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

Ooo, yay NannyK, that's fab, well done. Wishing you lots of luck with the lawyers.

I'm glad you have your own life too. I know how toddlers can take over your life - I can't imagine how busy you are with 2 of them!

OMG mamama, toddlers especially my twins, leave a trail of destruction behind them that would rival a tornado!!!! But they run around, all toothy grins, being flirty with anyone who looks at them, they are adorable!!!! I love this stage, til they are 6 or 7, and then the attitude starts. The twins are talking more and more now, and the funniest thing is they say some things in an english accent!!!

Oh, that's so cute that your twins say things in 'English' Ds does the same thing - everyone loves it! The trail of destruction left by a 1 year old is quite incredible. No-one warns you about that!

Well these guys are my 9th and 10th charges, so I have witnessed the destruction that toddlers are capable of several times before, however what always continues to astound me is how quickly a nicely organized playroom is turned into a bombsite!!!!! I have often said to my bosses that the playroom is out of bounds at the weekend cos the kids just demolish all my good work and its very demoralizing to come in on a monday and see the chaos LOL!!!

But it is very cute indeed when they drop things over the side of their cribs at naptime and I hear them on the monitor, in their posh little accents "Oh noooo!" of course that is swiftly followed by wailing until I go up there and give them their lovey's back! It's funny cos their dad is English as am I, but their Mum is American, so I don't know what kind of Lloyd Grossman-esque accent they will end up with LOL! At the moment they have a definite English twinge to most words (Mummy as opposed to Mommy) at this rate they will be the most sophisticated toddlers in nursery school this Autumn!

Sorry we seem to have hijacked this thread! It's good to know there are a few mnetters over here amid the craziness!!!!

Oh NannyK - you have your work cut out for you!! My DS says 'Oh Noooo' in an English accent and he has a very posh phone voice, which at 20 months, is quite impressive . All phones must be answered with a swift "Hallo" and ended with a "buhbye. Eeek"

We're on Tornado watch here after a very humid day. I nearly got blown into the lake by a huge gust of wind and I'm sunburnt

LOL my guys say "Ello" on the phone and "buhbye" too!!! Another phrase is "mmmnnnhhhbb bbhhjjnvvcf ffggh kittycat!" which in English is their mum telling the bloody cat to get off the counters!!!!!! They really mimic us now so language is becoming an issue lol.

Poor you in tornado country, I spent nearly 2yrs working in Algonquin, we got frequent warnings. As a naive 18yr old I was petrified! Hope nothing comes of it (((hugs)))

Hello, so did you guys have any serious wind action the other day mamama? Hope not

My travel health insurance is due to run out soon, and I am looking into the various health insurance options available here, can you or any other mnetters here in the states recommend anything? I was thinking Blue Cross Blue Shield. It's all so darn expensive!!!!!

I seem to have killed the thread

NO, no, I am here! You haven't killed the thread

The wind was quite bad - lots of branches came down but it could have been worse.

I have no idea about health insurance - mine is covered through my H's work. I know Blue Cross/ Blue Shield are very well known. And Humana.

Can't your employers help you out? Who are they with? I assumed you would get your health insurance with your job. Best of luck finding something - maybe Alipiggie will know - she's good at things like this. I can ask my parent's group too.

Hope things are ok in Boston

Hi glad to see I didn't kill the thread after all!

Re the health insurance, MA has a new law coming onto effect next month stating every resident has to have health insurance. The trouble is there are so many choices! My boss could put me on his company plan BUT it is v v v expensive as he provides mega good coverage for his employees in return for a lower salary which they prefer. I don't want a lower salary so I said no. Instead he said he would contribute towards a plan I found that suited me. I miss the crappy old NHS!!!!! Luckily I haven't been ill in the last yr and a bit so haven't experienced the healthcare system here. I just need a few recommendations on where to start really. Other than me being a little dazed and confuddled, things in Boston are great! Hope the weather cheers up a bit, am going to a bbq tomorrow. Glad to hear the winds weren't too bad!

Righty, am off to bedfordshire, its way past my bedtime and altho I get a theoretical lie in tomorrow, it never works out that way cos my stoopid body clock has me up with the larks. Hope all is well

Hope you did get a good lie-in, Nannyk. I was moving to a new apartment yesterday and am in agnoy today - I can barely move And, worse that that, I moved the kettle but slept at my old place so I can't even have a cup of tea

I asked my parent group about health insurance so I'll get back to you if I hear anything. It's funny isn't it - I miss the NHS too. I think you don't appreciate it until you no longer have it. Even if you have to wait for treatment, at least you get it. Paying for everything, even if you are insured is a nightmare. I currently pay $20 per month for my insurance and $1000 per month for treatment

It's perfect BBQ weather here, so I hope you have the same over there.

Howdy, well no lie in, but had a great day, went to the bbq then watched the Bunker Hill parade, loads of marines and policemen and firemen all marching to bagpipes etc. Very nice LOL

Hope you're not in quite so much agony now, moving is horrid. I hope I won't have to move for a long while yet. And shame on you - everyone knows the kettle is the last thing to leave the old house and the first thing to enter the new house! Anyway I hope you have all settled in ok, how is your DS coping with the move? My twins are v v v lucky as their parents have a second home which they go to at weekends, so they are used to moving around.

Well enjoy the rest of your weekend, back to the old grindstone tomorrow LOL

Marls001 - Currently in Bentonville, AR (Wal-Mart's HQ).

Mamama, had tornado come through just SW of us & ripped shingles off our roof last year - had to get the entire roof replaced

By late August, will be in Houston, TX.
Then, just hurricanes & flooding ...

Earlybird - What part of Tennessee? Won scholarship to Arrowmont Art School there in Gaitlinburg this summer.

We're on Aetna & I have really liked it.

i'm in canada do i count?

hurray, thank you , it's nice to know someone is still up. Is it just me, or is this the time when you miss friends and family the most? I always think I'll phone my sister after the kids have gone to bed and then realise I can't.

I don't have skype but we webcam on msn and we have a great phone package which includes all international calls (to me this means it's free!, so I do talk to most of them every day, it's just that by the time my dds have gone to bed, it's too late to call England

we are near Ottawa in Canada (nearly 1 year now) and moved from Lancaster in UK

I know what you mean Hellish, I work 8am-7pm and by the time I finish work its too late to call anyone in the UK. I have a calling card and use my cellphone during the day at weekends generally.

Whereabouts in Canada are you? I have family in Manitoba.

Vancouver is on my list of places to visit while I am working over here. I have been impressed with all the places I have seen so far on my travels on this landmass LOL, the US really has some beautiful places, I love Montana and New England (still miss Old Blighty tho)

I'm on a HIGH. Big night out last night Ladies . The Limo ride, then The Police Concert in Denver. I'm lusting even more after Sting than I was before. He's so damn good looking sigh. The best birthday ever. Hope all's well in the USA and Canada tonight. Been glorious in Colorado today too. Been in in the Mountains chilling out with a very dear friend.

Oooo some newbies! Hello Hellish and Marls. I have a couple of friends from Houston. I love Austin, so when you get to TX, make sure you visit there. The bats are amazing.

My Canadian geography is really awful so I don't think I know where Ottawa is. My mum just came back from Medicine Hat- - does anyone know why it has such an odd name? I've heard wonderful things about Vancouver - I'd love to go there. I'm still kicking myself for not visiting Toronto when we lived in CT - it was sooo close!

New England is very pretty, isn't it, NannyK. Have you been to Cape Cod? I have some very pretty pictures on my walls from there.