Guess what I did today!!

Yes ~ I was very naughty and hit the Sales!! LOL!!

Not alot happening here ~ It is quite quiet ~ just getting ready for New Year ~ cannot believe that 2009 is creeping up on me so fast!!

I will look back on 2008 with fondness ~ all in all it was not a bad year at all. There were alot of changes ~ I think that 2008 was the year that I finally took control of my life again ~ after the break up of my marriage and my divorce ~ moving house and basically starting a fresh! There were times when I thought that I would never get through it all..........but I did ~ and 2008 was definitly a defining year.

I look forward to 2009 with hope and enthusiasm ~ I get the feeling it will be another good year ~ but a year filled with changes ~ it will be the year that Daniel leaves his primary school and moves up to secondary school (or 'big school' as he calls it!!). I have not made any new years resolutions ~ I usually make a whole list and never actually keep any of them ~ so this year I am just going to follow this advice to myself .......Be happy, be who you are ~ be true to yourself and remember that 'ANYTHING' is possible with just a bit of hard work and determination!!

Well, my blogging friends ~ we are spending New Year quietly at home this year ~ and from the temperature outside I think that is probably the best idea (it is totally freezing here!!)

What are you all up to for New Year ~ I would love to know ~ and please let me know what resoultions you have made ~ hopefully you are all alot better at sticking to them than I am

See you all in 2009 ~ I look forward to walking the blogging path right next to you all through this coming year ~ here's hoping it's a happy one!!!

Love and big hugs Tabitha XXX

Daniels Birthday Photos!!

Daniel had a wonderful birthday yesterday ~ he opened his presents in the morning and then we took him out for a birthday lunch!
He then got to spend his birthday money which he had been given by various people ~ he was really happy with his new trainers and football that he bought!!

Daniel holding up the giant 'Portsmouth' flag ~ the team he supports ~ he has wanted on of these for ages ~ he hasn't decided whether he will put it on the wall or on his bed!!
Daniels presents ~ it's like Christmas all over again ha ha !!

You can't see very well ~ but Daniel is wearing the Portsmouth fleece top that I bought for him ~ he is very pleased to have another new football LOL!!

Showing off his new trainers ~ which he chose all by himself!!

More Birthday pictures ~ Dan and lauren (she wants some cake I think!!)

Me and my gorgeous 11 year old!

Daniel blowing out his candles!

Dan has had a brilliant Birthday, and loves all his presents ~ my gorgeous boy is 11 now ~ I haven't quite got my head round that fact ~ my baby being 11!!!!!

Oh well ~ I am sure I will get used to it! Another 2 years and he will be a teenager.......then the fun really starts LOL!!! XXX

My Precious Boy.......

You are 11 years old today ~ I still remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday,

Looking at your sweet little face and knowing that my life would never be the same again ~ that Motherhood and what lay ahead for us was going to be a great adventure ~ one we would explore together........

You are my first born, my special Boy ~and I love you more than words can ever say.

You have made me so happy and proud over the years ~ you are kind, caring and growing into the most wonderful Young Man. I am so totally blessed you chose me to be your Mummy.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIEL ~ HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL DAY ~

I LOVE YOU ALL THE SKY ~ ALL THE SEA ~ ALL THE WORLD XXX

Does anyone have...........

A PAIR OF EAR PLUGS GOING SPARE??????

My 'Musical' daughter is driving me crazy TEE HEE!!!! XXX

A (Freezing!!) Boxing Day Walk....

To blow away the cob webs yesterday, we decided to go for a walk along the beach close to where my Mum and Step Dad live.......it was FREEZING ~ BRRRRRRRRR!!

But the children seemed to enjoy it!!



Here they are with a nature made statue, which is called 'Catch of the day'.

Enjoying the winter sunshine......

My Boy ~ soon to be 11...

The view.

Some group shots......

My little stars braving the cold weather!!!

Hope your days are a bit warmer than ours tee hee!!!!! XXXXX

Christmas Day in Pictures...

Here are a few of my favourite pictures from Christmas day 2008 ~ my 2 little stars just having fun and enjoying the day!!

Lauren was most pleased to get the Roby doll that she so wanted ~ he is the brother of the doll that she had for her birthday (or so Lauren informed me this morning!!)

This Roby doll almost scared me to death last night ~ Lauren was asleep on top of my bed last night when I came in the room to go to sleep ~ so I pulled back the quilt on my side to get in and the doll was lying there under the cover .........I almost died ha ha ~ It looked so real tee hee!!!!
Lauren modelling her new HSM dress ~ she would have worn it to bed ~ if I had let her....

