2012

I've seen quite a few looky back at 2012 blog posts and this has encouraged me to look back at 2012... only there is a slight problem...when I look back Iam inclined to get a bit sad and gloomy so I thought I'd do things a little bit differently

And here it is... random words thrown around... will they have any meaning when I look back at this... perhaps... perhaps not... we will have to see

Olympics  Hamsters Swimming

Twitter Mates Scooter

6th Form Children's Church Walks Woods jobs Girlfriends         Bacon    

Rainy Olympic Torch Day

          Sticky Toffee Pudding         feeding ducks

  Washing Line           Gangnam Style                           PotNoodles 

Friends ~ near and far,everyday and my bezzie mates who live in my phone  

Hot Dogs  

Twitter Food,Real Twitter Food

 Swim Parent Helper  The Wishing Chair Corrie

Eight,Sixteen,Twenty 

Just a few random words that have popped in my head ~ 2012

Six Word Saturday

''Go,Go,Go,little Red Mini''

As of now I'am a Scalextric dude!

Yep I can race a car with the best of them!

57 laps I managed to keep that little red mini on the race track,57 Laps good or what!!!

I've even got a strategy going now,speed up on the straights and slooooow down before the tight corners.Genius or what!

My theory is:

if you can't beat em,join em

It will be the X Box next lads,you wait and see,your mothers not about to be beaten :-)

Linking up with Cate at Show My Face for Six Word Saturday 

I know this is a day late but I did write it yesterday so it is technically a Six Word Sat Post!

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Remembering

Christmas 2012,Tiger (20 ~ ouch) Sharky (16) and Chippie (8) here's what I want and need to remember

I want to remember waking up too the sound of rustling wrapping paper...I lay there for a few minutes just listening to the sounds knowing soon that I would be shook awake by a excited little boy,I looked at my phone and it was exactly 7.35,not that bad I guess!Mind you I hadn't gone to sleep till 3am so I was totally bleary.Chipmunk came down stairs saying that Santa had indeed come and had bought him some 'trunk fit boxers' good old Santa!

I want to remember sitting in the boys room and watching Chipmunk undo his stocking,present by present,exclaiming over everything,he just loved it all.I sat on the floor,Sharky was curled up in his bunk throwing out the occasional witty sharp remark and Tiger was yawning away in the top bunk.

We had rubbish Christmas tunes on the radio and we got a hamster out,as you do on Christmas morning :-)

I want to remember Christmas Dinner down at my mums,tons of family there,kiddiewinks,teens,oldies ( that was us) and all fitting round my mums,I need a bigger table.

The poor woman spends her life wondering and pondering how she will fit her ever growing family around her table and I'm not even joking!

I was let into the inner sanctum and allowed to help put the dinner out,you should have seen all the carrots,literally hundreds of them!And as for the gravy....it was like stirring a cauldron full!

I want to remember watching tv with the kids...first Dr Who with the teens,I was sat scrunched on a small soft stool and they were all on the sofa,I'm not usually good with Dr Who (I lose the plot) but this time I was determined to stick with it and I did and then the younger two came in and I was promoted to the sofa and we watched Fireman Sam ( which I found easier to understand)

I want to remember the present Tiger bought me,with some of his first wages,it was a Jack Wills bag.Now I have wanted a Jack Wills bag all year,ever since I saw Sharkys girlfriend with one & I couldn't believe he had thought that hard and got me one.It meant a lot to me,a awful lot!My mum said she had nearly cried when he had shown it too her and I was the same!

I want to remember sitting with Sharky at the end of the night eating matchmakers and watching Corrie,a perfect end to the night,except I felt a bit squidgly sick when I went too sleep,apparently too many matchmakers are not always a good thing!

It was a good day and everybody was happy,not much more to ask for than that is there.

Dreaming

As I've come to bed I have just stood looking at you Chipmunk and I was pondering just what you are dreaming about.

Would it be Santa getting ready for the big day or would it be about the reindeer's getting themselves ready to fly.

Would you be thinking about what presents Santa was going to bring you?You have seen Santa twice tonight,once in his grotto in town and then again tonight at church.We also read a Santa book at bedtime and you laughed happily at the escapades of a very clumsy Santa ~ so Santa is definitely in your mind tonight.

