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Monday, 30 April 2012

Photo - www.redhouse.co.uk

Months ago I signed up to some book websites. Okay let's be honest I bought some books and signed up to the newsletter in the process. :)

Now they send me lovely booklets through the post telling me about all the exciting children's books they have to offer.

This was the cover of the latest issue...


How amazing does that book look!?

It's called 'Whiffy Wilson' by Caryl Hart and Leonie Lord and is about a little wolf that just won't wash.

I can't wait to buy it for Katharine.

What books have you bought recently for your kids bookshelf? :) xx

- Posted at the kitchen table...

Sunday, 29 April 2012

DIARY - 23rd April to 29th April 2012


This week has been about three things…
1. April showers that turned drought into flood,
2. Fulfilling a dream that has lasted over twenty years,
3. Feeling an evil mother for doing something good.

I am typing this while we watch ‘War Horse’. I am trying not to give the film my full attention as I know that if I do I will be sobbing my heart out by the end…

This week I have never known such a vast amount of rain to fall in such a short space of time. A good portion of the UK has been in drought for the last few weeks but that has switched to flood warnings. I have been caught in the slashing, biting, whipping force of it so many times since Wednesday that no matter how hot I turn the shower I am now living with a chill in my bones. And I am constantly whining about it ha ha.

Tuesday was a momentous day! As a young girl I loved New Kids on the Block and as a teenager I loved The Backstreet Boys and on Tuesday night, at the MEN Arena in Manchester, I got to see them both perform together. NKOTBSB as they are currently calling themselves were so shockingly amazing that I couldn’t possibly wax enough lyrical about it. Sure they looked aged and their outfits and dance moves were decidedly 1994 but that was what made the show so amazing! I shot a video of almost every song and have watched them over and over again since. Donnie Wahlberg even propelled himself into MOTW status; I would like to say it had nothing to do with him ripping off his shirt but…

When I returned back across the border to Yorkshire on Wednesday it was to take Katharine for her latest batch of immunisations. I made sure her Daddy came with us; he got to be the one who pinned her down while the evil nurse did the jabbing. My daughter is a trooper though, she only cried for a moment and all was forgotten by the time we reached home and she had a Rohan to play with.

The rest of the working week saw me once again at work but I managed to get through the days with a lack of drama and without falling asleep despite being absolutely knackered. How is it that missing out on just a few hours of sleep can make you feel so wretched?

And the weekend has been slightly different from the normal format. My friend had her folks up to visit so we had lunch with them but came home for an evening with out her. It felt strange not to have a visitor for Saturday night tea time. We fell asleep on the sofa at a stupidly early hour. Sunday has been the usual chores and then War House. I have shed a tear already… damn you Steven Spielberg!

My advice for next week… carry an umbrella!

Saturday, 28 April 2012

Photo - Favourite things...

My daughter loves strawberries, laughing, the dog, pretending to be chased and...


It's now official, she loves books! :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Friday, 27 April 2012

Photo - A couple more boys...

I fear that I did not provide you with enough snaps from our exciting NKOTBSB evening. So here are a couple more of the boys (cough, men)... :) xx








- Posted on the move...

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Musings - Me with a smile...

There are not many pictures I like of myself, I am sure I am not the only one who feels like hiding when they see a camera being waved in their direction.

So when I do find one I like I use it for everything! Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace... You name it!

And I love this one...


But the amount of puddings in front of me will definitely have to be cropped ha ha. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Photo - So beautiful, not biased...

She is isn't she? Just so damn cute... :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Musings - Part 4 Year of Adventure...

Tonight we complete PART 4!!!

When I was eight I was introduced to the wonders of Joey, when I was ten I fell for Jon and just as I was turning to the allure of Donnie they disappeared... I am talking about New Kids On The Block. The NKOTB they became but by then the likes of Take That and West Life had taken over the UK.

Tonight NKOTB are vindicated! Tonight we see them live at the MEN.

And they just happen to have brought along their friends The Backstreet Boys... Yeah baby, Backstreet's Back! :) xx


- Posted screaming!

