Bolt and a Ballet Exam..........

I am feeling alot better today ~ after spending almost the whole day in bed yesterday ~ I won't go into too many details (incase you are having your dinner ha ha !!) ~ but lets just say it was not nice.....thankfully it seems to be just a 24 hour bug and even more thankfully ~ my 2 little stars seem unaffected (for the moment ~ fingers crossed).

Since I felt back in the land of the living today ~ I decided to take the children for a suprise little treat (you will be glad to hear that I used my nest egg to pay for this!!) ~ I took them to Mcdonalds and then we went to see the film BOLT (see the picture above!!). We all really enjoyed it and laughed alot ~ just what we needed ~ the children had popcorn and fizzy drinks and icecream and sweets ~ ah well ~ I am sure that one day spent eating total junk will not kill them ~ and they will be back to healthy eating tomorrow. I did not partake in any of the treats or the Mcdonalds ~ not because I was being a diet saint ~ but because I still did not feel totally 100% and decided not to push things with junk ha ha !! I did not want to risk any bad effects happening while I was sitting in the cinema (tee hee!!).

Lauren had her Ballet exam this morning ~ she was soooo nervous (bless her little heart) and she spent alot of the day yesterday practising and bouncing around the place ~ I had a bedside ballet display while I lay there dying (tee hee ~ I am such a wimp!!). Her exams are all finished now and I think that she has done well ~ the principle of the school who was marking the exam came out after and mouthed to me "She is so beautiful" ~ so I take that as a good sign. We were in a major rush this morning and Laurens hair bun would just not go as planned ~ so I am afraid that there are no photos from today ~ but here are the pictures from just before we left for the Hiphop and Tap and Modern exams..........



I am getting better at the hair buns......and the frilly hair accessories always help to hide the not so perfect bits!!!!

Ready for the hip hop exam ~ looking all mean and moody ~ ready to dance her little heart out!

(this was the longest exam ~ 45 minutes).

All ready for Tap and Modern ~ the combined exams lasted an hour ~ but she seemed ok with it ~ although she did come out and say "that was hard!!"

My little dancing star!!

Thankfully we have another full year before the next round of exams ~ I am not sure how long we will have to wait for the results ~ they have to be sent off to be checked and marked ~ but I will keep you posted.

Next we have the dance show to get ready for ~ Lauren starts rehearsals for this next weekend and is excited to start learning the new dances and find out what costumes she will wear this year.

Not alot else to report ~ Hope your weekend is going well so far. XXX

OH NO!

I think that I have a bug!!!
I have been feeling queasy all day ~ it sort of comes and goes in waves.
The two children that I look after were both sick today and had to go home ~ so that may explain where it came from!!!!
I will have a day off work tomorrow ~ as the children have to stay away for 24 hours after being sick ~ so at least I can spend the day in bed if I need to (after I have dropped my 2 at school).

I am off to bed now with a cold flannel and my hot water bottle ~ yes I know ~ I feel hot and cold all at the same time!!??

I hope that it is only a 24 hour bug ~ I am sooooooo not good with being ill!! XX

Pancakes, Walking and another weigh in...

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday ~ also known as pancake day. Shrove Tuesday is the day preceeding the first day of Lent (the Christian season of fasting and prayer ). Pancake eating is associated with Shrove Tuesday as originally the making of pancakes used up ingredients such as eggs and fat, which are traditionally restricted during Lent.

Today is Ash wednesday ~ the first day of Lent. People usually give something up for Lent, I usually give up chocolate ~ but as I haven't eaten any for almost a year now ~ I won't be giving up anything ha ha !!!!!

Lauren wanted to make pancakes ~ so with a little help from me ~ she managed to rustle up some great pancakes ~ I don't think that they are half bad for a first attempt.

(The picture doesn't do them any justice ~ I promise!! There were 8 of them all together and Dan and Lauren finished the lot between them!).

Thought that I had better let you all know that I survived the walking DVD ~ so there is no need for the hunky firemen to be sent to save me (more's the pity ha ha !!)

Well, all I can say is that I would thoroughly recommend this DVD ~ it is simple (you just have to walk) ~ and I certainly felt like I had done something when I woke up this morning!
I have missed the power walking ~ and although the DVD is not quite the same as walking through the country side breathing in the fresh air and taking in the scenery ~ for the cold damp months like these ~ it will be a welcome substitute!!


