The Second Queen Elizabeth Visits ISA

Instead of packing lunches for school on Tuesday, I prepared by ironing Jacob's shirt and picking out the "smartest" outfits we own since Queen Elizabeth was visiting the International School of Aberdeen (ISA), Jacob's school!!  She unveiled a plaque at the ISA's theater, which was named the Queen Elizabeth Theater. Then, after the excitement of the Queen's visit, Jacob's class had a wonderful Tea Party!  His amazing teachers even let Claire in on all the fun too!  After school that day, I was talking to Jacob about our day, and Jacob was telling me that Elizabeth was the second Queen Elizabeth.  Then after that he kept referring to her as the Second Queen Elizabeth!

(Side note, Jacob started the year in Kindergarten because we were told that the Preschool was full.  He spent two days there, then, Friday afternoon at pickup, I mentioned to a teacher, I wasn't surprised when he was a bit emotional one day, since we hadn't planned to put him in Kindergarten, until we learned the Preschool was full.  Then, on Monday, we were told they Kindergarten teachers spoke with the Principal and the Preschool teachers and arranged for a place in there.  So, even though the Pre-K was full, they switched Jake from K to Pre-K, but still didn't have room for Claire.)

So, here's some pictures from the big day!  (I didn't take all them, some were shared on the ISA PTO facebook page.)

(This one was totally my picture, and I love it, The Queen and Jacob!!!)

Our house

We are still alive in Scotland, I've just been very busy unpacking our house and  attempting to adjust to life here!  Apologies for the lack of updates over the summer, I'll attempt to catch up!!

Well, here it is, our house...in a foreign land :)

Left side view.  The house is mostly a normal two-story, except the living room is over the garage and it's halfway between the two stories.

The entryway, with built-in door mat.  There are two doors to help keep most of the warmth inside.  Also, the little slot in the door is our "mailbox."

View from inside front door

The dining room...not so much lived in.

My favorite room...my crafting room!  Not big, but it has a door and the kids have to ask to come in.

Another view, looking into the hallway.  We had to move the "closet" aka wardrobe from one guest room to here, for our a coat closet.

The Toilet (what British people call the bathroom.)

The playroom, where the toys are supposed to stay, but rarely do!

Another view

Backyard view from out playroom door, looking down towards door to garage and lower patio

View straight out.

Wonderful view of the backyard from the kitchen sink, where I spend way too much time!

Hip hip hooray for a separate washer AND dryer!!

Up half flight of stairs to living room, down half flight to garage with our one storage closet under the stairs.

Living room, looking straight inside from door.

View from living room, up to bedrooms, down to main floor.

Master bedroom

All our furniture barely fits!

Don't blink or you might miss our en suite bathroom (the door to the left of the laundry hamper above...sure do miss our laundry chute!)

Probably the same size as a bathroom in a nice RV!

The kids are doing great sharing a room!

Guest room/office (the "closet" from this room was moved to the craft room).

Family bathroom with a wonderful deep bathtub.  The kids had some problems getting used to the toilets that were much larger as well as buttons to flush (and the choices of flushes!)

View from family bathroom looking down towards living room.  Rooms from left to right: master, guest room/office, hot water tank closet, stairs, kids room, guest room #2 (door closed because it's a complete disaster!!).

First Castle

June 29th, we took our first trip to a castle.  Dunnottar Castle is just a short drive south from here near Stonehaven.  Castles in Scotland are either classified as preserved or ruined, Dunnottar is ruined, except for one room that is preserved (which I can't find a picture of).  Check out this view!  Pretty amazing for sure!  Read here for more about on Dunnottar Castle.

It was quite a hike to get to the castle, I was very impressed the kids walked the whole way there and back!  The top left of this picture is where we started

The views were absolutely amazing!!

The kids cooperated for a few pictures, but there was a potential for a ton of amazing photo ops if they would have cooperated more! 

The loved all the space the could run in!

The North Sea looks almost tropical!

So many fun windows to peak through!

Kyle enjoyed teaching the children about why some of the rocks were bumpy, but the granite was much smoother, since it was stronger.

The drawing room, the only room restored.

My fearless monkey's climbing up for a better view....

 ....glad they didn't fall out!!!

Uncooperative photo op

 The chapel

The Whigs' vault was the infamous prison where 122 men and  45 women were held for nine weeks (with little food and no sanitation) because they refused to accept the Episcopalian style of church which Charles II had imposed on Scotland.