A few changes

I'm back to the blogging thing again! :D
In light of the last weeks events and the IP tracking undertaken by the police the four people involved in attempting to make my life hard is now confirmed and will be treated appropriately by the police and my solicitor. I dont care that the one person who called me a liar when I tried to explain this doesn't believe it. I think it's come as a big shock that I am actually standing up for myself! The crap thing is the people involved are the ones to be shameful of their actions, not me. My blame lies in allowing myself to be so submissive in recent years that I have become their emotional and mental doormat, so now i'm actually doing something about it they are angered even more...WELL THATS JUST TOUGH LUCK FOR YOU!
I will not be bullied or intimidated any longer. YOU NEED HELP...and that goes for S, H, K, E & L. Now the initials spell out the names of people who are involved, rather pitiful and shameful really especially as one was a member of my family. Some people have no shame, thats all I can say.
So, now I find myself with 2 choices, I can carry on as normal or I can allow them to win again and delete this blog...but I'm no quitter, i'm no loser and i'm no weak link to be walked over so I have decided to keep this blog, however it will be passworded as of Friday, as will any other blogs I own. I am happy to give the password to anyone that has an existing blog for me to verify who you are, a UKS player that I can check back on history of or someone that I have come to know either through this blog or any of the forums I frequent. Of course if I know you personally and I know you are not in anyway connected to the above people then I will give you the password without any blog or forum history. If I cant track you as a genuine person then I will not give out the password so if you are interested in keeping up with my waffle and scrapbooking stuff then after Friday please email me and give me any links you can so I know you are not impersonating the people initialled above.
If at any time that happens then it will be reported and action taken, so if one of the above people are having the idea of scamming me, forget it, you wont like my next legal action!
Its a sad day when so called family and close friends are so wrapped up in their controlling misery that they try to bring down others around them, especially ones that they have happily used in the past to get what they want..but I guess that is life.
I am not going to defend myself on here, I dont feel the need to and I certainly do NOT feel I have anything to apologise for, its just a crying shame that for so long I have defended such behaviour, but never did I believe it would turn on me so easily, nastily or untruthfully. All I can say is I hope you (the people initialled above) find some peace inside, cos knowing what I do of you all, you dont have any, but you are not bringing me down with you. Go get help, it'll do you a world of good, I know because in the past i've got help and it done wonders for me and my self esteem. Now its probably your turn.
So, this is the posting that is about to bring my blog back to life, though I will not be blogging again now till Friday when I put the password on here....after that its business as usual, and I have some fun stuff to share, loads of waffle to add and a lot of giggles to give you from the mad world of my home!!! :) Its all good stuff!!
One thing I have come to learn this last two weeks is this:

There are a variety of people in this world, some will dominate, some will lie, some will love you and some will be imposters, that does not mean we can justify them or follow suit, no matter how much they attempt to control us. We each have a right to be the best we can, no one is perfect or right all of the time, but everyone has the right to their own mistakes, their own opinions and life choices, but when it effects others negatively we have to take responsibility.
The biggest thing we can ever lose in this life is not money, our homes or even our friends and family, its ourselves. Without ourself there is nothing within or around us. So my advice to you is simple, dont give up trying to be fair, patient, loving and righteous, dont give up being the best example you can be, you never know who's watching, but dont be afraid to make mistakes. Just learn to correct them the best you can.
God is watching each and everyone of us, keeping us safe, guiding us and waiting for us to go to Him. Whatever your belief on that, thats fine, we can never truly justify evil actions, thoughts and deeds to Him...only to ourselves. Dont give up....keep going....I believe we can all be much better people if we get the right ingredients...just like cupcakes, get a wrong recipe and its not going to work.
Thats all from me now, I am off out today with Jd, Jay and Charley and its set to be a fantastic day by the mood of everyone right now!!! :)
Have a good one :)

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

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

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 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

Spiritual Sunday

Is it just me or are Sundays truly reflective days? Each Friday evening I plan out my Saturdays that enable me to live the Sabbath the best way I can with my family, my Saturdays don't always need much work in the fairy chores dept but thats only a part of preparing for a Sabbath, you see, after doing my regular things for 6 days, be it with the kids, work, scrapbooking, writing letters etc by the weekend I need to free my mind of such things for just one day so I can focus on what my life is all about, God. If you are not interesting in religion then now's the time to click off this blog....:)

