Number 24

It's all change here at Me Plus Six headquarters!

We have been planning our future a bit over the last couple of weeks and came to the conclusion that I need a career when the boys are all in secondary school so we can continue to have a wonderful life once they are all grown up.

As I have mentioned before we are on a strict budget - the like of which means all our bills are paid, our debt reduces each month and we get to spend money on the boys and doing up the house. It also gives us a deficit that we are saving for our holidays every year.

So career wise I have never really had one. I decided to take a year out after my G.C.S.E's (I had had a very difficult final year, being bullied and mistreated) before I did my A-levels, and then when I was almost 18 I gave birth to my gorgeous first son Mathew - so that kind of stopped everything. I had always wanted to be a mum. It was the only real job I wanted to do with my life - but alas that doesn't pay the bills so I have tied my hand at a few things over the years.

When I found out I was pregnant (it was a bit of a shock), I took it upon myself to go to a training organisation to gain some qualifications (I had a bit of a panic when I thought I was going to have a son and no A-levels) in Information Technology - or computers to you and me. I did it and gained four, which I was very pleased with, but then I was poorly towards the end of my pregnancy so had to stop at that. I got my wish however, as I then became a mum to the most beautiful, content little boy, a little earlier than planned but still very much wanted and loved. I stayed at home with him, and then with his little brother Michael until he was about eight months old. We needed a little extra income at this point and so I started working in our local Spar stores part time for about five months.

After Morgan was born and about seven months old, again we needed a bit more income so I happened to stumble across a job with Pembrokeshire County Council where the only qualification I needed was to be able to speak Welsh. Done. I stayed with them for two years - most of which I enjoyed - I was a Road Safety Officer teaching children how to cross correctly and how to ride their bikes carefully on the roads. My father died just before I left and when they heard I had cancelled a school i had for that week they were furious, so I told them to stuff it.

I wanted to pursue a career so decided I needed to get into college and get qualified, and I had always been interested in cooking and food so why not give that a go. I was accepted and thrived. I even found myself a trainee chef job in the Giltar Hotel Tenby with a wonderful head chef named Chris, who was coming to the end of his career and eager to pass on all he had learned. I absolutely loved this job, but unfortunately the hours were killing me - being away from my boys for 14 hours every day, and missing their concerts, plays, sports days was making me terribly depressed. I stayed with them for a year and then both myself and the head chef left at the same time, I couldn't bare the thought of being there without him, so it gave me the out I needed - the college course was a bust too as our practical tutor was rubbish - I ended up teaching her how to do things! Ridiculous, so I left that too.

So after being home for a few months I had had the opportunity to make cakes for friends and families birthdays, and the compliments and the way it made me feel was superb, so I bit the bullet and decided to start my own business - We Love Cake. I set up a Facebook page and blog, I eventually had a website too and the business grew and grew. I started with making 1 - 2 cakes every week and when I closed at was at the top making 8-9 big cakes, 100 cupcakes and 20-30 cake pops every week. I loved every second of the year I had doing this job, I even enjoyed being up until 3am making sure a cake was perfect, and then getting up at 6am just to check again. Unfortunately a lot of horrible things befell our family during this time, and so I took the very hard decision to close after my health deteriorated.

So this leads me to where I am now. I have been doing nothing but getting better and enjoying being a wife and mum for the last ten months, with the odd cake thrown in for family for good measure. We have panned the next two years finances completely - every single day is accounted for with the lowest possible income and highest possible expenditure to ensure we can afford everything. Every year we will have roughly the same deficit - although it will increase after this year once all the debts have been paid off. Rob and I then got to talking about the future and worked out some of the things that will change when the boys get older - for example they will all start to drive - costly, they may decide to go to university - extremely costly, they may have children - super costly, ad as we want to be able to provide everything for our boys so they don't have to struggle as much as we have we needed a plan.

