Hey all I'm still alive & kicking, work is going good. The days are going by so quickly, I'm really tired when I get home though. Tomorrow I have my CPR and First Aid class at 6:30pm, so I get off at 5:30pm have a little bit of food and then head there. Looking forward to my long weekend this week, as Monday is 4th July we are closed and I get the day off.

Clayton and I were talking and we are definitely going back to the UK for Christmas with me working full time, we will have enough money to pay off our bills, and save up to go over for about 2-3wks Christmas time. I'm excited I think I really need a trip back home to see everyone, I'm missing everyone so much.

As you can see I added an Anniversary countdown on my page, next Wednesday is our 1 year Wedding Anniversary, I can't believe it's been a year already. I'm hoping to get the day off on that Wednesday as Clayton has the day off and we can spend the day together.

Okay I thought I'd better update before my daily readers get inpatient hehe. Well things are still going really well in the Daycare I'm enjoying it, and settling in really well. It's a bit odd trying to change everyday British Toddler words to American ones such as..

American

Diaper
Pacifier
Bandaid

British

Nappy

Dummy

Plaster

I've gotten used to saying all the other words it's hard to change, I really have to think before I speak because the children just don't know what I mean.

Joy asked if there were any behavior differences between American toddlers and English Toddlers, I've noticed a few, but not many. The Toddlers seem to be very loving they always want hugs and kisses, they are never shy all are full of confidence; I think that's just an American thing really I've found that most American's are full of confidence and are outgoing. I have also noticed that they are all so bright/intelligent the first day I was there they all noticed that my voice was different. Most of them had said "Your voice is funny" or "Funny Voice", I tried to explain to them that I wasn't from this country that I was from the place where the Queen was from. Some of the older ones understood what I had said, and now they think I'm a Princess.

Discipline procedures are a little different to the UK, I know a lot of Playschools/Daycares in the UK send children to the Naughty Corner or the Naughty Chair when they've done something wrong. But here I'm not allowed to say the word Naughty it's kinda forbidden, if the kids have done something wrong apparently they take a "Time Out".

I'm actually getting used to the longer day's, it's not so bad. It's hard trying to keep up with house cleaning though, as when you get home you don't really want to do anything. I'll have to try and get everything done on the weekends.

For some reason I've felt a little homesick over the weekend, I think being in a Daycare got me thinking of the future and when we're ready to start a family. I've been thinking really hard about going back to the UK when we are both ready to settle down. I want my family close to me when we have kids; I know my sisters and parent's really want to see my children grow up. But on the other hand I love being in the US and would love to stay here. Guess I didn't think my family wouldn't be around when I had kids, I always imagined them being close by. Hmm guess I should have thought about all this before I emigrated huh?

Thanks for all the congrats on the new job, things are going really well with it. I started Wednesday the day was long with filling out forms, and orientation. I'm an Assistant Toddler Teacher and I'm in a class with about 12 Toddlers, they are all so cute. The first day was really trying in the sense that the Center had 2 Fire Drills something was wrong with the fire alarm. So we had to gather all the children out, and me not knowing all the routine and most of the children's names, yeah I was a little clueless. At the end of the day I came home and just went to bed I was so tired.

Today wasn't as bad, it was fun to just be around kids, although we did have an incident with one of the kids biting another. I'm getting to know all the children now, they are all so sweet and they all want to cuddle with me. When I left at 5:30pm one of the girls Justice was crying as she wanted me to stay. I was like awwww.

Clayton was telling me that now I'm working in a Day Care this should hold off my maternal craving for a while, I was like I don't know it's making it worse hehe. I am really tired; it's hard to get back into an 8hr day. Next week will be hard doing the whole week. I'm sure once I get used to it, things will be fine.

That's about it for now, will update on the weekend.

Good News, I got a job at a Day Care called Kids World Full time 40hrs a week. Monday-Friday 8:30am -5:30pm. They just called and offered me the job, I am so happy no more small hour jobs. I start Wednesday, I have to go down and fill out some paper work and have orientation. I have a good feeling about this place, something tells me this is the one.

Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes it was really nice. The last week has been very trying, I'm back to being unemployed again. The Interviews last week went well, I know I didn't get the Hallmark one, as they called already. Haven't heard from the others yet. I took the Housekeeping job and was starting on Tuesday at 9am, my shedule came out for Bath & Body works for that week and I was working all week morning shifts from 9am till noon. I was like what the, I'd been getting like 2hrs a week and now they spring up to 12. So I called Bath & Body and told them that I had a new job I was starting, and the manager understood that I needed more hours. I said I could work in the afternoon and evenings and she was like well I have plenty of people for those shifts. She ended up letting me go so I no longer work there anymore.

So I was all set to start the housekeeping job, I started 9am Tuesday. From the time I started to the time I left I hated it. The whole time I was there I wanted to leave, I thought to myself why am I here? I have really good knowledge in Computers, I should be doing something that at least uses my talents. This morning I got up and said I'm not going back there, I called them and told them the job wasn't for me.

So now I'm back looking for a job, and I'm more determined now than I ever have been to look for something in the Office/Computer field. This morning Clayton and I went to sign up with Express Personnel. Hopefully soon I'll have an Interview with them, and they can help me look for an Office job. I'm also sending out my resumes where and when I can, I have an Interview tomorrow, so I'm hoping things go well there. I'm going to find something!!

On some happier news, I had a wonderful Birthday. Clayton and I spend the day together. My mum paid for me to have my hair cut and colored for my Birthday, I now have Red/Blonde highlights, see the pic below. We then went out for dinner at a buffet place, mmm all you can eat. For presents I had the Charmed Boxset from Clayton, I also had a James Masters Autograph (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) from my sisters Eloise & Emily. I had a big care package from my sister Sarah and my niece & nephew with loads of British chocolate, and Walkers crisps. I really got spoiled with the British Chocolate I got so much Dairy Milk.


My new hair cut. Blonde/Red highlights.  


James Masters Autograph and Charmed Boxset.  


A small selection of my British goodies.  

The Robin Chicks finally hatched, sadly one died. I got a really good picture of them when they were first born. And I took a photo of them today, and they have grown a lot bigger.


New Born Robin Chicks.  


Robin Chicks 5 Days old. 

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Dear Natalie,
Happy Birthday to you.

I love you sweetie always,
Clayton.
XXX

Okay well I start the Housekeeping job at The Days Inn on Sunday, I know it's not what I really want to do, but anything will help right now seeming we need the money. I'm still going to keep applying for Office Jobs, and Day Care Jobs, hopefully something better will come by. I do have those Interviews on Friday so fingers crossed, I also just applied for a FT Position at the YMCA for an Assistant Toddler Teacher, which actually they just called to arrange an Interview for. Ooh tomorrow is gonna be fun I have one Interview at 10am, one at 12noon and then one at 3pm, Clayton has an Interview also at 12:30. So we're gonna be all over town.

In other news guess what I found the other day, a Robins nest right by our drain pipe. At first I didn't think it was a Robin as British Robins are very different to American Robins. But Clayton assured me that it was a Robin so I researched it online. See the following links.. British Robins American Robins. Found out that the nest also has 3 eggs in it. Clayton took an amazing picture of the eggs, below are a few shots.


Female Robin incubating her eggs.  


Robin Eggs. 

I'm watching them everyday to see if they are hatched it takes about 2wks for them to hatch. I think they are about a week in, so I have to wait about another week. The male Robin is up on the branch near by, protecting the female and her nest. I don't want to disturb them to much, because I've heard if you disturb the mother quite a lot then she'll just leave the nest and won't come back. So I'm being careful, but it's just neat to watch.