I surrendered my driving license at the beginning of 2014 as I’d experienced too many near misses from falling asleep at the wheel. Factoring in naps during my day was difficult and nodding off in the company of others was embarrassing. Fighting the overwhelming need to sleep is so difficult, once the eyelids start to get … Continue reading
These past 18 months have probably been the most ‘normal’ that I’ve experienced since being diagnosed. Apart from a couple of manic highs and one short-lived low, things have been constant and manageable. I’m less worried now about people’s reaction to my bi-polar. Mental illness doesn’t have the stigma it used to have thanks to … Continue reading
My gorgeous and wonderful husband is having a mid-life crisis, fortunately it doesn’t involve a new woman or back-packing around Bora Bora, however, it does involve a motorbike. Jez has just completed his 125cc test and is about to tackle his theory and ‘big bike’ test in November. Of course, I will support him and … Continue reading
Jez and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day any more, not because we are a boring, old married couple (which we are but that‘s not the reason!), we find it‘s so expensive, the price of anything coloured red is inflated for about a fortnight. Also, I know it’s a cliché, but we don’t need to be romantic … Continue reading
You can enter anything really: shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, drug taking, working, Facebooking(!) etc. Bingeing is described as “Unrestrained and often excessive indulgence. An act of compulsive consumption.” There are times we all do things to excess, fortunately for most it is a short lived thing or it can be controlled with some will-power without … Continue reading
Although it wasn’t quite the same as stepping across the Channel, the France Show 2012 at Earl’s Court London was a great experience. Our main reasons for attending the exhibition were to give us a chance to spend the whole day together without the children and to see Sally from Les Bons Voisins, LBV. We … Continue reading
My first impression of Llandudno was how wonderfully, traditionally British it was. The beautiful buildings along the whole length of the promenade immediately take you back to Victorian times. You can easily imagine what it was like; a thriving, luxurious location on the coast; a short carriage journey from Liverpool, only for the most wealthy. … Continue reading
This was our third attempt at camping and this time we stayed at Conwy Touring Park. On arrival we were met by a very friendly and helpful receptionist who kindly showed us which plots were still available, she enthusiastically said that we could pick any we liked. Despite having requested a pitch near the park … Continue reading
Today has been rather strange; it consists of 5 oxymoron’s and 1 tautology (oxygenius!) Today’s Oxymoron’s: Too much sleep A successful weigh-in A relaxing toddler birthday party Lots of dry washing Quiet afternoon tea with a mummy friend A blessed trip to A&E Today’s Tautology Answer to prayer I woke with a splitting headache, probably … Continue reading
For many it was a complete disaster, but for me it was amazing, I loved every minute and can’t wait for more! I wasn’t sure what to expect but my friends said it’s lots of fun! Apparently loads of people do it and often return for more!! CAMPING was a fab experience, admittedly we were … Continue reading
So, Monday 23rd May, week seven progress……………. You may have noticed that there was no week 6, that’s because there was just nothing ‘positive’ to write about. After my knees started to play up I just seemed to give up on my Muffin Top Challenge. I’ve had zero motivation to exercise and turned to eating … Continue reading
I can not find the words to describe the blessing that have been poured out on me, I feel a little like Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother). (Luke 1) Elizabeth said,25 “Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed of me, but now the Lord has taken away that shame.” Elizabeth’s … Continue reading
Jez was very patient letting the children help him with the shower room. Especially after Charlotte had ‘helped Daddy’ by removing all the tile spacers with a pair of pliers last week! And here it is, I love it and even treated myself to some Molton Brown (which of course I’ll refill with shops ownbrand … Continue reading
Following the recent news about Catherine Zeta-Jones suffering with bi-polar disorder, I felt it was time to share my story in the hope of helping others with mental health problems. My struggle with bi-polar disorder began when I was about 10 years old (although it was not diagnosed until much later). It escalated at about … Continue reading
When William was 4 months old I started exercising a little and managed to lose a little weight, people commented and gave me compliments, it felt nice and was good for my confidence. However, after a good start I gave up on the exercise and started baking biscuits, cakes and pies, I was continuously snacking … Continue reading
OK, so I’m getting to grips with some of this Virtuous Woman stuff, having baked a selection of things recently and managed to make some homemade cards and gifts, I even cooked a beef stew all by myself today too! I’m quite enjoying the VW lifestyle and now I’ve banned any daytime blogging, facebook and … Continue reading