HURRAY!!!!!!!! It's CHRISTMAS!!!

Brother and Sister (They love each other really??)

Presents waiting under the tree...

Opened presents ..........EVERYWHERE!!!

Daniel loved his Simpsons Chess Set and has been spending time with Grandad learning to play ~ He is getting really good now........

Santa brought Lauren this ~ so that she could graduate from High School Musical School........

Have more pictures from today ~ where we had the bright idea of a refreshing Boxing Day walk......which was actually flipping FREEZING!!

Love and hugs Tabitha XXX

Fantastic Day

I hope that you have all had a wonderful day ~ we have had a great time!

The children woke up at about 6am and the fun started!!!!

It has been a fantastic day ~ spent with the people that I love most in the world.

I am going to have to walk at least 20 miles tomorrow ~ to walk off the huge Christmas dinner that I have eaten (Turkey, stuffing, roast parsnips, bread sauce and pigs in blankets ~ yum yum!! ~ as well as all the other trimmings!!)

Lauren got a keyboard ~ which is her most favourite present EVER and has played it all day (I use the word PLAYED very grudgingly ha ha !!).

Daniel was most impressed with the Chess set that he received and has spent all day with Grandad learning to play chess!!

We are well and truly settled infront of the TV now ~ watching all the TV specials ~ too full to move tee hee!!XXX

PS ~ Have taken loads of piccies ~ but haven't had time to upload them ~ will do them soon xxx

PPS ~ I haven't gone all 'Bah Humbug' with the lack of Christmas on my blog now ~ I went in to take off my Christmas counter and somehow wiped off the Blog background at the same time ~ so decided to have a change tee hee ~ I am so useless with this blog lark ~ hopefully I will get the hang of it oneday HA HA!!!! xxx

T'was the night before christmas.....

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY AND PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS ~ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR BLOG FRIENDSHIPS THIS YEAR ~ IT HAS MEANT SUCH ALOT TO ME! I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING YOU ALL IN 2009!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL ~ AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT XXXX

(MUST GO ~ I JUST HEARD SLEIGH BELLS, THINK SANTA MUST BE ON HIS WAY!!!) xx

Santa Claus Is coming to Town.......

The excitement here is mounting day by day!!!
I am not sure that we will make it through to Christmas day ~ without one ~ possibly BOTH of my children exploding LOL!!!

Since we have been here we have just been chilling out ~ we have done a bit of last minute shopping ~ wrapped yet more presents and taken some nice (FREEZING COLD!) walks along the beach!!

Today we have got the Santa Signs ready! I forgot to bring the chalk with me to write on them, so I bought some 'wet chalk' today ~ which is what they use in the Pubs and Restaurants to write on their black boards ~ it seems to have worked quite well!!

I have written the childrens names on the boards ~ as Lauren was a bit worried that Santa would not know where she was this year ~ or may not find Grandmas new house!!



Hopefully these will give him a small clue!!
Signs at the ready!!!
Do you think he will find us OK Mum?????
As I said ~ we have just been chilling out ~ as these pictures show. Lauren may need to be surgically removed from both her PJ's and the Nintendo DS lol!!!!!
Daniel did hijack my Laptop for a short time ~I have now paid the ransom of 3 Jaffa Cakes and I now have it back safely ha ha !!

The children did get out of their PJ's eventually!! ALTHOUGH ~ I must confess that since Dani sent me my Christmas PJ's all the way from Kentucky ~ I have all but lived in them ha ha !!

The Post man was suitably impressed when I opened the door to him wearing them this morning ~ either that or he was smiling at my birds nest hair!! (It was early!!!).

We are off to see the pantomime tomorrow ~ which the children are excited about ~ it is Dick Whittington and they are all ready to shout and cheer!!

Hope your festive preparations are coming along ok!!

Love and hugs Tabitha XXXX

At Grandmas House....

We are here ~ safely! The drive here was quite stress free ~ there were no major incidents and
nothing to report really ~ apart from the fact that there are hundreds of mad drivers on our motorways ~ and most of them were on the M6 today ~ I saw them ha ha !!

The children have settled into Grandmas house ~ and Lauren is most pleased that Grandma has a big fire place ~ so that Santa can get down it with all the presents.....
The stockings are hung ~ ready and waiting......
AND ~ Yippeeee ~ the children got to decorate a 'BIG' tree at last (ha ha )


Of course they had a little help from Grandma too !!
I am off for an early night now ~ XXX

Bye bye for now........

The fish are clean,
The bags are packed,
The presents are all stowed away safely.

I have found the sat Nav ~ the car is full of petrol and we are all set for the morning!!
My alarm is set for 6am ~ so I am off to bed now ~ best get some sleep before the 5 hour drive tomorrow!