You see, as a Mormon I marvel at the inspiration, guidance and promptings that we each receive individually and collectively, this is often by personal and family prayer, scripture study and going to church meetings but we also have a vast variety of talks, videos, movies, books, stories and other things to give us a deeper understanding, motivation, inspiration and assurances of our lives and world around us. Our Prophet, President Thomas S Monson is yet another awesome person who has been called by God to lead the church and prophesy to the world...each time I hear him talk i'm either laughing or crying...he's funny, charming, sincere and very, very in tune with Heavenly Father and that just emenates from him.

So, Sundays is my one day where I limit certain things, stop others and do more of another...though I read my scriptures every day I make a point to study, ponder and pray regarding them on the Sabbath, the kids often use their Book of Mormon Stories (the kids version of the Book of Mormon) at the same time and we talk about what we are reading, how we can translate it into our lives and enhance our heartfelt desires, qualities and responsibilities. I also like to browse other blogs of my fellow Lds friends and learn more of them, laugh with them, cry with them and tease them....as you do! My Lds blog is one of total spiritual and uplifting motivation and inspiration, though private only to me as I use it as a study journal, it is great to have something fancy to just drop out those thoughts and feelings and make sense of them as you go along!

Today I have read a blog by a fellow Lds mum and scrapbooker and got so much from her that I have decided that I want to 'pay it forward' and share some luvin from here too...so whatever you believe, whatever your religion, culture, colour or race....I want you to know that just by being in this world, doing what you do, God is always watching, loving, guiding and protecting you...even on bad days and terrible times...they are our growing and strengthening trials which we much try to endure and learn from the best we can...I hope whoever has got to this far now will feel the urge, desire, need....use whatever word that you like...will go forward and tell someone just how much they are loved and respected.
In particular I would like to mention a few people who are a blessing to me in my life:

* Jaymie, Scott, Kirsten & Charley - my kids are my life, even on bad days! :)
* My Mum & Dad - for being the best they can be and never giving up on me
* My brothers & sister - because we come from the same family we still offer so many differences :)
* The Prophet, President Monson, his counsellors and other other leaders of the Lds church - for all their dedication, inspiration and the way they love, live and know the word of God and live to share it with the world
* My friends - Elaine, Sonia L, Sonia P, Kirsty, Sharron, Sara, Kim & Mikey, Bexx, Claire, Chris, Jd, Colin, Lois, Karen, Julie and Tina - a different kind of friendship with each different person that I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world (well maybe if I have another big gas bill!!)
* For my kids and my health - just over a year ago I had a major operation that truly changed my life, now i'm top of the pots and happy as tappy can be :)
* My life challenges - although being homeless almost broke me mentally, emotionally and spiritually I am thankful for the experience I had (as well as the support and friendships) because like any other trial, challenge or whatever terminology you prefer to use, I grow from them, I mature, I learn and I understand, I know the depths of despair on many levels, and BECAUSE of it I also know the highs of laughter, loving, friendship, secrets, feelings, peace and just being.

I have crossed paths with a whole lot of what this world offers, good and bad. Heartbreak, assault, divorce, abuse, childbirth (the ouch side!!), road accidents, operations, breathing machines, psychologists and a whole lot more...I've also crossed paths with holding my newborn for the first time, walking down the isle knowing I was doing it all for the right reasons, seeing my child survive a serious road accident, see another child come back from the brink of death when a Priest blessed him. I have experienced the consuming love for my mum when she is ill, sad or just struggling with life, my dad makes me laugh, reminds me to never give up and kicks my butt if I dare to be beat, my friends let me moan, laugh, cry, scream and just shear break down when my world feels like its falling apart...
...but most of all...each of these people dont only come into my life...they allow me, invite me, keep me in their lives as well.

Today I am renewing my gratitude for what I DO have in my life, however small, however insignificant...the fact of the matter is, they are in MY life and if I wasn't here...where would they be? My life has a purpose, has an importance and has significance...whether I miss that sometimes or not...I am proud to know, feel and be important to a variety of people around me...in real life and in my virtual online life.

So....how speshal are YOU?

