Welcome to my Mommy world

Healthy Eating for all the Family!

2010-06-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and life is good! Our move to NY is temporarily on hold as my husband's company have just been taken over...!

I'm preparing for the USA dietitian exam and am in the process of setting up my own online nutrition counselling business!!

I aim to help women and families achieve health through their diet and invite you to stop by my new blog http://www.caledonianutrition.blogspot.com/ There you can let me know what issues you would like to know more about with regard to both your own and your family's eating.

I'm loving having the girls at home everyday now they're on vacation! The oldest will start kindergarten in the fall and the youngest is looking forward to being one of the 'big girls' when she returns to preschool!

Have a great summer!

Moving on...

2010-01-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

I've really enjoyed writing this blog and sharing some of our family's ups and downs but I'm moving on from being a stay-at-home Mommy to a work-at-home Mommy!

I'm busy revising all my dietetic information in preparation for sitting the USA registration exam to become an American dietitian in addition to my UK qualification so my Mommy blog will finish here....for now...

I invite you to join me in my new venture! I'd love you to come follow my nutrition blog at http://www.caledonianutrition.blogspot.com I am also working on a website for Caledonia Nutrition which when it's ready will provide information on my services for adults and children regarding healthy eating and weight management.

Best wishes & I hope to see you at my new blog!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

What a lovely time we had over Christmas and New Year! What wonderful childhood memories were made!

A truly white Christmas with tons of powdery snow, first Nutcracker ballet along with your best friend, a trip to the movies to see The Princess The Frog, receiving everything on your Christmas wish list, Christmas dinner with friends, a fabulous New Year's Eve party at our house, quality time with Mommy and Daddy! I can't think of anything else our little girls could have wished for...

Hope you had a great time too and best wishes for 2010!

Tis the season!

2009-12-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

The snow is falling heavily here just in time to make it a beautiful white Christmas. This is the stuff wonderful childhood memories are made of....

I took my girls to their first Nutcracker ballet last weekend and now they are completely stage struck! They loved to wear their ballet outfits before but now they are living in them and constantly twirling around the house! It was even more special and personal as one of our neighbors children was in it and they found it amazing to actually see them up on the stage!

We also went to the new Disney movie The Princess & The Frog which they loved. An advert for All State Insurance that came on before the movie struck a chord with me as it was talking about how people's attitude to material possessions has changed this year "it's no longer about how big your TV is but about who's around it" etc. Returning to what's really important in life can only be a good thing. But my heart goes out to all those people that once had a secure lifestyle and now face unemployment, foreclosure and poverty.

I asked my husband the other day how, when I loved my girls as much as possible the moment they were born (and even before that!) - how then could I feel like I was growing to love them more and more each day? They are no longer little girls but are becoming so independent - helping me with everything around the house, wanting to make their own sandwiches, asking such great questions, reading (both of them!).

I guess I am just getting to know them more each day and I'm pleased to say they are growing up to be lovely, kind, thoughtful girls.

Visiting Santa was another recent highlight! I can remember myself what it felt like to believe and to see the magic now through their eyes is so wonderful! I'm only worried I might slip up somehow and make them question it!

I love this time of year as people seem to be kinder to each other and there is hope in the air - like many people, I wish it could be this way all year round...

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

Girls are off school all week, husband has a short week at work and we have a delicious dinner shared with neighbors to look forward to! I'm thankful for all that!

When asked at school what they were thankful for my oldest answered "the Princess canopy over my bed" and my little one said "Petals and dabdabs" (translated to her rag doll (Petals) and 2 little silky blankets which I made for her and she carries about constantly "dab dabs".

But what I'm truly thankful for is my health, the health of my children and all our extended family. When I was growing up, whenever we got a gift such as a new bracelet or something, our neighbor at that time always said "I wish you health to wear it". I didn't really understand the importance of this at the time as I took health for granted. But having seen some family members battle illness over the years and through working myself with sick children, I have come to realise how precious health is.

None of us know what's in store but I do my best to keep myself and my family healthy. Although we may be facing a huge change next year with the possible/probable move to New York (and the worry about the cost of living there!!) at least my husband is not being made redundant as so many people have faced this year.

