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Oh my gosh a tag

well not a personal, 'you've been tagged', more of a johnny saddo borrowing a tag from Marja to make myself look popular. It's like the Mum mafia in the school playground - sometimes I'll chat and gossip and feel included but whenever I hang back and look all alone I'm pretty much left to my own devices. Not sure how I feel about that, but as our US friends would say - that's a whole other ball of wax (or something like that, not being American permits clumsy American metaphor mixing).
So these are the rules:-
List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets.
Tag 5 friends and list them.
Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people.

I'm panicking a bit about tagging 5 friends for the obvious reasons. Do I tag Donna Downey, Cathy Zeilske and Ali Edwards - I consider them friends but really in the stalker kind of way as I've only ever posted on Cathy's blog....once....about Suzannah and Trinny (Yeah I hate them). But hey I've posted on Zach Braff's blog - so he's my friend, therefore tagable.

So here goes...

Weird things
1. My cat is so old she cannot lick all her fur and sometimes the fur she cannot reach on her back goes all skanky and I have to trim it. Easier said than done as she's the worlds most unfriendly cat.
2. I eat peanut butter off of a spoon. Better than everything else that just gets tipped in 'Homer- like' straight from the carton into my gob.
3 I don't like big dogs. Not at all. Their slobbery slobber, that whole doggy aroma, that jumping up and sniffing things. And what is worse than a big dog? a big dog whose owner has not control over them and worse than that? A big dog NEAR MY BABY. I'm not too sure about pets in cages either.
4. I love ribbon, especially fancy schmancy ribbon. I have no use for it and the ribbon I use is usually stuff I put on gifts, so it's a total waste of money, but to have it in my possession for even the shortest time fills me with happiness.
5. I must iron every single thing in the ironing pile, I cannot leave it or it plays on my mind. I cannot wear anything unironed or put my kids in anything unironed. But it takes me days to put it away so I generally have little hillocks of ironed clothes dotted around various bedrooms.

who am i going to tag? well
Audrey for sure, perhaps anam if she doesn't mind me tagging her, ummmm I'll have to do 'dream tags' as I don't know anyone else to ask so it's gotta be the wonderful Zach and the inspirational Cathy and finally the amazing Tara.

Totally cheated I know but hey ho.

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ugh.....and red cheeks

first day back at the gym today. Pip went in the creche where he spent most of his time puking up or grizzling. I feel a bit guilty because I gave him a bit of a feed before I went and this combined with lying on his tummy probably made him do the old heave ho.

Had a reasonable work out - the gym has changed a lot - not that I didn't know that, it changed before I stopped going. But non of the instructors are the same, nor most of the staff downstairs, so it's a bit daunting. I forgot my headphones too, I think a small stealer child was after them and I put them somewhere safe and forgot where that safe place was. Never mind I got to watch Linda Barker without sound - that's gotta be a bonus.

Did a bit of scrapping last night, I should have been at a PTA meeting at school but could not summon up the effort to shift myself. They caught me today anyway and I've volunteered to help with the school discos in December. Meeting at some lady's house on Monday after school drop off :o before I know it I'll get sucked in and be a Stepford wife.

Yeah and you know the colour puce? that's the colour I was by the time I'd finished my workout (I am now hoping that puce isn't green)

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the lost day...like The Lost Weekend except without alcohol

so I thought no-one ever read my blog and therefore any anomalies entered would be glossed over. Not so. Sharon noticed that one Thursday that I blog-glossed over was in fact the day I went to her house and she did a wonderul photoshoot of little Pip.

sorry Sharon and to try and make up for it here is my homage to my best bud:-

I've known Sharon for over 20 years and in that time we've never had an argument, not that I can remember anyway. This says a lot about Sharon, an awful lot. See, she's had to put up with living with me and my foibles (messy everywhere except the kitchen), my habit of being a bit brutal with the truth (she just absorbs it all with a smile), with my inconstantcy (not making her bday party because of a forecast of snow - mind you she does remind me every now and then), me being a rubbish helper(when she photographed a wedding), my copying her creatively (I only took up card making 'cos she started and i only love photography 'cos i saw her pics), my forgetfulness and occassional stupidity and all sorts of other things.
Sharon is brave and does things other people only dream about - she's just packed her whole career in to bring her children up and to develop her passion for photography. With her adorable hubby Darren they designed and got built the most amazing extension to their historic house - she had amazing vision with this project and a lot of guts seeing it through, whenever I talk to other friends about her I always add 'she's built the MOST amazing extension on her house - with a cellar!' - I do Sharon I always do!
I love you to bits Sharon although I might not show it and rest assured that I will be around for at least another 40 years to plague the life out of you and sniffing for free photoshoots.

when Sharon gets her website/blog up and running I'll post a link - she's a fabulous and creative photographer who specialises in family and children.

blogger is not allowing photo uploads at the mo but when it does I'll edit this and put in some of her fabbo pics

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and he's off.....