When the boys leave secondary school we will stop receiving child benefit and child tax credit. These aren't huge amounts but money in is money in. We should have less outgoings - as the weekly shop will decrease (hopefully heehee), the electricity/water should decrease and our fuel bills for running them all over the place should decrease by quite a bit. We still want to be able to travel though, and enjoy our later years (at the ripe old ages of 41/42), and be able to support the boys and their families if needed.

So this brought us along to talking about pensions, retirement and my career, or current lack of.

As I mentioned earlier I have only really wanted to be a mum, so what is next when I'm not needed any more (or not as much)? What can I do to help make sure we have enough money to cover everything and still be able to save and go on holidays, or treat the kids/grand-kids?

Long story long, I have decided after many discussions with Rob as to what would be a good career and path forward to become a teacher - primary school, junior age group. What brought me to this? Well I love children, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them when I worked with the council and I think I have done an OK job with mine. Also the hours are good, the holidays are great and the salaries aren't bad either, even at the lowest end. There will always be children so there will always be a need for teachers, a definite plus point. I love passing on my knowledge to people, and enjoy making people happy, both good points for a teacher. If we decide to move away or to a different county, well everywhere needs teachers.

For this to become reality - is to get qualified, but I still want to be a stay at home mum while the boys are still young. My first stop was the Careers Advice Service from the government, to see what qualifications I need, what training courses there are and what the different paths are to get into teaching. This service not only told me everything I needed to know and how to achieve it, but it also tested academically to see in what areas I would need to improve.

The next step is to get A-levels, which will then help me to get onto the university course I need. I searched and found that the best ones for me to do were core subjects so I applied to do English Language and Literature, Mathematics and Chemistry, I was a little disappointed to see that there are no local colleges that offer a Welsh A-level, but never mind. I am currently waiting for my interview and then to fin out if I have been accepted - I am super nervous but also looking forward.

So that's where I am at the moment - in limbo but with a plan! I have been out and purchased the G.C.S.E course books for the subjects I have applied to take so I can brush up over the summer and be, hopefully, as if I have gone from year five to sixth form. Well that's the plan anyway.

I hope you have all had a good couple of days, mine have been ok - bit down in the dumps but feeling better today after my lovely friend Melanie said something really poignant - I said I felt as if I was at the bottom of a mountain staring up, and she said "but just imagine the view when you reach the top!" How brilliant is that eh?! So happy again today - I managed to do all the cleaning and bake some yummy treats, play with the kids and mow the lawn while Robs worked this Saturday helping out our best friend. Brilliant isn't it. Funny how words can really change your mood!

Right I better sign off - It's getting late and it's movie time!

OO one more quick thing - I forgot to tell you the other day about a shop I came across in Cardiff shopping centre - Americandy, ever heard of it? It is basically an American sweet shop. They stock all the brands you see on your favourite US sitcoms, they had every possible flavour of pop tart, all the soda's and water brands and they even had Lucky charms, Fruit Loops and Flintstone's Boulders cereals. I loved everything and more importantly wanted to buy everything!

Hugs and smiles.

xxx

Number 16

So this evening I had a bit of a fright...

After school the boys came home and did their chores, then played happily until swimming time. I took them and they happily played in the lesson as it was the last one before the Easter holidays - also they were in their pyjamas for half of it which they found highly amusing - and then it was shower, change and home for tea.

As it is so warm and they have a lovely hot meal in school everyday I decided to do them a picnic of sorts on the front room rug - ham and cheese rolls, yoghurt, grapes, crisps and a chocolate biscuit for being so good in swimming. This all seemed fine and nothing was untoward until Michael half way through his tea, jumped up from the floor and made a horrid gasping growling type noise and tied to run for the stairs, I called him back and as he tuned to me his face was completely purple, he grabbed at his throat and I realised he was choking, and couldn't breathe.

Now luckily for me I worked for a few years with my local council doing safe cycling, and we attended two yearly events called 'Top Drive' for colleges and 'Crucial Crew' for primary school leavers - at these events we worked with all the emergency services to show children/adults how to react in different emergency scenarios - well apparently some of this stuck. 

