A Moment.

I had a quick analysis of "what the heck is going on with you Daffodilly yesterday."

I have not enjoyed this Christmas as it was a huge lump of stress. Even having a few days off work have not relieved it as it seems that the kids are constantly bickering. It is nice not to have the run around of sports and playdate activities though. I know this blog is turning into a moan & groan one so sorry.

Thank you Lakeland Jo for the kick up the booty as I have nothing to moan about compared to what you have been through.

Yesterday we went ski ing. More stress from trying to enter the ski mountain... they were full at 11.20am! We tried to park elsewhere..no luck. Everywhere was full even nearby hotels! We had 3 cars be between us & another family plus ski gear/food etc for 8 people....alot of carrying stuff! We eventually pulled a shovel out of our car & dug 3 spaces out of a snow pile to park the cars! Smart or what?

You have to realise that we had travelled 1 3/4 hours to this ski resort & we were determined to ski! Plus the usual complaints & whining from the teenagers! The malnutrition moments, they are tired etc etc.

Well we got onto the slopes and towards 4pm on our last run I had a "moment."

Ahhh my "Moment."

The sun was starting to set over the mountains & the sky blue pink sky was bouncing off the top of the peaks. It was breath takingingly gorgeous. The fresh air was all lit up in this pinky haze and of course the peace & quiet just completed the "moment."

I had to stop just to watch and then I had this feeling of calm & contentment...I'd forgotten what it was like.

I could almost feel my mum peeking out from the sky saying "hang on in there Daffodilly, let it all go."

So I did.

I realised that I spend too much time doing for others & not stepping back to let others assist me once in a while. Hence I am constantly on the go full throttle forward.

I now know that I need to spend some time every day with nature & appreciate how beautiful it is where I live as it really boosts your spirit. I need to ignore the bitter cold & find something positive that can rekindle my spirit.

Over Christmas I did not come up for air. The only memorable day was the one that I spent making homemade granola, washing detergent & chocolate pretzels. I need to step back to the more natural way of life, which is quite easily done living here in the boonies.

The big one is I am going to learn to say no to all the parents that need kid care.....and call me the sucker!

Moving on... as I am going to keep my "moment" alive.

This year let all your moans & groans out and enjoy life.

"Live for the moment" is the thought for 2011.

May you all have a great New Year with oodles of good health and low credit card bills!

It's over & it is here!

I have to say that I am glad that Christmas is over. It was a stress filled month that not enough got accomplished due to lack of time and too many commitments.

Now happiness of happiness it actually happened...it snowed on Boxing Day.

Hurrah, hurrah!

Now I feel complete. Who would have thought that Christmas would not feel like Christmas unless it snowed? Definitely not a lass from Manchester!

Pictures to follow...tomorrow we are hitting the ski slopes!

Thank you Lakeland Jo for the kick up the bottom, my worries are nothing compared to yours and may next year give you a full bill of health & lots of cocktails & enjoyable family times.

Ahhh to a new year!

Grumpy knickers here!

Its Christmas Eve morning and I am off work which feels good.

Still some shopping to do, lots of wrapping, food to prepare, hair to color, legs to shave & hopefully maybe even a little nail polish for the party tonight...hmm I wonder which will be a priority????

This is the most unorganised that I have been in all my life which is probably why I am such a grumpy knickers. However I vow I will never get in to this state again.

We still have no snow which is just NOT right! Even the UK has dumploads of it.

Hopefully my niece will arrive safely on Boxing Day & bring some snow with her.

Hope you all have a great Christmas & that the New Year is stress free.

Merry Christmas

Love

Daffodilly

xxxx

Is it really only a week to go to Christmas?

I have to admit that this year's Christmas preparation is a go slow one for me.

For some reason it is way too much work! Why do we do all of this really? Tradition?

Yes it is fun. Do the people that we do it for appreciate us? I do not think so.

I have noticed that we are not receiving many Christmas cards this year ..I wonder if people are cutting back? Mind you I still have not managed to take a decent photo of the brats as they are not very obliging at present so there is no card on our horizon. Maybe we have been dropped off peoples lists?

