Rachel is back from Italy...

wanna see what she got up to??......

The White Cliffs of Dover

Sunrise in Switzerland

Mountain view from the coach window.

Some of the plant life.
Underneath Juliets Balcony in Verona.
Ahh a Spagetti Ice!
Resonate, the gifted and talented choir.

She had such a great time! They sang to an audience of 500 people on their second night and did an impromptu performance on the ferry home, raising £100 for the Kododo project (the schools chosen charity.).

Medly post!

Seems all of my most recent posts aremade up ofa medly of things that have been happening to us all.

So this week i have completed my first week in my "big girl" job! I can honestly say i love it! I am having fun and totally enjoying wearing smart clothes again.

Rachel came home with her school report which was absolutely amazing! WOW she blew me away! She not only improved in two subjects she doesn't like but kept her grades up in everything else so she is now a straight A* student accross the board! Her teachers are all impressed that her classwork and homework standards are very high, her work ethic and commitment are a credit to her and the fact that she is involved in so many after school activities also make her one of the top students in the year group! I am so very, very proud of her. She is also (which i think is very important) kind and caring to both staff and students alike, including students she doesn't know too well or hang around with. She will always help them and is always polite to all. "She will achieve great things." (quote from the head of music not taken out of context either!!!!)
So i am glad she is currently sitting by a pool in Lake Garda, Italy with the gifted and talented choir. She deserves it.

Bugsy Malone in pics!

{Please excuse some of the blurry pics, i had my ISO settings up at 1600 as i was not allowed to use flash photography..just grateful in this day and age i was allowed to take photos!}

Becky singing the intro song.

Becky the dancing girl!

Rachel the waitress.

Rachel singing her solo.

Becky and the dancing girls with Bugsy!

Bugsy.

Both the girls on stage together at same time!

Rachel Singing...

Since I will be taking pics tonight, asI am rubbish at videoing I recorded Rachel singing her Bugsy audition song...and the cute American accent, which I think is pretty good since we have never been there!! Please don't judge her too harshly on it! oh and one more thing.....{Excuse my awful voice in the back!!}

A 3 in 1 post!

**Update to below... Becky got a DISTINCTION in her drama exam - 89%*** Very proud :D

Cheap shot title i know but I'm going to be posting about the 3 kids in one post!!
So where to begin really,
Rae and Becky are doing well at school, rehearsing for Bugsy Malone (school show) most evenings!
Rae just had her braces colour changed again this time a lovely jade green colour that i L♥ve!


Becky is full of flu, but is maintaining her weight at last! Back to the Doctor soon to see where we go with her next as coeliac has been ruled OUT! Much to my relief!
She took her graded drama exam at the weekend, we should get the results this evening.(will post when i have them!!)


And David has been doing well in school too. He continues to just trundle through life at his own pace with his own agenda! Here he was this morning ready for school, they were having Roman Day so you guessed it he dressed as a Roman Soldier!!And that as they say is that!!

Mums Missing 3/52, a pay it forward surprise and Rae's drawing.

I'm participating in what I think is a really great weekly challenge hosted by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans. It seems like us Mums spend an awful lot of time behind the camera. The idea of this challenge is forMum's to get on the other side of the camera in at least one photo a week.

Since i have spent most of this week in hospital being ill i was unable to get a pic of myself with one/two or all of the kids so i am using my absolute favourite one from when they were younger..I know it's a cheat but i have a valid excuse....and i am sure you will like it as much as i do:

I also got a parcel in the post today. I wasn't expecting anything, no birthdays or anniversaries coming up. So i was really curious as to what it could be....
Oh my I was so surprised and excited when i got it....Yes indeed it was my "pay it forward" surprise from Shauna over at Trying to Stay Calm. She sent all these goodies to me just for being first to reply to pay it forward post on her blog and running my own on my blog! Isn't she a sweety?
Oh and Ron over at Troubled Ramblings has been at it again too, here is Rae (he says he isn't too keen on this one..but i l♥ve it!):
So while it wasn't my best week health wise...I am so so grateful for the lovely friends i have...especially my blogging ones who made me feel so special at a time when i have been feeling so poorly. Thank you everyone.
I have also been tagged by Leah at A Silly Little Sparrow and am promising to take part probably tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow i will be getting Becky's Coeliac results tomorrow too. It's all fun here you know!

Something I haven't done in a long time..

