Summer Thus Far

The summer holidays from school are short here in the UK.  I think we have 6 weeks break before school starts up again and we are finding plenty to do in our "off" time.

Amy did two weeks of tennis camp.  She seems to have a natural talent for it and also enjoys it quite a lot.  Amy was awarded the "Player of the Day" trophy twice during camp and intends to continue with tennis lessons this fall. 

 Emily was such a good ball-picker-upper for the players that the coach invited her to attend a day of tennis camp free of charge.

4-year-olds don't have the same physical coordination that 7-year-olds do, but Emily enjoyed playing with the big girls anyway.  The coach, Anita, was very kind and helpful to both girls.

Back at home we found some new creative outlets as well. 

We made candles in a variety of shapes/containers.  Pictured below are a few of our early attempts.  We have since experimented with other shapes, colour-schemes and wick widths.

We made worms with the sewing machine:

We have also enjoyed outings to new sites close to home.  Some friends of ours invited us to "Hills and Holes" - a nature reserve near the village of Barnack.  Built on top of an old gravel pit, it is just as the name implies.  We also saw plenty of interesting wildflowers, insects, and even a few of the local farmer's sheep.

We found a really great climbing tree too:

Once the weekend arrives, Dad gets to join in our adventures.  All together, we visited Normanton Church Museum which is half submerged into the nearby Rutland Water reservoir.  It also houses an Anglo-Saxon skeleton and some other interesting archaeological finds.

Summer is the prime season for visiting English Gardens and there is nowhere more famous (locally, anyway...) than Barnsdale Gardens:

Created by Geoff Hamilton for BBC Gardeners' World, Barnsdale is Britain's largest collection of individually designed gardens.  Our favourites were the Knot Garden (pictured above), the playhouses, and of course, the Kitchen Gardens.

I Love to See the Temple

I love to see the temple.

I’m going there someday

To feel the Holy Spirit,

To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty.

I’ll prepare myself while I am young;

This is my sacred duty.

I love to see the temple.

I’ll go inside someday.

I’ll cov’nant with my Father;

I’ll promise to obey.

For the temple is a holy place

Where we are sealed together.

As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:

A fam’ly is forever.

Young children have been encouraged to visit the temple grounds and touch the temple. President Thomas S. Monson once counseled, “As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Finding Peace,” Liahona, Mar 2004, 3
"As a loving teacher guided a boy or girl to the large door of the Salt Lake Temple and the little one reached out and up to touch the temple, I could almost see the Master welcoming the little children to His side and could almost hear His comforting words: 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.'”

Amy & Emily touch the temple.

Shanna Butler, “Acting Like Pioneers,” Friend, Jul 2004, 14

After the Salt Lake Temple was completed, two boys brought their younger brothers to the temple so they could touch the walls. “We want them to know how great the temple is,” one of the older brothers says in the play. “Yes,” the other boy says, “so they’ll want to go inside when they get big! They knew that just as they could touch the temple, the Spirit inside the temple could touch them, too.

“I Love to See the Temple,” New Era, Dec. 2009, 38:

“I have been inspired by the temple all my life,” says Caitlen Christensen, 16, of the Rockledge Ward in the Cocoa Florida Stake. “When I was younger the Salt Lake Temple was being updated. I was upset because I was unable to see it up close. All I wanted was to touch it. We asked a missionary there and got permission to get close enough to touch it. I had no idea why this was so important to me then; now I know. I know that Christ dwells in the temples and the action of me touching it gave me the feeling that I was touching Christ himself, like the woman who knew she would be healed if she just touched His robe."

To learn more about Mormon temples, click here.

Last Monday, our weekly Family Home Evening lesson focused on temples.  It was decided that we ought to make a family trip to the London temple (as we haven't been in a while...)  Matt took the girls around the temple grounds where they were able to touch the temple, feed ducks, enjoy a picnic lunch and play with the interactive displays at the Visitor's Centre.  After I finished a session, we re-grouped and watched the new Joseph Smith film at the Visitor's Centre.  It was an amazing account of the prophet's life!  (ie I cried a lot).

My family is my greatest joy and blessing.  I really appreciated the opportunity to be at the temple this past weekend and to reflect on the more important things in life.

Pioneer Day Activity

Our quarterly Primary activity happened to fall on the 24th of July this year, which, typically only has significance to anyone that is   A. Mormon  or  B. has ever lived in Utah. 

For anyone else who is now curious... The 24th of July marks the anniversary of Mormon Pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley for the first time.  Consequently, we like to celebrate by dressing up like Pioneers and doing old-fashioned activities.

My assignment was to operate the "Craft and Cook" room.  I taught the children how to make handkerchief dolls.  Then we poured cream into glass jars and shook it to make butter.  Later, we tasted the butter on malt loaf. (yum!)