I had the afternoon off work today ~ I finished at lunch time and then I spent the rest of the time until I collected my two from school ~ just tidying up and sorting out the washing and having a general clear up. I did sit and read a magazine and have a coffee ~ it was nice to relax a bit!!

I had my weigh in tonight and I am pleased to report another pound lost ~ total lost now is 5 stone and 8 pounds (78 pounds). I am going to try and lose a little bit more ~ but the end is in sight!! (YAY!!).

I have been rushing around this week as Lauren has had her dancing exams ~ on Monday she did her Tap and Modern and today was Hip Hop. On Saturday she has her Ballet Exam and then that is it finished for another year. I have taken some pictures of Lauren all ready for the dance exams (I am getting quite good at putting her hair in a bun ha ha !!), I will post them after she has done her last exam at the weekend.

Daniel is getting excited about his school trip to France. I know that he will be ok and have a great time ~ he is still brushing up on the French phrase book ~ so he should be ok!!

I am in television heaven tonight ~ Desperate Housewives is back on ~ so I had better be off before it starts ~ don't want to miss one juicy minute!!!!!

Walk away the pounds...

Received this in the post yesterday ~ a friend of mine swears by it ~ so I decided to order it from Amazon. As the weather has been awful of late (apart from one nice day on Saturday) ~ I haven't managed to get out power walking ~ or for that matter doing any exercise ~ and I have noticed that the weight loss has slowed as a result!!

So, I will be trying this out tonight ~ and if I am still able to walk to the laptop tomorrow ~ I will let you know how it went!! If you don't hear from me ~ it means I can't get off the sofa........ So please send help!! (Preferably a hunky fireman or two......to prise me out of the chair ha ha !!). xx

Here I go again.....

Well, it was bound to happen eventually!
The decorating bug has got hold of me again!
I started to decorate the livingroom last year ~ I got as far as painting one feature wall of the livingroom a sort of chocolate truffle colour ~ which looks great and I love it!
I then changed the curtains from a teracotta colour to a cream and chocolate pair ~ again ~ great!

Unfortunately I sort of stopped there ~ so there is still a teracotta border around the top of 3 walls which I have hated since about 2 seconds after I finshed putting it up (tee hee!), and the remaining three walls are still magnolia (very boring) ~ so I really want to get them painted too ~ no idea what colour ~ but there is a paint that I love called Biscuit (can't think why that appeals to me ha ha !) ~ which I think would go very well with the truffle colour (sounds like I have a bit of a food theme going on here!!!!!!). I also need to paint the ceiling in the livingroom (without falling off the ladder and breaking my neck tee hee!!). Then eventually I would love a brown leather sofa (now that I have the new car.......the sofa may have to wait just a wee while longer!).
But, it doesn't end there ~ although I am happy with the childrens bedroom which was not decorated that long ago and the kitchen ~ I am not sure if I like my bedroom still (was never sure of the lilac that i chose!) ~ and I decided that the peachy orangy colour that I have in the hall could do with being changed too ~ they sell paint that is extra tough ~ for areas that get alot of knocks and bangs ~ believe me ~ the hall way here gets lots of knocks on a daily basis and the paint is starting to look like it has seen better days!

I am off to the DIY store (again) tonight to get a paint card ~ so that when I am ready I can get the paint and get started ~ I think the livingroom will be first ~ I will aim to do one wall at a time ~ as with working and my 2 children ~ I only have the evenings and weekends to get the painting done!

I have also been looking at new bedroom and livingroom storage units ~ as this being a fairly new property ~ storage is something that is in short supply (especially when your daughter has so many clothes she gives posh spice a run for her money!!).

I will hopefully remember to take some before and after shots ~ although don't hold your breath on that one ~ my camera is a tiny bit tempremental at the moment (just like its owner tee hee!) ~ and chooses whether it feels like working or not ~ just as you are about to take the picture!!

I think that a new camera will have to be added to my 'wish list' together with the leather sofa.......and the new leather boots I saw yesterday.........and that new bag i'd like AND...............xx

I keep them in my heart....

Today has been wonderful ~ and I mean that most sincerely!
It is one of those days that have not been in abundance recently ~ a day where everything has been just so perfect.