Monday, 23 April 2012

Photo - Nice and spicy...

It's not often that we try new things, in fact we tend to eat the same things week in and week out.

But this week we spotted this...


And it tastes delicious.

It is so spicy. So far we have added it to our stirfry, dipped our chips in it and spiced up a little cheese on toast.

So this is me recommending it, Heinz Indian Spices. :) xx


- Posted watching Hawaii 50.

Sunday, 22 April 2012

DIARY - 16th April to 22nd April 2012

This week has been about three things… 1. Wishing my working worries away,
2. Falling for Prince Charming, he has a name you know…
3. Reading through September.

Have you ever heard of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? It is a fantastic film from1986 but why I mention it is that it has an amazing quote that goes ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’ At the moment I feel like this quote is my mantra! I need to figure out a way to slow my weeks down. I might have to watch this best loved classic again for inspiration.

Anyway, this is a diary not a movie trivia segment…

Tuesday my car went into the garage but bizarrely it once again didn’t come away with any of the faults fixing that it went in for. It did get a service though and the power is back in the engine. I love that my unassuming family car can leave everyone for dust at the traffic lights. Ssh, don’t tell my husband… he will pitch a fit if he hears about me boy racing.

Work in general has been a bit strange this week. I feel like I have got a lot finished / accomplished but at the same time I couldn’t really tell you what I have done. I did tidy my stationery drawer so I can now locate my highlighters and mini post-its with ease. Boy am I easy pleased and boy am I easily distracted. By Friday teatime I couldn’t wait to get home. I miss my little girl. :(

Saturday was the usual routine of pub and shopping, we girls do so love our regular lunch sessions. We wandered around with the pram in the sunshine and the rain and the sunshine and the rain… yes the weather was particularly contrary on the 21st. My best friend came for tea and I sent her home with the first eight books of the Conspiracy 365 collection. It means I now have to get a move on reading the final four before she catches me up!

Sunday we went shopping and then to Thomas’s 2nd birthday party were Katharine danced, clapped and jiggled some bells. She had a blast! I love to watch her learning new things and picking them up on the first try. Proud Mum ahoy.

And before I forget, my MOTW this week is someone who hasn’t crossed my path before. Josh Dallas as Prince Charming. He has a very pretty face but I think I am more seduced by the leather outfit and the sword. Ha ha.

My advice for next week… if you are going to the MEN Arena to see NKOTBSB, I will catch you there. :) xx

Saturday, 21 April 2012

Musings - Tales all Grimm and Fairy...

Over the past few weeks we have been watching two very different television programmes both about folklore.

First we have 'Grimm', a series about a young cop who is the descendant of the original Grimm storytellers... Only of course the stories are real.

Then we have 'Once Upon A Time' which is about how fairy tale characters are trapped in a modern day town without any happy endings. And it is up to the bounty hunting daughter of Snow White to save the oblivious townsfolk.

Both are excellent and both got me thinking about how I only know snippets of stories to retell to Katharine.

So I bought a book, no great surprise there ha ha, and it arrived today...


It looks about six inches thick! I can't wait. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Friday, 20 April 2012

Photo - Joey NKOTB...

Look who my Mother dragged out ready to wave on Tuesday when we see NKOTBSB... It's only Joey!!!! :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Thursday, 19 April 2012

Musings - Mama Kats Workshop (19th April 2012)

7 Things your pet thought about today...

This is the writing post I have chosen this week from Mama Kat's Writing Workshop and I admit I have cheated slightly. The prompts I received on Tuesday so after thinking about it I decided to follow our pet around yesterday and snap her in action.

My pet, or rather our furry extended family member is ROHAN. She is a three year old Border Terrier with a loving yet nutty personality. She loves toys, sausages and long walks.

Here are 7 things she thought about...

"Do I really have to get out of bed?"
Rohan loves sleeping in our bed.
We tried at first to get her to sleep downstairs but she howled, so we got her a basket in our room but she simply waits until we are asleep and climbs in with us.