Debsxx

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

The ultimate load of waffle! :)

Well, I want to waffle....not sure what about yet...all I know is I want to waffle! :)

So here goes:

Err...err......ah I know...blogs. My favourite subject :D (I really, really want to be able to do proper smilies on here!!!) Blogs, yeah, I have just added my team mates blogs way to the right there....because I think they are worth looking at, they are a very talented bunch and i'm grateful they let me into their team (on uk scrappers) cos you see, I am the crappest person in the world for keeping things up to date...and the only reason this blog is up to date (of sorts) is because if I don't keep an account of certain things I forget what i've told my family and what I haven't, plus it stops me having to repeat myself...unless is Elaine (**waves**) of course, who will read this blog then call me to talk about it! Gotta luv her though, she's so cool!! :D I browse so many blogs that I literally have a list of them in a notebook, to date there are over 300 of them so forgive me for being totally scatty and not keeping up with them, I wish I could though, I LOVE BLOGS!!

What else can I waffle about? I love this waffle, just goes to show that since I decided to take some day off from working my brain goes to mush :) No comments please! :P Did you know that people who waffle are considered more intelligent? NO I DID NOT JUST MAKE THAT UP!!! Lmao Apparently waffle (though the article I read referred to it as 'Idle chit chat' but i'm not that well etiquetted {see!!}) is a gateway to a persons inner thoughts and emotional stability. Slam and blast is what I say, listen to the waffle and you get the total IQ rating in 10 seconds flat...THAT's why I am Billy No Mates eh?!! :D :D :D Well it was a good article, but I do think it was written by some guy who was new at reporting and hadn't a clue what women were all about, much less his job in the first place which then poses the question of what is he doing working there in the first place?!! :D Doh

We had a great (but short) Family Home Evening, I found a good talk about the creation of the world from the Primary section of the Lds site, some great ways to explain to kids about how the world started then my two nephews throw me sideways and ask: 'Aunty Deb, why did all the dinosaurs die?' I was kinda just gutted! I do not know the answer!! I have never known the answer, and I probably never will cos I never remember to ask it or research it!! So I thought I was pretty clever when I said: 'well, maybe they just ran out of dinosaurs to fight with and got bored to death?'. Ok it wasn't the smartest thing to say, especially when a 6 year old pipes up 'you can't really die of being bored cos I would already be dead now'. Yep I cracked at that statement, said with such honesty and conviction! Incidentally, I am also hacking my brain to see if he meant he was bored here too!! Go figure!! Charley decided today that he didn't want to have a wash after eating my Cola Cubes which Chris (**waves**) had sent me (or i'm assuming they were for me, they were in the box of goodies he sent for Kirsten and as there was 3 bags of sweets....well go figure!!) his hands were sticky and I wanted to do a run to Tesco, he immediately put on the face tears, scrunched up his face and declare that he doesn't like a wash. I looked at him, and tried ever so gently to explain that he will have everything stick to him if we dont clean him up. At which point the dog came walking into the room, strutting his stuff as he does, and began licking Charley's hand clean. I sat there watching him thinking 'right definitely no compromises here, he really has to get washed up. Before I could lead him to the bathroom he piped up ' Done it mum! Jakes cleaned me!' I chuckled, as you do but still fought on with a face cloth and a bottle of Kandoo face wash.......!!!

The kids done some more baking today whilst I played domestic goddess...they trashed the kitchen while I cleaned beds, floors and windows...such a good balance going on there!! :) The chocolate cake was the deciding factor of the length of their repentance...one bite and they were redeemed of all wrong doing! :) Cheap? Heck yeah! :) When we were out shopping I bought more stuff, cos tomorrow they will do it again, and I will forgive them all for a slice of chocoalte cake!! Luvin kids that cook! :)

Charley had a 'grown up' garden collection today. In Tesco they have a gorgeous range of fun gardening pots, trowels etc so I got a bit of all sorts for the lil dude. Sitting at the table later on I chucked as he wore his gardening hat, apron and gloves to eat his pizza! He said he was ready to 'get going'! I don't think so son, not at 9pm!! :) Yeah we ate late, we had too much going on and the boys (Ty and Kian) wanted to go 'late night shopping' but as I wasn't prepared to go at 2am I convinced them that 8pm (their normal bedtime) is just as good!! :) If it works use it right? :D They go home tomorrow, Mum and Angie are coming up at some point and will swing by and visit me (which i'm wondering if they'd do if I didn't have her kids?! Go figure!!) so i'm looking forward to seeing them both. :)

