England in Bloom

I do not know much at all about flowers, but I do know how beautiful they are and I'm in heaven right now as I look out the windows of my home here in England. The country is a sea of yellow, with daffodils every where you look! These flowers below are what I have growing in my gardens. Lovin' spring here in the UK!

A parakeet taking flight from our neighbors tree. What sort of tree is this, I don't know, but it's pretty and pink! Cherry Blossom!??! I know many of you will know the answer to this! :)

Stylish Blogger Award

On Wednesday, I was kindly awarded the Stylish Blogger Award by Happy Mommy of Two. My very first award! This is quite exciting for a "newbie" like me! :) Thank you Happy Mommy of Two, who was awarded this award from Shopping To Scale.

So, if you are named a Stylish Blogger, there are four things you are asked to do.

1. Thank and link back to Happy Mommy of Two the person/persons who awarded you this award. I'm new to blogging, so I apologize if I didn't do this correctly! :)

2. Share 7 things about yourself ~

• I grew up with three brothers, and now I have three boys of my own and one step-son. :)
• The states I've lived in are: North Dakota, Nevada, Hawaii, California, and Minnesota.
• I grew up on a farm near Finley, North Dakota where the population used to be around 600 people. I'm not sure what it's at these days?! I had an incredible childhood growing up in such a small community.
• I used to be an elementary teacher before becoming a full-time mom.
• I love shopping for shoes and vehicles...and that's it! :)
• I love all kinds of music, but currently my favorite is Pop (great for my running).
• I could live on pizza and chocolate...oh, and Nacho Cheese Doritos! :)

3. Then award 5-15 blogs that you follow. These blogs some of my favorites...check them out!

Across the Pond with the Loeckens

Happy Homemaker UK

A Day in the Life of a Hockey Wife

Africa, My Africa

Robynne's Nest

Uberlibrariana

Hines-Sight Blog

One Blondes Ramblings

Three Mango Seeds

4. Contact the bloggers and let them know of their reward! :) Now go and encourage a blogger! :) Thank you for reading!

Jo

No More DIET MOUNTAIN DEW?!?!?!

March 8, 2011 ~
This glowing product, Diet Mountain Dew, produced and owned by PepsiCo, is the American product that my hubby and I miss the most! So much so, that we are willing to pay TOP pound (Great British Pound) for this soda that we have found through various over-priced websites around the UK. Thank goodness we could even get it here at all!

Production kicked in over here in the UK just last year under the name Mountain Dew Energy. I've been harassing them on Facebook about selling Dt. Dew. The other day, I received a response stating that, very soon, they will be selling sugar free Mt Dew Energy. Very excited to give it a try!

March 20, 2011 ~

OK....this has been sitting in my drafts for a couple weeks now. Just hadn't finished it...and now my husband tells me that we can no longer get our Dt Dew over here in England. The two websites we would order from are no longer carrying it?!?!? WHAT?!?!?! He said we could ship it in from GERMANY!!! No thank you! The $2.81/can that we paid per can here was pricey enough. Guess I'll have to find other alternatives until the new Sugar Free Mt Dew Energy comes out! :) Ho Hum! :(

Casey Heynes Interview - Bully Victim Who Fought Back Rated PG

Oh my goodness...I just want to go right through this video and hold and hug this sweet young boy! It absolutely breaks my heart to know of his story, and that this happens to millions of children world wide every day!! WHY!?!?! Why are there these kids who think it's OK to treat people that way? Parents with these kids who bully really have to take notice and try and make the changes that need to be made to STOP BULLYING in our young children's lives!!

Casey Heynes....you're an incredibly brave young man who is hopefully inspiring oodles of kids to decide to stand-up for themselves too!

