A strange week.....

Firstly, apologies for my absence of late!
It's been a strange couple of weeks....
Started off with hubbie doing his back in at work. He's a Postman, so it's all part and parcel of the job! Haha, no pun intended, but quite a good one!
He's not supposed to be a Postie! He hasn't the legs for it! No seriously he is a Draughtsman who can't get any work, and hasn't for a couple of years.
So he has been here with me and the kids which has been lovely! I really hate my own company so it's been so nice to have him around.
Then my little boy went into hospital to have an operation on his webbed fingers to separate them. It had been cancelled twice and I have been dreading it. I felt sick with anxiety and spent the previous two days in bed with flu so couldn't go with him.
Luke as always was a little trooper and was fine, unlike his Daddy who got quite upset and said it was a good job I wasn't there!



He has adapted quite well to his club arm and is pretty much his normal self, hasn't hit Amy with it....yet!!

Then we put an offer in on a house! How grown up and scary. Still havnt heard anything back and so far have ignored the temptation to knock on the front door and beg and plead!

Lastly Mark may have got himself a CAD job! Early days and it means lots of hard work and juggling as he has to keep his Postie position until we get the mortgage settled.

Change........I am usually so scared of change. I feel safe when things seem settled around me. One whiff of it and I usually run for the hills!!!
But not this time because it IS TIME.
Time for a change. A fresh start.
I think the thing that scares me so much about change, is fear of the unknown. And the reality that means things probably won't go smoothly, they rarely do and I don't deal with that very well at all!
So at the moment I feel a strange mix of nervous anticipation, excitement and dread that it will all fall through!
I need to get positive! No matter what it will work out! We WILL find a house, even if its not this one. And Mark WILL get his old job back!
Coz I got a feeling!!
Fingers crossed!

#Healing4Kerry

I don't need to explain, I'm sure so many of you are following Kerry's sad, yet so poignant story.
She is Multiple Mummy. http://www.multiplemummy.com/

This is a fantastic Healing Blog Hop thought up by the lovely Liska at http://newmumonline.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/multiple-photos-for-multiple-mummy-and.html

I wanted to share my favourite prayer with you. I think it is beautiful and very true.
It is said to provide spiritual comfort and inspiration and has helped me through many tough times.