Meeting Santa at church

Will you be thinking of waking up early tomorrow so we can go shopping,you love this tradition as all your brothers do.

Tomorrow though T will be working,so no shopping trip for him,now that is a end of a era!And as always,when a era ends I always feel a little sting.

And S is going to the pantomime with his girlfriend,so no shopping for him either!Things are a changing Chipmunk!

I wonder if you dream of the North Pole and Lapland,where it is oh so snowy and white and where the snowmen talk and the reindeer fly and Santa lives with Mrs Claus and the elves work happily making toys for all children all sound the world.

Whatever dreams you are having I hope they are sweet ones little boy ~ just two more sleeps Chipmunk and then it's Santa!

The Loft Shop

This afternoon I have been to the loft shop.

Most people go to regular shops when they need a new coat for their children but I,and especially just lately,go the Loft Shop.

It's not far to the Loft Shop but it is tricky.

Lots of ladders to manoeuvre and set up and climb up and down.

Its dark in the Loft Shop and you can really hear the wind blowing up there,it's dusty too and cluttered,very,very cluttered.

I'm not selling it very well am I!Because even with these drawbacks the Loft Shop can hold some treasures and if you are extremely lucky it can even have the very thing you are looking for.

I must say that this is rare tho and you more than not find the Halloween dressing up at Easter time and the Easter Baskets at Christmas time and as for the Christmas tree lights,well don't get me started on those because somehow they are never where I put them away but you can guarantee that when I put the Christmas decorations back in the Loft Shop the Christmas Tree lights will miraculously appear doing a song and dance with every single bulb working ~ tricky devils they are.

Well today I went to get the Christmas decorations down but I also wanted to see if I could find a coat for Chipmunk.

After his unwanted skill in breaking coat zips within six weeks of having a new coat I am getting quite desperate for coats and I thought there might be one of the boys old coats up there.

Unfortunately there wasn't,as luck would have it there was two lovely thick winter costs and one was just a touch too small and the other was just a touch too big,flip!!So close but yet so far.

There must be one in there somewhere coz the big one was Tigers and I know Sharky had a matching one.But that's the trouble with the Loft Shop,it's not easy to find stuff,no things hung on hangers in age related sizes,more like 10,000 dusty bags all tightly knotted,that you have to fight your way into and if you hit the jackpot you think yay but if you don't you have to tie the whole bag back up and try again and sometimes again and again.

This time I was unlucky but I did manage to find some Christmas decs so all was not lost.

And as for the coat...I guess I need to take a trip somewhere where they make coats with unbreakable zips,I have the feeling I may be searching for a very long time.

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Maths Superstar!

Now this has really caught our imaginations... Chipmunk is a 'Maths Superstar at school!

I had heard Chipmunk talk about the maths superstar thing in the past but I didn't really know what it entailed... now I do!

When you are chosen to be the maths superstar your name is read out in assembly,you get a certificate presented to you from the headteacher and you get to chose between a bangle or a pencil to take home and keep.But the best thing,the very bestest thing is that you have a special badge,a little bit like a old fashioned monitors badge thst says Maths Staron it and you wear that badge every day for a whole two weeks!So the whole school knows who the maths star is!Wow!How special!

Chipmunk is incredibly excited and proud to be chosen as maths star.

He is planning to wear his badge everyday,even at the weekend!And as its only two weeks till the Christmas holidays he will be the last Maths Star of 2012.What a honour!

The Umbilical Cord

Have you ever heard the saying

" They haven't cut the umbilical cord yet?"

I have just searched my good friend Google for a meaning to that saying and it came up with this:

''cut the (umbilical) cord
to stop needing someone else to look after you and start acting independently''

Something happened today that made me think about the imaginary umbilical cord that I think exists between a mum and her children.

The background to this story is the fact that I work very close to where Chipmunk goes to school.Its literally a stones throw away at the Infant School which is next to Chipmunks Junior school.

And although I never go across to the junior school I suppose it's quite comforting to know if needs be I could be there in under a minute.

I never knew how important that feeling was until I was on maternity leave whilst having Chipmunk and I had to leave Sharky at school and go home.I then realised that I was further away at home from him than I was while I was working!It was quite a weird feeling and a realisation of how lucky I was to work so closely to where my child was.