"One day, when Katharine isn't looking, that toy will be mine!"
So far Rohan has ignored Katharine's toys, she has enough of her own to be playing with. But there is something about the way that Roo sits in the cot, taunting her from behind the bars, that really intrigues her. She stops by every morning for a look see.

"I love stretching, I do."
She gets up, she stretches. She sits down, she stretches. She looks out of the window, she stretches. She fills her belly with treats... I think you get the picture.

"I want a treat. If I look cute enough..."
When Rohan was a puppy we taught her many tricks and her favourite is to say please. This is where she sits on her haunches with her front paws in the air. Her expression usually resembles a furry Angel which is about the point when you can't refuse her anything. She uses this trick whenever she wants something, treats being the choice in the photograph.

"What's for tea?"
Rohan's eating habits are not in the least bit dog like. She is as fussy as a three year old child. We have a routine now where we will provide her with food, which she will refuse to eat until we provide her with a sausage. Sigh, if she ever decides she doesn't like sausages I do not know what we'll do.

"No one can hurt you tonight, not on my watch."
Ever the protector, the slightest noise and she is thinking about who might be coming to get her family. All bark and no bite though ha ha but we love her for that.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."
The place she sleeps, nestled on Daddy's shoulder. There is nothing lovelier than warming yourself against a furry monster as she curls up in a little ball.

So you see, Rohan isn't complicated... she is just a pooch who knows exactly what she wants. :) xx

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Photo - Savoury Strange...

My parents came across these in their local supermarket... Strange... but not strange enough to deter us from chomping their little cheesy heads off ha ha. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Photo - I doodle...

I wanted to write a proper, lengthy interesting post today but I am so tired I am sat in the car without the energy to get out and head inside.

So instead I am going to share with you my doodle. I have talked about my doodles before but for those of you who have not been privy... I ALWAYS doodle this scene.


This is todays. Pretty isn't it?

And on that note I suppose I should shut off the engine. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Monday, 16 April 2012

Photo - Cuppa...

There was something awful about today that just warranted a Cuppa. Sigh. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Sunday, 15 April 2012

DIARY - 9th April to 15th April 2012

This week has been about three things…
1. Having no clue what I have done with my time,
2. Finding that the house has more toys in it than anything else,
3. Turning 90, him not me.

So Monday was Bank Holiday and spent still visiting in Stafford and then travelling home. But as for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I can not recall a thing. It is almost like those days did not exist but they had to have… because while I might be quite fanciful, the world just isn’t.

I remember going to my slimming class, but let us not talk about that. I remember finding out that I am once again moving offices, and I feel a rant coming on every time I think about it. And I remember watching The Vampire Diaries… so some things occurred if not that overly exciting. Sorry Ian Somerhalder, Matthew Davis outshone you this week.

Following Katharine’s birthday, our house is littered with toys. They have found their way into every room, are under foot, hidden in handbags and are so obtrusive in their sounds, size and silliness that I feel like I will get buried under the lot and never be found again. She will have to wait until next year before she gets anything else! And then it will be a single book which she can sit and read quietly.

Friday was my Step-Granddad’s 90th birthday party. It was held at the local YMCA which was always going to be entertaining. The drinks didn’t cost a fortune, the buffet was delicious and music, which was clearly aimed at my folks generation, was toe tapping. I even got Katharine on the dance floor for a boogie. I can’t wait until she is old enough to really take a turn with me. We will be swinging and grooving the night away.

The weekend has been full of vegetating, eating too much food and trying to shake off the melancholy. I think it has been a week of post Easter Holiday blues. But I need to get my moxi back as it is now only nine sleeps until I see NKOTB live in Manchester!!!!

My advice for next week… get your head in the game folks, we only live once!

Saturday, 14 April 2012

Photo - How do they look...

Katharine has little hands and little hands that grab. Which makes me very aware that I don't have a spare pair of spectacles.

But deciding on a new pair of glasses is awful. I can't see how I look in them and, because I already wear glasses, any I try on already look okay because I am used to seeing myself in them.