What is hard as a parent is this....I work very hard at trying to teach my boys EVERY day how to act with kindness and respect toward EVERYONE! Then they enter school and start seeing these "bullies", and they don't know how to defend themselves, because they were taught to be polite and nice to people. So, therefore, they don't know what to do! Just like Casey....he took SO much abuse for so many years because he didn't want to fight. He didn't want to get in trouble. The polite kids get screwed! So....now what do we do!?!?! We have to back-peddle a bit and tell our kids...."Well...be polite and treat everyone with kindness....but if anyone picks on you...YOU KICK THEIR ASS!?!?!?" That's what I want to tell my kids. OK...those who know me know that I actually DID tell that to my kids. But FYI...I have super-sweet boys who smiled at me and said, "Mom....we can't do that...we'll get in trouble!" :) But you see....that's the problem. They don't "go there" because they've been taught that it's WRONG to hurt someone. It's a fine line! I will definitely be showing them Casey's interview. I hope they see that if they are ever in that sort of situation, and there's no way out....that it is OK to protect yourself. Now...Casey had an advantage with his height and size. My boys are pretty little....so I'll have to teach them some good self-defense moves. :) Anyway....WAY TO GO CASEY! You're a good kid, you protected yourself, and you walk with your head held high!! ♥

Royal Wedding Biscuits!

Looking for a unique treat to have at your

Royal Wedding Celebration on April 29, 2011?

Here are the perfect biscuits for your party!

Yes, I ate one of the crowns right away! They're delicious!

Order these biscuits HERE!

♥ LONDON, ENGLAND ♥

More about these amazing cookies coming up in a post on Monday!

Good Morning! My wonderful friend HAPPYHOMEMAKERUK is hosting an AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY Linky Party today! If you're an expat like us, post a link about where you live and tell us a bit about your host country and your experiences!

Welcome to my blog post directly from Cobham, England (roughly 30 miles south of London). I am an American Expat from Minnesota who moved to England this past July, 2010.

Wow...where does a person begin on writing about England?! The history of this country is overwhelming! Some of the great places we've visited since moving here last summer are:

• London (of course) - the London Eye, touring on a Big Red Bus, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Hamley's Toy Store, Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, and London Bridge...just to name a few of our stops in London.
• Leeds Castle
• White Cliffs of Dover
• Chessington World of Adventures Park
• Hampton Court
• The Cotswolds

Every turn you make in this country tells a story! I hope to blog about all of my stops....past, present, and future! I'm just getting started in your blogging world, so please stop by often, follow me and be sure to leave me a comment with your link so I can follow you too! Thank you!

Speaking of future blog posts...be sure to visit me at the end of August for a blog about our visit to Althorp (Princess Diana's Childhood Home and Burial Site). I know that's quite a ways into the future...but don't forget, ok!?! :) Especially those of you who adored her like I did!

Today however, I'm going to blog to you about my most recent adventure....a tour of the 2012 Summer Olympics location in London! On Tuesday, March 15, 2011, a bunch of friends embarked on an adventure into eastern London. The Statford District of eastern London is quite an old and worn down industrial area of London. The city is currenly in a regeneration phase of this district. They are tearing down many industrial buildings and will be creating a 1,500 acre parkland (3x the size of Hyde Park) that will run from the Olympic Park down to the river Thames.

During our tour, we walked past the 3 Mill Studios which is currently where Danny Boyle (who is known for his role as director of Slumdog Millionaire), and his team of 300 people are working to prepare for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

The main stadium of the Olympic Games is supposed to house 80,000 people. The West Ham United Football Club will take over this structure once the 2012 Olympics are finished.

We walked to a point where we could oversee all the work being done. Only 500 days left until the Olympics start, from the day we toured this site!

Since it was such a huge milestone, there were some former British athletes who were up at the site with us. I managed to speak to a couple of them. The first gentleman's name is Chris Tomlinson. Chris was a former long jumper. Matt Skelhon is a former shooting gold medalist from the 2008 Paralympics. Click on their names to get more information about these ambassadors!

I'm super excited about applying for my tickets! I hope I get some really fun events to attend! If you're interested in applying yourself, click HERE to fill out your applications! You have until April 26th, 2011! Good luck and thank you for stopping by to read my post!

Cheers!

Fergie on American Idol!