The weather has taken a turn for the better ~ bright sunshine and boy how nice it was to feel the sun on my face ~ after all the snow and rain.

We went to the beach and walked for miles ~ just taking in the wonderful views ~ the sea air and the peace of it all.

As we walked along ~ Lauren stopped and collected shells and stones and other pretty things she found on the beach along the way. Daniel walked close to the waters edge ~ skimming stones ~ I stood watching the two little people I love most in the world ~ carefree, happy and just enjoying the moment ~ neither of them with a care in the world ~ just as it should be.


It is days like these ~ filled with perfect picture postcard moments that I will always carry with me, days filled with happiness ~ memories like these ........I keep them in my heart ~ Forever xxx

***PS ~ THERE IS STILL ONE MORE CHANCE TO WIN A GIFT FROM ME ON MY LAST POST ~ PAY IT FORWARD ~ SO GO HAVE A LOOK AND SEE IF YOU WILL BE LUCKY!! SO FAR ~ CONGRATULATIONS TO AMANDA OVER AT PENNY AND POUNDS AND TANIA AT LITTLE SWEETHEARTS WHO WERE THE FIRST TWO TO LEAVE A COMMENT!! ******

PAY IT FORWARD........

I was lucky enough to be one of the first 3 to comment on this over at Tales of a Misguided Mommy

SO......here I am Paying it forward!!

THE FIRST 3 PEOPLE WHO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST WILL RECEIVE A GIFT FROM ME. THE ONLY CATCH IS ~ YOU HAVE TO POST THIS ON YOUR BLOG AND PAY IT FORWARD!!



GOODLUCK!!!

xxx

Make your own lunch day!!!

Today we went to a friends house for a play day and the children had a go at making their own pizzas ~ we cheated slightly and bought the bases ~ but the children added the tomato puree and the cheese and chose their toppings.

Here are Dan and Lauren at the very start ~ with their pizza bases ~ ready to get started!!


Lauren piling on the tomato puree ~ lucky she is a tomatoey kind of girl ha ha !!!
Daniel adding his cheese and other toppings....
Lauren with her finished pizza ~ she ate every last piece ~ so it must have been nice!!
Dan chose sausage and salami ~ he doesn't like peppers or tomatoes ~ so no 'healthy' toppings for this boy ha ha !!!!!

There were 8 children who made pizzas in total ~ I have 5 to look after this week (including Dan and Lauren) and my friend has 3 ~ so it was slightly hectic at times ~ but the children all did a great job and had alot of fun too!!

Tomorrow we are going to have a go at getting the children to make a chocolate brownie tray bake and then let them decorate it once it has the icing on ~ we have bought smarties and jelly tots and some chocolate sprinkles ~ so that should be more fun for them.......last time we attempted a cake make and decorate session ~ the children ate most of the sweeties before we managed to get them on the cakes ha ha !!!

Half term is going really well and the weather has been dry and suprisingly mild ~ so that has helped as the children have been able to get out in the garden and burn off some excess energy!

There was no weigh in for me this week ~ as the session was being held at lunch time (for some unknown reason!!) and obviously with 5 children that was just not possible to attend! It is back to the usual time in the evening next week ~ so I will hopefully have a good report for you ~ of at least another pound having upped and left! According to my scales I have lost weight this week ~ but the scales at the weigh in are more accurate ~ so I will wait until next week before I comment tee hee!! I am very nearly where I want to be ~ and this last week I finally managed to fit into a size 10 pair of jeans (not sure what size that is in the US and Australia etc !!) ~ which was what I originally wanted to achieve......BUT ~ I know what I am like ~ I reach one goal and then set myself another ~ I think that I will shift a few more pounds and then get some serious toning up done ~ as believe me ~ those days of things 'pinging' back into place after losing weight ~ are LONG GONE!! Tee Hee!!!

Tagged ~ Twice!!!

I have been tagged twice in the last week or so ~ and haven't managed to get around to it ~ so at last I have managed to get them done......

Firstly I was tagged by Sue over at 3 peas in a pod ~ the rules are as follows ~

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules
3. Tell 6 random things about yourself.

So here goes..........

