Soccer Tournament Ending

Well, as you might have guessed since I didn't post last night, Elizabeth's team did not win the tournament.  Unfortunately, the championship game ended in a 1-1 tie after 70 minutes of regulation play and 20 additional overtime minutes.  They lost in a penalty kick shootout  3-1.  It was disappointing, but they played well and the girls held their heads high.

At the awards ceremony each coach gives a "Player of the Game" award to a member of the opposing team.  Elizabeth received this award.  The coaches and the players said, "We talked about you and had no answer for you."  She was honored and so were John and I.

Drive home was lengthy.  Because of the overtime, etc. we didn't leave Dayton until 6:45 pm and faced a 4 1/2 hour drive home.  Fortunately, we headed west to Indy and then took the familiar route north in the dark (and tons of wind).  Going to bed early tonight!

Soccer Success in Ohio - So Far!

We are in Dayton, OH at the Xenia Tornado Soccer Tournament.  Elizabeth's team won 2 games yesterday and plays their 3rd game at noon today.  Because they have done so well they will play in the championship game at 4:30.  Having lots of fun, but it will be a late night.  We are 4 1/2 hours from home!

Bandlink

The Notre Dame Bandlink program put together a video about their program.  There is a clip of Elizabeth with her mentor, Kristin, and Kristin is scolding Elizabeth with her finger.  There are several shots of the advanced band practicing.  Paul is usually on the far right, playing the drum wearing a gray fleece.  Elizabeth is in the middle of the band.  She's in a dark blue jacket and her hair is in a ponytail.  It's really an incredible program!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6y_-RSmvL0&list=UUexgy-ljIHC_OB_VOlA9XUA 

Terri

Trip to the New Forest

This week Garett, Ryan and I ventured south to the New Forest and stayed at The Pig Hotel.  The New Forest is a national park in England where wild horses and other animals roam freely.  We could have easily hung out at the hotel (a foodie haven) and let Ryan endlessly swing on the tree swing.  But we also went hiking and cycling.  The Spring weather was beautiful.  On our last day we drove back in the general direction of London and stopped at the Ardingly Antiques Fair.  This is one of the UK's largest antiques fairs, with over 1,000 stalls. The vast majority of the stalls are outside. Ryan was completely bored, but I found lots of interesting things...including a heavy, rusted cast iron bust for the garden (future garden) and a large French glass bottle.  Garett bought a heavy copper pan for £20 and polished it up nicely.  He has already used it.

Happy Easter!  Despite all of the lovely weather earlier in the week today is soggy.  Here is the latest update on the Wildwood Grove house: the seller received 15 offers, with 10 over asking price.  We put in a second offer during the "best and final" round, but we're not expecting to be the highest bid.  We'll find out on Tuesday after the holiday weekend. Meanwhile, the search continues...

The Pig

Springtime at The Pig

A big tree swing - Ryan's favorite!

The Pig is now Ryan's 2nd favorite place (after Fethiye, Turkey)

Hmm...same color as the Mini.  Keep dreaming, Garett!

Ryan in the walled kitchen garden.  All of the hotel's food is sourced within 25 miles.

These are the first ponies we spotted on our 15 mile bike ride.

Ryan was only a little rusty after his summertime bike excursions in Indiana.  This bike had hand brakes and gears - something new to learn!

Yes, there were also a few cows and bulls along the way (and herds of deer).

 Photo op with a beautiful white horse.

Conveniently, a pub was along the route.  But no one told us we had to cycle uphill to get there!

Garett and Ryan enjoying lunch in the pub's garden.  Does that kid need a haircut or what?

A horse in the car park?

 Riding along a two-lane road among the gorse.

And finally...Garett attempts to reorganize the boot of the Mini with Shelly's antique finds. The green glass bottle (hidden - back right) sat on my lap all the way back to London.

Shelly

Khuslen's birthday - Хүслэн хүү төрсөн өдрөөрөө

                                   Having fun with grandpa -өвөөтэйгөө хамт тоглож байгаа нь

                                       Grandpa and Khuslen are having fun together

        Celebrating his birthday on his actual birth day at the pizza restaurant- Өвөө аав ээжтэйгээ хамт               пицца хийдэг ресторанд 3 сарын 28-даа төрсөн өдрөө тэмдэглэж байгаа нь

                     Khuslen loved the cake so much that he finished within a minute and                                                         mom, dad and grandpa had a little bit bite of it. Тоорт их таалагдсан учраас
                          аав, ээж, өвөөдөөд тоортоо хуваалгүй хурдан идэж дуусгалаа

                                     Party decoration - төрсөн өдрийн баярын чимэглэл

                          Birthday boy with McQueen cake - Хүслэн Маквин торттойгоо хамт

                      2nd cake for the adults -томчуудад зориулсан 2 дахь тоорт

               Kids are having fun to color the McQueen picture -хүүхдүүд цахилгаан Маквины                                      зургийг будаж байгаа нь

      Opening present - like dad's beard -Аавынхаа сахалтай адилхан подволк бэлгэнд авсан нь

Khuslen's 4th birthday party

Khuslen had so much at this 4th birthday party with his parents, grandmasota, grandpa,
Andrew and his school classmates and friends. He chose the Lightning McQueen Theme party and he loved his McQueen cake a lot. 

Oh, Mother Nature, what have we done?

Yes, it is snowing - again!  We have just a dusting, but it is really there.  Paul's baseball game was cancelled because you cannot start a game when the temperature is below 40 degrees F.  It was only 35 at 5pm tonight.  Poor Elizabeth still had soccer practice on a field with about 1/2 inch of snow.  Cold and yucky again tomorrow and then warming up again.  Just a huge shock from the 70's we had yesterday!

London Calling

Garett and I have officially decided to stay in London and we are beginning our property search in a frenzied market...

Actually this article is misleading - house prices are up 18% over last year.  Anyway, we've started looking at properties.  Originally Garett's bottom line was 1200 square feet.  But this number has been shrinking...and shrinking...and shrinking.

Presenting...the 905 square foot house "in need of modernisation".  Ideally located near the Hampstead Heath and optimal for long walks in the woods with a non-existent dog named Roger.

But don't worry.  It's not so bad.  It only needs a new roof, walls, windows, plumbing, heating, electrical, kitchen and bath.  Not sure why the estate agent is locking things up.

Original floors from the 1880's.

The kitchen.

The master bedroom.

The neighbors.

Because this is London and because the market is so crazy, there are already multiple offers above asking price on this property.  So what will we do?  Make an offer, of course.  But it is unlikely we will get this house.  There will likely be more than one round of sealed bids and there is always the possibility of getting "gazumped" by a better offer.

Stay tuned...

Shelly