Evie turns 1, Mommy gets a Gold and Christmas Season Begins!!

Well, it's 9 days until Christmas and so much has happened in the last few weeks. Evie had her first birthday, My colleague, Elaine and I finally got our Gold Award, we've had a Christening, Evie has started walking properly, I helped with some of the 26 Christmas dinners in my schools and I cooked the one for the council,  the first birthday parties of Evie's first friends have started and Evie and I have been having fun shopping amongst all the Christmas decorations and carollers.

Unfortunately, Evie's teeth started bothering her the day before her birthday (the top 2 finally came through a few days after she turned 1). So, our plan to go into London and wander around the Winter Wonderland got cancelled and we stayed at home and played and got ready for the party instead. She was very cute in the morning opening her presents. She still only has enough attention for one or two, but it's very sweet. Evie's party was a fabulous night. We had all Thanksgiving Food and Decorations. Evie had a beautiful dress and all of the other party girls looked lovely in their frocks. I made Christmas stockings with the kids' names on them as party bags. We had beer and wine and even an "EV" cocktail (elderflower and vodka). The kids used Evie's room as a playroom and Evie had such a great time with them all. Below is the menu (I add this because I'm hoping someone will print this for my Grandmother, Evie's namesake, and I know she'll want to know):

Starters:
Baked Brie with Apple Compote
Blue Cheese and Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms
Cheese and Port Spread
Warm Blue Cheese Bacon Dip
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Olives
Warm Turnip and Spinach Dip
Caramelised Onion Dip
Butternut Squash Turnovers
Fruit and Vegetable Platter
Mac and Cheese Bites

Main:
Turkey
Giblet Gravy
Stuffing (the American kind)
Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Cornbread Broccoli Strata

Dessert:
Pumpkin Spiced Cake with Butter cream Frosting
Vanilla Cupcakes with Butter cream Frosting
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

It was such a lovely evening and Ian and I really appreciate all of you that were able to come and join us in the celebration of Evie.

Even though Evie's birthday was over, we had no time to rest. The next week, I finally got to celebrate with my friend and colleague, Elaine. We finally achieved our Food For Life Gold Award. This is something that we have been working on for the past year. We are only the 3rd caterer in the country to achieve this and we're the first in London. Outside of the fact that I got to have a fabulous night out in London with my friend, it really was the culmination of the last 10 years of work for me. Even when I was an executive chef and running restaurants, all I have ever really wanted to do was focus on children's food. I firmly believe that what children eat plays an utterly important role in their life. I believe that you should know where your food comes from and that you should know with confidence what you eat. And I believe this knowledge should be accessible to everyone. I see everyday the difference well balanced and freshly made school dinners make in students' lives and I'm very proud of the work that Elaine and I have done. It was wonderful and inspiring to spend the day listening to others' stories and achievements and to be around people that share our passion for food. In my speech that I gave on the day, I said this has given us the determination to keep moving forward and keep making changes. I truly mean that and I can't wait to get started!!

But still, there was no rest for the weary as one of Evie's first friends, Max C, had his first birthday and we were off again. It was a great day at the rugby club. They had a bouncy castle and lots of other toys for playing. Max's Dad, Dan, cooked an amazing pork roast and he and Lorna, Max's Mom, made the cutest monkey cake EVER!! They were fabulous hosts and we had such a lovely time.  It was the perfect way to truly kick off the party season.

In between all of this there have been christenings, play dates and lots of school Christmas Dinners (27 in all). And it's just getting started. I have one more school Christmas Dinner to attend next Tuesday and then I'm off until the 3rd. The holiday season has started out great for Two Galbraiths and a Teichman. We're looking forward to seeing Evie with Santa and to see her beautiful face Christmas Morning.

We hope you're all having a lovely holiday with your families and we wish you all the best in 2012!!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Today is my absolute favorite day of the year. It is also the day I miss the US the most.

Thanksgiving is such a great holiday. As a chef, it's the most fun food to cook. As a food lover, it is definitely the most fun food to eat. But, Thanksgiving is more than the food. It's the one time of year that we all gather together just to be together. No presents are involved and no pretense. It's just an amazing day to be grateful for one another. This is why it's my favorite of holidays.

There is no equivalent to Thanksgiving here. It's a shame because with nothing to mark the time between Halloween and Christmas, they had Christmas stuff up in the beginning of October. I LOVE Christmas as well, all the decorating and beautiful lights. But, I feel like it's less special if it takes over all of November AND all of December. It's a once a year thing, and I like to make sure that it gets the attention it deserves and I find it hard to do that when I'm faced with it for several months. I like the building anticipation. I think it's more fun. But, that's just me and I totally understand those who like to have it around a while longer. It is a lot of work to get all those decorations up :)

Even though they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in London, there is no reason Evie and I can't bring our Thanksgiving traditions across the pond. So, since Evie's birthday is only a week away, were going to throw a Thanksgiving themed birthday party! Hopefully, this can become an annual tradition and we'll be able to bring this most wonderful of holidays to all our friends. Ian and I also hope to teach Evie that her birthday is her special day and that we are very thankful for her and that she should be thankful for her friends and family as well. Even though presents are great, they wouldn't be very much fun if you had no one around to help you celebrate! Oh and I also hope to teach the English what stuffing is. Adding grated carrots to a packet of mush does not a stuffing make, you'll see :)

Today also marks the 3rd anniversary of my time in London. I am happy to report that I now have indefinite leave to remain in the UK (kind of like having a green card in the US). So, be prepared for me to throw in the odd "u" where it doesn't belong and occasionally use an "s" instead of a "z". But I'm not calling a "z" a "zed", it's a letter, NOT A WORD!!