So I know I have a lot to be Thankful for. I hope you all have things in life that make you Thankful too and I wish you a happy and relaxed Thanksgiving day...

Massage envy!

2009-11-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you Massage Envy for kneading and pummeling me until I had no option but to RELAX! Oh it feels good!
Next time I'm trying a hot stone massage... can't wait!
A day of firsts for my little ones. They've been asking why some of their classmates Dad's sometimes take them to school so my husband kindly (made himslef a bit late for work!) took them to school this morning - they were delighted!
Their teacher has started offereing a late stay some days when they can take lunch but I haven't done this so far (as it costs extra and they can eat with me for free!) but as they are off school next week for Thanksgiving I let them stay today. It felt strange making them their little packed lunches last night!
The first of many packed lunches for them over the coming years I'm sure!

Nearly there!

2009-11-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

I'm on my last assignment for my children's writing course - hooray! Learned lots and had fun along the way. Just need to send something off and try for publication now! How wonderful it would be if my girls got to read their little ones a book that I wrote!
Snow is on the ground here but the sun is shining and the sky is blue so ideal for the the girls to and play out. My oldest has grown out of her snow boots so I bought her new ones yesterday with the thought of passing her old ones to her sister (they only wear them about 3 days a year!). The little one got so upset that she didn't have new boots.
"Did you buy me anything?" she asked through her tears. When she heard I'd bought her strawberries she was delighted! She'd asked me for some the day before and I said I didn't have any. So when she realised I'd bought them just because she asked me she was so happy. May they always be so easily pleased!

I'm back!

2009-11-03T08:18:00.001-08:00

Hello - life just got busy - then it got very relaxing due to a lovely vacation in San Diego. (La Jolla Mom - we love La Jolla!!).

We've been before and just love it there. My husband was scouting around for companies he might apply to....!

The girls loved the playpark on the beach and I enjoyed watching the Stroller Strides Moms all dressed up for Halloween right there by the beach also!

We met up with my cousin and her family who have daughters aged 17yr and 15yr and my 2 were just in awe of them!! They couldn't stop staring at their ear-rings and make-up and clothes! I keep trying to tell them not to be in a hurry to grow up but they just say "we want to grow up so we can wear clunk-clunk shoes!" They love my high heel shoes and wear them more often than I do!

Sadly ;) we had to stay an extra 2 days as we heard there was a big snowstorm due to hit Colorado on the day we were to return. We considered our options for about a minute before agreeing we should stay in San Diego and extra 2 days!

Arrived back just in time for Halloween and I had lots of fun trick-or-treating with the neighborhood kids and my little Tinkerbelle and Hula girl! (Thankfully the snow had evaporated by then - one good thing about Colorado - the snow doesn't hang around too long!)

It's not over till it's over

2009-09-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

Well my husband signed yesterday to say he'll move to NY with his company. It's likely to be a year from now so still plenty of time for a miracle!
There is a family in our neighborhood who are moving next month to California and my girls play with their daughter so at least they are getting used to the idea that people do move away to different places.
Just imagine though being at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade instead of just watching it on TV, seeing the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve for real...

hello!

2009-09-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Sorry it's been so long since I posted! Enjoying these lovely Autumn/Fall days. The mornings are a little chilly but the days soon warm up here. The leaves are changing color and are - thankfully - still on the trees, so looking really pretty.
Not long till I'm spending hours raking the leaves while 2 little ones jump in the piles and throw them back all over the garden! Last year I'd just spent days raking the leaves when 2 of the neighborhood kids stopped by and offered to rake them (for a small fee of course!). Must remember to ask them to help this year as we have a lot of trees!
My girls are getting ever more helpful round the house as their independence grows. But my little one made me laugh the other day when I asked her to do something and she said"I don't want to do that, I want to do something important!"
I went along to their preschool last week to help with the reading session - yes! they are only 3 and 4yr but they are already reading!! It was so fun and reminded me of when I first arrived in America and volunteered at a local Head Start preschool. Preschool is such a lovely age - they are so willing to learn and to please - don't think I could teach middle or high school!!
I want them to have a good general knowledge base too. My husband regularly goes to a trivia quiz with friends and on Saturday night the wives went with them! We did 2 teams - husbands versus wives and sadly - they won -but only by one point. However, the questions are especially hard for us being British as we know nothing about American trivia -"which college basketball team has the most ...blah de blah" How should I know!!?? Luckily, the table next to us weren't doing the quiz and somehow knew lots of the answers!! Cheating? Not us! Well ok then but don't tell our husbands!!