Well today Chipmunk went to the pantomime in town,the whole school went,oh no they didn't...... oh yes they did!

And I stood and watched the children,teachers and parent helpers file past the nursery window and into the coach.

And as I saw Chipmunk walk up the school drive it felt as if he was going away from me and I could literally feel the imaginary cord stretch and I didn't like it!He was gone,not anywhere mega far but further than he usually is,on a coach,totally out of my reach.

I know he will be fine and I'm pleased he's so excited,big bag of sweets in his pocket,a drink in the other pocket,all fun for a eight year old and certainly beating a day spent slogging away at maths and English.

It did make me think of the imaginary umbilical cord tho and my feeling is that for many mums and certainly for me,that cord is never really cut.

I like to think it just stretches.Little by little.

Every moment your precious little baby lives they get a bit further away from you.They stop feeding from you,they begin to crawl and then walk and then run and it's sometimes away from you and towards independence,which we all know must happen.

They start toddler groups where you stay and play with them,then progress to nursery where you leave them for three hours at a time,then it's school and they are away from you for six hours at a time and they have lunch times away from you and then they go to juniors and you don't get the contact with their teachers quite as much as you did in infant school,then they start to want to walk home from school on their own,then it's comp and the 'No way do you come anywhere near my school Mum!'

The little steps lead to bigger steps and that imaginary cord stretches accordingly.

But as for having it cut nah not for me thank you.Too definate,too final,no can do.

I would never want to hinder their independence,I realise how important their independence is for them but my cord will not be cut,once my baby always my baby,even if they are six foot tall and living halfway around the world!

I think stretching is a good thing.It allows for flexibility and my door will always be open for my boys no matter how old they are,if needed and I mean 'if' needed and only if needed.

Now just a hour too go to find out if Chipmunk enjoyed the pantomime,let's hope I can say later Oh yes he did!

Mud Glorious Mud

On Tuesday we had a mud explosion.

trashed shoes

muddy uniform

I had to scrape the mud off with a knife

Apparently someone who shall remain nameless slipped in some mud and couldn't get up again so slipped again and again and again,resulting in the above dirty clothes!

The bag containing these clothes was so heavy I knew something pretty yukky was contained inside it!

But you know what,wasn't I proud when against all odds I turned out a really clean little boy the next day ready for school dressed in perfectly clean clothes with out a spot of mud in sight!

And here is the mud monster with a cheeky grin on his angelic little face...

As the saying goes boys will be boys...

My Boy

A lot of things have happened to my boy recently.

Firstly he has got a job!

It's in a garage doing a bit of everything and most importantly it pays a weekly wage ~ woohoo my boy is getting money!

What a difference money is making too his life!He can go out with his mates,buy Christmas pressies and learn to drive!

He is working so very hard,8-5,Monday to Friday and then still doing his car washing on Saturday,a six day week,not much time for rest that's for sure!

He's out in all weathers and starting at the bottom rung of the ladder but I think it's just what he needs,a bit of responsibility and a short sharp jump into the real world... a world where you have a boss and you have deadlines and you have to turn up on a daily basis and be on time too.

The night he came home with his first wage packet was magic... all that money!He had a grin as wide as anything and I was quite emotional to see my boy's first wage slip,it seemed such a big thing,my boy with his own wage packet,it did make me gulp a bit!

He starts driving lessons on Monday and I'm so excited for him!Finally it seems to be coming together for him and it's great to see!

Winter Walk

On a cold,blowy,wintery day we wrapped up warm ( incredibly warm,try cap,hoody hood and coat hood warm,to get the full extent of my wrapping up warm skills,oh and a chunky scarf wrapped around Chipmunks neck) and took a walk to some woods near our home.

I needed to get out the house and have some fresh air,I hadn't been any where green for ages and really needed to clear my head.

It was great up at the woods,not many people around,infact we only saw two dog walkers the whole time we were there.

We played!Spun on the tyre swing,threw sticks and had a fab game of hide and seek.I actually couldn't find Chipmunk when he hid and that was a little bit spooky,I knew he was there but couldn't see him anywhere,he was infact hiding out of the woods at a little gate next to the path,sat in all the mud!

