Saturday 10 October 2015

Hey there, October!

While I was living in England, I used to have serious Autumn withdrawal symptoms.  It's seriously a thing.  I making the most of our return to America and buying into the festivities, full force. I'm talking pumpkins, trick-or-treating, pumpkins, hay rides, pumpkins, and ponchos.

   



Yes, I'm having withdrawal from England, but I making the most of our first autumn here and I'm trying to forget about crisp walks at National Trust estates and instead enjoying Pattersons or Holden or even walks around the mall!

Let's talk about this little lady:

Five things she's done this week to make me smile
Emma's Best Bits

1.  She's saying "dada," "mummy" and "juice" (does "mm-hmm" count if she means "yes"?) - I can't even comprehend this.


2.  She has a new obsession with her stacking cups and can stack them one inside the other. She's busy for ages figuring it out, but she can do it and it's fascinating to watch.



3. She now wraps her arms around you. Your leg, your neck, stomach (as she body slams into you).


4. I suggested we go outside and she disappeared and returned with a pair of my shoes. Really impressive - mostly because they matched my outfit. Daddy couldn't do that.



5.  She copies everything I do. If I'm drinking water, she wants it. She tries to talk on my phone. She wants a cup at Starbucks. I shook out a carpet outside as it was a bit dusty and she watched me rather intently.  It was a matter of seconds before she picked up the same carpet and proceeded to shake it around the kitchen.



She is at an age that is - in my opinion - the most fun yet.  


So now that monthly updates are pretty much over, I've decided to try and give you weekly "Emma's Best Bits." If you aren't following me on Instagram, you can find some of my favorite photos here.

I'm also going to try to give you a monthly breakdown of what we are "Currently" up to. In an attempt to apologize for my lack of posts, I've give you BOTH here - RIGHT NOW.



This calls for a Wahoo!
::CURRENTLY::

Listening: We have been rocking out to Country music on XM radio these days.  My new car has free XM streaming at the moment, so I'm lapping up the advert free tunes.  Emma doesn't seem to care what I listen to in the car as long as she isn't stuck in it for any more than 9.5 minutes.  In the house or at my desk, I'm rocking out to KLFM.  No radio station here rivals KLFM. None.  


Eating:  I've found a recipe for cookie/muffins that she LOVES. I was not keen, but she can't get enough.  I've mixed quinoa flour, quinoa Flakes, applesauce, banana, cinnamon, apple cider and chia seeds (soaked in water) and baked -- I don't know how, but it works.  Finally. Something different!   If you find any recipes with alternative ingredients, please send them my way.  I'm struggling!!

Drinking:  It's pumpkin everything here!  Emma is obsessed with Apple juice and we love being so close to Pattersons that we can get it in the shops!  I'm also trying every autumnal flavor of everything - just because I CAN.  

Wearing:  Emma's slowly outgrowing all of those 12-month clothes and I'm bracing myself for a big Autumn/Winter shop of 18-24-month clothes. I think she's even in a few 2T shirts and PJs.  JimJams seem to be the one thing we never have enough of and she always needs bigger sizes.  And socks.  Geeze.   As for me -- I'm wearing anything cozy as my classroom has gone from feeling like the fires of hades to ice box all in the span of a week.  LAYERS!  Speaking of - have you heard of Stitch Fix?  Do it.  It's awesome. Better yet - do it but say I referred you.  

Feeling:  American.  There's something about this time of year - preparing for Halloween and Thanksgiving and CHRISTMAS that makes me feel so at home and positively American.  I'm going to really miss Christmas in England, but I'm so excited to see what it's going to be like here after so many years.

Wanting:  A lie in.  I'm tired.  School starts at 7:30 so I am here by 7.  Emma is waking up at 6:15 midweek and weekends.  6:15 is ok -- the 5:30 wake up so I can get ready before she is up?  Not so fun. 

Needing:  This virus to go away. Emma and I both have a cough/cold.  Runny noses and sore throats.  I've not had a voice for three days - but it's been hilarious trying to teach.  Imagine that scene from Matilda when the kids are reading the message on the chalkboard all in unison?  That's been my life.  Poor Emma though!  I hope she stays relatively healthy this winter!

Thinking:  School School School.  I'm always thinking about school.  Things are so much different here than they are in England and I think I'm doing what I should be doing, but I'm not 100% convinced.  I'm working hard - very hard - but not because I have things I have to do, because I've set myself targets and things to complete.  I'm working on becoming a better teacher - it's reflective and really time-consuming.

Enjoying:  We have had a fantastic visit from the Berrys!  I am so glad they were able to come and stay with us for a whole month. We have done so much and Emma has really enjoyed having two more people in the house to play with.  They have done so much for us while they have been for -- any chance they will consider buying a summer home down the street??

   

Until next time!
Xx

No comments:

Post a Comment