Life as we know it

Life as we know it can change at any moment. We are in control of most of it, we make most of the decisions but sometimes decisions are made for us that we don't care for.

Yesterday, my husbands employer, of many years, filed for bankruptcy. That news scared the pants right off of me. They say they are re-structuring, cutting fat, cutting costs, benefits and salaries. I say, do what you need to do to survive. However before you cut the salaries of the men and women that go and bust their butts for you every single day, whom by the way, have already had their salaries and benefits cut, may I suggest that you stop the upper management bonus checks to the tune of $100,000,000's. Yes, you do deserve bonus checks but perhaps due to the dire financial straits of your company less would be more!

Before you do your blanket layoff's you should take a closer look at your employees. Many, if not most of them are thankful to work for you but as the wife of an employee I get to hear the gossip. I hear how guys badge in and out early. Say they are working but aren't actually even at the airport. Guys that are sleeping rather than working. This I have seen with my own eyes as I have been through various airports. They find a quiet corner in the departure lounge and between flights, whilst on the clock, they sleep. The guys with the high seniority that refuse to do ANY work because and I quote here, "I've been here for 20 years, you do it".

Now I do understand that with financial problems as large as yours that these issues are not going to fix a thing but when you asked the employees for cost cutting ideas and went from serving 1 olive in your martinis and not 2 to save a buck, you proved that you obviously do care about the small stuff.

Why don't you send some of your big guns down to the trenches. Put them to work and let them see with their own eyes the guys going through the baggage and doing a little "shoppy", the guys sleeping, the ones slacking off and of course the ones just that just plain aren't there.

How the hell can you run a company when you don't have a clue what is going on?

Oh and why doesn't my husband say a word, he's thankful to have a job, that's why. If I could have sent an email that couldn't get traced back to me and then connected to him I would have taken photo after photo of sleeping employees this summer and sent all of them straight to headquarters because frankly, lazy bastards piss me off!

And can someone please tell me why I don't believe a word of what this new CEO says?

30 posts in 30 days

30 days has September, April, June and November...blah blah.

November is national Blog Posting Month and the idea is to post a post each day for the whole month.

I did it, This is my 30th post in 30 days. Yes I do know that this one is pretty darned lame but it's still a post!

I didn't want to mention it at the beginning of the month that I was going to be doing this because you all know I don't like pressure and added stress in my life!

Done!

(this isn't actually my post for today I just need to get the other one sorted out in my head.)

Wearing many hats

The girls love wearing winters hats but oddly enough we don't have much call for them in these here parts. Doesn't stop them from longing for them though.
They found these in a shop this weekend and begged for them. Even those sad little puppy dog eyes and pathetic pleas didn't work. We just don't need any more hats.

Apples and oranges

As most of you know, I am one of three children. My fabulous big brother is the biggest, then their is my wonderful sister and I bring up the rear. We are all totally different. Completely 100% individual. Yet, we love each other unconditionally and love to be together. We put our political differences aside.

My brother has a very big soap box and is VERY passionate about ALL his beliefs. That is what makes him, him. Oddly enough many of the things that have made my brother tick for most of his life are now things that make me tick too. Hmmm.

My sister is the crazy one. She has always let her heart rule her life and make all her decisions. She gets hurt very easily. She is as loyal as any junk yard dog and you always want her on your side.

I miss them both and wish I lived closer, as do my girls.

Me, I was always goody two shoes. I NEVER got into trouble. Never even got a spanking. Lame!

My parents treated us as 3 individuals and sent us to 3 different schools. We were never compared by our teachers. This was a great thing. My sister was a language whiz, a geography know it all, I was not but the teachers could not compare notes. My brother went to boarding school he just got into trouble and was sent home sometimes. Boys will be boys!

I need to put my girls in schools in different countries! Lily is setting the bar really high for Rosie and setting some lofty goals. Lily has always been a go getter whereas Rosie is more of a come hither-er. Lily grabs the world by the horns, Rosie is scared of horns.

Lily gets letters sent home for talking ALLTHETIME. Rosie is to shy to talk. Lily wins math contests, Rosie forgets that number 7 actually exists. Lily could make up poems with rhyming words at age 3. Rosie rhymes Rosie with couch. But I love them both, equally.

We received a really nice letter from one of Lily's teachers today:

A very good morning to the 4 Copes
Re: Lily Cope

Several weeks ago, Lily was playing volleyball on the court, and found a change purse with money in it. She brought it to me, and I told her, I would keep it in my desk & see if anyone claims it. That day, a student which I know asked me if I found a change pure, that his girl friend lost it. It was identified & returned to the rightful owner.

