Our first Visitors!

We just moved into our house a week ago and the first four days have been spent cleaning and unpacking. It is wonderful having a room each again for us all and we don't have to tip-toe around anymore. Although all of our furniture has still to arrive we are managing. We were able to purchase our car on Wednesday morning now that I also passed my driving test on Tuesday. The rest of the day was spent baking and borrowing more bedding in preparation for our first visitors! Debbie and Jeff Baisley from North Carolina who we have known for many years came to stay till Sunday morning. Our children have been blessed with three sets of grandparents, two sets in the UK and their American "Mi-mi" and "Poppy". The Baisley's drove for almost 10 hours to get here - supposed to only take 7-8 hours but they were stuck in snow blizzards along the way. It is Debbie's birthday soon so Abi helped me make some fairy cakes and we decorated them as a surprise!

We travelled to Millers Bakery ( Again!!). This place is becoming a favourite of ours. They sell all sorts of lovely things like home-made jams and pasta as well as their famous warm cheese tarts! We also took a trip to the Lehman's store in a place called Kidron. (http://www.lehman/)

It is about a 45 minute drive from Coshocton. Lehman's is an Amish hardware store. I did find Cadburies curly-wurlys made in the UK there! (not for me of course - for the children!!: 0) Most of the shops we go to around the outskirts of Coshocton county including a walmart have a car park AND a buggy park for all the horses and buggies belonging to the Amish community. We paused for a little photo outside the Lehman's shop. It was very cold that day! Lately most mornings have been around minus 9 or 10 on our thermometer.

Debbie and Jeff brought us some Christmas tree decorations and so we thought it was about time we got a Christmas tree. We have a box of decorations in our shipment so were reluctant to buy any more decorations. It was already lighted so Andy got his creative hat on and had the kids hang up starbursts tied with string. Matthew saw a coat hanger in a washing basket and was very proud of himself when he got it to hang on the Christmas tree. Abi began adding her colouring pictures to the tree and they made stars for the top. I have noted that only four days on and I believe there is nothing edible anymore hanging on the tree. There were a few peanut butter cups that I believe Andy may have nibbled at! I did feel very "little house on the prairie" hanging all our homemade decorations up. Very unique I am sure you will agree.

Sunday we said goodbye to our guests but we are glad we will see them soon as we are going to spend Christmas with them in North Carolina. It will be wonderful to experience Christmas in an American household.

We have been attending the Church of Nazarene in Coshocton for the last three weeks and believe we may have found a church to settle in! We have been so blessed by the preaching and Andy and I are in shock that we have sat together through-out the sermon for three weeks in a row! Can't remember the last time that happened. Check out www.coshnaz.org/main.html if you want to see it in more detail.

Today we thought we would go and register at the library and the video shop. Venturing out once the gritters lorry had passed we went to the library first. Matthew loved pulling books out from everywhere and I did not enjoy trying to find all the right places to put them all back. Then we continued with a screaming tantrum when he thought he could just wander away with videos tucked under his arm. Needless to say we did not get any books out today and I am sure everyone in the library was glad when we took the "noise" straight back out to the car! Andy and Abi went into the video shop and I stayed with Matthew who was still trying to come back down to a normal voice! Then a quick trip to walmart for some computer speakers ( hope to be able to skype soon) and home for lunch. Not quite the lovely outing we had anticipated but that's family life. Abi is doing well but I think is struggling finding enough things to keep her busy and occupied. We have given them a few christmas presents early to help them pass the time till our stuff gets here. I think a trip to hobby lobby to get some gluing/painting stuff might be on the list of things to do. We are beginning to feel really settled in our new home. Coshocton county is very scenic and we feel very blessed to be here. Andy is due to start work on the 3rd of January and he is more than ready! : 0)

We are keeping up with the Scottish news and are amazed at the snow in the UK at the moment. I believe some parts of America are also experiencing a lot of snow. Coshocton is just on the fringes of the major snow storms at the moment so we are quite glad we can still get out to the shops.

Our new address is 26835 Township Road 1205, Coshocton, Ohio, 43812.

Our phone no. is (001 - if calling from the UK) (001) 740 552 5220 - just remember we are five hours behind the UK. We would love to hear from you (and see you) and thank you to those who leave comments on the blog, facebook and email.

God Bless

Heatherx