Hello Hello. Been working on my website a lot more, I finally had some of my websets through that I had bought online. So hopfully I can finish it and have it up and running by the new year. I've been so busy lately I haven't really had a chance to sit down and work on it properly. When I am online I'm normally talking to my sisters, and posting in some forums. You should check out my sisters Loud Ladies MSN Group.

Made some Bread yesterday with our new Bread Maker, it turned out rather well. We had some slices with some Lasagna for dinner last night. I'm making some fat free bread now, I was thinking of making some loafs for the neighbor's. Thought it might help get to know them a little more.

I can't believe it's the end of the year already. This year, 2004 has gone by really fast, but it's been such a good one. So many life changing things have happened to me this year. I got my K-1 Visa in February, emigrated to the USA May 4th, and got married to Clayton July 6th. This year has been an emotional roller coaster for me in many ways, and I will never forget it.

We have nothing really planned for new years, I was thinking of going to a local bar and seeing what the nightlife is like out in the US. But I was never really much of a clubber back in the UK, so we might just have a nice relaxing movie night at home.

I have a few new years resolutions, I'd like too..

1. Lose Weight.
2. Learn to drive.
3. Get a nice Job.
4. Save to go and see family in the UK.
5. Start my white picket fence outside my cottage.

So we'll see what comes of 2005, Happy New Year everyone.

Had a good couple of days, Clayton and I just relaxed and spend time together. Today we went out to spend our Christmas money. I bought a few DVD's I wanted, along with a few cds. And then we both went to get our hair cut, seeming it was getting a bit long. We also stopped by a lock smith to get another key cut for the cottage, I thought it was about time I had a key.

I feel a lot better, I don't feel as homesick as I was. Although it didn't feel much like Christmas this year, nevermind hopefully I'll be home next Christmas.

Here are some pictures of what I got this year...


My Tea set from Clayton 


Foot Spa off Clayton 


Christmas Tatty Bear from my Mum.  


Bread Maker off Clayton's Parents. 


Fleece Jacket off Clayton's Parents.  

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful day and got all the gifts you wanted. Clayton and I had a lovely day, I had many presents from Clayton's family and my family & friends. We had Christmas eve dinner at Clayton's Uncles house, with Clayton's parents. It's their family tradition to open gifts Christmas eve, well it's the German tradition really, Clayton's family is part German. So we had dinner, then opened our gifts. I had lovely gifts off Clayton's parents, including some Egyptian cotton Bed sheets, and Flannel Bed sheets too. We also had a Bread maker between us. I had some gift certificates for the mall as well as some money.

After opening our gifts we watched "The Snowman" It's a UK cartoon that we always watched on xmas day. I managed to get a copy of it at GoodWill, which was really good luck.

By 11pm we went home, and I set the webcam up for my family back in the UK. My family phoned at 11:30pm which was 7:30am Christmas morning, their time. And I talked to my family over speaker phone and watched everyone open their gifts. I was getting really homesick at that point, as I wasn't there with everyone. Clayton and I opened my families gifts over the webcam also. I had many UK goodies, such as some UK Comedy shows like Only Fools and Horses and Absolutely Fabulous I also had some nice Tops that my mother gave me. After everything was opened and we said goodbye, Clayton and I headed for Bed.

Christmas morning Clayton and I opened our gifts together, Clayton got me a lovely Foot Spa, which I had asked for. He also bought me a wonderful China Tea Set, as I love tea so much lol, it's really pretty it has blue roses on it. I'll take a picture of everything tomorrow and add it to the blog.

After talking more with my family, I put my Turkey Breast in the oven. I was making my first Christmas Lunch for Clayton and I. This was our menu...

Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Roast potatoes
Roasted Parsnips
Carrots
Peas
Cabbage
Mashed Rutabaga (Swede)
Stuffing
Gravy

And Christmas Pudding and Cream for desert.

Everything turned out wonderful, and I was quite pleased with myself. We also had Christmas Crackers that my sister Sarah had made for us.