I remembered immediately (I could actually see the lovely paramedic Bryn showing us) that I needed to gab Michael on his chest with one arm and hit his back with the other in-between his shoulder blades to dislodge the blockage, well to hits and it was out - in fact it shot across the room. Michael then un-fazed stood and promptly ate the roll he had just spat up - I know I know, gross - and I cuddled him with all my might. He's fine now but gosh, what if I had had no idea what to do? it could of been much worse!

I thought I would take just five minutes and make you aware of this life saving technique - I think it is something, as parents, neighbours, friends and family we should all know!

For the gorgeous itty bitty babies under one years old:

1. If  baby can't breath, cough or cry - then this is a severe case ans you need to act quickly.

2. Check baby's airway, if you can see the obstruction then remove it, if not or it is too firmly lodged then you must proceed with back blows and chest thrusts.

3. Lay baby face down along your forearm toward the palm of your hand.

4. Lower your arm so that baby's head is lower than their bottom.

5. Support baby's head by holding their jaw with the arm/hand they are resting on, using your thumb and forefinger.

6. Give a back blow (hit) using the heel of your hand (the bottom by the wrist) to baby between the shoulder blades.

7. Glance at the baby's mouth to check for easily removable objects.

8. Give up to five back blows to dislodge the obstruction.

9. If the blockage still hasn't moved then turn baby face-up with baby's head lower than it's bottom.

10. Place your index and middle fingers in the middle of baby's chest just below the nipples and push inwards and upwards towards the head.

11. You can do up to five chest thrusts to try and dislodge the blockage.

12. If the blockage still hasn't moved repeat a two further cycles of five back blows and five chest thrusts and then call 999.

13. Continue with cycles of five back blows and five chest thrusts of each until the blockage clears or until emergency help arrives.

14. If the baby looses conciousness then begin the CPR sequence.

15. If you gave baby chest thrusts you must have them checked over by a doctor afterwards as there is a small chance of internal damage.

For the over ones up to the lovely stage of adolescence:

1. Check the child's airway, if you can see the obstruction then remove it, if not or it is too firmly lodged then you must proceed with back blows and abdominal thrusts.

2. Bend the child forwards and pace one hand on its chest under it's arm.

3. Use the other arm to give up to five sharp blows with the heel of your hand between the shoulder blades.

4. Check the mouth for any dislodged objects.

5.If the child is still choking it is time to give abdominal thrusts.

6. Place a clenched fist above the belly button.

7. Grab your fist with the other hand and pull inwards and upwards up to five times.

8. Check the mouth for dislodged objects.

9. If unsuccessful then repeat the cycle three times of five back blows and five chest thrusts, checking the mouth after each cycle.

10. Call 999 for an ambulance if this process has not worked.

11. Repeat the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts until emergency help arrives.

12. If the child looses conciousness then begin the CPR sequence.

For us larger than life people, aka adults:

1. Hit the adult firmly in the back with the heel of your hand.

2. If this fails to dislodge the object then it's time to give the Heimlich Manoeuvres.

3. Make a fist and place on the adults stomach just above the belly button. 

4. Grasp the fist with the other hand and proceed to pull sharply inwards and upwards.

5. If this fails to work then phone 999 and continue with cycles of five back blows and abdominal thrusts until emergency help arrives.

6. If the adult looses consciousness then begin the CPR sequence.

I have double checked all this information and have found that the Red Cross website offers invaluable tips, videos and question and answer sections on choking and other first aid that we should all be aware of. 

If you have the opportunity I would recommend taking a first aid class for babies/children/adults as it could help to save someone's life. You should be able to find all the details you need through your local council, health board, doctor or health visitor.

