Tis the season!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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

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

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

...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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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!

Date night

Last night was (watch at home - thanks Netflix!) movie night.  But why are men and women so different in their  responses to movies?

I didn't want to watch Benjamin Button as the trailers creeped me out but my husband really wanted me to watch it with him, so I did.

I ended up crying (as usual!) not because of the actual character but because I always translate the situation in a movie into my own life. 

 His daughter eventually found all his postcards in which he says sorry for missing her birthdays, milestones and so on.  My husband couldn't believe I was crying at a movie I didn't even want to watch but really I was thinking "oh goodness, imagine I was to miss out on all those things with my girls".

On the other hand, I can't believe he can get so engrossed in some sci-fi movie where the actors are dressed in what is very obviously a pretend alien costume!!!

Twitter

I've been 'tweeting' for a little while now - you can follow me on twitter at pinkpapayalyn - see you there!

Is it me or them?

We've been offered an all expenses paid trip to New York to look at houses, see the area etc. but children under 7 yr aren't being allowed to go on any of the official tours.
A neighbor has offered to look after the girls but I'm hesitant as they've never stayed anywhere overnight without us and this would be for 4 whole days & 3 nights!
Any time I think about leaving them I feel guilty - what if they wake in the night crying? what if they're miserable?
My husband on the other hand thinks we should leave them for sure :

• "they love playing with her children" (they really do...)
• "she's had 5 children - if anyone can cope she can" (I guess so...)
• "what will you do with them while I'm out on the tours?" (not sure but I guess I'd manage somehow...in a strange city...without a car...with 2 small children.....)

So why am I hesitating at her offer? Deep down I guess I think I know they'd be ok, so is it just I'd feel so guilty that I'd left them? It really is a lot to take on for her but I guess she wouldn't have offered if she didn't mean it.

Oh the tough decisions we have to make....if only my family lived nearer.....(oh wait! if we move to NY they would be a little bit nearer!) but that's not a reason to move - just like my delight when my husband told me the other day there are fireflies in NY! He saw my face and quickly said "but that's not a reason to move!"

I'm always on the lookout for omens when I have to make a decision. The thought of chasing fireflies sounds good to me....!

Don't ask the children!

Uh-oh! We made the mistake of asking the children if they wanted to move to New York.  Knowing their fascination with the Statue of Liberty we thought this was a no-brainer!

However, they both surprised us by saying "no"!

I think it has something to do with the fact that while the 'big girls' in our neighborhood are on summer break they have been coming to take our 2 out to play.  Even at this young age I think they realise they would miss these bigger girls.

Oh goodness, we really don't want to uproot our little family from this perfect house in the perfect neighborhood!  No guarantee if we make this move it would be the last one and I don't want to keep moving them around.

Should we cut loose and try and be in control of our own destiny?  Even if it means my husband has no job?

We really don't want to put the girls in day-care for me to go to work, don't think it would be economical anyway to work then give it all away to someone else for looking after my children.

Oh well, must get on, busy day - working on Assignment 4 of my writing course, preparing for a Pink Papaya spa party this w/e and cooking dinner to take to a friend who has just had her 3rd baby!

Have a great w/e! 

Welcome Home

After a lovely vacation spent with our families and lots of traveling we are back home.  However, we bring with us a dilemma.....

During our first week we received the news that my husband's company are relocating - to New York!!!

So once again, we are facing a life changing decision.  This seems to happen to us everyone few years!

Do we go so he keeps a job?  Do we stay in this beautiful house, with the fantastic views, good schools and great friends?  In this wonderful neighborhood where I wanted my girls to grow up?

Hmmm, lots of thinking to be done.....once again.....

Hello from the UK!!

I must give a big shout out to my 2 STAR girls. They were absolutely superb on the flights - both the 9 hours to London then the hour flight up to Scotland. They did as they were told, didn't shout or cry or in any way disturb other people and they even managed to sleep for several hours!!
Thank you so much girls for making the long, long travelling so enjoyable. The relief on their faces when we finally saw Grandma though was a beautiful sight to see. I think they thought we'd never get here!
Hope you had a great 4th of July!

We can work it out

Picture the scene: playgroup, my 2 little girls, one pair of dress up shoes.

Doesn't take a genius to work out there were squabbles! "She's had them a long time" "it's my turn!" etc etc

So imagine my delight when I went down to the friend's playroom later to check on them and they said "We decided to wear one shoe each".

Alleluia!! They can work things out for themselves!!

Business as usual

Ok back to business as usual - thanks for bearing with me while I ranted about the world's injustices!
Got my 3rd assignment back from my writing course - got a 'nice work' and 'you have strong writing skills' - hooray! Think I'll try non-fiction for my next assignment - time for a new challenge!
Last week of ballet this week before vacation. The girls are absolutely loving it - and I can't get over how cute they look!
We fly back to the UK on Saturday so it may be a couple of weeks before I can post but I shall return! The girls are a bit sad they will miss the 4th of July fireworks but hopefully it means the airport will be quiet as most people will have done their travelling already!
Enjoyed one of my monthly massages this morning while they were at class - I'm soooooo relaxed now....

"If you want to make the world a better place..."

"If you wanna to make the world a better place take a look at yourself and then make a change" so sang Michael Jackson.

As the full horror of the last few years of his life becomes known to the world, I have to ask, where were all these 'celebrity friends' who are mourning him now, when he was alive??

