UP FOR HOURS ALREADY...

Morning! It's 6.20am and I've been up for hours already! Stew has this flu too, so he's snoring right? So, I can't sleep... so I'm up checking blogs.. I mean, what else can one do in the middle of the night without waking anyone up?

Griffin finally stopped coughing and vomitting around midnight and has slept soundly since, poor wee man needed to. I am not feeling that much better today, but I think maybe just a bit??? Gawd I hope so, I'm sick of seeing the dining room in such a mess, I need to get on to painting it and getting everything back in it's place! I hate a mess.

Today: hopefully

NOT A PRETTY SIGHT...

I Looked in the mirror this morning and thought...hell that ain't a pretty sight! My eyes look like they have shrunk and are all red and yukky looking...so in other words I'm still miserable.

I was so determined to kick this in the butt by staying in bed all day yesterday, but it does not look like it has worked.... if anything I feel worse this morning!!! I took Sudafed last night, which certainly helped me sleep... but that's all! I may have to go to the Doctor today me thinks, I reckon my sinuses are infected... the last time I felt this bad was 5 years ago and I had the same symptoms... and had infected sinuses.

I am sorry to say I am going to have to bail out of going to the Blogger Meet in Otaki tomorrow, I certainly don't want to infect anyone else, and I am feeling so awful I doubt I am up to the drive.

So, I shall ring around and arrange for those who were coming with me to get themselves there

HOW CAN YOU FEEL THIS BAD AND NOT HAVE A TEMPERATURE?

It's 5.30 am, and I'm up searching for drugs... I NEED them! My head is pounding, nose streaming, lungs clogged up, and when I try to cough I am wracked with chest pain... if this is how the kids felt ... I AM AN EVIL MOTHER! OK, I did give them pain killers, fed them and let them watch TV all day !

In stark contrast, I will have to get up, make their lunches, breakfasts, get them dressed and walk them to school.... but let me assure you, when I get home.... I'm straight back into bed! There is no way I'm doing anything feeling this awful.

So, if I don't pop by your blog today and leave you a comment, I am sorry.... but I think I will be sleeping. WEll, I bloody hope I will be sleeping!

WHO'S SICK TODAY???

I'm still in bed, hoping like hell those two kids are feeling much better today and can go to school ! Griffin did a lot of coughing in the night though....

Stew's heading off to Martinbourgh for two days today, so I'm on me own (kinda) ... oh joy. I don't like it when he's away, I've got to do EVERYTHING! I would NOT like to be a solo mum ever again that's for sure!

It is freezing again today, I can tell even from my bed! Our bedroom is at the extreme end of the house, you know, the end that simply does not get any of the warmth coming from the heating in the lounge.... so.. I'm cold! Better get up, get dressed and

THREE DOWN ... AND OUT !

Oh bugger, damn and blast !!! Now Brylee has a bad headache and isn't feeling well... so I am stuck home again with friggin sick kids! And I'm not a nice mummy, I don't run around after them at all.... if they want a drink... they gotta get it .... I will dispense the medications, and keep them fed I suppose, but that's about it.

Didn't I say I have no patience? well, I wasn't kidding! Maybe I can get Mike to drag his sorry butt downstairs to watch them sometime today so I can escape for a while to the gym! I hope so anyway, I feel like I've been cooped up in the house for days already.

I'm over the chocolate biscuits.... another good day looms...

LOOOOOVE GOOGLE READER !!!

Thanks to Beckie (passworded), I have found the best thing since sliced bread! Google Reader, like bloglines .. which didn't work for me.... it tells you when blogs are updated.... so I never have to scroll through my huge list of blogs again to see who's updated!!! It's bloody fantastic, particularly when I read over 100 a day!!! This is going to save me sooooo much time every day! I LOVE IT!!!

We havn't had a very good night, Griffin has been coughing fit to kill, and has complained of an ear ache, so I will be taking him to the Doctor today.. so he's home, so am I... booo hoo. Maybe we can sneak out later and do some shopping, the kid loves shopping!!! Must take after his Mum/Grandma eh?

Not much else planned now....will just wait and see how the day pans out... might take more soup around to the sicko teenagers too.

TAGGED...

I got tagged by Sandi Bee...

Instructions: remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot...like so...

1.Chicken Girl

2. Half Man

3. The Fat Lazy Guys Log

4. Sandie Bee

5. diet-coke-rocks



AND NOW FOR THE QUESTIONS:



What were you doing ten years ago? I was working as a Teacher Aide in a primary school, taking care of 1 terminally ill child while he was at school. And I was teaching pottery at night school sometimes, and enjoying my life in general. I was about 30 kilos overweight, but didn't seem to care.



What were you doing 1 year ago? Going to the gym 7 days a week! Revelling in being slimmer and healthier than I had ever been before!



Five snacks You Enjoy:

1. Rice Crackers and Tomatoe chutney

2. Sugar Free lollies

3. watermelon

4. Protein Bars

5. Does Diet Coke Count???



Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:

My mind went blank on this one... I'm a child of the 70's... so anything from then!



