National Space Center

Time to Catch up

Happy Birthday X!

Sorry for the long delay. I have had various technical difficulties. I will try and catch you up on the last several days. I also have several pictures I want to post.

I will work backwards. Today, we had beautiful weather. We decided to head to Nottingham Castle. As it turns out, as you enter the gate of the Castle, the sign reads, “Where is the Castle?” Apparently, all that is left is the gate. Everything else crumpled 200 years ago. The castle has been used by William the Conqueror in 1100’s to Henry the Vlll in the 1500’s. Now there is a new museum, park, and café. S was rather disappointed. We also stopped at the oldest Pub in England and VW had a beer (1189 AD). It was mostly a tourist trap.

It was a tough day for me as I had food poisoning Saturday night. It was about as bad as it can be, and I am still not well.

Saturday, was a better day. We visited the Space Center here. It is so cool. We really had fun. I would recommend it for any science and space travel buffs. The tickets are annual passes if you are a resident. “Hey that’s us!”

Friday, was wonderful. VW worked and then we headed to an indoor water park at the community center. It had a wave pool and two large slides. I even convinced S to go down one of the slides (an adult can slide with them). At the last minute, she almost didn't go down. I forced her a little bit and said, "S, trust mommy." I held my feet on the sides to slow us. Ultimately, she was mad she couldn't go down by herself! We went 12-15 times and X too. He loved it. "Again, again, again" he would chant. I was so proud of S. It was really a big step for her. We would go down so fast. V and I were exhausted at the end. It was a great stair climbing workout.

Most days while VW is at work, I take the kids walking around Leicester’s downtown (3 hours or so.) We explore something new everyday. We found the Jewry Museum, which is on the ruins of the oldest building in Leicester (a Roman Bath House). The kids can run all over in the park area.

The other day it was around 75 and the agent (helping with the rental) told us not to worry, it only gets that hot a few weeks in the summer! Oh Oh.

We have put an application in on a house. It has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths (room for visitors!) It is only seven years old. We should be moving in the end of the week. We are so ready to be settled.

We also found a great school for S. It is different then the other schools we visited. It is large by British standards. There are two classes per grade. It also has two gyms and is housed in one continuous building. They have specialists to teach various subjects including French! The environment was very hands on and that should be good for S. and she will wear a cute little red uniform!

There is a waiting list for the school, but do to a strange twist in fate we were able to get her into the school. It is a little far to walk, with the side walk options between our house and the school. I am hoping to bike with a burly eventually. We will need to take the bus at first.

X has been climbing on a box, and saying “TALL!” He has also taken to talking to a lamp. VW got him started. Poor kid. Happy Birthday X.

Hope all is well. We miss everyone very much. This still feels like a long, strange, not very exciting vacation. I am sure school and the house will change our mode.

Pictures are at Jewry museum.

Going away Pictures

More pictures to come.

Here are a few at the V's-house. What a great night we had with V's and M's! Thanks guys. In a few weeks, we will send the memory stick.

Rock on.

Food Myth

We have had wonderful meals. The pubs have great food. However, everything is served with chips! Pizza, spaghetti, Breakfast, etc.

Tea and Schools

Day 5
Tea was grand. The family we met was so nice. Their children were absolutely lovely. The daughter is 11 and the son is 8. I can’t express enough how kind and generous everyone has been.

As usual for us, our favorite school doesn’t have an opening. The second choice is ok. The people were incredibly nice. It is so different then in the states. The schools are very small with usually one and sometimes two class rooms per grade. They have approximately 30 students per class. In each room there is at least a teacher and a support staff person. With additional staff depending on the time of day and activity. They also have one on one staff for children with special needs. Are the teachers drooling yet? There are schools at every corner. They seem to follow the small neighborhood school path instead of the large school path we now have in the States. The buildings are old and small, with additional hub rooms/trailers to accommodate more students, thus there are many buildings and students must go outside to move about the school. They have one small gym that is for assembly and lunch. The class rooms themselves are very small. They have some specialists that visit the schools, but the teachers tend to teach most of the subjects directly. I think it will be really nice to experience both styles over the next several years. I am sure there are benefits and downsides to both systems. Well, enough for now.

By the way, VW got the GPS working again. Hurrah! I was so happy.