Munch started school this week. No namby pamby phasing him in - it's straight to it full time school for the next 13 years (we hope) for him.
He's doing ok - he's a little cranky because of being tired and there have apparently been 'things going on'. I take it to mean that there has been bundles over toys or such like and he has been coming home stating 'xxx doesn't like me any more' etc He came home on Tuesday (his first day) with a big lump on his nose where a kid threw a brick at him. After intensive questionning it transpires that Munch pushed a brick tower over that this kid had built and kid threw brick at Munchers face. Not good. Not a happy Mummy. However, it's the start of term and all these little kids are adjusting. Kid & his parent have been spoken to by teacher and teacher has spoken to me (amazingly Munch was recipient of bad behaviour and not disher outer). I am not going to get in a great big lather over it, not unless Munch really gets hurt (mind you how hurt does he have to be? I'm thinking broken bones or blood).
Having been through this all before with Tiddly and knowing how these things settle down it's best to play the long game here. Also best not to intereact with other parents - too much tittle tattle and gossip.
Have been scrapping mini albums this week. Getting some of that spark back. Kind of getting myself organised so I can scrap in the evening - but not totally there yet, I am still a lazy couch potato at heart and if a good film is on I am there.
Does anyone know of a good way of not 'grazing' - I am grazing like a herd of Texan cows and am now currently the size of one. Not a good look by the way. Oh and I am missing a backbone and willpower - a potent mixture at the best of times.

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the week that flew

last week was a good week - full of different things and although hectic it was fun too.

On Monday I reactivated my gym membership and on Tuesday we went swimming, putting little Pip inthe creche. All went well if a little rushed when I realised I had 1 minute in which to get dry, dressed and downstairs to the creche (they don't like lateness) - I was there in 3 minutes - not bad for a tubby lass.

On Wednesday we took Sam to school - his first day in year 3!

Thursday and Friday have completely passed me by but it was probably more taking Sam to school and coming home and trying to tidy up.

Saturday was Sam's first proper football match, and what a stonking game it was. Full of hard tackles, missed chances, passion and committment - all this from a team of 7 year olds !!! Sam didn't play like his normal self - it may be he had a bit of stage fright, but some of them were fabulous. We won 7-2.

In the evening we went to watch Sam swim in his first swim gala - it was actually time trials. Poor little guy I think he was everso nervous - these are big events with a big audience and loads and loads of swimmers. Luckily he had his older cousing looking after him and his Uncle was one of the judges (we think he was a block judge as he spent all his time at the starting end). Sam was only entered into one race - backstroke) and did very well considering he was swimming in the 8's category he was probably the youngest swimming in that category and he didn't come last although he bashed into the lane a few times and slowed up looking for the finish.

Munchers teacher comes on a home visit today, need to scrape some of the muck from various surfaces and pray that Munch doesn't do anything stupid.


oh i wish i were really as slim as that appears!

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my little Pip's Day

it was Pip's Christening yesterday and also my birthday.

What a fabulous day we had! The service was lovely even though I was a bit cross at the vicar only telling me it was a joint Christening late the night before. There's not a lot of seating at the Church and we were bringing 45, couple this with 30 from the other party and the congregation I could see a bit of squashing going on. Coupled with me dearly wanting a sole celebration of my special little boy I was fuming a bit (as my friend Judi will tell you).

Anyhoo, it all went well (apart from the other family taking our side of the pews and a lot of our people having to sit on their side). Father Grantley did a memorable service and it was very special for all of us. This was Steve's family Church when he was growing up, a lot of his family are interred in the graveyard and Steve & I are the only ones who continue going regularly to the Church so they are like our extended family - the congragation know us all very well and were so happy to receive Christopher.

The party afterwards was good as well, well it had better had been because it cost a fortune! Food was good, weather was divine and company fantastic.

As a birthday it went quietly, focus was on little Pip afterall, but I got some marvellous and probably undeserved pressies and lots of stash money :)

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this deserves a post of its own

Marja - where did you hear it's Zach's last season? this has blown my world away!!!!!

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new blog to stalk - fabulous photos of the cutest little baby and man this woman is funny, totally baby centric so if you don't 'get' Mums writing funny stuff about their kids then don't click the link stories about us

I am both pleased and proudly smug about the fact I achieved my goals this week, namely:-

  • take Munch to tennis and hope he doesn't hurt someone or poke an eye out (his or anyone close by)
  • get 2 christening cakes and a birthday cake (1 for Church, 1 for Party and 1 for me and Jackie to scoff)
  • get bday pressies for a special 2 year old boy (can't go wrong with Bob the Builder)
  • finish the Mt McKinsey ironing pile (I don't own that many clothes am I ironing for the street here?)
  • buy me an outfit - millets had a sale on.....
  • buy boys an outfit (god bless the next directory)
  • finish digi album (ok finished all bar the text)
  • rejoin the gym (ok am going to do that tomorrow but have already booked Pip into the creche for a trial)

I'm going to refresh my blog links at the side too as I visit a lot of inspirational ones daily, I almost get upset if they are not updated I find them so funny, stylish and just great - it's like having a hotline to something fabulous, like eating a whole bag of maltesers and not feeling guilty.

Pip has been beaten into submission on the sleep front this week. He'd been sullying his 'I'm THE perfect baby' routine by cruelly waking at 1am, 3am, 5am (any mix of those and you'll get the picture) - I was having enough of feeling like I'd been dragged through the night by wild horses rather than slumbering fitfully on a cloud of feathers. He kind of mentally 'got' the picture this week by sleeping through everynight. Good boy Pip!

Nanni thinks Pip is the best thing since sliced bread - she looked after him today whilst I went and had my Farah Fawcett highlights and cut - yeah I am totally the 70's babe today. Apart from the fact the boys were on their own out the front on their bikes (they were still alive and apparently unscathed so I let that one fly) and baby was on his own crying in the front room all was fine!! I had just come home when she'd left them all for a minute to go pee, afterall a Nanni has to pee too!! Pip was just so good she was worried he never fussed or created!! next time I'll pinch him before I go out and make her work a bit harder.

No scrapping this week - too much panic shopping and tennis watching. Once we get to next week I will have my days free - me and Pip against the world! maybe I can be organised for the first time this century?