Today, during Lily's physical education class, I spoke to the entire class on what occurred several weeks ago. I told the class that I usually only select a fifth grader for student of the month, because I am only able to select one student each month for this special award. Since Lily showed such character & honesty, I am selecting her for student of the month here at W****** Center for the month of January 2012, when we return to school.

It is such a pleasure to have such a wonderful student such as Lily here at W********** Center and especially with in my physical education class.

Have a wonderful day to the 4 copes.

Sincerely;

*********

B**** M*****
Physical Education Dept.
W******** Center


It's not fair, Rosie can't compete with this.
Does anybody have any addresses of overseas schools?

Stupid auto correct

Sadly on Friday morning we lost a good friend. He went to sleep and never woke up. The best way to go if I do say so myself. We have celebrated his life and now we continue on. The one hurt the most by all of this is his son. Adam is 20, so he isn't a kid anymore but still way to young to lose his Father.

Jacob and I have been trying to keep tabs on Adam in the past few days but at the same time not suffocate him. Being a young guy he doesn't answer his phone but will return a text so fast your head will spin. So, texting it has been. This afternoon I sent him one and ended it with, "please send our condolences to your Dad's sisters". My dear darling phone decided that I really didn't want to say that at all and changed it to " please send our CONDOMS to your Dad's sisters".

Seriously?
Every time I read it I giggle. Couldn't it have found something more appropriate to correct it to? Oh well I guess I have learnt the hard way. Don't just hit send, proof read your writing.

I sent an explanation immediately.

As for auto correct, it's true what they say, it really is, a stupid piece of shut.

Thanksgiving day

I didn't post about Thanksgiving day, somehow it got overshadowed by my Black Friday madness and the fun we had with friends.

I'm not cooking that huge meal again. It's not worth it. The turkey isn't a big deal. Thanks to a cookery book written by and English chef, that I received as a wedding present, cooking the turkey is fool proof and even I can do it with my eyes closed. A little fluff and fuss to begin with and again towards the end but other than that it just sits all alone in the oven cooking itself. It's the side dishes that are madness. Lets face it you don't normally have between 6-10 different sides. Well perhaps you do, we don't. They aren't things you cook on an ordinary day and they are all fussy.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the kitchen. The girls were getting bored, the hubby fell asleep and my cries for help didn't wake him. As I got hotter than my kitchen and started banging things about not a soul stirred. We needed to eat early as Jacob had to work and I wanted him to be included in the festivities. By noon I was rushing around like a Black Friday shopper (hah) and nothing was happening. The table needed to be set, the house hoovered, the floors washed, etc etc.

Once our guests arrived everything was in place and they were blissfully oblivious to the chaos of minutes before. My mood was anything but festive but I kept it in check and as usually happens when one has a good time it changed instantly.

Once we sat down to eat, the meal was devoured in minutes. It was all good and everyone enjoyed it, everyone except Lily who has suddenly decided she will no longer eat meat, doesn't like sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce or half the veggies and other sides that we had. She a microscopic portion of food on her plate which concerned me. It couldn't keep a flea alive. Rosie actually ate more than her.

So much work for a few seconds. Perhaps it is because I'm not a foodie but it seems like such a waste of time. The company was great and we had a lovely time. The rest of the day spent enjoying each others company.

I'm done with the cooking. I really don't think my kids will be scarred for life and missing some great memories if I don't cook, they are more like to be scarred by my cooking. So from here on out, we are eating out or having it delivered on the holidays unless Jacob wants to do it.

This is my resignation.

1000th post

Okay peeps use your imagination here and imagine a drum roll as this is my 1000th blog post! Envision fireworks and sparkly things, champagne corks popping etc etc. Now notice the men in white coats coming dashing into my house to drag me and my large ego away!

When I started Eggrolls and Chopsticks back in 2006 my Mum was the inspiration. She didn't get to see Lily very often and I wanted her to share in her life. She is also the reason why it is called what it is. Mummy wouldn't call Lily, Lily until we had her in our arms. She said it was bad luck. She gave her the nickname Eggroll and later Rosie would become Chopstick after something that she once said.

i had been reading blogs for sometime but couldn't imagine that anything that happened in my life could be blog worthy. My friend Lori gave me the final push to get started and I once I figured out what end was up I really loved it. The blogworld is a special community. You find people that you connect with and share yourselves.