Last night, the Black Eyed Peas performed a new song titled Just Can't Get Enough on American Idol. Poor Fergie is getting torn apart for looking....like herself?!?! I think she's just changed her make-up to look more like herself instead of looking "done up". The media's all over her! They say, "She must be pregnant....She's had plastic surgery!" Fergie....you look GREAT!

Now personally...I'm a HUGE fan of the BEP, but this song....not so much! What do you think?

Access Hollywood Live: Matthew McConaughey Talks Family Life & Shares Parenting Advice | Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos

Access Hollywood Live: Matthew McConaughey Talks Family Life & Shares Parenting Advice Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos

OK....here's one of my favorite actors talking about his upcoming movie LINCOLN LAWYER that debuts on March 18th! What I find interesting, is that when he's interviewed several times and asked about who else is acting in this movie with him, and he never once mentions Josh Lucas. Josh is a big-named actor too, but he doesn't mention this.

Why do you write of this you ask?

And more importantly, why do you care?!?!

Well....if you remember WAY back in time, Matthew once dated Penelope Cruz. I was thinking that Josh dated Penelope after Matthew....but as I'm typing this, realized that it wasn't Penelope Josh dated, but her friend Salma Hayek. So....there goes my theory that Matthew still holds a grudge against Josh for dating his ex-girlfriend (not that he ever did...I'm just...guessing, I mean gossiping). So....now I have NO idea why he didn't mention Josh, unless he just doesn't consider Josh a big-named star?!?! Hmmmmm....so....just disregard all my babbling. :) I should erase this and start again.....but why?!?! This is labeled HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP, is it not?!?! Read this and make fun of me if you must. :) It is 2am here in the UK as I type this. Once again...having a hard time sleeping. So much on my mind these days. We're obviously too busy, because I can't stop thinking about all the details of what needs to be accomplished the next day! Alright...I'll stop rambling now. Just enjoy the clip of Matthew. If you want to see more, there should be numerous clips off to the right of the one above, or just Google his name or the movie Lincoln Lawyer and you'll find all sorts of fun interviews!! G' Nite!

[Image of Matthew above from http://www.santabanta.com/]

"SERIOUSLY T?!"

Do you see all these groceries?!?! These items come from a refrigerator that sat WIDE open from 10pm - 7am the other night!

Our four year old son forgot to shut the door after running downstairs to get a quick drink of water before bedtime.

A couple hundred GBPounds later, we have replenished the fridge with safe groceries to eat/drink! :) We also had a nice little talk with T about why it's SO important to keep those doors SHUT!

A day in the life of raising a toddler - sh** happens!

Billy the Exterminator is HERE!!!

While living in our temporary digs in Minnesota (Marriott Residence Inn), before we moved to England last summer (July 2010), my kids got hooked on the show Billy the Exterminator! It's a great show about this rad dude who removes pests such as wasps, bats, and racoons, to deadly snakes, alligators...and much more. I believe he removes everything without actually killing the pests. Some people appreciate that....I honestly could care less. All I know is that my kids LOVE to watch Billy's adventures. Of course, the show was NOT showing over here when we arrived, so I've been buying old episodes through iTunes every once in awhile as a little treat for them. But starting TONIGHT....Billy's show is NEW on the BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL. We are SOOO excited! I especially am because now I don't need to pay $$ to watch it. Well...any more than I already pay for SKY TV here in the UK. :)

Happy Kids + Ice Cream = Happy Momma!

Red Nose Day ~ March 18, 2011

Lately, I've been noticing all these red noses that you can buy to literally "put on your nose" here in the UK. I know Christmas is over, and it can't be about Rudolph....so what's the deal!?!?! The boys and I went to Sainsburys to pick up some groceries, and they started BEGGING for a red nose. All I could think about was that these things were going to just lay around the house like every other toy. They'll play with them for a few minutes...and then be done. I just kept saying "NO"! As they stood next to the big red box of noses at the checkout, they put their heads together to come up with a plan. :) My oldest finally pops up and says that they would each give me a "pound" (I don't have a British keyboard, so I can't type the sign) from their allowance if they could buy it themselves. So that's what they did. After getting home, I decided to Google RED NOSE DAY to see what the hype is all about.