In other rooms, the children were able to participate in old-fashioned games such as 3-legged races and sack races.

At the end, our good bishop gave a rousing Pioneer Pep-talk (a la Brigham Young):

Then we ate Pioneer goodies such as oat biscuits and cheese, buffalo chips (potato chips/crisps), chocolate-covered grasshoppers (choc.-covered raisins), and Rocky Road cheesecake (it was a long, rocky road to reach the Salt Lake valley!)

School's Out for Summer!

The school year is longer here in the UK than in America and we've finally made it to the end!  It has been another pleasant and eventful year for both girls.  Here is a brief end-of-the-year report as well as a highlight of some of our summer holiday activities so far.

Amy received the following end-of-year report from her teacher, Miss Wade:

"Amy is a conscientious and kind member of the class who enjoys good relationships with her peers. She is helpful and carries out classroom jobs willingly. She works hard, has made good progress and is working at a high level across all areas. Homework is always handed in on time; she has made some wonderful posters and leaflets and often does extra homework without being asked because she is interested in the topic (which is lovely to see!) As well as working very well in Literacy, Numeracy and Science, Amy has many other strengths, such as being able to express her views thoughtfully - both written and verbal - and is very creative, making a lovely dinosaur puppet for art. She performs well in gym and dances and sings very well. She performed her parts well in the Christmas Nativity. Amy has been a pleasure to teach and this excellent report is thoroughly deserved!"

Amy & her teacher, Miss Wade.

Year 2 (aka 2nd grade) is an especially important year in the UK since children take their first series of nationalized tests during this year.  It is also the end of "infants school" - more commonly referred to as "Key Stage 1" in the National Education Curriculum.  Amy did very well on her tests this year, scoring a Level 3 in all areas.  According to the Assessment Results information we received: "Level 2 is the nationally expected level of achievement for children at the end of key stage 1.  A level 3 or above represents achievement above the nationally expected standard for most seven year olds. Children in Year 2 are expected to achieve a level 2 and children in Year 6 are expected to achieve a level 4.  The 'normal' progression is one level every two years." 

Amy will be 7 years old in a couple of weeks and we are very pleased with her Level 3 results!

While Pre-School is definitely not as academic as "big school," Emily has had an eventful year as well.  Last week she 'graduated' from her preschool class and will begin Reception (kindergarten) this fall at the ripe old age of 4.  (Kids start school a year earlier here than in the USA).  The theme for this pre-school party was "Princes and Princesses" and I was asked to make a special cake for the occasion:

Emily finishing pre-school has been both exciting and sad.  I will miss my little buddy when she is in school all day, every day...

In the meantime, we are enjoying what little bit of summer holiday we've got.  On our first day off school we rode our bikes to a little area just north of our village called "Nine Bridges."  It's a cute little pond area with plenty of pretty trees and trails for exploring.

We like to do pond-dipping" here - an activity that involves catching pond wildlife with a net and studying them in a bucket, then setting them free.  We have discovered tiny fish, frogs, leeches and some other mysterious creatures.

We had an added adventure to our pond-dipping/picnic this time when a large thundercould moved in and threatened angrily.  It was a brisk 2-mile bike ride home and fortunately we got inside before the rains came!

We have also enjoyed seeing Toy Story 3 in the cinema (which only opened here in the UK last Friday), and playing with friends in our neighbourhood.  On the agenda for next week: tennis camp, library events, and a variety of home-based activities.

Keep Moving

With the school year winding to a close, we are busy attending the grand finale of all events related to the school year.

One such event is the annual Primary School's Sports Day.  Amy ran the Shuttle Race and the Flat Race (pictured 3rd from the right in the distance).

While she didn't place in either of her events, her House - St. Patrick's - earned the most overall House Points for the day.  Amy was a cheerful participant and had a fun time.

Amy with her Year 2 class.

Another big event for both girls was their annual dance recital.  Emily has continued with both ballet and tap this year.

(Emily = 4th from the left)

Emily was a tin soldier for her tap routine.  She earned a bronze medal and a certificate for both her performances (though she says the medals look more 'golden' than bronze!)

Amy has been doing tap dance as well and performed a lovely group dance with her class.  They were really well-rehearsed and gave a superb show.  

 

Amy was also awarded a bronze medal for her performance.

Snake Cake

Matt was on a father-son camp out for Church this past Friday (with his imaginary son...).  While the boys were occupied doing 'manly' things in the mucky outdoors: playing football (soccer), eating cookies and - shall I say it? Urinating in the woods.

The girls and I did girly things at home - baking cakes and playing Barbies. The highlight of our evening was making this Snake Cake for a cake competition we entered Saturday morning...

