Weekend Getaway

This weekend was a little different to most.

Whilst we don't sit in the house most weekends, this weekend was a fully planned affair.

On Saturday, I travelled to North London with my mother in law where we met up with hubbys sister and made our way to my sister in laws home as friends had arranged a surprise Baby Shower for her!


This is quite rare in England but since SIL and a few of her friends hail from the US, it seemed fitting for her.

We had a lovely time. Of course there were cupcakes, cookies, alcohol free punch and some lovely decorations! We played a couple of games and generally had a good laugh.

SIL was very pleased with all the gifts they received for their first baby.

I opted for the gifts of sleepsuits and a baby sleeping bag.

Since SIL wanted to wait until birth to find out the sex of Baby T, it was a bit of guesswork on what to buy. I am not a fan of neutrals so wanted to get something bright and fun. Apart from 3 white vests and 3 white sleepsuits, I didn't buy any baby clothes for my boys until they were born. Everyone loves giving newborns gifts too so Baby T will be getting alot more when he/she arrives. I'd especially love going out shopping for baby if they turn out to be a girl. I could have a pink shopping frenzy! I initially thought they may be having a girl...now I'm not so sure. Her shape is SO similar to how I was with 3 boys and they are settled on a girls name but unsure on a boys name. This happened to me every time too. Especially by the time Liam came along.

We only have another 2 months to find out and I can't wait to be an aunt!

Our Southampton visit wasn't what we expected. Whilst we very much enjoyed ourselves, we felt like the place had been mis-advertised. There wasn't the "city of the future" feel to it we were expecting. After breaks in London, Bristol, Cornwall, Bath and Milton Keynes  Southampton really felt like it was lacking something. Soul maybe? I don't know what was missing but it wasn't the place we expected. However, hubby and I both are similar in the way of thinking that we make the most of wherever we are and enjoy the experience. We had a lovely little escape, saw a different town (nowhere near a "future city" unless a lot of changes are made) and enjoyed a bit of free time. We had good food, good drinks and part of the clencher for us trying there was that they had this place!

At present there are only 2 of this establishments in existence with the promise of 5 more opening in the next 2 years.

Turtle Bay is a Carribbean restaurant and bar. Their cocktails are divine! I started the afternoon with a Margarita since it was 5 minutes walk from our hotel. Cocktails on Sundays were 2 for 1 in price which made a cheap night of drinking on my part. Later on I tried the lovely Passion Rum Punch. Fresh passionfruit with a trio of dark, golden and white  rums, lime and something else. Needless to say it was delicious. Despite thinking I hated sweet potato we shared a portion of sweet potato fries and now I want to find some more. They really were rather moreish!

I did drink a fair amount of alcohol over the course of the day but I know my limits and that Rose wine and rums normally have very little after effects on me so I stuck with those.  The start of our anniversary "date" was a quick lunch after travelling for 4 hours. We found a Burger King. Then feeling the need to celebrate we wandered off to the bar and restaurant area to get a glass of something nice. This zone was NOWHERE near as big as we were led to believe.  So we found an old traditional looking place for a drink. As soon as we got in, it was rather obvious we had stumbled across a gay pub. Hearing Will Young playing from outside should have been a big warning. Still, we bought our drinks and sat outside watching the world go by in the beautiful August  sunshine. It was the nicest wine I had on the trip!

We had a lovely meal in the evening at an independent restaurant where I had the biggest grilled tiger prawns I have ever seen for a starter with a chilli and corriander dressing and a good helping of salad. Lush.  I then had the ribs for main and had no idea how MASSIVE a portion it would be. Hubby had to help me finish off despite him having had the ribs for a starter himself. I think he really enjoyed them too.

The following morning we still awoke early since that's how the body clock works with 3 kids. We took a walk around the local Ikea, and had a yummy cooked breakfast before the train rides home.

I have spent 3 days in a row on trains and feeling a little more secure with the London Underground. I'm always paranoid of being lost. The train journies were great, it was just a couple of the connections that took the time. We had to wait 30 minutes twice for connecting trains on the main lines. Still it's better than missing a train by 3 minutes and having to wait almost an hour.

