on our bed and started laundry. At noon I took Millie to a birthday party. I went to get gas and came home to Stuart and Mitch, our neighbor, cutting the roof off the Bronco. Oh me oh my, here we go. Stuart was like a little boy.
I then went to my friend Jennifer's mom's celebration of life. That had it at Natalie's bar in Chandler. Jennifer said it was fitting for her mother as her parents were regulars at Natalie's. It was their version of Cheers. I picked Millie up at 4:30 pm and we headed home.
Stuart, Elise, Mitch and I decided we would fix pizza and chicken tenders for the kids while we went to dinner at TC's, one of our locals. After we ate, we came back to the house and played poker for a couple of hours. Stuart won, of course! It was a very full day!
