Trying To Impress

In the last 4 weeks, I have lost 4lbs. My weight has been up and down like nobody's business but the point is, since 20th May when I last updated on a weight, I am weighing in less than I was then so I suppose it isnt all bad.

Everytime I fail or put on weight I am spurred by the fact I'm not going to let myself get bigger. I lose a few lbs then get complacent, eat more and put on a couple more lbs having to work harder and begin again so my weight seems to level out at a certain point with no real direction.

Does anyone else get in bad cycles like this or is it just me?

My weight always goes onto my hips and backside too so I am not happy that I resemble a small rhinocerous from behind.

According to my scales, I have lost 12lbs or 5.5kgs since my last contraptive injection so with around 6 weeks until the next one, I would like to make it up to 10kgs since thats the modern way with the nurse.

I can't believe I am putting my determination for this month down to impressing a nurse!

I feel better when I weigh less. I'm around 14lb more than I was when I married last year. In my head I had planned on being around 50-60lbs lighter by now but it hasnt worked that way so I know I need to try harder. As long as I end the year lighter than I began, it will be a victory.

Home Improvements. Photo Entry.

The house is lovely and quiet. All I can hear is the slight buzz of the pc and the washing machine doing it's work.The boys are on thier naps and I am just getting a quick entry in before I get back to the rest of the old housework.

Our living room has undergone a bit of a transformation in recent weeks. I will be posting the newest  pictures very soon but I can manage a couple of before and after.

We've just got 2 new sofas, some new cushions, a new computer table for when we recieve our wireless dongle and we can rearrange the room a tad more. The little boys have little armchairs of their own and our bookshelves have been completed by the addition of doors to make it look tidier and complete. We are so close to finishing this room now.

This is how our living room looked when we moved in last May.

And here it is now.The left hand side of that wall is no longer plain and a big recess. The bookshelves fill it. With the doors, it looks more of a unit. We will continue these the other side of the wall in the other recess once we have sorted out the re-homing of the pc. You can just about make out the tv on the wall on the far right of the picture. The computer is currently where it is in the first pic but will be moving to the opposite corner of the room as soon as.

The kitchen was originally cream.

We painted it pink but didn't like it. So a couple of months ago we painted it blue and lemon. Here's the view of the dining area of the kitchen as it is now.

The whole wall shown in the upper picture is blue, so its only the wall on the right that is yellow but we liked the contrast.

Finally, we have almost completed the bedroom. We still need a second coat of paint on the walls but we purchased some new bedding that fits my style perfectly. Oh and to top it off, I put my wedding flowers in the picture.

However, despite having 3 1/2 rooms to how we want them. (Hubby still isn't 100% happy with the bathroom but I think it's fine) having a house is always a work in progress.

The youngest two still need thier bedroom decorated and we are looking for a high sleeper for Matthew so he has more storage and more room for himself. We will get there with upstairs at some point but I am very happy with the main areas of the house and even the seeds we planted out the front of the house appear to be thriving and will hopefully give us a lovely white flower bed out the front by the time full summer is here.

Career Beyond Motherhood?

Yesterday I took James along to an open day at the school nursery where he will be starting in January. He absolutely loved it.

As much as he loves the pre-school he goes to now, this place is double the size and has twice as much for him to do. Liam also loved running around and joining in. They loved the sand and water tables, playing outside. Liam just enjoyed the freedom and a chance to run about playing with new toys. James made a fathers day card, helped make fairy cakes by getting in and stirring the ingredients as they all took it in turns at having a go. This nursery is a little more educational based than the one he goes to at present but it's all in preparation for the following year. It was great and I do think that he will love it there. Liam certainly would if he was old enough.

Being only 10.5 months between them, Liam really does not see himself as the younger brother. He wants to and does do everything James does and on the odd occassion he can't he really does get frustrated and upset with the world. He has a little temper on him too but it's how he expresses those feelings as best as he can.

Seeing all the 3-5 year olds in the classroom (it's nursery and reception mixed) made me feel all warm inside. One little boy asked me a couple of times if he could have a snack and was a little upset that his friend didn't want to play his game. He wanted to play something else. I was torn between thinking of  possible futures working in a school. One where I can work part time as a parent helper and help the children do small things, play and just be there for them. I could also go into higher classes as a parent helper and listen to children in years 1 & 2 read. Then I began thinking a little more about being in the classroom.

Would I like to be a TA? (Teaching Assistant)

It's 3 years before the children will be in full time education so I could start training for qualifications in my spare time and study from home. From Jan 2013 when Liam begins, I can help out in class and get some general experience.

I should be driving by then so hopefully I can get to any school to work and I wouldn't have to be restricted to our one village school.

I think I should have  a good old chat with my mother in law. She's suggested it before as she thinks I would do well working with children and being a teacher knows what I should be doing to looking at it as a future career.

It's like life is coming back full circle.

When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse or a teacher.

When I left school I was going to do a nursery nurse course, but it never happened. I got a job at the last minute instead as I was working part time on a good wage and would miss the money being a student. I always loved children and wanted to work with them. Now seems to be the right time to really start thinking of my future.

I would be happy working in a shop but I want to give something back to someone else.

A childs education is one of the most important things in it's life and if I could make the smallest of differences, it would be great.

I would even be prepared for further training to work with special needs or disabled children should there be a school for them nearby.

Of course, it's also practical to have holidays at the same time as my kids and the hours are more mother-child friendly than being an actual teacher. But there's nothing to stop me further training in the future should I want to go into teaching at a later date.

Watch this space.

Check This Out

Does anyone have a spare £3.5MILLION ($5.6m)  floating around?

