Beth's found an activity she enjoys!

Beth on Princess

Getting ready to "walk on"

First Trot

So, after Beth trying Judo, Street Dance and Rhythmic Gymnastics. We've found something other than cycling she really enjoys (local cycling club is too far ironically to get her too *and* clashes with swimming lessons.) These are photos from her second ever horse riding lesson with the lovely Mel. Guess I'll be looking at getting her some boots soon so that she doesn't ruin her school shoes any more!

A warm February day at the beach

Y Fenni

I loved the ceiling hangings in the market hall

Gorgeous hills!

more gorgeous hills

key lime pie

Abergavenny is a foodies heaven! I think every other shop was selling the most diet busting of cakes! I had to go into "for the love of cake" though as it just described me to a tee!

Duracell Bunny!

That is what Rick reminds me of. Trouble is as he's 3 there is little for him to do. Most things will take him the term he turns 4. That's almost a year away!

So far he's tried

Street Dance @Dancing Diva's 50/60mins- got bored! Plus they weren't really happy having him

Judo- this he enjoys but the timings are off for us- M/W/F 6.30-8 & Sa 2-4

Gymnastics- It didn't wear him out! But he enjoyed and is going back

Street Dance @Stella Just Dance- full hour. Loved it *and* he's allowed back even though he's technically too young

Swimming- needs to be able to reach the bottom of the pool before he can take lessons but he goes weekly with Daddy any way

The reason Saturday Judo isn't so good is the swimming @10 followed by piano @12.30 at some point they need feeding! Evenings aren't so good as he's usually ready for bed around 8ish.

So we're going with Stella & Gymnastics & Swimming for now and lets see if that wears him out a little!

Beth's Castle Project

The finished Drawbridge, complete with Royal Crown

Decorations were a must!

It's a blue castle we live in!

So THAT'S how we're making the trouts! (turrets!)

Basic Castle

Play Date

The fastest bumpy slide I've ever seen!

Concentrating with his friend

Diving in head first!

Taking a horse ride

It's February!

Which means we're a month into 2012. And a month nearer the Olympics.

This month we're predicted a very, VERY cold snap with temperatures getting as low as -11 at night. I think it was on it's way yesterday.

Half term this month and a visit from my friend Steve is planned for the first two days. We'll add in lots of swimming. Not sure what else!

January 2012 pics

Sian with her posh dress and "model makeup"

Remember I said they could scooter in the road?

Beth doing her hair shampoo advert

They may fight, but the kids do love each other really :O)

The boy has curls. Usually most prominent when his hair is wet- he won't let me cut it again!

Thomas William Driver DFC

February 28 1929- January 7th 2012

My Grumpy Grampy who always phoned on my birthday won't be able to anymore :O( This will be the first time since I could speak on the phone that we won't be singing "happy birthday to us"

The kids all came to say our last goodbyes. And were extremely well behaved. And gave us such gems on the day as

Beth: I can't look at my picture of Great Grandad Tom cause it makes water come out of my eyes

Sian: Great Grandad Tom can't speak any more now he's dead. That's why people in Heaven don't talk

Rick: while grandad was saying a few words at the crematorium, looked at the order of service sheet and said loud and clear for all to hear GRANDAD TOM!

He was scary sometimes. Grumpy often. A Gentleman always. Generous to a fault.

It’s Ok

It’s OK to let go. You’re tired.

It’s OK to let go. You’re in pain.

It’s OK to let go. We know you’ve been strong.

Our admiration of you is how long you’ve held on.

It’s OK to let go. Some one’s waiting.

It’s OK to let go. You’ve missed them.

It’s OK to let go. With time we’ll be fine.

Our grief is for us, for knowing you.

It’s OK to let go. We love you.

It’s OK to let go. We’ll be strong.

It’s OK to let go. We’ll remember you.

Our tears will diminish in time.

Copyright Geina Morgan 2011

Wales.

Rick's Border in his room

Beth's Bed

Sian's Bed

New School Uniform (later Sian got hoodies with her name on and Beth got a fleece with her name on)

Taking advantage of living 10mins from the beach when we had the Indian Summer

So, we came to Wales. I didn't know for sure it was the right thing to do. But it was. I've got the Sian who enjoys school and wants to learn back. She gave her teacher high praise indeed- he's better than all her others put together! She's carried on with piano and is also learning recorder and violin. And doing Judo as well as Swimming.

Beth is always going to be the sort of child who gets on everywhere. She is as much a hug monster here as she was in London! But she's had the chance to try Rhythmic Gymnastics here. I'm not sure how long she'll stay for though.

Rick has settled in the local Welsh Medium Preschool group. He goes 4days a week. Is mad as a hatter and will finally admit that there is more than one Josh in the world! Mind you, when he started last term it was a small group. 4 girls, 4 boys. apart from Rick all the boys had J names!

I miss our garden here. And having an upstairs bathroom. But the kids can scooter in the street with supervision. The beach is 10mins away. School is 5mins. Granny is only 20mins.

£$%&*!

We went out to have a nice family outing on Aug 11th. We came back to find that Hounslow Council had changed our lives forever.

We are officially homeless. Would have been nice of them to TELL us they'd stopped the housing benefit. And would have been nice to FIND OUT THEY WERE GOING TO FREAKIN' EVICT US!!!

Do they REALLY think we'd have gone out that day if we'd KNOWN what we'd come back to!?

We've been forced to move to Wales ahead of when we'd planned. And now we're desperatley trying to find a property to move into before school starts. We have 2 weeks. And are having no luck. I want my family back together. The girls are staying with my sister and her chain smoker husband. The rest of us are staying with my parents. The air bed is ok, but poor rick just has his quilt doubled over on the floor.

The kicker in everything here is THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT THE CLAIM PROPERLY!! I didn't work full time. Not since before Sian was born. But it's too late for us. We're struggling to find a place that we can afford.

Clive has had to leave a steady job. The kids have left their school and friends and Rainbows and Brownie packs. I've left two of the best friends ever behind.

I wanted to move home, but not like this. All I can do is cry. I'm starting to doubt my abilities as a parent. a carer. a daughter. a person.

camping... not sure about it still!

Sian, Beth and Rick with their Great Grandad Tom
Beth just "chilaaaaaaaaaxing"

Sian takes time out to play DS in the tent

Lets go fly a kite!

Rick makes a movie.

playing on the digger

Daddy helps Rick scoop sand

Shovel and drop!

THIS is how accidents happen!

The pics are out of order, and she was being closely supervised while I took the pics. But I came down to find her IN the dryer trying to get clothes out!

Roll on Summer Hols!

Sian's desperate not to go to school. She came down this morning in her normal clothes not her uniform.

first it was not feeling well, but she couldn't say how.
then it was sewing is too hard, that was her choice to do sewing club- which incidentally wasn't on today!
then it was cause she has to do "Horrid Henry" in Literacy. In English (we're in England?!)

Sometimes I think it'd be easier to just Home School her. But then would Beth want to be home schooled as well. She's a very sociable child. She loves break and dinner time. That's about all she enjoys these days!

Her ideal curriculum would go like this:

French
Spanish
BSL
Science
Maths
Music

I could do that home schooling. She won't get it at school... what to do... roll on summer hols!

Fun in the Sun

Sian almost got it. 2 seconds later she moaned she couldn't do it!
Beth's collecting daisys

Beth trying to help Sian ride a 2 wheeler

Sian and Beth getting to grips with some open air excersize equipment

Beth trying to walk the rolling plank!

Rick being cute LOL

Beth up in the air

Sian up in the air

Sian & Beth posing for me.

Beth learnt to ride her bike with no stabilisers!