Winter Break

My winter break has truly been perfect. Let me break down some of the highlights for you.

Travel

I love to travel so dearly. To see places I have never seen before. Sometimes it almost makes me crazy that there are so many places in the world I haven't seen. Almost like I don't have enough time and money to do it all!

Chicago was awesome, the hotel was awesome (Hard Rock Hotel) , we saw many places despite the snow and rain and wind. I loved the buildings in Chicago. So beautiful. Trump tower as seen below was my favorite, closed followed by the corn cob building!



Reading

I have 3 books to read! I have started on The Gift by Cecilia Aherne and I am really liking it. Daniel got it for me at Christmas. I is about a very busy office type guy who helps a homeless man get a job in his office...and I won't spoil it but it is a little fantastical too as her books
sometimes are. I also have Knit the season and The secret life of CeeCee Wilkes to read.



Firefly

If you haven't watched this series that was abruptly canceled, you should. Can not, for the life of me see why, but sometimes things remain true gems when they are not exploited. We have been watching it over the last few weeks and decided on New Years Day we would have a pajama day and finish watching it, plus the movie that followed to wrap things up called 'Serenity'. I just loved it.

NYE

Usually on New Years Eve we stay home, one of us cooks, we watch the celebrations on TV. This year we went out to dinner at Sushi 101 with Daniel's colleagues and our friends John and Steve. We then went on to a small house party with people we know through a fore mentioned John and Steve. Nice to do something different on Dec 31st for a change.



Wii

Has been a source of fun since I got it for Christmas. I love the Rayman's Ravin' Rabbids game, and the wii sports bowling, tennis and baseball. Tyring very hard to pace myself with buying of games becasue they are not cheap! But I would like Mario Kart next!!





I haven't even been ill this break which is fantastic. I have had some weird balance and headachey sensations going on since boxing day, but very on and off so going to see how it goes this week.

Back to school tomorrow, and I do miss my children in my class, but I am a little sad to see this winter break end. It has been so refreshing, relaxing and fun too. Perfect.

2009 Review of the year

Well 2009 has truly been full of ups and downs throughout.

Lets start with the ups...
Daniel gaining employment very quickly and simple by sending in his CV (resume).


Daniel moving up the ranks so swiftly and now is manager of two of the smaller theaters and wears a suit and tie to work on ocassion. He has developed a good career from an initially more casual job and it speaks voulmes for his personality and his work ethic.

Was kinda cool to be here for the inauguration of Barrack Obama.



Friendships - and two in particular - have really taken off this year.



My family coming to visit us. Yes it was stressful at times, but overall great.

Graduation - both of my fantastic kindergartners who I was so proud of, and of my friend Amy who gained her Masters degree in Education.





Giving Daniel his Mac book...might sound superficial but the post here explains it.



Christmas in Chicago was awesome. Our hotel was so plush and so inexpensive we jut couldn't believe it. Yes, the weather was blustery, ice rain, falling ice from buildings and eventually snow, but it didn't stop us doing all we had wanted to do.



And the downs...

The biggest down for me is my dear Nan having a stroke in February and passing away in August, on our wedding anniversary. I was proud to speak at her funeral. I miss her terribly, but I am grateful to have known her and had her in my life as long as I did. I love you Nan. (This also lead to kind of an 'up' as we were able to visit home, see my other equally wonderful Grandparents and friends and family). SO proud of my Dad, who took his own Mother's funeral service, (he is a minister) with grace, warmth and composure.





Close behind has been the hassle with our house in the UK...first a pretty big fire, not one but two tenants leaving, one without notice and one who was there for one month only.

The fear I was not going to be blessed with a second year in the USA. HUGE budget crisis in education here in Charlotte lead to crazy times. Also lead to other issues at school which I will only describe here as unjust and unfair. But I was strong and got through them, and kept my job which was a huge relief. I was not ready to be done here!

Looking forward to 2010

This year is going to be an interesting one for sure.

I love my class and look forward to seeing them progress to be ready for 1st grade.

I hope we will get to do a spot more traveling, San Francisco for Daniel's 30th, and Seattle to visit a friend.

The second half of the year is a little more uncertain...yes, we will be moving back to the UK, likely London to suit both of our job possibilities, but also that depends on our house situation.

I am hopeful we we obtain new jobs, and I think to be honest the return home will be stressful in terms of cleaning out this apartment an transitioning back to the UK. I can't believe our time here is amost over. Well 3/4 over. I wouldn't change it, but I feel like it is the right time to return to the UK for our next adventure.

I hope your 2009 has had ups as well as downs. Best wishes for 2010.

post christmas blues....

I am definitely a post Christmas blues sufferer.

Something about the come down after the big build up to the season.

I am so blessed....I have had 2 wonderful Christmases, just the two of us, in new cities to explore, wonderful presents from both far and near, web cam conversations.

Secretly I am looking forward to the next one with the families...most especially, God willing, with my Grandparents.

I equally hope there will be more years where it is just Daniel and myself.

So I am feeling a little teary, if illogically, sitting in our hotel room watching revolutionary road and eating fererro rocher.

I have also been very appreciative of people who have waitied on me this year....in restarants, in Starbucks (including Christmas day), in stores and in the hotel.

This is all.

The C Day

Things to remember

Being happy our usual breakfast place was open!

Opening up presents from Santa (via Davis family)



Calling our families on the webcam

Going ice skating. Always wanted to go skating on Christmas day.



Love presents my husband bought me...a Wii, 2 pairs of gorgeous earrings, ad bracelet, Ponyo dvd, how to photograph absolutely anything book and a Cecelia Aherne book.



A perfect Christmas meal - Cranberry and Apple Gnocchi, House salad with autumn potatoes, ice cream sundae and an Irish coffee.
And running after a guy who was asking for money for food to give him my only cash - a $1. Not much but I hope he knew someone cared enough to run after him. Many many begging on the streets but I have always felt I get a sense of who really needs it. When they need it, I know I have to do something in my heart.

Merry Christmas all.

Joyeux Noel

Things I want to remember about this Christmas...

Christmas Eve...

My favorite day of the season, because it is filled with hope, anticipation, excited and looking forward. Not that I don't appreciate getting gifts and so on but something about Christmas Eve that I love.

Candle lit service - i am such a people watcher and love to listen to or imagine people's plans for the coming day, see the kids so excited and sing my little heart out to some Carols.

Looking for somewhere to eat dinner - Chicago is NOT as globally open and alive as NYC.

Elevator Hopping our hotel (Hard Rock) to see the different memrobillia on each floor at about 10.30pm Christmas eve.

Making sure we got back to the German Market so Daniel could drink one last Glühwein.
Windswept and rain on walking to Navy Pier on Lake Michigan

Tracking Santa of course!