This is a whale

Alaskaa Photos

Beccy gets her Visa

Hurrah She got it today . I think applying for a USA visa is very stressful having done this now 3 times it is always nerve wracking but she did it she had the right documents ,the right photos and the right answers to the questions !!! so she can now continue working with us in Phoenix for a long time !!!!
Mike got back with an eventful journey( as ever) but also 25lbs of Alsakan salmon he went fishing for - so I had better look up salmon BBQ recipes !!!! Any suggestions welcome

decorating

Well I have been decorating again, this time the kitchen and Den but it goes on forever i am now on day 3 and still more wall to go !!!!! Really pleased with the results but it is taking forever - in my book anyway . Mike is Whale watching today in Alaska hope he gets good photos and is not sea sick !!!!

Well got Sam's suitcase Back after 3 trips to the airport and very unhelpful BA employees I dislike BA more and more. So Sam is all back in the swing of school , he drives there now ( you have to understand the USA high school culture to understand why )and then has swim practise from 2.30 -5.00pm swimming about2500 metres aday !!!! Mike says he will turn into a man mountain !!!He is now measuring 6'2 1/2 inches so is very pleased only 2 1/2 inches to go till he faces Mike eye to eye !!!
Soul Survivor was an amazing experience for him and he learnt so much from it .

Sams room

well his room was finished in time and he loves it . he got home safe and happy but picked up the wrong -but indentical- suitcase so today we are trying to track his case down -otherwise he will be left to wear lumberjack shirts (there are lots in this suitcase ) !!!!!

safe and well

Libby arrived safe and well . Think the weather is abit of a shock no doubt camping in Somerset in the rain will be too!!!!
Nearly finished sam's room looking pretty cool and very grown up just some last minute things to do on it I will take photos 2morrow and post them for all to see .
Had no water today as there is a problem with our outside tap/faucet and the plumber didnt turn up. The landscaper did so that was good as we have a tree that needs sorting and are liable to get fined by the Home owners association if its not sorted soon. We have already been warned about our basket ball net, our car parked on the road over night and our bin left outside , I am not sure the Brits really have the hang of this Homeowners thing as we all get letters regularly including quite often for WEEDS !!!!

LIbby left for the uk and Momentum today . Charlie is very sad as she taudht him how to swim in the pool this summer -he was frightened before!!!
She seems really ready to return and pick up her Uk life so thats good . its been great to have her with us all 5 months of it!!! and we will all miss her .
She loves both the USA and the Uk

Well we went to see the Oliver stone film Trade centre this weekend
surprisingly the theatre was not full , many americans think it is too soon to make the film although the families are happy that it has been released . It is an amazing story of survival and faith ,so many that survived tell of "spiritual experiences" that kept them going .But you cannot help but think of the thousands that did not and that the war is still on ,as so readily seen this week with the new attack being uncovered.
I personally found the film United 95 much more tense and traumatic to watch simply because of the films style . But I am glad I saw both .

What a day for air travel thankfully no one in our family was travelling today although no doubt the kids will have to repack for their flights to and from the usa in the light of the security measures !!!They all travel in the next 2 weeks !!!

Kids today

Read a very interesting article in physciology today about over anxious parenting can cause depression in kids in their 20's.
Basically it was saying Kids need some difficulties and trials and challenges to help them grow into trully confident adults. I suppose I liked it because it confirmed our style of parenting which is not raising Princes or princesses but real people who know life is sometimes unfair and hard. This style is particularly unusual in the USA. where parents do the kids homework so they dont fail !!! and most kids are raised believing they can do anything!!!! (pop idol culture ) which is not true and then they discover they can't or someone else is better and they feel a failure and suffer depression as a result. it gave me lots to think about !!!

well its down to me and libby in the house so you can guess what i am doing ___ decorating . Cleared and cleaned sam's room got 3 black bin liners full of stuff to throw away so feel good about that , Tommorow its painting !!!!

Eating burgers in the airport

leaving for the Uk

Boys about Town

Boys back,
Anders Michael arriving from denmark tonite
Boys leaving tomorrow Sam for Soul survivor (hope it stays dry!!!)
And Jonny up north!!!
Mike and Anders Michael off to Texas !!!
I am going to redecorate sam's room while he is away and so is Mike so its me and Libby on the Room makeover team!! will post pictures when its done !!!

Kelly Clarkeson

went to see Kelly Clarkeson in concert with Libby , Beccy and Beccy's housemate Kelly last night -great night she has an amazing voice such fun its been years since I went to aconcert this was open air and we were sitting at 10.oopm at night in temperatures at about 95'f so a bit different but fun. Boys have gone to the cabin with some friends and taken bug spray and sunsreen not sure what else but thats a good start!!!!