We are all excited to celebrate Evie's 1st birthday next week. I'm happy to report that she occasionally walks on her own, but she's just fine pushing her shopping cart or her wooden wagon. She loves her music station and most of all she loves opening and closing things (thank goodness for magnets). Evie has had a pretty low key Fall so far as I have been very busy at work and Ian has been studying a lot. But, starting this weekend, we're both ready to give Evie the best 1st birthday week ever.

So, We'll see some of you next weekend and the rest of you soon!!

Happy Thanksgiving from London!

Evie's Awesome Summer Adventures

Hello there again friends!!

I'm sorry that we had to take such a long break for the summer, but we're back into the full swing of things now.

Evie had a fabulous extended summer. It all started with her first trip on an airplane (in her own seat) to the US.

She finally got to meet her American family and all of Mommy's oldest friends. She experienced an American birthday party, swimming in the lake, the immense heat of Texas, Cajun food, Mexican food and some real TN BBQ. She met her other Great Grandma, Evelyne (from whom she gets her name).

Evie started perfecting her crawling whilst we were in Nashville and she traveled all around doing her Commando Crawl. Evie survived the early summer heat of both TN and TX. Although, I think her Daddy almost melted (note to self: only take English people to the US in the fall or winter). 

Evie continued her tour of the US with her next stop in DC to see some of Mommy's dearest friends. Evie got to have her first ever 4th of July in the nation's capital and it was very lovely. Mommy's friends have 2 little dogs and Evie was unbelievably excited with her first dog experience. She still thinks that any white dog she sees in the park are Casey and Riley.

The Teichman/Galbraith family had a fabulous time in DC. We hung out with good friends, explained ice hockey to Daddy. We saw the amazing DC monuments at night and we had some WONDERFUL food. Our hosts were as gracious and kind as ever and we were only sorry we didn't get to stay longer. But, next year!!

From DC Evie moved on to her final American destination, NYC. She went to see the Big Apple where Mommy spent most of her adult life before she came across the pond. She got to meet Mommy's favourite chef and wonderful friend Uncle Raffaele. He made Evie some very special baby food and they were fast friends.

She also met the beautiful and clever Beth. Beth has been Mommy's partner in crime for years. And she's quite the clever jokester too. We all had a lovely dinner together and only wish that we had more time to wander the big Apple. But, alas Evie's American adventure had to come to an end and we had to return to good ole (much cooler) England.

But, that was just the beginning. Evie returned to London (where London hadn't even started the summer) and immediately had to get ready to cheer Mommy on for her 10K.

Then, the fun really started. Mommy and Daddy had to lower Evie's bed because she had learned to sit up in the night. Less than a week after that, she learned to stand up!!

That required another bed lowering and some room alterations. After that, there was no stopping her. Evie is now crawling everywhere (very quickly) and cruising all around the furniture. She's walking holding on, but hasn't quite managed to let go yet. But, it's only a matter of time now.

In the rest of July Evie had numerous trips to the parks in Beckenham and London. She tried the sandbox for the first time and she finally started to notice all the ducks swimming around her. She went to visit Daddy for lunch a few times and even tried her first ice cream (organic Strawberry from Cornwall).

At the end of July Mommy started working from home and Daddy changed his hours in preparation for Mommy's September return to work. But, this was the true start to the English summer. So, Evie had some fabulous trips down to Eynsford and Shoreham. She traveled by train with Mommy while Daddy and Uncle Spencer laboriously cycled their way through the countryside.

Then Evie decided that she'd like to go a bit further north and see Suffolk, where Grandpa George lives. She had her first seaside lunch and her first proper country pub meal of beautiful salmon fish cakes and mashed potatoes. She had a nice country walk by the sea and down by the river with Grandma and she perused all of Grandpa's interesting books.

The rest of August was spent practicing walking and playing in Grandma's garden. Also in August Mommy applied for Indefinite Leave to remain in England and Evie is hoping that Mommy gets to stay :) She thoroughly enjoyed the train ride up to London for the processing. She had her own commuter paper and seemed very much the seasoned commuter.

Mommy also left Evie in Daddy's care for a night and had a fun night out with all her NCT mommies. It was the first time we were all together without the babies and it was wonderful to get all dressed up and hang out with the girls.

As the summer came to an end, Evie spent the last holiday weekend hanging out with uncle Spencer and Mommy and Daddy. As the weather has been beautiful, we sat outside watching the football and enjoying the last days of summer.

