In times of stress ~ go shop!!!!

Firsty I would like to say a huge big THANKYOU!! to all of you great blog friends who left such sweet and supportive comments on my blog post yesterday!! I was slightly in two minds as to whether I should publish that post or not ~ as I try not to blog about such personal things usually ~ but on this occasion I thought 'What The Heck!!' ~ it is something that is happening (again !!) ~ in our lives and I decided that I would share it with you all!! As usual you have not failed me and I value your opinions so much!! I was truly amazed that through one small blog post ~ you all managed to sum up my ex husband perfectly and seemed to have worked out for yourselves exactly what kind of man he is!!!

But ~ I am not going to let him stress me out any more than I already am ~ you mostly seemed in agreement that I should let them go and visit and I know that I do not really have a choice ~ my main reason for ranting was that I just wish that he was consistent in his approach to the children and doesn't wait until yet another new relationship happens ~ before he wants to be involved with his children!! I know this man VERY well ~ I was married to him for long enough ~ I know that he is very much like a child ~ if he gets what HE wants ~ life is sweet ~ but if he doesn't get what HE wants ~ he stamps his feet and throws a tantrum (usually involving me and a court ~ ha ha !!) ~ until he gets what he wants.........THEN ~ when the shine has worn off slightly ~ he decides he actually doesn't want it anymore!! I think that the best advice that I have been given recently regarding this ~ was from my Solicitor ~ when I rang her regarding this latest development!! She told me that I could fight him through the court ~ if I wanted ~ but that if I wanted to avoid court ~ I should give him what he wants and 'give him enough rope and he would eventually hang himself' (she didn't mean literally ~ obviously!! ~ but I suppose in the sense of future situations like this ~ because I will not let this keep happening with each new girlfriend!!). Anyway ~ all I can do is sit back and see what heppens ~ the less fuss I make ~ the less bothered he will think I am ~ and probably the less of a victory it will be for him (tee hee!!)

Enough of him anyway ~ I have wasted enough lines of my precious blog on him ~ and I shall not be wasting too many more!!

In that good old fashioned ~ time honoured tradition (well in my family anyway) ~ I decided to call upon that well known cure for stressful situations ~ NO ~ not food ~ not alcohol ~ not lying in a huge big bubble bath dreaming of Brad Pitt..............SHOPPING!!!!!


I bought some new shoes ~ they are a little higher than I usually go for ~ I will more than likely fall over in them at some stage and break my neck ha ha ~ but ~ I liked them and I wanted them ~ so I was naughty and bought them!!!!

I am almost finished reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer ~ I m totally addicted and love it so much that I was actually sat up until 2am this morning reading it!!! I know that I have still got New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn to read by her ~ BUT my philosophy is that you can never have enough books!! SO ~ with that in mind ~ I saw another book by Stephenie Meyer ~ called The Host ~ so I decided to get that too ~ aswell as another one called No Time For Goodbye which is by Linwood Barclay. My Mum and sister have both read this book and both think it is excellent ~I will tell you what it is about in a later post!!

By the look of it ~ I have ALOT of reading to do!!!!
Just to finish off the retail therapy ~ here is a photo of the new red jacket that I treated myself to the other day!! The picture is not the best ~ and for some reason I hung it on my Mums linen store ~ which is in the room I stay in ~ not the best backdrop ~ but you get the picture (so to speak !!!)
Again ~ thank you so so much for the kind words ~ it meant the world to me ~ and I do value all your opinions very very much!! We will all be ok ~ the three of us are a tight little unit and he will not change that ~ no matter how hard he may try!! Sending love and hugs to you all XXX

Just when you think everything is OK!!

I have thought long and hard about whether I will publish this post or not.

I do not usually post things that are very private ~ I do not usually post about my ex husband ~ as he is no longer part of my life, he is the past and very much behind me ~ as I wanted!! However ~ he is still the childrens Father ~

When we seperated, my ex husband moved out and saw the children very infrequently for about 18 months ~ popping in to see them every now and then. He then met someone and decided that he would take me to court for access to the children (which may I just add here ~ was NEVER ever denied to him!!), before we went to court my solicitor made him an offer of access ~ which he refused ~ so we went to court ~ it was very stressful and cost me an absolute fortune (I am still paying the solicitor for it now!!). When we were in court ~ he was given the exact access that I had offered him and accepted it (go figure!!!). He still did not keep to the access arrangement, blaming work comittments (yes, I understand he is in the Navy!! BUT ~ a 2 week holiday to spain is hardly a work comittment!!!). He still saw very little of the children and when his relationship ended ~ he dropped the court order and agreed that he would go back to seeing them when he could!!