I always feel better when I have been to the woods,I'm not sure why but they calm me and I genuinely like being outside,no matter what the weather.

And as a added bonus I have got some photos to remember our walk by and I bet when the going gets tough and stressful as it does around Christmas time,I will look back at these photos and smile.

stick throwing fun

Windmill Arms

On a bitterly cold rainy old Thursday night,when the night wasn't even fit enough for a dog to turn out Chipmunk got his 10m!!

It took a lot of kicking and windmill arms to propel him across the swimming pool.

My mum and I sat on the benches at the side of the pool willing him on.

At one stage it was touch and go and those legs began to slow down and his body was in danger of sinking down into the depths of the swimming pool but with encouragement from Diane his teacher,me and my mum and Charlie's mum he dug really deep and made that extra push and the 10m badge was his! 

He is really pleased and Iam really proud.

Slowly but surely Chipmunk you are getting there!

The Day Mr H Left

Dear Chippie,

I wonder if you will remember the day Mr H left your junior school... I know I will for certain!

Mr H isn't your teacher,he teaches in the other year four class and he happens to be a very popular teacher,with both kids and adults.

He's one of these teachers that everyone wants to be in his class.He's a good guy and a friendly guy,he walks up and down the school drive with the children at home time and the children are always chattering away to him and hanging off his arm.

This is how I first came across Mr H,he was waiting at the school gates chattering to the children as they went home and Chipmunk ran up to him and Mr H ruffled Chippies hair and he knew his name.

Now Chipmunk had only been at the school for 4 or more weeks and was a young year 3 school child and Mr H was a year six teacher and I was quite amazed at how Mr H would know his name,I did have a wry suspicion that either Chipmunks behaviour or his character had drawn Mr H to recognise and remember him!But anyway it did alert me to Mr H and the fact that the children did adore him.

In July when we found out who the children's new class teachers were we saw that Mr H had moved from year six to year four,my first thought was of disappointment as Chipmunks class hadn't got him but I soon found out that Chipmunks new teacher had a brilliant reputation and I have since been so impressed with her teaching,I'm so glad Chipmunk had her.

Well on Monday night we were waiting for the children to be let out of their classrooms and after the bell had rung along came the rush of children but as we looked closely w noticed that some of them were crying.

We didn't have long to wait until Chipmunk came bombing round shouting Mr H is leaving!
More and more children began to pour round the corner of the playground and they were pretty much hysterical and that is not a exaggeration!

We walked up the school drive and all you could see was groups of children huddled with their parents sobbing!

Those children had taken the news really badly!

To be honest Chipmunk I'm so glad that you are not in that class as I think it would totally throw you,you are a emotional minefield on a good day so any major change half way through the school term would be pretty disastrous.

And as for Mr H,hes going back to practise law,it seems that a easier job than teaching these days!I wish him all the good luck in the world,he was a teacher that so many children truly worshipped and I know that he will be really missed.

Silent Sunday

Linking up with Silent Sunday

 Swimming For My Bro

Today was one of those days that in advance you look at and think

How an earth am I going to make it through to the end

And if I do make it through to the end,what shape will I be in and will I still be alive or just a walking talking zombie.

I had to fetch Chipmunk from school at 3.15,then get Sharky to the doctors at 3.50,then get Chipmunk to the turning on of the village lights at 4.30,then swimming at 5.30.It seemed impossible at the worst and mega stressy at the least.

Well hey ho I managed it (had a lot of help from my mum and dad,thankfully) and was pretty exhausted that night but we did make it and the point of this post is to say wow at Chipmunks swimming.

As you may well imagine by the time we got to the swim lesson everybody was working on overdrive.

The day was bitterly cold,we had been blown all over the place by a very strong November wind that was causing havoc in some parts of the country,we had been in and out cars that much that we were almost dizzy and then you enter the swimming baths... the hot,humid swimming baths.

You walk through those doors and the heat and the overpowering smell of chlorine hits you,you go from being cold to being hot in under ten seconds,it always gets to me.

The lights are dazzling,the noise echoes around you,the siren to signal the wave machine starting blares out,children are running everywhere,the tiles are slippery and therefore a hazard for not so steady kids to walk upon ~ total sensory overload!