Well, here in the UK, Red Nose Day is on Friday, March 18th. It's a day each year, where everyone gets together to raise money for the poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and in Africa. The money is spent to:

Treat the Blind, Mental Health, Education, Treat Malaria,

and Infant Health (according to the website above).

I believe that there will be comedians and celebrities on BBC on Friday night to use Comic Relief to make us all laugh, dig deep in our pockets, and help out our country and that of Africa!

I feel terrible for not buying like 40 noses for them to take to school for each of their classmates. :) If I get back to the store, I might just do that! :) Maybe next year I'll dye my hair red like Rihanna and raise some money for a good cause! :) Hmmmm....sort of sounds like a great reason to get crazy! :)

Strawberry-Banana-Spinach SMOOTHIE!

I received a fantastic smoothie recipe from my great friend and fellow new blogger. These smoothies are not only delicious, but super healthy too! I am currently on Weight Watchers, so I always get excited when I find a new treat that's low in calories and tastes good too!

Not only do I absolutely love this smoothie, but my boys do too! They are NOT fans of vegetables....so this smoothie is a great way to get them a good serving and they don't even know it! :) The spinach adds NO flavor to the smoothie...only a beautiful green color! :)

Strawberry/Banana/Spinach Smoothie

1 C. Vanilla Soy Milk (you can also use Almond Milk)

1 1/2 - 2 C. Frozen Strawberries

1-2 Frozen Bananas

1-2 Handfuls Spinach

Swirl of Agave

Blend/Blitz all of these ingredients until smooth.

Swirl in a tad-bit of Agave if you'd like to sweeten it up a bit and enjoy!

Filling, only 2pts (Weight Watchers), and satisfying! :)

Hang on World ~ Super Moon Approaching!

[Source: Sunsentinel.com]

OK, my kids are freaking out about this 'Super Moon' coming up on March 19th, 2011. Our oldest son is like, "Mom....I'm too young to die." And then our middle son chimes in, "I don't want to die on my BIRTHDAY!" Yes, he turns 8 on the 19th! OK....awful words to hear your children say!

As I'm reading this, I'm thinking....."Aw....it's all hype...there's nothing to worry about." Not two seconds later, I click to re-fresh the Yahoo page and BAM! Breaking News: 8.9 earthquake hits Japan....Tsunami follows!!! WHAT?!?!??! The volcano Kilauea, on the big island in Hawaii, is blowing again! Think there's something to this theory?!?! Hang on world! Who knows what's going to happen next?

Victorian Era

Being an Expat in England brings some exciting adventures and fantastic educational experiences for our children. Yesterday, our middle child went on a field trip to a Victorian Museum. He got all dressed up in some Victorian-type clothing (the best that we could put together anyway). :)

<---Here's a photo of him writing with a pen and an inkwell. So much fun!

The Victorian Era was the period in the UK when Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901, which was a very prosperous time for Great Britain. The population in the UK more than doubled during her reign, affected mainly by fertility and mortality rates. England was also the first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution during that time.

Queen Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Germany). They supposedly had a very loving marriage in which 9 children were born. Queen Victoria's reign as Queen has lasted longer than that of any other British monarch.

There is SO much to learn about Queen Victoria and the Victorian Era. I could write forever about her and this period in the past.

On the flight here to England this past year, I watched a movie titled The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert. It was a fantastic movie and I highly recommend you rent it if you have not yet seen it!

[Source: Queen Victoria portrait-Pinterest and Movie Photo - Yahoo Movies]

God Save the Queen! ♥

Is Charlie Sheen On The Verge Of A Breakdown? | Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos

Is Charlie Sheen On The Verge Of A Breakdown? Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos

Seriously Charlie....are you even able to get help? Can this guy ever be anyone besides who he is right now? He's a child star gone bad. He doesn't think he has a problem...so how will he ever become someone different, healthier, "more normal"?!?! Every single person around him who's enabling him is using him! Pathetic! This is a serious trainwreck just waiting to happen. It's hard to watch....seriously...hard to watch! Wow!