The girls mixed the cakes and poured the batter into the bundt pans.  My sole responsiby was putting the cakes in and out of the oven.  I also cut the cakes in half and arranged them in 'the snake position.'  Once cooled, I mixed up the frosting and let Amy do the spreading.  She did an amazing job.  Afterwards, the girls decided on a pattern for the Smarties candies that went on top of the snake.

Amy also piped on the chocolate lattice pattern.  (We melted chocolate and put in a ziploc baggie, then cilpped the corner and piped it on).  Then it was Emily's turn to arrange the Smarties on top.

And here is the finished product which won Second Prize in the Children's Cake category.  Well done Girls!

Green Woodpecker

While posting the blog on Amy's birthday the other day, this bird came along next to the house and squawked at me for a while. It was quite large and dramatic to see up close. Luckily the Internet quickly identified it as a Green Woodpecker. Apparently they love ants and are common in yards. He's welcome to return to ours.

There are only 3 native woodpecker species in the UK, but apparently coming up with cool names was still too much to ask. So, Green Woodpecker, enjoy your sojourn on our blog. (must have been a baby as it still has spots)

Amy's 7th Birthday/Pyjama Party

What is the only thing wilder than 15 seven year-old girls? Fifteen seven year-old girls and one four year-old. We planned Amy's birthday party for a Friday night and allowed her to invite all the girls in her class, expecting that a lot of families would have other things going on. Only 2 did- leaving us with 15 plus Emily. It was the girliest two hours of my life.

Being a pyjama party meant- doing hair, nails, pillow talk...all that stuff. The food was good- pizza, popcorn, cheese puffs, chocolate dipped strawberry marshmallows and candy bars. That part of pyjama parties is just up my alley.

The girls were all well behaved, and luckily the moms were not around to stare wide-eyed at the moments that bordered on unremitted chaos. They had fun, and so did we. The chronicles of the two hour saga are below.

Hair braiding was Lana's task from the second the first girl arrived until the last one left. They all wanted french braids- which took forever. Luckily she'd already planned everything so well I just had to corral the girls from one spot to another.

Nail painting was a popular activity. I was enlisted to paint no fewer than 25 fingers throughout the evening. I joked that I should quit my job and start a beauty salon. Instead of laughing, they asked what my job is now. After wrinkling their noses at the fact that accountants do a lot of 'maths', they agreed I should go into the 'nail varnishing business'. Who knows...aren't we all supposed to change careers 8 times during our working lives?

Lana sewed their names on white pillowcases and then the girls were free to draw pictures or use stencils to decorate them. It was a big hit.

Perspective is everything. One girl proclaimed that our garden (back yard) which probably measures only 20ft by 100ft is "way better than the school yard." That's right, School - with your endless field of grass, log trail playground, raised vegetable gardens and decorative willow arches- my yard is better. (I think the chocolate dipped marshmallows with sprinkles may have helped our position somewhat).

The only group game was Pass the Pillow. They passed the pillow round the room until the music stopped. Whoever was holding it pulled a slip of paper from the pillow and if they successfully completed the task (hop like a frog, growl like a bear, etc.) they got a small prize. Put mildly- it was an energetic experience.

The cake was very good and the rendition of Happy Birthday incredibly high pitched and rousing. By this point with all their hair braided the same I wouldn't have known which one was Amy had she not been seated conveniently in front of the cake.

The collective fruits of the evening's activities: 'plaited hair', 'varnished nails', and decorated pillow cases. Of course while everyone had a good time, Amy smiled the biggest when she finally saw the extent of her pile of loot. One benefit of having 14 other girls show up.

Ode to Joy

There is no need to tire my fingers by outlining all the many talents Lana has. This post focuses on the fruits of just one of her many activities. Several months ago Lana joined the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra. As there were no open spots on clarinet, she went for cello, an instrument she's rarely played since high school.

(I know, wouldn't it be handy to have a repertoire of instruments to choose from when deciding to join a musical group? The girls wanted her to play flute.)

At first the music was daunting, but with diligent practice, she 'made the cut' and was welcomed into the fold. As a side note, the kid she sits next to in the cello section is the same boy I stand next to in one of the Cathedral choirs.

July 3rd marked the 20th anniversary of the Orchestra, and the keynote number performed was Beethoven's 9th Symphony complete with soloists and choir, all within the awesome setting of Peterborough Cathedral.

Lana raised many eyebrows as she sold over a dozen tickets-apparently a high number for any single person to sell. Oddly, her fellow instrument players were surprised she knew enough people to sell that many tickets. We can only assume they thought as Americans we would somehow be averse to 'talking to strangers' and making friends while here. Of course, Lana makes all our family friends and I am lucky enough to hang on to her coattails and pretend I am friendly too.

Below are pictures from the performance on July 3. It was an amazing experience for her, me and the other hundreds of people there (seemed like nearly a full house). If you get a chance the next concert features selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals on 18th September at the Cresset.

You can just see her at the far right of the pictures.