We Like To Party!!!

Happy Birthday Jojo Happy Birthday to you! This fun party is for you!!



A party complete with a bounce around, a ball pit and George!



Popcorn, corndogs, watermelon and lemonade!



And Jojo's "happy cake"! Which she loved this year! I am not sure why the frog won the theme for her party other than she loves Kermit the frog!




She practiced all day blowing out her candles. So when the time came she was ready! She didn't even cry when we sang Happy Birthday to her! Instead she smiled and clapped!



She was spoiled with gifts! And woke up the next morning and played with all of them! She loved it! She even got Pa to play pretties with her! That was pretty funny!



Snow White her favorite princess!



She has played with everything, from her chalk board, piano and tea set and bee book! She has had to take her doll and her dog with her everywhere she goes!





The bounce around was a huge hit! Joey loved to go boing boing! So thank you grandmas for sewing your fingers to the bone to fix the huge hole! The party would not have been nearly as much fun with out it!!









All in all I would say her party was a huge success! Even I had a good time! And Joey stayed out in the bounce around until after nine when we could finally get her to say goodnight! Thanks to everyone who came and played! I know she loved it!

Joey How Old Are You?

"Umm..two!" As she holds up all five fingers!
But she is right! She is two today! I can't believe it! Two and visited 3 different countries, lived in another nation and can say complete sentences!



She loves nice dogs, babies, baby Ella, grandmas and grandpas and to ride in Pa's cars! She was obsessed with "Scotts boat" until she went on "Jeffs boat" and now that is her favorite. When we were in London every boat we would see she would yell "Scotts Boat!!" But it has been replaced by "Jeffs Boat!"



Her fist word was mama and now she wakes up in the morning and will explain to you exactly what she wants, "dad, watch Elmo on Pa's tv." She still likes Elmo but has moved a little into Princess's she is allowed to watch Cinderella but really likes Snow White the most but can't watch it, she picks up the case and yells "scary! scary!"



She loves to count to ten but mostly gets to "1,2,3, x,y,z" Loves to dance and sing "book" to her baby at bed time. She still loves the bath and would play in there for hours if I would let her. (some times I do!)



Jowin is really such a sweet girl! She loves to gives loves and is very caring and sweet. She is extremely opinionated for someone so small but that is one of the things I love most about her. She has to be given options and make her own decisions or else we would never get dressed in the morning! Sometime I have to remind myself that she is only two years old. She seems so big to me! I love her so much and am so thankful she is my daughter! Happy Birthday Jojo! I love you!!

The Rain in Spain Stays Mostly on the Plains..

Spain!! Just me and Kev, the sand and the Mediterranean Sea!!! Oh and a few nudeys but hey it Europe right?

We flew to Spain the morning Joey left, so by the time we actually got to Villinova we had had quite the day!

But waking up to this in the morning is enough to solve any travel sickness! The weather was great and the beach was amazing!



We rented an umbrella and bought sunglasses off a guy at the beach. Basically we camped out and didn't leave until the sun was going down!



What a dish what a doll!



We saw a few sights while we were waiting to go to dinner. They don't eat dinner until late and then it is about a five hour ordeal. We skipped the wine and cut out about half the time. The food was soo good though! It had been a while since I had had some really good food and we got it there!




Our hotel was so great! Kev just booked it online not really knowing what it was going to be like but it couldn't have been better! It was right across the street from the beach and gave you breakfast and dinner, what more could you need? This is us outside the entrance, it was covered by these beautiful flowers..



Getting back on the plane to head home to England for the night and then back to America the next morning. It was an awesome vacation, yes an actual vacation! and a perfect way to say see ya to Europe!

Car, Train, Bus, Plane.... Good bye London!

Sunday morning we were up at 5 am and ready to go! The car came and picked half of us up, but with all the luggage we couldn't all fit in one car. So Kev and I went and got a mini cab to take us to meet my mom and dad and jojo and see them off for their long flight home!

My parents got Joey this suitcase and she insisted on pulling in the airport and on and off the plane, the girl was in love! It even had "min mouse" on it!



The Saturday before we left we walked out to see the town one more time. So we went to Covent Gardens and to the National Gallery. It was a good way to say good bye, so long, see you later!



So after seeing Jojo and my parents off, Kev and I headed back in to the city on the tube. To catch a bus to another airport on the north end of town so we could catch our flight to Spain! Some how our luck held out and we made it to our destination and my parents and Jojo made it to theirs! Thank goodness! So I guess this is good bye London! Thanks for the great time!! But now we are headed back to the good old US of A where we can ride in cars, eat fast food in huge quantities and enjoy all the freedoms of this great country!!

Too Busy To Blog.. Me?

Really I would never say that I am a "blog slacker!" In fact Kev would say I am just the opposite.... And it is true, I do love a good blog post. But with time running out here in London and with lots of fun with visitors we have been trying to live it up!



Craig and Marj were sweet enough to spend the night in and watch Joey while Kev and I went to the West End to see Phantom of the Opera in Her Majesty's Theatre! It was so amazing! I had never seen it before and it was so much scarier than the movie! Kev saw it when he was 7 and said he had nightmares for weeks after. I didn't understand how that happened until I saw it myself! Wow is all I can say! That and I loved it!



That was two shows in one week for Kev! He went with his parents to Wicked a few nights before. Marj said she loved it.. Craig.. Well... he said he liked it too!

We had a busy day Friday, Craig and Marj left in the afternoon, don't worry their luggage did get lost on the way! What is it with this place? We were sad to say goodbye! We had so much fun with them.. and no real pictures to show for it, lets just say, a lot of rain, a lot of "roar" and a lot of hugs and kisses given by Jojo!

My parents arrived Friday night. And after I let them sit at the airport for an hour I finally got there to get them! Thank you public transit!

The next day they were ready to see the sights. My mom had spent one day in London and this is my dads first time so we went for a walk...

Stopping by St. Pauls!



Across the bridge..



To the Eye and over to Parliament!


Then up to Westminster and Trafalgar Square and over to Buckingham Palace! Seriously it was pretty much all of London! It was so fun, a little rain and a little sore feet but I think they really saw the sights! It was so funny we were walking up to Trafalgar and I told them, home is that way (right) Oxford Street is that way (straight) and Buckingham Palace is that way (left). So my dad says how far is Buckingham Palace and I say not sure just across the mall.. a few blocks maybe... I guess I was wrong about my distance! By the time we got there my dad had made it clear that was not just a couple of blocks! Sorry dad, but at least we got to take the tube home!




Sunday it was off to the Tower of London!


Crown Jewels (I went by twice) Bloody Tower and White Tower. Complete with sword fight and a few ravens!


And I finally got my pictures of Tower Bridge! Took me three months but I got them! Look for them on my photo blog.. sometime!






So as you can see I have been busy! And will continue to be so for the next few days! packing and sight seeing and saying good bye! Crazy that our time here is almost spent! But I must say there are a few things I am looking forward to when I get home.. rootbeer! free refills! ice! cafe rio! okay really pretty much America! See you in two weeks!!

V is for.....

Visitors! Hooray!




Craig and Marj arrived on Thursday morning! Kev went out and met them at Heathrow but due to their plane delay he had a meeting to get to so he had leave them at the tube stop, hand them a map and point them in the direction of our house! Luckily Joey and I were out in the courtyard, we had been anxiously waiting their arrival, so we saw them coming up the road with all their bags! I was so glad they found their way! I never could have!







I keep saying it is good they came at the end because I don't think Jowin would be able to deal with the separation again! She cries when Marj goes in to the bathroom!






We so so excited they are here!