It was a lovely surprise to receive an email from Gilpin Hotel and Lake House Lodge saying I’d won a 2 night stay for 2 in their Relais & Chateaux accommodation in the Lake District. I ‘ummed’ and ‘aarred’ about how we could smuggle the children in, but everyone convinced me that it should be … Continue reading
Those of you who know me will also know my dislike of doing craftwork and my poor cookery results in basic home economics. For me, craft is way too messy and takes far too long, all the effort that goes into making a greeting card when you can buy one for under a pound, is … Continue reading
It’s been a while since I went out in the evening. Usually, once the children are in bed I have only the energy to sit on the sofa and eat dinner in front of the TV. What a slob! However, last night a group of mummies from our church Tots ‘n’ Tinies group met up … Continue reading
Jez has been working really hard finishing off the remaining building works. He has recently rendered the front wall, helped Dad to cut the hedges and shifted some rubble. At the moment, Jez is spending a lot of his time working on the shower room. It’s been very exciting, today we chose the tiles … Continue reading
We had a lovely time in Hythe today, the sun was out and it was almost t-shirt weather! Charlotte and Jez had lots of fun taking the pier train and small ferry across Southampton water to Town Quay, while me and William searched the charity shops for a bargain. We met … Continue reading
As you know, I’ve been thinking of ways we can cut-back and live a more frugal life. One asset we could sell and ‘downsize’, apart from our home, is my car. It’s a Volkswagen Touran 2006 plate. Ideally, I’d like a 6 or 7 seater again but as for a make, model or what it looks like … Continue reading
Our first holiday with Charlotte was fairly hard work, but equally enjoyable. It was in October 2009 and Charlotte was 3 months old. We went with Mum and Dad and stayed the first few nights in Ludlow Castle, Shropshire and the remaining nights in the Lion Hotel (where Mum and Dad had their honeymoon). Ludlow … Continue reading
The TV was turned off, the housework abandoned, the lights down low, it wasn’t going to be a quickie, we hadn’t done it in ages, just me and Jez……..oh, and God. We spent an evening in prayer. It was lovely to spend time with God and time just ‘being’. No pressures, no motives, no deadlines, … Continue reading
It is tradition that we meet up with Sue and Simon for a meal on our birthdays. Sue and Jez share a birthday and this year we went to a Turkish restaurant in Eastleigh. When the place opened a couple of years ago it was really great, the decor, atmosphere and food was fantastic, the … Continue reading
When Charlotte was 6 months old I felt I would like another child and a sibling for Charlotte. It took me a while to convince Jez, but when she turned 1 year old I fell pregnant. Jez was very shocked and it took a while for things to sink in. I found pregnancy with my second … Continue reading
It’s December and we can finally move in. The atmosphere here between us and Mum and Dad is still quite tense but most of the rooms are now habitable and we can’t keep paying to live in rented accommodation. Some of our friends from church have been over and helped with decorating, it’s so lovely … Continue reading
Jez has been working like a trooper, he has been starting work at the airport at 5am and finishing at 2pm then going straight on site until very late and then doing it all again. When he is on a late shift he has been arriving on site at sunrise and working until noon, then … Continue reading
It’s taken a while but we have managed to get a mortgage. Actually, it’s a complete miracle really, we never thought we would qualify, but the money is winging its way into our account, we can’t afford to pay a builder so Jez is going to build the house on his rest days along with … Continue reading
The roof is going on! Yippee! It looks such hard work and it seems to be taking forever, I’m sure the guys on site are putting 3 screws in and taking 2 screws out! Except for Jez of course, who is working like a trooper! You can really see the build taking shape now, I’ve … Continue reading
Mum and Dad have pushed me to boiling point! They seem to turn every slightest thing into a problem, they want the most expensive of everything and whatever we decide or choose to do it’s wrong – they know best. It’s driving me mad! We just can’t afford to splash out on things like wooden … Continue reading
The works finally started today, it is really exciting but also slightly sad seeing part of The Thatch (Mum and Dad’s house), being demolished. The idea is to build living accommodation attached to the existing property, creating rooms for ourselves and providing Mum and Dad with a new/replacement bedroom and bathroom (so they don’t lose … Continue reading
Falling pregnanct with Charlotte was quite a shock, it wasn’t that we were not trying, but Jez had had a vascectomy reversal and there was only a slight chance of ‘things’ working. I was very anxious carrying my first child, I wanted to obtain every piece of information I could about pregnancy and birth and … Continue reading
My 30th Birthday was one I’ll always remember. We spent it in Sentein and a few of my friends flew over to join us which was lovely. The highlight of my birthday was that the entire village had organised a ‘surprise’ party for me. Almost everyone we knew was there and in the mood to … Continue reading
Crazy Christian Mummy 