I am desperatelyy trying to keep the excitement for my youngest going strong as his siblings who are 12 & 14 are not so into the spirit. We are off to see "The Nutcracker" this weekend and hopefully find a nice Santa's knee to sit on. Then make a gingerbread house complete with much finger licking & munching of leftover candies.

Then next week maybe we will have a baking spree.

Sometimes it is all such over indulgence I wonder why we do it. Is it so we can all make New Years resolutions to loose weight as we have over indulged too much?

Oh well I need to do some more shopping online...one disadvantage of living in the boonies!

Hopefully you are all in a better state of mind than I.

Who do you buy for?

Sir L and I have a different view on who we buy gifts for at Christmas especially as we have family in the UK and USA.

My family ( in the UK) buy for the children and since my mum died my sister & I buy a gift for each other too... a total of 6.

My husbands family buy for each other & the kids which is a total of 7 gifts which need to be lightweight in order to ship to the UK. Then we have the USA side which is a total of 9. Not to mention our own children.

Over the years I have been efficient at buying gifts through out the year by buying them on sale however now that I am working more hours & have three kids in sports I do not have the time to shop anymore. Plus I do not like shopping.

I have begged him to speak to his family regarding this but he won't and I cannot as I will be labelled the BAD sister/daughter in law.

So what shall I do as today is December 5th and I have hardly done any shopping?

I know some people would say send an amazon voucher via e-mail.....I loathe this as it is so impersonable and kids like to get toys or a parcel to open. Plus sending them to & from each country they seem to cancel each other out.

Over the years most of his family have sent vouchers which I then have to purchase a gift for our child with. I am done with that!

So I have given him 4 people in the UK to buy for and let's see what happens!

Meanwhile I have taken the step to say that we will not purchase presents for the local cousins due to the recession however I have said this before & then turned up to have gifts under the tree for our kids and we are empty handed!

Am I a Scrooge? What do you other ex- pats do regarding Christmas, buy for both sides?

Cadburys Advent Calendars.....just love them!

I have to say I am definitely a morning person....4.30am at the moment! I know I am wacky!

Sr L & my 3 sprogs are not....

I purchased 3 yummy Cadburys chocolate advent calendars in the UK...they are worth their weight in gold.

Now my 3 little poppets jump out of bed just for a morsel of Cadburys.....how bad a mother would I be if I bought one for every month????

A Flying Daffodilly!

Oh yes I had a quick pop over to the homeland for some fish 'n' chips and a bacon butty!

I had not been to England for 2 years and I could not believe how things had changed.

Funny really how your memory does not allow for progression and you expect everything to stay the same...just for you of course!

Lets start with the entry into Manchester my own hometown! I went in with my English passport as they make the Americans & foreigners wait in line for over an 1 1/2 hour....I remembered from my last visit. I had number 2 child with me who was on an American passport so they told me I was in the wrong queue! 

Heh the cheek of it! I was rather put out by that! I know I expect to be treated like a queen on my return home...red carpet etc

I searched high & low for Ty Phoo decaf tea bags...they were nowhere to be found! The same went for pear drops & Wheat Crunchies..bacon flavour........I did find the last two at the airport thank goodness!

I was so surprised how the local Malls were so impressive infact I was overwhelmed at The Trafford Centre and could only ohh & ahh at the Dolphn Waterfall.

In the Mall they had the large fish tanks that you put your bare feet in and lots of little fish come & nibble at your hard skin. Apparently it just tickles....fancy that in a mall!!! It was called "Happy Feet."
I did wonder if they could eat a bunion!

Then there was the "Chill Factor" that is an indoor ski run. Everybody raves about it. Of course to us it looked piffley as we are used to the ski runs of the White Mountains.

Then there was a place called Airkix which is an indoor wind tunnel that you can learn to sky dive in.

Well I had a go along with my 5 nieces & nephews.......believe me it is harder than it looks! It was great fun though!