Discovery Days

2009-09-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Took both my girls to a little craft class on Friday for the first time in a while and it was a trip down memory lane!

We first went when my oldest was little and she loved it. Then I remember how hard it was to bend over and help with the crafts when I was pregnant or when I had my youngest strapped to me in the little carrier.

Last year I took my youngest on her own while her sister was at school and so it was really nice to take them both this time. They don't need as much help to make the crafts now and they love to do painting at the little easel.

Best part? I don't have to clear up!!

welcome back

2009-09-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

Hi! sorry it's been a while since I posted - just life getting in the way!

Fabulous road trip to South Dakota. Saw Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorials.

Back to reality and the deadline for committing to the NY move is looming. I don't see it as an 'all or nothing' thing though. We could sign to go then perhaps my husband could go for a few months and 'test the water' before we sell up and sever ties here completely, or we could rent our house here and rent there. Still all up in the air.

We're just spoiled here with our gas central heating, central air conditioning, 20 minute commute to work, large house and yard with amazing view etc etc. Whereas what we're looking at moving to is much, much smaller. Much older, with oil or electric heating (expensive!!) and much more expensive property tax.

It's not that we haven't embraced change before, we just want to SETTLE now and stop moving....sigh

Labor Day!

2009-09-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

As it's Labor Day this w/e and my husband gets Monday off we're going to take our first USA road trip!!

Mt Rushmore here we come!

Unfortunately my husband thinks that the world and his wife will also be there this w/e (as we had trouble getting accommodation that wasn't booked up!) but once I get an idea in my head I can be like a dog with a bone! Besides, Storybook Island which will be fun for the girls closes after Labor Day - so we're going this w/e!

I can't believe all the amazing places I've been since we moved here- places I only ever heard about and never for a second thought I'd visit - like the Golden Gate Bridge (I walked over and back while 7 months pregnant!!), Seattle's Space Needle, LA and the Hollywood Walk of Fame (bought an Oscar for "Best Kids" - I know tacky but I LOVE it!) and recently NYC!!

This will be our first road trip though!

As I don't watch much TV I sadly missed all but the last episode of what looked like a great show "The Great American Road Trip" - I would have loved to see all the places they went. I know that when the girls are a little older we definitely have to do an RV road trip one summer - that looks like great fun! (But first on the girls lists of vacations spots is Disney World!!)

So here's hoping we have a fantastic w/e in South Dakota!!

New Pink Papaya Catalogue!

2009-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Pink Papaya has launched it's new catalogue today and it's full of amazing new products!!

The company is growing fast as more and more people are being introduced to these wonderful spa products!

There's a new scent "Papaya Princess", new products such as a body mist and body firming cream (a perfect compliment to our cellulite scrub!) but the biggest change is to our Color cosmetics range there are 4 new prep. products: lash thickener; lip primer; shadow magnet & retexturizing creme plus loads of new fall colors!

There is a new website and my address has changed slightly from 'parties' to 'party' so come see me at http://www.pinkpapayaparty.com/lturton and treat yourself to some affordable luxury - you know you deserve it!!

I'm ok

2009-08-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

As my youngest says when she falls down "I'm ok!" and today I'm not feeling so sorry for myself so 'I'm ok'!

Preschool went very well and although the house was way too quiet I did get a lot of things done. Off to the park today to ride our bikes!