1. I have a fear of needles ~ I am totally petrified of giving blood or injections!!
2. When I was 18, I did a parachute jump ~ it was the scariest thing I have ever done ~ but I loved it!
3. I am a very reliable person ~ if I agree to do something ~ I will never let you down!!
4. I used to organise my wardrobe into colour order..........I am ok now and have got a life ha ha !! (apologies to anyone who still does this haha!!)
5. I can eat hot tomatoes (ie cooked tomatoes) ~ but not not cold ones (ie straight from the chiller!!).
6. I was named after a character from the TV series Bewitched..........but unfortunately I cannot twitch my nose!!!!!


The second tag was a little bit harder to complete ~ it is called the First letter of your name tag and I was tagged for it by Susan over at Non linear thinking . You have to use the first letter of your name to answer the following questions ~

1. What is your name? TABITHA
2. A four letter word TUTU
3. A boys name TOBY
4. A girls name TAMARA
5. An occupation TAXI DRIVER
6. A colour TOPAZ??
7. Something you wear TROUSERS
8. A food TOAST
9. Something found in a bathroom TOILET
10. A place TORQUAY
11. A reason for being late TOO MUCH SLEEP!
12. Something you shout TAXI!!!!!
13. A movie title TITANIC
14. Something you drink TIZER
15. A musical group TAKE THAT
16. An animal TORTOISE
17. A street name TRAFALGAR
18. A type of car TRANSIT VAN
19. Something scary TABITHA IN THE MORNINGS HA HA !!
20. Ice cream flavour TOFFEE

I would like to pass these two tags onto any of my blogging friends who would like to take part!

We are all fine here ~ I survived the first day of the half term holidays ~ it was quite warm here today and Lauren actually wandered about without a jacket and kept saying "Its hot today Mum" (wouldn't go that far ha ha !!). I took Lauren to get High School Musical 3 today ~ she has been counting down the days until it came out ~ so hopefully now she will be quiet about it!!
She has already watched it twice at the cinema ~ but will no dount be watching it many more times yet!! I am waiting fot Twilight to come out on DVD. I know from reading on various peoples blogs that it has received mixed reviews ~ but I still want to see it and see Edward on the screen!! Tee Hee!!!

We are making pizzas with healthy topping tomorrow ~ so had better be off and get the ingredients all ready!! I thought that I might also have a go at making a Betty Crocker chocolate brownie tray bake........better have the fire brigade on stand by again Tee Hee!! XXXX

Valentine!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Valentines day yesterday!
Valentines Day is a bit weird when you are single!!
I don't want to be a kill joy ~ but I cannot deny that for the last few years while I have been single ~ I have hated the build up to Valentines day ~ the hearts ~ the flowers ~ the cuddly flipping toys !! (tee hee!!).
This year was not like that ~ I quite enjoyed looking around for little bits and pieces for Lauren to give to her boyfriend ~ and this year me and my little stars and a group of friends (both single and couples) and their children ~ went to a Valentines party in the hall of the village where we live.

I had so much fun. We all had to bring a plate of food to share and our own drinks ~ there was a disco and they had done the tables out with heart baloons and roses and hearts on the walls ~ it was a really good night. There was a mix of yound and old ~ single and couples and children ~ it was fun for all!!

There was a quiz and games for the adults and children. Daniel and Lauren had so much fun that they didn't want to go home ~ but I decided that 11pm was late enough ( please note that they usually go to bed at 8pm ~ but as a special treat were allowed up later!!) ~ especially as we had to get up for Dans judo this morning!!!

I had a slightly sore head this morning ~ which I blame totally on the loud music and NOT the alcohol that I drank ha ha !! I didn't drink much at all ~ just a few Pims and lemonades ~ but having not drunk at all since I started on this diet last May ~ that was all it took !! I was far from drunk ~ just happy !!

I still have to get the camera sorted out and post the pictures of Lauren with her Valentines gifts ~ she was so sweet and took the little teddy to bed with her last night ~

Hope you all had lots of Valentines fun!!

It is half term next week ~ so I am just preparing myself for a busy week ahead.

At least there are no uniforms to iron and no lunches to make ~ and best of all no school runs to do YAY!!!!

XXX

Oh Dear ~ Oh Dear ~ Oh Dear....