The beginning of September saw some new and exciting changes. Evie turned 9 Months old and started with her child minder, Yvonn. And Mommy started back to work 3 days a week. Evie went for 3 settling in days and after the first one, was happy as a clam. She loves her time with Yvonn and mostly with her new 3.5 yr old best friend, Sasha. She now has 4 new people to see 3 days a week and to practice her German (the child minder is German and all 3 older children speak German). Mommy started back to her job and can enjoy every moment of it because she knows that Evie is equally as happy with her new friends.

Tomorrow is a special day for Mommy and her closest English friends, Uncle Liam and Auntie Sarah. It is the anniversary of the event that brought them together. So, even though none of us are in NYC tomorrow, we're all going to spend the day celebrating the lives that we have been lucky enough to lead in the last 10 years. We are going to celebrate the 3 (almost 4) children that we now collectively have and spend the day being happy that we're all friends. We know that there are many people who are not as lucky and our thoughts will be with you all tomorrow. To all Mommy's NYC friends, we hope that you know how much we love you and that our hearts (Mommy's especially) are with you always. We hope that tomorrow is a day that will fill you with pride and joy in your City that has proven to be unbreakable and unstoppable.

London 10K 2011

Hi Everyone!!

I have decided that my workout routine needs to get kicked up a notch. What better way to motivate than to sign up for a run!! Now, as some of you remember, I ran the NYC marathon a few years ago. As fun as that was, it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience for me. But, I'm pretty sure my body can handle some shorter runs. So, I've decided to run the London 10K on July 10th, 2011.

While just running is an accomplishment for anyone (especially me), from my experience, it makes it much more fun and rewarding to run for a cause. I will once again be running for the Cortney Sara Seff Memorial Fund. This fund is associated with the American Epilepsy Foundation. Cortney passed away suddenly after suffering from Epilepsy for many years. She never let her epilepsy stand in her way and she accomplished many things in her 24 years, such as graduating university and using her unique insight and compassion to work with the elderly. She continues to be an inspiration of strength to all of us who knew her. This year marks the 10th anniversary of her death. In honour of Cortney's life, her family set up this memorial fund to aid the Epilepsy Foundation in research into the different causes and aspects of Epilepsy. They are trying to reach the $50,000 mark this year in order to direct their funding into areas that directly affected Cortney.

So, it would be much appreciated if you can donate to this wonderful cause. Together we can help ensure that Cortney's compassion and determination are not forgotten and will carry on.

Thanks!!

If you'd like to find out more about Cortney or donate (US friends only), click here:

http://giving.epilepsyfoundation.org/goto/CortneySeff

If you are in the UK, you may donate through PayPal by copying and pasting the below link into your web browser:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=SCM2XXF8VPNW6&lc=GB&item_name=Courtney%20Sara%20Seff%20Memorial%20Fund&currency_code=GBP&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

It's All About the Food Baby!!

Hello once again from sunny London. We are continuing to have the most wonderful weather. The flowers are beautiful and we're getting loads of bumper crops of food just in time for 2 very important events:

1. Evie's first solid foods
2. National Vegetarian Week

Due to extreme hunger and a growth spurt, Evie started on solid foods last week. She's mastered the art of eating from the spoon and she's tolerated the baby rice wonderfully. So, today we had our first real food - Avocado!! It was a huge success.

As most of you know, I feed children (in my day job). So, I know how important a proper diet is for children and how important it is to have them eating proper food and a mixed diet from the beginning. So, it's very exciting for me to now get to introduce Evie to the wonderful food that we have available to us. We've been so lucky here that since we've had the warm weather, we have some lovely bumper crops of strawberries and raspberries. So, I'm going to freeze the excess for when she's ready to tame those fruits.

I will cook all of Evie's baby food. I know that some people won't be able to do that, but I'm going to give it a shot. It seems a waste of a good cheffing degree to at least not try.

All of the planning and prepping for Evie's first foods got me very excited about the big event this week; National Vegetarian Week.

First let me start by saying, I'm not a vegetarian. I do like meat. However, I don't eat a lot of it. I don't eat a lot of it because for starters it's expensive and secondly, I feel a lot lighter and I have more energy when I lay off the meat for a few meals each week. I only buy organic or fairly raised meat, eggs and dairy.   And I only buy meat, eggs and dairy from Great Britain. There is such an abundance of meat here, there's no need to increase one's carbon footprint by importing meat. In my diet, I eat vegetarian for breakfast, lunch and snacks and I typically have meat 3-4 times a week, fish 2-3 times a week and vegetarian 1-2 times a week for dinner. It has definitely helped me maintain my weight and it has helped me focus on getting the proper balance of vitamins and minerals that I need daily.  And it makes me feel better about my carbon footprint. The raising of meat uses a lot of energy.