I am being scripture challenged...have been working through the book of Alma in The Book of Mormon with JD, sharing scriptures is one of the best ways I learn them and find ways to incorporate them in my life, well, so long as one of us dont get off track and end up in fits of giggles! Did I SAY it was me!!!!! :D So tomorrow I am challenged to read the whole of the 5th chapter, which is extremely inspiring and to the point. If anyone wants to read it click here, its a very good read and whether you are a Mormon, Christian, other faith or none at all it will inspire you and definitely give you some good understanding of how to improve things in our daily lives.

I had a lady who recently decide to challenge me, as an athiest she felt she had all the answers for everyone (I feel everyone has the free choice to look for answers if they want to or no look if they dont) anyway, after about 30 minutes of hearing all the scientific reasons why the Mormon church is not true (and many internal feelings I can tell you!) I was suddenly inspired to simply reply back 'I'm sorry you feel that God is punishing you, I hope one day you will look at how he loves you instead'. She went quiet and I stood there, not quite sure what to say next cos I really didn't want to offend her (or get my head swiped off!) after a few seconds she stood up straight and said 'Do you think i'm negative?'. I was very reluctant to answer this because its pretty much a judgement on her personality which I didn't want to do, so I asked 'what do you think?' she looked at me, at Charley then said 'I dont know, maybe I am'. I still didn't know what to say, I was feeling frustrated that I didnt feel the spirit to guide me so I done what I knew best, I hugged her and just said, 'the best person to ask about who and what you are is your Father in Heaven'. I don't know how she felt at that moment, or afterwards even but I know I felt like I could have said more, but somehow I also felt it wasn't the right time. I have since heard that this lady has been investigating all the faiths out there in search of one answer 'Am I negative'. To the most of us that is a pretty straight forward question, but this lady is looking for a deeper meaning, a deeper understanding inside herself. I can relate to that because I am a deep person, I have to analyse my thoughts and feelings, opinions and actions which can all too often leave me feeling like i'm negative because I dont recognise my strengths or talents. When I do though, I then run the risk of it being slammed because the world apparently doesn't like hearing someone talk of their good points. In my humble opinion, if we talked MORE of our own good points and less of someone elses so called bad, each and every one of us could make a difference.

Wow! It's been a long time since I got that deep on a blog!! I felt inspired to write it though, so whoever reads this, I hope you take something from it, cos when all is said and done, we all share the basics...a body, a heart, a mind and a soul...as well as free agency. Put the lot together we are what we want to be...not a template for the next person to follow us from. Go figure.

Right time for my bed, its silly o'clock again and Kirsten has another GP appointment in the morning. Update on the bullying will follow soon as the school have concluded their investigation. I've had a few msn/yahoo IM's regarding that so I know there are some out there who are interested.

Happy Friday :D
Debsx

1st April

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!! I hope your out there to cause a bit of havoc this morning!!! If anyone feels like it i'd love to hear what stunts you pulled {or had pulled on you} cos I luv a good chuckle :}

Which do you think looks good for a smiley face, this one: :) or this one: :} ? I like this one: :} I never thought of using that one till now but I think it looks quite good! Just idle thoughts there :}

Princess Kirsten got so stressed yesterday at the thought of going to school that she literally hyperventilated. This caused me a lot more concern than my error of mixing up the Easter holidays, it eventually came out about the severity of the bullying she is enduring at school so I had to get on that case. Now the school are making it an official investigation, these 3 girls are not giving up and have now taken it onto msn. I have had Kirsten print off all the chats to support her claims but its put a massive divide between the girls in the class {who are said to be the worst Y7 group in years} so what was once a popular and somewhat equally confident Kirsten is now more like a dandelion on its last legs, something I am NOT prepared to tolerate any longer. I have a meeting with the head later today, he knows how angry I am, he knows the next step for me is the police and I believe he is at his limit with 2 of the 3 girls already. So this morning I have to get Kirsten checked out at the doctors, after this hyperventilating she suddenly had her right arm go numb and her lip swollen up. I wouldn't mind but she had sat at the table by me for two hours drawing and writing so it wasn't something she ate or done. I'm wondering if its a stress reaction she has. It was almost 3ish when she calmed down enough in my bed, my heart just aches for her right now.