We made it to the poolside (how did that ever happen) in time and as the teacher was busy giving forms out she instructed the children to start to swim widths across the pool.

Now we had got a guest observer,Sharky had come with us as I wanted to keep him close after his blood test earlier that evening and the crux of this story is Chipmunk swam for Sharky.

Up and down he swam and he was using his arms!So lovely to see him using his arms and he was using both arms!

He did better swimming unguided than he did usually throughout his lessons!

It made me wonder why I pay for lessons and why I don't just bring him to a pool and say swim!

To be honest I can see why I bring him to lessons,the teachers are great,the structure of it means I make the push and he does swim once a week and infact swim lessons are cheaper than me taking him as I would have to pay for me and him to swim and that would bump the price up no end.

Sharky was impressed and my mum and I were flabbergasted but so,so pleased and proud of young Chipmunk.

After Christmas he has been put up to the next stage classes,stage three,so there is improvement.It has taken him 18 months to move from stage one to stage two classes but only a term to move from stage two to stage three classes.

He's on his way to be a swimmer!One day this little chap of mine will swim competently and won't it be worth the wait when that day comes.

Christmas Is Coming!

Rumour has it that Christmas is on its way and to welcome Christmas,oh and a certain jolly fellow dressed in red,to our area,the town threw a big Christmas countdown celebration.

There were reindeer,real ones,the cast of the pantomime,which is Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs,Fireworks,groups singing and of course Santa.

We went down with our friends and one of the main things we wanted to do was to see the reindeers.

Well it was jam packed full!We walked round the age of the crowd and tried to gingerly squeeze our way into a spot where we could just see a bit of a reindeer,any little glimpse of a reindeer would do.

The cheer went up and we stood on our tiptoes and craned our necks hoping to catch sight of one of Santas magical reindeer,people started moving and we managed to edge closer to the front,this is it I thought,

"Are they there?" I said to the boys.

"Er they have gone" said a voice.

We turned to see a security guard looking at us.

We had missed them,Santa's reindeer had gone!

As we stood trying to think of something to cheer the boys up,we noticed people moving barriers and after a chat with the security man we found out that the reindeers were coming back and you could go to see them.

One look around though told us that the que was going to be long,very long,nearly impossibly long!

We stood talking and then realised that the barriers were being pointed in our direction and as we watched the barriers were built right up to where we were stood.

Blow me down,we were first in the que!!!Even the security guard was laughing.What a bit of luck!

Walking through those barriers was daunting,everybody was watching but we were so excited!Chipmunk and his friend stroked the reindeer and I took a hasty photo and then we went.

What a thing to remember...

We were the first people to stroke Santa's reindeer!Yay!

And the reindeer were in question were Dasher and Prancer.

Playing In Leaves

Today was a really busy day,I had been hammie cleaning and the time had ticked on until it was afternoon and we hadn't had any fresh air.

I decided we would go for a walk,I didn't know where,anywhere would do.

Chipmunk went on his scooter and we hadn't been walking for too long before we found this

a gigantic pile of leaves.

So we stopped to play and had a great time

scootering

making pathways for scooters

kick those leaves!

It turned out lovely,Chipmunk had a really good play in the leaves and then we walked up to the shops for a Saturday night treat ~ choccie!

The sky was so pretty

And we saw a tree all lit up ready for Christmas

And the little boy who didn't want to come out really enjoyed himself

Linking up at Country Kids.Pop over here to see some fab posts all about outdoor play,honestly the ideas are great!

Silent Sunday

Linking to Silent Sunday

Friday Night

Friday night was cool,I just love Friday nights!

We don't do anything special but it's just that Friday night feeling,the promise of two days off,no school,no work,a chance to chill and make time to play,walk,talk,be with the boys.

Saturdays are great but on a Saturday I wake up and see the weeks devastation staring at me,swim bags,school bags,work bags,pe bag,work planning folders,lunchboxes,a table that is piled so high with school letters,papers and just the general debris of the past week,there is more than likely dishes piled up in the sink and a pile of washing to contend with and I gaze around and the gloomy old overwhelm feeling pays a visit and I think argh 'how am I going to get all this sorted' and it's like groundhog day 

yep its Saturday let's tidy the table that never looks tidy anyway

Yep it's Saturday lets cook a nice sausage and egg cob for Sharky while washing the dishes and supervising homework,sorting washing out,oh and 'tidying the table' 

 

Are you beginning to see why Saturdays nice though they are do not have the same feel as Fridays!