Sigh.

Today I was in Boots and wandered in to the Opticians. I found a pair of glasses that I wouldn't ordinarily wear but felt daring...


I think I secretly, or rather now not so secretly, love them. What do you think? :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Friday, 13 April 2012

Photo - Dollar is what I need...

Last week my friend at work went to New York for a brief holiday, or rather she went to stalk Ricky Martin as he appeared in Evita on Broadway.

Looking at all her photographs of Central Park, Hell's Kitchen, The Intrepid and the sign for Macy's I felt really envious. I never get to go anywhere and I fear that we will never be able to afford to take Katharine to places that will fill her with excitement.

My friend gave me a dollar as my souvenir and I have it on my computer at work.


And I can't help but stare at old George and feel a little sad.

Will my fortunes ever be black instead of red? Will I ever wake up and not feel the weight of debt on my chest?

I need a dollar, or rather a pound and lots of them. If I promise to split my winning with Charity how about you let me win the lottery?

Come on fate! What is on the cards for me? :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Thursday, 12 April 2012

Musings - Mama Kats Workshop (12th April 2012)

I am joining in Mama Kat's writing workshop this week as I haven't for a while and I promised to make more of an effort.

The prompt I chose this week was 1) What did you want your name to be?

Firstly I would like to start with reasons why I don't feel much like the name I was given...

My name is Stacy and, let's face it, you can't help but have noticed that girls with my name are always the Cheerleader who dies first... usually from a particularly nasty Zombie bite.

My name is Stacy and my name was voted most likely (somewhere) to be a bunny in the Playboy Mansion.

My name is Stacy and if you google that one word and click on the images all you get are semi-naked greased tanned blonde women in very revealing poses.

My name is Stacy and people generally underestimate me because of it.

I have never cheered in formation, other than a Mexican wave, only about 5% of me is prosthetic, I am not a porn star and I am smarter than you might think. Rant rant rant! And I know all you Marmaduke's and MoonUnits out there are thinking 'Really? Stacy? You are moaning about that?'. But being blonde, bubbly and called the S word... I am definitely smarter than you might think, damn it! :)

But my exclamation marks are mostly in jest, it could have been worse and as lately I have had trouble chosing the name of another I can appreciate the effort my parents put into it.

Yet if I remember rightly, during our games of let's pretend as a child, I wanted to be called Tiffani... but if you google that I doubt it is much of an improvement. :) xx

Wednesday, 11 April 2012

Photo - 365...

I have recommended these books before but seriously... You HAVE to read them.

'Conspiracy 365' by Gabrielle Lord.


They are addictive, especially as each book starts with the highest page number and counts down until you reach the back cover. Fast and furious and a fabulous read. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

Photo - Where I get paid...

Well there is nothing like a week at home to make going back in to work feel so very wrong ha ha. Hey ho and all that... :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Monday, 9 April 2012

Photo - Big girl now...

Now she is all grown up she likes to chill in her little chair with her little book and her little friend. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Sunday, 8 April 2012

DIARY - 2nd April to 8th April 2012

This week has been about three things…
1. Freak snow storms that ruin all our Wednesday plans,
2. A first milestone birthday for the littlest member of our family,
3. Trying to stick to a diet when all around me cake mix lurks.

This week I only worked two days and one of those was spend brainstorming. It’s strange but even though I have only been back at work three months I really need a break to recharge my batteries. Not that my busy week allowed that, sigh, ha ha.

I reaffirmed this week that I can’t bake. I think I wittered about my cakes earlier in the week (Tuesday)… they had holes in the middle and tasted like egg. I am so glad that I decided to have a trial run as I was able to seek advice from my super cake making friends and thus adjust my recipe accordingly. When I made my second trial on Wednesday afternoon it turned out so well that I thought, ha!, and iced it up as the real thing. It turned out amazing! I felt so proud, have a look at yesterday’s post and see for yourself. :)

Another thing about Wednesday, other than my cake prowess, is we had six inches of snow! It was the strangest thing. The week before we had temperatures that encouraged the pale peacocking youths to walk about topless and mid this week… blizzards! Me and my mother had planned a morning of shopping but that was out. And as my car was in the garage later that day it meant I spent a bit of time stomping through the village in my snow boots. By six o’clock almost all of it had melted away and we didn’t see a return of it as the storm headed south. Phew.