See you when we get to Wales ~ bye bye for now........XXX

OMG ~ I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!!

A knock at the door this morning brought a parcel full of wonderful all the way from Kentucky!!

A box full of christmas from my dear friend Dani!!!

As you can see ~ the box contained a pair of 'Danis favourites' ~ snuggly fleecey warm and cosy PJ's (which by the way I have on at the moment ha ha ~ it is only almost 3pm tee hee!!!).

Also in the box was a bag of CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER LOVE!!!!! ~ actually they are Reeses peanut butter cups ~ which I have read about on other blogs ~ but have never tasted until today!!! WELL ~ OMG I AM IN LOVE!!!!

In the spirit of Christmas and because they have come all the way from the US ~ I thought it only polite that I try one of these confectionary delights .........but I could not stop at just one and ended up eating 5 (I am sooooooo naughty ~ but after 6 months of dieting ~ these were like heaven in an orange packet ~ YUMMY!!!!!).

Thank you so much Dani ~ the PJ's are wonderful ~ I can totally see why you have 42 pairs of PJ bottoms!!!!! The peanut butter cups are to die for ~ my little stars have now all but finished them off ~at my request ~ as they were in great danger of me eating every last one tee hee!!

Your friendship (and that of all my bloggy friends) means the world to me ~ and I hope these friendships will continue for ever more!!!

PS ~ I AM SO TOTALLY LIVING IN THE WRONG COUNTRY ~ WHY ARE THERE NO REESES PEANUT BUTTER CUPS IN THE UK??????

PPS ~ FORGET THAT ~ I WOULD PUT BACK ON EVERY POUND THAT I HAVE LOST IF THERE WERE ~ SO BETTER THERE IS A WHOLE OCEAN BETWEEN ME AND THEM HA HA !!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

LET THE HOLIDAYS BEGIN...........

IT IS OFFICIAL!!! The holidays have begun for me and my little stars!!
School is OUT and I have finished work for 2008 ~ YIPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! (I am doing a rather silly dance ~ while sitting in my chair typing this tee hee). Christmas is almost here and we are very excited...........ok ~ by we ~ I actually mean ME!!!!!

I have officially wound down now ~ if I get any more laid back I will fall off the chair!
I am trying not to get stressed about anything ~ not the fact that I have not packed (I HATE PACKING ~ YUCK!! and for that matter I hate unpacking too!!!!!) or the fact that I didn't clean out the fish last night ~ so that still needs doing ~ or the fact that I have no idea where I put the Sat Nav ~ or the portable DVD players for the car ~ or for that matter the car charger for my mobile phone.........................

Anyway ~ as I said ~ no stress here!!

(Goodness knows where the Sat Nav is ~ that could pose a small problem as my Mum has moved house since our last visit and I have ABSOLUTELY no idea where we are going tee hee!!).

Tonight I have decided that I am going to find the cases ~ definitly do the fish and then just relax ........then tomorrow I can panic ~ pack and generally be a
mad woman!

Hopefully I will have everything sorted out by Sunday morning so we can head off to my Mums ~ and then Christmas can begin for real!!

I am taking my laptop along with me ~ so I hope that you will come along to Wales with us.......don't forget your cases and you may need to pack a scarf......aparently it is a little chilly there!!!XXXXX

The Good ~ The Bad ~ And the down right Crazy!!

Today has been one of those strange days ~ that happen every now and again! A bit of a mix of good things, bad things and a small drop of 'crazy' just to keep me on my toes!!

The day started well ~ I have not been working today, so after dropping the children at school ~ I had the day to myself!! I went shopping ~ didn't spend too much ~ but bought myself a much needed new handbag!! My current one is a bit small and a bit battered around the edges ~ so I bought myself a nice new (bigger!!) one ~ so I can now carry even more junk around with me tee hee!!!!!

I met up with one of my friends for lunch and then we went to a new retail park which has opened not far from where we live ~ to look at the new shops!!! I was very boring and visited Halfords ~ to look at the roof boxes for the car ~ I am having a small crisis ~ as we are due to travel to my Mums on Sunday and I am starting to doubt that I will fit Me ~ the Kids and ALL the presents and the luggage in the car!!! SO ~ a roof box may still be needed! They were very reasonable and Halfords will fit them for you ~ I just have to decide whether I can justify the cost for something that may not be used that often!! My other option is to streamline what we are taking ~ or leave the kids here (Tee Hee ~ only joking!!!!).
I have had a really great day ~ and it was much needed ~ I have well and truly started to wind down before christmas ~ and as of 12.30 tomorrow lunchtime ~ I will be officially finished work for 2008 ~ YIPPPPPPEEEEEEE!!