My Beautiful Family

Right off I go again :) Thanks for reading and I hope you have found this helpful! 

xxx

Number 15

My devoted readers...
It was weigh day yesterday and I am pleased to report that I lost a further 1.5lbs :) YEY! 18.5 In total, and stepping ever nearer to loosing 10% of my total body weight. I hope the doctor will be pleased with me and that my health problems will have reduced!

So the sun is still shining here and I am trying to make the most of it by spending as much time with the boys outside in it as possible. I played Kirby and basketball with Michael yesterday (my sporty son) which was so much fun and so nice to have one on one time with him and hear his infectious giggle! The boys all have swimming this evening after school so I will be there watching there strokes and reading on my kindle (If you haven't got one - go and treat yourself!).
 
I have discovered something about myself this last two weeks which I want to share - even if you think it's daft - well I am known as a very picky eater, I have got better over the years and now eat a much wider varied diet that I ever have before, but I have never been a fan of salad. I know, I am healthy eating and what better to bulk up my plate that with fresh salad, but it's not for me... That being said I have a terrible bad habit of saying I don't like something without actually trying it, yes like a 5 year old. Heehee. So on Mother’s day we went out for a lovely lunch and I ordered a honey and mustard chicken wrap - now it came with two items inside and with it which I wasn't anticipating, it had raw red onion and lettuce, neither of which I have eaten and liked before, I immediately looked at robs and explained that I couldn't eat it, to which he simply gave me a look of you have never tried it (I get that look a lot!)... now I was completely prepared to spit it out across the restaurant, but what entered my mouth was so tasty, and more-ish, and wonderful that I ate the whole lot AND finished before Rob and my children (something that never happens, they eat like hoovers) - so I discovered that I like lettuce, and not just iceberg but all types, and raw onion, who knew? - The past 2 days I have had a side salad on my plate with my supper - I am so healthy now! Heehee. I have yet to have the raw onion again but I intend to make fajitas tonight and will have it in them (and a side salad of course) - I'll keep you posted on my salad developments!

Now onto today's post subject...

I get so much positive feedback from my blog; it makes me want to write and share more! I am thoroughly enjoying doing it, and as things happen in my life I have noticed that I now store them in the vastness of my brain and categorize them for when I'm next blogging - noting side-line stories, feelings, locations and details to truly give you an insight into my life. 

I have been told by a few different people now that I should be writing as a job (whether they were simply being polite is yet to be seen) as a journalist, or column writer - a few have even said I should write a book. Well this all got me thinking about how happy the blog makes me, and the potential for more happiness. I have written a few short stories and some children's ones but never done anything with it. 

I could write an autobiography, I have certainly lived through enough life experiences to write one if not two, even at my young age, but to sum it up it would read... I had a two sided childhood - mum was always happy, dad was always cross - my adult life has had many, MANY up's and downs especially in the last ten years from loss and grief to giving birth to 3 beautiful boys, from having money to having none, from horrid people being the burden of our existence to cutting them out and being all the better for it, getting diagnosed with  depression an gaining weight to making a positive step and trying to lose it and feel better, and from feeling like nothing was ever going to go our way to living the happy ever after regardless. But, it's nothing that people haven't heard before and I think I would rather tell you snippets on here than in a book. It feels more personal to me. I have also found that bookshelves over the last few years have become overcrowded with many books about peoples horrid childhoods, school experiences, jobs and lives in general and I just feel like we should be putting more positive things into the world than that. The past is the past, it should be left there, if you spend to long analysing it and looking back you will miss the now and ultimately affect your future. So an autobiography is not something I want to do anytime soon.

I could write fiction, romance, ghost stories, drama, crime, space adventures, but none of that really gets me pumped and wanting to write. My imagination is vast and ever changing, and more childlike in that it feels like it has infinite possibilities.

It would be amazing to be the next JK Rowling, Jeff Kinney or Roald Dahl - they are so talented, and I have enjoyed reading all their books for myself and my children. However it is more about the little people in my life that I want to write for: my boys, for their friends in school, for my extended family of niece’s nephews and friend's children.

