Good Bye 2007....

THis will be my last blog entry for this year (funny that!) Next year, I'm going to try even harder to keep it up. The new camera will help, I'll jsut want to share pics of the kids and the new slimline me!

New Years GOALS (not resolutions, you notice!)

with the help of Spark People (my user name is wheezeybouncer there too), drop to a size 14/16

learn to drive

I AM A SIZE TWENTY!!!

OK so it's not something most people would be shouting about, but for me it marks the start of being able to shop in high street stores. Back in August I was a size 24 all over. Now, I am a 20 on the bottom (the boobage I have no hope with till I'm done nursing)

Over the past couple of days I have bought...

White (brave!) Shorts, Red 3/4 length trousers, Black trousers all size 20 from NEXT! Never thought I'd fit there 3mos after starting to change my lifestyle for the better.

Black 3/4 length trousers, grey sparkly trousers and grey with a pink pinstripe (realy nice!) trousers all a 20 and a nice top in a 24 (it's those boobs again) from MK1.

Sooo, I'm mid Ebay listing to find some room for them. I have some maternity bits n bobs to put on there as well. Photos I'm going to add in the morning though!

Home School

Education happens all round us. NOT JUST IN SCHOOLS!!! And if one more person asks me "When are you going to start Sian's education?" I may just have to SCREEEEEAAAAAAM!

Sian and Beth have been learning since they were born... all babies do. In their case though, I started to teach them "Baby Sign Language" and even now they do it. It's just one of the reasons they're staying home to learn though (none of the schools teach BSL to mainstream kids - only one primary and one secondary school have "Hearing Impaired Units")

Take the kids to parent & baby groups, swimming lessons (v important), toddler group? they're learning. Do you go to the library, let them play on the computer (CBeebies is fab according to my two), Go to teh park? They're learning. Even watching TV and DVDs can help in the learning process.

Bake Cakes, Look for numbers and letters on road signs and doors. Count steps, count cars. find colors. It's all about LEARNING!

As they get older, they'll need other outlets for meeting up with kids and adults alike (after all you don't see people born the same school year as you for 5-6hrs/day 5days/wk when you leave school do you? So, with the new year approaching. We're going to be aiming to make the nearest Home School group every otehr Thursday... Let's see if I can manage it this time! Shouldn't be too hard as my courses are both on a Friday and I can arrange driving lessons after the kids are in bed! Just need to find out when the group starts back up again now! Last time I went both girls were still in nappies and Beth was just about crawling!

Sian on the subject of parents

C: We're going to see Grandma and Richard now (R is C's step father)
S: Is Richard your Daddy?
C: No, but he's a bit like a dad to me
S: Oh, is he your father then?

Christmas Day Pics...

Bethy opening her stocking with a *just* awake Daddy.

Sian playing with her playsilk.. they got them in place of cuddly toys this year. HIT!

The girls all nice and clean(ish) in their Christmas outfits. Santa always brings new clothes.

My little Angels... I know the truth! Under there they have Disney Princess Slippers!

Me n my girlies. They're HEAVY when you try and lift them both simultaenously now. Yup, I'm grimacing!

Beth got a LOT of "In the Night Garden" related things... well, a CD, DVD, 2 books and the Ninky Nonk! Every time she unwrapped on of them she'd scream "My Night Garden!" Not saying she's a fan or anything but......

Sian got the Doodle Daisy (BIG hit) and Doodle Bear she asked for (we got them both a doodle bear) but when asked today what her favourite gift was? "My new socks Mama"

Clive got a new Wii game that he ended up playing for over 3hrs last night (ok, i played some with him, but he was coming to bed at MIDNIGHT!!!) and 2 jumpers he chose.

I got my "Strictly Come Dancersize" DVD just need room and time to do it now. I can't wait.

Decorating the tree.

