All those in the US, sign here...

[mamama]

I see all these threads for Aussie people and thought we should have our own thread too. Not sure why, I just felt the need to make us feel special too!

So, who's stateside and where are you?

I'll start:

Mamama - in Chicago

My niece sent a text this morning. She had just crossed the CO state line moving to Denver where my nephew and his wife live.

Very pleasant here, not sure what the temp is. Ds1 and I have been out on the deck.

Water slide sounds fun! We are off to AR to the lake next week.

I'm a big fan of soaking overnight before scrubbing

OMG, not again???

Hello all - have been keeping a low profile recently but thought I'd pop in and say hi.

ALi, fab news, well done

Am off to see Harry Potter tomorrow night and am v. excited!

jabberwocky let me know when you come for a visit then won't you. And we'll have a few margaritas at my fave Mexican in Boulder . It's hot here was 97 today. Sadly the addition to the family was at the vets today or should I say Vee ee tee. She's got a bad cold, luckily no chest infection but oral ab's lol. Now that's fun small kitten and large (well not really) syringe and yucky medicine . You know how it goes, the same with small kids. But she's doing much better already after one does thank goodness. Wiping snot of a kitten's nose is not my idea of a fun evening. So do I take small ds's to the midnight launch of HP7 then? Poll please.

Thanks, cali

Ali, dh mentioned maybe October, but then I would love it if we could get there during ski season. Will keep you posted!

I'm still planning to take ds1 to the midnight launch. It will either be great fun or else...well, at least I'll get points for trying

Saw the movie Sunday night at the drive-in, just me and ds2 who slept through most of it. It was great. there was a lightening storm in the background which added to the dark and wizardy atmosphere most perfectly.

Oh Ali, I'm so glad the kitten is ok. Was thinking of you yesterday and keeping fingers crossed.

I vote YES for taking the boys to the launch - if I had someone to take, I'd go but feel like a bit of a plonker going alone!

mamama, my bf is going alone ( and her boys love HP)

that was a that she's not taking them, not b/c they like HP, btw.

Jabberwocky! I did a request for you a few day's ago..I'd like to point you to a post I made over the weekend re dd and HSC.

Not from US but bf is and going to Texas with him next Monday to meet his friends and family. Hi to you all

at 17.46 and 22.32.

Hope you don't mind..on reading the report I thought, yeah,...this is so right.

Pan have you moved over here . I just knew you couldn't resist it for long. Lol

ali - if I could take Kinder Scout with me, I'd be in Colorado in a shot.

btw, it's rained here for 3 weeks. Daily. The Snake Pass has been closed...deep joy.

So I take it you'd like some of my sunshine and the 99c we've had today sending your way then . I'm currently being attacked by my small un-stripy tiger (aka Gracie) she likes my necklace and is currently eyeing up my chilled glass of chardonnay.

oooooooohh, YOU!!!!!

Well.........we're here. I stayed up all night before we left London. I thought I had things well in hand, but who can predict how long it takes to do these things? I managed to leave behind a few bits accidentally, but have asked that they be posted on to us.

The actual travel was seamless - thankfully. In my sleep deprived state, don't think I could have handled a nightmare journey.

Cases are unpacked, and we're settling in. (Boxes due to arrive in 6 weeks.) But we have some major adjusting to do with this heat!

Also - does anyone have effective mosquito deterrent suggestions? Poor dd has made a game out of counting her bites. Yesterday she got up to 16!

Jabber - thanks for cookout offer. It's very kind of you. Will contact offline to chat more about it.

Waves to EB from just over the state line in North Carolina!

Congratulations Early Bird on the move! I am so as we are currently packing up to move the other way.

However, in my two years I have become a bit of a mosquito expert having myself been bitten to death on my arrival here (I can still remember the pain and having to sit with bags of ice on my ankles - it was that bad!). For future reference take vitamin B1 (thiamin) as this apparently gives off an odour that is undetectable to humans but keeps the little critters at bay. It did work very well for me as the second summer here was much more pleasant.

Off! is a DEET based product that is quite effective but needs to be reapplied a lot and not sure if you want to be constantly spraying your dd with chemicals. Avon also make a particularly effective one (name escapes me but any Avon person will know it).

Best thing is to keep away from them. Don't sit out at evenings, keep doors closed at all times. Johnson and Johnson make a very good anti itch gel which I have found to be very effective.

Do you have a pool? Don't try and get used to the heat. Even the locals aren't used to it. It's not the heat, it's the humidity that makes it so unpleasant. Staying at the pool or in the air conditioning is the only way to deal with it. However, come October when you're still wearing shorts everyday and it's much less humid (and the mossie's have buggered off!) you will really appreciate it!

Sorry for long post. I'm not really one for the big issues on MN but I do feel passionately about mosquito bites!!!!!!!!

Buy lots of cheap citronella candles and citronella oil lamps and light them outside. There is also a natural citronella spray you can buy from somewhere like Whole Foods. Welcome by the way. You can also buy brilliant door nets that you fix to your outside door jamb using pressure rods, so you can leave the door open and stop the mozzies getting in. I've got these, the door's closed at the moment as small kitten is not going to go out and be Coyote fodder.

Thanks for the anti-mossie tips. We are now equipped with Deet infused bug spray, citronella candles and some hydrocortisone cream to soothe itching. Hopefully, we can now venture outside without fear of being eaten alive.

tinpot - thankfully we do have regular access to a swimming pool and have been visiting regularly. We typically go around 3 for a few hours and it really is a refreshing way to spend the latter part of the day.

Other than that, I've been filling in school forms. Can't quite believe that dd will be in school from mid August. Feels very strange not to be getting a school uniform prepared. I guess that means we should start shopping for some school clothes soon and trainers too, as that seems to be the obligatory daily school footwear.

Do your dc take packed lunches or eat in the school cafeteria?

And what about after school activities - do your dc do them? Don't want to load dd down with extra things if she's going to be exhausted, but seems if we don't get her name onto lists now we may not have a choice later....

Hi there, glad you're sorted re the mozzies. My ds1 starts Kindy in a few weeks and ds2 is going to go all day at pre-school , sadly a necessity I was planning on. Anyway they will both be having lunch at school. The school district we're in provides fantastic lunches always fresh fruit and milk and I don't see any point in not doing it to be honest. Unless of course they hate it . They will both have swimming lessons and ds1 wants to start football, but as I'm going back to work I'm reluctant to plan too much until we see how our new lives pan out.

Why not think of something fun like music classes or dance so your dd makes lots of little friends?

Oh and that should have read "a necessity I wasn't planning on"