That first comment is like crack. (figuratively people)

Then the friendships start to develop through the blogs and one by one you start to correspond with these peeps and before you know it you are meeting familiar strangers all over the world. Bonds are forged and connections you never knew existed are made.
I have made some amazing friends through my blog and for this I am eternally thankful. I still have a list of people I need to meet and can't wait to meet.

My blog is now in book form. The girls love it. I love that one day they can look back and see so much of their childhood.

I never realised what I was getting into when I started typing my first post but I am so glad that I did.

I have been surprised constantly by the people who read my blog and even more so by the people who don't. I learnt early on, strangers follow along and family stays away. It's the opposite of what you think when you start. Some of my family reads but many do not. Long time friends don't, new friends do.

If we haven't met yet, I hope that we will.

This wasn't the post I planned on writing today, I thought this was going to be tomorrow's post....such a shame I can't count.

Black Friday

Every year friends of mine head out in the wee ours of the morning to get a head start on their holiday shopping and each year I say I will do it. I never do. The idea of getting out of bed in the middle of the night to wade my way through throngs of people sends shivers down my spine.

Something caught my eye in the sales ads yesterday and when Jacob finally came home from work at 1.45am I lugged myself into my car and headed out into the night. I don't like the dark. silly I know but it is what it is. I drove to Target and found the car park so crowded that the streets surrounding were turned into a parking lot. I ignored this and headed into the the actual lot and found a parking spot immediately, score! I walked into the store and found a huge line. The line was for electronics. That was of course what I wanted. I waited for just over 4 hours in that line. I met lots of very nice people. The lady in front of me let me use her trolley since there weren't any when I arrived. We all chatted and held each others places whilst we shopped or ran to the loo. The line just didn't move. By 3.30 I was yawning so badly and ready to throw in the towel but I spotted a great deal on a camera that I just knew Jacob would love to buy for me in addition to the other things I wanted to I trudged on.

Jacob kept ringing and texting to make sure I was okay and then a friend who was at a different store rang and we chatted for a bit. I was so concerned that the items I wanted would be sold out by the time I made my way to the front of the line but I was pleasantly surprised to find they still had everything and I saved over $300 and received $80 in Target gift cards. It was worth it. The big gifts are done. I can't tell you what they are cos little eyes read this.

I slept for 2 hours and then it was on with the show. We spent a few fabulous hours at the park with our friends. The weather was perfect. A nip in the air, just enough that I had to borrow Lily's friends sweatshirt!

Some of the girls

Xavi, my go to phone guy showing his disapproval of this photo. How rude.
She called this her stick
Such beautiful girls
Yeah right Kelly, Lily's isn't short, Oh NO!
Love this one
Great ladies and Danielle
How can it only be 5pm...I'm running on fumes. Kelly was my friend who phoned me last night and her hubby is my phone guy, we were punchy today as we were all so tired.

Happy Thanksgiving

Can't sleep. Visions of burnt dried up Turkey are dancing though my head. Guests contacting Salmonella is another real thought.
In an effort to keep those thoughts on the back burner I will I will list some things I am thankful for.

The first few are so obvious:

My children

My Hubby

My siblings

My extended family. I really do have the best cousins, you should be jealous.

Health. Yeah it does sound like a cliche but it is true.

My friends. The few people who are inside my heart, I have always been one to keep that list short.

In this economy I am glad that we still have jobs.

My job, I love what I do with a passion.

Health Insurance. Living in this country without it would scare the life right out of me.

Choices. We are free to make them.

My home, I hate where I live but I love my home on the inside and the fact that it is ours.

Humour. We laugh all the time

Airplanes. They keep my family together.

The fact that at least 10 times a day I am able to think, we are so lucky.


Lily's List.

Family

Health

Friends

Bunny, but don't put it on the blog.


Rosie's List

Being able to give Lily a hug and a kiss


My blanket
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My list of creature comforts that I can't imagine living without. ( in no particular order)

Imitrex and Topamax. Anything that kills my migraines is something to be very thankful for.

Down pillows. Having a migraine and putting your head on a brick, doesn't work.

My blog community.

fabric softener.

Chocolate, or any sweets preferably from England

My blow dryer. Without it I have freakish hair.

Skype

phone. I pick it up and BAM, hello loved ones.

Christmas decorations. But I refuse to put them up until December.

