This Is How We BBQ!

Seems like we have started a bit of a tradition here at the Hooge house.  For the last 3 years we have hosted a great BBQ for all our friends here in the UK. 

This year Jon made his famous pulled pork, 14 lbs of it!  10 lbs of traditional British sausages, grilled chicken legs, baked beans, coleslaw, and cornbread.  If you can believe it, it is ALL gone!  We had a bit of beans and coleslaw left over but everything else was devoured, which is a lovely testament to how good the food was.

Jon prepared a super scavenger hunt for the kids to keep them nice and busy and help the boredom stay at bay and then they later had a Xbox tournament. 

The best part, though, I think were the fireworks we set off after dusk.  Jon, Rik, and Phil had a blast (pun intended) lighting the fireworks, tripping over each other and, yes, perhaps one did land in a tree...just once.

It was a great time to be had by all.

One of 'my Ladies', Carol.  Always the joker and my fellow gardening guru.

One of 'my Ladies', Jo.  She has 4 kids and is always uber organized.

One of 'my Ladies', Helen.  She is the hostess with the mostess.  She helped and hosted my surprise birthday party with Jon.

My Ladies.  They make life here so much fun and without them I'd be lost!

Jo being a MAJOR goof.

Jo with her littlest cutie, Eva.

July 13, 2013

Jocelyn's Leaver's Prom

I admit it.  I have had a really hard time with Jocelyn moving up to junior school from infant school.  It seems like lately I have noticed more and more how much growing she has done.  She's no longer my baby, she's my little lady.  Joci is growing and maturing into a lovely young girl and my 'baby' is fading into the past.  When I see her with younger children she seems so grown up, yet, when I see her with the older kids, she's much more like them, than one of the 'littles'. 

As she's leaving her infant school, Joci's had lots of events to attend.  One of them was her 'Leaver's Prom'.  This year the PTA had decided to have nibbles and fizzy juice in plastic wine glasses, along with photos taken before the dancing.  We took her shopping for a special prom dress the week before and she and Daddy chose a pretty pink lace dress and asked me to put her hair up, special.

It's such a special time for her, she's growing up, and no matter how much I will miss that sweet baby girl, this new sprouting beauty is just as amazing and full of life and eagerness for the future.

Her hair turned out so pretty!

On our way to her prom...she was so excited!

Jocelyn with her awesome teacher.  She has been a Godsend for Jocelyn this year.  I will be so sad to move on from her.

I love this picture of Joci with her friends.

On cloud 9 after the prom, another milestone reached.

  July 4, 2013