I realise that some people can't be easily helped but surely someone from his large 'loving family' or a friend or someone on his payroll felt a moral obligation to persist in trying to help him?

Shame on the promoters of his 50 concert dates in London - exactly which doctor told the insurance company that a frail, 8 stone man who was so emaciated his hair had fallen out was fit to perform 50 stadium dates???

I felt the same when the world was watching Britney Spears have her breakdown. Those paparazzi who stood filming her shaving her head in the middle of the night saw dollar signs attached to her, they didn't actually see a young, vulnerable girl crying out for help. Where were her parents?? Why didn't they step in to say "Britney you are taking a break from the limelight while we help sort you out"?

Shame on the tabloids and the paparazzi for turning people into 'celebrities' and hounding them day and night. Shame on those who read this stuff and buy the magazines!! These people choose to entertain us and I thank them for that but I don't want to see them on the cover of every magazine just because they went out to buy a coffee with no make-up on! I already know they are a normal person who wasn't born with their hair done, designer clothes on and professional make up - I don't need a greedy photographer to tell me this.

People are just getting greedier and greedier and at what price? The sanity and the lives of people who just want to act or sing for us.

It's right there in the lyrics he wrote to the songs we all know but didn't really listen to "But They Told Me A Man Should Be Faithful And Walk When Not Able And Fight Till The End, But I'm Only Human, Everyone's Taking Control Of Me, Seems That The World's Got A Role For Me, I'm So Confused" from Give into Me. He reportedly told Lisa-Marie Presley during their marriage that he thought he would end up like her Dad and the title of the song "Gone too Soon" now seems like a premonition.

Sorry, this is a break from my normal lighthearted posts but I feel strongly that people are effectively being murdered by those around them who feed them drugs and push them hard for their own gain ...and getting away with it. How many more celebrities have to suffer from Marilyn Monroe to Princess Diana to Michael Jackson. They are just people and deserve to live how they want to live - not as the media, fans, promoters etc want them too.

Sadly, not enough people feel this way and I doubt things will change. We'll be in the same situation again saying how tragic it is that another celebrity has died this way.

Michael Jackson himself sang " I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways".

I for one am doing that - from taking the girls with me when I take clothes to those charity boxes in parking lots and explaining why we're doing it to getting the girls to help me buy Christmas gifts each year for a family at our local domestic violence refuge shelter. I hope to instill in them a sense of helping others throughout their lives.

I chose this picture of Michael as it was from his Thriller days - before all the madness began and he looks genuinely happy - even his eyes are smiling, which they haven't done in photos I've seen of him in many years.

I hope the paparazzi respect his wishes and maintains the anonymity of his children so they may have the 'normal' life he is reported to have longed for.

Friday - hooray!

Friday again - lollipop day!! My girls always know when it's Friday!
I'm currently doing housework and they are in the playroom but I keep getting interrupted by "Mommy, she took my toy!" or "I wanted to play with that!"
I told them to think about how they play when they have a friend over. Do they come running to me all the time. "No" they said "we play nicely"
Eureka!!!!!
"Then can you pretend that your sister is a friend over to play and play that way?" Well it's been at least half an hour and I haven't heard a cross word from them!
I want to say a word about 2 deaths that happened here in America yesterday. Farrah Fawcett, sadly, after a long battle with cancer and the sudden death of Michael Jackson.
Whatever you may think of him and his bizarre life - none of us know what he truly had to deal with in his life - you can't deny the huge impact he had on music.
I saw him live in Glasgow, Scotland in 1992 at an open air concert on his Dangerous Tour - he was amazing and any time I hear his songs I am taken back to that time in my life.
Most of all they were both parents and so my thoughts are with their children....
Go hug your family today....

Movies

Thanks again to our local movie theatre for screening free children's movies all summer!

Today we went to see Charlotte's Web - a true classic which created in me a life long love of pigs.

With the tears streaming down my face at the end my girls were asking why Charlotte the spider wasn't going back to the farm.

"She's very tired" I said unable to tell them she was dead.... Get a grip! I don't even like spiders!!!

We met a girl from preschool on the way out of the movie and her Mom said "I couldn't stop crying at the end!" We're so emotional!!

I was impressed that the girls sat through the entire film this time - although my little one did wriggle a fair bit - she has been a wriggler since day 1!

What will I do?

2 hours.
I have 2 hours to myself while the girls are at ballet. The night before, I plan what I'm going to do in that 2 hours. Then the morning comes and I realise we need a birthday gift or we're out of milk or something and I have to change my plans!
So today - instead of tidying the house for 2 hours as I planned ...- I went to Borders to get a book for a Birthday Party then of course I had to go into the shop next door and try on some clothes for our vacation as this is so difficult to do with little ones in tow!
Now I have 30 minutes left before I have to leave to collect them and I haven't done anything I planned!!
Another friend agreed with me about this recently. She said if she has any time to herself - even if it's just her husband is entertaining the children in the yard for a short while - she'll flutter about thinking "oh, what will I do? I could do this job or I could get that job done. Will I sit down and relax for a few minutes??" and by the time she's thought what to do with that precious time alone she'll hear "Mom!!" and the moment has past....

vacation's calling

My manager at Pink Papaya has signed me up for an aspiring leader course - gives great info on building my business but oh no! I get homework!!!
I must not take on one more thing until I finish this writing course! I want to give writing my full attention so once this Pink Papaya course finishes in August I must learn to say "no"!
Scored one thing off my 'to do' list and booked my little one's 3rd Birthday party! She's having it at the gymnastics place they go to for ballet. 45 minutes of instructor led gymnastics should keep them busy!! This is her first real 'party' . We've always done something special for their birthdays but each will now have had her first party when she turned 3.
3 - my goodness - how'd that happen?? I have no more babies.....
First I have to start packing for our trip home to the UK - our first in a year and a half!! The girls have doubled in age since we were last home!
Must admit to being nervous about the flight this time - and not just the occupying 2 little girls in a confined space for 9 hours bit - but the actual flying. There's been so many air accidents recently...best not to think about it!