I sat and played with my photoshop programme, using a digital scrapbooking kit called Funky Love designed by "stolen moments". I managed to create two pages, one of each of the girls.
It was a pleasant way to spend some time and i am happy with the results :)

The way to world peace.

Well nearly! We have been doing some work around the house today and this evening Dad told the kids they had been such a help that they could have a MacDonald's (not had one for months and months!). So they were really pleased! So after eating their meals they were offered a pudding! Both girls wanted an apple pie. But oh no there was only 1 (yep ONE) left. Who should have it, would on of them give in to the other? No way! They resolved it with 3 rounds of rock, paper, scissors! The girl at the counter thought this was great! So did i until they proudly told me that they both have the same crush at school! So on Sunday nights they r,p,s to see who gets to fancy him for the week!! If only every dispute could be solved like this!! They just made me smile.


Becky went to the Dr. again today. We are waiting on the coeliac results still, next is diabetes tests and then onto the paediatricians.

Have a great week.x

Mom is missing, a 52 week challenge...

Is a great new challenge created by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans.
I love it because it means i have to be in the photos at least once a week on a Thursday..so one day my brood will have photographic evidence of me and them having fun together!
So here is this weeks....week 1!!
I love this pic taken by Becky when Rae and I were messing around in the living room! So now you see the girl behind the lens!

Teenager in the house!

You read it right! Congrats to our lovely girly girl, Rae..who is the ripe age of 13 today!
I have a slight problem with this though. I was once informed that teenagers sleep ALL the time..so please tell me why she was awake at 4.30am (although did wait till 6.00am on the dot before waking me!)?
I have watched this little girl grow and become a young lady but often wondered where her sentimental side was..watched E.T - no tears, watched Bambi..dry as the sahara...buy her a book especially made for her, a book of her little life so far...YES i did it..she cried! She is a REAL woman after all! LOL!

Presents waiting for her!

The book of her life so far!

"my hoodie!!"

Betty Boop cake as baked by Kev and Beccy J! (thank you guys so much )

Oh and as promised here is the "perfect David" award!!

New look!

Well i have gone for the Autumn theme on the blog! Hope it doesn't confuse too many folk! LOL. We are taking David laser questing shortly for his birthday treat followed by pizza hut! Sould be a lot of fun. Am taking the camera, I hope all the politically correct brigade don't stop me using it! Grrr! So i will add more later when we return!!

Kids in their get up!!!(it was pitch black!)

Pizza hut...
Rae had a HUGE salad!

David had his very own pizza!
Becky tried eating a jalapeno chilli!! ROFL

And he had an Ice Cream mountain (make it yourself!)!

I'm exhausted!

Ok so this week school is back into full swing for the girls with after school activities going on all over the place!!
School finishes at 3pm they do clubs till 4pm! School starts at 8.45am and we live 10 miles away l so we (youngest and I) have a lot of hanging out at the park after school!!

Rae's clubs are:
- Mon - Drama, Tues - Choir, Thurs - alternate weeks of Gifted singers and Jazz Band, Fri - Orchestra.

Bex's are:
- Tues - Dance, Weds - Football, Thurs - Rugby, Fri - X Country.
Bex also has Drama on a Weds from 6.30pm - 8pm and Sunday from 10am - 13.30pm.

They all swim on Friday night at 5.30pm.

Just reading all that makes me tired!

Tonight Becca ran 5 miles with the x country club! Rachel is going to Italy with the young and gifted singers choir in July next year!
And me? Well i get to do the driving and cheering on and pushing David on the swings! But you know what? I wouldn't change a thing! It is just wonderful to see them both doing the things they enjoy and taking a really active part in school life :)

Back to school blues!

So the kids are back to school. Well two of them are anyway! I took these photo's for the grandparents!! Rachel hates hers but i think that is her age! The last one of David is "the hair" and how it was when he left this morning!
I am sure i am one of the only parents that hates seeing them go back to school! It hasn't helped that the youngest two started new schools today.
I watched Becca walk away with her friend, off up the hill and can admit i had a small tear in the eye, i was not too bad as i knew she had a friend and is the sort of kid to just get on with it..and if i am really lucky she wont have let her mouth get her a detention on day one!
David was another story! He is a fairly quiet little man and will watch for a while before making judgements on who he might like to have as a friend. He is reserved and insular at times. So i waited with him. He seemed tiny again. And i really felt my heart strings pulling as a waited with him. I went over where i would meet him and where to look for me. Then before he went inide i asked if he wanted me to kiss him (sometimes it's just NOT cool, i get that!) and he looked up at me with his huge brown eyes and said "yes please Mum"...four paces later my poor friend is handing me a tissue from the same pack she had used when we watched the girls go off!
I couldn't look back to see him..if he saw me crying he'd get upset, so my poor mate had to give a running commentary on how he lined up and went inside and that he was okay!
So now i am looking forward to 5 past 3..so i can collect him, hold his hand and ask how his day was. And tonight we bake cakes...me and my boy. Becca will be on msn with her buddies like usual.
So please 3pm come fast cos i want my kids back!