So, I'm really excited about National Vegetarian Week. First, it's the perfect time of year, all of the spring vegetables are hitting their peak and I can't wait to get my hands on them (especially the fresh peas). I have convinced (Ian says forced, but he's come around to the idea) Ian that it would be a good thing for us to try a full vegetarian diet for the week. So, I've got some great recipes lined up. I'm going to raid the farmer's markets and even the supermarket for some great fresh veggies tomorrow. Once again, I only eat British fruit and vegetables. it's quite rare that I use anything that's imported (citrus being the main thing as it's not grown here at all). I also only eat food when it's in season. This was really hard for Ian at first. But, once he realized how much better a tomato tastes in the summer than in the middle of January, he soon came around. As much as I love fresh ripe tomatoes, I hate imperfect ones. I think it's fabulous to wait all year for that wonderful and ripe tomato and to savor it then. I believe in enjoying every bite of my food!!

I know not everyone feels this way. I also know that food is my life (it's my job) and while it comes very easy for me, it doesn't for a lot of people. I know that not everyone has the time or the patience for this. However, I do know that EVERYONE could do with eating more fruit and vegetables. And I know that everyone could try at least one vegetarian meal this week. It's a great way to get your kids talking about how food grows, where it comes from and balancing nutrients. It's a great way to get everyone around the table talking about some very important topics; local farmers, fair treatment of animals, processed food, energy efficiency, etc. And the best thing is, you'll save money!! That is something we could all use a little of in this economy. Ground organic beef is £5.00 ($8.00) per 600 grams (1.3 pounds/ 21 oz). This makes it £8.33 ($13.33)per kg or £3.81 ($6.10) per lb. Red Lentils (great vegetarian protein source are £0.79 ($1.26) per kg or £0.36 ($0.57) per lb. A great savings indeed!! Quick tip - if you want to stretch your ground meats, add some cooked red lentils, they melt into the mix and you'll never know they're there!!

I challenge you all to try and add at least one vegetarian meal to your repertoire this week. It's easier than you think. Find some lovely veggies and enjoy them with your beautiful families!! Below are a few of the things we'll be trying this week.

Freshly made spring pea and goat cheese ravioli
Courgette Lasagna
Cauliflower Risotto
Celeriac Gratin
Spinach, Spring Greens and Potato Gratin
Spinach and Cheese/ Avocado and Strawberry Crepes
Red Thai Vegetable Curry
Mac and Cheese Frittata
Leek and Goat Cheese Empanadas
Pan Fried Chick Pea Salad
Barley and Vegetable Salad

Give it a go and if you need help or further recipes, give me a shout!! I'm happy to help.

Happy cooking and Savoring everyone. Evie's off to try some beautiful butternut squash on Wednesday!!

From Mommy to Granny in 60 Seconds

Well, the Royal Wedding is over and we are basking in the warm and beautiful sun for the last of our holiday. Even though Daddy has to go back to work tomorrow, we do have two short work weeks ahead.

I'm really lucky to still be on maternity leave. Evie and I are having a lovely time now that she can appreciate some of the classes a little more.

I'm really lucky to have such a great group of girls in my NCT group (mommy group). We meet each week and generally let our little ones roll around as we discuss all ranges of problems and activities and new toys and classes. I am the only American in the group. Actually, I'm the only Non-English person in the group. It's great because I have an extra group of people to explain English customs.

So far the girls have been very helpful with doctors visits and teaching me about all the areas near where we live to visit. They're fabulous about making sure I know not to wear white to a wedding (we're going to Ian's cousin's wedding next week) and where to get fabulous hats.

But every once in a while, they say something that is completely and utterly foreign to me. Last week we had an in depth discussion about beds and sheets (I'm not sure why, I think we were talking about making the baby's beds). I was shocked to find out that ALL of them only use the fitted sheet. No top sheet. I was also amazed to learned that because I use two sheets this classifies me as a Granny. Because, evidently only old people use two sheets. They also use the pillow cases (shams) that come with the Duvet covers as actual pillow cases. The fact that I use them as throw pillows (or that I even have throw pillows) was a cause for much laughter, pointing and generally calling me a bed lunatic. There were many cries of "poor Evie" and "oh, that's just another OCD Amy thing". When I explained that all my sheets are from the US and all our sheets come as sets (which include two sheets and two pillow cases), they thought I was seriously shopping in an old lady store and were convinced that no one (American or English) would use two sheets if they were under 80.

I was very puzzled by this whole exchange. I mean why would sheet sets come as sets if you were only meant to use one? That is just absurd. And who has heard of using shams as actual pillow cases?

I was in need of some serious confirmation of this sheet debacle.

So, at Easter we went to Ian's Mom's house. She had a bunch of her friends around and Ian's grandmother was there too. I promptly brought up my sheet debate. The only person that was in agreement with my two sheet bed was Ian's Grandmother. It seems everyone else only uses the fitted sheet.

So, with that, I've just resigned myself to be a granny (I'm in some very good company). I don't care, I like my two sheets!! And don't you worry, Evie will have two sheets too!!

Happy May to Everyone!!

The Few, The Proud, The MOD's

As my first proper Mother’s Day approaches this Sunday, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a Mom, and more specifically an MOD (Mother of a Daughter). I can hardly believe that Evie will be 4 months old the day before Mother’s Day. It seems like time has been flying by.  I learn something new everyday.

