July 2007 update

Brown update July 2007

Hi Everyone
First of all, sorry it has taken so long to write but we have been really busy settling back in.
Hannah and Lauren have got back into St. Michael’s, but what a stressful experience the appeal was. I don’t want to have to go through that again in a hurry!! However it was worth it as their faces were a picture when we told them they had got back in. But that was the start of a mad rush, we found out on a Friday afternoon that they were to start back on the Monday so we had to go and buy all their school uniform, in the space of 3 hours I visited Asda, Tesco and the local uniform shop, what a busy few hours!!!!
They also got back into Brownies and are having a great time; so far they’ve visited the local pets at home for their friends to animal badge and the local fire station for their fire safety badge. Lauren will get enrolled in September, it was supposed to be before she broke up from school but we are in Florida now until the end of July, so she missed out.
You’ll all be pleased to know that I have stuck to my promise of not getting involved in too many after-school activities. The girls do orienteering on a Tuesday and will start up swimming again in September but that’s it for now!!!
Jessica goes to nursery 2 days a week (Wednesday and Thursday) and starts playgroup in September 2 mornings a week. On a Monday afternoons we go to a music group at the gym. She has finally settled down in her new home. It was touch and go for a while as she kept asking to go home to see her friends at school, which is part of the reason we have her in nursery, so that she can go to school again. She loves it and can’t wait to start playgroup in September as it is attached to Hannah and Laurens school now. She has grown up so quick, and there is never a dull moment, plenty of noisy ones though!!!!
We have all settled back in again very quickly and i have to say that being able to get what you want from the supermarket is fantastic, no more running out of milk or bread!!!! It is also fantastic to be able to go and get clothes whenever you need them and know they aren’t going to fall apart in 2 minutes!! There are lots of things to be missed though, the beach and BBR for a start. I really miss the afternoon swimming lessons by the pool and seeing everyone. Back in the UK everyone is so busy doing various things that it’s really difficult to see anyone apart from in the school playground!! But it’s a small price to pay for the shopping and seeing Hannah happy again, as many of know she really didn’t settle in Antigua and is back to her happy self now she is back in her old room and with her friends again, thank-goodness!!
Scott is working as hard as ever and has cheered up a lot since we got back to the UK, what a difference it make having a happy husband again. However it took Jess a while to understand daddy going out to work and for the first couple of weeks we were back she howled whenever he walked out the door!! What a fantastic start to my day!!!
His latest project is building a plane; yes you heard right a PLANE!!!!! For years i’ve been asking him to sort out our garage and organise it properly (imagine black hole of Calcutta!!!) and he never did, but now he has a plane in there, well, everything has a place and is in it, who’d have thought he could be so organised!! Shame it doesn’t extend to the house though.
As for me well, i’m as busy as ever just being a mum and wife. I am still studying for my Open University degree. There has been a slight in direction though, it is no longer science related as my maths isn’t brilliant and i was struggling at Level 2 so i’ve decided to try humanities and literature instead, we’ll see how it goes. I’ve rejoined the gym and will be going 3 days a week over the summer as a friend’s daughter has agreed to watch the girls for me during the holidays so i don’t miss out. Hopefully by Christmas i’ll have finally lost Jessica’s baby weight!!!!! (bet you’ve heard the before).

At the moment we are all in Kissimee for 3 weeks, we flew into Chicago for 3 days (fantastic city) then flew down to Orlando for the kids and the theme parks, but so far all its done is rain!! (Feels like we are back in Manchester, other than it’s hot!). We are here until July 26th when we fly back to Chicago for the Osh-Kosh air show, then its home for August.

Anyway that's about all my news, take care everyone and keep in touch.

Lots of love
Michelle, Scott, Hannah, Lauren and Jessica