Lightning strike

So the lightning strike is the talk of the neighborhood!
Seems it landed somewhere in the trees or garden of the house right next to us as it blew out their phone line and computer access!
I'm blaming the people on the other side of us for attracting the lightning some how as they have both had experience of this before!! The wife was in the kitchen of a previous home when it was hit by lightning blowing a hole in the roof and the husband's car was hit while driving to work!
I have heard very loud thunder before but this lightning actually striking right outside our house was like nothing else I've ever heard. I can only imagine it's what a bomb going off sounds like...
Several more storms forecast.....we'll be heading for the basement!

Too close for comfort!

Oh my goodness! We were woken at 2am by the loudest BANG of thunder I ever heard!!! The whole house shook and it made our bedroom smoke alarms go off!

We were sure the house had been hit by lightning and my husband went to investigate. We have tall trees right outside so perhaps it was them.

Whatever, I've never been so scared in my life!!!! I ran through to the girls rooms as they were crying. My little one had her hands welded to her ears where they remained long after the storm had passed.

My oldest slept in our bed (and apparently tossed & turned all night!) and I slept in with my little one (who insisted on sleeping diagonally so I was perched on the edge!). It took her a while to get back off to sleep as she was worried about .....Santa! She asked if Santa heard the thunder too and if he was scared! How sweet of her! Most children don't give Santa a second thought between Christmases!

The storms here are huge - with lightning regularly touching the ground, causing fires and even killing people. Sadly a friend's brother in law was struck and killed last year. It's kind of hard to reassure the girls when you know that it isn't actually 'alright'.

Phew, hopefully it's true and lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice!

I failed miserably

I admit it, I failed miserably at the whole nap time thing. Neither girl is napping anymore – to the horror of all my Mommy friends! My little one stopped napping around 2 and a half years old, fell into a sound sleep at 5pm for about 3 nights, then got over it.

Admittedly, if after lunch I drive somewhere they will fall asleep but the chances of actually putting them to bed for a nap are zero!

One friend is desperately clinging to nap time although her son isn’t then going to bed till 10pm. Another friend lets her children sleep all afternoon then has them up till …10pm!

Sorry ladies, it really is time to take the plunge and do away with naps! Yes, your little ones may be worn out for a day or two but they’ll survive, you’ll get your evenings back and you’ll be able to spend time with that other person in the house – your husband!!

Arranging a time for a play date yesterday the mother said “you’re still at the nap stage aren’t you?”
“Sadly, sadly not” I said. She then gave a very knowing “ohhhhh” adding “but you do the quiet time thing don’t you?’

I tried – they kept coming out their room asking if quiet time was over! “Ah” she said “You’re not as mean as me, I would reply ‘No and I just added 5 minutes!’ “

Oh! I never thought of that! But then I’m still learning and she’s a mother of five!

I really did fail miserably at the whole nap thing. From a very early age, if my girls didn’t want to nap, no amount of pleading, shouting, time outs or taking toys away would get them to nap. I have wasted hours of their life and mine just trying to get 5 minutes to myself!

Bedtime is no better. I think I’m too soft. The books all say “don’t talk to them, pick them up and put them back to bed”

Easier said than done when you have 2 girls who have been speaking in sentences since they were a year old!!!! “I just want to tell you something….” is their latest line to keep me there. “Tell me in the morning” I find myself saying – darn it! I just spoke to them!!!!

But then I stand over them when they are asleep and regret every cross word. I was comforted recently by a former neighbor who is like a Grandma to the girls. A mother of 4, who had 2 boys exactly a year apart followed by 2 girls, she told me she would struggle through the day then stand over her sleeping children and whisper “please make me a better Mommy tomorrow”.

I do that!!!!!! It’s nice to know I’m not alone... My girls were so wanted, are now so loved, but my goodness, when they are sound asleep…it’s the best feeling of achievement!!

Tangles be gone!

A big thank you to the very helpful lady at my local Sally Beauty Supplies! I went there yesterday and explained the situation with my 4 year old's tangles. She told me to start combing from the ends of her hair and work my way up rather than from the top of her head working down.
She recommended a comb and a different leave in conditioner (the one I'm using is obviously not working!!).
I noticed if I braided her hair it wasn't tangly but was worried it would weaken her hair if done repeatedly. This kind lady suggested just loosely braiding it if necessary.
I thank you, my daughters thank you and my husband (who had to listen to them crying, me apologising etc) thanks you!

Busy, busy

Aren't summer vacations meant to be relaxing?? This one is becoming a roller coaster of playdates, parties, shopping, spa parties, assignments (got an 'excellent' for my recent one!!)

The girls are having a great social life - from playgroups and playdates to being taken for a walk around the block by the 'big girls' they have something lined up every day!!