I do think it’s different to be an MOD vs. an MOS (Mother of a Son). I know I have different hopes and dreams for a daughter that I wouldn’t necessarily have for a son. I know that I put certain things on a higher priority for Evie than I probably would if she had been a boy. I will admit that some of the rearing of a daughter is overwhelming. Thankfully those things are a bit of a way off. More thankfully, I have an amazing array of women to draw inspiration from. So, as a tribute to my fellow MOD’s I want to repay you for your wisdom and love.

It would be easy to find inspiration in very public MOD’s; Ingrid Betancourt, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Maria Shriver, Eunice Kennedy etc. But, I find it much more rewarding to draw from my personal experiences and the love my friends and family have shown me. So, here are but a few:

The first mother anyone remembers is his or her own. I have to admit that at times, it was probably not very easy to be my mother.   I’m opinionated and loud and I ask a ton of questions. My mom is the opposite of that. But, she made me this way. She taught me to never settle, learn always, and speak up for yourself. She never let me think there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do. As was evident when I said I wanted to play the drums in band. She told me to go for it. When the band director said there wasn’t any more room for drummers, I should play the flute, I was not impressed. So, I asked what other instrument I could play, he gave me the bassoon. I went home and told my mom I was going to play the bassoon. Then I asked her what it was. She faithfully carted me and that giant thing around for the next 4 years. And she listened to the horrible practicing for ages. And that is the most important thing that I will teach Evie. Life is limitless and learning is the key. Oh and that if you want a tattoo, pick a design and wait 6 months. If you still want that same design, I’ll take you to get the tattoo. This is very good advice and the reason I still don’t have a tattoo.

The next are my lovely Teichman women, Annie, April, Cheri and beautiful Stephanie. Three are related by blood and one by marriage, but all are fellow MOD’s. When I see Annie with Lexi I know that Lexi will be the happiest little girl and she will always know just how much Annie loves her. Annie has the most amazing capacity to love and it’s beautiful to see. April comes by the Teichman name through marriage, but lovely Sydney will carry the Teichman name throughout her life. Sydney is spunky and I know at times April has her hands full. But, she never gives up. She perseveres and starts each day fresh. She has amazing resilience and I know Sydney will have a great determination because of this. Cheri is the youngest MOD, but she’s been one the longest. She is the calmest mother I’ve ever met. I know Kaitlyn will be comfortable in her own skin always. Finally, wonderful Stephanie. My first friend, the best a girl could ever hope for. I’ve learned many a thing from Stephanie throughout our lives. She has never ceased to amaze me and she continually surprises me. She’s accepting and fun and can adapt to anything. I know that sweet Valerie will grow up to be very open and accepting of others, even when she doesn’t agree. I am very proud to share the Teichman name with each of you, and I’m even prouder to have joined your MOD club.

Some people are born to be mothers. My friend Valerie was not only born to be a mother, she was born to be an MOD. To understand Valerie, you had to know her mother, Betty. Betty was my first boss at my first real job. She was the head of medical records in the hospital and she hired me to work there during the summer. She ran a department of around 20 or so people, and EVERY single one of them loved her. She was quiet and unobtrusive and VERY, VERY smart. She worked hard and she raised Valerie on her own. From the moment I met Valerie in 9^th grade, I knew how important Betty was in her life. They were best friends. Betty was a great southern lady. She taught me how to make “monkey bread”, quite possibly the best thing ever. She drove us all over town and she helped me learn what it meant to work hard and diligently. When Valerie became a mother for the first time under less than favorable circumstances, Betty took it all in stride. She helped Valerie and stood by her and their bond grew even stronger. Valerie went on to marry a wonderful man and she was in her house full of men, when finally, she became pregnant with her beautiful little girl. I remember the sparkle in her eye when she told us she was going to have a girl. It was as if her life had come full circle and was now complete. I know that little Averey will have all the determination and intelligence that her grandmother embodied. I know she will have a great respect for the bonds between women. And as her mother leads their family onto their next journey through accepting another person into their family, Averey will be just as loving and caring as her mom. And her Grandmother is looking down on them very proudly.

Some people were born to be moms. I don’t think that I was one of them. I definitely weighed my options and spent most of my twenties pretty unsure as to the prospect of motherhood. My friend Sarah, is somewhere in between. She is lucky enough to have not one, but two beautiful daughters. She may not have been born to be a mom, but she’s an absolutely amazing one. She gives me hope every day that I won’t screw things up drastically. She defies stereotypes for her girls and just lets them be the wonderful people they are. She guides them lightly into activities and focuses on teaching skills rather than thoughts. Miya and Sula are truly wonderful people and I’m really grateful that I’ve gotten to be a part of their lives. And I’m really thankful that in 4 months I haven’t managed to annoy Sarah to no end with my barrage of questions. Oh, and I’m thankful that Sarah still translates English to American for me.