I would love to have a series of children's books published for all the little ones to enjoy, and of course I would make them bilingual. I am quite artistic too and have done lots of drawings of my boys, and other such things as illustrations that could potentially book images. Maybe I will give it a go... There is a fabulous website that allows people to publish their own books, so for now I think I will concentrate on getting a series of children's ones together and trying to get them ready to be viewed by my critics/fans, who certainly aren't afraid to tell me the truth - my children :)  

I have so many ideas floating around in my head of girl and boy themed books, but ideally I would like one that both would enjoy reading or being read. My boys love being read to at bed time, but most of all they love my made up stories. They are stories which encompass versions of them as main characters and including what they have done in the day mostly, but thrown in for good measure are pirates, monsters, witches, fairies, flying cars and a whole manner of other things.  I sometimes think that my imagination is the part of me that hasn't yet grown up! I love to do voices and act out the books for the boys (I must add however that this is not helpful in making them sleepy) so audio books would also be something I would love to do.

So as I leave I hope I have given you another little insight into the mind of me - alas it is overflowing with ideas for everything ad there simply aren't enough hours in the day to complete them all - but I will make time for this, as well as the cleaning, and organising, and decorating, and cooking, and crafting, and exercising... heehee.

I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine as much as I, and if not, then when you get home today, take 15 minutes, sit outside in the sun, with a cup of tea, music in the background and just read to yourself. You'll feel so much more refreshed afterwards!

Thanks for putting up with my ramblings!

xxx

Number 11

Being a mum...

I have been a mum since I was a toddler. Not in the conventional sense of the word, but emotionally and responsibly. It has always been such a big part of my life, and the only job I ever really wanted to do.

My earliest memories of being a mum were when I was about two or three years old, it was to a plastic baby doll that I would bath. Nothing else really, but I knew it needed to be clean. I wasn't a very 'girlie' girl when I was younger, I was almost a tom-boy of sorts - mainly as my dad had refused for me to have pink clothes or be girlie, it was overalls and helping him in the garage most of the time. He was always dirty, as he was a mechanic, and so my mum was forever washing his clothes -  this meant being clean seemed like the right thing to do with my baby.

My cuddly toys were next. I had hundreds, no exaggeration. Initially they were all named after me (that's what mum's did), so I had at least 50 called Sammy, oddly enough I hate being called that now. They were all loved, cuddled, tucked in and read too. Played with relentlessly and stories made up about them. I loved them all so much that most of them are still sat in the attic at my own mother's house, I simply can't bare to part with them. My mum was my best friend at this age and always encouraged my made up games and imagination as much a possible. It helped to take away from the horrible side of childhood that came from my father - this is another reason I think, that being a mum has always been so prominent and important to me, it's the best part of life- thanks mum!

When I was a little older I remember having our first pet - a gorgeous white rabbit... Sammy :) laughing*. I loved her as well and took on the role of mum again passionately. I helped to clean her out, feed her and of course give her cuddles. It felt so good to be giving my love to something, something that was mine and no one else's. This to me was what it felt like to be a mum.

School brought in a different, but nonetheless more important aspect of being a mum for me. I had many friends as I progressed thorough primary school, but my role in their lives was always the same. I was the peace maker, the one to sort out arguments, the go between, the one to hug if you were sad, the one who would always play with you if no-one else would. I helped with school work, homework, projects, tidying or simply a shoulder to cry on if something was upsetting. I remember dealing, from a young age, with family problems of my friends, with a sympathetic ear and letting them know I was always there no matter the circumstance. To this day I am still friends with most of the children from primary school - many of us are mum's/dad's now and we share a different kind of bond, but I will always have these early memories.