Footprints Prayer

Footprints in the Sand

One night I had a dream...
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
There was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious
child. I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of
trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
~~~~~~

Footprints Prayer

Much love and chocolate
Clare x

Silent Sunday

Vodka Christmas Cake

This post is not written by me or the incredibly funny Kellie at http://www.bigfashionista.co.uk/ whose blog I stole it from!! I'm not sure where or who it originates from but it has made me giggle on an otherwise rainy and dreary day!

Vodka Christmas cake,

You will need;

1 cup of sugar
1tsp baking powder
1 cup of water
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
nuts
1 bottle of good quality vodka
2 cups of dried fruit

Sample a cup of vodka to check it is good quality.

Take one large bowl, check the vodka again to be absolutely sure of the quality then repeat. Turn on the electric mixer thingy. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar, beat again. At this point it may be wise to check the vodka is still at its best, Try it once more, because you are a thorough chef of Nigella standards. Turn off the mixer thingy. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck in a cup of dried fruit. Pick up the fruit off the floor, wash it and then then add it to the bowl a piece at a time, trying to count it. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit getasa stuck in the beterars, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the vodka to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check on the vodka. Now shit, shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. whatever you can find. greash the oven. turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Dont forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the vodka, and wipe the counter with the cat.

Listography: Six songs of me

What a fab idea from Kate at http://katetakes5.blogspot.co.uk/ A listography linky!

LISTS!!!

I love love love lists! Especially those job lists for hubbie, you know the ones......that never get done!

Mine are usually full of fun things like what groceries we need, birthdays, making Doctors appointments..... YAWN!

But this is a GOOD list!

1. What was the first song you bought?

I remember this, not because of the amazing choice I made in my eleventh year, but because they were bought with a voucher I got with a purchase of particularly HIDEOUS Clarks brown school shoes. It was the only reason I let my mum buy them probably!

Wham - Club Tropicana....not a bad choice. Seriously let down by my second. 

Black Lace - Superman!! Nearly as uncool as the shoes.

http://youtu.be/7Le-mYN3dl0

2. What song always gets you dancing?

No brainier!! Not sure if you can call it dancing though! It's more of a swaying type thang with my hands in the air!

Take That - Never Forget

http://youtu.be/K2yfnqjHGGU with Robbie! Because when I saw them all back together singing this it felt right....and I cried!! So there.

3. What song takes you back to your childhood?

Now this is a difficult one as there are so many. I can narrow it down to three, but then it wouldn't be six songs so my choice is

Human League- Together in electric dreams

http://youtu.be/DCyxO57Hn6k

Or Daniel or Neverending story. Ssssshhhh!

4. What is your perfect love song?

Take That - Rule the world

Mine and hubbies song! Our wedding dance.

6. What song would you like at your funeral?

I really don't know, maybe a song that reminds people of me. So maybe it's yet to be found, but if I was to choose one now it would be

Duran Duran - Save a prayer

One of my all time favourites and quite apt!

http://youtu.be/jThGT2pUWf0

6. Time for the encore. What song makes you you?

This is a song that got me through a very hard time in my life and every time I hear it I am filled with fresh hope.

Brand new radicals - Get what you give

http://youtu.be/cPAEFnVZVOs

How my child sees me #meme

I have been tagged by the lovely and brave Emma at http://thecyclingmummy.wordpress.com/ to do this meme. 

Luke is great at drawing....but only when HE wants to. Which is why this has taken two days!

I love my little boy! But he drives me to distraction. He was the model baby, which is why I think I am finding it so hard to adjust to 'The Terrible Twos'. 

Picture aside, I often wonder how Luke sees me.

Sometimes I wonder if he even likes me! He is not the most affectionate of children, never has been, but I am the sort of person who needs constant reassurance anyway, about EVERYTHING!

I know I am the best mum I can be at this moment in time, that's not to say I won't get better at it, there is no manual! I'm learning as I go, and it's the hardest, sometimes most thankless job I have ever had.

But Motherhood is also the most amazing thing!

When I watch them, I can't help but smile. They light up my life. I love them with a passion and force I didn't know was possible.

If you ask me what to take and decipher from this picture I wouldn't really know the answer, but I have hands and feet and what appears to be rather large ear muffs! 

Maybe I am being too analytical!

Hey I'm just Mummy....

I tag

http://msmummyoftwo.com/

http://amummysview.wordpress.com/

http://mummyneversleeps.com/

Silent Sunday

#R2BC Reasons to be cheerful....1 2 3

 I haven't posted for a few days because the whole family has come down with a sore throat, hacking cough type lurgy thingy, which I'm sure has affected pretty much all of you too!

