Moving on...

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!

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!

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!)