While I was out shopping I had a phonecall from one of the people that I used to childmind for ~ telling me that her husband has left her and their young son (won't go into too much detail here ~ as it is a personal matter!) ~ which made me really sad. It is always sad when a marriage ends ~ under whatever circumstances ~ but a week before Christmas is not a good time ~and with a young child involved ~ it is so hard!! I feel for them both and I hope that they somehow find a way back to what they both once had!! I think that 2008 has held the world record for the amount of couples that I know (married or otherwise!) ~ that have seperated ~ it has not been a good year in that way !

Tomorrow is the last day of school for my two little stars ~ so they have gone into hyperactive overdrive ~ the excitement levels here are unbelievable!! IT IS A TAD CRAZY RIGHT NOW!!
They have both suddenly become soooo excited about Christmas and at one point I thought that they were both going to explode ~ when the excitement got too much!

Lauren always has her hair done in a 'Christmassy' way for the last day of Christmas term ~ so we had a trial run ~ here is her Christmas hair do for 2008!!


Tinsel hairband (bought from Claires accessories ~ not lovingly made by me ~ tee hee!!)

Lauren was suitably impressed ~ so we have to make sure that we recreate the look in the morning!!

I have so much to sort out before we leave on Sunday ~ the first job of the night is to clean out the fish (oh no!!) ~ so I had better go and start that much hated job!

Hope you have had a good day ~ hopefully without the bad and the crazy! XXX

Not quite there......but almost did it!!

Tonight was my last weigh in for 2008 ~ as we are heading off to my Mums on Sunday for Christmas and New Year!! (that is the plan ~ if I ever get packed and sorted out before then ha ha !!).

This week I lost 4lbs ~ which amazed me ~ as it has been slowing down quite a bit recently ~ but with a little extra effort I have managed to lose a total of 5 stone and 1 pound (71 pounds!) ~ which I am pleased with ~ my original goal was to lose 6 stone by christmas (which is 84 pounds) ~ so I almost did it ~ just not quite!!

I intend to ease off ever so slightly now and enjoy the festive season (responsibly tee hee) ~ I am having a total day off on Christmas day ~ that day is a diet free zone ~ but come boxing day I will be back to being careful again ~ there is no way I am going back up the dress sizes again (not if I can help it anyway!!!).

My next weigh in is on 7th Jan ~ and hopefully I will not have done any damage ~ the ideal would be to have stayed the same and not put anything on ~ but time (and a mince pies or two!!!) will tell!!

I haven't been up to much today ~ just busy with the same old stuff really! I have a day off tomorrow so I am looking forward to that sooooo much!!

Best go to bed ~ as it is after midnight and my alarm is set to go off at 6am ~ I will never get up otherwise!! XXX

Shining Memories

The Post Man here has been very busy recently ~ and the other morning he brought 2 more packages ~ one from Bonnie Scotland and one all the way from Down Under!!

In true Tabitha form ~ my camera was totally dead and in need of charging ~ so I couldn't take any photos ~ BUT ~ it is up and running now ~ so here are some pictures of my gorgeous snail mail gifts!

First is my gift from Tania ~ all the way from Australia ~ a gorgeous Christmas tree decoration ~ which is so pretty and has 2008 on it ~ it is a constant reminder of the year that Tania and I 'met' via our blogs and every year when I put it on my tree I will remember this year very fondly. The box that this came in had a sweet verse on it ~ the words are very true in alot of ways ~
" 2008 was a year filled with hopes and dreams, smiles and laughter and, quite possibly a few tears.
Like every year before it, it will live on through the memory of each of its opportunities, challenges and celebrations, large and small.





I also received a christmas box from Amanda in Scotland ~ filled with goodies ~ not just for me, but for my little stars too ~ they were very pleased and loved their gifts!! They send a huge big 'THANK YOU' to Amanda!!

I wasn't going to open my snail mail presents until Christmas day ~ but after visiting the other blogs ~ my curiosity got the better of me ~ so I opened my gift from Elise ~ and it is wonderful ~an Australian tree decoration ~ the kangaroo is so cute ~ carrying his presents!! ~ Thank you soooo much dear Elise!

In my box from Amanda were these two gorgeous tree decorations ~ This star one is very special and the three stars look just gorgeous on the tree!

So sweet ~ thanks again Amanda!!

I love all the tree decorations and when I get the tree out next year ~ I will think of my dear snail mail friends when I am hanging these decorations ~ they are a very special reminder that I will keep forever!! XXX