The Doherty Family

summer 2011

2011-08-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

I've done it!! I've finished my degree, finally! This means its back to sortign my life out and being mamma mia again. The kids have grown, insanely! Too many things have happened over the last year to remember so I wills tart with summer. Summer with Nana and tata was amazing.

cousins together

parade watching

chillin with nina

and lots and lots of cuddles from nana and tata!

It was nice to get away and spend time with the family. Memories made will last us til next year!

Sanity

2010-06-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

Sanity has restored itself to the Doherty household. I had to put blog onhold while a million and other things were happening and I just could not get it in as well.

I have officially finished my second year of training (thankfully) and am now lookign forward to having the summer off!

Now how do I make up for lost time? While I htink about that here are upto date pictuers of the "cinderlla, snowwhite, pretty pretty princess" ( as she likes to be known)

New, New , New, New

2010-01-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

New year, new toys, new time, new life? Newness is great, newness has to happen .. 2010 is proof that time MOVES on. But is it all good? Wouldn't it be great if you coudl pinpoint a time when everything is perfect and you just want to say STOP and live in that moment?

Christmas Day 2009 was one of those moments. We all kept our 'scraggly' clothes on and lay in the middle of a paper/toy/box strewn room with goofy smiles on our faces as we gave thanks and shared love in a very family moment. It was nice.

Today on the other hand we are all getting on each others nerves and wishing for a house ten times as big so we don't have to fight over that 'spot' on the couch or Adam and Carys don't walk by each other with that accidental trip/push/pull/face/smirk/it's mine attitude they get when they want to cause mischeif.

I like to live in the past maybe a little too much! On to the Present....

Carys, the big girl has started her proper dance class. She is in her element all in PINK. She loves dance class so much she talks about it all week, she makes up songs about it, she pretends she's in it.. and when we arrive. She sits with her head down and chews her fingernails, thats it! No feet wiggling, hand fluttering, sweeping or stepping with the other little girls in pink....our little girl is in a world of her own. We walk outside and then she starts to fluttter, wiggle, sweep and step. She maybe a closet dancing queen after all.

Adam is back onthe tennis bandwagon. his first ever tournemant match was supposed to be on the second of Jan but it was cancelled due to bad weather. So we will sign him up for one in February.

last one....

2009-12-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

she was inthe mood to dance!

too many music videos take 3

2009-12-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Too many music videos take 2

2009-12-24T15:58:00.002-08:00

Too many music VIDEOS

2009-12-24T15:58:00.001-08:00

Dancing Girl

2009-12-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is the only close-up I could get of Carys. She really worked that Palm leaf!

Nativity

2009-12-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

Carys is a dancing girl whose accompanied her king to give gifts to baby jesus. She was suffering from a case of stage fright but LOOKS gorgeous! Her fellow servant boy was super hyper and I couldn't help but chuckle a few times!

Enjoy!!!

Christmas Celebrations

2009-12-20T10:17:00.001-08:00

We have had a very busy December with lots of preparations fro the BIG DAY. First and foremost was Christmas Card Photos. As they are probably still on their way to the good old USA I thought I woudl finally post the picture we used.

Please note the collection of baubles just to the left of Adam's head and you'll realise that Carys did not take direction very well. Our instructions of 'Don't put them all in one place' was not understood adn we ended up with several 'clusters' like the one you see.

We had many ups and downs this night... including
- the tree falling over (well nearly)
- a moment I like to call "The Leaning Tree of Piza"
- bauble mayhem

This is our second year with a real tree. Last year we bought a monster of a tree adn were convinced we were not going to make the same mistake again. WRONG! This tree seemed so 'in proportion' out in the wide open spaces of Christmas Tree Lot. We all fell in love with it and handed our £40.00 over to Mr Molloy who gave us a discount (should have been £50.00) and gave the kids a lollipop.

Molloy's garden centre gives me goosebumps, especially at Christmas. It reminds me of the small town feel of a feed store on a Saturday morning. The place where you walk in and instantly feel welcomed and recgonise your fellow shoppers, smiling and greeting each other and actually get a reaction back. Somewhere you are sure to see someone you know and somewhere where you get satisfaction from seeing several generations of a family working together toward a common goal. Its not something I see very often here suburbia, maybe because there are so few businesses like this one left. Thats the difference between country mouse and city mouse isn't it. I suppose my children are city mice and it makes me sad that they won't have this 'comparison' to make.

Anyway.. back to Christmas Tree....

Last year we struggled keeping our tree straight! We carted bricks in from outside and placed them strtegically in a bucket to stabilsie the tree. It worked like a charm. This year we bought bucket/tree stand that was designed to hold the tree in place. After struggleing to keep the screws tight enough to hold the tree we were able to decorate it and take our photos!!!

.... and so the Christmas season begins......

Liverpool.

2009-12-05T12:29:00.001-08:00

DSC05655, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

We gave up after we saw this one!

Granny glasses

2009-12-05T12:28:00.001-08:00

DSC05656, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Carys has no bridge to hold up her glasses. So she has adopted the Granny glasses look and looks at you over the top. Cute! Here she has decided that it is too cold to continue looking fo rhte penguins so she has decided to go for alounge.

The Penguin Hunters

2009-12-05T12:26:00.001-08:00

DSC05650, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Penguin Hunt

2009-12-05T12:25:00.001-08:00

DSC05639, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

The first of the penguind found inthe penguin hunt around liverpool.

Here comes Santa Claus....

2009-12-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

Right down Santa Claus lane! I am so disappointed. Its December 3rd and I have no tree up, no lights, no deocrations. Scrooge is visiting and has refused to get my bits from the loft!!! Scrooge is out at a party on Friday night so he'll be in no fit state to get them down Staurday morning! Mr Marley help me .. where are you!!!

Mrs Christmas (thats me) is not very organised this year. Presents still to buy/make, little time or money to do it in/with!

We shall persevere! I have asked santa for a small NORMAL camera so I can start taking photos and posting them again as Scrooge is obsessed with his camera photos going on flickr. Scrooge will probably stop talking to me as I may have said one Scrooge to many. :)

Kiddos are excied abotu SANTA!!!! Carys thinks he can come over everyday and give us a present for waking up. She doesn't understand the day yet!!

Monica

I survived... and it was brilliant!

2009-11-29T11:17:00.000-08:00

We all had a very lovely two-days-after-thanksgiving Thanksgiving meal! Dinner went over like a treat but for me the most memorable was the thanks the everyone gave for their year...

Cameron: I'm thankful for my friend (he gave Adam a hug)
Katy: I'm thankful for people to look after me
Callum: My little brother
Cassie: Lewis
Giselle: Baby ben
Patrick: That Monica is still alive (..we nearly ate each other preparing the meal in the final stages)
Pauline: That everyone is happy and healthy
Me: My family

plus many many many more. I am only sorry that I didn't write this post last ngiht as it would have been lovely to record them all ( i am getting old so i forget things now and then). If anyone reading this can remember what they said please let me know and I will add it on here.

Everyone cleared their plates, Thansk to 'Cod' for gorgeous macaroni cheese that became part of our meal, it was handed from person to person as a I remember each dish being passed from one to another at my families celebrations growing up.

Thanks to the kids who behaved so well and to everyone for coming to celebrate this meal of togetherness with us.. we thoroughly enjoyed it.

We played the longest game EVER of Articulate, the drink may have had a bit to with that.

Dare I say.. See you next year???

yes Monica the "most disorganised person i know" pulled it off(Thansk Patrick for all your help), despite

-boiling the ham for nearly twice as long as recquired
- forgetting that there was a turkey in the oven
- ummm Are those potatoes supposed to have mashed themselves?
- OH "£$%&", I forgot to buy the vegetarians some 'meat' and only remmebered when the guests arrived (thanks patrick for that quick trip to SPAR for veggie sausages)
- finding YAMS in the oven the next day when they should have been served last night

So what, Jamie Oliver wasn't cooking.... I was!

As for today... Go Penguins Go! http://www.gopenguins.co.uk

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

thanksgiving gaffs

2009-11-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well my thanksgiving isn't until tomorrow. I'm guessing I have got some leeway as I am i a country where thanksgiving isn't even celebrated! Well.. first my Turkey, It is a 8.6 kg (I still haven't gotten used to kilos so could not tell you what that may be inpounds off the top of my head..) bird. let me tell you, refrigerators in this country are NOT made for big Turkeys, or for a LOT of stuff. So it had to go outside in the cooler with ice to defrost. Ok...day one checked it, frozen solid, day two same, day three same , day four, took the ice out, day five still frozen solid.. either weve got a great cooler or mother nature is not cooperating! I had to take it out of the cooler and into the fridge so it can defrost. Makingthe stuffing now and the turey nck is still frozen solid! Right we move onto the green bean casserole, I could not find any canned greenbeans at Tesco.. WHAT!!! I mean they are not unusual., they said they have not carried them in awhile.. I was shocked. I could cook fresh but can't be bothered so I surfed through a variety of supermarkets until i found canned grean beans. Next, french fried onions for the top.. umm no one has them, what am I going to do?? Well I'll just use bacon bits instread.. or as my mom suggested crumbled up potato chips to give thema cvrunch. umm no. As a last ditch attempt I went to an international food store yesterday and found something similar to the onion crispies, in the Indian food section. I can't read the label but it tastes the same. Pies, pumpkin pies... there's no Libbys here people. I had to cook fresh pumpkins, peel and freeze a few weeks ago when they were about. I spent ages seiving pumpkin to make pureee as my blender broke! I made pastry, no frozen ready-to-bake-crusts-in-the-little-foil-tins here folks. My pies came out great.. only one exploded so I have five left woo hoo. (Did I mention I have 27 coming over for dinner).

Thats where I am up to....I'l let you knwo how it all pans out!

Kids are great ... they have been a big help today. Carys has been busy takign out every toy she owns and strewing them roudn the hosue and adam's bedroom floor resembles the beaches of Normandy ala WWII. Never mind the fact that every spare bit of floorspae will have a body sleeping on it tomorrow night. I'll let you know how it all turned out.... if I survive!

Church

2009-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Carys thinks it is the greatest thing ever invented. I am not sure why the word Church creates such joy for one and such fear from another, not to mention indifference from their father. Adam immediately tries to weasel out of going, Carys jumps for joy, and me left tryign to get everyone ready to get out of the hosue on time.

Carys sings hymns (although she makes up her own words) and 'reads' from the mass book. Adam does his best to find alternative ways of kneeling so his 'legs don't get tired'. this usally involves sitting on his ankles, bum, perching on the pew, indian -style -halfway- under- the -pew contortion. I have no idea why. Carys doesn't kneel, she just stands, but she's three.. Adam's eight and is old enought to understand what's happening and why we do the thigns we do. He goes out with the childrens servic and only joins me for the last 15/20 minutes of mass. I am afraid to ask after his behaviour in the kids mass... maybe its better that I don't know.

I encounterd my first of many 'i don't know' moments with regards to religion. Adam asked the question how a chicken was created. Patrick started on evolution theory while I was content to say that GOD made them. Adam's curiousity then had him questioning human origins and thereby ensued an evolution vs adam and eve debate. I am going down one road while Patrick is going down another. I forsee many more similar moments in the future.

togetherness

2009-11-16T12:50:00.001-08:00

I'd been doing alot of thinking this year and have decided on working onthe togetherness of our family. In the UK, Christmastime is the big FAMILY do of the year... I however will be stuck at home on my own this holiday season. Well... Christmas day and boxing day will be filled with laughter and cheer... but the days folowing will be filled with tearing my hair out and tryign to get my UNI work doen because It is due onthe 2nd of Jan.

Soooo.. IU decided to have a thanskgiving dinner. Yup... this will be the first time I have celebrated the holiday in years! I am getting really excited. I have printed off thanksgving crafts for the kids to get stuck into and have started doding the shopping. I hope all of Patricks family can come up so we can do soem of the togetherness. It is so often that family can live completely seperate lives and forget the importance of what family is and family means. Well this is my interpretation anyway. I am well aware that not everyone looks on the instituion of family in quite the same way.

My next project is Christmas Carols with the neighbours in turnign our neighbourhood into a community... but that is for another post.

The kids are sleeping... I am waiting for I'm a celebrity get me out of here to start....

A bit Shameful really....

2009-11-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

I have JUST sewn on Adam's troop badge to his cub scout neckerchief! Adam has been part of the scouts for nearly three years now and I have only just managed to sew it on!!! I am sooooo pleased that I never lost the badge.... and even more so that he now has it firmly affixed! This is not something to be proud of.... had I done it when I was supposed to (on joining in 2007) then I may have kept onthe straght and narrow.. sewing badges on as he's earned them! But noooo.... Here's to a new 2010!

Carys has reinvented the word tantrum. You only have to THINK the word no and she's off. Feet stamping, arm swinging, arm folding and flinging oneself to the floor are all the rage at the moment. It must be a school thing... maybe.. :-). She's mighty precious!!!

Adam is getting taller!! Believe it or not.. it's true!! The boy is 8.5 months old and is now OFFICIALLY too tall for size 5's! Lenght... not width.. Roll on 6's!!

pumpkin bread

2009-11-07T04:34:00.001-08:00

I have now made my pumpkin bread!!! I cooked the fresh pumpkins we used at halloween and froze some for thanksgiving pies! I am having a traditional thanksgiving dinner on the 28th for all of the family. I can only hope they like the variety and tradition and maybe we can do this as an annual thing. I have explained to the kids what thanksgiving is but they don't really understand why we are celebrating when we do not live in the USA. I will continue to try!

We had a new MAP young person move in yesterday. She is female... and is 17 years old, i am a bit nervous as this will be the first female we will have living with us .. our previous young people have all been boys!

Our spare room is now gone again... so we will have to be creative in putting up people once again!

Tent in the garden in Ocotber????

Joy

2009-11-04T00:38:00.001-08:00

DSC05223, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

There is nothing more lovely than little outbursts of JOY from your children. Despite it being freezing.... Adam thought it was the perfect time for a little dip!

I however, am very annoyed with the sea! I ate some mussels in a lovely white sauce yesterday only to find myself up all night with Food Poisoning!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-03T09:40:00.001-08:00

DSC05522, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

The revelers! We pillaged the neighbourhood enmasse! Trick or treat.... not many smelt feet! I was asked by several people what my costume had to do with Halloween. In the UK it would seem, halloween is all about withces, ghosts, and goblins. I am determined that our family dress up as a bowl of fruit next year. That'd sure give them something to talk about!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-03T09:35:00.001-08:00

DSC05503, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Blogging break. Lazyitis more liek it. ihaven't kept the blog updated for awhile. Every time I thought about it I decided to put it off unti tomorrow.
Anyway. This was Carys on Halloween. She is wering her brand new glasses which we picked up that morning. We have become a family of four eyes!

First day of school photos.

2009-09-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

Quick post of Photos for you. Adam age 8 yr 4 and Carys age 3 Nursery

To Patrick at home.

2009-07-11T15:07:00.001-07:00

Can you turn on the answerphone (both home and mobile)as I cannot leave you a message if it is not on.

Kids still sweating! We left the heat in the UK to have even greater heat in New Mexico! I have been stripping them down in stages for bed...we are now at NO clothes, open windows air conditioning AND a fan. They drink continuously.

Adam and Carys have been truned to the 'other' side and love kitty cats... the two kittens foxy and roxy follow them like they are the pied piper of hamlin.... i forsee voices asking mom and dad for a cat!

We found our bargains of the summer .. two remote control 4x4 cars that were a $1 each at the garage sale... best $2 I ever spent!

Speak to you soon.

Communication

2009-07-07T13:26:00.001-07:00

Communication is such an important word. How can you teach your kids to communicate with you if you can't communicate with other people?

Do your children emulate your personality and personableness? How can you make sure they pick up the admirable traits rather than the not- so- admirable ones?

"Do as I say not as I do"----- confuses me....it will certainly confuse my kids.

HELP

dancing queen (carys not me)

2009-07-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Carys is a jumping bean. Yes you could say she is a mexican jumping bean (by proxy)... I'll have to buy some of those while we are in New Mexico. She hears a tune and she jumps straight up and wiggles her backside, One arm out front and another out back.

It's hot.. really really hot. Pump up the Air Con!!!!

do over

2009-07-04T03:06:00.001-07:00

Can I have do-over please? Isn't great that as kids we could just utter this little phrase and everything that had happened to that moment could be undone forgotten and you just got another go at it? I'd like to be peter pan and have a do-over please.

I finally have time for my kids, sitting here yesterday with empty cereal boxes, glue, sticky paper, pipe cleaners, foil..... has shown me what I have missed out on these past few months. Forget about having time to blog.. I didn't even have time for my kids. It was always 'in a minute... in a minute... we'll do it tomorrow and sometimes tomorrow never came. Instead of focusing on what really matters, kids.. family... I lost it and focused on what other people wanted. In terms of my placement, work, University. I have the summer to spend with my family.. to put them first.. to figure out how I can do that when I return to University in September. I knew it was not going to be easy. I just don't think I realised how hard it actually was. I know the answer is not in becoming supermom.. but instead being a wiser mom. I am still certain that I am on the right path.. I just need to tweak it here and there.

Adam has had a tough time recently. He is not a happy little lad and for this I am truly sorry. The courage it took for him to tell his mom and dad why he hates going to school and why he has angry feelings showed me how cowardly adults can be, we are after all 'masters of disguise'. His honesty took the wind out of our sails and it will not be ignored, pushed under the carpet, or discounted as one of those 'phases' children go through.

On a better note, my momma is doing well and I'll soon get her window shopping everyday again!

Adam's first communion

2009-05-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

WayWard Travellers return!!!

2009-04-16T23:25:00.001-07:00

We are back!!! We made it to terra firma with no more than the minor aches and pains of flying 13+ hours on your backside! Numb bums were definitely a problem! The cried like a baby when the kids ran outside and gae us such huge smiles and hugs and would not let us go for even one second the entire night until they went to bed! I shed many a tear while away missing them and thinking they would have had a brilliant time with us. Patrick has agreed that we will NEVER go away for so long without them again!!!!

Our trip was fantastic and I will attempt to tell the tale interspersed with the frolics of the kids while we were away.

Highlights:

Beijing-

Youth restaraunt: fantstic if your dieting or need to lose a bit of weight. The menu is about 10 pages long and by the time oyu get to the end you are soo not hungry. You jsut start thinking of how you can get uop and leave without anyone noticing. Standard dishes on offer included: Dog meat, sea cucumber (slug thing), pigs lungs, duck tongues, chicken feet, boneless chickenfeet thai style, roast chicken (head and feet and innards included I think they just defeather it and chuck it in the oven seriously), intestine, liver, any other offal you can imagine, preserved goose liver, jellied kidneys, and believe me I could go on and on....

Great Wall of China: immense, amazing, steep, phenomenal more about this later. Lovely views of farms and donkeys frolicking in the villages coming up to the section we visited, and then we passed the donkey meat processing plant.. plain rice and noodles for lunch again please!

more to come...

Kids went camping wiuth their Auntie Folly- Adam did anyway... Adam went iceskating... visited a farm.... discoed his rear off... and barely found time to speak to us in our daily phone calls.

Roar!!! (Part 2)

2009-03-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

As seen earlier, Carys had her face painted as a tiger for the Bowling Party. Since then, every night when I read her her current favourite story at bedtime, when we get to the part about the baby lion meeting the baby leopard, she points to her face and says she is a baby tiger and lets out a roar!

Patrick

Adam Ant

2009-03-29T15:09:00.001-07:00

DSC02375, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

I can't seem to get pictures from Flickr together in one blog post so please bear with me!

Roar!!!

2009-03-29T15:07:00.001-07:00

DSC02408, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Carys Bowling last weekend. She has her face painted as a Tiger.

Peck

2009-03-29T15:04:00.001-07:00

DSC02418, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

I was in bed on wednesday Morning and asked Carys to give me a kiss. She said no. we then started to play the "I will give you a kiss whether you like it or not game".... I relented and chagned tactic. "How about a peck on the cheek?" I asked.

What? asks Carys looking a bit confused.

" Go on.. give Mum a peck on the cheek" I encouraged persuasively.

Well.... Quick as a flash, her little hand lashed out and she slapped me across the cheek!

Moral of the story--- Make sure you know your kid understand what a peck is before you make her follow through!!

Hijacked!

2009-03-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

My Blog has been hijacked! See.. it is a sensitive subject (always gotta have the last word :-) ).

Adam sat at the computer last night doing his spelling words on Spellingcity.com. It is a great site for creating games and puzzles from his spelling lists. He just enters them online any and away he goes!

I have woken up at insane-o-clock (4:30 am) to get some work done because I want to have fun with my sweet sweet little girl today. We might go to the park.. or to the playspace or colour or play puzzles etc. Nearly vacation time and not too much further into the planning. We've decided what will be will be!

Nothing further to report.

over and out

2009-03-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

The problem is, Monica thinks that because the red light is on in the kitchen, then we must be burning gas, this is NOT the case. The red light only means that the timer is on and that if the water is below the required temperature, then and only then will the gas come on, it's thermostatically controlled, just like the heating. If it's warm enough, then the gas will not burn, even if the red light is on and dancing a jig in the kitchen!

Maybe one day she will understand.

Pet Peeves

2009-03-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

I am sure every has their onw little ways of doing things and one littel thing always seems to be a bone of contention in your house. Well, a major 'little' crazy driving thing we disagree on is the heating/hot water controls. Ee have lived in this house for 8 years and for that whole time we have disagreed over how often the hot water should heat and how many times the heating should come on. I flick it off, he flicks it back on, i flick it off, he flicks it on. Its like a game as to who see's that little red light on the control. Well.... we got a new control yesterday, ( because i broke the last one!) and not only has it got an option to program how many times it comes on in the day it now includes a seven day timer/ to control weekdays versus weekends..... or set each day differently if requuired. It has also got a holiday mode, isn't that great! (Sarcasm is trying to come through) What happend to the simple on and off switch? Mom.. I think those wood chopping skills would come in handy right now..... maybe the stoneage wasn't so bad after all!!

Anyone who knows Patrick will know that we are two opposites,, he loves the technical and programmable.. I don't ahy complicating something is necessary!

Moronic speller strikes again!

2009-03-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

The re-reading of my last post provided the inspiration for this posts title. Enough said.

I had a lovely call form my Dad this morning. After the normal prattle of "How's my grandkids?" question my Dad asks me

What are you doing?

I reply . " I am busy I don't have time to do much"

Dad. " DON'T have time. Whadya mean you don't have time? Your Mom had four kids and she still had time to chop wood, bring it in and make my dinner"

Hmmm... Mom I think that was a compliment.

Dad... your still living in the stone age.
There are now things such as central heating, internet, computers, TELEVISION, books stacked ceiling high, plumbing and microwaves.....

Love you!!!!

Get in Gear

2009-03-25T02:59:00.001-07:00

I have jsut been reminded that my blog is getting out of date (thank you folly for that kick up the backside.

We are running around like headless chickens in the Doherty house.

Carys has decided that now would be the BEST time to show her spirit and personality (translation : stubborness and frequent use fo the word NO). Adam has also chosen this time to *want* to sit down and do homework (positive step that needs nuturigng but at a time when deadlines are looming hard to please everyone!)

James has reached the stage where his tasks have become longer and 1.5 hours twice a week we have a cookery lesson followed by 2 hours study to catch up on schoolwork. And another hour a week to give him one to one time.

We have half-planned out trip to China (bearing in mind we leave next Tuesday).. we jsut discoverd that we booked the wrong days to take the train out of Beijing because for some reason they only leave on even days, this then has a knock on effect on taking the train out of shanghai because this train only goes to Hong Kong on even days in March but on odd days in april and then only every two days in May. Combined with the fact that we cannot buy these before we go and cannot find a travel agent who speaks ENglish to buy them for us before we leave may mean we have to thumb it the however many miles from beijing to hong kong only armed with flashcards in chinese that read "I can't eat mushrooms" and " wheres the toilet". i am NOt panicking at all as I am sure you can see.

We have yet to pack our bags.... or or do the laundry in order to have clean clothes to pack said bags. Our hallway still has no floor .... industrial driers and a dehumidifier ar still drying it out... I should have these on 24 hrs a day but can't stnd the noise so they are onfor more like 2 hours and I haven't submitted any quotes to the insurance to get the work on walls done nor have I been able to go and choose alternate flooring to put down. Result: Carys being lifted anytime she goes through the hallways as she does not like walking on black floors (coating on the cement) because they are " scary".

Yes anything black is now "scary" in Carys book thanks to her modelling the behaviour of her brother and the dark.

Adam is enduring hastily prepared packed lunches of "tuna" ( no mayo as I haven't any in the house), on croissants that nana sent up ( because I haven't been to the supermarket) and ryvita with jam as dessert (i don't have any biscuits sweets or crisps to give him). I really need to go to the grocery store!

This morngin I lost my care key.. in a somewhat overzealous search I broke the heating control thingy that controls our heating and hot water.. as a resutl noheatingor hot water until thats fixed.

A positive note to the mornign was Adam ( voluntarily, no coersion, pleading, stern loosk necessary) broguht donw his book " Horribke Henry adnthe babysitter" to take to school to read during quiet time. MY SON WANTS TO READ A BOOK!!!! I'd say thats progress!

Yesterday I have declared a no television rule. No television what-so-ever anymore!! The wails from that boy you'd think I cut off his arm. He went through tears, pity, guilt trip the lot in trying to get me to let him watch it. After an hour we were happily playing scrabble, painting, and doing homework. he can still play onthe Wii and the computer just no habitual, mind numbing televison that has too long been used as a pasttime for my children!

Carys loved her pretty dress this mronig soo much that she refused to wear it when she ate her breakfast/ too avoid gettinig it dirty.. then in the loo/ too avoid having to hike it out of the way... and then when we finally had it on her.. she declared she did not like it. She wore it anyway despite the kicking, rolling on the floor, and the limp spaghetti noodle status.

Last week ws MOTHERS DAY. Kids and Patrick were down south for Katy J's party so we are celebrating this Sunday.

I have got an essay to write and an exam to study for both due on Monday so me thinks packing/cleaning/washing/shopping/cooking/sanity will be out the window.

Now......a few minutes to get myself together .. to become an aura of clamness.... to get productive.... and start on my list.

(one more note... Adam is making his first holy communion on the 10th of May).

I love my kids and my husband so much! They have given up so much to support me in this and I truly do appreciate them!

kickin' it at 'La casa'

2009-03-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Today the kids spent the morning 'rockstyling'. Rockstyling defined means kickin it like a rockstar on the trampoline. Fearturing air guitar, 'the hustle', and a bum,tum, back bounce. Carys as you may guess did a low impact version and created a bend over and touch your toes adaptation. Lots of laughter, lots of fun.

Patrick took the kids off to an 'urban' farm and that scottish restaruant I am loathe to name at the risk of earning a 'Razzie' award for child nutrition.

Carys and Adam saw the ducks, donkey, turkeys, sheep and pigs and a good time was had by all. I was stuck in a library finishing up some work.. blah!!!!

Patrick be going out on pub crawl this evening so I will have the night to myself. woo woo

Pictures to follow.

Parenting

2009-03-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

Adam is giving me gray hair, wrinkles, worry warts and sleepless nights. He is going in a direction I don't think is good for him and I don't know how to turn him around. He's 7, not the end of the world, he's just starting out on the whole life ladder. What worries me is that life, even for little kids, isn't always kind. How can you tell him so that he understands that the reason the kids don't want to play with him is because its always go to behis way. If its not the tears start and he stomps home crying no one likes him. He HAS to be the ringleader, his ideas, his execution, his rules (that are changed ona second pe secodn basis).
He is never wrong. Adam: the sky is blue, Mum: the sky is grey today, Adam mum why did you make me say blue.. hello, its your eyes that are the problem not my psychic ability that fixes yur answer before it comes out of your mouth.

He always has to have the last word. He doesn't like to do his hoeowrk and he has a bad attitude when he has to do somethin he doesn't want to do. He does not listen.

I truly do not want to put this down as a 'phase' all boys go through nor do I want to break his 'spirit' becaause as we all know Adam has had some of these characteristics since birth! Have I given him too many choices? Have our boundaries fallen by the wayside or are there too many? Have we not been giving him enough time? I truly want a happy little boy without and not concentrate too much on all the rules.

I'm up a few barriers as well. I am going to have to go back to basics with routines and might just throw away the television.

Tennis pro

2009-03-08T08:02:00.002-07:00

Its been a looong week. Me and the kids have partyed hard ( pillow fights, rolling off the beds, water fights), shredded up the dance floor (living room break dancing and a sock hop), had international cuisine (£0.99p pizza, chicken kievs, chinese, beans on toast), and staged our own 1st annual olympics ( trampoline headstands, mop relays, sweepathon). All this funa nd we evenhad time for some interior design--- the removal of the "Irish Lace" (cobwebs) from those high up places.

The kids have bee as good as gold. Yes we have had our boughts of fighting, biting, yelling, crying, whining but theyhave been intertwined with laughing, hugging, loving and fun!

Highlights have included Carys runnign and jumping into her brothers arms saying "Adam, my love you" and Adam saying " Mum, its okay you stay in bed and I'll get our breakfast and call you in ten minutes!"

Lowlights have included Carys dropping her drawers and mooning me a la Bart Simpson (complete with wiggle) and Adam stomping about Its not fair.. why do I have to be bored! and always having to have the last word.

Adam's been to beavers/ football/tennis/ a birthday party/ had a lesson with his tutor and a mate over to play. Carys has been to Ria's, playgroup, and stuck to her mommas side.

We rounded off the week with a fabulous morning of tennis- (if you can call what I do as playing tennis).

Tonto is back tonight! :-)

2009-03-08T08:02:00.001-07:00

Lone Ranger

2009-03-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Lone Ranger reports again! Patrick has gone off and left me with two little rascals and a teenager with 'man flu'. Patrick has gone off to a training course for the week and won't be back until next Sunday 5pm. The kids and I went to see him off a the train station. They promised their dad they would be good and this lasted all of 30 minutes! James has been 'dying' for the last three weeks. I have never seen such a drama queen. He had a cold, then a cough, then a sore throat, then dizziness, then a sore hand, then a headache.. the list continues. We might be able to start up a soap opera here!

Adam is not often in one place long enough to get him in a picture. I always seem to be posting pictures of Carys but he tuly is like a worm and you can never find him when I have the camera!

Carys sporting her first real braids.

Rollerblading videos

2009-02-26T06:24:00.000-08:00

sickness and fun

2009-02-26T05:23:00.000-08:00

LAst week was the Adams half-term week so no school!! His grandma and kim came up to spend the week becasue I still had to go to school! They spent the week wreaking havoc whereever they went; park, beach, wacky warehouse, lidl, asda (adam really wanted to go to tesco), and lidl. Carys had two days at Ria's and then the rest of the week with her nana and adam and kim.

Adam FINALLY learned to use his rollerblades. He roped in Carys to help him.

the school called me on Monday and I had to go pick Adam up. He had a a high temperature and was snotty. So we had all day in bed with a DVD. Tuesday I woke up with a sorethroat and a cold! Carys is gettign chesty again! Patrick is off to London next week so I will be on my own with the two rascals.

I have completed our VISA applications and all systems are go for china! Patrick has started jumping up and down with glee already! We were booking hotels in Hong Kong when he *realised* that the time we are there coincides with the worlds BIGGEST electronics fare in the world! He also just *happened* to find a hotel for us to stay in right across the street from the exhibition center. Hmmmm... something fishy going on here I think!

Parental Controls

2009-02-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Parentl Controls on a computer might be a contentious issue to those in society who claim it to be an abuse of childrens rights however, in this house parental controls is used to limit computer time for Adam. He logs in under his id and once his hour or two hours is up, it locks kicks him off of it. Similarly, it is used to keep James off of some of the more mature sites on the internet.. you know, the ones seventeen year old boys are likely to visit if given the opportunity. So yeah, I am all for the use of Parental Controls. Keep reading, this post has a point.

I go to log on to the PC the other week and try to load up my favourite social networking website, facebook, and it wouldn't load! I tried and tried, and evenutally had to resort to phoning tech support (ie Patrick) who told me I was spending far too much time on it when I should be studying so he took it upon himslef to put ME on parental controls! He has blocked the facebook site from our home network and I don't have the knowhow to reverse! HELP!!!!

carys ironing

2009-02-15T03:41:00.001-08:00

Carys ironing.
Carys was being very helpful this morning. She decided to help me iron the mountain of clean clothes that has taken over our dining room table. Together, we pledged a oath to banish the laundry demons that have prevented us from USING our dining room table to actually eat on for since Thursday! Not to mention an imminent visit from the M.I.L, arrivign with the gorgeous Kimberly to visit for the week. Carys and Adam spent the whole night in their own beds .. wee heee!!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

2009-02-14T00:33:00.000-08:00

Happy valentines day!!! Thank you NiNA Cessie for all the sweeties... we have gone through most of them but will be having the hearts today!!!

I haven't done any sticking and pasting for valentines this year but hope to change that this morning.

The boys are asleep. so me and carys willwork on something constructive

Waking up is hard to do!

2009-02-12T23:51:00.000-08:00

This week has been a mish-mash of runnign around playing catch-up.

Not once have I been able to crawl out of bed before 7:50 am. This not good. Patrick can stealthily awake at 7, leave the house for half past 7 and I am still snoring ... none the wiser. What's even more worrying is that my children are sleeping in with me! I mean .. I used to count on them to be my alarm clock... I am ACTUALLY gonna have to set one!

Patrick has the right idea. If you are awake, and the kids are not, then you HAVE to practise you secret agent skills because they hear every squeak. So Patrick, you must be ready for MI-5 Agent 008.

The kids are eating cereal right now. I want to try giving them a hot breakfast. But it does not always happen. I am hunting for clothes, school uniforms , library books, and PE kits!

Adam stayed home yesterday, he had a cold, so we dropped Carys off at playgroup and then played BEN-10 top trumps.

I have had to tighten the waistband on all of Adam's trousers. He has lost weight, so Nina... all those lovely softish trousers you sent fall off him!

Saturday morning Music

2009-02-08T00:06:00.000-08:00

When I was grwoing up I used to both look forward to and dread the Garcia Saturday Morning. My parents thought that Saturday meant get up early and work whereas I thought (along with everyother sane being) that Saturday meant a day for sleeping in and rest. Noooo.... my Saturdays often began with a rooster (my father) cock-a-doodle-doing at the top of his lungs in and out of all our bedrooms, followed by a wake-up wake-up wake-up. Next minute you'd hear the Tex-Mex pumping out of the stereo. To get a taste of our torture go to http://texmexfm.com/index.php/stations/texmex-fm-albuquerque-nm/

My dad would swing his hips around the house singing aloud at the top of his lungs. Rolling over and falling back to sleep was not an option.

The music would be on all morning while everyone did their chores... sometimes we were even able to change the radio station when Dad would go do something outside. Mom would put on the soul legends from the 70's.

I'm posting this now as I sit with my aching hips and legs due to all the dancing we got up to yesterday! We had a classic Garcia Saturday.. the music was on high and we were bopping about the house to the Party Hits of the Sixties.

Carys was practising her hip rolls and Adam's dancing consisted of his sliding up and down the hallway and ninja rolls off the sofas.

Patrick and I took turns providing the Karaoke!

Shoulda' known better....

2009-02-05T06:32:00.001-08:00

To all you 'put it off today coz I can do it tomorrow' people. DON@T.

I am so in trouble!

1. Carys has NOT been accepted into school. The school has been oversubscribed. Dunno what to do! Muggins here left it to the last minute( although there was no deadline date or anything!!) to submit forms and some mothers put there kids down before their kids are born!

2. As a result of the above Carys might not have a childminder.... as hers will not be able to pick her up from another school. I wonder if I can take Carys on placement with me?

3. My car insurance expired on the 25th Jan and they renewed it automatically at an insanely high price.... which I have to pay for the last 10days!!! Believe me its canceled now!

4. I received a court summons today for a driving offence I committed last August. I paid my fine but 'forgot' ( it is still on the desk, sealed in an envelope and addressed to the ticket office and has been since Sept last year) to send my driving license in to be endorsed. Have been on the phoen to sort that out.

5. Had I done what I shoulda when I was supposed to I would have been able to do some uni work rather than become a stress head.

6. I had to call and cancel a dentist appointment yesterday last minute because I forgot I'd made it and I had to be somewhere else. I'll be lucky if I don't get dropped off the list!

Yes, I have a diary. I am great at writing things in it.... not so great doing what it tells me to do!

Can i have a psychoanalysis please?

Carys was tired today..... she is in bed. She had yogurt and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. She chose it.. I just made it.

I'm gonna go read my Barack Obama book, I have nothing else to do today that can't be done tomorrow... JUST KIDDING!

2009-02-04T02:46:00.000-08:00

Found this today in my web travels.....

"My mother was a good mother, but she didn’t really believe in keeping house. She had grown up in a family of New York bohemians who believed that a clean house was the sign of a wasted mind. Keeping house was viewed as an exercise in futility which, ultimately, it is."

I like to think Adam would say this about me one day... :-).

photos to 'little miss carys' take on little miss muffet

2009-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

These were photos I could not upload the other day!

Adam and I had our computer class today. The school has a class for kids and their parents to work on the computer. Our first session a sew weeks ago was on designing a front cover in word art.... Adam enjoyed it. i was suprised today when we revisited word 2007 he remembered excatly how to do it!! We made greeting cards and played science related games on the internet. Their are about 10 kids and a mixture of mums dads and grandparents. It is good to see such a variety of 'carers' taking part in the lives of the kids.

I seem to have to give some people in my neck of the norhtwest some credit. In an era of 'close you doors and don't speak to your neighbour' attitude I have met some really nice people recently. There may yet be a future for society.

On the snow front..... it all melted.

One to three and one two three

2009-02-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

I bought a dvd from tesco the other day...

I watched it.....

I nearly pee'd myself laughing as I did so... Leticia Dean looks like she's constipated the whole way through!

I just couldn't do anything for laughing....

I will try again tomorrow minus the hysterics!

SNOWFLAKES ON MY NOSE

2009-02-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

As I have deadlines looming it is fitting that I choose now to blog about past events in the hope of putting off the inevitable exercise fo the grey matter that constitutes my brain!

French week at school was entertaining. Adam learned the french alaphabet song and how to count to ten. We put on a french cafe and the kids were introduced to chocolate crepes, croissants, pan a chocolat, brioche and madelaine cakes. Adam was fo course interested in the cakes.

Carys spent the afternoon stealing marshmallows aff everyones plate I spent the time pretending I hadn't seen her.... It was easier to let people think she was never fed rather than say no and eithyer 1. cause a tantrum or 2. spend the rest of the afternoon chasing her away from food. Irresponsible parenting maybe.. but hey...everyone needs a day off sometime. :-).

Its SNOWING.... proper confetti, cornflake shaped snowflakes that are sticking! Nothing like those of New MExico's standards but its is so exciting! I love the feel of snowflakes on my nose. It started snowing last night and driving home at about midnight, I had the pleasure of makign the first tracks through the streets! There is something so fiendish about messing up a blank.. serene looking canvas that was our street! I am writing with glee as I recall those moments my tires crunched the snow... you know the sound... its that thunk thunk... fab!!! I understand now why some toddlers just HAVE to scribble on a wall..... Carys.. if you only knew.. you've just been given liscence for free for all on the walls in our house!!

Hola! Bienvenido!!

2009-02-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

Hola a todos esta manana! Estoy escribiendo en espanol porque patricio me ha comprado una computadora 'laptop'. Supongo que debe a la práctica porque estoy perdiendo! se puede decir que ha comprado para mí, pero lo que realmente significa es que lo encontró en su escritorio bajo una montaña de basura! Mom I have forgotten how to pronounce that word that means junk... its goes something like.. garrero???? Anyway I coudl have made that up!

Kids are fine. patrick took them to Burger King for lunch and to play in their 'play pen'. They had fun.

2009-01-31T14:56:00.000-08:00

Whoa there .. don't all rush to comment on my lil ole blog. I kinda like blogging to myself. Its is only in deerence to those out there who 'might' moan that I spend as much time as I do correctingmy spellig mistakes and check-ish my grammar. Poof to you! My brain flys faster than my fingers so its no wonder they haven't time to catch up!

A little adapted nursery rhyme to sum up this am....

Little Miss Carys
sat eating her breakfast
sharing with Upsy Daisy and Pumpkin Pez
Along came a brother
and sat down beside her
and all hell broke loose once again!

THE END

pictures were taken but slow to upload. i have no patience and patrick is hovering like a hwak for some PC time.. so I'll do it later ...

("seeing how Monica has her own 2 Pcs and she still insists on using mine".. Patrick Doherty)

addendum to previous post

2009-01-30T13:32:00.000-08:00

I am not a moron. I know how to spell. Spoell checker not working and I was too lazy to correct my own errors!

I got a telephone call and am over the moon....

I am soo PROUD of James. He had his review today in school and his feedback was GLOWING!

His confidence has grown in leaps and bounds and he has a bright future ahead of him. WELL DONE MATE, your cheering squad will always be here for you! woo hooo...

I go to schoooolllllll

2009-01-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

Carys' new favourite phrase. " I gooo too scoooollll!" I go to school. yes she does! Carys started her playgroup last week. She goes Wed Thur and Fri morning at the local Methodist Church. She does look a little too small to be going and at 2.5 I do feel she mega guilty for sending her. She goes to sing songs. read stories and play with about 10 other 2.5 to 3 year olds. It can't be too bad right? I have turned her applicaiton form in to Scared Heart last week so I hope she gets accepted for Septmeber. For some reason subscriptions are at a peak for Catholic schools so I hope she gets in. It can only help that Adam already goes there... I think it gives you more of a chance if they have a brother or sister there already.

Carys got herself dressed this mroning. Black woollen tights, denim overall dress, green longsleeve T-shirt with a black/dayglo orange halloween shirt over that. oh and brown princess boots ( they are brown suede with a princess cameo on the front and yellow flowers down the side) I hope she never loses her 'eclectic' style. So what if she doesn't conform ehh??? Adam on the other hand needs to lose the " My school shirt is okay to wear 5 days on the trot.. the ketchup/dirt/juice/yogurt remnants don't matter" attitude. Poor thing he is taking my economy drive so seriously. He has appointed himself " Electricity Man" with the responsibility of turning off all redundant lights... he thinks if he wears his clothes longer the less we have to wash hence the washing machine can stay off longer!!! His logic is there.. but Adam.. NOOOOOO... clean clothes please! He is a miser in the making!

Anyway.. blogging get me into trouble.... I have been sat here with reading to do and I have visited no less then 5 blogs and typed my own contribution to blog-world. Its time for me to go. Au-revior (kids had french week in school thsi week but mreo about that later!)

back from the land of the living.

2009-01-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, as I am sure you noticed, I took a littel hiatus from blogging. A sabbatical of sorts as I was behind on EVERYTHING and had a lot of catching up to do. Had I 'popped' in to blog I would have stayed logged in and trwaled.. and trawled and trawled blogville. I have NO willpower as evidenced by the my physical state on the best of days!

January has gone by a bit too quickly. The come down after the holidays was cold turkey. The sure sharp shock of deadlines, musical rooms and no sleep has taken it's toll., and the everpresent aura of doom and gloom hasn't helped either.

January run down:

Maren came to visit form Sheffield *originally edgewood, NM

Adam moved out of his room and slept in with us for a few weeks

Eugenes *brother in laws* 50 birthday bash in Slough

Deadline for uni assignments

Carys crawling in to our bed every night

Grandfather passed away

Sightseeing in London

Getting Adam to sit down and do his literacy homework

Car went Kaput.. but brakes fixed

Mersey tunnels raised the toll cost AGAIN

reborn determination to use as LITTLE gas and electricity as possibel to save money

Reborn determination to cook more and eat out less to save money... hmm indian on sunday night, fish and chips last night, Costco baked potatoes tonight....need to revisit this one

Furiously planning trip to CHINA in April.

Sneaking off at every opportune moment to get some UNI reading done. If I never see another book on social work practice/ social policy/ and Law...... I don;t know how many times I start my sentences off with this.

How can I learn and retain Law whenI have attila the hun and his sidekick running circles around me?

Look.. I am going to have to go... Patrick has fallen asleep in the bath AGAIN... I can hear his snores from down here!!

Monica, Patrick, Carys, Adam and James are fine...

Happy Birthday!!! watch this one first

2009-01-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Happy b-day party for nina and Tio Danny..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

2009-01-24T16:20:00.001-08:00

To Nina Cessi and Tio Danny... may your birthays be lovely and bright! We had a party without you... but your painted standins had a great time!

Love yous

winter tales

2008-12-31T09:21:00.000-08:00

My kids are on their way back to momma. They spent the last few days with Patrick at his mums house. I stayed home as I had James to look after and Maren arrived to stay as well. Maren is a welcome addition as she is from NEW MEXICO and its nice to speak 'american' again!

We are out to a friends tonight for New Years eve for charades, picitonary, poker and party food!!!!

Today we peaked at 2degrees celcius.. thats 35 degrees fahreheit and tonight we will get to about -6 degrees or 20 degrees fahreheit for the American contingent who reads this blog.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and everyone have a safe night!

tinseltown

2008-12-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

these legs are made for walking and thats just what they'll do. These legs are gonna wlak allover you! I am trying to organize some neighbourhood caroling. Consisting of us.. the neighbours kids and any stragglers we pick up on the way.. around the block.. singing as many carols as we can.

I'll have to learn some words first!

We were successfull in our turkey hunt and have a lovely ten-pounder for the BIG day. Last of the wrapping has been done and Adam had an epiphany and said... aww man.. I should have asked for a bike! Needless to say.. santa might not get hi a bike as it may be a bit difficult to get one so late on.

Merry Christmas!!

too late to blog

2008-12-19T09:22:00.001-08:00

Hi... blogging halted due to the xmas/term end/PTA meltdown.
Nah... just couldn't be bothered!
Kiddos ar efab. Sickness gone.. except CArys who has a sore head....
Adam has done his rounds of school/beavers/football christmas parties so next week we shoudl be able to enjoy the xmas season.
I have done NO baking. No recipe gathering. No food shopping. So it will be interesting goign to Tesco with thousands of others and vying for that same turkey!!!

photos on flickr. don't forget to look.

Christmas cards are off!

2008-12-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

I did it! I have managed two firsts today!
1. I actually got the christmas cards mailed off on time!!! Yes ... you should all ahve an actual christmas card rather than an e-card or no card at all!!! for those of you whom I do not know the address... too bad. I have sent cards care of other people whose address I do know!

2. I am really proud of this one. Someone will be getting their birthday card ON TIME>>>EVEN EARLY.... mind you there is nothing in it ... but hey IT IS A CARD ON TIME! Have the tables turned? Is this the start of something new?

Adam had a great time at Beavers Christmas Party, we got ther early to pick him up and were just in time to add Carys to the 'see Santa line'. She was dead excited... jumping up and down with glee... peeping out the side of the line to see him at the top... she's then catch me looking and bring her hands up to her mouth like a squirrel does when he's furiously workign at opening a nut! Anyway.... she got all the way to Santa..... he reached out to hand her a present.... she turned around superfast and took off runnign towards me!! Adam collected her present in her stead!

The lights are on the outside of the house... no pictures yet but they will come.

Happy Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-06T05:41:00.001-08:00

Dsc01310, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Hi!!! Patrick and I tried to get a nice formal xmas photo.. after an hour and countless attempts... we have this!!! all other rejects are on Flicker.. there are some nice ones there as well.

Adam and Carys had a great tiem deocrating the tree. Me and Patrick of course moved half of 84 baubles from the bottom half of the tree to event he thing out.

We still have a box of christmas decorations missing in the loft, Patrick swears he cannot find them btu I would NOT have thrown out our stockings and garlands and snowglobes!!

He is gone to Manchester for the weekend and will be back sometime late tomorrow.

Adam has a party at Beavers this afternoon, so me Carys and Cameron ( I am lookig after him until 6) will chill out in front of the TV watching XMAS Movies!!!

HOLA

2008-12-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

Hi ...

I'm finsihed feelign srry for myslef and have jumpd right in to the Christmas spirit! Todya was the last day of term for me wee heee! One final assignment to finsih and then 6 weeks of no UNI!

We have had a lot of sickness. It all began when Carys got a nasty cold/cough/runny nose/sore throat thing the first week of November. then Adam got chicken pox, then Adam got impetigo and it was really gross. His skin was like eating itself.... gross. it is super contagious so Adam had to stay off school. And this week Carys comes out in it. So she is now on antibiotics and bacterial cream and all sorts to get rid of hers. It isn't as bad as Adams got because we knew what it was.

Santa's letters have gone off. Carys lieks everythign she sees on telly and Adam would be happy with a new tree to climb.

We got a real christmas tree this year, its the first real one since 1998 when I moved to England !!! December 16th 1998!!!!

I got a littel bit carried away because this tree touches the ceilign and is about as wide round as a 4 seater table. We have some 'pruning' to do to get it to fit in the corner of our not-so-big living room!

Gotta go... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

No thanksgiving wishes

2008-11-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

2008-11-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Spotty still has his spots, he also has a few infected spots as well, and to top it off he has an infection in his eye (we can only presume from touching his infected sports and then rubbing his eye). Carys on the other hand (being female) is stubbornly refusing to get chicken pox even though she is in direct contact with lots of children who have it.

Apart from that life still goes on in the Doherty household as normal.

Patrick.

Chicken Pox

2008-11-14T04:01:00.000-08:00

Adam has chicken pox. Diagnosis confirmed this morning. He has been telling me for the last three days he feels sick and couldn't go to school. What did I do? Sent him to school everday! Well this mornignhe woke up with blisters on face, torso, mouth. Oops. He is fine, in bed upstairs. It took jsut an hour for him to start saying "I'm bored!"

I'm updating, I'm updating.. don't yell at me!

2008-11-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Just thoguht I'd get that title in there before I got an e-mail form the powers that be to 'update my blog... to send me pictures..... to e-mail and not call coz its cheaper' . You know you know who I mean.

Haven't blogged in a week. Been busy. Kids got back from Slough in one piece.. I never doubted it... honest :-) Patricks and kids had a fab time without me! I am such a sap. I called everyday sometimes twice. Next April is going to kill me!

Carys is exerting her control... and is still refusing to 'perform' on demand.... i.e potty time. But hey.. she is showing us that she has a colourfull personality.

James and I chilled out last weekend. He had a friend stay over so there was still noise about. I think that helped with the kid-sickness. (play on homesickness.. get it?).

Carys has a cold.. again. Measles is on the rie here in the northwest, so I am keeping her away from playgroups until I get her MMR up to date.. which I can never do... because she is sick all the time! We rescheduled for next Monday so fingers crossed.

Adam is a hoot. I eavesdroppped on his conversation with his little friend.

C. Life is boring
A. Why?
C. Don't know, jsut is.
A. Don't worry. It won't always be boring.
C. Why not?
A. Coz soon you can grow up and stay hoem all day and watch the football match on T.V. ALL DAY LONG
C. No you can't. You have to work. How will you get money?
A. The wife will work!
C. WHAT?!
A. The wife will work and give you money. You can stay home all day and watch telly. So you won't be bored.

Mom.. THE WIFE WILL WORK? where did you get that idea?
A. Its only fair. Dad goes out to work like 5 days a week for like 7 hours a day..and you only work whenever you feel like it... for like an hour. So it is only fair that the wife works and the dad stays home too.

I feel sorry for Adams future wife. It is interesting though that he see's this as a 'fairness' issue rather then the normal taught wife nurturer and male provier.

ITCHY FEET

2008-11-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

Hi.

Patrick took the kids down to his mother's Thursday night. So I have had no Carys... no Adam.. and no Patrick. :-(. I am missing my family.

I couldn't go. James needed to stay.. not enoguh time to put together a contingency plan.... will have to plan better for next time.

So what have I done with my three days of freedom? Mope... watch chick flicks (27 dresses and made of honour) .. ate popcorn felt sorry for myself.. moped... watched CSI.... studied.

no dancing on the ceiling for me!!!

BONFIRE Night

2008-11-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is bonfire night. An evening of blasts and sparks of light above. The displays we have around here are nice. I am sure we will nip out at some point tomorrow night to se some and of course let our fireworks. i am such a cheapskate and get like the cheapest pack of fireworks for effect because the kids are so easily amused. I mean Adam gets excited to see a leaf on the driveway!! Carys is going to be enamoured with them though!

We are headed down for a proper carnival and firework display on Saturday night at mum-in-laws. I have made sure and COMPLETED my report for class (due Monday) so we could enjoy the weekend as a family. This summer was really hectic, and then this school term took off pretty much straight away.

Adam's first day back to school today after half-term. i got the normal answer to my how was your day question? hmmm.. i can't remember!! So i suppose all is well on that front.

Patrick made Chilli tonight. James is out at the moment and the simpsons is blaring in the background.

life..... nothing like it! :-)

Dean Garcia

2008-11-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAN!!!!!

HApe you had a FABulous PArty yesterday!!

trick or treat

2008-11-01T00:41:00.001-07:00

DSC00487, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Our halloween photo for this year. Kids had a good time and did not feel the cold while out trick or treaing. Loads morepictureson flickr. don't be lazy... go and look.

Kids had a little party inthe house before we went out and we had a haunted hallway, treasure hunt, guess whats in the box and build a skeleteon games.

Next year we are going to have a 'nice' halloween. This is the first year I gone around with the kids. It is usualy patrick.. and I stay home and give out candy. This year we left a bowl of candy on the front step for people to help themselves until we got back. Anyway.. all that were out were little witches, skeletons, werewolfs, zombies, wizards, hatchetmen and vampires. It is all the stores sell here. . Not sure how I felt about that. I saw ONE happy trick or treat costume in the form of Krutsty the Clown. There is a very big 'fancy dress' market but it is seen as something for everyday dressing up play rather than for halloween. So next year I am going for a happy medium!

Someone ran into the back of my car on Wednesday night. The kids and I are fine. The other car is a write off... it's front end crumpled like an accordion. My car is repariable and will be taken away to get fixed next week. I have a courtesy car until it is sorted.

dancing queen and disco inferno

2008-10-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Carys's video is of her dancing.. Patrick caught her getting groovy. The boys Adam and friend Cameron had a halloween disco for school. They were vampires. Adam will be a skeleton for halloween this friday his NINa sent him a costume and a 'bleeding heart'.

sleep-eyed chickens

2008-10-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

I foung this among randomly uploaded pictures to our flickr account. Patrikck got a new camera last week as is messign around with taking ALOT of pictures. i particularly liek the way Cary's eyes look in this one. Yes the office in the background is a mess... but did you expect anything different! adam got his hair cut yesterday, I could not stand the mop that wsa on his head for another day. adam's hair does not get long and flatten.... it gets really poofy like a backcombed beehive. Thankfully no bees came out of it when it was shorn! He does not have lovely curly locks like his cousin Dean.

I am getting on wiht my uni work. very difficult assignments coming up but i am enjoying the reading... although should be doing much more than I am!

I am seriously starting a diet tomorrow. I am not eating nearly enough fruit and don't htink I am getting all my vitamins.... I don't have supplements so I will have start eating mega fruit and veg.

I have included a picture of Ad the Man wiht his lovely new do.

Tennis

2008-10-25T23:57:00.001-07:00

DSC00176, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

Here is a picture of Adam as of last week. He hasn't grown much has he? He is on a "I will eat anything 24 hours a day" growth spurt but nothing but his belly is growing! He is goign to start playing twice a week becasue he really enjoysit that much.

|We have a new young person living with us now. He moved in last Tuesday evening.

Clocks went back this morning. I forgot, so we woke up at 6 am (ummm I htought it was 7).

"the only thing you should put in your ear is your elbow!"

2008-10-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Quote above from one of Patrick's dickensian teachers a la knockbeg. He is right you know! I haven't been able to hear properly out of my left ear for about a week now. So I thought I had a little wax problem to deal with. After poking with a q0tip, i am still left with a tender ear and still not hearing any better. This morning woke up to a spinning room, feeling really dizzy. Went to the quack this afternoon and it seems i have an inner ear problem.... and vertigo as a symptom he gave me tablets for the nausea. Shoulda listened to mom..... don't put anything in your ear!!!!

Carys was next door during my convalescence this morning in bed. Adam at school.

autumn leaves

2008-10-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

Adam is fixed with the term 'autumn leaves'. I think it must be somethignthey talked about in school becasue its autumn leaves this and autumn leaves that! He had his session with his tutor. he is soo into Pokemon cards! They sit and have whole lessons on Pokemon, adding up scores, reading about the different Pokemon, planning battle strategies, why does water beat fire? How does it evolve... etc. (pokemon stuff i don't understand it). Santa will have to bring some pokemon cards.

Little carrots is a beauty. My sister called me today and told me about the biz in the USA.

Nothing else to report.

Full nights sleep at last!

2008-10-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone slept in their respective beds last night.. all night! We had lovely nights sleep so why am I so tired this morning?
Adam is reading a bit better. He no longer cringes at the thought of reading a book. He is doing well on his spellings. He tells me he is getting 10/10 correct, and he does when he practise's at home. Tonight is parents night at school so we'll speak to his teacher and find out if all is well.

Carys is experiencing the not so terrible yet twos. She flings herself on the floor, its really funny. But she can tell us what she wants so her frustration isn't complete. We are going out today, its raining, and blah outside, but we will still go to a playgroup I think! I need some tiem out of the house. Carys painted a picture for me yesterday at Ria's. Bu it is was still wet so I couldn't bring it home.

Adam's bike has disappered from our front garden. I hope it turns up.

there were 4 in a bed and the big one said......

2008-10-11T03:15:00.000-07:00

ROLL OVER, ROLL OVER!!!! It was four in a bed night last night. Firstly, Adam asks if he could sleep in our bed. P agreed. We try not to let the kids sleep in our bed because it becomes habit forming and we can't cope with the aches and pains of morning form being pinched, kicked, prodded, jumped on... and all the rest that adds up to no sleep. Well, Carys has had cold and has ended up in our bed nearly every night the latter half of last week. So we said that Adam could sleep with us. About 4am the little hellion (aka Carys Cecilia Doherty) wandered it with her blankets, toys and books in tow. she was not the teeniest bit happy that her brother was in their with us. We fumbled along for about an hour. Every single one of us moving this way and that, turning over, pushing an arm or foot or a face out of the way. About 6:30 Me and Carys defected to the spare bedroom. By this time she was awake ... and Mr Sandman was nowhere to be found. P got up about 7:30 and went downstairs with her... she was at this stage unable to utter anything but the word 'eat.eat...eat..eat..eat..eat..eat..eat...eat.'

Adam joined him at 8:30.. and I rolled out at 10 am !!!! Patrick has a lie in tomorrow while we go to church! I clenae dthe hosue this morning.

that was our morning...

sponginess

2008-10-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Carys has discovered the squidgy, spongy, pokiness of her tummy. She can officially 'pinch an inch'. The health visitor assures me that she is in proportion, so not to worry. I think I have a hang up about her weight, and about things I have been reading about that says an overweight toddler will grow up with a weight problem and be an overweight adolescent, and then adult. I don't want that for her.

You worry constantly about those you care about; your kids, husband, families, friends, friends of firends, the lady on the commercial whose advertising that perfume, the little children on the NSPCC commercials etc... So maybe I take it a bit too far! P calls me a worry wort.

I'm afraid that is rubbing off on Adam. He is really sensitive. The smallest thing will worry him. He's battling with his Oedepus complex at the moment and I so want him to grow up with a well balanced psyche and not 'mess with his head'. (You can tell I am studying psychology!)

The content of the blog is my thoughts and feelings ... .. you probably won't understand them.. i jump from topic to topic and one sentence might have no correlation to the sentence before it...

We need to find a way to channel stress and worry in this house without an outward show of emotion, but are we doing more damage to ourselves by not showing that emotion? I think we have to look for help. All is not well in the Doherty household. Our marriage is in trouble or will be if we can't sort it out, we are having problems communicating, I worry about the levels of stress P is under, he keeps everything so tightly controlled that he is going to pop. I worry he has no one to talk to. He keeps everything hidden away. I worry I have no one to talk to. I worry we take things out on each other and this starts the cycle again. He buries things away a bit deeper, I express a bit louder. I worry about the social development of our children considering we both have major issues ourselves. I worry about showing unconditional love. I worry my inability deal with my feelings of guilt. I worry that I do feel guilty. I worry that P will make himslef ill. I worry about whether people like me or not. I worry that P is unable to express his feelings of love. I worry about spending so much time worrying about other people that I can't sort out the worry's pertaining to my own family. I worry about keeping everyone happy and talking to each other. I worry about family dynamics. I worry about the state of the non nuclear family system in Britain and my inability to stop comparing it to one which is ideal in my own head. I worry that my expectations are too high. I worry about doing more harm than good in my chosen profession. I worry about making things worse for P. Of being a barrier rather than a partner? I worry that I will not be able to learn the skill of switching off (in my chosen profession). I sooo need to learn that one sooner rather than later.

I worry why admitting we are in dire need of something makes me feel ashamed. That we are opening ourselves up to criticism. That we have had a shameful secret kept from the world around us. These feeligns are unwarranted I know, but are there nonetheless.

Explaining our feelings to ourselves is difficult enough, especially when there is no rhyme or reason in them, trying to explain them to someone else so that they can understand is that much harder. My feelings are my feelings, my interpretations of myself and the way I see things, there is no right or wrong....just emotions to work through. P would probably have a whole different view.

Midnight wake up call

2008-10-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Carys will soon be dry overnight (I hope). Last night I sprang to attentionto the cry from the next room.. "Potty , mama, Potty" She did her business andthen went back to bed. Woo Hoo! Adam has become the neighborhood ringleader. It's him and his mates swaggering 'round the pond wearing 'sensible' plain T-shirts and toting the ultimate bad boy accessory ... yeah a bike. Priceless.

tripe!

2008-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Reading that last post makes life sound so trivial. So "the sun is shining and rainbows everywhere" , how trite. Have you ever had a disappointment so deep that you physically threw up? Ever thought you shouldn't have got your hopes up? Ever thought that YES! it was maybe finally your turn to be picked first? Ever thought why bother? I tend not to think that way..... or if I do i tend to internalize it and paste smile on my face and carry on skipping. Today's been a hard day to skip over. Having put my hopes into one thing and then it falling through...its alot to bear. I always seem to be waiting.. , maybe I should just grow up. Forgive and forget. The first is easier than the last, while I am at it maybe I should just learn to forgive myself. I mean, I'm the one who left, I made my bed. I have to lie in it. I never knew it would be this hard. famous last words eh? Definition of family; a great big mexican hooohaaa... not a stiff upper lip.

to the hoohaaa's .. Love you & missing you

Bliss

2008-09-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hectic week this past one was! I am officially a full-time student! yeah for me. Why I am doing this to myself at such a fraught time in our lifes is a mystery to me. I'll give you some advice. Anytime you are thinkingabout of a career change... STOP... Don't do IT! It's not that easy!!! But I suppose if it was easy then everybody woudl be happy, there will be no one stuck ina rut and therefore no one forme to practice my new career on! I am a little over-whelmed by the pace of the last week or so. Having Adam go to school is a normal occurence, but Carys now goes to the Childminder (babysitter) 2 days and stays with my friend the one day while I am in University. Patrick is working here there and everywhere and Adam's social life has taken over my afternoons!

Patricks mom has been here for the last week and it has been a massive help; she's washed, ironed, cleaned, babysat, pruned the garden, entertained my husband, made fantastic dinners and puddings (roast pork, soup, apple crumble, bananna custard, homemade bread). She goes home on Thursday so It's Do-or Die time then.

Carys has become so independant. She doesn't want you to help her at all! She likes to do it all herself. She does however, still thorugh tantrums if she doesn't get what she wants quick enough!

Another funny thing, I call Patrick "honey" as in "honey, you can come help" or "honey, dinners ready" or "honey, whatcha doing?". So Carys has been mimicking me and has started calling her dad "honey". She'll be shouting "honey" and she's calling her dad. Its pretty funny.

Nibbly nim died a warm death on Friday the 26th of September. He coudl not be roused adn was dead as a doornail when I took himto the vet on Friday morning. Yep... dead as a doornail. I took a hamster I knew was dead to the vet to make sure it was dead....for my little boy.. whom I pormised that a vet WOULD look at him.

Yes.. I waited in the waiting room
Yes... I checked in at reception
Yes.. I waited while an emergency was seen before me
Yes.. I waited while the Vet and the nurse chatted away through my appoinment time
Yes.. I asked the vet to confirm it was not hibernating
yes... she flicked the by now 'riddled with rigor mortis' hamster from side to side
yes... it was hard as a rock
and yes... she told me he was dead. (and didn't chargeme for the visit... sooo nice)

I have no idea what they were thinking about me after I left.

He was interred in our back garden under the lilac bush. His dad had a few words to say, i led in a group prayer, and adam closed by reciting the 'OUR FATHER'. Seriously.

It's Knicker time!

2008-09-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Carys has hit a milestone today. A full day with no nappy. She was in her knickers from just after she woke up until just before bedtime. No accidents. She is making it to the potty and fingers crossed this means we have CRACKED it! I dohave to admit that she gets a sweet every time she sits on the potty and does something. ! Positive reinforcement.. you gotta love it!

Nibbly is in hibernation. It must have gone too cold in the room today because come this evening Adam was in tears because he thought nibs was dead. He is not moving but his whiskers twitch and he's not stiff. i have tried and failed to wake him as per internet advice so will be taking him to the vet tomorrow. Hey.. I coudl ask my brother... he's a vet tech!

troupers

2008-09-24T00:22:00.001-07:00

PICT00160000, originally uploaded by the_stakes.

this is a quick pic of the camping troopers when Patrick and Pauline went camping.... in height order of course. And our new tent in the background... (thanks mom and dad its FAB)

La Machine

2008-09-24T00:17:00.001-07:00

PICT0031
Originally uploaded by the_stakes

This was a feww weekends ago....

We went ot Liverpool for a street theatre production. It was called La Machine, a big hydraulic mechanical spider throughout the streets of Liverpool. Three days saw the spider arriving into town, perched on a building, racing through the sreets, performing a water ballet, frolicking in a man-made snowstorm, a pursuit, and then escaping through the Mersey Tunnel. There were about 12 operators on the spider and some 'victims' tied to its legs.

It was put on as part of the european capitol of culture year... and cost a whopping 2 million pounds. A little crazy I think.

The littel orange note!

2008-09-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

It's started early this year! The dreaded flourescent orange note. The one that all parents dread as the forsee themselves delving for hours and hours with uncooperative children! Adam came trotting out of school with his littel orange note saying "mum, you MUST read it, it's important" You would visibly see the Mum's shoulders drop when the schoolchildren would come out of the doors en-masse clutching these little notes like a lifeline! Now having a boy, I never dreaded the note too much. I mean a little glance and that's it. I meaN Adam's hair is usually quite short, and its never been a problem. But....I have a little girl now! I will be joining the M.A.N. club this year. Dreading that little day-glo orange warning being sent home from school. Because..... tun tun tun.,.. (drum roll please).. Carys has just got NITS!!!! I am an official M (mother) A (against) N (nits).

Now you are probably asking yourself.. did I really need to announce on this blog that my child has nits?

I thought long and hard about it, researched through a zillion forums in the 46 minutes since I found the little suckers. And have asked the question of myself..Now why shouldn't Carys be able to ask me one day, 'Mom can you remember the first time I had nits?' (hey it could happen). So I will record this not so momentus occasion on my blog.. the is after all to record the ins and outs of my kids lifes. ( just thing kiddos.. I'll have some commentary to those embarrasing photos I'll pull out for your girlfriends/boyfirends to see...).

Adam is clear thankfully.... but he may have carried the blight home as we have not been too many other places! I am clear as well if you were wondering!

and speaking of homework....

2008-09-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Firs of all .. Mom.. .. I am updating my blog.. here.. see here I am updating my blog. So no more e-mails ok?? :-)

Adam is inthe next room doing homework with Adam. Adam wanted his Dad to read with him tonight, (Dad lets him get away with 6 pages while Mom makes him read 2 chapters.. regardless of how many oages !) I am sure you see why! Adam has been very good, doinghis reading as soon as he gets in form school, and writing ( he still does not like this) and we have just started reviewing his times tables. He is full of a cold today, this however, did not stop him from playing outside, in the rain, in shorts, with wet shoes (he "fell" into a puddle apparently), and with no coat. I was out at a meeting and got back to see him, as above, climbing trees with the other neighbourhood kids. So lets see what he is like tomorrow morning.

I added a map to my blog and what a surprise, my mom logs on, my sister (see that dot over nevada) and I am presuming Patricks familia down south.

Adam's class is learning Spanish! He can sing a Como esta's song and count 1-10 .. i have to admit he sounds like a gringo!

Carys is poo'ing and pee'ing like a trooper! We are still at about 40/60 40 percent of the time she gets to the potty in time, 60 percent is still on the floor or in her nappy. She did do a Wild Wee out the front on the driveway. She is getting really big and is talking LOADS.

JUNIOR SCHOOL

2008-09-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

i wrote what's below on the sixth of sept... it saved as a draft.....so here it is now.

Hola familia! Adam is a full blown big boy! He had his first day at junior school ( infants is pre-k to year 2 (age7) .. juniors is age 7/8-11). His is Mrs Maddox/Mrs Fennely's class and he has apparently had a good time. It was just too wierd to see him come out of the school surrounded by giants. he had a masssive grin on his face and he was full of stories to tell about where everything is in the junior building. The boys toilets are great he says with no doors and a long thing you pee in, you don't have to wait until everyone is finished before going out to play at lunchtime and he can play football at EVERY playtime! Fast forward to day two where he has actually got to 'work' and he is up to his old tricks ( Me: adam did you get any homework today? Adam: no Me are you sure? Adam: ummmmm.. unless they gave it out while i was in the toilet? Me : did other kids take homework home? Adam: I guess so.) Why can't he be liek me ?? A bookworm who lov'd to do her homework?

La Machine:

WELCOME HOME!!!

2008-08-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

They weary travelers have returned!!!! Let me set the scene;

I get a phone call ..
Patrick-- Monica, we are aroungthe corner, can you have the door open and the door to the bathroom open, toilet seat up?#

Me- uhhh .. yeah...

Patrick- we are pulling up now

Me- (fade in) so excited to see my kiddos.... and ready to sweep them into my arms for a bone crushing, gut jarring hugg....... in anticipation...

Car doors open.... Adam looks at me fro the back window with such an intense look, his face contorted in........

Me-- come on guys get out.... I MISSED YOU...

Patrick-- he can't, child locks, (he opens the door for Adam), quick quick.. go..

Me- Arms open outward.. i kneel down (imaginge the slow motion moment when a runner reaches the finish line...) and thenn....

Adam zooms past me... no word, no look, no NOTHING... right into the toilet......and does a big wee...

Adam-- Sorry mum... I was desperate... I already filled my bottle!

Cut to Carys, coming out of the car.... she won't even look at me.....

Silly mummy.. I stood there and cried!! Seriously, tears rolling down my cheeks because my kids didn't miss me.... I am such a saaaaaaaaadddddddddddoooooooo!

It's okay.. I 've got grip now!!!

here i a video of carrots and adam and the ducks

Camp News---- and mad idea # 610

2008-08-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Camp News

Campers are having a whale of a time. Camper Carys was bitten by ANOTHER wasp this morning..... wheras the other kids have the sense to RUN AWAY from them she picks up her hand and swipes them. Camper Adam desserted base camp last night and joined the neighbours campfire as they had marshmallows!!! Pauline and the kids arrived to join in the fun yesterday and they are at this moment and time eating pizza at pizza hut in Banbury... now why they abandoned one pot cooking over a stove for mouthwatering cheesy pizza I'll never know!

Mad idea #610

I have finally accepted that we are inthis house till we go to NM .. so that means true suburbia! ...no animals, no treehouses in the backyard and we'll always have nosy neighbours! I still refuse to compromise on the outdoor life for the kids but know it is insanely expensive and so out of our price range to buy a small holding. So...... I have been toying with the idea to buy some woodland instead. I have been doign some research and have found we can buy some woodland for a reasonable amount, clear a bit of it for a little camping outpost and then use the rest as an outdoor playground for the kids to explore. It will be a home away from home a weekend retreat when there is good weather to be had. There are strict rules about it though, its kind of like you buy the land but you cannot 'do' anything to it. Its to conserve what woodland there is left.... i.e we would never be able to build a cabin or anything permanent on it. We'd even have to apply for permission to erect a shed to leave camping stuff out there. This would mean no toilet... no trash facilities... no running water... etc.. you cart out what you cart in, no fences... But it would be our own place to escape. Now I only have to sell the idea to Patrick!

Still no sign of K so no camping for me.... patrick is still surviving but has expressed to me on the phone that he is stressed out from the constant Can i have... from Adam and Carys' histrionics when she doesn't get her own way.

This is great torture for men... let them look after the kids in a strange place with no electricity, basic toilet facilities, no TV, little toys and the contents of a cookout kitchen.. hehehehehe.

catch up day

2008-08-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Dear family,

Lots has happened since Carys birthday....

1. Carys' brand new water table sprung a leak and EMPTIED gallons and gallons of water all ove the living room floor!!!! (Carys actually pulled the plug at the bottom of the table and let it all out!)

2. Adam went to Tennis camp last week and had a fab time

3. Adam's tennis coach said he has real talent and should be playing at least twice a week ( he sounded really genuine like... but with a name like Medric who knows.. he may just be tryign to get more of my money! He will call us to arrange lessons for Adams ability)

4. My ghusband and kids took off camping last Friday without me.. :-( ( seriously missingthemnow... but I don not begrudge Daddy this time at all!! I have NEVER left the two of them for this long!!!)

5. I was supposed to go and join them camping today but due to circumstancess (yeah those involving a certain someone whose name begins with a K ends with a N and is 16 years old) I am unable to go.

6. Carys was stung by a wasp yesterday at camp.. daddy eing the prepared boyscout that he is did not have any sting relief, insect repellant or a first aid kit. However, I was assured that alot of cuddles , kisses, and loving put her to right after 10 minutes. She is now terrified of the buggers! Patrick says the campsite is full of them for some reason.

7. Nibbly Nim got stuck in his excersise wheel and I had to extricate him from certain peril on the threat (from Adam) that should anything happen to his hamster while he is away he will never ever ever trust me with his things again!

8. Went out an bought Adams school uniform today.. I think he's grwon at least a millimeter so he is now in size 5's. YIPEEEE.
9. Carys had an appointment with her dermatologist last Friday, everything is progressing nicely (i.e. her JXG is still just confined to her skin, it is not causing any symptoms , and not bothering her ) so they are leaving it alone, and we will go see him next summer. She has a referral for her eyes to be checked so he will write to the opthamologist to make sure they look out for anything JXGwise in her eyes.

10. Off to bed now.....

Love you, miss you, thinking of you, goodnight and god bless

Happy Birthday !!!!

2008-08-20T00:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to CARYS!!!!! Carys is now 2 years old! We had a party for her yesterday because that is the day all her friends usually meet up anyway. It rained! So the bouncy castle I spent ages patching ( its been inthe shed forever!) and blowing up was pretty much useless. The kids played inside and the house ended up looking like it was smack dba in the middle of tornado alley! The kids had fun, played pass the parcel, and we had an egg and spoon race (they didn't quite get the hang of the race though). All in all a good afternoon!

Clean up time: Adam helping to tidy...

Balloons!!!

Here are pictures of the cake ... Carys kept saying HAPPY HAPPY..... she knew what to do beacuse we blew out candles last night on Patricks Cheescake!

Paying with her new toys...water and sand table and a farm..

Shhhhhh!!!

2008-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning (sunday early am here):::: I got up early to do some jobs before I wake the kids up. we are going off to church this morning. Carys has always been a very good girl in church, staying quiet mostly, and not running around too much. However, since she found her voice she loves to play 'peekaboo' behind the pew, loves to sing (this is too cute) and fight loudlywith her brother. On Thursday we went to morning mass and not many people go, those who do go are of the 'blue rinse' variety ( over 70's) and here I am with my two little ones. Adam spent nearly the entire mass antagonising his sister and she spent the entire mass, laughing, peekabooing and screaming. I somehow doubt that they wanted this kind of 'music' as their church choir for the morning. Needless to say we vacated pretty quickly once the final prayer was said!

I'll let you know how this morning pans out.