Sunday's are even worse!Im still loving the fact that I'm at home but the work is piling up and it's becoming obvious that unless I grow a hundred new sets of arms and hands I'm not going to make it through and get all that needs to be done completed and that makes me feel stressed.

So Sunday can be fun,I do like it but it certainly hasn't got the hopeful feeling that Friday has got.

Friday is the promise of the weekend.I feel that I can achieve everything on a Friday and although deep down I know this isn't quite the case,the feeling sticks and helps me through the last day of my working week.

It's the one day when I don't worry if I sit down at night and just be and how good a feeling is that!

Looking back I think I have always loved Friday nights,even when I was a little girl.

In those days Friday nights meant a walk up to my grandmas ( quite a long distance away and we had no car so whatever the weather we trolled up there)

 My cousin and Aunty would be there and my cousin would bring her record collection round and we would play all the top 40 favourites.She was older than me and had a much larger collection of singles than I did and we would play music and talk while my grandma and my mum would gather in the other room and chat about important grown up stuff.

We would eat beef burgers on bread and my auntie would bring some Thornton's special toffee up which I used to love.I ate so much of it that for a while I could never face it when I was older.

We would watch the Sale Of The Century with Nicholas Parsons and then I would sleep at my grandmas and everybody else would go home.

Nowadays I end up flaking out on a Friday night,after a week of work and school runs Im usually just glad to have made it through to Friday night!

This Friday night we had tea,I read Chippie his Wishing Chair book,he played with Lego ( not often I see him play so I was impressed with this) then he went to bed and fell asleep after story whilst listening to me rabble on with my mum as she had rung while I was upstairs putting him to bed.

It was so restful knowing he had fell to sleep by my side.

I then went downstairs and played on Twitter shock/horror and then me and Sharky caught up on all the Coronation Streets we had missed.

It was just what I needed after a rough old week.

So nothing special but everything special,Friday night chilling.

Grounded

When life is going slightly pear shaped these little everyday things have kept me going.....

You go to school happy and all tucked up snugly,hat,gloves,bag packed and a big drink to keep you going.

You come happy,that faithful scooter gets you home in style!

You go to bed happy,clean sheets,clean jammies,bedtime story and a peaceful nights sleep.

This week these few photos have kept me grounded.

Why do I watch the X Factor?!?

Why exactly do I watch the X Factor then?

I sometimes ponder that very statement!

Is it for the fantastic singing..er no definitely not!I could spend my time listening to people I really like singing songs I really like instead of people I hardly know murdering songs I really like.So it's NOT that reason.

Is it to see the fabulous judges...nope,not that either.To be honest since Simon went I don't think the judging panel is the same.

Tulisa is ok,Nicole I'm really not sure about,Gary annoys me most of the time and Louis,well he's just Louis isn't he!Same old Louis!Always getting the groups,always giving the same old comments,always sat nodding his head,he is so predictable it's untrue!

Is it because there is nothing else on the television on a Saturday night... nah.. because I would definitely prefer BBC 1 on a Saturday night...Strictly (where there is actually some talent on show) and Merlin would make me much happier than X Factor.

It could be Dermot!I do have a soft spot for Dermot! Hes just so lovely and kind and he hugs everybody and he's so tiny compared to most people,you just have to like Dermot!And I love that spin he does,to be fair Dermot is a perfectly good reason to watch the X Factor,but it's not the real reason I watch it.

The reason I watch the X Factor is simple... it's because of my boys.

They love watching the X Factor and so that's why I watch too.

It's family viewing on a Saturday night.We get all comfy,we discuss who we like and probably more important who we don't like!

We talk about the judges and we love the show on Sunday when we see who is going to get voted off,everybody sits round shouting names out and waiting to see if the judges will take it to the dreaded deadlock.