Pluggin' Away

Alright...so after working out 10 hours last week, as we speak, I have IcyHot radiating off my calf muscles. My feet feel like stumps (having a hard time finding just the right tennis shoes), and my bum still hurts to sit on, even though I haven't been to Spin Class since Saturday! :) Old age is definitely showing it's ugly face at me these days! Honestly...I swear I was just running around the gym like YESTERDAY playing basketball with my girlfriends from Mayville State, having cops deliver subpoenas to me (a long story...nothing serious...maybe I'll blog about some day), skipping class to take a nap instead, going to Stubs for quarter-draws (is that the name of the bar in Portland and what those super cheap cups of beer were called?!?!). Gosh...I guess time has ticked by. It's getting hard to recall a lot of the details from the 'ol days! :)

Anyways...I'm hurtin' from last weeks workouts and I only lost two pounds! I would normally be happy with that, but after killing myself, I was hoping for at least three! :) I probably could have hit that goal, had I not eaten 3 slices of Papa John's pizza and a burger/fries/onion rings and grilled halloumi at Gourmet Burger Kitchen last Friday (not all at once mind you ~ lunch & dinner). So...considering my binge day, I'll take that two pound loss and embrace it! :)

My new favorite snacks to get me through the cravings during this mission I'm on to drop these unwanted pounds: Weight Watchers Caramel Mallows ~ 1pt/wafer, and Snack a Jacks Salt & Vinegar Rice & Corn Snack ~ 2pts/22g. bag. Delish!

Have a great week! ♥

Cat photo from Pinterest and Burger from GBK website (see link above).

"Winning!"

(Charlie and one of his goddesses ~ his porn star goddess)

OMG....came across this Charlie Sheen "Winning" Mashup and HAD to share! :)

Charlie Sheen Spills His Guts on TMZ

Charlie Sheen Spills His Guts on TMZ

Seriously, I can't get enough of this crazy dude! What is up people?! Has he seriously lost his mind, or is he just spewing out crazy thoughts for attention and entertainment? It's got to feel good for him to just say whatever is on his mind and not have to worry about what is "appropriate". Hey, live life how you want Charlie....but don't forget...you have 5 children who are following in your footsteps. Seriously!??!

OK, tell me if I heard this right....he's planning on buying a group of homes in a clustered area to house his "family" aka porn stars?!?! That's a GREAT environment for kids to be around. Holy hell....what's next in Hollywood?!?! Hmmmmm.........

Feel the Burn!!

I am an American Expat who lives in England. When I found out we were moving, I did what many people do....stress out...and with that, comes junk food consumption. I planned for the move, worried, stopped exercising, ate a bit of junk food, and ended up gaining an extra 20 pounds (or 1 stone 6lbs here in the UK). I joined Weight Watchers in order to help me get back on track. I need to focus on eating healthy foods, etc,etc. We all know how we should eat. We all know that we should exercise...but do we do it?!?!

This past week I have decided to give myself my own personal "Biggest Loser" challenge. From March 3rd - March 9th, I am to workout 4 days: 2 hrs/2days and 3hrs/2 days. I am currently in the middle of finishing up my 2nd 3hr workout day.

{Source: PInterest}

This morning I participated in a spin class at our local fitness center and here's a picture above for your enjoyment on what our instructor looked like. :) hee hee Actually, I don't find this picture very interesting to look at at all! He's too white in some places! :) Anyway, I thought it would add a little excitement for some of my hundreds of followers! :) heehee

So....as I type this post, I still have to get my last hour in for the day. I'm going to pop in my Slim in 6 DVD and get it over with! I'm procrastinating a bit and thought I'd take a break and blog. :) Wish me luck! I'll let you know how my weigh in goes on the morning of the 8th! It better be successful, that's all I can say! And if it is...I might have to give myself another one of these challenges! I have to get ready for spring break....sunshine and beaches only 5 weeks away! :)

Jennifer Lopez - On The Floor ft. Pitbull

OK, this song by J. Lo totally makes me want to get up and dance....and I don't dance! :) Way to go J.Lo! Tell me what you think people!! Do you like/dislike her new song!??!