I decided to keep Kian and Ty here rather than take them back to Angie. At least here they have the garden, Kirsten and Charley to play with here whereas at mum's her garden isn't really equipped for kids, they'd be bored. So after doing what I need to at Kirsten's school we are off to a little farm and play area in Prinknash to lighten up the issues with Kirsten and get the kids out, then tonight we are all going to bake some cakes {an interesting task considering how small my kitchen is!!} then we plan to do our Family Home Evening {something we do in our church to help bring families together and be strengthened as a unit and in the gospel} so the boys have chosen the lesson to be about The World! Now i'm not entirely sure yet how i'm going to do that one...BUT i'm about to embark on my research for it! Wish me luck!! :}

So, until my appointment time at the school and doctors I am going to procrastinate with the kids! Kirsten is still sleeping so the boys and I are going for a walk up to the park with the dog, let them run around for an hour while I sit and ponder {my latest favourite hobby!! :}} Oh I love these sunny days when we can just open the door and let in the air, stretch the old legs and be outside without fear of hypothermia!! :}

I had a good ole chat with my Scott yesterday about pretty much anything and everything under the sun, as you do! We talked about his upcoming 18th birthday in exactly 2 months today {of course i'm not that old to have 18 and 19 yr old kids!!} Because Scott likes family and friends around him we have come up with a good plan, on the Friday before his birthday we are having a pizza-q (the alternative to bbq!!) and having family and friends here...then on the saturday he will go out up to Tewkesbury with his friends and go home on the Sunday and have another night with his college friends down there! I am excited about this in one way...but on the other hand my garden is a total wreck and I have to get some back up in to help me whip it into some kind of shape! I'm also toying with the idea of making a whole load of 6" pizzas myself but that'll probably range around 50 or so {he has a lot of mates and my lot aren't light eaters!!} though i'm not convinced on that yet, I found that manslaughter is still illegal as well!! :} Either way i'm so looking forward to that weekend, as is my boy! Nothing like a good party, lots of good company, music and kids running round to feel the spirit of life again!

Back to the present, my day, simple, full and on the verge of totally lazy, but the way i'm seeing it is easy, i'm making memories! :}

Whatever you're doing, have a good one :}

What day is it?

This week has sped by so quickly I'm spinning. Late nights, early mornings and none stop in between has been the typical shape of things. I am so busy with work, putting projects together for my site and on personal project for myself and with my kids that I've had to make a list of what we are doing so when I go somewhere I can keep my eyes open for inspiration and ideas!! Its not funny, I answered the phone the other day and forgot what to say!! :)

Well, I have finally got the theme for Ellie Wiseman!!! Woohoo!! Sorry Kirsty...I know you are busy but...but...but...:P!!! Luv ya really :) So that is also in the making and will be loaded to my website as soon as I can offer it! :)

Yesterday Kirsten, Lucy, Charley and I went to the chapel so we could go through the Baptism procedure with Kirsten. We chose a pretty white dress (and anyone that knows Kirsten will know she is NOT a dress or skirt girl by any stretch of the imagination!!) that she is happy to wear! We have all the provisional plans in place so we just need to invite the relevant people to do the talks, offer prayers etc. I'm looking forward to it so much...and thankfully so is she!! :)

I took the kids into Gloucester, I ran out of black card that I was in desperate need for cos I have been assigned to make 70 oscar night invitations. Thanks to Sonia (**waves**) I have a super template and it even works when I fold it up!! :) She's a clever gal ;) I should have handed them in this morning but my printer ran out of ink after about 12 of them...which I am really annoyed about because the info box shows a full cartridge and as its only a few days old and i've only printed 4 things I know it has plenty!! So I have to work that out later. We had dinner in Macky D's, ooh'd over a set of triplets laying so peacefully in their pram ( I know the mummy) and devoured donuts! Charley was very forward in choosing a Diego helicopter but as Kirsten had her monthly allowance it was ok, so he was a happy boy!! :) For the rest of the day it was run, run, run none stop, come 9pm all I wanted to do was get into bed, but I still had these invitations to go...there had been so many changes and challenges about them that it really was the last minute before I could do anything with them, hense the rush. In the end, come 2am I just had to sack it, nothing is worth being that tired for and I couldnt chance making a mistake on them so I left them, I shall have them out tomorrow afternoon instead.