The greatest thing you can teach a child is kindness and no one has done that better than my Mother in Law, Jane. Yes she is an MOS (obviously), but she also has a daughter (Auntie Jo), so she’s in the club. Jane is lovely and fun and incredibly kind. She is generous beyond belief and she has taught me that generosity doesn’t have to come from the pocketbook. She has taught her own daughter to be kind to everyone and that being kind really does matter. Evie is very lucky that she has such a great example in her Grandma and her Auntie.  I know that Jane will help to teach Evie to be kind to all. And she’ll also teach her about Leonard Cohen J

The coolest person I ever met was my friend Brigitte. She was ahead of me in High School and I think we met in German, but I can’t remember exactly. She was by far the coolest person ever!! She introduced me to what would become my favorite band of all time U2. And I think of her whenever I hear them. She had a cool little CRX (I think that’s what it was called, but again I can’t remember), she was super smart and she even had a really cool haircut. Seriously, I thought she was the bee’s knees. And today, she’s still cool (and brilliant). So, I know that little Ada will exude that same cool confidence as her mom did and I’m sure she’ll have a legion of girls that find her as fascinating as I found her mom.

All teachers are amazing people, but everyone has that one teacher they will remember for the rest of their lives. A teacher that not only taught them grammar or times tables, but taught them how to think for themselves and to ask questions. For me, that’s Frau Haynes. She was my teacher, my cheerleading coach, my German club advisor and my friend. She has wiped away tears and jumped up and down for joy. She does have her own daughter, but I dare say she has thousands of others that have felt she was like a mother to them at some point in their time with her. She is amazing and she taught me so much in the years I spent in her classroom and in her company. She taught me to ask questions always. But, more than that, she taught me how to learn. Her life is about constant learning and she feels that she will always be learning (and she speaks 5 languages). She helped me realize that was the way I wanted to live my life as well, and it has been very rewarding. Not only is she an MOD, but now she is a GOG (Grandmother of a Granddaughter). I know she will be so loved and so smart! Now if only Frau Haynes could teach me to be cheery first thing in the morning J

There was a great line in the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, the mother speaking to the daughter: “The man may be the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head whichever way she wants”. My grandmother embodies this statement. She comes from a different time than I do and I know at times I didn’t understand the things she did. She lived through the depression with a mother who was divorced. She didn’t marry until she was almost 30 and she had her first child when she was in her 30s. All very uncommon things for the time. She raised 3 girls while my grandfather was traveling to support the family. She does EVERYTHING herself. She cooks, cleans, gardens, types, reads, and writes very well. She is the ultimate super woman and is continually an inspiration to me. She taught me poise and grace and endured endless piano practices and ballet recitals. She has thousands of friends and knows everyone. When I wanted to be a candy striper but couldn’t because I was too young due to my late birthday, she called up one of those friends and got me in. She taught me that you have to work hard, but that it should be rewarding work. She doesn’t understand giving up and she expects a lot. I like being held to something and I love making her proud. She has grace and beauty beyond what you see at first site and the example she sets for all of us (her daughters, granddaughters and now great granddaughter) is staggering. I have been amazingly blessed to be her granddaughter. I am proud beyond words to have given my daughter her name, Evelyne.  I hope Evie will carry that name with her beauty and grace and know that it comes with an everlasting love.

There are two new MOD’s Nicky and Lori. Nicky I just met and she and I are going through this wonderful journey together. I know her little Amara will be as easy going and loving as her mom. And the newest MOD I know, Lori. I know Lillian will be as crafty and as caring as she is.

There are so many wonderful mothers out there and I know I haven’t gotten to everyone that inspires me. But, I do hope that you know how much I respect and admire each and everyone of you. I feel I was doubly blessed to be a mom and to be an MOD. More than anything I was blessed to be Evie’s mom. I want her to know that I wanted to be her Mom and that I will be forever grateful to have her in my life.

Happy Mother’s Day to You All!!

Is it a Pancake or a Crepe? Once Again, I'm so Confused

So, it's Ash Wednesday and so begins the season of Lent. Full of giving up chocolate and sodas and trying to meditate on how we can be better.

But, I'm still confused over Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday for all you Americans).

In England, they celebrate Shrove Tuesday by eating a lot of pancakes.  Traditionally this was done to use up the butter, sugar and eggs that were considered luxurious foods as they would not be eaten during the season of Lent. What's confusing about that, you may ask?

This is yet another thing that is slightly different in the UK than in the US. Pancakes!!

This all started about a month ago when I made some Yorkshire puddings for dinner and had some batter left over. Ian asked me to save it so that he could make pancakes. I did and at the time I was half heartedly wondering how he was going to make pancakes out of such a thin batter. As Ian's cooking is limited to bacon sandwiches and cheese toasties, I just kind of thought, maybe he was pulling out some sort of rabbit in the hat. Or to be fair I was just really tired and I wasn't really paying attention.

So, the next day when he heads into the kitchen to make the "pancakes" I just kind of sat there waiting to see what concoction would come out of the kitchen. To my surprise he comes out with this thin rolled up piece of dough...a CREPE. It was lovely and really nice, but it was not a pancake.