Bittersweet Day

2009-08-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

First day of preschool for my youngest today....
I'm so happy for them both as it's such a lovely class, the teacher is great and I know they're going to have loads of fun and learn so much but for each chapter that opens, another has to close...
My time alone with them is gone, they are heading off into the big world and I fear I may be left behind!
All my life I wished for babies and now that chapter is officially over..
The trash truck came today and we all usually shout 'trash truck!' and run to the window to watch the big arm come out and lift up the trash. Today I watched on my own and felt very lonely!
Get a grip Mommy! They'll be back at 11.30! Yes, but they'll be full of stories of things they did with their friends and their teacher....not me...
It's hard to let them go but for now at least I know they are in a safe, happy place - I'm already dreading this time next year when my oldest heads for kindergarten at 'big girl school'!
My husband and my girls all want a puppy but I'm set against it - until today that is, when the house is so quiet!
OK I must go and cook and clean and do all the things I don't get round to doing when they are here - can't wait for 11.30am!

Funny Story for a Monday!

2009-08-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

We have lots of toys, too many toys! So I put some away and rotate them from time to time to keep things fresh and exciting for the girls.

For my oldest girls' 1st Birthday a friend gave her a large white teddy with a heart on it's paw (as she was born the day after Valentine's Day!)

Well she hadn't seen this bear for a while but remembered it well as we have a photo of her hugging it as she opened the gift and the teddy was as big as her. She found it the other day and after she'd been playing with it for a little while she asked "Where's the other Valentine bear?"

When I explained we only have this one she said "but where's the really big one that's as big as me?"

I really tried not to laugh but couldn't help smiling as I explained she'd gotten bigger but the bear hadn't!

So sweet!

Crazy week

2009-08-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week!
NY on the brain, relief my girls survived 3 nights without me, and my Mom in the hospital. Glad you're home and on the mend Mom - now sit down and take it easy!
My husband has now decided we definitely can't afford to live in Westchester NY and much as I loved Manhattan I didn't find a place in Westchester on our whirlwind house hunting tour that I could imagine us living in - massive property tax aside.
The houses and areas are so very different to here and we'd have no money left for the ballet lessons, horseback riding and piano lessons that I'm sure our future will hold!
This is the last day of the girls' summer vacation as they head back to preschool next week. I feel they've really grown up this summer - no more babies here (if we could only progress with the toilet training - final piece of babyhood remaining!).
Playing out in the street and going to the 'big girls' houses has made them so much more confident and independent - I'm not sure I was ready for that happening but they we have it!
Lovely day today, blue, cloudless sky, warm without being too hot, they've been out riding their bikes (my little one got a 2 wheeler with training wheels for her Birthday!) then splashing in their little swim suits in the paddling pool, eating Popsicles and (special treat) candy. Isn't this the stuff of childhood memories??
We have a huge neighborhood party tomorrow afternoon for a retiring firefighter who lives on our street then this party will blend into an evening birthday party for another neighbor. Summer's going out with a bang here! The mornings have a chill in the air and a few leaves are starting to change color on our trees. Fall is coming although in this part of the world it is all too short before the winter arrives. But for today, I'm going to relax and watch my carefree girls making memories... have a lovely w/e everyone!

Home again

2009-08-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Thankfully the girls had a great time staying with my friend but they were ready to come home by the last day - any longer and I think we could have been in trouble.

So on Monday they had another 'reward day' for being good. They got to eat what they wanted, play what they wanted etc - well worth being good for, I say!

After my first phone call home and knowing they were settled OK I could actually relax and enjoy the luxury of the company's hospitality - namely the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, champagne (lots of champagne!) and delicious meals. I also managed a trip into Manhattan!

I always knew it but this trip confirmed it - I am a city girl. Stepping out of Grand Central Station onto 42nd street and being hit by the buzz, the crowds, the taxi horns and (very!) tall buildings I just felt alive! Saw some sites then headed for Central Park late afternoon to enjoy a Cosmopolitan cocktail in the lakeside bar - very 'Sex in the City'!! I was Carrie Bradshaw! (except she was always searching for love and I was there with my husband!)

Not really further forward in our decision though as, except for a few pennies we found on the street in NYC, we haven't won the lottery so still not really able to afford the annual property tax (it's brutal - 5 times what we're paying here! gulp!) but now I'm pining for a big city...

New York, New York

2009-08-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

...so good they named it twice. Ok NY - here we come!

This is it - tomorrow I leave my precious girls for the very first time ever... Thanks very, very much to my neighbor for volunteering to look after them.

Hopefully this trip will help us decide if we are moving (again!) or not...