So yes, all in all it was a great weekend and although we will not be returning to Southampton in the near future, we enjoyed ourselves all the same.

One Year On

It's an exciting weekend over here this weekend!

First up, I am having a busy day tomorrow. I cannot say too much other than there's a bit of girls get together tomorrow. I will elaborate after the event.

Next on the agenda is a day/night out with my wonderful husband since it will be a full 12 months since this:

A year has gone quickly and there are things that have changed but most things are similar. Some things are better, some things I look back with fond memories with a tear in my eye.

On the day before our wedding my biggest worry was my grandad. He'd had a fall and that was followed by chest pains. He was hospitalised and kept under observation. It was unknown if he would be able to make the wedding. He was released from hospital 2 hours before the ceremony and I couldn't have been happier than to have him there. Today it is more poignant than ever since it was the last family gathering he attended. Sadly we never got many photos of him and my nan as the fall left him with a black eye and he was embarrassed about it.

Last week was the 6 month anniversary of when we lost him. It's gone quick. Sometimes, it's like he's not really gone but the memories he left behind are happy ones. He made it to my wedding and that means the world to me!

The first year of married life has been great. I've loved every moment of it.

How Much Truth?

Horoscopes? How much truth do they hold?

I find the "daily/weekly/monthly" guidances pointless. Rarely do they get things right. And if on the odd chance they do, I am sure that a vague explanation of a surprise visitor, a change of luck or a baby in the family will prove to be correct to a number of people when we are talking about thousands upon thousands of people being born in a certain time span.

What I am more interested in is the personality traits, I find these alot more fascinating.

I was born on the cusp of two star signs.

Some horoscopes I read suggest that I am Virgo, others Libra. Depending on what I read Virgo can finish anytime between the 21st and 23rd of September with Libra beginning the 22nd or 24th. My birthday is the 23rd so read into that what you will!

So, if I were a Virgoan I would be:

•  Modest and shy- to a small extent yes
•  Meticulous and reliable - I am
•  Practical and diligent - I call it being a mother
•  Intelligent and analytical - Of course
•  Fussy and a worrier - Far too true
•  Overcritical and harsh - at times
•  Perfectionist and conservative - occassionally

Virgo Likes: Lists - Yes!
                     Hygiene - Yes!
                     Order - Organisation more than order
                     Detail - Yes!
                     Precision - not entirely
                     Perfection  - At times.

Virgo Dislikes: Squalor - yes
                         Uncertainty - I quite like the excitement of the unknown!
                         Health hazards - Don't we all?

Whereas if I were Libran I would be:

•  Diplomatic and urbane - Certainly
•  Romantic and charming - Ask my husband! :)
•  Easygoing and sociable - Totally
•  Idealistic and peaceable - Very much so
•  Indecisive and changeable - Yes, I mean no, I mean yes!!!
•  Gullible and easily influenced - Not that badly I should hope
•  Flirtatious and self-indulgent - To a degree
 
Libra Likes: Gentleness -  yes
                     Sharing -  yes
                     Conviviality - Oh yes!!!!!!!!!! (I had to look this up)
                     The "finer" things of life - Certainly

Libra Dislikes: Injustice - I hate the British Law system - says it all
                         Violence - yes
                         Brutishness - yes
                         Disharmony - yes
                         Quarrels - no, only kidding, it's a yes
                         Bad Manners - I really DETEST this and Matthew knows it!


I'm suprised there's no mention of my REAL pet peeve! Lateness!

I certainly feel more of a Libra once all is said and written out in front of me.

Anyone else born on a cusp? Anyone think I have got myself wrong in some places? Are you what your horoscopes say you are? I'm interested to find out.

A few holiday snaps

This holiday we hired a caravan, partly due to cost of holidays in the school breaks and partly because we could fit 8 of us into the one area. Hubby, I and the 3 boys also had my mother in law stay with us for the week and for the first two nights, hubbys brother and his heavily pregnant wife stayed over too. So it was a full house but great to catch up.