So, there's no room for a tree at our house (it resides on top of the TV) BUT GrannyJan asked if Sian and Beth would like to help with her tree this year. As you can see, they did. It did need a little tweaking at the end... all the decorations seemed to end up at the front on one side.. but i think it looks good for a 2yo & 4yo.

http://www.noradsanta.org go here and watch santa's progress around the world tomorrow night. have you been naughty or nice? he's made his list, and checking it twice.

you're gonna get sick of 'em!

me n my girls... testing the timer, not a great pic!





a rare treat, mama TOLD us we could sit here!



does she HAVE to keep taking photos?



i'm doing my cat impression!

On Your Marks.....

Get set, GO!

I'm just a cutie pie!

Well, If you can't tell, I LOVE the new camera. The zoom is awesome (I used it on these two pics and one standing by the house I have the clearest pic of the street sign at the end of the road)

Test Run Pics... I LIIIIKE!

jsut for once she WASN'T gurning for the camera!

Oops, sorry you'll have to stand or lie on your side for this, i forgot to rotate it!

I love this one. She looks so high... 2" off the ground!

Super jumper... nope. She wasn't jumpin' at all!

I'm putting myself up for adoption!

It's been a few of those days in a row. The girls have been constantly sniping, whinging and scrapping with each other. Clive is putting all the blame on me, and then leaving me to deal with whatever is going on. And the kids cap it by TELLING him to go away (so the asshole does). Add to that S having a few "terrible two's" days and B getting incredibly physical with other children (she bit one Friday, Mama was NOT impressed) I just want to leave them all to it... would i come back to a whole house?! The calmest time today was (beleive it or not!) at the SUPERMARKET of all places. Daddy and Sian took their shoping list and Mama and Beth did their shopping... and the highlight of Boo's day... she got a talking MakkaPakka!

All Wrapped Up

The christmas presents that is. I wonder if DH will wrap my stocking or I'll have to do it myself... lets see if I even HAVE a stocking come christmas eve. His is done (with the exception of a drink and peice of fruit) Still waiting for Beth's last gift... but she's got plenty even if it doesn't come. Dozy Dora here decided to take the WOOL jumper DH chose for himself out the bag to wrap. It soon went back int! My hand and arm still itch :o/

Labrynthitis

That's what the dizziness was. Most people get one attack... i got 2 in 2 weeks. And the all too familiar dizzy sensation is back again. At least I know waht it is now *and* i have meds for it! Speaking of, somewhere I have some symbicort..... but where (50 million question!)

Sleep

Thats where i'm headed now. just post this, finish chatting, empty the bed (remember the christmas presents!) and hit the sack. my matchsticks are broken and i'm cold. I'll tyr and get pics off th ecamera tomrow.

Randomness from the week.

We bought a new digicam. A joint present to us, mainly cause we wanted a DECENT one to take to Florida. Should I tell DH I just saw the same one for £20 less online? It's a snazzy Fujifilm Finepix S5700. (I told him, half asleep, his reaction? "oh well") Can't wait to actually USE the thing. I'm thinking the Sure Start Christmas Party Next week! Maybe I'll offer my services as Photographer! After all, they can only say "No!" I might persuade them to get the memory card if they do want me to though

For the girls to take to FL we found for Beth an "In the Night Garden" Rucksack, and for Sian a "Peppa Pig" one. They have a new outfit each (have to choose, ones a fairy princess and ones a pirate) and some stickers to start on their activities for the plane. Sian will be taking Terence Trunki (http://www.trunki.co.uk) and in the new year we'll get Beth a Trixi Trunki (I'm not paying the £5 extra for the few extras) What I want to do now is find a bricks & mortar shop to buy one in and save shipping charges!

FINALLY! I got my mammoth crocs (http://www.lookatmycrazyshoes.com/mammoth-crocs-p-1780.html) After teh first 30mins or so when I thought they were too small.... I didn't want to take them off. You really could wear them as slippers. So warm and cozy. My feet love me again (they do NOT love trainers any more, not even Reeboks!)