That was 3 years ago now ~ during the last 3 years ~ he has probably seen them about 9 times ~ he has only seen them 3 times this year!! During this 3 years I have never once told him he cannot see the children ~ never once denied him access ~ never once caused any problems (he is their father and no matter what my feeling for him are ~ they are entitled to know their Dad and spend time with him ~ I am a strong believer in that!).........

But ~ this past few weeks he has decided that he wants to take them away for a weekend ~ he has met someone else (again!!), and the children are wheeled out again like little trophies (that is how I feel!!). He has spent 3 years having next to nothing to do with them ~ 3 years of leaving me to sort everything where they are concerned ~ the children have had 3 years of stability and have made happy settled lives for themselves!!!

He has no consideration for how the children feel ~ or what they want ~ he just sees it as his 'RIGHT' ~ and has no problem with just waltzing back in after 3 years and up ending everything.
To top it all ~ when he doesn't get his own way ~ he threatens court action ~ as a way to get what he wants (which I do not want to go through again!!).

SO ~ here we go again ~ The children will go with my ex at the end of the month ~ to my ex's mothers ~ who has not seen them one single time since we seperated ~ who Lauren does not even know (again ~ just to clarify ~ she has never been stopped from visiting or ringing ~ she just has never bothered!!).....I feel bad about the whole situation ~ BUT ~ what can I do???? I do not have a problem with my ex seeing the children ~ if he is going to keep to the arrangement and make it a regular thing ~ which will not end yet again when this relationship fizzles out ~ as has happened in the past!! A big part of me knows that he will not stick to any arrangement ~ he never has before and it seems that the more objection I put up ~ the deeper he digs his heals in ~ and when he gets what he wanted ~ he doesn't want it anymore!!!!

So, there you go ~ that is the situation ~ I know to some people it may seem like nothing ~ but to me it is very annoying ~ that he can just pick and choose when and if he wants to be in their lives (usually when he meets someone new ~ again!!!), and then just walks out again when it suits him!! The only good thing is that in a few short years ~ the children will be old enough to make up their own minds ~ if they do not want to go ~ they cannot be forced to by my ex taking me to court ~ they can speak for themselves then and make their own decisions ~ and I will go with whatever they decide they want!! Until then ~ we all have to dance to his tune again ~

Sorry for ranting on ~ sorry for sounding off ~ BUT ~ anyone who has been reading my blog for any length of time ~ and indeed anyone who knows me ~ will know that I love my children more than life itself, I would do anything for my children ~ and just want them to be happy !!! I just wish that their Father would make the commitment to them that they rightly deserve ~ not just some half hearted effort every now and again ~ when the fancy takes him!!! XXXXX

SHARING THE VIEW!!

We have had such a lovely day today ~ the sunshine finally came out and although it is still a bit windy ~ we have spent the whole day (so far) outside!! We walked around the town first and I was very naughty and treated myself to a new red jacket ~ which I love ~ I will get someone to take some photos so you can have a look!! Then we walked to the beach and just strolled along, the children collected stones and shells and ran about!!

It is really lovely where my Mum lives ~ very green and right by the sea ~ so pretty!!

This is the view from my bedroom ~ in the distance is the sea ~ if you look closely you can just see it!!! (Well ~ where the blue is ~ that is where the sky and sea meet!!)

This is the view from the back ~ over the hills and fields!!
The view over Snowdonia national park and off in the distance is Mount Snowdon!
Daniel ~ helping grandad in the green house ( note the little ginger helper!!!)

Dan and Lauren helping Grandad with some tidying in the garden......YES ~ that is Brandy ~ I have come to the conclusion that he thinks he is human ha ha !!! I have been trying to get a picture of my Mums other cat ~ Millie ~ but when she sees me coming with the camera she just runs away!!

