Holidays in Hartlepool

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

 

 

 

The leaves changing color.  The morning beautiful with frosty window panes.  Christmas tunes playing in the grocery store.  Northeastern England flooded.  Well, that last one is not especially pretty, but it has helped usher in Jack Frost.

 

In such a short span, we celebrate three holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  I am going to use this blog as a way to explain how those holiday look, smell, and sound to us here in England.

 

 

Halloween

Ghosts and Goblins make their way through the streets of Hartlepool (the town in which we resides) but not nearly in the numbers as seen in the states.  Trick-or-treating isn't that big of a deal in England, but we were told that it is a somewhat new holiday here and it is just getting its bearings.  Halloween has always been my least favorite holiday because it is a lot of prep work and rushing around, but it doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy like a Malibu and Diet Coke.  I realize it is for the kids... what isn't for the kids?  Making dinner is for the kids.  Tear-free shampoo and body wash are for the kids?  Rice krispie treats are for the kids- no wait, those are for all of us!

 

Anyway- it was raining a tad here on Halloween and the kids were off school on half-term break, so it was not rushed at all.  In fact, we didn't purchase new costumes, but instead, they wore dress up clothes that we have had for years- BONUS!  The older girls went with Dan to about 15 of the neighbour houses and got sub par candy, while I stayed with Emily and wrestled her for the Haribo gummy bears to give out to the 20 visitors we had.  Luckily, our girls understood that Halloween wasn't a major undertaking in England and went with the slow flow of the evening. 

 

 

Emily wore a devil dress, but wasn't really feeling photogenic that evening...

 



 

 

Thanksgiving

Even though Thanksgiving has its historical roots planted in England, they don't celebrate this holiday with America.  So, it was out first experience not doing anything on that day except the usual- going to school and work, making a normal dinner, and getting ready to do it all over on Friday.  Yes, that means NO BLACK FRIDAY... an experience that I oddly enjoy.

Fortunately, we were invited by two American, CAT families, to celebrate the holiday with a traditional meal this past Saturday.  I made homemade rolls, an apple pie, and pumpkin squares (which did not turn out because I couldn't find all the proper ingredients- oh well) to take to our first meal.  We passed on having a second meal, but had a wonderful time having a full social calendar for a day.  Big thanks to the Daugherty and Kirschenmann families!

 

Christmas

Because we are so far north, it is dark here in Northern England.  Not like polar dark, but a day of sunlight is from 7:45 am to 4 pm.  This means that decorations, especially those with lights, are big hits.  Each town has a lightning event where the town squares are "turned on" and Santa shows up.  We have not attended a "switch on" but we hope to catch one in our area soon.

Luckily for me, I am obsessed with the holidays and it makes a lot of loneliness or homesickness fade... grab some popcorn and a hot toddy and take a look! (sorry about the audio at parts... I am a video recording novice!)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRO1acd6tuA&feature=youtu.be

 

Have a wonderful holiday season.

 

Much love!

Kelly

 

York and Scotland...well, Scotland for three hours

Our brief, but adventurous travels abroad

 

 

Well, it has been some time since I last "blogged" and we have put on some serious train miles since last month.

 

As you may remember, Gigi and Fritz visited us in October.  One of the places we travelled to was the city of York.  It is an amazing city with a rich culture and history.  Sadly, our kids don't give two shits about rich culture and history- that is unless it involves Disney Princess culture and/or the history of Barbie movies.  Therefore, we did not do too much sightseeing in York, but we did visit the York Minster, one of the oldest and largest cathedrals in England, and got a Yorkie chocolate bar.  Yorkie chocolate:England :: Hershey chocolate:America (I hated those damn types of standardized test questions... I mean, really, isn't that kind of crap subjective?!?!?).

 

Our first adventure before arriving at York was getting to York via train.  It was our first legit train ride :)

 

Train rides nowadays are pretty comfy and first rate.  Atleast the larger trains that travel farther distances... and kids 5 and under travel free.  That saves the Sandbergs quite a lot of money!!

 

The York Minster is a place of pilgrimage and was originally constructed in the 800s.  Since then, it burnt down several times (as has most everything in this blasted country, I swear) and was raided by William the Conquerer, but it is still, through its many stages of reconstruction, an amazing cathedral.  Guy Fawkes, a name synonymous with English uprising, was born and baptised on the same block as the Cathedral... so the area is steeped in history and just cool to see. 

Emily getting her prayer on at the altar while the older girls played bride and groom (a game they play at every Cathedral where one plays the bride and the other, the groom, and they march down the aisle to get married...whatever works as long as they are well behaved).  Emily needed to get her prayer on- see below.

We quickly noticed that the girls were hungry, restless, and wanting to move on.  Sadly, besides this Cathedral, York offers a ton of touristy locations.  Why is this unfortunate?  Easy answer!  Or kids are too young for days of sightseeing.  So, we took a bus to the nearest playland and let them get all their pent up aggression out on plastic toys and other children.  Our children are a joy to travel with sometimes (please note my sarcasm here).



 

 

 

Scotland

 

Posing...what a gorgeous site.  Both the cuties in the foreground and the amazing view in the backdrop!