So I try and squeeze more hours into the day. However, if I get up early thinking I'll have at least an hour before the girls wake - they somehow hear me tiptoeing around and they wake up early!! If I try and stay up late, my husband (who doesn't sleep very well) tells me I can't come to bed late as I'll wake him!!

How come they can sleep through my husband leaving at 5.30am for the gym and opening the garage door under their bedrooms but I only have to lift the coffee pot and they wake?? Probably the same way I can sleep through my husband coming home late from a night out with the lads but I wake if the girls so much as breathe heavier than normal! I guess Moms and children are just in tune with each other.

Seems my only option is to stay up late then sleep in the guest room.....!

...back again

Hello again,
I sorted out the crying in the playroom. It was something and nothing as usual i.e. something important enough to them to make them cry but nothing life threatening!
Out with girl friends the other night an interesting question arose - do you think you are a better wife or a better mother? We all said we thought we were better mothers and that we all felt guilty for saying so.
Later, I asked my husband if he thought he was a better husband or a better father and he said - a better husband. Interesting.
I had to explain why I'd asked and when I told him I felt I was a better mother he said "that's as it should be - husbands are big enough to look after ourselves".
Thanks, that made me feel much better!

Hi

Was just about to write a post but I hear crying coming from the playroom - better go and sort out whatever's going on!
A Mom's time is just never her own!

Ballet

Today was the first day of ballet for both girls! My little one has waited a whole year to go! I am so impressed with her- she never, ever once caused a scene when her sister went last year and she couldn't. She accepted it incredibly well.
She was absolutely delighted to go today!
Me? I went grocery shopping....it was very nice to be able to browse and take my time though without the girls in tow. I even had time to sympathise with a mother of 3 boys who were giving her the kind of hard time I usually have!
"Can we have this?" "No" (to an older boy) then "and I thought you were going to stay in the car! That's why I got this cart!" (to a little boy).
As I tried to turn my own cart past them to get down the aisle she said "and now you're all in the way!"
I told her it was ok and that I was enjoying a rare shopping trip without my children. "Summer vacation  kills me" she stated as she tried to round up her brood!

Worth the wait!

Oh! I hate to admit it but my husband was right!

All this time I've been searching Craigslist for a playhouse for the girls, then I stopped looking for a while and this morning thought I'd just check....and there it was... the perfect playhouse...just 4 miles away!

I'd been asking my husband to drive 100 mile round trips for little playhouses and he kept hesitating and putting me off. Then this morning - there it was - a bigger than average playhouse, for sale by grandparents (so in really good condition as not used every day!) and just 15 minutes drive away!

I hate it when he's right - I'm very impulsive whereas he is the complete opposite (which often drives me crazy!!!) but in this case he was right to wait.

Well, when the girls saw it they were completely delighted and have played in it ALL DAY!

The picnic table we got previously looks great outside it too (although it has it's own table inside and the lady even threw in a couple of small plastic chairs for inside too!)

It looks for all the world like a little log cabin in the woods, as we have a meadow with trees and a creek at the bottom of our garden - it looks like they are camping up in the mountains!

I LOVE IT!! It's exactly what I pictured and what's more the girls love it too!

I look forward to them spending many happy hours playing in it....!

Friday!

...or 'lollipop Friday' as my girls call it! 

Not that they are deprived but I really try and limit candy.  So they look forward to Fridays as they know that's the day they'll get a lollipop!

It's not easy to avoid candy here though is it?

Even the bank and the liquor store have tubs of lollipops on the counter to keep the younger customers happy!

Pink Papaya

I'm so excited because people are starting to get their Pink Papaya orders and are contacting me to say how much they love the products!
I'm thrilled, because not only are they enjoying the spa I do but the products are actually exceeding their expectations!
The girls don't mind me going out at night, my husband is coping AND I get a bit of extra money! Not that I'm not busy enough but I've decided I need to create a monthly e-newsletter to send to my customers! I guess it will help my business and my writing skills (note to self - get assignment 2 of your children's writing course finished and emailed to your tutor!!)
The company has special offers each month so this will be the basis of my newsletter - so should be relatively easy - right??
The girls start ballet next week - I could use this time to do it! (I'm meant to be using this time for cleaning, grocery shopping and going to the gym!) No problem - we Moms can fit it all in!!

The tables have turned

I had an unusual experience the other night. I had been out doing a spa and came home to find the house in a mess! My husband was hurriedly washing the dinner dishes at 10pm but there were toys and clothes all over the floor!
Turns out a neighbor had invited him and the girls down to play for the evening, but it was bizarre to come home to such a mess (normally I tidy up before I leave then the girls go to bed so there's no time for much mess!)
It made me see what my husband sees when he comes home from work!
Try as I might to tidy up before he arrives there is generally some on-going mess while I cook dinner. He doesn't realise all the things I have done he just sees the things I haven't!
I admit I felt a bit irritated by the mess!!! "Huh, couldn't you even do the dishes while I was out?" I thought before I knew they had been out all evening. It was a strange feeling as I know as well as any Mom how hard it is to keep on top of the toy tidying! Just hope my husband appreciates being on the other side too and cuts me some slack when he comes home to a less than perfect house!

this neighborhood...

OK so I'm loving that we bought this house, in this neighborhood.

My husband and I were sitting on the porch swing seat after dinner and suddenly my girls were whisked away to play with the 'big girls' (7 year olds!) and my husband is whisked away for beers with 2 neighbors who are sharing beers in our next door neighbors garage (everyone has beer fridges in their garage here!)

