Hello! This is William

This week I have been mostly running around because on monday I ran to and from school phew.

Today I drew pictures of picasso. He,s a famous artist you know.

The best thing about last weekend was Mia,s birthday because she got loooooooooooooooooooooooooads of pressies.

Mia has been very busy opening presents because it was her birthday

Mum has been very busy byeing Mia presents.

Right now I am most happy about my new simpsons book I got.

I think the birthday is finally over...

Mia found her last card this morning. Tucked away in the boxes we brought home from the picnic was a lovely card with Paddington Bear on it...unopened :( It must have got missed in all the excitement!

She soon tore it open and saw the message from Auntie Kerry! In a bid to make her big day last as long as possible, she has now requested that I re-read them message 26 times...with more to come no doubt! She know's it off by heart!

Thanks Kez!
X

Wow! What a Weekend!

Crikey! What a lot to update today!

Mia's birthday shenanigans started on Friday afternoon when we all went for a picnic with Lisa's crew. It was lovely, and Blaise came so the kids were tickled pink! Mia got a new mop from her friends and some very posh colouring books. I'm guessing she won't always be so pleased with a new mop as a present, but this year, she was over the moon!

Then on to Saturday morning...I had to wake her up at 715 because I couldn't wait any longer! She loved all her presents, especially Will's Bob toy as you can see. I think 3 is the best birthday because it's the first where they are all excited before and they play with all their presents really nicely. This year she got a new dressing gown, a little book and a new pencil case...with her old pencils in. She thought that was brilliant! Simple!

Then off we set to the middle of nowhere to meet Uncle Barry. 5 hours later (I might add that's 5 hours of Mia screaming like a princess...she was very aware that it was 'her' day! Oh and now she's too posh to pee in an 'unsuitable' toilet, we wouldn't go at the services or in a layby...even after I demonstrated and got stung in the process!)we arrived at a very 'local' village hall. Such a great venue, play area for the kids, hall in case it rained.

We were a bit late so got set up straight away. We sat with Martin, who just gets rounder and Julia, who doesn't change at all! Paula's lot are all sooo grown up (the girls all have boobs! Big ones!) and Paula is a great advert for starting young, she's having so much fun with them now. Caroline was there, but Sharon wasn't as she'd just got back from Greece.

Much laughing and drinking followed. I managed to talk to most people...I lectured Paula's kids on not smoking, lectured Caroline's Andy on how tricky it is for women to juggle career and kids (he's convinced it'll be a breeze because they'll 'share the burden' hah!) and was generally terrible at rounders due to the alcohol. I think it may have been due to the tablets I was taking for my headache, which has gone now btw.

Janet is stupidly happy, all giddy and excited. Barry is lovely although was very nervous...who can blame him?! They've not even known each other a year yet, they met on a coach trip in September. And then this September they are going again, with the same people, only now they are married! Tres cute!

After that we drove back to Mum & Dad's, very tired and just sort of flopped into bed, but only after I had had a chance meeting with a hedgehog in the back garden!

The next morning, Mia got yet more presents, a lovely farm set to go with the animals she'd opened the day before. She loved it and is playing with it now. After a quick coffee with Hannah - who is doing very well and off to San Francisco in a couple of months...watch out Kez! - we drove back home.

Mia decided we should go in and have a cup of tea...she came in, took off her shoes and parked herself on the sofa, oblivious to the people in the back garden! She loved the surprise and it was well worth the pain of organising it! She also loves her new kitchen, but is VERY put out that the water doesn't come out of the taps and that the oven doesn't get hot!

At about 6ish everybody left, Michael and I tidied our very messy house, bathed the kids and collapsed into bed. Phew, what a weekend!

Well, that WAS embarrasing!

So, William walked himself to school this morning...partly because he was making up for a major indiscretion yesterday and also because he is fed up with me taking him late!

Anyway, I saw him to the door and then gently closed it so as not to alert Mia to her missing brother. Then I used the WC...with the door open as has to be in our house because going to the toilet is a team sport! Unfortunately, the front door wasn't closed properly, unfortunately the wind picked up and blew it open and UNFORTUNATELY it was that moment that the postman decided to call. M.O.R.T.I.F.I.E.D.

The only saving grace is that our postie is a woman! Dear lord, that one will never leave me!

Busy Busy Busy!

Oh my goodness, this week I have not stopped!

Monday was cleaning, picking up Georges present, prepping for the AGM, dropping into the FA offices to sort through more paperwork, Michael out all evening so sorting the kids out on my own (sooo much easier than a team effort and actually a joy!) and generally having a broom up my bottom.

Tuesday; more prepping for AGM, grocery shopping including all fathers day presents!, more FA rubbish to sort through, weeding the veggie patch, more laundry, tea, scout AGM.

Wednesday; cleaning ready for the in-laws to come to lunch (a weightwatchers salad delight - Anne is such a better weight watcher than me!), waving Michael and Anne off to court - muchos stressus, more laundry, picking Will up pronto to take Mia to speech therapy, speech therapy, home, tea, council Michael after court.