If so, we could be virtually neighbours and I can come round to your beautiful house for coffee from time to time.

This gorgeous house is on the market complete with 14.5 acres and equestrian facilities. So who's moving in and when can I visit?


Browse the house here: Westgate Park, Long Melford

It is a family home!

Stunning hey? English heritage at it's best and less than 5 minutes drive from my house!

Speaking of driving, my provisional license came through the post today. I am more excited about it than I thought I would be. In fact, I don't have any fear at all at the moment. Now to find out when hubby is off work so I can book my first driving lesson. I have a school in mind but theres no point in contacting them before I know when I am available.

Superstitious? Moi?

Yesterday was the 13th.

I had my second cervical smear test of the year.

It was around this time last year I got the bad test results.

I should hear how it all went in about a weeks time.

If successful I think I only have next year of bi-annual testing then it cuts down to once a year for the next 8 years and then back to 3 years if all remains well in that time.

Fingers crossed for future health.

My Little Chickens

Bit of a heartfelt family issues type post coming over the weekend but that can wait.

This evening a small miracle happened and all 3 of my little men sat still long enough to be captured beautifully in digital form.

I have no idea what was going through James mind, but Liam looks happy in the arms of Matthew who was all dressed set for his Beavers club tonight. (Beaver Scouts - under 8's boys club)

They really are happy little dears. Little monsters sometimes but only I am allowed to say that as I am thier mum.

 Liam loves vehicles like his brother James. Especially big red noisy fire engines!

One of those lovely shots where one of them (maybe even both) has to mess about. Kids should have action shots rather than portraits. It shows thier characters much much more!

Family Roundup Of The Past Week Or So.

James is growing up so so fast. He loves all proper boys things. Cars, planes, helicopters. He's currently at his pre-school but I can't remember if I said or not that there is a possibility that in January my little man will be at the same school as his big brother. In Nursery capacity of course but I will have 2 children in school. Proper school. He'll go all 5 mornings a week then ready for reception when he turns 4 which will be all day.

James and Liam between them broke Liams cot bed. They were always jumping all over it, bashing it about and somehow pulled the screws right out of the bed destroying the screwing in bits of wood. Instead of twisting in like screws do, they destroyed the friction so they just fell out every time we tried to fix them. So now we have had to buy a new bed. We opted for a very strong looking Little Tikes car bed from Ebay. They love it. Whilst it is officially Liams new bed, James completely loves it and the past few nights they have been sharing the bed. It's lovely that they are so close.

Liam loves reading the local free newspaper we get every week. Sorry, did I say reading? I meant ripping it up!

Matthew has a swimming lesson at school today. They've bought them back in for the summer. He was really looking forward to it since he loved it so much last year. I think it's great when primary schools can teach kids general skills like swimming.

All the kids loved half term last week. It was manic. We had days out here there and everywhere. The kids especially loved Great Yarmouth on the coast of Norfolk. Sunshine and seaside. It was too cold and windy for the beach but the kids loved the pier, the shops and just seeing somewhere different.

Matthew went to a birthday party Saturday morning. I swear kids have a better social lives than adults. :)

We visited family and got to catch up with my brother and sister in law and her growing baby bump. She's just over halfway through and having a good pregnancy. They both think they are having a boy but I can really see them with a girl. Either way, I am very excited that we are going to be having a niece or nephew sometime in October!

My brother and his fiance have called off thier wedding for the time being. They are finding it hard to afford it and they have bigger worries as thier tenancy is almost up on the flat they rent so they need to find somewhere to live.

We also helped out with gardening and replacing my nans fence.  We also took her out for a belated birthday meal.

With all the rushing about and eating on the go, I put on 2lbs (Monday) but it's off now I am back to a normal eating routine I can plan by the day and back to walking the school trips every day.

Finally,  I am very proud of my hubby as he hasn't gone back to smoking. He's even been doing it without the medication for the past 3 weeks or so? Maybe longer, I don't know but I am very proud of him.

Thoughts Written Down

1. I am in the process of dying my hair. It's a golden blonde. I haven't done this since I was around 18-20. In those years - the late 90's - I was doing it the bad way - Sun in spray and bottles of it. Now I use a decent home kit every few weeks. I just felt like a change.
2. Haircut booked for 10.15 Tuesday, I am writing it here since I don't have a calendar! Yes, I can be that disorganised. I need more layers as my hair is far too thick. Need it lighter for summer.
3. Jolly good weather here in blighty still. Far too good. Maybe the official summer will be worthy of something more than sitting indoors all August.
4. Speaking of August, our holiday feels like it is beginning to come round quicker now. Only 2 months to go until we take a caravan break in Minehead for the week. 
5. Also, it's hard to believe that this time last year I was only 10 weeks from getting married. I want to do something nice for our anniversary. Luckily, I never thought of it at the time, but having a wedding in August means that people will always be available in the school holidays should we want a little private getaway to celebrate by ourselves.
6. I have taken a step forward to improving my life. Today I sent off all the forms and documents to get my provisional driving license up to date. Money had been putting me off but since I am another debt down, I am now £100 a month better off and I will use it constructively. 
7. Since I am allowing 3 weeks for my provisional license to come through, that means I am allowing myself a £60 clothing allowance out of it this month and will take to the roads as soon as my license is here. 
8. The idea of learning to drive is sort of exciting.
9. But it also scares me stupid.  I am a big wuss!
10. One of our friends is having a bad year. First his house caught fire. Now his brand spanking new 3d tv has been broken by a tantruming toddler. Whoops! They only moved back in last month after living at his in laws for 3 months while thier home was made livable again.