Which leaves me here sipping wine alone on our swing seat - raising a glass to our neighbors across the street who are on their porch rocking chairs while the husband enjoys his cigar.

This is what the world should be like - except I know that beyond this wonderful neighborhood a different world exists. But for now I'm going to chill and enjoy the moment. Heck, I grew up playing 'Mummy' (Stephanie and Angela - where are they now???) to the little girls down the road and I love that my daughters are now those 'little girls' for others to share and play with. Glad my husband - who misses his 'local pub' in England so much, has got drinking buddies again (including another Englishman!!!)

Cheers! Sláinte! (Gaelic) Salud! (Spanish) A votre sante! (French)

Summer vacation's here!

Well that's the first year of preschool officially over and my time alone with my youngest over too. We've both enjoyed our mornings together but I know she's keen to move on to preschool next school year....
Can't seem to stop them growing.....
She'll be 3 in a couple of months and is Miss Independent and full of her own opinions about everything! She even managed to fully dress herself the other morning! I'm slowly being made redundant!!
I'm happy that they are starting their way in the world but sad too that those years when they were mine alone is coming to an end....
So I'm off to play with them now, while they still want me to!

Making hats

Today we will be decorating hats for tomorrows preschool end of year parade. Luckily my sister gave the girls some lovely straw hats previously so we'll be adding more flowers and ribbons to these.
Just read a frantic email from another preschool Mom whose daughter is refusing to decorate her hat!
The Mom is desperate to follow the teachers instruction and not look out of place or as if she didn't make an effort while the little one seems to have very strong ideas about what she wants to do!
Another Mom just phoned to ask advice as she has a son and a baseball cap but no clue how to decorate it. I'm sure the teacher didn't mean us to all get so stressed out over this! Luckily we all know each other well and will have a laugh about it on the day!

First spa!

Well I did my first Pink Papaya Spa party on Friday night and it went really well!

It feels so good to have the first one under my belt. Many of the people there didn't know it was my first one and were very surprised when it was revealed at the end of the night! It was nice to hear their comments about how relaxed and professional they thought I was.

My girls are getting into it too. They like to check out the products with me and say "Mommy works for Pink Papaya". They waved me off happily the other night - I have 2 more spas this week so hope they continue to happily let me go out!

We spent the rest of the weekend making the 'Friendship bread' we were given by a Mom at preschool then passing bags of mix to our neighbors. What a lovely idea this is! Not only did the girls enjoy squishing the bag each day till it was time to help me make it on day 10 but they loved giving it out to our friends too. A good lesson in sharing while having fun!

Oh no! It's happened again!

I went shopping with my youngest today and the male cashier had many, many piercings, and a mohican! My little one pipes up in a loud voice "He looks like a chicken!"

Again, I will never know if he heard as I didn't dare look at him!

Mommy Tip

Want to get your house work done?? Invite some playmates over!
This morning I'm looking after 2 little boys my girls have known all their life and they are all playing very nicely down in the playroom. In fact, in the 4 years we've known them, none of these children has ever had a cross word with each other - EVER!
Consequently, I'm flying round with the duster! Not having to stop to answer questions, fix toys etc.
Long may it continue - well at least till snack time!

"I'm gonna build me a treehouse""

Still no luck on a little playhouse for the garden - people have gotten wise to their popularity and are now listing them for 100 bucks! Forget that - I could buy a new one for just a little more!

My husband has decided that what we need is a tree-house! We have the perfect spot for it in a big old tree which has had a huge branch cut off leaving a nice big flat piece of trunk. Not sure when he'll get around to it but as he's told the girls he has to do it now!!

Mother's Day

What a truly lovely Mother's Day weekend I just had!
On Saturday we joined 3 other families with children the same age, who my children have known all their lives at a restaurant at a local airport. There was room for the children to play after eating and they could also go out on the balcony and watch the planes. I haven't had such a relaxing meal in years!
Then yesterday both girls got up with some other children in Church and sang a Mother's Day song they had learned -I was so proud of them! Right up till the last minute my little one said she wasn't going up but then when it came time she announce "I want to go" and she sang and everything!!
Then we went on a picnic with 3 other British families - this was lovely as it's nice to spend time with people who can relate to your background and know the same places, culture etc.
It was such a lovely w/e and while I'm not one for receiving gifts such as jewelry on Mother's Day (except for 2 homemade cards and "Happy Mother's Day" wishes from 2 little girls of course!) I did actually receive some wonderful gifts - watching my children singing with confidence, running and laughing with older children as well as their peers....these are all the gifts I could ever need.

Where do Ladybugs live?

"Where do ladybugs live?" asked my youngest the other day.

Hmmm, I'm not sure - I think they just live in plants but do they have a nest? a hive? Do I remember? Did I ever know?

I know they like flowers and our window sill (!) but where do they actually live?

Thanks to wonderquest on the internet I can now share the answer with you: "In the summer, ladybugs live in shrubs, branches, and flowers. During autumn a few to several hundred ladybugs all crawl to the same place to hibernate--a base of a tree, along a fence row, under a fallen tree, or under a rock. They crawl under leaves that protect them from the winter cold.By the way, the name, ladybug, comes from the Middle Ages when churchmen dedicated the beetle to the Virgin Mary and said, "beetle of Our Lady."