I now have total confirmation about my sanity......sorry that should read my LACK of sanity!
If there were any doubts that I am slowly going (sorry that should read 'being DRIVEN') MAD ~ then today I received the biggest sign yet ~ THAT I AM TOTALLY MAD!!!!

It happened this morning ~ a normal morning ~ doing normal things ...............

We arrived at school and Laurens boyfriends Dad (are you keeping up????) gave me a card and present from Laurens little boyfriend (Branden) ~ which caused a bit of a problem!!
Lauren had bought and written out a card for Branden ~ but she had not had time to get him a present ~ so she was upset that she had nothing to give back to him......
SO ~ being the lovely Mother that I am (ha ha !) ~ I shot on over to Asda Walmart and bought her some little bits and pieces for him!

That was a whole story in itself ~ do you have any idea how hard it is to find something for valentines for a 7 year old boy!! There were chocolates with 'Hot lover' on them and teddies with 'Best Lover' and 'Sexy'.........UM ~ yeah ~ like that is what I want my 7 year old to give to her valentine!!!!!!!!!

So, I had to settle on a sweet little brown bear that had 'Hug Me' on a heart ~ a box of Maltesers (yes ~ that is not very imaginative of me ha ha !) and a heart shaped chocolate lolly!! I managed to get a gift bag with red hearts all over it and a gift tag and a red bow with black hearts ~ when it was all done up it looked great.

Being on a time limit ~ I had to get back in time for one of the Childminding children to be dropped off at 11am ~ I then raced back to the carpark and to my car. I stood and pressed the fob ~ and heard the familiar noise of the doors unlocking ~ but when I tried the door it was still locked. Puzzled by this ~ I tried the fob again ~ but the doors would still not open. I walked around the other side of the car and tried again ~ nope ~ still nothing........
Then ~ I decided that I would have to open the car with the key at the drivers side ~ so I walked round and tried in vain to get the key in the door ~ try as I might, it just would not fit. I was starting to get frustrated and a bit panicked as to how I would get home.......WHEN ~ I looked into the car and saw a red childs car seat.........a bit confusing as my child seat is navy blue ~ and then the penny dropped ~ it wasn't my car............it looked like my car ~ same reg year ~ same colour, model ~ even had mud splattered up the side like my car.......but it wasn't mine!!!!!

I tilted my head around the van that was parked next to said car ~ and there she was ~ MY CAR ~ sitting there ~ open and ready to go (ha ha !!!) ~ the noise that I had heard when I pressed the fob was my car opening ~ just a bit futher up in the parking bay!!

Needless to say I made a hasty retreat to my car ~ looking about to see if anyone was watching ~ and grateful that who ever owned the other car hadn't come back and found me trying to force my car key into the drivers lock!! Bahahahahahahahahahah!!!!

What the hell is happening to me people? I used to be so together ~ so with it ~ so organised and composed and just SANE!!! Now I am slowly falling apart ~ and trying to break into other peoples cars!! I used to be a Police Officer for Gods sake!!!
Am I past the point of no return at 38 years old??? What the heck will I be like in another 10 years tee hee!!!

Anyway ~ on a brighter note ~ Laurens Boyfriend was thrilled with his gifts ~ so that part had a happy ending anyway ~ will post some pictures of my little valentines girl and her gifts tomorrow!!

Just off to a friends house for some adult conversation and tea and sympathy.......just hope I can find my way home again ha ha !!! XXXX

YET ~ another note to little old me!!!!

Next time it is pouring with rain ~ DO NOT spend 20 minutes straightening your hair in the morning...............IT IS JUST NOT WORTH IT!!!!

Next time you take the car to the car wash and get it all clean and sparkly.........DO NOT under any circumstances park the car under the telephone wires ~ where that damn great big fat pigeon always sits.............and poops on said shiny car!!!!!

Next time you are sat at the traffic lights ~ singing your heart out to a Kylie Minogue song (yes I know I am sad ~ but 'I should be so lucky' is a classic after all......isn't it!!!) ~ remember to check who is sat next to you at the lights........I am sure that the two young Police men in the patrol car regained their professionalism........once they had stopped peeing themselves laughing!!!!

Next time you shut the front door ~ please ~ please ~ please ~ P L E A S E ~ check that you have your frigging door keys..........this locking yourself out of the house 4 times in one week is wearing just a little bit thin!!!

HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU ALL ~ NEARLY FRIDAY AGAIN ~ YIPPPPEEE!!!! xxxxxxx

Happy Happy Happy!!!!

I am sorry that I have been a little bit sad and unhappy over the last few days ~ those of you with access to my private blog know all about it ~ but I am over it now ~ what ever will happen ~ will happen and I am just not going to worry about it ~ I am not going to waste another second of my time letting him annoy me ~ he is not worth wasting the energy on!!!!!!!

We have some pretty scary weather here again ~ I pulled out of the end of our road this morning and hit black ice ~ thankfully I was not doing any speed ~ but we slid straight across the road ~ and I luckily managed to correct the car before we hit anything ~ We had floods yesterday and the water that is left on the roads has obviously frozen overnight ~ which is just hell to drive on!! Please hurry up and come Summer ~ I need some sunshine ~ my poor body needs heat ~ I need to take off some layers ~ wear less clothes ~ let my feet out of the 2 pairs of socks and huge winter boots that I had on today ~ I just need to be sitting in the garden with the sun on my face ~

I am very happy today ~ I went to my weigh in and have lost 2 pounds ~ bringing the total I have lost now to 5 and a half stone (77 pounds) ~ I have the choice now to stop if I want (well ~ it isn't actually stopping ~ as I have to maintain the weight loss ~ what fun!!!) ~ my bmi is now in the healthy range ~ but I would still like to lose a bit more ~ not sure how much more ~ maybe another half a stone (7 pounds) ~ I have to look at the chart that I have got with the upper and lower weight ranges for my height and make a decision ~ it is all so complicated tee hee!!!!!

Lauren has been doing practice classes for her dance exams that she has in a few weeks ~ she is very excited and uses every spare moment to dance around.

Daniel is looking through his french phrase book ~ he is going on a school trip to France in March ~ so I think that he is making sure that he can ask where the toilet is ~ and how to order Chicken nuggets and chips (tee hee!!!).

It is School Half Term next week ~ so I have been trying to decide what to do with the children ~ alot will depend on the weather. If it warms up a bit ~ the children always love a walk along our local beach ~ and we always go to the woods ~ burn....oops I meant bake cakes ~ do some crafty bits and pieces and we always have a movie day ~ when we get together with my friend June ~ who is also a Childminder ~ we pop some pop corn and put on a movie and the kids love it. I quite like the school holidays as there are no school runs and no rushing about in the mornings ~ it is a bit more laid back and relaxed in the mornings ~ it is just the rest of the day that is mad!!! WISH ME LUCK!!! xxx

A little interview by Dani...

I am not in the mood for blogging at the moment (sorry!!) ~ my mind is else where and I cannot start to write a blog post.......so ~ I decided that today was a good day to complete the interview questions that Dani sent to me recently.



Here are Dani's questions and my answers ~ hope you enjoy!!!



1. What is the most beautiful place to which you have travelled in Europe?



I would have to say Austria ~ I visited there several times on holiday with my Mum and Dad and Sister when I was younger ~ and again a few years ago (before children!!) ~ with some friends of mine. It was just amazing ~ totally breath taking scenery and gorgeous views.



2. Describe your most romantic (or fun) date upon which you have ever gone.



It was with an ex boyfriend who was a soldier ~ he was meant to be away on exercise and he managed to volunteer to return to the camp for a job ~ which was close to where I lived (we lived in Germany at the time!!) ~ he turned up at my house (totally unexpected) ~ and brought flowers and we had an impromptu date ~ it was such a great suprise as he was meant to be away for 6 weeks!!!



3. What is the most treasured inanimate object in your home?



That is easy ~ I have a picture of myself and my Dad on my sideboard ~ I was aged about 3 and I am sitting on my dads lap ~ holding my dolly! I love that photo ~ and it will always be on display no matter where I live!!



4. Have you ever seen the movie The Queen ~ if you have ~ how accurate do you believe the depiction was of the monarchy?



I have seen the film on several occasions.

Obviously none of us know how accurate the depiction is of HRH ~ but I think that what my granny always used to say is true ~ There is no smoke without fire!!! In other words ~ I think that there must be some certain degree of truth behind the film.