King sized beds.

Hot showers, really hot showers.

Fluffy towels, really thick ones.

And finally, sleeping late. Both my girls are early risers so on the days they sleep until 7.30 I feel I have hit the jackpot.

Happy Thanksgiving, to all who partake

Pre Thanksgiving jitters

My kitchen looks as if it was the target of a terrorist attack. I look like a went a few rounds with Tyson and it's all because I am trying to get a head start on the Thanksgiving meal. I was not cut out to be a cook. I don't even like food that much. Each year I host Thanksgiving for all my family and any Ex-Pats that get lost in the shuffle. This year it is going to be smaller....probably because my cooking skills killed off a few last year.

I dutifully went to the supermarket with an almighty list in hand and came home sans a turkey. Seriously such responsibility should not be thrust upon me. As I meandered the store grabbing all the things that one needs for Thanksgiving, minus the Turkey, I was struck by how much stuff the other people were buying and thought I should get the extra stuff too. Perhaps it really isn't Thanksgiving without garbage sack sized bags of chips or the worlds largest container of whipped cream. What do I know, (a) I'm a foreigner in these parts and (b) I can't flipping cook!

There is so much to do. So many side dishes to be made. Each one more fancy and complicated than the last. As I type my stuffing is sitting on the stove, the flavours all "coming together" whatever the h*ll that means. It smells good but that just might be the wine. Not the wine in it but the wine I am drinking just to stay a float. It stops me throwing things across the room too when the cookery book uses a term that I actually have to Google before I can do it.

There's a saying in this house: Mummy only has a kitchen because it came with the house.

I found this recipe and still think I should try it. It's for people like me who don't know how to cook.

Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing ingredient -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try.

1 - 15 lb. turkey 1 cup melted butter 1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good) 1 cup un-popped popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT IS BEST) Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan making sure the neck end is toward the front of the oven, not the back.

After about 4 hours listen for the popping sounds.


When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the room,.... it's done.

Happy Thanksgiving and gobble til ya wobble.


Oh and I am adding a new label for my posts, it's "humour" for those who might think I am 100% serious and actually drinking wine by the vat at noon.

~ She wears it well

We had lunch at the Crepemaker. Rosie had a red and black, (strawberry and nutella).

That's my Lily

Earlier today the following conversation took place in our house.

Me: Maia took first place yesterday in the 9-11 diving competition. Now she goes to Nationals next year.
Lily: (the same kid that took 1st place in the math contest not 48 hours ago) What do you do in a diving competition?
Me: Play golf. I absolutely couldn't stop laughing
Jacob: phew, lucky that wasn't a general knowledge quiz you were in!

Apparently what she meant, and was able to tell us once we all stopped laughing our heads off was: do you dive for distance or form or what?

Oh how I love my life.

A fabulous evening

I don't think we would have been able to top yesterday day time if we tried but last night came pretty darned close. The annual holiday parade was taking place but I hadn't told the girls about it as I wasn't sure if we would be able to make it due to the competition. We raced home from the math thing and ran upstairs and changed Lily and bolted right back out the door again. If you don't get there super early you can forget it. We didn't get there early but as luck would have it we found parking, miles away and found a great spot to watch the parade from as soon as we got there.

This is a tradition of ours. It takes place at a local mall and is sponsored by Macy*s. It is the unofficial kick off of the holidays and I have to say it really is a great parade.

Oh my goodness it's the jolly one himself!

and this was Rosie's face when she saw him
one of the many fabulous marching bands
the stilt men. The chap in the front came right over to Rosie and picked her up off of Jacob's shoulders and walked away. I was so busy watching her waiting for her to scream that I didn't get a photo. I know I know duh!
This is Miami we are all about the bling
Hello Kitty
some sweet little angels that Lily liked

Chinese dragons

That is a beautiful coloured sky for the middle of November, don't ya think? This is the helicopter that flies over to let everyone know the parade has begun

Lily was very happy to see Jennifer Stone, (Wizards of Waverley Place) as the grand marshall
She looked right at us.


I couldn't take too many photos as my battery was going flat and I knew I had to save some life for our dinner arrangements. I have been following this blog for years and when Alyson posted on FB that they were heading down this way I suggested we meet up. Thankfully she agreed. We didn't have an awful lot of time so we chose our favourite Italian restaurant to take them to and met them there. Our day was starting to follow a theme, race race race, we raced from the parade to Nunzios for dinner.

