is big really better?

I always heard that everything in America is big but is it true and does that make it better?

Well the roads, parking spaces and cars are bigger. I'd say that two thirds of the cars on the roads round here are big SUVs, trucks or minivans. We bought a Chevrolet Traverse (one of the 'smalller' cars in their range) as we wanted something heavy to stick to the road and high enough to clear the feet of snow we were promised we would see in the winter (which can I hasten to add we didn't though it did drive really well on the ice!)

Here is my baby (and Charlotte!):

Jeremy says I look mean when I am driving it... I am excited because it looks like a Jack Bauer car!!

He drives a Ford Edge:

The other stereotype that I heard a lot in England was that there are loads of really fat people in America! 

Well yes I have seen some extraordinarily large people and lots of pretty big people but there are also a lot of fit, athletic, exercise nuts who put me to shame! 

It's easy to put weight on here. You have to drive to get to everything - you can't walk to the local shop for a pint of milk.... You drive 2 minutes to the gas station to buy a gallon of milk and pick up a slice of pizza whilst you are there (I have seen a brilliant advert along the lines of "Who has time to wait 10 minutes at a pizza takeaway or heat up a frozen pizza?! Head over to Speedway (petrol station) and grab a fresh slice of pizza - 2 for only $2!) so you have to make time to exercise. 

There are restaurants and fast food joints everywhere! You name it they have it and they are so convenient. Pull of the main highway and you have to drive a whole 0.1 miles to get to the nearest McDonalds, Subway, Taco Bell or the American equivalent of Little Chef:

We are lucky as we have a fantastic restaurant near us where we can get relatively healthy take away (ready in 20 minutes!). They do fish, pasta, meat with rice and veggies... the only problem is that you get free bread rolls and cookies and their apple crisp (think crumble but with extra sugar and butter) is heavenly! There is also the Ample Pantry who deliver home cooked style meals to your door and the local 'corner shop' - Hardings Fresh Market which has a great deli. So if you are prepared to pay more for good food, you can get it.

I'll tell you who else is big.... My baby boy! A year ago we used to go to the library for story time and I would pack a bottle of milk to keep him occupied whilst Charlotte danced and sang along with the other kids. One year on and she is in school, he is 2 and is now the biggest kid there! 

I couldn't believe how grown up he seemed today:

Where has my little boy and all of those curls gone?! 

So is big really better? ... Sometimes it is!