Ahh we found a way to deal with it....

Kind of!!
Imagine being woken up to the scream of what sounds like a howling banshee! Well that was my alarm call today from my oldest! Thank you everyone who offered me ways to appease her woes but she found her own way. Not the path i would have taken, but i guess when needs must!
She "stubbed her toe" this morning. Me being the helpful, loving Mum i am said.."oh come on you will be ok. You only stubbed it etc etc". Well after an hour or so watching her foot swell and bruise i guessed she maybe had a right to make a bit of fuss. So we traipsed to A&E where we had an Xray...guess what...we are back to see the specailist on Friday! OMG! So she IS getting attention of sorts, and we spent 2 hours together alone! What a kid..came up with her own plan!! LOL. She will be ok..a tub of Ben and Jerrys cures most ill's in our house! Hope it's not broken, she is back to school next week!!! AAAGH!

Oh dear Lord...it's the wrong kid!

*** Warning - period talk!!***

Well today one of the girls came down to tell me she thinks she has "started". And you guessed it, it was the younger one! She is 11 years old, 12 in October and her body has decided that now is as good a time as any to add to all the issues she already has..changing school, leaving junior school etc etc. I am sure she really didn't need this on top! But it's here, and i guess it's here to stay!
The older daughter was okay with this happening to her sister she's sensible enough to realise its out of all control. But her face dropped when Dad came home with roses for her sister. He bought them for her as her first bouquet as a "lady"..(and all the while i have been saying "it doesnt change you, you are still you and it is not that overnight you become a lady"!! haha)
So one is sad that it's not her getting flowers from Dad and the other is crying because she really doesn't want to be a lady!
We talked a lot previously about "it" happening and how we deal with it all. They are fine to come and ask me about things and worries but i never in a million expected it this soon or with the younger daughter first! I was a late starter and really hoped they would be too!
My heart breaks for my oldest as it has got to be really hard seeing your kid sis develop and start before you.
Has anyone else had this issue arise? Please advise as to how you dealt with it because i really feel stuck between a rock and a hard place!
(Next time round i'm coming back as the Daddy!!)

School reports, Prize Day and Broken Bones!

Well i am noting the date! Friday 11 July '08 is possible my best day this year so far!
Becky and David headed off the their new schools in Alton as i headed off to Guildford to see the fracture clinic about my hand! The MRI from last Saturday was back and apart from one minor "blip" on the scan i am "free!!" I can now carry on as normal but if it still causes pain by Oct i may need a small op to see whats going on. But for now, and the summer holidays i have two cast free hands!
I collected David from his new school, to be told how polite he is and that he had just got on with is day with no fuss at all! That's my boy! Bless him, i know he was nervous in the morning but when i got him back he loved his new class, and all the things they had got up to! Mr Williams (his new teacher) is "Great Mum", he does the best P.E lessons! So one happy kid in the bag! LOL.
we trundled along to collect Becky to see how her day at senior school had been!
She loved her lessons and her tutor, Miss Reed (who is getting married in 3 weeks - she has a huge poster in her class counting down the days!!) is really great, she is called Becky too and my Becky thinks she "rocks".
She had a great time doing science and got a merit for R.E. I think the best bit though was when her big sis' bought her a cookie in the school canteen and all Rachel's mates let her hang out with them. That was a highlight for her! I love my girls and how they look out for each other!

