Our Family & Our Life

Dear Diary, We pray that you may be granted another blessed and healthy year to come! Lots of love from Colin and your youngest girls

Dear Diary, I've been struggling to get food into our girl. Specifically meat and chunky food. She could live off of toast, bananas and applesauce. At least it's not junkfood but it's still not good enough for an active growing toddler. She loves jarred baby food but at almost 14 months this has to stop. I'm so fed up buying that stuff!! Even if I put our dinner through the food processor, the lady won't eat it but a jar of that other food, no problem... agghhhh! Last night we did our groceries and Colin and I bought a whole lot of food that we thought she could and would eat. This morning I spent most of her nap time cutting fruit and vege and preparing it for her. We didn't buy anything that we wouldn't eat ourselves because I don't want to start with "Isla" food and our food. I should say the last few weeks the lady has made a bit of progress. She started eating halfed grapes and even bits of chicken. That's progress but the las

Dear Diary, While in New York Isla and I visited the American Girl Place . There are only a handful of stores in the country so I was sure to visit while in New York. I enjoyed it, Isla wasn't overally impressed but maybe that will change in a couple of years. I bought her a doll with some of her birthday money and in a few years when she can appreciate it, the doll will come out of the box. She's really cute and it's part of the Just Like You series where they mix up skin tones, eye and hair colour. The store also has a shop where they sell the dolls and clothes, a cafe where you can have lunch with your doll and even a hair salon. I was watching them do the dolls hair in the salon and I think the girls who worked there have a great job - they get paid for playing with hair! She was also spoiled on Canal Street where we bought her a onesie and a hoody. Canal Street is unique because you are expected to barter with the merchants - Mom, I really needed your garage s

Dear Diary, I promised the photos of NY and now that Colin is safely home with the camera, here they are. Enjoy! 5th Avenue The plaque above is located on this cross which is made of the remains of the towers This station house is located across from the Towers and was first to respond This is part of the memorial to the five men lost Sept 11 We weren't able to get to the Statue of Liberty as it was sold out for the day but we still had some great views from Battery Park. Family photo in Battery Park Stock Exchange Colin and I in front of the Brooklyn Bridge View of Manhattan from the observation deck of the Empire State Building

Dear Diary,

Dear Diary, Today my dad has been blessed with another year. Wiser too? We wish we could come over and wish you a "Happy 73rd Birthday" in person but we are thinking of you on your special day. May God grant you many more happy years. This is my Dad in 2006 when the crowd came over to N. Ireland for our wedding. It's actually taken in the lobby of the (haunted) hotel where we had our wedding reception. Good memories!

Dear Diary, It seems like Christmas was yesterday but it's April already. In my immediate family, April is birthday month: 1. My parents 2. My brother 3. My nephew and 4. My youngest neice are all celebrating birthdays in the next 2.5 weeks. It's this time of year that I wish I was home. It seems like forever since I was at a family birthday party. Maybe next year. I'm sure there are aunts and uncles and cousins also celebrating this month but there are too many for me to track so if you are celebrating this month, Happy Birthday! The fun starts tomorrow, stay tuned!

Dear Diary, We came home last night at midnight. What a week! Where do I start? First off, no photos in this post because the camera is in Connecticut (more on that later) so I hope Isla doesn't start walking this week because I won't be able to take a photo of her first steps! I'll recap our trip. We left for NYC on March 21 driving our van. We couldn't have asked for better driving conditions for which we are VERY thankful since last week was a severe weather week throughout the mid-west States. It was a bit windy, OK very windy, and I was concerned about the ugly roof box blowing off but Colin assured me it wasn't going anywhere. Still, I made him tighten it up as I had visions of my pillow and his suit blowing down I-80! Nebraska and Iowa are the longest states, they just don't end. Pennsylvania we LOVED and if I could've stayed there I would. It has loads of trees, green grass, just beautiful, I felt right at home. We arrived in NYC on Wednesday