Thursday; weightwatchers in the morning...I took my new friend and neighbour, Ito, who came to ask her 'fat friend' (her words!) to join with her but was slightly disappointed to find me looking 'not so fat anymore'! She's Nigerian...I think it was a compliment! Back home, speedy lunch, took Mia to Jo Jingle Music and Movement class, tea, entertain Andy, Costco to pick up Mia's present from Michaels family, home, bed by midnight.

And today...planting new vegetable and marigold plugs in the veggie patch, attack the greenfly, lunch with Lisa at the Healthy Living Centre, drop Mia off with Michael who was working at a friends house, back to Letchworth to pick Will up an hour early from school, haematology appt with Will, Tesco's for popcorn, Pizza Hut for a treat for Will, Lisa's to pick up popcorn because Tesco didn't have any, home, rough up tesco cakes for cake stall tomorrow, print some signs, blog.

Phew!

This week I am most pleased with:

• Georges Present...it's a little red TShirt that says: My Daddy is The Stig!
• The AGM...everyone there thinks I'm great, energetic and fun (and some of those are under 60!) Since my election, the fundraising totals have tripled. I'm very chuffed.
• The veggie patch looks great.
• I lost another 2lb - that's 7 1/2 in total :)
• I spent a whole afternoon with just William and me, it was lovely.
• The weekend forecast for Mum and Dad's camping this weekend is good.
• Kerry, for already making friends with a Brazilian!

This week I wish:

• William had finished his blog entry...maybe tomorrow
• I'd been more organised with tomorrows cake stall and delegated more
• I'd kept my mouth shut and just left the room on occasion!
• I can find a way to advise Michael about Mia's speech therapy and what we have to do at home in a way that will actually sink in.

Right, that's how I am thinking right now, in lists, and I have come to the end of my list.

Have a good weekend!

XXX

Hello this is William



This week I have been swimming at school and know I sort of now how to do a breast stroke and the back stroke.


Mia has been to Jo Jingles which is where Mia learns to dance and play instruments and today she played a tambarine and the symbols.



Mum and Dad are Helping out in a cake stall but mum cound,nt bake any cakes so mum ruffed up some sainburys cakes.


Right now we are visiting uncle Andy and we're having a scrummy barbecue.


I think kerry's blog is gobsmakingly brilliant.

Check this out!

Will would love to see this...anyone fancy coming with us?

She only gone and done it!

I cannot believe that my big sister has been so brave as to actually up sticks and move to San Fran-blooming-cisco! I don't think it has actually sunk in until now!

William is officially in mourning...although I think he is just moping around so that I will agree to him flying out there on his own. I have explained to him, his hopes of that happening, but I think he is going to be trying that one out for the duration!

Well, I hope Kerry, that you have lots of fun, meet lots of new people and work very hard, so that you can return to us full of stories! (Although don't get 'In San Fransisco' boring!!!)

So, outside of that, we have been keeping up our boring old daily comings and goings. Mia's eye has thankfully cleared up - I honestly thought the neighbours were going to call social services to report the 4 hourly torture sessions I was subjecting her to! Honestly, 1 drop in each eye...you'd have thought it was bleach!

Today we had Abi over for an hour an and half supervised visit. That was wierd to say the least. Having someone in your home checking how you are with your own children was pretty pressurised. It went really well and Abi had a ball, we made cakes and played games. The kids had some rough and tumble with their Dad and Abi smacked Will...nothings changed! Michael dealt with it well though so hopefully when we go back to court next week, contact will be rightfully resumed.

Will's finished his first week of swimming lessons. Only another week to go. It's not that much fun now that the weathers colder again although I'm glad it's not scorching anymore for him...I sent him in with suncream the first day and he was told not to bring it again??? H&S gone mad again I think.

I am super busy with the Scouts right now, we have our AGM next week so I have to hold court for all and sundry from the organisation as we go through our accounts and things. It's rather nice to still be respected, although a pay packet wouldn't go amiss! I still have to make the decision over whether I want to become GSL...basically the leader for the adults. I think it's good CV fodder and it certainly makes more use of my skills but it's a pretty big commitment. I have also now officially taken over as Club Secretary for Goff's Oak Football Club and Michael is officially the Club Manager...that should be interesting, us both working together! The Herts FA is proving to be a right old boys club and I got told off for missing a meeting that I was told about the day after it happened!!!

Well, that's pretty much all our news. Our thoughts are with Kerry on her ventures and hope that she can settle in quickly. We'll soon have free international calls so let me know a phone number and times and we may be able to have a quick chat!

XXXX

How handsome is my boy?!

Please bear with us!

Right then, so Kerry has requested a blog to keep up to date with our daily doings. I have to confess, this is all new territory but here goes...

Our news today is this...Will has had his 2nd swimming lesson in the outdoor pool. They are every day for a fortnight so hope the sunshine holds up! We had a desperate search for his 'cool' swimming trunks last night as it seems our little pre-teen is too self conscious for his speedos (aaah!) Back to cubs tonight AND a visit from Andy so as usual he is super busy.

Mia's eye is exuding gunk, but her teeth aren't hurting so much anymore.

Michael has returned to work and decided it's "boring" (I refrained from offering to swap!)

And I have just about caught up on the laundry from camp.

Dear god...I warned you there wouldn't be much to tell...can you see why I chose the title. I will endevour to be more adventurous for future blogs!!!

XXX