So what better day and post to start again with #R2BC, the Thursday linky from Michelle at 

http://mdplife.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/reasons%20to%20be%20cheerful

I need some gratitude rather than self pity going on here!!!

The main really good reason to be cheerful this week is, we may have found THE house!

Big garden for the children, converted garage to put all the bloody toys! And it's in a lovely little quiet road just around the corner!

Not too much disruption for the children, the house is almost a replica of our rented property now and Luke can still go to his little nursery, which he loves!

It's all really scary! We have only ever rented. Don't talk to me about tracker mortgages, interest rates blah blah because I haven't a bleedin clue! Cue my Dad...The Fountain of All Knowledge....The Oracle! Will I ever stop running to my Daddy?? Probably not.

You know what I am looking forward to most? And most of you living in rented property may be with me on this.

PAINTING A WALL! Red yellow, WHO CARES, IT'S MY HOUSE!!!

Any colour other than MAGNOLIA OR MUSHROOM which is the awful colour I am looking at now. I don't smoke forty a day so I really dislike the walls looking like I do! Yuck.

I will miss this house though.

It may be just bricks and mortar, but it's our first family home.

It will always have a special place in my heart. This house is all my babies have ever known. 

On 7th April this year I walked out of the front door with my Dad, as Clare Andrew for the very last time. 

I came back in with my new husband, as Clare Allen, the name my children share, and we felt complete.

So I feel full of trepidation and excitement today. We are going for a second viewing on Monday although I have already moved in in my head!!

Silent Sunday

Flowers from my Amazing Husband!!

He makes me feel so special!!

Luke

My baby boy is growing up so fast!
Babyhood is over so quickly. He is becoming such a little character and is starting to string sentences together already. He comes out with the funniest things!
I wanted to write a list of his baby words, because I know one day they will be forgotten along with so many other things that are fresh in my mind now!
This is what defines my baby boy at this moment in time. Along with his obsession with Peppa Pig and jigsaw puzzles, oh and not sitting in the bath because he did a poo in there ages ago and thinks its still there!
Sucre - His beloved teddy that he takes everywhere! This one baffles me as his name is Crumble!
Manny - Amy. This one has gone.
Gagapoo - My Dad!
Shish - Fish
Pooka - Milk
Bapple - Apple
Cokafye - Chocolate
Pissy - Biscuit.....Yep I know! This has raised a few eyebrows!
Fluf fluf - Maltloaf
Pippies - Rice Krispies
Caccy - Coffee
He also used to call us both Daddy! I think he thought we were one person! Sometimes I think we are.
And when Mark makes me anything to eat, Luke always comes up to me, puts his head one one side and says Mummy bagel?

I love him so much!

#Swangate!

Thought I'd take the munchkins out today to feed the ducks.

Off we set armed with stale supplies.

We weren't long!!

Jesus, swans are scary!!

There we were by the waters edge when I saw them approach.

"Luke, let go of the bread.....LET GO OF THE BREAD!"

I swear it was nearly as big as me..Well Amy then!! And those beaks, terrifying!

I ran..well as fast as a toddler on a buggyboard attached to a pushchair would allow!

"I don't like big dooks mummy!"

Me neither...

Silent Sunday

What grinds my gears!!

When the lovely Mama Owl at http://my-lifeandkids.blogspot.co.uk/ tagged me in this #meme, I felt slightly anxious as I have only been blogging a couple of weeks and already upset some fellow bloggees  with one of my posts.

But as she rightly pointed out its my blog and I can write what I like! So I will! And maybe grow a pair and stop being so sensitive about what others think of me!!

Things that mash my swede!

- Doctors receptionists! Why are they always so bloody rude?

- The horrible whining noise that my two year old son has perfected and uses, well nearly all the time.

- The high pitched screaming noise that my one year old daughter has also perfected and uses most of the time.

- The above two noises when heard together.

- My husbands blank expression when I repeat a conversation we had an hour ago.

- Jeremy Kyle.....TWAT!!!

- The way my Mum can push all my buttons with just ONE look!  And make me feel about thirteen again within five minutes of being in her presence.

- Sticky kitchen surfaces!! Yuck.

- Noisy eaters, people who talk with their mouth full of food, people who play with their food, people who don't eat food! You get the gist???

- Those old women who tut at you when your child is having a meltdown in Sainsburys!!! Yes love, they were dragged up, and I have no idea about discipline!!

I mean, seriously!!! Have you ever tried to reason with a two year old who wants, needs HAS TO HAVE THAT PEPPA PIG DVD RIGHT NOWWWW!!

- Size 8 clothes....cause they used to fit me, before two babies and married life!!

I could go on and on! But I don't want this to turn into a moany old rant!!!

So I shall let some others take over!!

The meme rules are to tag back to the creator and the person who tagged you.

The lady who came up with this fab idea is Mummy of Many Talents at http://mummyofmanytalents.wordpress.com/

And here are my tags

Fern@http://pennybakeslove.blogspot.co.uk/

Lorna@http://mummyandherboys.wordpress.com/

Sally@http://pressiesbypebbles.com/