After Christmas Lunch we just sat down and relaxed watching our DVDs. Tomorrow afternoon we are going round to Clayton's parents for afternoon tea. It's been a wonderful first Christmas for Clayton and I, I got quite homesick earlier this afternoon, and got a little teary. But I guess that's to be expected on the first Christmas away from my home Country and family.

Well that's about it here, stop by for some pictures tomorrow.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Today I went to my Welsh Women's Meeting, it was more like a Christmas party. We were all getting together at one of the Members house, it was a pot luck lunch where everyone brings something. I brought a batch of my homemade Welsh Cawl. It was really nice to get together with everyone, I missed the socializing. I know a lot of them are a lot older than me, but it's nice to get out of the house and share my Interests and passions of my home country. I was asked to say something before lunch in Welsh, and I was a little bit embarrassed that I didn't know much of my own home Countries Language. I got the courage and said "Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda" Which in English is "Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year" It's funny how you get more country proud when you leave. I wished now I had learned the Welsh language more. I can still learn it, and plan to ask my mum to send me a Welsh Language tape for me to learn.

After lunch I met back up with Clayton and headed down to World Market where I got many British foods and treats for Christmas. I had put a little money away for some things, it's funny what you take for granted after you emigrate. I took a little pic of my goodies.


Christmas Treats 

One of the members of my Welsh meeting mentioned another British store near by called The British Pantry. I was all so excited of another store near by. So Clayton and I decided to go searching for it, 2hrs later we still couldn't find the store, and it was getting late. So we decided to call it a night. We weren't that far from it, but being in an area where you aren't use to, get's to be a little difficult. Clayton promised me we'd stop by there next month on the way down to the next Welsh meeting. As now we have better directions on getting there.

Another bit of news is that we are getting digital cable. We used to have regular cable for like $20 a month, as it was a special offer with a local company. But now that the offer has finished it's gone back up to $40 for like 60 channels. So we decided to switch cable companies, the one we are going with now has an offer for a year. Digital cable with over 120 channels including BBC America for like $30 a month. I thought for $10 extra you can gain extra channels including one very important one :) The guy might be coming out tomorrow to install it, or Tuesday we'll get it for sure. Can't wait, just in time for Christmas too.

Wow, I really need to post more. Been really busy this week I don't know where the time goes. I'm doing a lot more child minding, the deal is that I child mind every four days then 2 off. Ben's mom works as a house cleaner and that's her schedule, so we all follow suit. I don't mind looking after Ben he's a sweetie, it's just we've gotten lumbered in transporting Ben's mom to work and being the taxi service. We both get up at 5:30am to leave the house by 6:15am to be up at their house by 7am to take her to work by 7:30am. Then she finishes at 4pm, but Clayton is working most of the time till 5pm so he can't pick her up till then. By the time we get home it's like 7pm, so it's a really long day. I know we get paid a fair amount for doing most of this, but I just like a steady pace job.

I'm going to start learning to drive soon, I'm studying the Washington State drivers ed book. Clayton's uncle said he'd take me out to learn, as soon as we get some time. I need to get my learners permit, according to the book I can get any random person to teach me how to drive I don't need an instructor. I need to have so many hours of driving under my belt before I can take the test, then once I feel confident enough I just go and do it.

Last week I went to apply for my Social security number, I had all my information and it only took me about 10mins in the Federal building. According to the lady, Immigration hadn't even added me to the system yet which was strange. Once I've been confirmed as legal with the Social security Office, my number should arrive in the next few weeks.

Send all my packages and Christmas cards to the UK last week, it cost me all in all about $100. Next year I'm gonna send the Christmas presents in November by Boat, it'll be a lot cheaper.

Clayton brought home another big present for me at the weekend, it's sitting under the tree looking all mysterious with all the others. I'm having so many presents from everyone back home. I'm averaging out a package a day :)

This Friday I'm heading to the Welsh Womens Meeting, I missed last months because I had Ben. I'm looking forward to this months meeting, we are also stopping by World Market for some lovely UK goodies, thanks to Joy for letting me know.