It still amazes me that you can meet total strangers yet know so much about them. They are familiar strangers. The girls hit it off immediately and as they waited for their dinner Lily and AA became fast friends. AA is such a beautiful little girl. And so teeny tiny. I stayed at arms length as she is a little shy but Lily made it in very close. Lucky Lily I say. Ford, Alyson, Jacob and I were able to chat our way through a lovely dinner. So many things in common but all to soon we had to leave. Such a shame but we are going to meet up again.
A little note to Catherine and Hannah: we have now been vetted LOL so next time you are down at Disney it will be safe for you to meet us too. Ha ha.
It was such a pleasure to meet your family last night and thank you for a lovely dinner. I hope you had a fantastic day at the races. Until next time.

Ford, Alyson, Jacob and I. Photo compliments of Rose
# happy girls
I have no idea what is with Lily's face as she was having a fabulous time and no point did she show attitude. Must have caught her mid blink or something
buck tooth betty and her friends
sweet, sweet girls

I think I have now decided that for Christmas I do want to grown up camera after all. I'll just have to get used to lugging it about. To see the same photos but looking twice as fabulous go to Ford and Alyson's blog. I am having a love affair with the name Ford, not the man, he was very nice and what have you but the name. Isn't it a lovely name. So American and manly. If I should ever need to have a name for a boy it will be Ford.

She Got 1st Place!

This is going to be a long post because tonight I am a proud, proud Mummy and Jacob is a very proud Daddy.

I am also going to start the story at the beginning because I want it documented for Lily.

About 6 weeks ago Lily came home form school with a paper for me to sign stating that she had been chosen to participate in a math competition against some other schools. For the next few weeks she would be staying late at school on Tuesdays for practice and if she did well she would participate in the actual competition. I asked her if she wanted to do it and when she said yes, I signed the paper and handed over the money. The first week that I picked her up from school after the practice I nearly passed out when I saw the practice test that she had for homework. I can't even give you a sample question cos my keyboard doesn't allow me to show you pi or squared numbers. I basically thought that she would be eliminated. We had plans this weekend to meet my friend Jen in Disney, the reservations were made and our girls were finally going to meet. I had no qualms about it.

Two weeks ago I picked her up after practice and she told me she had made it through to the final. Say what? Cancel the plans and get ready to study really hard.....those were my thoughts followed by, yay, way to go kidlet.

Today was the day. We had to be at Ferguson High School by 7.45 this morning. She was ready and raring to go. Hubby was off since we were supposed to be in Orlando. We met the group from her school and milled around as all the participants from the other 36 schools arrived. Finally we were taken into the auditorium where the kids were welcomed and given their instructions. Most parents didn't stay as the competition was closed. Kids only. First they took individual tests and then they took group ones. I waited with Rosie, Jacob and a few other parents. Finally she reappeared and looked a little beaten up. Every single kid said it was hard. I gave her a snack, Daddy gave her a pep talk. At some point they posted the answers for the first test and she wasn't overly confident, none of them were. A few more minutes of free time and off she went for round 2. Again we waited. It was a great group of parents. The math teacher that took the kids is not her regular teacher and is a fantastic lady. Her name is Ms. Ruiz and we owe her the stars tonight.

After forever they reappeared and we all had lunch together and the kids let off some steam. The parents talked as we were the nervous ones and the kiddies all played and chatted. Suddenly it was time to reconvene in the auditorium for the award ceremony. At this point there are hundreds of people as the parents that didn't stay have all shown up, some bringing relatives etc etc. The auditorium isn't huge and by the time our group was led in there was no room....WHAT? The announcer person (I'm sure that is what they were called) caught Ms. Ruiz attention and told her to go up to the 2nd level so as all these people were still filing in we were filing out to find the stairs. We were the first group to arrive upstairs and got the front row. All the kids sat together and the parents went off to the side.

The awards were given by grades starting with the highest grades and working down to the lowest. Anytime Winston Park K-8 centre was mentioned we went wild. They were mentioned quite a lot. One of my dear friends works at DAK-8 so we cheered like mad for them also. One of the biggest and most prestigious private schools in Miami also participated and it is a well known fact that if you have graduated from Ransome you have carte blanche to any Ivy League of your choice, they have that reputation and they are that good. So as the awards were being called we were impressed to see the public schools not only holding their own but doing really well.

