A Potato a Day...

I just realized that I've eaten a potato at least once a day for the past week (including the weekend)...and I didn't even notice until yesterday! These English folk are potato-sneaky! (we get served lunch at school...just like middle school...but the food is too good here, it's dangerous!!)

Chocolate Chip Cookies...English Style!

Anyone who knows me (Andrea) knows how much I LOVE cookies...especially chocolate chip cookies! Yummers! I've been missing baking them...so I ventured out to begin the journey! I found the process so amusing that I just had to blog about it! First, I think it took days and several trips to 3 different grocery stores to find the basic cookie ingredients (by the way, I just found vanilla today!).

Preheating the oven...don't forget that it's Celcius here! Thank goodness I remembered the equation...9/5*C+32=F!! Thanks to Jaylene, I now have the metric equalivent chart! Thanks Jaylene!

First, you must gather a few eggs. Don't go to the refrigerator to find them...they're in the cupboard!

Next, add brown sugar and butter. Brown sugar is hard to find...and I still haven't found butter yet (and we've been here for 1 month!). I really don't know where they hide it! Ha.Ha. I forgot to mention that UK refrigerators are 1/3 the size of standard American fridges...so you may find it amusing to hear that I found a SALE on Utterly Butterly...so I stocked up...which takes up a big part of our space! Ha.Ha.

Next, add the oats. We don't have a blender yet, so I tried using a knife to cut them up. That didn't last long...Also, oatmeal was hard to find...but then I realized that it doesn't exist! It's called "porridge" here. And, it was cheaper buying muesli and extracting the raisins and hazelnuts than buying straight-up porridge at Tesco! (I've since found them plain!...phew!)

I can't find chocolate chips anywhere..which is such a blessing! I have too much of an addiction. So a Cadbury bar sacrificed it's life for our cookies. Next time I'll get dark chocolate than milk chocolate.

Now bake the cookies for 7 minutes in the little oven!!

Waah-la! They're done! They look okay...but tasted very different. We'll try again next time...hopefully they're better!

Until then!

American Faux Pas

So yesterday I sent an email to the ladies of our Bible study about the details of our meeting. I explained that our Bible study leader was serving "tea" at 7:15pm, with the study (on the book of Esther) beginning at 7:45pm. What I should've remembered was that "tea" means the drink (if it's 11am or 3pm) and it means dinner when referred to after 6pm! So you can imagine my embarrassment when my English friends left a bit hungry after our study! Ohhhh no!

Happy 57th Birthday Dad!

Happy (belated) Birthday Dad!! Hope you had a memorable, fun, and delightful day on Wednesday!

I was able to call my dad...and it sounds like he's a Happy Camper with the Packers doing so well!! :)

Love you Dad!

A Birthday Journey to Cardiff (Wales)!

AJ surprised me for my birthday by setting up a little adventure to Cardiff last weekend! It was a delightful day visiting the capitol of Wales. We happened to be there at the same hour that the Welsh team faced France in the Rugby World Cup. The city was buzzing with spirit and excitement! AJ arranged for us to see the Cardiff Castle and St. Fagen's Historical Area. The original foundation of the Castle was built around the time of Christ and the St. Fagen's mansion was built in 1580. To us Americans that is so very old!! Here are some photos of our time in Wales. You may notice the consistent overcast skies in all of the photos...don't be jealous our beloved Colorado friends!!

AJ took this beautiful photo of the Cardiff Castle from the gardens behind the Castle. The leaves are just beginning to turn here. We're told that most leaves fall by the end of November! Wahoo!

AJ and I atop the tower of the Keep. It was an amazing view of the Castle gardens.

A view from the gate of the Keep, overlooking the grounds of the Castle.

A photo of the Keep, located in the center of the Castle grounds.

Here's a photo of the St. Fagen's mansion, built in 1580 on the ruins of an old Norman fort. The mansion was passed along through the centuries and even stood empty for 150 years. The interior was updated in the early 1800's, however many pieces of original furniture from the early 1700's was on display. It's difficult to comprehend that America was still in her early years at that time!

Behind St. Fagen's was an old English farming settlement.

A tunnel of grape vines in the gardens of St. Fagen's.

Here is a beautiful piece of art in the gardens made of trimmed bushes.

A small view of the gardens of St. Fagen's.

Another view of the gardens.

While walking through the gardens of the Castle, AJ and I were surprised to see this interesting character! It actually scared me at first! :)

Our Friends: The Swales Family!

Hello Everyone! I couldn't resist sharing some fun photos of our friends Jon & Sarah Swales and their two adorable children Rebecca & Benjamin! They adopted us the moment we arrived here...and have blessed us so much! We enjoy "Swales Cinema" on Saturday evenings where we've watched Amazing Grace and The Mission on their projector screen and often have great discussions and share lots of laughs! Here are a couple of photos of their family!

Jon & Sarah in their home!

Here's little Rebecca in her princess outfit! Whenever she sees me at the College, she often greets me with a big ol' hug!!

Here's little Benjamin after eating dinner!! Ohh my! He's already showing talent in the art of painting! Ha.Ha.

AJ at his finest!