Today we are off to church (in a few mins) so i'm procrastinating for a few minutes cos we are all ready and waiting for the clock to tick :) Love being organised! I feel totally shattered, but happy. We are taking a drive down to my mums later in Taunton, she doesn't know yet and i've threatened Scott not to tell her! :) He is looking forward to seeing Kirsten be baptised, though it will be his first time in church for a few years! Now I just have to get my other boy here and i'll have all my kids together again!! Now that would be awesome!!

Ok, i'm not making much sense of anything on here right now cos I know i'm so tired and so much is trying to make sense in my head. I refuse to work on a Sunday though, so I am hoping to clear my head soon. Sundays are my days with the kids...ONLY the kids and if they are napping I dont mind coming on here and browsing but definitely NOT working!! :) Such a life eh?!! I did skive last night though (ok I had a couple of hours through the week too!!) where I had a play on Facebook, its a real whizz for some light hearted fun but it can (and did) get out of hand if someone takes it too serious. I did have one person bombard me then mail me to see why I hadn't sent him the kissy kissy things!! My profile states that I am in a relationship...maybe its not the place to go when a relationship is in your real life? What do you think? I've never agreed to this sorta thing before, I believe that if we put ourselves in a particular situation we are subjecting ourselves to a potential issue that we do not need...so I guess i've answered my own question there! For now it's harmless, but if I have to cancel my account I will...so till then i'll just play careful :) I do like passing the Winnie the Pooh or flowers or something I think is funny to share, most people send it back or something similar, the odd one or two dont but thats ok, everyone see's facebook differently :)

I thought i'd stick a couple of widgets on here just for the fun of it. I am amazed at how far this blog goes when I check in with my stats! Even though I see the counter go up I still find it hard to believe that anyone actually sits there long enough to read my drivel!! :) But thank you for doing it anyway, it is nice that someone does actually though I wish you would comment so I can come read your blog!! :)
EDITED: Do the widgets work? I just had an email alert that someone from the States has visited my blog...but it isn't showing...bet I have a faulty one!!! :)

Ok i've had enough, i'm bored here now!! :) :P I'm going to get the kids bundled into the car...not like that...i'll do it gently!!! :)

Have a fabtasticolishous Sunday :)

Debsxx

Is that a ray of life?