Have a great w/e everyone - fingers crossed my girls have a fun time...

Good job Mommy!

2009-08-11T09:20:00.001-07:00

The 'big girls' down the street have brought my girls some toys they no longer play with - Polly Pockets! They are the tiniest little dolls with the tiniest little clothes and accessories that I just know are going to end up all over the house!!

This morning a little tiny Polly Pocket skirt rolled under the furniture and the girl's arms were too short to reach it. Now I'm only 5'2" so not exactly big but I was able to reach this little toy. I was then delighted when my youngest (now 3 yr old!!) said "good job Mommy!"

It took me by surprise and it was several moments before I realised how I was feeling. It's hard to describe but I felt proud and humble all at the same time. Proud that she was pleased I'd been able to help her but humble when I realised that she really is growing up and was using a phrase I usually say to her, as if I'd really achieved something by reaching in for this toy, she sounded so grown up! I realised that one day the tables will be turned and she'll be helping me!

This was echoed by a friend I met up with on our recent trip to the UK. Her son is now away at University but was home for the summer. She was commenting how he is so grown up and helps her out now by reaching things on high shelves for her or unscrewing jars. She felt she was no longer his 'parent' as he didn't need looking after any more. She said it was a strange sensation when she realised this shift had happened.

We want them to be independent but we also want them to always need us!

p.s. hope you like the photo of the longed for Princess cake. She was even more excited when she found out Cinderella's dress lit up!!

3 sleeps!

2009-08-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Only 3 sleeps till my youngest's Birthday!
Months ago, my 2yr-old-soon-to-be-3yr-old spotted a cake in Safeway that had Disney Princesses on it. This has stuck in her little mind all these months and she kept saying "Remember that cake with Belle on it? May I have that for my Birthday?"
So I was a little nervous last weekend when I took her to order it, in case it wasn't available any more but thankfully it is!
We collect it tomorrow ready for her party on Saturday! I have one happy little soon-to-be Birthday girl!

Liberation from junk mail!

2009-08-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

I feel great! We've been getting more and more junk mail over the last few months so now instead of just getting irritated and putting it straight in the re-cycling I've been phoning each customer service number to have our names removed from the mailing list. I feel so free!
Yesterday I got a catalogue from an electrical items company I've never even heard of never mind shopped at!
We get catalogues for clothing stores I've never been too, senior citizen benefits (hey - I'm not that old!), credit cards I'm 'automatically approved for' (even when I was on a visa and didn't have a SSN!), charities who somehow can afford to send us free gifts every few months and even sent us (plus millions of other people no doubt!) a dime! Please, especially if you're a charity - keep your money, your free gifts and your postage!
I did keep some of the toy catalogues out of the recycle bin so the girls could cut out the pictures and glue them on to make pretty pictures but apart from that - they just irritate me!
So I took the matter into my own hands and now hopefully can enjoy my trips to the mail box, safe in the knowledge that my important mail is not going to be caught inside the pages of some junk catalogue!

All the fun of the fair!

2009-08-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Our County Fair has come to town and the girls were desperate to go!

So last night - just as I was thinking about getting them ready for bed Daddy announces - "who wants to go to the fair?"

I gave him a 'look' but the girls were already running to get their shoes on. "One late night won't hurt" - easy for him to say! Not him that has to settle them down when they're over excited and over tired later!!

Anyway, of course we went - and they had a blast!! We started on my favorite - the Merry-go-round (I hate fast rides!) Then they went in some little dinosaur things which seemed to go really fast then another couple of things and they enjoyed them all!

We were out of tokens by then and it was well past bedtime so they've begged us to go again tonight as they want some cotton candy!

Lollipop day - again

2009-07-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

Lollipop day for the girls - laundry day for me!
At least it's not raining today! My oh my we're having strange weather. The Pacific northwest is getting our triple digit heat while we're having their rainfall! I'm not complaining though - I dread that heat...
Hmmmm, summer in NY's meant to be hot ... and humid! Everyone here says "at least we get a dry heat" so heat plus humidity will come as a shock. And my hair - oh goodness - it'll be curlier than ever! So will the girl's!
We'll find out in a couple of weeks when we visit I guess!
Have a great w/e everyone!