Back in the old days, farmers burned hop vines in England after the harvest to clear the fields. The fires also killed many ladybird beetles. The nursery rhyme (Ladybug ladybug, fly away home...) tells the story.(Answered by April Holladay, science correspondent, November 14, 2001)

Thanks! Answering children's questions all day long (and I mean all day long - from the minute they wake up till the minute they fall asleep!!!) is a learning curve for me too!

My girls and I love ladybugs but both girls are upset that at one time or another they've both tried to pick one up ....and squished it.... sorry ladybugs! They didn't mean too - they just wanted to play with you!

Oh, in case you're not familiar with the rhyme it's "ladybird (UK name), ladybird fly away home, your house is on fire, your children alone". This is sadly like a lot of nursery rhymes, we recite them happily as children then when we're older and think about it they are really quite sad!Perhaps I won't teach my girls this one......!

This is a new one

I find myself in a strange situation this morning. My oldest girl begged me to go to preschool today although I thought she should stay home another day as she is worn out from this tummy bug. When we got there though she didn't want to stay after all but the teacher asked if my little one might like to stay - she said yes! So for the first time in two and a half years I'm home alone with my oldest instead of my youngest!

It's a nice situation though and I hope my little one is having fun - this is her first time ever staying somewhere on her own!

Saturday?

Hi - don't usually post on the weekend but for some reason I couldn't get on this site yesterday. Sometimes I just don't understand what goes on with computers - I'm sure they really do have a 'mind of their own!"
The Snow White play went really well - my daughter knew all the steps and all the words - she's amazing! I videoed it and she was delighted to see it on the TV. My little one sat very quietly during the show and loved seeing herself clapping on the TV too!
Sadly, the inevitable has happened and my older girl has caught the tummy bug my little one has had. She seems a bit brighter today after a horrible night of throwing up every few hours. She wanted to wake her little sister in the middle of the night to tell her she was sick now too! Luckily, I managed to convince her to wait till morning...

Snow White

Just a quickie today - I'm off to watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs performed by a group of preschoolers!
Then the rest of the day will be spent getting ready for my Open House tonight to launch my new business!

And the winner is....

Yesterday my oldest daughter announced there was going to be a painting competition today. "Who will be the winner?" she asked. I started to panic - I couldn't possibly choose a winner between my 2 girls!

She kept going on about it and the first thing she said when she woke up was "today's the painting competition - there can only be one winner!"

I reeled off all the reasons there had to be 2 winners - "we'll have an under 3yr and over 3yr winner", "there will be a winner and a runner up" and so on. "No" she insisted "there can only be one winner".

I got them set up with their paints, painting shirts and they were doing a great job of keeping everything on the craft mat. They painted for ages, having lots of fun but I was still panicking wondering how I could award only one winner. Then, as they finished the last of their paper my oldest stood up and announced to her sister "it's you! You're the winner! You won the painting competition!"

Well, her face just lit up into a big smile as she realised she was the winner! I looked over at my oldest girl and she was just beaming at me "I told you there could only be one winner" she said.

I honestly couldn't believe it! I told her she was a winner too as did she see how happy she'd made her little sister? I asked her why she'd made her the winner and she said "my heart told me to" - where does she get this????

They truly are amazing. The little one 'won' a teddy bear and now they've both been rewarded with milkshakes and Nilla cookies and an episode of Dora.

Oh, the picture at the top shows why I have green footprints all over the floor despite them doing so well at keeping all their painting on the craft mat - the little one was kneeling on top of one of her (award winning!) pictures!!!

Uh-oh, tummy bug

My little one came down with a tummy bug. She has only ever vomitted once before in her life and on that occasion she looked so surprised as if to say "what the heck was that?!!"
This time she had a tummy ache and was sick a couple of times but mostly just really hot and lethargic, bless her.
But it gave us a chance to stop rushing around and just have lots of quiet time cuddling on the sofa and reading books. Although I obviously didn't want her to be ill, it did make me realise how easy it is to forget to make time for just snuggling and being together. She is all better now and Ienjoyed some quiet, quality time with my girls.
Mental note to self - remember to take time just to be together instead of always rushing off to the park, school, store, playgroups.
Have a happy and healthy day!

Monday, Monday

Morning,

Monday again and it's raining! How lovely! No seriously I mean it! I miss the rain terribly in this semi-desert climate so every drop is a blessing! It's soooo refreshing.

Talking of refreshed - I am too! I am soooo relaxed after my massage - it was heavenly. I haven't had one for so long and now I've signed up for one a month for the next year!!

I know, it's clever marketing on their behalf to tempt you with the reduced rate if you sign up the minute you walk out of the room but I really think it's worth it. In fact monthly (free) massages should be available to everyone! I'm convinced it would help reduce every countries health costs by reducing stress and dealing with chronic muscle pain issues.

Anyway, while I was relaxing my girls were having a great time! The little one was thrilled she now knows what happens while her sister's at school and my older girl loved showing her little sister where things were and how things were done at school.

My poor husband though - the girls are on at him to let them go every Friday now! I better hurry up and earn some money to help pay for this!

Friday fun

So this is it... I'm taking both girls to Friday Fun....

....then I'm booked in for a (well-deserved if I say so myself!) massage......

Have a great w/e!

Pink Papaya Parties!

It's finally arrived! My Pink Papaya consultant kit! I can officially get started being a Pink Papaya consultant! The house smells delicious already with scents of cranberry orange hand scrub, foot creme with sweet almond oil, grapefruit bergamot body wash.....heavenly!