The sun got me up early today, blazing into my bedroom just smiling down on me like I had got something right and was about to be rewarded! I lay there for a few minutes watching the birds on the phone line outside, I wondered if they actually have conversations, I didnt wanna know what they were saying about 'her at no 1 with those pink and purple check pjs'!!
So, I rolled out of bed, stripped it off, remade it with crisp blue n beige check bedding and re set my teddies in their homely place at the foot. I looked at the clock, it was 7am. What the heck was I doing? I knew I was tired, it was gone 2.30 when i'd last looked at the clock. I was lay in bed working on the newsletter that needs to go out soon, the class requests i've had and the projects i've got on the go...for the first time I was feeling rather overwhelmed with the whole list of stuff that needs to be done. Without notice, I dozed off to sleep.
Charley Boy woke up and gave me the biggest hug! He said his prayer which consisted of waffle waffle waffle waffle, Father waffle waffle waffle mummy waffle waffle waffle waffle Jesus waffle waffle waffle waffle AMEN said with such conviction that I had a lump in my throat! My boy is so easy and comfortable offering a prayer, even though I dont understand all his words I know Heavenly Father does, and that's good enough for me.
He went off to watch Diego while I coaxed Kirsten to wake up. She came home from her dads yesterday with a back so sore that she could barely get up the stairs, sit or move. I was mad as heck that they didn't think to take her to the call in medical centre which is less than 1/2 a mile from them, much less tell me she was in pain. She doesn't know what she's done but I know she is in pain. This morning she struggled to walk across her bedroom so I decided to get her to the hospital. Past experience tells me that a GP will only refer her for an x ray anyway so off we trotted. Thankfully they didn't make us wait for very long, and the results showed that her spine has some inflamation. They want her to go back in two weeks time for another x ray and have put her on medication. I'm unsure on what they want her to do in the meantime though, one doctor said to just take it easy and another said total rest. When I questioned the nurse in charge she said 'just do what the doctor said'. I asked 'which doctor though' and she said 'both'!! I wonder what the average grade is to pass the nursing exam! Lol I take that back, maybe she's just having a bad day. I decided to call my own GP surgery, the nurse there went through it all with me. Thankfully.
I'm probably going to kick myself for saying this but I think I may just have had a glimpse of a life today! Ok so its thanks to Sonia (**waves**) for looking me up and for being such a sweetheart when she took me to Hobbycraft today...for what should have been a simple purchase and ended up costing me almost 3 figures!! There goes this months and next months stash allowance!! Hehehe But I did manage to get some goodies for the kids to make some Easter stuff and a couple of lil Easter gifts to put in their basket. I don't do Easter eggs or chocolate, instead I prefer something that will last, and be more memorable so I like to put together a basket or box, decorated in bunnies n flowers and filled with lil novelty stuff that they will enjoy playing with. Then we have the true meaning of Easter, that is usually a story board where we renew the story of Jesus' death and resurrection and make comparisons to our own lives and make little plans for personal and family improvement. It's great watching the kids learn and teach with so much enthusiasm, they are exceptionally keen for knowledge of almost all kinds.
Hmm, I have gone off the track there about three times eh? :) No matter, not the worst thing I coulda done is it?!! So, I went to Hobbycraft...I was on the phone with Sonia (**waves**) and i'd said that I need to get some mountboard, double sided tape and I wanted some Scenic Route, Loveland cardstock. Bless her, she's so sweet, she was going to go for me and then bring it over...but I was suddenly wanting to go with her...so she picked me up and off we went!! I'm sure I made her late home for a caller she was expecting! Not like that, take yer mind out the gutter!! Tut Tut!! :D
I was almost in heaven, as you are in any place that sells stash, but in the back of my mind it was killing me cos they are so very over priced, but Gloucester isn't that up on craft shops so they kinda got you by the curlies. They didn't have the papers I wanted, nor the Scenic Route, Lynden I like so I'm hoping Fiona at Paperarts or Linz and Crafty Pasttimes will have some! I got to have them...I have projects waiting to be done! :)
Talking of projects, i've now been commissioned to do a baby tin, a boy and a girl along with a book to go with it with lots of places for journalling and photos so i'm thinking paper bag books, they are ideal for packing in lots of extras. I have about 5 projects on the go at the moment and I dont know if i'm coming or going. I am seriously thinking of looking to put together a design team a whole lot sooner than I planned to keep the inspiration going on my site...that will leave me able to continue to research, plan and work on the projects. If you are interested, drop me a line. It wont be anything big or grand like some craft stores, for the next few months it is only a means of keeping scrapbooking going and sharing ideas and inspiration.
I bought Jaymie and Scott a new 12x12 album today as well, the album they have isnt really suitable for 19 and 17 yr old young men! I chose a nice soft black and neutral fabric album with a frontal insert...so I dont get confused what my boys look like!! :D Yeah, sons....come see mummy more...I miss yas!!! :D Mwah!!
I looked into kickboxing today, there are four groups here in Gloucester, two are for advanced, one is full and the other falls on a wednesday night...the only night I cant do cos Kirsten has Faith in God night each month and its also the night the Missionaries come over which i'm not looking to change. So i've put my name down for the class thats full, in case someone drops out. I also got Charley on the list for swimming lessons, I wanted him to do them when he was a few months old but a certain person in my past didnt want to spend the £100 with Aquatots! Charley loves the water, he doesn't have much of a confidence problem in there and thinks its great when he is splashing us or us splashing him! So nothing lost really.
I have located a brand new cricut expressions with TWO extra cartridges for less than £200 including postage! The baby is on its way to its new home as I type! I am sooo excited!! Just thinking of all the new, fun and exciting things I will be able to do is enough for me to run up stairs to my room and do the happy dance!!
Well i'm talked out for now. I think i'm gonna try for an early night!!
Toodlepipxx