Today we went to Hammersmith to go to the Disney Store... DH wanted a new mug. The girls got new PJs ... must go through theirs, I'm sure Sian only has about 3 pairs now that fit. Sian and Beth picked up a Little Einsteins Puzzle... then saw a Minnie Mouse Ears and Dress. I managed a minor miracle. SHE PUT THE PUZZLE BACK! Mind you, the ears & dress cost about £20 more! Luckily (I think!) the dress is a 7-8 so should fit for some time. Both kids looked gorgeous in it. It's defintely NOT an outfit I jsut want to chuck in their toy basket though.

Beth saw "kimmas" and had THE biggest grin when he said hello, then went all shy when he actually got down to the nitty gritty LOL. She still had the goofy grin on though, it was SOOOO CUTE! They got to tell father christmas what they want as a present (i told for beth, and then sian got shy so daddy said anything) and his helper let them dip into her sack for a pre-christmas treat each (selection box of chocolates, very nice too)

To finish it all off we hit the toy store (well, did that BEFORE we went to DIsney really) and got teh girls a toy cow each (don't ask, they chose! i think it was an influence from watching "airport" earlier) i picked them up a learn to write book each (they fought over the magazine and got me VERY frustrated) and a BIG TUB of Megablocks for £15 instead of £30.. all with 20% off. Yay!

Christmas is a comin'...

and I have got almost everything wrapped up! WooHoo! It took less tahn £100 in Toys R Us (wow) and DH and I even got some bits for the FL trip.

Both girls are getting a Doodle Bear (the large was £2 cheaper than the small!) They have a CD from each other and a CD each from us. Books and a "Something Special" DVD each. Even now they will sit and watch a whole "Justin" DVD. I don't mind. It consolidates what signs they've learnt already. They're also getting a Wii game each. Shrimp's is here and wrapped. Boo's is awaiting delivery.... I hope it's here for christmas! and to share they've some dressing up shoes.

From Santa they're getting

Playfood, a new outfit and their stockings (chocolate, drink, £1, fruit, book, toy, hair bow clippie & socks)

Christmas Eve always brings a new pair of PJs... this year they chose their own. Both have christmassy ones... but Boo chose ones in the sale (£3, bargain!) and Shrimp chose "The Snowman" at £12!!

For her birthday I think we're just taking Shrimpy shopping and seeing waht she'd like. I do know that her Uncle Stevie has got her a talking Upsy Daisy... Cause I bought it for her LOL. We were looking to see who found it first! (He got Boo talking IgglePiggle for her birthday present BIG HIT!) Psst. Don't tell the girls but he's got them Disney Crocs for their Christmas Presents!

DH chose himself a couple of Jumpers for this year. One of them is wool so goodness knows how i'm going to wrap that up! He's getting a Wii game too... just not the one he's expecting! Got to give him *some* suprises!

OMG It's a YES!!

Never for a MOMENT thinking we'd actually be accepted, DH and I decided to apply for a loan. A big one. DH knew if they said yes he'd be working overtime for the next 7yrs.

THEY SAID YES!!!! We got the loan. Of course, with that loan came a few conditions (from him)

#1 we take the girls to WDW FL for a trip of a lifetime
#2 i pay off one credit card (old one, not used for several years)
#3 i get my provisional drivers liscence

#1 is booked and paid for... we fly to MCO on Feb 2nd 2008. Staying at the All Star Resort, with a Disney Dining Plan. We also have tickets to the "Princess and Pirates Party" and 7day base passes with water fun.

#2 is all paid off. and as the company did me a deal i only had to pay back part of what i owed (always good)

#3 i've sent off for and am waiting to get back... had to get my passport first so i didn't need to send out anything else!

At this moment in time, I'm the only person with a passport! And it came back within 2weeks of me sending it, very impressive. I need to send DH and DD2s birth certificates back- will do that monday. SPECIAL DELIVERY. Mam sent DD1s back Registered and I've heard nothing. Must see how things are going with that one. I have all the reference numbers and the posting card for DD1s so we'll look at that tomrow (too lazy to go downstairs now!)

One of DHs ex-colleagues is training to be a driving instructor. Hopefullly by the time i can afford lessons he'll be ready to teach me! I can' tgo out earlier than 8pm anyways LOL