Now, there are certain things that are English and certain things that are Ian's family's traditions. That's not to say they're not English, it's just that their rules are not the rules that everyone follows in England. Like when his family hid all my birthday presents and cards (that were sent to me in the mail, not the ones they had for me) and refused to let me have them until my birthday. I don't know about you, but when I get cards in the mail I like to open them right away. Mainly because they come from the US and I want to let people know that they've arrived, but I digress.

So, I was all geared up to make pancakes for Shrove Tuesday yesterday and about a week ago I was in the store and I noticed signs advertising "pancake" day with pictures of, you guessed it, CREPES. So, I did what I always do when I get confused because I'm American, I called Sarah. See Sarah is a wonderful woman who is English, but has lived in both London and NYC. So, she's somewhat like my own personal translator (or Yoda) of England English to American English. She confirmed that the "pancakes" in question were in fact CREPES and then so snidely remarked that only Americans eat American style Pancakes (well, fine the rest of the world can stay away from my pancakes then).

So, it was CREPES that I was destined to make. Actually, this was even better. I have these awesome french crepe pans that I never use and you can do so much with crepes. So, Ian and I had Crepe day yesterday. Spinach and Cheese, Ham and Cheese and finally Sweet Crepes for dessert. And they were all fabulous. Ian was particularly fond of the ham and cheese.

My thought is that you have to call them CREPES, because who would eat a Spinach and Cheese filled pancake!!

So, that leaves another thing to mark on the list to teach to Evie. English pancakes are actually CREPES and Americans make the only real pancakes. Oh, and sometimes Daddy does things that are really English.

So much about being pregnant and having a child revolves around weight. How much and how quickly you gain weight, how quickly you shed weight and how quickly the baby gains weight. It goes on and on. 

I have never been one to actually monitor my weight. I never even really had scales. Mostly because I ALWAYS weigh more than I look like I weigh (or so I tell myself). I attribute that to very heavy bones or a giant brain. However, that changed the moment I got pregnant. A lot of it was just curiosity at first. I mean this is the only time in your life that you can gain a few pounds and no one is allowed to begrudge you. Another part of it was my job, it's pretty hard for me to tell people what they should be feeding their children if I'm shoving donuts and chips down my throat. And to my utter amazement, when it was all over, I only gained 15 pounds. I had actually shed most of that about 3 weeks after she was born. I'm actually thinner now than I was before I got pregnant. 

Now, one would think that this is where the story ends, but one would be very wrong. This is actually where the story begins. Because once the baby is born, everything revolves around her weight and how much weight she's gaining. As a woman you spend most of your life trying not to gain weight. So, it's a very odd road I've embarked on to "beef" up my little monkey.

It's very easy to become obsessed (and let's face it, I am the obsessive type). The boys in my Mommy group weigh a good 3-6lbs more than she does. And some of them are 5 weeks younger. But, I just keep telling myself that she's a girl and she's meant to be dainty. Evie is growing, she weighed a whopping 11lb 6oz at her 12 week check up. So, I'll just keep trying to suppress my urges to tell her to watch her weight :)

Evie is doing very well. she is 13 weeks and 1 day old today. She had her first mommy and baby yoga class yesterday. She really enjoyed looking around at all the other babies and the ceiling in the church. Mommy will know to bring a couple toys for her next time. She loves grabbing things, the giraffe on her play mat, her burp cloths and especially daddy's nose. She had a very fun time meeting her Uncle John a couple weeks ago and can't wait to meet her Auntie Marina. Spring has finally started here and we have been taking daily walks in the park admiring all the ducks and new flowers. And she is looking forward to her first trip to America. She can't wait to meet you all. 

Until next time...

If It's Not Scottish, It's Crap

So, being American in another country, albeit one that speaks a derivative of English, can be interesting at times. Lots of little cultural things are very different when one lives abroad. 

For instance:

• Christmas Crackers - Pulling apart decorated pieces of cardboard with hats and horrible jokes on Christmas Day
• Boxing Day - a holiday right after Christmas, because we need another holiday right then. Remember after New Year's Day there are no national holidays until Easter.
• Driving on the Left (wrong) side of the road - I don't care how long I live here I will still forget which way to look when crossing the street on a weekly basis.
• Pubs (bars) closing at 11PM - This idiotic act forces people to go out right after work and drink a lot really quickly then go and eat this VILE food-like substance called donner kebab. Keep bars open a little longer so that we can all go have a proper dinner first!!
• Football (soccer) - Now, I do really like English Football (I like the Rugby a bit more). But, I HATE being mocked by English people for my fellow Americans' use of the word Soccer. It's a term the English coined, not the Americans!
• Being European - Great Britain is part of Europe, therefore if you are from Britain, you're European. Furthermore, England is part of Great Britain, so if you are English, you are also British. Deal with it.