Friday was the big birthday. I really can’t believe that my baby is ONE already. She is even walking now (when she can be bothered) and that feels like a huge achievement. We had lots of party food, a whole stack of presents for her to open and of course the cake. It was a great day. I don’t think she really understood what it was all about but she loved all the attention anyway.

And today is Sunday and I am typing this diary in the car as we travel down to the in law’s second of the country for continued birthday celebrations and some Easter fun. I cant wait for them all to see how much Katharine has grown and developed since they saw her in January.

And that is my week. Busy but a good busy if you know what I mean? :)

My advice for next week… if you have a electric cake mixer, just use it!

Saturday, 7 April 2012

Musings - Snapshot of a Birthday...

As expected, ha ha, here are some of the many photographs taken yesterday on Katharine's Birthday.
 

 


 

As you can probably tell, we had a fantastic day! :) xx

Friday, 6 April 2012

Photo - Happy Birthday...

Happy 1st Birthday Katharine Lorelai! :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Thursday, 5 April 2012

Photo - Too cool...

Oh yeah, Katharine would so have been a Pink Lady. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Wednesday, 4 April 2012

Photo - Disney...

This photograph is of a bag from the Disney store...


Inside it hides a stuffed dog of the Lady and the Tramp variety just waiting to jump out.

You see, on Friday, my baby turns one!!!! And as she loves both dogs and Disney we thought it only fitting that this bag should be nestled amongst all her other gifts.

I can't wait to see her face... :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Tuesday, 3 April 2012

Photo - Second attempt...

Well... The first attempt didn't rise and the second attempt had a big hole in the middle.


I can't bake! It's official! :( xx


- Posted on the move...

Monday, 2 April 2012

Photo - Are you under all that...

Lately I have noticed that every photo I take of my child features her face absolutely covered in food.

Sometimes she is clean as a whistle, I pull out the camera... And there she is again hidden under a layer of cheese and tomato slime.


It's a mystery... One that will no doubt take until her adulthood to figure out. :) xx


- Posted on the move...

Sunday, 1 April 2012

DIARY - 26th March 2012 to 1st April 2012


This week has been about three things…
1. Logging my dreams and realising I have ‘issues’,
2. Training my brain into oblivion,
3. Finding out the guy I liked twelve years ago liked me back and I never knew!

At the beginning of the week I downloaded an app to log my dreams; needless to say I put a password on it! I don’t want everyone knowing the inner most bizarre workings of my mind. As dreams go there seems to be a theme this week of absent friends and things that could have been but aren’t. Cryptic? Woohoo, I think I have my groove back. :)

Tuesday I got another slimming award. Slow and steady it might be but I have lost 23lbs in twelve weeks. I feel so proud of myself. I have a bit of a way to go but I am getting there. I have set my goal for December, I am determined to wear a pretty dress for my friends wedding.

The next few days involved programme training that completely pickled my brain and trying to schedule my way around forty tasks to get done… that didn’t much help the pickling situation either. The use of the above programme will make my life easier at some point, I just need to remember what I was taught and then insert a little enthusiasm.

I was never so happy to see the weekend arrive!

Saturday involved a trip to the local town of Huddersfield where shopping and a three hour lunch took place. There is nothing like a bottle of wine and a cheeky cocktail to bring out the secrets and the heartfelt chatter. We, my best friend and I, are such a pair of women ha ha!

And then there was today. Sunday being the day of rest we took no notice and went for a jolly good walk around the local reservoir. Both child and dog are wiped out from all the fresh air which is making for a very peaceful evening.

My advice for next week… if you know you have a cake to bake and can’t bake cakes… practice. :) xx
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