5. Who is your favourite Author and what is your favourite book by this Author?



I do read alot of books and I have many favourite Authors ~ Jodi Picoult is one of my very favourite and although I have read most of her books ~ I think that my favourite would have to be Picture Perfect ~ which I have read several times. Other favourites are Sophie Kinsella ~ confessions of a shopaholic and most of the Nicholas Sparks books!!


We have had a washout of a day here ~ now that there is no snow ~ we have floods ~ I had to take a slightly different route to school this morning as the road in the village where the school is was flooded ~ the children decided that they should have another day off ~ but sadly for them ~ this was not to be ha ha !!!

They are off on half term next week ~ so I am stocking up on the valium this week tee hee!!
No doubt I will be pulling my hair out mid week! Wish me luck!!! XXXXX

Not good!

Things are not good here today ~ those of you that have access to my other blog can pop over there and read my lastest post ~ I doubt that I have to tell you what it is about ~ you can guess!!

I am fed up ~ and that is all I have to say today (SORRY!!!).

I am off to bed now before I eat any chocolate!!

(Will be back tomorrow ~ hopefully happier and with something decent to blog about!!!) XXX

Great day......

Today was a really great day ~ for all 3 of us!

Little Lauren went over for a play day with one of her school friends ~ well, I call it a play day ~ it was actually a day spent dancing and singing and messing about to High School Musical and Camp Rock ~ she had a great time and came home suitably exhausted ha ha !!

Daniel went to a friends house also and had a boys day ~ doing boys things ~ which I think involved playing on the PS3 and messing about!!!
He didn't want to come home ha ha !!!

And me ~ well, I went to the hairdressers ~ and spent an hour and a half being pampered and came out suitably refreshed and with a nice new (shorter) haircut! It is only slightly shorter ~ but has more shape to it now ~ and I am happy with it!
I am afraid that I cannot scare you with any photos this time round ~ as the camera has died ~ I think that there is a problem with the battery charger ~ so hopefully I can get a new one!!
Things keep breaking round here ~ first the kettle went to kettle heaven and now the camera has given up ha ha !!

After the hairdressers I decided that I would have a bit of retail therapy ~ but ended up actually not seeing anything that I liked ~ so I came home empty handed !
That happens quite often ~ I have the money to treat myself and see nothing that I like ~ then when I am totally skint ~ I see everything that I want ha ha ~ just my luck!!

Well ~ best head off to bed now ~ early start again in the morning ~ Dan is at Judo and I have the joys of the weekly shopping trip with Lauren ~ I think that I may have to put her in a straight jacket or something ~ so that she is unable to put things in the trolley!!!!
XXX

A MOTHER HOLDS HER CHILDS HAND FOR JUST A WHILE ~ AND THEIR HEARTS FOREVERx

Sometimes.............

I feel that the world is moving on by too fast ~ that time is passing me by too quickly.

I sat and looked at my babies today ~ actually sat and took in their gorgeous faces ~ their cute little mouths and button noses! Only ~ my babies aren't babies anymore. Somewhere along the way ~ someone stole away my 2 tiny little dots and replaced them with an 11 year old and a 7 year old.

I feel like I have been stuck in time ~ standing still while everything else around me carried on ~ how can my children be so big ~ where did those sweet little baby hands and feet go?

I love my children so much ~ I always will ~ no matter how old they may be ~ but I just wish that I could pause time ~ stay here and now ~ just a bit longer ~ because when I looked at my precious babies today ~ the realisation hit me ~ that they are growing up ~ getting more independant and that these carefree days ~ full of fun and no worries ~ will not last forever..........

no matter how much I wish they could.

Familyxxx

We always were a close family ~ my Father was a soldier ~ so we tended to move around alot ~ sometimes every 6 months or so. This made the 4 of us close ~ my Mum, My dad, my Sister and me!

We were the constant in each others lives ~ when everything else changed, as it so often did ~ we stayed the same, were there for each other ~ we were family.
I have so many happy childhood memories ~ infact my childhood was so happy that I do not recall a single bad memory ~ I think that the worst thing that I can remember happening was my Grandmas dog (whiskey) having to be put to sleep.

I was always closest to my Dad ~ a real daddys girl ~ I obviously loved my Mum ~ but my Dad was my hero and I was his special girl ~ I could do no wrong ~ and where my sister was a rebel, got in trouble (and actually had a life ha ha !!) ~ I was the 'good girl' who followed the rules and never got into any trouble.