As a child I was always on the move - eight times in all to date (six of those up to the age of 12). This meant that my neighbourhood friends fluctuated a lot. Interestingly however, they were nearly always boy friends - I can hear seven year old me saying 'boys that are friends, not boyfriends!' to my other  little friends in school - I think I was able to 'mother' them more than my female friends The first was my best friend for about seven years, as he happened to live next to us, luckily for me, twice. My mothering instinct came to the fore with him regularly as he seemed to be terribly accident prone - he was very adventurous so was forever falling off bikes, climbing frames, home-made contraptions, as I stood and watched I might add, and breaking bones. This lead to endless school holiday days looking after him, fetching, carrying and keeping him company. These were some of the happiest times of my life as I felt so at ease in this role. 

When we moved for the sixth time,  and as I said goodbye to my best fiend I was happy to see that I was now living by the next two who I was already very close to in school. As we were now twelve we were starting to 'court' the opposite sex so that brought a whole host of new motherly challenges for me. I relished solving their girlfriend woes, fixing their little broken hearts and helping them be 'smooth' with them by telling them how our clever female brains worked. We were so close, this is the first time I felt platonic love for someone other than family, they were like brothers to me. I loved these two more than anything and they made so many happy memories for me. When they felt pain or anguish so did I, when they were happy I shared in it. I wanted to make them smile, ease their pain and be there 24 hours a day. In hindsight now I was much older then my 12 years intellectually which I think also progressed the mother in me. We are all still friends now but alas not as close, I do still however love them both very much.

At 14, I met the love of my life, my husband. I had progressed to secondary school and was still mothering all my friends, quashing their fears and helping wherever I could, but with Rob it was different. He is my first real love. I do have to admit to mothering him too though as he had always lacked that side in his childhood unfortunately. Nevertheless was wonderful even at that age (like me he had turned the negative into positive) but birthdays and Christmas was something that didn't get made a fuss of. Not one year did Father Christmas ever bring him what he wanted, and his birthdays were an excuse for a BBQ with his parents friends, never his. This became my mission, other than showing how much I loved him every possible second of our lives together, I wanted to show him what a mum was supposed to be. So before our children came along I spoilt him, looked after him, loved him, and been there for him. He has never seen me as a mother figure, but I felt like I was able to be both - I could be his girlfriend and then when he needed it, a bit extra.

Mathew, Michael and Morgan are how I really became a mum and finally cemented my role. I was 17 when I had Mathew, and I can honestly say I wasn't too young, I was ready, I was eager and I wanted him so badly as did Rob. As I said earlier I have always been older than my years so I hope you understand that I am not condoning teenage pregnancy, but simply highlighting my experience. I used all my life experience to shape how I am as a mum. I have made it my life's work to make sure they are happy, carefree (to a certain extent), secure, trusting, safe and loved. I believe I have achieved this so far, but I couldn't of done it without any of the above experiences. 


I have to thank my mum for being the best mum a child could want, Rob for being the most important and wonderful person in my life, my Nanna for being everything I want to be to my children and my children for cementing that I have the best job in the entire world, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you -  men, women, children, elderly, lovely and nasty. You have all helped shape a mother's life, and make her the woman she is, so today I give thanks to you all!!

I hope you have enjoyed this post everyone.

xxxx

Number 10

Hey y'all :)

Let's get straight into it, shall we?!

When I was younger I was always performing in something or other - school plays, concerts, choir performances, eisteddfods and god only knows what else (I remember once having to be a seal and flap about on the floor for a performance art piece... um - WHAT?). 

My mum encouraged, supported and took me to everything, always sat diligently in the many boring audiences, never complaining, and like most of the other parents took hundreds of pictures - mainly for bribery purposes I'm sure. I love to look at them, seeing all the hilarious and embarrassing costumes, remembering the fun and laughter I shared with my friends. My children and family also enjoy looking at them, and taking the mickey, as do our new friends and the old ones that I made the memories with.

The point I am getting at (see I did have one) is that my childhood wasn't censored!

Shouldn't I have second thoughts about posting pictures of my boys?  About sharing the images with strangers? Shouldn't I be more protective?

I have asked myself these questions over and over.