James loved the "car-van-house" as he called it. It was situated right next to a lake which made for a beautiful view.

My brother and sister in law took Matthew swimming on the first morning of our break and they all seemed to really enjoy it.

We spent a lot of time around the kids rides area and fun fair which are all included in the price of the holiday. James and Liam love the little ride on cars, James particularly loves the flying planes and Liam loves the spinning teacups.

James was tall enough for some of the bigger rides this time round, by only a few cm's he was able to go on this:

and to a mothers horror he was able to do this:

My daredevil son doesn't take after his mother!

James loved that ride and went on a few times.

We had a lovely day on the beach which Liam in particular absolutely loved. He was sand-swimming and I have never seen so much sand over a little boys face.

We did get a little dip in the sea but it was miles out at low tide. Liam didn't like coming out of the water at all. The water was surprisingly warm for British waters so it was lovely to spend a bit of time paddling with the boys. James also loved to pose in his surfer suit!

In this photo you can see the damage he's had done to his little front teeth when he had his accident last month. The teeth have come back down from his gum a little so it looks better than it did.

We saw a really exciting air show along the coast.

Evening entertainment was great though we didn't watch a huge amount of it. Since we do alot of the weekend breaks at the other venues this holiday park has, we've seen the majority of them. However the kids enjoyed watching the Lazytown show, a circus act and the Lady Gaga tribute was one of the best things I've seen on one of the sites. Good fun, kids loved it as they are major Gaga fans, I just felt sorry for Liam who is the biggest fan and fell asleep halfway through the act.

One morning I took Matthew swimming leaving the two youngsters with daddy and nanny but Matthews days revolve around football! Football this, football that - It drives me crazy at times but I love that boy!

I think they all truly enjoyed themselves.

Hubby and I had a night out alone as nanny took care of the boys so we could go out for a meal and watch some entertainment. We were still back early but it was good to have a quiet night in Minehead town.

We ended up buying part of Liams birthday present. A talking and singing Bob The Builder. Liams favourite character for quite some time now. Normally he likes whatever James does as they are so close in age but he's remained independent when it comes to Bob.

Matthew seems so grown up when we are away now, he wants to take the boys on rides, show them round places. He's really growing into a smart, considerate and helpful young man!

Antisocial Britain and Blooms

A short notelet to say we had a great holiday and we are back safely. Fortunately we were well away from the embarrassing carnage that has become the "English Riots" and enjoyed a perfectly law abiding break on the West Coast. It was shocking to see it all on the news that the police have no respect from the youth of today, we had become a lawless society for a few days. The police need to be tougher but the judicial system is pants. The Government want to cut spending and plan to cut police numbers. Something that this week has proved would be pure stupidity. It's not about numbers and figures or money, it should be about feeling secure in your environment. It's not that I blame the police, but how selfish some people are and that the fact our Government is rather pointless at times like this.

The Prime Minister was on holiday at the time and came back as the worst of it was over.

Sometimes you don't feel proud to be a part of British society.

Anyway, on a happier note, this is the beautiful scene I was shocked to find on my return from sunny Minehead.

My "wild country garden" seed mix came out into full bloom whilst we were away. They were gradually coming out over the last couple of weeks but they were not as blooming as these. I have no idea what any of these flowers are besides the cornflowers in white, purple and pink but I am really pleased with the look they have created. They really are rather wild since we tipped the whole box over an area which should have been double what they recommended. As we bought them cheap we were doubtful they would come out much - how wrong we were!

As Cliff Richard Sang....We're All Going On A Summer Holiday

OK friends, I am now off for a few days.

The car is packed, the hubby and kids are in bed asleep and I should be following suit yet I am not excited. Maybe I am that teensy bit excited.

Tomorrow we are leaving at 5am hoping to reach our destination of the West Coast of England by 10-11am. We are leaving early in hope of the boys falling asleep again in the car making the journey that bit more peaceful and seem less of a distance for them.

The picture above shows Minehead beach. I do like the rocky tor!