Now, all English (British) bashing aside, it's that last point that has me thinking about Evie and how she will identify herself as she grows. It's amazing how we think of ourselves differently depending on where we live. For instance, when I lived in NYC, I always said I was from the south (well the first few years it was quite obvious). After that I would elaborate that of course I was from Tennessee, not backwards Alabama or snooty Georgia. When I moved to Texas, people in Texas actually thought I was from some part of Texas (the accent again). So, I was constantly starting with "I'm from Tennessee, the REAL south". I mean as if someone actually WANTED to be from Texas. Because I was living in the US, I never had to identify myself as an American, it was just assumed. 

Now that I live in London, I have to identify myself as an American first. People never ask if you're American. They say it's because they don't want to offend anyone who might be Canadian. Seriously?!?!! You're worried about offending the Canadians? What wars have they ever started? We're the ones that have the nukes within a finger's reach, worry about offending us with your "Canadian" accusation. But, I digress. I like having to first identify myself as an American. I think it's actually made me more patriotic. Sure, I have to endure snide remarks about our health care system, and the fact that we elected Bush twice, and our love of guns, but it's nice to think of one's country when identifying where one originates. And then I so eloquently remind them about those nukes and guns, and they continue on to the next topic English people like to confuse Americans with, the offside rule in football. But, again I digress.

Something else that is quite common in America is to also identify yourself with your ancestors, i.e. German-American, Italian-American, African-American, etc. That does not really happen here. If you're born in England, you're English plain and simple, forget the rest of you ancestors. For instance, Ian's Father (not Grandfather or Great Grandfather or some distant uncle) is from Scotland. He's Scottish. Now in America (and in any genetics class), that would make Ian half Scottish. But, he refuses to acknowledge his Scottish roots. When I ask him about it, he gives me some chest thumping English chants and genuflects to the queen (or something like that).

So, how will Evie identify herself? My personal opinion is that she should identify as an American-English-German-Scottish-Southern-Tennessean woman. But, let's face it, that's rather long. So, I guess we'll have to shorten it to American-English (hey "A" comes first!!!). 

Realistically, as long as we are in England, Evie will identify herself as English. There is nothing wrong with that and I hope to teach her to be very proud of her country. England has a long and rich history and is a beautiful place to call home. But, I want to make sure that she also knows that she is American (Tennessean) and Scottish and German as well. So, we have the USA map in her room so that she knows her geography. I speak German to her during the day, so she learns about my family history and a second language. And her Grandpa George will teach her all about all the famous Scottish football players (starting with the new Liverpool coach Kenny Dalglish). 

No matter what, the greatest part is that when she's tired of being from one place, she always has another heritage to choose from. And maybe one day she can get her Daddy to admit that he's half Scottish.

Be Gentle, It's My First Time

Hello World of Blogging!!

I have been inspired by my numerous friends that blog, to try and start my own blog. However, I have come to realize that most of my other friends that blog are a lot funnier than I am (Lacie) or are doing something incredibly generous (Valerie). So, I decided I would just try to keep all of my friends and family updated on how Miss Evelyne is getting on. As a lot of you are very far away, I thought this would be a nice way to keep connected by more than just photos.

So, here goes nothing....

As most of you know, our little Evelyne "Evie" was born by emergency C Section on Thursday, December 2nd 2010 at 9:07PM. She weighed in at 3.2kg/ 7lb 1oz. Now unfortunately, this is not the weight that I told a lot of people. As I was on drugs when they said the weight in Kilograms, I converted it to pounds incorrectly for Ian. So, poor Ian was telling people the wrong weight for a couple of days. I didn't realize my mistake until I read her chart when we got home from the hospital. But, let's face it, this is just the start a lifetime of lying to people about her weight. She was 50cm/20in when she was born.

We decided to name her Evelyne after my Maternal Grandmother. Her middle name is Harper after the amazing southern writer Harper Lee. Yes, I know her first name is Nelle, but I don't like that name as much. So, Evie has not only a little piece of America with her always, but a little piece of the South as well.

The first few weeks at home were a bit of a blur. Thankfully, she seemed to know night from day immediately (clearly she's some sort of genius). We seem to have come into our own groove, though I'm sure that will change on her first whim. She's a bit of a diva already, but she is my child so what did you expect? We both had our 6 week check up last week. Evie is now a whopping 4kg/8lb 12oz and 58cm/22.8in long!! Clearly I am destined to be the shortest person in this family. I have been released from care and can now start exercising to get that tummy back into shape. I have been pretty lucky in that I've lost all my pregnancy weight. Now I just need to tone those muscles!!

Our little bundle is now starting to smile and has been to numerous pubs in her first 7 weeks. We're starting her young. She is enjoying watching the football (soccer for you Americans) with her daddy. And Mommy is excited for her to watch her first Six Nations (rugby for all you Americans). We will eventually tackle teaching her American sports, starting with baseball, but it will be a while.

Evie will have both American and British citizenship. We are currently waiting for our appointment with the embassy in London. Unfortunately, they went through a computer upgrade over Christmas and they are not yet able to record births. As soon as they can, she'll have her very own American passport (lucky girl).

Ian and I are truly in awe of our little blueberry. We can't thank all of you enough for your love and well wishes.

So, there it is, my first blog. I promise to be more funny next time.