Can't wait to do my first party - I love organising a good girls night out (or in!) and to be able to facilitate others in having a good time with their friends too sounds like fun!

If you'd like to try PinkPapaya for yourself please feel free to visit my website where you can order all of these lovely products for some well deserved pampering www.pinkpapayaparties.com/lturton

Enjoy............

Recess

The day is fast approaching when I will have a little time on my own. Like a kid waiting for recess I'm getting excited!

I was thinking it would be fall before I had child-free time, then I signed them both up for ballet so thought ok, it''ll happen a little earlier, in the summer. But suddenly, it's going to be on Friday - of this week!

The preschool my oldest goes to offers an optional extra session on Fridays and the teacher has invited my little one to start going along in preparation for her attending preschool there next school year. So suddenly - although I'm not sure I'm prepared to let go of her yet! - I'll have child-free time in just a matter of days!

The other Moms at preschool are excited for me too! They've seen both girls names on the list for Friday and have been stopping me to ask what I'm going to do with my free time! "Don't do housework!" one Mom friend advised. "Don't go grocery shopping" another said. "Go shopping just for yourself - and go to 3 different shops!"

You see they understand how precious time alone can be when you're a Mom. Some are already there, with older children in school and their little one at preschool. Others still have young ones at home and are longing for that day to come for them too.

It seems we have to beg our husbands to look after the children to allow us to do anything on our own and even then it's met with "how long are you going to be?" which immediately puts pressure on us to hurry and get back.

So although I'll be sad to leave them (I really do miss them if I go out without them!?) I can't wait to have 3 whole hours to myself...

I can just browse, not have to answer a million questions in quick succession, get in and out the car within seconds, go to many different shops, try clothes on, try shoes on (I daren't take them to shoe shops - both girls LOVE shoes and want to try on every pair they can reach - including incredibly high stilettos!), stop off for a coffee without an entourage, not have to worry about knowing where the toilets are everywhere I go.

OOOH I can't wait....!!

But, I'm sure I'll be just as happy to see 11.30am roll around so I can collect those little chatterboxes and get 2 great, big, hugs.....

Motherhood is blind

Never mind 'love is blind', for me 'motherhood is blind'!
My little one has a denim skirt that she loves. She's had it a while and this is what she wants to wear all the time.
I do envy my friends who have boys - they don't seem to care what they wear while I have to negotiate every morning with my girls who have very strong opinions about what they want to wear - then they change their outfit several times a day anyway!
She was complaining yesterday about having a sore tummy but insisted she didn't need to use the toilet. Then I noticed she was pulling at the waist band of her favorite denim skirt... a thought occurred to me....
I checked the label......
there it was.....
oh no!!! 9-12 months......
.....she's two and a half!!!!
I didn't realise she'd had it that long!! (I should add in my defense that it was a UK skirt and the sizes there are way more generous than US sizes - and it had an elasticated waist!)
I'm not alone. A friend recently told me about a battle she was having getting her son to put his shoes on. "But they're your favorites" she'd say. But he still resisted. After several days of battles she finally asked him why he didn't want to put his shoes on in the morning "because they hurt me now" was his reply! Uh-oh, one very guilty feeling Mommy and a trip to the shoe store!

The boy did good!

The girls were thrilled to see Daddy arrive home on Friday! He not only got them each a keyring with the statue of liberty on but it also has their name on too so they were doubly delighted!
The snow storm that was threatened didn't arrive but it rained solidly for 3 days (extremely unusual here!)
As a result, the grass has turned from brown to green almost overnight and there are leaves appearing on the trees which seem to have been bare forever. Spring is officially here and my little lambs are going to play in the garden all day long!
Have a great day.

Friday again

Here comes my favorite day!


Waiting for my husband to arrive back from a business trip today. Is it wrong to love it when he's away? (don't tell him!) I just seem to get so much done around the house when I'm not preparing a big meal then spending hours clearing up! I seem to have a whole evening to do things!


The girls are calmer too - they go wild when he comes home from work and stay that way till bedtime. Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't not have him here! It's just nice to do your own thing every now and then.

He's been in New York and the girls are very excited about the Statue of Liberty! They've seen it on Little Einsteins and my youngest wants to "go and see it NOW!"

I hope he can find some Statue of Liberty souvenir at the airport as it'll make their day! They can't wait to see him - but what a difference a webcam makes, they can see him as well as talk to him while he's away.


Before he arrives home I better go and tidy and vacuum and.......get the dinner prepared!

Hide & seek

Don't you just love playing hide & seek with 2 and 4 year olds?


The oldest hides in the wooden toy chest with the lid open and the little one thinks if she lies on the bottom stair and hides her face, you can't see her!


Bless them! Happy days....

Mealtimes

Never leave the room when little ones are eating....


If it's all quiet, that's probably a good sign - it signals eating.


However, if you hear giggling - run back into that room FAST! This is what happened to me the other day. They're happy I thought when I heard all the giggling.

But when I went back to the room - there had been a food fight! There was food all over the windows, wall, floor, table and children!

Needless to say I was NOT happy. But they did do a good job of helping me clear it up so I guess I'll forgive them!

They argue over the funniest things

Oops - life got a bit busy the last couple of days so sorry I didn't get round to posting.

