Quick update

It has been a week of snotty noses and sickness in the Satterley household. Although still Autumn the winter weather and temperatures are with us already and along with it has come the (what seems to be) never ending colds and bugs!!!!

Santa did manage to have a successful day shopping on Saturday and as long as she behaves, Amelia is due to have a full sack on christmas morning. She is loving her advent calendar as it is Mickey shaped (no surprise there!!!). It's hung on the living room door and she gets to put a new felt shape on it every morning. Every time we leave the room she smiles and waves at it bless her.

Good news on the job front from me. I have got a part time temp job at EDF Energy and start in January. Not a job I would have normally gone for but the hours are perfect to still look after Amelia and not need childcare as I will be working 4-8 2 evenings a week plus a Saturday morning so Russ can look after her. I may not like it but have to remember it is only 14 hours a week and I can spend the best times with Amelia! I could have started last Tuesday but decided to have December at home with Amelia without having to worry about going to work.

Only a quick update today - maybe I shall have some pics to share next time.

The Holidays begin!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

OK I know it is not celebrated in the UK but as I have mentioned before it is in the Satterley houseshold. There is so much about being american we like we try to bring some of it into our lives and as far as we are concerned Thanksgiving is the start of the Holiday Season like it is out there and I can't tell you how excited I am this year!

A year ago I had worked my last day for Aviva, was 4 months pregnant and feeling pretty rough at times. I was inititally pleased when they told me I would have December off as it ment that I could enjoy the build up to Christmas which included Thanksgiving. It didnt turn out that way. I was feeling very low suffering sickness and stressing about signing on and having to attempt to look for temporary work. We did have an amazing thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday (impossible to do on the actual day when Russ is working!) with my parents but I just didnt feel in the spirit of it.

How different it is this year! We have just arrived back from Walt Disney World where the Christmas season has begun and as we were leaving there were all the family groups arriving for thanksgiving. I left feeling excited for the celebrations to come and my excitement levels are not declining. I am sure having a daughter is helping this. I have always been a BIG christmas fan but the last few years the excitement has dwindled but I can't wait to do all the christmassy things with Amelia even if she is too young to remember it - thats what photos are for! This year I will actually have photos to scrap for christmas :D

We brought an advent calender in WDW that we can use for many years to come (hopefully the grandchildren can use it too!) and the tree will be coming out next weekend. This weekend we will be having our Thanksgiving day on Saturday. Snuggling as a family with holiday movies and cooking the big Turkey dinner - I can't wait!!! ( I really can't tell you how excited I am it just can't be put in words - how sad I know!!!!).

We have a crop on Sunday and I hope to make some christmas biscuits for that too (although I could run out of time!!).

As for the trip we had an amazing time as did Amelia who now can't understand why when she waves her way around ASDA no-one is waving back bless her! She took everything in and the rides she was allow on (which was a vast majority just not the rollercoasters) she loved and her excitement for meeting the characters rubbed off on everyone with the queues behind us all going "ahhhhh she is sooo cute" the photopass photographers took 178 pictures of her and us!

Well I have to do some tidying while Amelia is having her morning nap and we have to go to Tesco before watching Macys' Thanksgiving Parade in New York on the internet.

Pollycraft Candy

I know long time no post!!!

Things in the Satterley household have been rather manic over the last few months with a christening and a holiday to plan and organise along with all the other baby stuff that you need to do :)

Amelia has been crawling for about 2 months and has been walking around the furniture for about a month!!! She is currently trying to work out how to stand without using things so we quite often find a little person in the middle of the room on her hands and feet with her bum in the air - very elegant for a little lady!!

Work wise I started looking for a part time position which fits in around looking after Amelia and I have a final interview on Monday for one. Not exactly the kind of work I was hoping for but it is only 15 hours a week and they are in the evenings and at weekends so perfect for me to do and still be a full time Mum to Amelia :) I really don't want anyone else bringing her up going for a day at Grandma and Grandad's is great but I don't want it to be anymore really at this stage.

Russ still has a job although things are still very difficult in the current climate in the industry. To have come through the last 18 months and still be trading is good when you see what is going on around them with much larger companies!

Very little crafting has been done lately but I really want to get back into it and I am still looking at all the blogs I was before. Pollycraft are celebrating 1000 followers and have a giveaway which ends on Saturday. I love their designs and have quite a collection and their new ones on their new shop are bound to pop into my collection at only 99p each for their digi images. Be quick if you want to be in with a chance to win :)

I will try not to leave it too long posting next time.

Less than 100 days until we take Amelia through the gates to see this sight for the first time!! We are both beginning to get excited about going. The food and wine expo details have been released now and both our mouths were watering reading all the foods we can try. Hanson of um bop fame (does anyone remember them??) will be performing while we are there. They were in their early teens when I remember them so not sure what they will be like as 20 somethings performing the same kiddy pop tunes lol. Also we plan to go to the Very Mickey Christmas party although I'm not sure it will feel quite as christmasy in the Florida warmth as it does in the bitter cold of Paris!!!! I wont refuse the free hot chocolate and cookie though;)Amelia of course will not remember her first disney experience but I am sure there will be plenty of photos for us to show her when she is older!

Moving on

Firstly thank you for your nice comments and support following our loss of Ben. Things are very strange here without him and I am still prone to bursting into tears but I know it will get easier. We had a card from the vet today which really made me blub the words were so nice.

Hopefully once this week is out of the way things will improve for us. We have had 2 years of uncertainty with one thing or another and this week seems to have been the week for it all to come to a head!

Russ' job is far from out of the woods but there is less uncertainty there at last :D Russ will be working hard - not that he wasnt before!! but you don't mind when it is not taken for granted and benefits the company and not just used for lining someone else's pocket!!!

A dear neghbour of ours passed away last week. Russ has known her all his life and we rented her garage. It seems very strange not parking there and another change this week for me to get used to - my head hasn't quite got there yet (no surprise there!)

Amelia is doing well. She is now rolling and can move backwards. She can sit up on her own but mainly wants to stand! I think we will be making things secure for a moving little miss very very soon! I am so glad we have her in our lives she makes everyday worth it and everything else seem unimportant IYKWIM. This was her last night. Daddy decided she needed to wear a head garment - poor child lol.

RIP Sporting Bene

I'm sorry to appear with a sad post but we had to make the difficult decision to have Ben put to sleep this evening. We are both completely devastated but deep down we know it was the correct decision for him.

Over the last 12 months his back legs have deteriorated and in early may we were told it was a neurological problem and he was given tablets. Unfortunately these did not help in the way the vet had hoped and we did not want to prolong any suffering.

He was loyal loving dog who brought us nothing but happiness since we adopted him and he along with his brother left very large paw prints on our hearts. He loved Amelia and was very protective of her over these last few months despite his failing health and never showed an aggresive side in all the time we had him.

Sleep well Benny Boy we will never forget you.

Arrrrggghhh..

.... my blog background has disappeared and I don't have time to sort it out!!!

Will post a proper update soon.