Well I think that's about it.

Had a wonderful weekend, on Saturday night we went to the Light Parade. I was assuming it was where they turn the Christmas lights on in town, but I was wrong. There were over 60 floats of trucks with loads of Christmas lights on them. It was amazing they looked so wonderful reminded me of the Coke a Cola trucks. Here's some pictures..


One of the trucks on Parade.  


Another cool float. 

The Parade lasted about an hour, and it was raining a lot. But it was well worth the wait to see all of the floats, they were amazing.

It's been snowing here again today, not heavy just some snow flurries but I get so excited. I love snow. It's meant to snow a lot more tonight, so I'll take a few photos.

It's Ben's Birthday today, the little boy I child mind. He's 1 today :)

Clayton and I bought our first Christmas tree last night. It was a riot putting it up, firstly we had fun trying to chop the end of the trunk off. As it says that you should, to make the tree last longer. After that we put the tree in the tree holder we had bought, and we came across a problem... the tree was to big for the holder. At this point Clayton's uncle came over and helped us, he thought we should cut a few branches off to see if that would help. So he ended up doing that for us, but it didn't work. The tree was just tipping the holder over, so Fred (Clayton's uncle) said we could use his tree holder. Finally we got it up at around 9:30pm last night. I had needles everywhere, and it took me ages to vacuum them all up.

This morning Clayton and I decorated the tree together, it was really fun. Clayton also surprised me with a little tree decoration of a Bride & Groom saying "Our First Christmas 2004" I thought that was really sweet. By request of Joy, here's a picture.... :)


Our first Christmas. 

After decorating the tree I did some stenciling on my front door, with the spray on snow. That was really fun, and it makes the cottage very cute looking.

Took a few pictures of the tree and my lights outside, click to enlarge.


Our Christmas tree we put up today. Plus Clayton's big present he bought me, ooh can't wait.  


Our Christmas Lights outside our Cottage. 

It's December the 1st yey! Time for a New Winter Blog Layout. The picture is of Mount Baker the local Mountain here, there's a ski area up there and I found a photo site with some neat pictues. Thanks Grant for your help.

Well we had a good thanksgiving, it was kinda wired eating Turkey not on Christmas day though. Clayton's mom made the traditional thanksgiving meal, we also had a Green Bean casserole. I tasted Eggnog for the first time, it tasted like cinnamon I thought it would taste more creamer but no, hmm I didn't really like it that much. My English trifle turned out really well, everyone seemed to enjoy it which was good. They also had Pumpkin Pie for desert as it was the traditional desert to have.

Had a good weekend, we went out on Saturday to the British Shop. I wanted to get a few treats for Christmas. Didn't get everything I wanted, the lady is going to hold my box of Quality Street.

I've put some Christmas lights up around the cottage and outside, Clayton and I are hoping to go to the Christmas Tree farm on Friday to pick our tree up. I can't wait to have our First Christmas together.

We went Christmas shopping some more yesterday, I was babysitting so we took Ben along. Clayton and I split up in the Mall as he wanted to get things for yours truly, he got this huge package and had it gift wrapped. Oooh I'm excited to know what it is now. We met back up for lunch and went to a local restaurant, everyone was paying attention to Ben. And funnily enough everyone assumed he was ours, a lady asked where did he get his blonde curls from. I laughed and said he wasn't ours, and that we were babysitting.

Had a few packages from my mum this week, which was nice. A few DVD's with some TV shows I miss. It was nice to watch them, as I miss TV over there. I also got a Christmas CD from my dad, with many Christmas songs from when we were younger. Made me a little homesick listening to them though.

This weekend we are going to a local town where they have a Christmas parade and they turn on the Christmas lights. Can't wait to go to that.

Almost forgot to mention... On Monday evening we had quite a snow storm here. I was so excited to see it snowing. Clayton said we wouldn't get much snow here, and if we did it would be in January. So he was quite surprised to see so much Monday night. I'm hoping it'll snow some more before Christmas, I love snow.