I have a few moments of peace as the children are out in the garden with their grandad playing football ~ so I thought I would just quickly post these photos!!

I have been busy writing the postcards today ~ so ~ all you snail mail friends ~ watch those letter boxes ~ snail mail will be posted off in the morning!!!! XXXX

PS ~ I have officially forgiven the children for waking me up early this morning and have told them to wait until at least 8am tomorrow before they come bursting in!! xx

6.30AM!!!!!!!!!

My 2 terrors (they have been demoted from Stars to Terrors this morning!!) ~ jumped on my bed at 6.30am this morning ~ bounced about ~ woke me up and then proceeded to tell me that they were bored and had nothing to do!!!!



6.30AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Needless to say ~ I shouted at them and told them to go watch a DVD!



I know that is not the kindest thing to do people ~ BUT ~ It is Sunday ~ I am on holiday and for goodness sake 6.30AM!!!!!!!



They ran away into their bedroom very quickly ~ I heard Lauren say to her brother "Quick ~ lets hide before she blows!!" I couldn't help but laugh ~ I do not shout that often ~ so when I do, they know they have made me VERY mad!!!! Still, it was 6.30AM so what did they expect?



(By the way ~ did I mention that it was 6.30AM they woke me up tee hee hee!!)



Hope you all have a great Sunday XXXXXX



PS ~ IT IS SUNNY ~ YIPPPEEEEEE!!!!!!

LAPTOP GUARD CAT!!!!

I think that I may have a stalker (ha ha !!)..... don't panic........he is ginger and very very sweet.....and his name is brandy!!!!

No matter where I decide or should that be TRY to sit and use my laptop ~ he is right there ~ guarding it and trying to get in on the act ~ he is sat next to me now purring very loudly ~ and putting his paws on the laptop each time I try to type (not at all annoying ~ no!!!!)......

Here is the little laptop stalker ~ guarding my laptop about 10 minutes ago!!



"What are you doing? That looks interesting ~ I will just sit here and watch for a while!!!
"Can you still see what you are doing? If I just put my big furry head right here??"
"What about if I just bend down a bit.......like this!!!"
"What happens if I put my paw just here.......?"

Yes, what can I say? I think that he loves me, or maybe it is my laptop that he really loves!!!!

Well, the first day of our trip has been a bit of a wash out. I got up early this morning to go and do some shopping with my Mum ~ looked out of the window and guess what...... it was flipping raining ~ absolutely bucketing it down!!! I think that the bad weather must be following us!

Mum and me went and did some shopping ~ the plan was to leave the children with my step dad ~ Terry ~ BUT little miss sunshine decided to leave her trainers at home and had come away for 10 days on holiday ~ with one pair of flimsy pink sparkly princess shoes ~ not alot of use in the pouring rain !!! SO ~ she had to come to Asda to get some decent shoes (my daughter is a shoe ~ a ~ holic and I bet she left the other shoes behind on purpose ha ha !!!!) There were no trainers in her size, so she had to make do with a pair of black ankle boots ~ which she was more than pleased with !!

With the boring shopping over ~ we decided to head to see my sister and her family, who live about an hour away!!

When we got there the rain did stop for a while ~ so we went out for a walk ~ it was a bit too cold and windy to go on the beach ~ but we had fun anyway. My sister has two boys, Sam is nearly 15 and Tom is 11 ~ Tom and Dan were born in the same year ~ Thomas in the July and Daniel just after Christmas!! ~ so they are very close in age and get on really well.

Here are the pair of them playing on the PS3!!! and having alot of fun!!

My sister has a sweet little dog called Lucy. She is a bulldog and she is just the most placid little dog ~ and maybe (just maybe !!)a little bit silly too!!! Here is little Lucy in her bed ~ guarding her bone, just incase any of us decides we would like a chew on it !!!

All in all we had a great day and we will be heading over there to see Melissa and the family again during the next week that we are here!!

When we got back home the children wanted to watch the Spiderwick Chronicles on DVD, so we all sat and watched that ~ before they were packed off to bed!! Not sure what we will be doing tomorrow ~ alot will depend on the weather!!

My little ginger stalker is now trying to park his big ginger bum on the laptop ~ so I am going to sign off and publish this QUICK ~ before he settles in on it for the night!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXX