The day goes like this....

The alarm goes off and I bury my head under the duvet, I was so not ready for waking up! Charley was up and down all night, he has a rash that looks like it could be chicken pox, he was hot and thirsty so he got a cool shower and a couple of drinks. I didn't bother looking at the clock when I finally settled down, I think I woulda cried! Lol
So getting up I did, read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and said my prayer which was constantly interupted by the dog wanting to play with my toes! Kirsten went to school on her bike with her friend so I got a few jobs done till Charley woke up. He has a doctors appointment later today to see if he does have chicken pox or if its just the heat so we'll see. He's as happy as tappy now though, playing on the trampoline and in his ball pool, must take some pictures before I forget. I eventually got the prompt up on my craft blog, later than planned due to one of my blonde moments but I got there eventually! Doh Go check it out and have some fun with it...its all just for fun but will get your imagination working wonders :)
Poor Chris (**waves**) text me in a bit of a flutter thinking my blogs have been spammed as i'd totally changed the course of the blog content when I added those good deals I found...bless him I think I totally confused him cos I hadn't previously mentioned I was going to do that and he's used to reading my waffle!! Lol Oh how he giggled!! :)
Its back to the grindstone for me today, I have classes to write up and 3 meetings to prepare for and tomorrow's prompt to fit in...oh I think i'd better feed the kids too!! Lol So this is short and sweet for now.
Hope you're enjoying the lovely sunshine again :)
Debsx

Happy Sunday :)

Do you have this gorgeous sun where you are? I tell ya, i'm luvin it so much I feel like I could conquor the world! I know, I know thats very optimistic but my lil world is the only real domain I have and I know i'm making a difference...well, maybe a few decibels louder cos with the music being on I want to sing! For anyone that knows me will be shaking their heads about now cos they know I cannot sing for toffee, jaffa cakes or tea in China! But...I live in hope!! Lol
Church was lovely again today, everyone is so happy and hyped up on the sunshine. I got a lot of inspiration which i'm to ponder and pray about...a great way to find the truth about things...well non-manmade things anyway!
Jay is just putting the pool up for Charley now, the boy is so excited I've had to tell him three times to put his shorts on, he thinks its a bath!! Lol Bless him! His Bob toys are strewn over the front garden, Kirsten is laying on a blanket hoping for a tan and I'm working on getting dinner served sooner rather than later...good ole laptops eh?!! The poor dog is on a very long leash so he can roam the lower level of the manor and the front garden, but as he's still young I dont want him running off again...its far too hot to run the streets! He gives me the saddest eyes ever and I feel awful then for tying him up! Doh
The first blog prompt is up on my scrap blog tomorrow, I have chosen to do mine as a layout. It's all ready and waiting to be uploaded with the theme prompt. It's going to be a fun time for anyone that chooses to take part, cos i've used some of the ideas not only from my classes but from the Emotional Intelligence course I done last year...sound intense? It isn't, I have literally just adapted some of the phrases to suit everyday living. There's also inspiration from the Design Course I done too...the unfinished one cos my tutor suddenly died. I'm still waiting to find out when I can submit the other 7 assignments I've done, I really want this qualification and this course to be over without me having to go to regular college. I dont fancy the idea of childcare unless Charley is in regular nursery so i'm trying to get this course belted and sealed! Waffle? Oh yeah :) I can cos its my blog!! Hehe
Jay and I spent most of the day in the garden yesterday, clearing up all the debris from trees, sorting toys and jet washing down the paved area, he has finally got the lawn mower working so made a start on the neglected top part of the garden. I was stood up there, saw a frog hopping right by my feet and pegged it in the house! It was the shock more than the frog, but Jay stood and p'd himself laughing...I dread to think what the neighbours would have thought if they'd seen me!! Lol So I armoured up in wellies, 3/4 trousers and long, pink marigolds!! I hid the camera though...me's not that stupid!! Lol
Today we are eating dinner outside. I bought a new parasol which is so neat. It tilts and swivels and well just looks good! The sunshine makes living a whole lot happier dontcha think?
We are doing Family Home Evening tonight, cos tomorrow i'm out for a bit. Jay is joining us and has even prepared the lesson on Challenges. Very appropriate given a challenge I have right now!! Lol But it's all good learning stuff and I know it will empower us to make the right choices and understand why bad things happen to good people. There's a book by that title, have you read it? I recommend it, it's a great read for anyone that is interested in understanding life and the world we live in. I read it a while back and found a lot of simple theories that make sense of things that I hadn't given thought to previously.
Ok, time to serve dinner up and enjoy the glorious sunshine :)
Have a great day :)

Debsx

The evening draws near...:)

I hate days that have surprises that just dont need to happen. First when I got back online after I cleverly dropped the router, I find it has been left with some kind of after effect disabilities, it drops me offline now and again, and strangely enough it seems to happen just as i'm about to hit 'send' 'save' or something equally imperative to what i'm doing!
Then I find that I have got matt paint instead of silk, so off I trot (not literally, I used my car!) to Focus to change it for the correct one, got there and found I had left the receipt at home. So feeling pretty ticked off I went home promising myself that i'm NOT going back and the darned painting can wait!
I failed.
I went back and got the right paint!
The up side is I got to listen to some fantastic and funny talks on my ipod from President Monson and Dallin H Oakes, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those people! Feeling all happy and lively again I cruised home in my lil mini merc (which translates to the economical Peugot 206!) smiling and giggling at their humour, lump in my throat at their spiritual experiences and a skip in my heart as I feel the spirit tell me that what i'm hearing is true. All in all i'm happy. Good right?
Got home to find that the housing association had planned on some workers to do the facia boards and pipes today. I had no idea. Not a problem but they were parked right outside my house and that is a crime! I was good though, I didn't do my usual and give it lip service, I simply asked nicely if they'd let ME park outside MY house, the nice man moved his hefty truck and obliged this wobbling lil chick that probably looked like she was going to explode! :) Two cups of tea later and they stopped giving me the funny looks! :)
The day plodded on from there till I made a call. Then my mouth took off and my heart took a nose dive! One thing I hate is being gobbed off at when that person dont know what I'm talking about cos i'm speaking to someone else! I also dont take kindly to having things taken out of me for what others do, by all means have a rant, scream, shout but taking it out of me is just not on, especially by someone over half my age! Gosh my kids dont talk to me like that!! So I got mad and retaliated, putting the phone down I felt gutted. I feel betrayed and like I am being lied to and that hurts. But such is life, i'm sure it will all sort itself out in time.
If that wasn't enough I picked up the remote control to put the tv on for Charley and the flippin workmen have knocked the dish so Sky has to send someone out to sort it out, apparently I have to pay, so I promtly got on the phone to the housing association, asked what their policy is in such situations and before I had chance to tell them what I was going to do they said 'send me the invoice they send you and we'll take care of it'. Job done. Almost.
I planned on going for a bike ride with Kirsten tonight, after Charley went to bed, but even that was against me when I found my tires were flat cos since I had this new bike last year I haven't used it! And no, I dont have a bike pump! Well I do, just not the right connector end. (its one of those fancy condoodle fidgety faffle things that is only recognisablea s a pump by the fact you push it up and down!!!).
The final part to this whole sorry state of a day is we ran out of paint for the last part of the wall. Now how on earth does that work? I mean, its not like they do tester pots in matt AND silk is it?!! Doh (Only matt for those of you that dont know!! hehe) So I gotta buy 2.5L paint for about a cup full! I am not a happy bunny I can tell ya! In fact I feel like sitting down and crying my lil heart out right now.
But i'll be a big brave girl and go play with the big girls over on uks...lets see if I can't get into bother there too!! :(
At least I know i'm human if I can have a good rant and blog about it! :)
Oh, conversation in the car with Charley:

Charley: moooom?
Me: yes son
Charley: where's your friend?
Me: I don't know
Charley: your friend disappeared (referring to Sonia who came round yesterday)
Me: yeah I seem to do that
Charley: uh oh, we need to go backwards and find her!!
Me: we do huh?
Charley: yeah, cos you gotta keep him mummy! (note the her to him?!!!)

Oh how I giggled at his imagination and his use of a big word 'disappeared'!! Clever boy!

Ok, uks here I come!

Debs

The Domestic Goddess...

along with Garden Fairy, Decorator Pro and Chez Debbie! Yep, i'm into all sorts at the moment. The living is on the verge of being finished, I just have the cutting in to do then its all ready to go back together again...more boxes have been unpacked, sorted, dumped, given away and for sale. The upper level of the manor is sparkling so much I feel like Cindarella, I just need a ball to go to, the birds to come in and make me a pretty dress and the prince charming...Oh I have the prince charming already!! Hehe

Seriously, I'm knackered! My bones are not as young as they used to be, I ache in places I thought didn't having anything but wobble there, my muscles are tight and i'm desperately hoping I have burnt off a fair few pounds with it all!!

Its all looking good though, tomorrow I shall be attacking the remaining boxes in the shed, before I start more painting. It's seriously mad stuff here, but I like it, I survive on it, its who I am! :)

I dropped my router two days ago, dropped all 3' to the floor, landed smack on the arial. No internet. Shock Horror, Gasp, a few choice words and a deep sigh. Jay spent hours trying to reconfigure it, I spent almost an hour on the phone to Tiscali's support guy (who was really good and patient) then another half hour on the phone to Netgear. No-one could figure out what the problem was so I prepared myself to go buy another one. As I was turning off my laptop it suddenly, magically came on!! Was that another endurance test? I am continuously hearing the word patient in my life, I HATE that word! Some things I want NOW!!! :D But i'm back, and once i've put the router on the wall its not moving again, ever! :)

I have been offered to teach scrapbooking in three more communities, the plans I did have (which I haven't and wont be blogging about for a while yet) will go on hold for now, too much good stuf

It's the good life :)

What's your perfect Sunday? Mine? Mine is easy, going to church and listening to the wonderful teachers we have, hearing other people share their experiences, passions and understandings and seeing all the babies is just a great start to any week for me. Afterwards, chatting in the hallway, giggling and catching up with who's doing what and how this wedding is going and that job is challenging is all part of our socialising and fellowshipping one another. It connects us to each other knowing that we aren't going to be burned at the brimstone for not being perfect, instead we find warm hearted, imperfect people who will give you a hug, an encouraging smile or show you how to laugh and the unlaughable. From newborn to 90 something, male and female, whoever you talk to they got something to say and are happy to share it. I just love Gloucester Ward! I found it difficult getting settled there for a while after being in a small Branch in Evesham for 4 years, but now, its all come together and I get out of my attendance a whole lot more than I could possibly give!
Oops slightly off the track again there! So, after church, Kirsten tells me what she's been doing in Primary and Sunday School, Charley shares his activities too and then I tell them something cool that I learnt, by the time we done the 2 mile drive home we are all full of the spirit and ready to carry on with our day in a reverant, loving and calm spirited way. On getting indoors, Kirsten will often get changed, Charley will take off his trousers (he much prefers strutting his stuff in just his pants!!) and i'm into my fluffy slippers and turning the oven on for dinner that was prepared the previous afternoon (ok most weeks anyway!!). Jay asks how church was and even though he is inactive (he was baptised the same time as I was 8 years ago) he patiently listens as I feel the spirit and talk for Gloucester! He grunts and nods in all the right places and does that Mr Bean 'huh' through his nose if i've gone right over his head with something, so after a giggle I explain and quietly thank Heavenly Father that he is listening afterall! :)
The kids pretty much do what they want while I finish up dinner, usually Kirsten is on the front garden with Charley and a couple of her friends. I have some talks on and get so pumped up with the spirit I feel like i'm going to just burst so I search through my phone book and see who I can phone and offload all this stuff to! Often though, good ole Jd fits the mark just perfectly, bless him!! :) He's so patient with me!!
After dinner its kind of anything goes that we want to do. Today we just lazed around, we were going to go over to Prinknash park or whatever its called, take the dog and the bikes and just go for a walk, but by the time everyone was ready it started drizzling and noone wanted to go!! Doh So we just talked, giggled, laughed and talked some more, randomly and probably about nothing intelligible either, but we had a good day! This evening when the kids settled, Jay done some chores for me and I sat here on my laptop writing up three lessons for the primary schools next week and planned out a range of things I needed to find time to do, prepare and achieve. I also wrote 5 letters to my pen-friends (the good ole fashioned handwritten-snail-mail style!), wrote a list of things I love about each one of my four kids and done mine and Charleys journal entry. How cool is that?!! Oh and I managed to download another 89 talks onto my ipod...man when I subscribed to the Lds talks I didnt realise just how much us Mormons liked to talk!! :) :) :) Just teasin, naturally its a range of speakers and they are great to listen to.
Jay and I sat and chilled for about 20 mins, just chatting and giggling over anything and everything, that was way cool. Kirsten and Jay had their regular heart to heart so I left them to it for a while. Kirsten and I had a girlie talk and giggle. Charley and Kirsten had a cuddle on the chair and watched Corduroy and then Jay got about 66 kisses off Charley but when I asked for one he said: 'not today mum'!!! Go figure!! :)
These are the gorgeous flowers I had sent to me on Friday...I keep looking at them and smiling, they are such a vivid red in real life, and they smell gorgeous each time I go near them or there's a gush of wind round the room. The photo is naff but thats ok, they are still gorgeous!!




Jaffa cakes: Ok, this is my reminder of how well I am doing by giving them up for a week or 7! I cant just eat one or two, I have to have the whole packet, thats 12 at a time! I even looked up and found a recipe of someone who knows how to make them! Now i'm going to try it out, just as soon as i've got my weight back to where I was 4 months ago! :) Great inspiration right? :)



Ok, all round great day here, feeling the spirit still, loving the unlovable and likin' the unlikable...so its all good stuff in the good life :)

Debsx

Little Chef, Little Books, Big Results

For the most part, the word of the week in our house is 'little', however even little can be big sometimes...according to what it is! This is how this week started out:
Charley asked Jay to do him some toast, so after a chunt and a chant cos I threw the minging toaster out he got up and done it the old fashioned way, under the grill. But Charley being Charley had a million other things for Jay to do and being the dutiful older brother, Jay wasn't too quick to say no. This is how a little meal happens with big style.....

A round of applause to Jaymie!! He will never live this one down!! :) On seeing the literal burnt offerings Charley and Kirsten decided to do some baking, only they wanted to do cupcakes but I didn't have the right cups. After much debate and my voice still going unheard I decided to let them prove me right instead of me proving them wrong...that the shape will not be like the one in the picture I printed off! But, give em their credit, they had fun, done a good job and even sort of tidied up after themselves! :)

This time it was I that almost done a Jaymie! A bemused Kirsten and a chuckling Charley, this is what the oven done! :) Kirsten made the pitiful joke something to the tune of 'pity you cant edit your cooking mum like you can a picture!' Does she REALLY want that PSP for her birthday?!!! Lol :)


Blow me down, if the dog didn't go get a look in too! The plate of cooling (failed) cupcakes was in his reach thanks to the lil guy...and one disappeared with a flash...so much so by the time I leapt the 10 steps to him this is what was left...


Too much going on, too much sun and too much laughing...my lil dude just couldn't keep up and cuddled up on the sofa...with the dogs smelly blanket!! :)

This evening, after a lovely day at Sonia's (**waves**) crop in Gloucester, I was so inspired by all the lovely projects and stuff the ladies had made that I sat at my desk, ignored the phone, email pings and the calls for mum and came up with this....it is to be a book for my mum to tell her all the things I want her to know that I wouldn't usually say to her. Just because she's the bestestest!! :)


This tiny book actually folds out to a 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock, counting both sides it has 22 folded squares that I am going to use to tell 22 facts of what I love about one of my kids...its for someone in particular and I aint saying who!! Hehe I wanted something that when it was read it was totally, 100% from me to that person, things only a mother would say or know.

It's really easy to make and ideal for something so personal. The ribbon is woven with 'A Mothers Love' repeated throughout in muted colours, so suits the theme perfectly. When i've added the journaling I will show ya and i'll include the instructions too incase you wanna have a go.

I'd like to say that's all the excitement in our house but it isnt! I have the Bosnia theme going on in our house. While Jay has been gutting, cleaning, chopping, strimming, digging and hosing the gardens I have been wading through box after box after box to sort stuff out that needs new homes. I took a lot of stuff to Sonia's crop today, a lot of which went rather speedily which pleased me to bits. Thanks Sonia for allowing me to do that and to have a great day with you all! :) The girls that go there are just the sweetest! :)

For the first time ever I ran out of double sided sticky tape, can you believe it? I mean, how can you run short, much less run out! Doh So off I went shopping, which I wasn't going to do till Monday but needs must! Tesco didn't have any (double sided tape, keep up!!) so Charley and I jetted over to Asda, they too hadn't got any. This was getting serious so on the verge of being prepared to pay in gold for one used roll of double sided sticky tape I text Sonia...I think she's so fed up of me today!! :) The gal saved the day! So I jetted over the other side of Gloucester, again (only the 4th time today!), had a bit of a chat n giggle then came home, oh that was after an insult here n there!! :D Gotta luv her! :) Thanks hun, your so cool :)

What I want to know is why do I have a rather large corner desk, much less stuff on it yet have the tiniest bit of workspace? I admit to being the messiest worker EVER no matter how hard I try, but bit by bit I can feel my space getting less, even to the point of my 12 x 12 sheet getting stuck or overlapping something or other. I admit however that once in a while I will get so frustrated that i'll lean forward and do the breast stroke, pushing everything out the way onto the floor! Kirsten looks at me, rolls her eyes and says 'and you say my room is disgusting?'. Oh the shame! NOT!!

I had 12 gorgeous red roses yesterday! :D How lucky am I? The card was simple, but deep, just my style! :D I want to photo them properly to remember them, I might even share too! :D I love flowers, all flowers are just the surest way to get me smiling and pondering. Ok, I've had too much fresh air, bite me!! :)

Today, I'm glad to say is the Sabbath, and I fully intend to steer clear of boxes and their contents, well apart from those that I trip over, and I intend to steer clear of anything that remotely reminds me of Sizzix, bread trays and wheels!! Ok I have to use the car to go to church but THATS IT!! I have declared to all kids that today is going to be a family day, even if it means we sit around all day (which i'm really, really hoping to do!!) cos this last week quality time went right out the window far, far away! :)

Ok, enough from me. I hope to be joining in HS:MS again next week, cos goodness knows, I dont have a clue what happened to this week!! :)

Have a great Sunday!

Debsx

Never look back....

...but I am going to make the exception to that rule and post my catch up to HS:MS in a while cos I think they are good ones, and besides, I already have some of the four photos required! Cheat? Oh yeah!! :D

In the meantime I am going to chill here for a few minutes and talk about my day...nothing shocking has really happened, nor anything particularly exciting but I can actually say that I can show something for the hours today! Wowser!! :) I went off to Cheltenham this morning to pick up my car (another story for another time!), £117 later I am happily driving my mini merc in the direction of The Range to pick up some cardstock for something thats rattling in my head (especially thanks to Vanessa C!!) so, there I am, jigging and driving away to Leona Lewis, window down, shades on and feeling pretty good about life then it happened...a total mood stopper...I had forgotten that i'd arranged to meet up with my friend Chrissy yesterday and I didn't show up! So saftely parked on The Range carpark i'm anxiously texting away to her begging her forgiveness, hoping she didn't wait in the rain too long when soon after I hit send she called. I wondered if she was going to be mad with me, instead (before I could speak) she was profusely apologising to me for not turning up!! :) I roared with laughter, my stomach was in knots and I felt nauseus. Mid sentence she asked what was up, so I toyed with the idea of not telling her that I forgot too...but it was too funny not to! (She has the same sense of humour as I do so she'd have 'got it' if i'd have played too much on it!) The relief for both of us was phenominal, I can tell ya!! So, friendship intact, my heart slowed to its healthy rate and my stomach returned to normal. Lucky, that's all I can say!

In The Range I was looking for this particular cardstock I knew they had but came across some stuff that I knew Charley would like, so in the basket it goes, as does the carstock then I saw an old work colleague, Jackie. We chatted, giggled about the poor replacements in my former PA job and generally had a good ole catch up. No sooner had we parted company did I see ANOTHER former work colleague from the same company!! Now this is spooky, so I stood chatting to Paul and his daughter for a few minutes before going off on my browse again. Blow me if I didn't see the girl who hired me for the said job!! Conspiracy now, cos this person decided to ask me if I'd be interested in going back! Erm, after the way they treated me? Not on your nelly misses! :)

I picked up a pack of bright coloured fabric felt, a big sheet of mountboard and the cardstock that's all I bought, I was really good (ok so I got a couple of things for Charley, i'm trying to condense it here!!) I was very good and rather pleased with my buys, especially as I resent their prices cos I know what they pay for the craft stuff in there, I have the same darned suppliers and its a rip off! Anyway, on from that, this is what I came up with after some playing around with the good ole fashioned Sizzix machine and dies:


I'm only 3 pages behind with this subject, so I ought to get a move on while I have the opportunity really!

While I was playing, so was Charley....he soon mastered the old machine...but struggled with the Big Shot! Bless! :)

"First" he said " You do this"

"Ooofff" he said

"Aaarrghh!"

"I did it!" he said "look mum!"

Thats my boy! If only Princess Kirsten was into paper crafts like charley is then i'd be soo happy! He later went on to colour them, out came my gel pens, his paints, some glitter and some felt scraps...so now they have a variety of textures, colours and designs along with the pull carts he cut out too! :) I feel a Designer coming on!! :)

It's still nice outside, Kirsten is at her dad's and Jay is doing something to the tree that I dont wanna ask...him and power tools!!! Lol Charley is getting tired so i'm going to put him down for his nap and perhaps take one meself, I think I earned it today!! :D

I'm about to embark on the biggest clear out i've ever had in my life, I am so fed up of boxes and stuff cluttering the house that I have finally decided that enough is enough! So in due course I will be looking to shift a range of stuff, oodles and oodles of craft stuff, kids clothes, books, dvds and a whole lot more...so if you want a good bargain keep an eye out! I will label them though under the...drum roll please....For Sale....tag!! :D Ok so i'm not funny, I never told you I was!! :P :D

Firstly, I am looking to sell my Sizzix machine and over 120 dies, a Sizzix pully tote bag on wheels and some spare cutting pads. In all there is over £1400 of stuff there. many of the dies haven't been used and all are in very good condition. Naturally i'm not going ask for that much for them so if anyone is interested drop me an email. debbie.willson@yahoo.co.uk and we'll discuss it. Ideally this is going to be better off collected because it is so heavy but I am prepared to negotiate some mutual meet up point for anyone that is further afield than Gloucester.

Debsx

Eh?

What happens to time? I get on to do something, get side tracked with something else, someone talks to me, the phone rings, I get a text message and before you know it i'm trying to remember if I had a shower and looking at the clock and planning my bedtime! All I can say is zooomm!! My personal life is very busy right now, the kids have various things going on and I am left staring at a spinning clock. I even sat down to write one of my famous lists, only this time it wasn't a list of what I had to do it was a list of what I didn't do...(go figure!) and I was slightly stunned as to how I had managed to miss so much stuff.
So, here I am, almost midnight and i'm just reading through some old church history recognising that I am so lucky to have such a strong testimony of God and Jesus Christ that somehow I know I will manage to achieve what I NEED to achieve at the right time. With that relief I am now going to relax, unwind and waffle about some of the side tracks this last couple of days! :)
Charley has found a way to climb the tree that has no limbs (no digs for Jay who cut them off by mistake!!!), I love this picture because he wouldn't let anyone help him up, it was a warm day so out come the shorts...and wellies!! :)

Just before he got where he wanted to go the phone rang...darn it...and I missed the next shot!! :) But I know he achieved what he'd been working on for the previous HALF HOUR!! Thats ma boy! :)

That night we decided we would have a chinese meal, and because I had all my papers, boxes, buttons, photos etc over my desk AND the dining table we had to eat from our laps...which the kids thought was great...Charley, however, decided that to be a dog was a pretty good way to enjoy his dinner! Just for the purpose of the camera I allowed him two shots...then he had to sit back on his tushy to eat it properly! Yep, meanie mummy! :)


Ordinarily I would not post a picture of me that wasn't somewhere near presentable...however as this one was taken whilst Prince Charley was on his own photography adventure I am making an exception...as comfortable as I was I was only sleeping, total of about 4o minutes and Jay was actually on another chair...so there's no need to go reaching for the phone to call child services!! LOL Why does your hair get in such a mess when you stay still, yet it lasts quite well all day when you're moving around? Go figure!! :)



This next shot is my favourite! My daughter is growing up so fast that I admit to forgetting to treat her as the young woman she is becoming. Tonight she attended the Young Women's introduction evening called New Beginnings which was themed on Hollywood glitz and glamour. She is totally against skirts and dresses so I reluctantly ok'd this outfit. After highlighting her hair and straightening it for almost an hour, another hour for make-up and a lot of fussing over shoes or boots, this is what she looked like. Naturally she looked better in person than on the photo! :)

So now I'm sat here, still wondering what I did today, yesterday and the day before because for the life of me I cannot put enough together that covers the whole 72 hours!

One of the things I do remember doing though was going to Gloucester Police Station to produce my documents for my car. It appears that someone has attempted to insure my car that is not me or anyone I know! I spent almost an hour in there with a PC that was very nice, very helpful and very competant at his job. My papers checked out, he believed me as did his Super Intendant so after he spent an enormous amount of time on the phone to my insurance company it was finally revealed that it was actually the insurance company who made a mistake! The apparent new owner of my car is a real live person from Shrewsbury but the policy number is one that was cancelled back in 2004...even though that policy was taken out on 24 March 2008! Confused? Yeah me too! I have been released without charge or caution!! Lmao No I wasn't arrested or even given a producer, lmao, I just was suspect when I tried to call my insurance company about something and they couldn't identify me to the car nor my policy number, which if you remember back a month or two ago, the car was being repaired in the garage and my insurance company enlightened me that my excess was a staggering £200! So I KNEW they had me on their system for this car!!

Bl**dy insurance companies!!

So, that drama over, I am now planning a busy weekend. I'm not totally sure what with specifically but as I have achieved my planned weekend quota by way of fairy chores, it's going to be a time of work, scrapbooking, invoices and then Sunday with my kids! Bring it on!! :)

Oh yeah, thank you for the emails regarding the wedding cake and the cupcakes! Though I haven't come up with a conclusion yet I do appreciate the suggestions and the ideas that I have received...most of which are in my thinking thoughts to try out! :)

I am having a ride to a relatively local craft shop tomorrow, I want to get a specific selection of cardstock and brads for a project that has been requested...now normally I will play around with projects that i've been asked for but I admit to not having much confidence in my own stuff...however, this one project has been in my head for a little while but only when I read the lady's ideas that I made sense of it, and she put it so much better than I could have!! :) Initially the project is for a group I teach who suffer from depression and the professionals are using funding to find a selection of ways to help these ladies (and 2 gentlemen) to start finding a focus and not let the fact that their lifetime need of meds over ride their self worth. So far I hear some fantastic stories, their memories are so warming and funny, sad and tragic but each one that shares something is starting to come alive again, to remember where they come from and realise that they are a part of this plan. It is truly a magic job I have, just one memory shared is such a blessing to me and that person. If you get the opportunity to share your scrapbooking for a deeper meaning than your family, I say go do it, its so important to reach out to other in any way we can, and our photos hold so much more than any newspaper, magazine or night out.

When Jay's around I will have to get him to retell me the conversation between him and Charley the other day while they were washing up...he became Doctor Charley and Captain Charley all in ten minutes! I became Doctor Mummy later on (probably after I told him how wonderful he is!!) and the dog became Doctor Jake! Those are the moments that I wish I could record with more than words...so now my camcorder is on charge and a spare battery pack is sat in the ready waiting for the next time I hear him and his brilliant imagination!!

My HS:MS is two days behind, pretty slack eh? But i'll catch up tomorrow...hopefully! :)

Ok enough waffle...its time for me to go get Jd's headache back!! :D Oh how mean I is!! :D

Debsx

{HS:MS} Goggle Eyed

Her Space: My Space prompt is Road.
A way of course on which to travel. have you got a road?

My road isn't so much outside made of tarmac with with lots of skid marks and pot holes, its about where i'm going in life, where i've been and how i'm travelling. I am adapting this prompt to keep in line with my blog theme, my family, beliefs and every day living...so this is what I am offering:

The article I have got this image from had a lovely comment underneath that sums up perfectly why this is my 'road' to take:

"The gospel and my testimony of Jesus Christ have helped me to be a better mother, wife, sister, and friend. Because of my testimony, I try to live as God intends for me to—with integrity, honesty, kindness, love, patience, and compassion, treating others as children of God and extending service when needed. By my trying to live a Christlike life, I hope that others will want to learn about Him". JoAnna M. Allen

I wasn't raised in this church neither was I aware of this doctrine for a very long time in my life but I was raised as a Church of England believer. My Mum, who was a life long Catholic then, would often take me to a range of churches because never felt that she had the right testimony. At the age of 8 I was in the school christmas concert in our local CofE church and after listening to the Vicar talking about the death and resurrection of Christ I remember sitting there with me fellow classmates crying, I didn't want Him to die or be hurt, I didn't want Him to suffer for all the things I got wrong. In my very innocent childlike thinking I was aware of Christ and that He was and still is a very special person, I just didn't know how He would change my heart that day. I was 30 when I met the missionaries and it took them almost a year to get me anywhere near baptism (yeah I really made them sing for their dinner!!) but by the time I heard the Plan of Salvation I just KNEW in my heart of hearts that no matter how much I didn't think I could 'live a religion' I just knew that I had to do all I could to live up to the expectations my Heavenly Father had for me because with the atoning love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ I was never going to be alone. (I must add here that it is not my intention to disrespect any other faiths, I do believe that we each have the free agency to choose. My children are taught about other faiths, in our home as well as in school/nursery, my natural inclination as a person and a mother is the gospel that I have come to know and believe in for myself)

I have proven this over and over in the last 8 years, many things have happened, i'm made some wrong choices, experienced things that were the effects of another person and still I know that no matter how many challenges I have I will alwas rely on the love, support and guidance of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am not too proud to say that I cannot do my life without them, they are purely the most reliable and correct people and all I have to do is the best I can in as many things as I can. If I fail, thats ok, I just get up and start again!

My testimony is growing each day. I love the scriptures, that includes the King James version of the Bible, the Book of Mormon including Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. All of which I believe has all the answers to all of lifes challenges and questions.

So, back to HS:MS, my road is a road about life, about every day thinking, feeling, doing, speaking and putting them into action the best ways I know how to. A great anchor for me is The Plan of Salvation, it all makes sense when we know that! :)

That said, dont expect me to be perfect or have all the right answers, I dont! Why? Because I'm a work in progress and I reserve the right to be wrong, silly, imperfect and just lil ole me!! :) Lol

Back later to waffle about my boys...they crack me up sometimes!! I am so tired right now and busy with some work stuff that i'm shaking my head to stay awake! So for now I shall go lay on the sofa and leave Jay to entertain Charley though I think its really the other way round!! :)

Debsx

{HS:MS} New Talent?

Her Space: My Space prompt for today is yellow....I couldn't resist this poorly Pooh Bear in my bed! :)


Jake cracks me up! There was no way he was going to move, each time Kirsten moved him he'd wing his way back up there, all in all he was there for almost an hour, her neck was so stiff she couldnt move it for ages!!


This cracked me up too, Charley was taking some pictures for himself...i'm a lil jealous now cos he's really got it going on here...the oven knobs and the dish cooking in the oven!! :)





Godda luv em eh? :) Right, will update more tomorrow, i'm shattered after a very long and busy day! :)

Debsx

Just a quickie

Way, way over there on the side and down a bit..yeah there...you will see a bit where i've put up for scrap blogs....if you wanna be listed there..let me know and i'll put your blog addy there...why? Cos if your like me and save em all on your computer, if something goes wrong what happens? You lose em! Or in my case you have to write them down somewhere so I figured a better idea is to list the ones that are scrapbook related, as I have with some others that I like, and I can never again go through this pain and torture of writing out so many blogs!!

Next plan is to actually visit them all AND leave comments! I live in hope! :)

Moving on...as I was browsing some talks on you tube I found an edited version of a talk from the General Conference held two weeks ago in my church. Julie B Beck is the General Relief Society President and a fantastic speaker. Here is the edited version and some highlights from her talk:




The full version is very powerful and intended to encourage Lds (and other) mothers to aim higher, reach further, believe harder, encourage more and remind us who we are and how important we and our works are. Enjoy!




Some things are meant to be shared, and just like my family, I am proud to share the parts of my faith that I feel particularly inspired to. The above talk initially made me feel a shock horror at my lack of 'perfection', I don't tick all the boxes Julie talked about, but knowing I am doing my mothering the best I know how, teaching my children as much as I feel I can and guiding them in a good direction then I know I am on a good track...and who knows one day I might find out i've done a particularly good job! :) Naturally every life is different, every situation and family set up is different but having such inspiration such as this talk makes me feel like anything is possible, if I desire it, work at it and do the best I can...I am on the right track!

I hope you enjoy the talk!

HS:MS SOS

SOS:

This is going to follow on from my previous post this is a picture my friend Wendell bought me and had sent over from the States last year...it takes pride of place in my living room not only because of his friendship but because it is the Salt Lake Temple, the head quarters for the Lds church and more importantly because its the House of God, the one I want to be going through on my 40th birthday in October...something I have always wanted to do since I learnt about the temples around the time of my baptism in January 2000. To me it is the ultimate place to be, though any temple is, I have a desire to go through this one on this milestone in my life :)

I think of all the pictures of temples this has to be my favourite, such a great shot especially as the squares are the reflection of a pool of some form outside, so it was actually taken looking at the temple through the reflection of the water! Talent or what?!!

Of course then there is the reason for the temple in the first place. When I was baptised 8 years ago I was able to go to London Temple 2 weeks later and I have the most amazing experience ever, the whole feeling is something that I can only compare to the actual baptism itself...keeping that feeling outside the temple is highly hard work, one that i'm not sure a mere mortal like me can do without regular trips back to the temple...for a top up, so to speak...it is truly like no other feeling we can possibly have!

Later i'm going to post some funny pictures of my #1 son...cos I can!! :)

Hope your Sunday is a great one :)

Debsx

Dontcha just know it?!!

The wind slows down and the rain moves in, I am utterly convinced there is not going to be a summer anytime soon! I am eager to get into the garden and just make it look nice and tidy, but its probably just not meant to be just yet! :(

I have made a really cool blog for Prince Charley, i've added a bazillion photos, listed his favourite stuff and had a good ole play with it...i'm pretty impressed with it. The template is one that I got from a friend of mine who designed it for me, its a Top Secret document folder with target signs for bullet points, wowser!! :) Now I just have to keep TWO blogs up to date! I take that back, the other day I got another blog for my layouts, just cos I wanted somewhere different to put some of the stuff that I have done, not all my stuff is on there but doing only 5 at a time is a bit naff with all the techno thats available nowadays!! But thats the way it is!

Jay has landed at the trainstation, feeling very tired and stiff from being on the train for so long. He's adamant he's having dinner then going to bed, but lets see what Charley boy thinks of that idea!! :) :) It's so good to have him around again, all I need now is for Scott to show up then i'll have all four home! Seems such a long time that they've all been together, but roll on Scott's birthday cos that's one time I know they'll all be here :)

I think Charley's getting fed up of the camera now...for lunch we had a sandwich, a bowl of mixed fruit and some crisps, while he was yapping away I told him to tell me in a minute and eat up, the phone rang, I wasn't on it for long but when I got back this is what I looked at:

the sad thing is while he was parading round with spam on his face he was doing some great sound effects from that Jason movie (cant remember what it's called!). I think i've either been procrastinating for too long today or my child is wired wrong!! :)

While searching the t'internet for some printables for the boy today I came across some good links for kids, so check them out on the side >>> somewhere over that way >>> . I was looking for some Cars the movie colouring pictures, got a few and ended up nicking some of their graphics for when I do Charleys layout i'm working on! Hehehe

I have sore fingers, did I mention my hands? Nope I didn't think so. Well last week I had a day of totally blitzing each room in the house, nothing was left untouched, during the process I was using lots of soapy water (dont do spray cans and all that detergent stuff unless its bleach for the floor!!) anyway, the next day I got up and I could barely open my hands, they were so painful I actually felt I could have cried with them. All my fingers were so dry and cracked that many of them were bleeding. It took about two days and a full bottle of Dove moisturiser to calm them down. They are just a bit sore now but I make a concerted effort to moisturise them at least every hour to keep them safe. Even the heat off the laptop can dry them out and start them off again. I've never had this kinda thing before, maybe its a sign o'the times?!! **sigh** The upside is I have a brilliant excuse for wasting a whole bottle of lotion!! :D Wowser!!! :)

Work is on again on Monday, I opened my email for the website and found some orders in there, three of them are projects i've been asked to design and make for someone else's crops, one was an actual enquiry about doing someone's baby album and the other is an invitation to introduce scrapbooking at a church hall. Not one to say no i've took them all on and shall report back to this desk (the one I dont think I ever really leave!) first thing on Monday morning!! :)

Until then I shall enjoy my kids, do what I do on here and go with the flow, all good stuff :)

I was gonna mention sumat else but its totally escaped me, couldnta been that important eh? Guess i'll be back later if I think of it! :)

Debsx

HS:MS + More on Blogs :)

Today's prompt is:

Show us a portrait from your space today.

So i'm giving you........

.....the little man himself who has sat at my desk, printed off his colouring pages and written three posts in his blog! Ok so i'm kinda changing the facts a bit there but he was definitely, literally in MY SPACE!! Lol Obviously he's worn himself out enough to go chill on the sofa....but not for long because come see what happened ten minutes later..........

I'm Sportacus he said!

but another ten minutes later, some gentle but firm scrubbing........

......this is where we are at..........

What can any mum do with that kind of sense of humour and washable (or so it says on the box!) pens? I had to laugh, I mean, getting annoyed isn't going to change it, its not going to make him feel any worse than the gasp I gave out when I looked at him...the one that made him ''jamp'' as he says it!! So we laughed and we talked. I then suggested he go get the top for the pen and leave it with me, 'where is it mum' he asks, 'go look in the box' I say, off he runs through to the living room and comes back singing Fireman Sam with an echo sound....his head in the empty Roses tin which homes his various pens and crayons and says 'are you sure its in here?'. I look at him, he laughs, knowing just how funny he is and I proceed to crack up with my own wobbly belly laugh!!!

Be back to blog again later, i'm still fine tuning Charley's blog at the moment for his 'Dadden' who has suddenly decided to do a massive u-turn and get nasty with me...because I asked him to pick the boy up from closer to me rather than the train station in town (which, incidentally means 2 or 4 miles less for him depending what route he comes). Go figure! So I figure i'd record Charleys antics and make a blog...it will serve well as a non-bitch fest for ..... well his biological father!! :) I'm really not feeling bitchy about him, I dont feel anything to tell the truth, just the way he is.

So, laters :)

Debsx

HS:MS

Sad:

Feeling or showing sorrow. Show us sad in your space today.

I couldn't decide what was the saddest today so I decided to get the kids to do some acting!! This is what they come up with....and you can tell who the drama queen is eh? :)

For the life of him, Charley just can't do the sad face, he's so busy in his own little world that he is only sad when I say the word 'nap' but he laughed when I said that...cos he knew he had to eat first!! Doh

Princess Kirsten makes me laugh! This is not a real sad face but by 'eck its a guddun!! :)

This is truly sad... the offending well over grown tree that Jay cut down for me in March...laying lifeless and abused in the back garden! Still gotta find its way to the tip yet...but I guess dead stuff dont move eh? :)

My darlin' #1 son is going to help me (and some guys from church) do the garden next week, and my boy works like a trojan when he gets his hands on a power tool!! We plan to secure all the garden so the dog cant jump into adjoining ones and that rottweiller cant come back into ours! I have loads of plants to do and Charley is eager to do more of his little garden patch but only Jay can do it he said!! :) While Jay is here we are planning on some time out with the kids, he wants to take Charley swimming and to the Dick Whittington Zoo so that'll be a good starting point. Plus he has said he will finish the painting in my living room for me! :) Bless him :)

Kirsten is back at school on Tuesday but she is already stressing out over it. She woke up this morning with a mean attitude that just didnt quite fit, yet I hadn't a clue what could have caused it. Eventually, after many tears and strops she blurted out her fears of going back to Barnwood. She has just 3 months left of Yr 7 so I asked if she could see it through till then, but she was back on her inhaler with sheer stress, I have never seen anyone her age get so worked up to the point of hyperventilating/asthma (which she has been diagnosed as having). So, new school it is, nothing is worth the emotional and mental trauma of my kids (or anyones really) so if moving works for her then who am I to argue too much? She is now on the front with two of her friends and the dog...laughing as though she doen't have a care in the world, just as it should be at 11 years old.

The wind is picking up again here, I wish it would hurry up and pass through, it does nothing for my hair I tell ya! :) I dont think the dog has ever walked so fast as he does when he's outdoors, Charley refuses to go out in it in case he 'turns into a kite' (his words!) yet Kirsten just doesnt care! Is it just me with strange kids?

Back to the fairy chores now...I really have to focus on some offending boxes that are stacked in my hallway...I am convinced they multiply in the twilight hours cos I was sure i'd finished unpacking!! :) Ho hum! The upside though is when i'm caught up with myself I am going to spend some time doing some scrapping! I have finally finished the lo's without pictures too...instead of trekking into town yesterday my lil Selphy friend decided to work and obliged very nicely at printing off many photos for me so now i'm a happy chick and ready to get some crafty time in, thats what I call cool! :) I've added below some of the ones i've finished...just two of them need their titles finishing then i'll share them too :)

Have a good day :)

Debsx

Is it better?

The font I mean. I personally think using a colour on a black background can be pushing the eye power a bit too much, but i find some fonts blur into the one blob at a certain size too...so i'm trying to find a happy medium for you and me, cos i'm nice like that you see! :D



What a windy day it is here! I opened the back door to let the dog out, he was blown backwards a few inches as was the loaded washing basket! Thats how strong it is...and no, I wasn't talking at the time!! :) We were gonna go into town again and get some photos developed....(oh Sonia...yes please...she knows what i'm on about!) I have decided to work backwards with my kids albums, so from the layouts i've already done I shall now be working back the pages so they are in age order for them. I have been a good girl, I have them all sorted out into the correct piles, who, age, where etc and i've even got some of the cardstock I want to use!! The downside is I just dont know where to start, I need to get my butt to one of Sonia's (**waves**) crops so I can focus...though in reality thats a myth, i've never known anyone focus at a crop!!! :D Maybe I should find a scrap buddy to come join me in my lil dining room and do it that way? There's an idea! All applicants on a postcard please!! :D



The layouts i've done last week I shall put the sketches on my site soon as, so if anyone wants to use them they are most welcome to. They are hand sketched, none of this clean line clever stuff that you get in word or publisher or whatever you use! But thats what I like, things done naturally and freely. I especially like my white pen on coloured cardstock, I will do almost anything with it...:D



The concert that Kirsten went to last night was excellent, according to the rave i've been having about it ever since! Where am I going now? is produced by lds kids and directed by the lovely David Day (who, incidentally answers his emails rather speedily!!!) You don't have to be Lds to enjoy it or get anything out of it and you dont have to be a teenager either, it is a show made up of lots of typical challenges faced in this world and some very good ways to find your way through them. They are playing at Bristol for the next two evenings, info is on their site if you wanna go check it out.

I thought i'd share some more pictures too :) Here ya go....This is the best shot i've had of Jakeyroo so far....looks a bit mean in his eyes dontcha think?

Talking of dogs...this is a picture Kirsten found when she was browsing the internet looking for Jake (though not him specifically but a dog to have as her own anyway) How cool is that heart marking??

This made me laugh, as Princess Kirsten was getting ready to go to the show last night she was trying on my tops to go with a particular pair of jeans...I caught her just right...she didn't quite see the funny site to the word: improvement! Doh, dunno why!! Hehehe

When we moved into this house the garden was without border, neatly trimmed and just...bland. So when I decided to spruce it up I found that the ground is very hard, there are clumps of grass, its not as level as it looked and it needed a guy! This is my first attempt at the front garden..i'm not even go mention the back one!!!

However, with a team of guys from church the basic needs of the garden will soon be put into place when they get here! All I have to do then is look after it and make it pretty!! :D

Back to scrapbooking, I have just signed up to use the scriptures as a way of scrapbooking my family and me....its also a good way to learn them too so i'm excited to get going on it!! :) When I come up with something i'll post...until then it looks like i'm scrapbooking without photos if I rely on my lil selphy mate here...he's having a right ole strop with my usb port!!! **sigh**

Oh I have to share some of the things that Prince Charley says now, he has us in stitches sometimes:

* Jamp ~ Jump ~ he sounds dead posh when he says that!

* I'm sorry for biting your finger mum ~ the lil **** bit my finger (hard!) as he took a bite off my sandwich!!

* When he says a prayer he always asks first 'is Heavenly Father tired of me yet Mum?'

* When we are going out he will run to the bathroom, stand on his little step and say 'totally gorgus'

* He likes ballerina's (dont say a word!!) so when in town yesterday we saw 2 girls dressed up while giving out leaflets for a nightclub, he promptly stopped, peered over his glasses and stared...put his hand to his mouth and whispered 'real barellinas mum'. The girls giggled and waved at him!

* He tells me not to eat my sandwich till we are in the car!

* He doesn't need juice anymore, he needs milk!

* He's too big to wear a nappy for bed but hates to be woken up to go to the toilet so he chose the nappy...and hates it!!

These are just a few of the things I think are cute with him, he is such a character everyone just falls in love with him!! Ok yes, I admit I am bias too!! Lol

Ok, off to figure out the issues in my life....my naughty usb ports.....with the help of good ole Chris! **waves**

CYAxx

Say cheese! :)

Now its time for some photos! Just to make the blog look interesting!! :) This is Princess Kirsten having kisses n cuddles off Jakeyroo! Puckeremup! :)

My one painted wall in the living room...though the picture of the temple is in black and grey (naff picture I know but I was as squashed up the side wall as much as I could be!!) I like it enough for it to interupt my colour theme of Seychelle Blue and chocolate! :)

No Princess is truly awake until she's full and final on her make-up! Even if it means doing it in the car when your on the way to a farm in the wind! Oh the memories........!!

My lil dude is so happy sat in his big boy seat for local trips, talking about his friend JD who is going to build him a tree house, paint it blue, put a tv and dvd in there and remember to make the ladders too! Luv his mind and fine tune to details!! :)

Not a sweet tooth child but he insisted on this ice cream when he saw other kids with one...so being a nice mummy I obliged...only by this time it was dripping and he just wasn't sure it was such a good idea after all!! :) The bucket on his head, incidentally is indeed a halloween sweet bucket...that he insists on wearing pretty much all the time as his fireman hat! He has a real toy one of course but 'its not so good' as that one!! Godda luv im!!:)

Farmer boy! Of all the animals, play areas and stuff he coulda done, he insisted on this beat up old tractor. He loved it and spent most of his time on it while I sat texting and Kirsten went to pet the donkeys!

Even Kirsten got bored waiting for the boy to get off the tractor!! The wind was getting strong by this time, and biting cold! A bit of mummy blackmail followed...something to the tune of MacDonalds if I remember correctly!! Hehehe :)

This is what I found last night when I went to wake him up to get Kirsten to the chapel. I walked into his room, saw the empty bed, no body on the floor or under it but I did see all his clothes from the wardrobe on the floor and hanging out the door....slowly opening it this is what I saw...

Charley planting paid off after 3 days, this is the sunflower he called Kirsten...pretty cool eh? :)

And this is the one called Charley...very original eh? :)

For now that is yer lot! I might upload some more later, just cos I can! :) I been taking some real daft shots with this lil nifty camera, though it doesn't replace my other one its a pretty good spare one to have!! :)

Have a great day :)

Debsx