Don't children argue about the funniest things? This morning at breakfast they were going on and on and my little one was getting upset. I eventually stepped in and asked what was wrong. Tearfully she said "She says I'm a dog. I don't want to be a dog, I want to be a duck!"

You gotta laugh!

Where do tangles come from?

My girls have lovely curly hair but getting them ready in the morning can sometimes be a bit traumatic! Where do tangles come from?

I use leave in conditioner, spray detangler on their hair before combing and use a wide toothed comb but still can't easily get the comb through it first thing in the morning!

This usually leads to lots of ouches and even tears. My oldest girl's hair is the worst as it is longer but my little one is starting to have the odd tangle too and gives a loud "ouch" just because she hears her sister do it (she's a little copycat!)

I read one of those funny list things "10 things to never let your Mom do" and one of them was "don't let your Mom brush your hair when she's mad at your Dad!"

OK, I'm taking a deep breath, picking up the detangler spray and I'm off to try and comb their hair....

Watching the sun come up

I've never been a morning person. I would sleep late every chance I got and when I had to get up for school or work I was best left alone as talking was almost impossible and one word answers was all I could manage.

Then I had babies..... and had to became a morning person!

I was lucky though. My girls would wake in the night for a feed then go straight back to sleep - I never had to pace the floor for hours to get them back off to sleep in the night.

The killer was when they woke at 5am. I knew I wouldn't get back to sleep before my husband got up for work and I would often mutter "I'm not ready to start my day yet" while feeding my cuddly bundles.

But a plus to these early mornings was I got to see some amazing sunrises! They are pretty spectacular here in Colorado I must admit.

The sky is usually cloudless and I can see the pink and gold sunrise to the east. To the west are the Rocky mountains which glow pink (especially in the winter with the snow on them!) as the sunrise reflects on them. It's called alpine glow and it's absolutely beautiful. Amazingly every house we've had here provided an fabulous view of the Rockies.

I've learned to appreciate dawn and being awake to experience it helps make sure I don't miss a moment of the day!

Mom, I'm thirsty!

Fine when you hear this in the daytime - just give them a drink. But when you hear it after you've tucked them into bed.....
You have a dilemma. Are they genuinely thirsty or just trying to keep you in their room a bit longer?
Do you get them a drink and risk them trapping you in their room for another 15 minutes while they sip slowly and talk at you? (or if they're like my daughter they gulp it back and keep doing 'pretend gulping' even after the water is long finished!)
Do you say "no darling, go to sleep" then spend the rest of the evening racked with guilt that they are lying in bed absolutely parched?
My little one was a great sleeper as a baby. I'd put her in her crib, she'd roll over and miraculously go to sleep! Then when she was in a toddler bed they shared a room. This was a nightmare as they kept each other awake for hours! We had a rough time for several months after moving house last summer when she went back to having her own room. She would cry for hours and come downstairs repeatedly. Now she's used to having her own room she just wants to climb in to bed at the end of the day, roll over and go to sleep - just like when she was a baby.
My oldest though is a different story. She has always used stalling tactics at bedtime. "lie with me"; "just one more book"; "send Daddy up to say goodnight"; "where's my cuddly toy/doll/blanket...".
Now she's started with the "I'm thirsty" line. I try to make sure she drinks enough in the day and let her have a little drink after brushing her teeth but she really has me with this line. You know yourself how horrible it is to feel thirsty!
So, she usually ends up getting her way. I return to her room in response to "Mom, I'm thirsty!" and end up talking to her, lying with her, finding another toy (to add to all the toys already at the bottom of her bed!), putting the fan on, sending Daddy up, starting her music again.......then collapsing in an exhausted heap and hour later than I meant to!

Growing like weeds

My 'baby' is starting ballet in a few weeks.....how'd that happen?

Her older sister went to a little ballet camp last summer, to prepare her for preschool really as she'd never been away from me before.

I was very proud of how my little one handled it - she understood she was too young to go and never once made a fuss or showed any jealousy. She'd kiss her sister goodbye, we'd go off and have fun together then she'd wait patiently outside class for her sister to come out. I promised that if the class was on again this year that they could both go. So it's time to enroll.....and she's thrilled!!!

"I can go to ballet this year!" she tells anyone who will listen.

Then over breakfast this morning I said to my husband "so they're at ballet in June, in July we go back to the UK then in August they'll both go to preschool" Then it hit me - my little one will be starting preschool - in just a few months!

What did I feel? Panic! Where did my babies go? What will I do without them to talk to? Will they be ok?

They really are growing as fast as weeds (but a whole lot prettier if I say so myself!). I think I need to take a deep breath and vow to make every minute count between now and the first day of school. My oldest girl is doing just great at preschool and I'm sure my little one will too. Meantime, there's a whole lot of fun to be had....!

SAHM becomes WAHM

It's official! This Stay At Home Mommy has become a Work At Home Mommy!
I just signed on to become a consultant for http://www.pinkpapayaparties.com/ I originally wanted to sign up with The Body Shop but sadly a few days after my party L'Oreal (who took them over a couple of years ago) decided to close the 'at home' side and just keep the stores.
I'm very excited to be back in the working world after 4 wonderful years exclusively as a stay at home Mommy. My girls are going to love trying all the new products with me!
A big thank you to my husband who is now going to have to become more hands on with our little ones...more bedtimes, more stories, more playing....it's all good fun though!
I'm going to be very busy as I've also just started a children's writing course - it's high time I got my Mommy brain working again!