It was finally time for Lily's group. The first child called was from her school. Let me tell you we were thrilled, then another, and another then her bestie Adam. As the kids are called they make their way to the stage. Our kids all had to go downstairs, outside, around a corner, back inside and down to the front so it took awhile. When Adam was called I was genuinely thrilled. His father and him took off running and I looked at Lily and she was jumping up and down for him. Lily and Adam compete at everything in school. Once I heard his name I knew it was over. I have to admit that my heart sagged a tiny bit for my girl. Another name was called and then the last name for the group, LILY COPE. Jacob and I screamed. She took off running. Parents were high fiving Jacob and I and then I realised I needed to get down there with her to take pictures so I literally took off running down the stairs in pursuit. As only Lily and I can, we got lost! We could not find the auditorium door. We ran upstairs again and back down and up and down. Apparently there was a chair holding the door open so that it couldn't lock but it slipped out and the door closed so were locked out. Oh Cr*p. We finally found a door and bounded to the stage. She ran up the stairs and I crouched at the front. They were already calling names. Next was adam he took 5th place. That left 4 then 3 then 2 and then chants of LILY LILY LILY filled the air as the announced the first place winner in the individual tests LILY COPE. I was stunned. I truly could not believe she had done it. It was so amazing to hear all these people that have never set eyes on her before, people from 35 other schools chanting her name.

She grabbed her trophy and headed to find Adam. I didn't even get a chance for a photo. I finally tracked them both down at the rear of the auditorium. I have never seen her smile quite that bright. We ran back upstairs where her daddy grabbed her. Then it started all the high fives, the fuss, the congrats.

Lily placed 1st out of 36 schools. Adams Mum told her that whatever she wanted was hers today all she had to do was ask us. LOL She said days like today are rare in a lifetime to so she should just ask for what she wants. Jacob said he is taking her over to Adam's house later to ask for a new car!

This is something that she did. She accomplished this herself. She worked for it and pulled it off. She spent the rest of the day with a huge grin on her face, clutching her trophy.

All ready to leave the house

A little bit nervous
waiting to start.

Spending time with Rosie on her break

Group photo before the award ceremony
waiting for the awards with Ms. Ruiz
Getting very antsy!!!!!!
Up on stage and grinning like a Cheshire cat

At the back of the auditorium when I finally caught up with her

Group pictures.
So proud. Her and her bestie, Adam. I love this boy and his family, such nice, nice people.
The fabulous Ms. Ruiz.


This in and of itself would have been a perfect day but look who we had dinner with tonight.
Ford, Alyson and AA.
Rosie took the photo while AA and Lily were playing



More on meeting these fabulous fellow bloggers tomorrow.

Sorry if you read this yesterday and it reappeared in your reader today...the photos were out of order and were making my brain itch!

Gone

My sister and her husband left today. I feel really sad.

My sister and I haven't always got along as we do now. In fact for quite a few years I was nothing but an annoying little sister to her. She was "forced" to take care of me and "forced" to have me tag a long with her so this made anything but desirable in her eyes. Once we both grew up things changed and I love spending time with her and her with me. We are often struck by the similarities that we share. Just today we were standing talking when we realised that we were both standing the exact same way with our hands and arms in the exact same position, the only difference is we mirror each other as I am a lefty and she a righty.

I am also incredibly lucky in her choice of husbands. Mad Uncle Andy as he has now become is just a great chap. By the time he met Sally, Lily was already part of our lives so he inherited her right off the bat and then later on Rosie. He was very quiet in the beginning but as we all got to know each other he is just as mental as my sister. The girls are really lucky to have such a great aunty and uncle.

We realised today that after all the time we have spent together we didn't have any photos of the four of us together so right before they left for the airport we rectified the situation.

What a motley looking crew

Sally and I

Initially Andy thought that their plane left at 3pm. This was a dreadful idea as it meant the girls wouldn't see them after they left for school in the morning. Turns out it left at 6...duh! I did the unthinkable and pulled Lily out of school at 1.30. (I know it is ridiculous but she has had a substitute all week and one day the lady didn't speak English and taught the Language Arts lesson in Spanish...hello?? So I really didn't think she would miss to much!) Once I had Lily I raced around the corner and picked up Rosie at her normal time and we came home, got changed and headed to the airport to say goodbye. Why are good byes so hard?

Clinging

Faking the smiles
Not faking it anymore
Hot mess!


We had such a great time with my sister and BIL. I can't believe they have gone. It was so hard to say goodbye. By tomorrow it won't hurt so much......I hope.