It builds connections with the teens and that's what I like and so while it may not be my number one choice of tv show I will carry on watching ( and that of course has nothing,absolutely nothing to do with Dermot O Leary at all!

The Reading Club

Ever since I heard that our library were going to run a reading club I knew I wanted to go there with Chipmunk.  

We love our local library and we love books,so it simply sounded a win/win situation.

And it was!

We went with some of Chipmunks friends which made it even more special and the children literally skipped,ran and jumped all the way to the library.

When we arrived at the library there was some chairs arranged in a semi circle and the librarian was waiting in the middle.

She had a box full of books and DVDs and it did look very exciting.

I went and sat with my friend and the librarian started talking to the children.This months subject was film and so all the books were ones which were made into films.I heard lots of conversation between the children and the librarian and she seemed to be certainly making them think about books and the different types of stories and authors.

After the librarian had finished talking she gave the children a drink and a biscuit ( Chipmunk really liked this bit! ) and then the children were free to browse through the box and chose anything to take home.This was really good as the DVDs are usually 50p or a £1 for a week but with the book club they are free and you can keep them for a month,which is much more manageable than a week.

They all got word searches,colourings to take home and it was so good to see older children enjoying a book club.

Chipmunk choose a Tracy Beaker book to bring home ( I'm not sure I'm ready for him to read this book,I love Tracy Beaker but I think some of the things that are in the book are not what I want Chipmunk to know about yet) and he chose Charlie and The Chocolate Factory as his DVD.

His friend chose War Horse which he was so proud of,his mum has got some reading to do!

We had a fab time and will definitely be going back next month when the subject will be Science Fiction!

We can't wait!

Chatter,Natter,Talking.

It's been half term here and I have spent lots of time at home with the boys,the weather at the start of the week was drizzly and murky so we stayed in quite a bit.

During this week I have been happy to watch the boys mixing with their grandparents and enjoying their company.

It's not always that you get teens that want to be with older members of the family and I really appreciate the fact that my boys do.

One afternoon my dad bought his sister and her husband around to see us.They haven't seen the boys since they were very young so everybody was quite excited to see them.

And I was so proud of these boys,they spoke and mixed so well with my auntie and uncle and I did take on board how lucky I was as I watched them because it's not every teen that would give up a afternoon to sit and talk with their older relatives and it was the way they did it too,so effortlessly,you could tell they wanted to do it and weren't being forced to do it,if you know what I mean!

When my auntie left she came to me with a smile and said

"You have a lovely home and a lovely family"

And again,I could tell that she meant it,her eyes smiled as she spoke and I just knew what she was trying to tell me.

Since then I have heard T (19yrs) discussing music and groups with my dad and playing what's the capital of ... where my dad chooses as random country as he can and T has to give him the capital city of the said place and I've heard Sharky discussing the civil rights movement with my mum,the depth that conversation went to was unbelievable and as I flew around getting Chipmunk some tea and packing his swimming bag I could hear snippets of this conversation and I was smiling to myself because I heard such a lively and healthy conversation,both sides speaking,both sides listening to each others information and at one part my mum was trying to think of a name and Sharky got it and I thought woah boy you have nailed this!!!Only been doing A level history for 7 weeks but something has certainly sunk in!

After that conversation my mum came to me and said

"I really enjoyed talking with Sharky today"

And yet again I saw her eyes sparkling and smiling,she really meant it.

I think I have something here more precious than any scrap of paper telling me a GCSE result or any academic result really.

I have children that want to be involved with our family,that like talking to us and feel comfortable in doing so.And at their ages this is a really good thing.

I see it quite clearly,Iam aware of what I have got,I lovewhat I have got and I will do anything to protect and nurture this special relationship that is present in this house.

It's easy when children are young to have these kinds of talks and moments but when your teens are doing it you know something has gone very right and it makes me smile because this is what I wanted all along.Long may it stay.

Football In The Forest

Just a kick around with friends and their dads.

It meant a lot.

A chance to be in a team.

To be included.

To play a sport like a real footballer.

To have your name called out good kick Chipmunk, you're  on our side Chipmunk, well played Chipmunk. 

A chance to dash around with a group of people feeling like you belonged.

Even a day later I still smile at the memory and I'm sure you will remember that game of footy for quite a time!