Hubby and I have been to this particular holiday resort in Minehead before. We went for an adult weekend which was great fun to be able to do things we can't normally do without the kids. A few drinks and letting our hair down did us some good last year.

This is the town. If I remember correctly it's rather independent in shops but a nice little seaside town all the same. It will make a lovely morning/afternoon out and we plan to take advantage of the open top sightseeing bus and the beach should the weather be kind to us.

So, wishing you all well. A good week to all and I will be back on Eastern soil next Saturday night, and hopefully following up with a photo entry in the days that follow.

A little whinge.....

There's a bit of a photo entry back one if anyone is interested. Of our kidlets enjoying a summer picnic and playing with water.

However, I feel like poo.

I want to try something different to the contraceptive injection.

For the first few days afterwards, life is a bit of a struggle:

I don't stop eating so I pile on the weight fast.
My self esteem drops.
My Patience diminishes.
I am short tempered, tired, stressed.
I am super emotional.

It's like a cross between the early stages of pregnancy and mega-bad PMT!

It's not something I am enjoying at the moment. At least being pregnant is something I've always loved with something beatiful to treasure at the end of the journey.

This is the worst of both worlds. I get the weight gain, the ups and downs and it STOPS me having babies. It's a lose lose situation. That all said, more babies aren't on the agenda here. Whilst I do get broody like everyone else, I would rather see people who have been trying for some time get some baby happiness and experience family life themselves.

I just need to find a new contraceptive that doesn't have these side effects.

On the plus side, it's one jab every 3 months and I can rest assured that all is covered and I don't get any monthly visitors so it's not all bad.

Family Summer

Summer has been here in force the past few days. The kids and I have enjoyed alot of outdoor time.

On Monday we filled the boat up and the kids got to play in the water. They loved it. It all came to an abrupt end when I realised that Liams hand was bright red and had swollen to double the size it should be. So we emptied out the boat and made a dash to the doctors. I assumed it was a bite or sting but the nurse we saw wasn't sure. Since we had to wait almost 3 hours for the appointment from the time I noticed it, the swelling was close to being nothing so it felt like a wasted journey when we could have had fun at home.

Tuesday morning we took James back to the hospital for his checkup. He has now been discharged from hospital care and checks and should we have any concerns we should now see a dentist. The consultant was great, she said that the teeth may come down again a little. His left tooth certainly has come back more into view so it's all looking good. She explained that they cannot tell if there is any damage to the second set of teeth that will come through. They may be bruised and there is a small chance they may have problems coming through but they will cross that bridge if it comes to it. We now have a 5 year wait to see how things go

My appointment with the nurse Tuesday afternoon showed I had put on ANOTHER 3KG in 3 months. These were YET AGAIN new scales and I actually argued that I didn't think it was right. I am a clothes size down since my last appointment, I even had to buy all new underwear on Monday since my pants were all sagging around my tummy and hanging off my backside. So I am not at all discouraged and just accept that their scales are evil! Speaking to a friend about it yesterday she agreed that her scales always say she is at least a stone (14lbs) lighter than what the doctors ones say. So I do think that there is a bit of a discrepency somewhere.

My friend Kate came over yesterday with her son that Matthew is friends with at school and we took all the kids out for a picnic to a local nature spot 20 minutes walk away. We had a lovely time. It was baking hot! The kids enjoyed their ham rolls and strawberry cakes I packed up and we sat by the riverside in the shade.

However thunderstorms began last night, the sun has disappeared and the rain is back. It was lovely seeing you this year Summer.

This lovely little boy Liam is 2 next month! I do not have babies at all any more. I go through stages of feeling a little broody but I know these little fellas are my lot unless finances desperately change so we can get a bigger house and all that kerfuffle. I also enjoy feeling like we have a little more freedom again, that life is easier (in ways) as they grow but I still get all gooey and incredibly over-emotional over babies.

I DO  miss pregnancy and even miss the birth side of things. It's quite a strange feeling. But in  a couple of months I will have a new neice or nephew to fuss over. :)