Cecelia practicing her photography.

We already knew that we had to travel to Scotland the following Tuesday for a very short trip.  Not being told before we left the States, we had to get a paper notarized by an American notary.  The closest one is located in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is a 2 hour train ride. 

 

Cecelia was all "fashionista" that day so I was compelled to snap photos.  She is standing on the stairway to a huge, old cemetary... not sure she knows that ;)

Our plan: take the train 2 hours to Edinburgh, walk to the American Embassy, get the paper signed, get lunch on our walk back to the train station, and get back on the train to come home.  Since Emily proved, while in York, that travelling was not really her "thing" we knew that she should stay home.  We put her into daycare for a full day (she only attends for 4 hours in the morning normally) and we headed to Scotland.

 

Oustide the train station staring at... I'm not sure.

Everything was on schedule, but the notary with whom WE HAD AN APPOINTMENT was not available until 1 1/2 hours after we reached the US Embassy.  No big deal, right?  Wrong.  We had to sit in a room the size of a small doctor's office and wait- for security reasons, of course.  If you know me well, you will get the following statement.  Asking me to wait in a small room with nothing for my children to do while I am sifted through an incompetent system that should be fool-proof since some chick had only to spend 2 minutes stamping her damn name during the appointment time we made 3 weeks prior IS A SECURITY ISSUE!  I had to practice the little patience given to me by God...but our children were great.  All we kept thinking was "Thank God Emily is having fun with her friends at 'school' because she would have hated this experience."  This "waiting game" gave us approximately 35 minutes to grab lunch before getting on the train. So, all I have to show you are some pictures of amazing sites that we did not have time to explore or even found out what they are. 

 

Edinburgh looks FANTASTIC, and we plan on taking a weekend trip there next year when the girls are a little bit more tolerant of sightseeing.

I have so much to catch up everyone on so look for more posts soon - Halloween experiences, taking Cecelia to London for the weekend, and visiting the Beamish Museum.  

 

 Have a terrific Thanksgiving.  We truly have so much to be thankful for, regardless of which side of the pond we reside.

 

Love to all,

Kelly

We Have Visitors :)

Craziness!!!

 

 

I'm not sure if it was for the worse or better, but we had our sea shipment arrive the same day we had our first visitors, Gigi and Fritzy, aka Mom and Fritz.

The girls were so elated to have visitors, especially ones that brought Skyline Chili, Goldfish crackers, and sunny weather (that, however, has changed to two straight days of fog and mist... Jack the Ripper-esque style).

Because our sea shipment had just arrived, our guests stepped into a house full of boxes, furniture in the wrong room, and general chaos.  Gigi and Fritz didn't mind as long as they got to see the girls. 

Nothing better than eating lunch with Gigi while watching a riveting Barbie flick!

 

The weather over the weekend was good so the girls got to share with our guests our neighbourhood...including the North Sea which is the East border of our subdivision.



I am lying about this picture as this was taken in September.  In no circumstance would the weather be warm enough for this frolicking at this time of the year- but somehow, this is how Madelyn always ends up!  We don't let them get in the cold ocean- doesn't stop Mady from finding the biggest damn puddle on the beach.  "Screw you, mom and dad.  I'll get wet, dirty, and have sand in my crotch if I want!"

 

I took the girls out of school for two days this week so we could spend time with my mom and Fritz and see a few sights.  Yesterday, we braved the mist and headed to the city of Durham (about 20 minutes from the house) to visit the Cathedral, walk around the town with its cobblestone streets and world-ranked university, and visit a pub.  When in Rome :)

 

 







Shake what your momma gave you.  Taken at the Shakespeare pub
near the university.  I felt academically obligated to take the fam there!

Mady and Gigi enjoying a lolly (sucker)
looking at the rowers on the River Wear.




As good Catholics, we went to the pub AFTER we visited the beautiful
Durham Cathedral :) The Cathedral, built in 1000s, houses the
crypts for the Venerable Bede (shout out to British Literature students!)
and Saint Cuthbert, a local favourite.

Tomorrow we are headed to York... on a train! Please pray for patience and sanity- and an endless supply of pints of Fosters :)


Love to you all!

Kelly


THINGS THAT MAKE ME GO... HMMMM :)

10 THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T KNOW

THESE ITEMS ARE IN NO WAY LISTED IN THE ORDER OF PERSONAL INTEREST OR SHOCK VALUE

 

1.  The amount of rain here is not excessive as I had expected... but there is always a good chance it will rain once in a 24 hour period.  Regardless, without fail, we go for a walk/bike ride and it rains- then GD if it doesn't stop raining as soon as we hurry home!

 

2.  Pursuant to number 1, babies have the LIFE in NE England. Look at their rides in the never-certain weather:

Of course I was going to stalk a parent with child to get an action photo, but found that far too creepy.  In addition to their built-in ponchos, we have seen snap on umbrellas in case you fear your child getting too much Vitamin D from the rays and built in blankets (I have always preferred the "Fine- then freeze if you would rather keep kicking it off"- parenting method)

 

3.  I am out of shape...more so than I thought! Dan, however, has been bragging that he has been fastening his belt on a smaller notch- mostly due to his "healthy" lifestyle of baguettes and English Ale for a nighttime snack (asshole)!

 

4.  Spiders and flies are HUGE here due to the wet, moderate climate.  Not only that, but they are EVERYWHERE.  I hope this doesn't scare away any potential visitors :(

5.  Nothing can be cuter than seeing Cecelia and her classmates in proper uniforms!  The high school age girls, on the other hand, dress like sluts no, um... tramps, no um... hookers, no um... hoochies.  I wanted to maintain a family-friendly blog :)

 

6. The cheese here sucks.

 

7.  It is slightly annoying to me, but the proper way to invite someone to have a coffee or tea with you is to say, "Want to meet for a cuppa?"  A cuppa what?  A cuppa gin and juice?  A cuppa kool-aid?  I need some more direction here!

 

8.  The people in England are VERY conscientious about recycling and energy conservation. Because of this, we have our plastics/papers and yard waste picked up on the odd-numbered Mondays and the house waste/food waste and bottles and aluminium picked up on the even-numbered Mondays.  Can you imagine having so little house waste that a large outdoor trash can isn't full until 2 weeks has passed?  I've never been a recycler, but I work it here. "Go green or go..."- well, I am not sure what would be catchy.  So just "Go Green."

 

9.  I bought a Ford C-Max.  Just look at the picture and make your own judgement as there are many things about English driving/cars I didn't know I didn't know.  Is it a minivan?  No.  Is it a hatchback?  No, not really.  Is it a station wagon?  Hell no.  But what exactly is it... I just don't know.

 

 

 

10.  Scones!  These are delicious and Dan and I quite enjoy a fresh scone.  A scone is properly served with clotted cream and berry-flavoured (have to spell with the -ou) jam.  Who gives a delicious condiment a pathogen-esque name?  Clotted?  That is such a raunchy name for such a great little concoction.  Nonetheless, I have several scones a week.  Maybe soon I will start having them with tea.  New culture = baby steps. 

 

 

Who knows- maybe I will like tea.  Perhaps I will even invite someone to join me for a cuppa.  Time will tell!

 

Love to you all!

Kelly

Change is CHANGE!!!

Oh...where do I start?

I have run the course of every emotion over the past 4 weeks and I think now is the best time to start this blog! 

I do not have the hang of the blog yet, so I will instead just provide a quick update on everyone and then give pictures a go next time.

Dan has adjusted just fine considering his work has been centered over here in Peterlee for some time.  He has different work hours, too, because he must correspond with his American team.  This is both good and bad; although he can help get the girls ready in the morning if I need him to, he leaves me to make and usually start eating dinner with the girls all by my lonesome.  Nonetheless, he has more free time at home because there aren't a million projects to complete around a rented house :)

Cecelia has started Year 2 of primary school at Clavering Primary.  She has settled in socially, but the academic adjustment- yikes.  Her first numeracy (their name for math) assignment was her 5 times tables.  Yum...girl just gleamed over simple subtraction in kindergarten.  Luckily, Staples is near our home so a little shopping trip and 40 pounds (British Pounds, that is) later, homework is fun and all the girls love to join in.  She is taking football (American soccer) and dance/gymnastics after school and plays with her friends in the neighborhood on nights "off."

Madelyn started school (called Nursery) last week.  She loves it.  After having to stay home and play with just me for a week, she was ready to join in the school fun, even though it is only for 3 hours a day.  Mady loves dogs these days and England in the place to be for that.  While walking on the beach (her favorite thing to do here), she plays with all the dogs and calls them all "cute, lil puppy."  As usual, playing with Cece and following her around the neighborhood make her the most happy!

Emily is just adorable.  I placed her in a daycare for the morning session because she was getting bored and needy and getting on my last nerve.  I pick her up as soon as her dinner (lunch in the US) is complete.  Her daycare is called Scallywags... not sure why but I think that is such the perfect British name for a daycare :)  Her head teacher always calls her "clever girl" but must be stated with a NE English accent to make it funny.  She has picked up a few more words in the last month and is playing more make believe with her sisters!

And me...well, out of the whole family, I have had the hardest time adjusting.  Shocked?!?!?  Besides being in the damn car driving to and from the damn school 3 damn times a damn day, my day consists of no real adult interaction and no Real Housewives of Orange County/ New York/ Beverly Hills/ New Jersey to watch!  There is also no Diet Mountain Dew or fountain pop!  Those of you who know me you know that this all spells disaster for me.  However, after a rough few days earlier this week, I had a "Come to Jesus" soul-searching session... so far, so good.  My outlook has been cheerier, I joined a gym for adult interaction and, well, exercise, and I have been much more patient and accepting of my temporary role as stay-at-home mommy.  I just miss working!!!!!!  Outside of the damn car, that is!  But...change is change!

Enough rambling for now.  I will get some cool pics from a beach trip or a castle trip or something uploaded.  Then I can share with you our staycations in Northeast England.

Cheerio and love to all. 
Kelly