But I am yet to come up with an answer that comprehensively answers these questions, it's not as simple as it looks. But at the same time I haven't stopped me sharing photos of my gorgeous little ones. This is because regardless of all the unanswered questions, I can say with every fibre of my being that I know I am acting within reasonable bounds of care when I share my children with the world. I want to share with you now, why? Why do I post them for the world to see?

I want to evoke the 'punctum' from my pictures. Now I know most of you will have no idea what that is (neither did I when I stated writing), it can be the new thing we learn today, but if you already knew then kudos!

"Robert Barthes, the French theorist, studied many things in his life, one being photography. He distinguished between the studium - elements of a photograph that provoke an interpretive (cultural, social, political) response – and the punctum of a photograph – the element of a photograph that punctures, or wounds. The punctum, in other words, provokes an emotional response in the viewer by establishing a direct relationship between the viewer and the subject of the photograph"

Taken from the blog : Her Bad Mother

The punctum sum's up so well why I share, I want you to feel it from my images, the same way I do with yours.

When I look at your photographs I see them the same as you do - your child through your eyes, and I am punctured by that moment, that fleeting moment - of connection. I then feel that I understand you, as I understand your love for your child. We then share that experience of inexplicable, intense love. I want to share my own experience of that love and so - I share my pictures.

I do not profess to be a great photographer, nor do I own a super duper camera. it is simply me, my iPhone/webcam/adopted digital camera and my family. I take photos for memories, for happiness, for poignancy. I take them to make myself feel better on a bad day, or to remind me of what I have and that they are mine, forever. I take them for you, to show you the wonders that I can't do justice with words. 

I want to make you smile, suddenly, involuntarily - at the positions my children ended up in at a sleepover. 

I want your heart to fill with joy and happiness, the same as Michael felt when he finally became the big brother. 

I want my photos to help you remember the moments you have had with your family - every bubble bath hair-do, every ice-cream smile every momentous first.our own love forograr children.

I hope that you'll see my children through my eyes, know my love for them and recognise it as your own love for your children.

I want you to be punctured!

That felt so good to say. 

xxx

Number 9

Howdy!

So this week I didn't loose any weight... but I didn't put on either! YEY! I had 2 days this week where I felt I over ate, I still had the super healthy food but I felt that I ate to much - my portions crept up on me. I also haven't been out waking the dogs as much as my cold is still horrendous so all in all I am very happy!

I did make my dad's, now famous, stew - it didn't taste as nice as his, but crikey it hit the spot! I even have enough left for lunch, and all 4 boys loved it too!!

So again I am beaming with pride at my 7 year old Michael. On the weekend he managed to play in 2 games of rugby and scored a try!! Woop! Then in school they had the Clunderwen area eisteddfod and he represented the school in the singing competition singing - 'Siom'. He was wonderful, note perfect and on the beat. I thought he deserved to place, but alas it was not to be. He was, however, amazing and I even have the video to share with you :) Also as a side note a quick well done to 2 of my friends daughters that sang the same song for their schools - they were also brilliant!!

Cute right?!

So I am still making progress on Morgan's birthday cake, I am currently working on Ben Elf and Team Umizoomi. I have finished the Peppa Pig family and Princess Holly :) Now if you haven't got children that will all sound very very odd to you, but I can assure you that these are real characters! If I have time tonight I may even make Wilson the Chuggington train - heehee fun filled evening ahead!

On the weekend my car went in for an MOT at our local Kwik-fit centre, now to say it failed is an understatement! The examiner was sooooo picky! I know they have to be, it's their job, but I have never know anyone fail a car because the indicators are slightly different shades of orange, or that the passenger windscreen wiper smears slightly by the bottom of the screen... ARGH! It failed on a break leak which is fair enough , which brings me to how wonderful my husband is. It amazes me that he can turn his hand to anything. He is a fully qualified builder and has no experience when it comes to repairing cars (other than watching his father for years fixing all the family ones and the numerous racing cars that were being used at the time), so to save us the extortionate £300+ fee to have the work done there, we purchased all the parts (thanks to my brother in law's brilliant discount) and he is steadily repairing it. I mean, I could take one look at it and have absolutely no idea, but he just takes it in his stride! I am so proud of him for being able to save us all that extra money! Thanks Babes :) Finger's crossed it will pass now on Tuesday...

