May! All in one - well almost.

Here we are at the end of May already! It has been a busy and fun month. It really shocked me that Libby hit the 6 month mark - that's half of a year! How quickly this time has gone. She got her very own highchair and loves to be able to sit with us at the table. Have to kind of prop her up as she tips sideways, but it's great. She has had a red dry patch on her check for a few weeks and various creams (inc lansinoh) didn't work and she kept rubbing it and it even started to bleed a bit, so finally took her to doctor yesterday for it. Could be some sort of infection - they don't know but of course prescribed a hydro cortisone and antibiotic cream for it.... But only two applications so far and it seems to already look better.

We were lucky to have three visitors this month! First Auntie Ena came enroute back from her annual meeting in Italy. We enjoyed a lovely US Mother's Day weekend with her. I was lucky this year - got to celebrate the UK one in March (mothering sunday) and then the US one too! Then Lynn from Salt Lake visited for an evening as she is in London for three weeks taking some of her students to study abroad, then Eugene's good friend from high school who lives in Mexico, Mark Jaakonkari, is here now on his way back from a business trip to Germany.

Two school events - French day and Mia's play. French day they wear "french" outfits, do french activities and games at school and eat french food. Mia was a toadstool in Goldilocks and the three bears. Don't have her lines caught on camera, but a song - see video. She has another toadstool and a hedgehog next to her.

Riding is big here and signed girls up to do some riding lessons on Wimbledon Common (about 10 minutes from us). Wimbledon is a cool village - known for the tennis event but also a bit less city-like with an enormous common and a new and old section of shops. Lots of horse riding there - you gotta watch when you cross the road and look out for the horse droppings. I love walking along the high (main) street and seeing a beautiful horse and well outfitted rider pass. The girls loved their "lesson" - mainly just getting them comfortable and learning how to hold the reins.

This last weekend we had a fab trip to Portugal to celebrate Eugene's 40th (!!) birthday!! Left early Sat and came back midnight Wednesday as E had big work event Thursday onwards. Will have to post Portugal separately.

Gotta say, when you leave this place and come back you realize how damn grey and dull and dirty it is here all over again. Plus, you just get sick of the generally bad and unpredictable weather. It has been WAY better this year than last, but even when it's nice, it's hard to enjoy as you just keep holding your breath and wondering when it will change again and you'll be back to putting the heat on and wearing jeans and down vests in the summer. PLUS, there is such stress on a nice day to take advantage of it and enjoy it as much as possible. Perfectionist that I am, it just ends up giving me a headache (literally) trying to maximize our sun time and figure out what the best thing for us to be doing, whilst (good english word) still taking care of what we need to get done.

Traditionally, I have always switched out our summer and winter wardrobes from the closet, but here you really have to keep warm clothing available at all times (I HAVE put my wool sweaters away). I've learned a trick from the local moms and that you have a stash of plain white long sleeved tshirts that you wear under your summer tops so that you at least have a change of wardrobe and get to wear your summer clothes, even if they cover a longsleeved shirt underneath. The other item I am always finding useful is a scarf - made of linen/cotton but it takes the edge off the breeze of chilly start in the morning and somehow just having your neck covered really helps.

I really need to figure out how to get all my posts that I compose in my head onto this blog. Daily, I compose words and stories for you in my head but they never get onto the blog. I don't know how you frequent blogging moms do it!

Les mademoiselles on French Day.

Euge and Auntie Ena chatting it up with the butcher.

Mother's Day dinner - mutton.

First horseback riding lesson on Wimbledon common.

Random Sunday dinner - French menu ala Euge (yes, that IS a green salad) - served with a wicked garlic salad dressing.

Lynn and the girls.

Libby with entertainment in her buggy/stroller.

The new highchair.

Mia the toadstool and her teacher Miss Louise.

Saying her lines with a smile!