Then my Dad died ~ the devastation that we all felt ~ the remaining 3 ~ was totally soul destroying.

We pulled together ~ just us 3 ~ even though we lived miles apart ~ we were still family ~ still there for each other ~ still close.

Over the years that have slipped on by ~ all 15 of them ~ the balance has shifted and although my sister only lives an hour away from my Mum ~ they hardly see each other.

I feel like I am trapped in the middle of someone elses story ~ my Mum and sister hardly speak at the moment ~ I hate that it is like that ~ I don't know what to do ~ I love my Mum and I love my Sister ~ they both mean the whole world to me ~ I have tried to put it right ~ tried to sort it out ~ but I can only do so much ~ they have to do the rest between them.

I know that a life lived saying 'what if?' is a life wasted ~ I know that nothing can change the past ~ change what has been and gone ~ But I wish so much that my Dad was still here ~

It feels like the whole world shifted when my dad died ~ took on another course ~ and I hate that my once close and happy little family of 4 has ended up where we are today.

I hope so much that we 3 that remain ~ can somehow return to where we once were xxx

More Snow ~ More Ice ~ Still no school!!

Today has been a little bit mad ~ to say the least!
We woke this morning to freezing temperatures and snow ~ on top of ice ~ making conditions a bit hazardous! The school was closed ~ so the children had a great time ~ just playing outside, messing about and generally just having fun.

By the time we took the photos below ~ the snow was starting to melt and the temperature was a bit warmer!!

However ~ later this afternoon the snow came back and it was colder ~ and basically it has been snowing ever since ~ meaning that we now have quite a bit of snow again!

There is no school again tomorrow ~ not sure about Wednesday yet.

Our little village was quite a dangerous place today ~ my friends son managed to write his car off ~ not far from my friends house in the village ~ he hit ice while going round a bend, managed to avoid a parked car ~ hit a lampost and a kerb ~ mounted the kerb and hit a wall!!

Thankfully he was ok ~ but the car will not live to see another day!!

It seems that most of our part of the country has been affected ~ and we have been told that tomorrow we should only travel if it is essential! Hopefully by the end of the week we should be a bit warmer.

I am off to bed now ~ another early night ~ having my two children home today ~ aswell as the 3 I look after has been slightly tiring ha ha !! XXX

SNOW! and to top it all......NO SCHOOL!!!

Well, we have snow......on top of ice!! which has resulted in walking and driving and generally doing anything becoming almost impossible!

The photos above were taken an hour ago ~ it has snowed more since then and although it doesn't look alot ~ walking on it is hilarious! I went up to clear the snow off the car ~ and looked like I was the latest participant in Dancing on Ice (Todd carty eat your heart out!!!).....I nearly fell over ha ha ~ that would have been nice!!!

We have severe weather warnings for the whole of our area and it just said on the news that they are advising people not to drive unless it is essential!

The children have a day off today as the school is closed ~ apparently the decision has been made because more heavy snow is predicted throughout the day and they are worried that they may end up with children stranded at the school ~ so it is closed until further notice!!

Anyway ~ just a quick update ~ will no doubt be back later ~ with more pictures and tales of frozen body parts ha ha !!! XXXX

Here comes the snow

Just a quick post to let you know that we have snow!!
(Very exciting I know ha ha !!)
There have been some severe weather warnings over the last few days ~ but nothing has come of it ~
Today it has been snowing on and off all day, but none of it has really settled.
I have just looked outside and the cars are covered and it seems to be staying put this time!
I have no idea what we will wake up to in the morning ~ could be white over ~ could be all gone ~ who knows!!
I am not sure what will happen regarding the childrens school if we have bad snow ~ we have never really been in that situation before ~ in all the years that we have lived here!

I did think about venturing out and taking a picture so you could see........BUT ~ it is after 10.30pm, I am in my PJ's (not pretty ha ha !!) and it is FREEZING!!!!!!! SO ~ you will just have to use your imaginations tee hee!!
I am off to bed now ~ think I will be needing a few extra layers tonight ~ I hate being cold!
Take care and stay warm (or for those of you in Australia at the moment ~ stay cool haha !!) XXX