Well today I have been craving every possible unhealthy food imaginable. I'm not sure why, but I want to eat everything, even things I don't like! Hehe. You'll be pleased to hear however that I stuck to my diet, and while my hubby had kebab, chips and scampi, I had grilled chicken and mushroom rice. I did treat myself to clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1Pockmargin-left: 1em; text-align: r and let me tell you - MMM!!! They hit the spot and were so much better for me than a packet of dark chocolate digestives.

I visited a friend today (he has just bought his first home with his fiancée) and it made me want to do some more D.I.Y. Rob's and I made good headway on the house a few months back,we completely re-did the living room and purchased all the bits to finished the kitchen, bathroom and our bedroom, but we both got super busy and it kind of went on stop, so I am planning to make a schedule to finish the rest of the house and restore some order! I do need to crack on with the housework though to make sure we aren't cluttered whilst D.I.Y-ing. I'm still not great at that yet - tomorrow I promise I am going to clean the bathroom from top to bottom, and do 3 loads of washing :) 

To end I would like to share some pictures of Michael playing rugby this weekend...

Catch you next time!

xx

Number 8

Continuing form yesterday...

Morgan's birthday party is going to be lovely, but as it's on his actual birthday I have decided that afterwards we need to do something special too - so I have decided to take my boys down to the beach for fish and chips paddling and making sandcastles.

When I was a little girl we used to holiday in Tenby from Birmingham, and it still remains one of my favourite places even though now it's only 20 minutes away! Every time I go it rekindles my love of it - horse and carriage rides, Fecci's ice-cream, Bali Hai Cafe, The Esplanade, three beautiful beaches, lovely gift shops. It makes me happy just thinking about it! I even had the privilege of working in Tenby for a year which I can honestly say was one of the best experiences of my life, especially when I was on the early shifts and I was able to watch the sun come up over south beach and St Catherine's island. Absolutely beautiful.

Sunrise in the winter months on the Tenby  Esplanade

My brain is full of memories from here - and I love making new ones with my boys - I hope the weather will be sunny so we can have a lovely afternoon on Mo's birthday! Making birthday's special for my boys stems from my mum doing it for me - they were always so lovely. She also always made my birthday cake's, I always wanted to make them like she did, and now I do :) I hope my boys follow in our artistic tenancies and want to have the same traditions as I did. Family is so important!!

So I mentioned the other day that I was trying to combine everything (housework, good mum, diet, friends) well I can't report that I have managed to do it all yet. The diet is still going really well thankfully and I am still super determined but the cleaning is taking a back seat again. It frustrates me greatly as I sit on the sofa and want to get up and do it but, just, can't! I even make lists and gee myself up to do it, but alas I still can't. I put it down to the depression but gosh it's frustrating!! I wish I could wave a magic and and have everywhere spick and span. I think I need to adopt the attitude 'One Day At A Time' but it's easier said than done - I want it all done now! heehee. So I am going to set myself little challenges everyday in the hope that I can get back into it. Today for example I am going to do the kitchen counters and the kitchen table. Why don't you do it with me? I won't feel so alone then, LOL. Also if you are more organised than I or have more motivation there is a wonderful blog / facebook / etsy shop called Clean Mama and every day she gives you one thing to do to maintain a clean and tidy house - she's fab, so go check her out!.

I will also be starting to make the 3D components for Morgan's birthday cake this evening - I'm really excited to get started! Tomorrow is weigh day too so fingers crossed for a loss this week - I have been good, promise!

Right off I go to the kitchen...

:D