Happy Halloween

Spooky Tea

Decorating pumpkin cookies

Bat Ghost

Pumpkin Party

On a cold dark night,we got togged up warmly and went to a pumpkin carving party.

And I'm so glad we were invited and I'm so glad we made the effort to go.

There was a real mix of ages there,some people were sat in the warmth drinking tea and eating cakes and the die hards were out on the yard under makeshift floodlights carving their pumpkins in the cold.

We were in the die hard group!

Chipmunk made a brilliant job of carving his pumpkin

Chipmunks pumpkin is in the middle

And then he had the best time playing footy tag ( I do not know what that is,but judging by the excited cries it was a great game!)

I sat doing a bit of people watching and chatting to people.I had a cup of tea that made my hands toasty and tasted even better in the cold night air.

It got right past Chipmunks bedtime and still he was playing outside and for once I let him stay longer,it was nice just to see him joining in and to hear the children calling each others names.

The grown ups were happy too and the pumpkins were ace!There were flower pumpkins,a dancer carved in one and one with a cat in front of a moon.

It's safe to say a good time was had by all.

Trick and treat night tomorrow,such excitement for the children at this time of year!Fun times!

Half term thoughts to the boys

Well we have had our first half term now and we are onto the second part of the Autumn Term.

I bet this half term will be so busy as its the lead up to Christmas and that always hits schools like a bomb,no matter how hard we try to prepare for it,it always seems like we are running round like headless chicks as Christmas approaches.

So here are my thoughts to you boys....

Chipmunk

Well I'm hoping that you get really settled in your class this half term.

You know your teacher,you know her rules and her ways,you know how she wants you to behave,let's hope you can do this!

I'm wondering if there will be a Christmas ConcertI hope so!There is something magical about a Christmas Concert and I do like to see them.Not many more for me to see actually as you only have 3 years left at juniors,so Iam going to make the most of the ones I have the privilege to see.

There will be carol concerts and all kind of Christmassy activities and I can imagine a great deal of excitement,which will lead to absolute overload and we all know what happens then! 

You need a new warm snuggy coat.Last years was a disaster,only lasting 2 months before the zip broke!I need the new coat we choose to last longer,much longer!

It will be time to tog up with hats & gloves,really cheap ones coz I know there's a massive chance they may get lost & I do not want you going down to school unprepared,that would worry me to pieces,I don't like to think of any of my boys being cold. 

I'm hoping we don't get any projects this half term and if we do please let's do it 'as soon as' I know this is not our usual style but I really don't want yet another pressure looming over us when all will be hectic anyway.

I'm really looking forward to walking you down to school,we always have real good chats on our way to school,on the way back home you always scooter so conversation is pretty sparse,this makes our morning chatter even more precious.

I hope you continue to try hard in swimming lessons and karate too and I know we will love going to children's church,I think it's both our highlight of the month.

Love Mummy x 

***

Sharky

Already you have done your first half term in 6th form and it seems to be going well.I often see you with homework out and you seem really conscientious about it.Your grades are good for someone starting A -levels and I'm really pleased with you and the effort you show towards your studies.

You still are doing the papers and your attitude towards that is outstanding I feel.Throughout many provocations you keep on going and you show such a mature attitude for a 16 year old boy.I hope certain people stop taking you for granted and realise what a good worker they have and treat you accordingly.

Keep up all the good work Sharky

Love Mum x

***

Tiger

Hmm,you have no half term,you have left school now!

It's not been easy for you lately,you have tried out for some apprenticeships and got so close in one of them but not close enough eh and you still haven't got anything viable to do with yourself.

I know it's easy to say but you have got to keep plugging on,harder than ever because that's all you can do.

And I truly believe that what will be will be.The right opportunity will come along but you have got to help it too and keep on looking around for such a opportunity.

Meanwhile it's nice to have you round the house in the daytime,I often smile as I listen to you singing away in your room.

You have absolutely tamed the little boy hammies.They are the friendliest little creatures ever!Sterling and Souso,might have guessed they would be named after Liverpool players!They are adorable and so friendly and this is down to you handling them so much,you have done a great job!

I hope you find the right work for you Tiger,you have too much potential to waste it!

Love Mum x