So i get home after listening to all the info and more to school reports for Becky and David!
Becky's was awesome! I was astounded by her! Another straight A student in the house LOL!!
All the teachers like her and she is a delight to be around. Everyone gets on with her. She has worked hard all year but most of all she is likable and polite and fun to be around! WTG Becky!
David's report made me cry! I think this year is the first time ever a teacher has really understood my son. He is getting A's and B's for his grades which i am just so proud of as he finds school a struggle at times. But his social report was the bit that sent me into floods! His teacher said he has a mildy eccentric side to his personality that will get him a lot in life but others wont see it! He is shy, has only a few close friends but with them he has immense fun. But most telling is that he finds it really hard to fathom other kids and when that happens he withdraws like a snail into a shell. She really hit the nail on the head with him. He is bright and fun but its on his terms!! LOL
So as you can imagine i am bursting with pride over my two youngest!
Then I open the mail! Days don't come by like this too often! :)
Rachel is being given an award on Prize Day for the most Exceptional Effort awards in her tutor group for the year. She is getting an award from her year staff and a little bash after school on the 21st - Pizza and drinks! Then on the 23rd she is getting an award in front of the school and parents on prize day, from the Headmaster! I am equally proud of her.
My kids never cease to amaze me i am just so proud of them all.
Am off to make my head a little smaller now! LOL.

An amazing report and more music!!

It is absolutely and utterly silly season in our house! The last few weeks of the school year always are but this year seems to be busier than usual!

Rachel has been given a solo in the Basingstoke Live music festival...the school group are the headlining act on opening night :) Very cool!
She is also going to be going around the local Alton schools with a small "classroom" orchestra playing her flute! They will be playing on Friday this week at the Alton Buckle, at Anstey Park.
I honestly do not know how she keeps going at times!
We got her school report last week! WOW we could not be more proud of her! A straight A* student! All the teachers tell us she is a delight and a joy to teach - for absolutely every subject! Not one says "could try harder" or anything like that! Her head of year said her report "was one of the best he'd seen all year!"
So for all the heartbreak a year ago of her not going to boarding school, for all the fact she could have just not bothered because things didn't go the way we thought they would, she has not let her standards drop! She has continued to strive for good grades, and made some great friends. I am so very proud of my daughter. She is just amazing, i never dreamt she would achieve all the things she does!

Kids or Fish!

No not an option in a restaurant!
The kids all have swimming lessons on a Friday night and three weeks ago David moved up to a level 3, well last night his teacher watched him and said "David, you are too good for my group, go up to the next one!" So now in just 3 lessons ( and no extra swimming due to my arm) he has been put in level 4! He was so pleased with himself! Rachel is a level 6 borderline 7 and Becky moved up to a level 7 last night too! She is over the moon because they use all the bricks and do somersaults under the water and swim through hoops (sounds like a dolphin show huh!). I am just so pleased for them all, doing so well!

On Thursday David was star of the day from his teacher too, so he bought a teddy bear home and had to write a diary entry of what they got up to!

My parents told him to stop telling them all his achievements because they cost them too much money! They put money in piggy banks for the kids when they achieve things.

He really seems to have matured lately and i am just so proud!

On a funny (ish) note, he came out of school yesterday and said "Mum did you know you are a female dog?" I said "no i didn't, why am i a female dog?" His reply was "Well E***** said i am a son of a bit**!" Well i didn't know whether to laugh or cry! My friend overheard and just roared with laughter! Thanks Mandy for all your help LOL. We left it with, "Well that's not very nice, so you just don't repeat it ok!"

Have a great weekend all :)

My big news!!

I was feeling quite despondent this week, what with the arm being put in a cast again and being unable to do most everyday things due to being left handed! So when my good friends Dyanna and Michelle asked me if i would be happy being the creative team leader over at the scrapping garden I was delighted! So i am now heading up a team of 15 of us gals! It is going to be challenging and hard work but also a lot of fun! I am so looking forward to getting stuck in! Thanks Dyanna and Michelle for putting your faith in me!

Rach' had a great time yesterday playing her sax in Alton here are some of the pics...
They played.. Money, money, money.. can you feel the love tonight, greased lightning and summer loving.

An invite for Rachel :)

One of Rachels close school friends has invited her to a murder mystery night this month, she's really excited...how cool 12 years od and at a murder mystery night!

But thats not the only invite she has got!

The town where she goes to school, Alton, is having an opening ceremony for their "Greening Alton" season and she has been asked to be in the Orchestra, playing her saxaphone, in the town bandstand with some other classmates. She was recommended by her Sax teacher Mr E!
She is so excited, and we are really proud! i will be taking my camera...not sure how the photo's will turn out because of the pot i am sporting but will give it a go!