Five things you would do if you were a Millionaire:

1. Pay off all our debts, and SOME of the kids debts, not all of their debts though.

2. Put aside money for each grandchild to inherit at age 20.

3. Go on a world tour with Stew, hire a nanny to care for the kids and leave them at home.

4. Build the most fabulous beach house in The Bay of Plenty, or maybe Bay of Islands.... can't make up my mind.

5. Give some money to New Zealand charities that I support, like Plunket, The Cancer Society, Coastguard, etc.



Five Bad Habits:

1. Intolerant of fools, pigs, snobs, arrogant, ignorant people.

2. Impatient - got to be NOW

3. I talk too much, and interrupt often.

4. I'm bossy

5. I'm judgemental to a degree



Five Things You Like Doing:

1. Rearranging the house ...often!

2. Redecorating the house

3. Drawing house plans of my future home

4. Going to the Gym

5. Going on holiday



Five Things You'll Never Wear Again:

1. Elastic waisted anything!

2. Stew's undies, cos mine were too small

3. A t-shirt and shorts to swim in

4. A G-String, just not me!

5. Leg Warmers



Five Favourite "toys":

1. My Laptop

2. My digital Camera

3. My Mobile Phone

4. My sauna

5. Stew



TAG:

Wanna_b_slim

Mellisa

WOW, LOOK AT THE TIME!

Hells' bell, you are all going to think I slept in, and I didn't!!! I have just forgotten to do this morning's post! I have fed the kids, and have a huge pot of soup on the stove cooking for tonight.. pea and bacon bones.. though I don't actually have the bacon bones yet! I'm waiting for Stew to get outta bed so I can go buy some..... wasn't I a nice wifey letting him sleep in???

He DID stay up late watching the rugby afterall! Like till about 3 in the bloody morning, and then Mike went out with the girls (Lisa and Kushla)... Kushla, who he's kinda hanging out with.... AND then he arrived home around 4am with a tale to tell of Kushla's ex-boyfriend crashing her car last night and writing it off !!! Far out, just so pleased no one was hurt....but come on people, there are better ways to pass the time than hooning around in cars and crashing them! So now Kushla doesn't have a car.... at least it was her's and not the company car... she works at Dominoes too, we all know the company car from there was totalled LAST week !!! Steve is having to use his own car to make pizza deliveries to hold onto his job at the moment... so is loosing money hand over fist. Twit.

PRIVATE PHOTOS AVAILABLE, BOTH MOUNTED AND UNMOUNTED...

Anyone wishing to see photos of last nights "festivities" CAN order them.... mounted or unmounted.... ha ha ha....That's from Stew, the grubby bugger!

We did have a lovely evening.... and MIKE went over to Steve and Lisa's for the night as well, so we had the whole house to OURSELVES !!! And we did not nibble on anything fattening AT ALL.... I was rather proud of myself for that... usually in that situation we would have had lots of lovely yummies and some drinks too... but cos we are both on a health kick, we didn't.

I will tell you ... it is so WEIRD waking up to silence!!! I keep waiting for a kid to make a noise, and it ain't happening!!! Even Izzy is quiet.... and it's like 8.30 in the morning and I'm in bed still.... OH GAWD THIS IS BLISS.

BUGGER, IT'S FRIDAY !

I don't particularly like fridays, it means the weekend looms... and everyone is home... annoying me, messing up me nice clean house, why oh why can't they learn to pick up after themselves ?

I am sure I can hear thunder outside... so unusual for around here... we don't get many thunderstorms and I miss them! We got lots in the Waikato and I loved them! Today I've got RPM, I hope my energy levels are up a bit compared to Wednesday when I seemed to have none!

Then I think I will continue stripping the paper in the lounge and do another wall.
RAINBOW: I know my language is atrocious often, but that's just me! I do know when it is not appropriate to swear in public though, so you could take me out in public without being embarassed! Maybe! later...


MR CHOO: just for you, a photo of our teenagers room to illustrate what really happens when you STOP PICKING UP after them! And this was actually quite tidy for them.


All I can say is.... just you wait! Maybe you will be lucky and have really lovely tidy kids.....????

I have just finished stripping the last two walls in the lounge, filling gaps etc... and already I'm knackered! I will be so happy when I finally get all the redecorating finished! And I think I'm about 2/3rd through the house.... 3 bedrooms, 1 rumpus room, 1 dining room, downstairs toilet and laundry to go ! I think ! Far out, what did I start???

I'm feeling really blah today too, middle of my cycle, popping out eggs I reckon, and I get pain at ovulation time, oh the joys of womanhood. It has stopped raining here, but it is soooo windy! Very very blustery, the sort of wind that takes down trees. Hope everyone is being careful on the roads.

Steve just rang to remind me that he and Lisa are having the kids tonight for a SLEEP OVER !!! Oh my god, this is going to be A FIRST EVER !!! Brylee and Griffin have never spent a night away from us... ever !! I am nervous and excited all at once! Does this mean we get a sleep in for the first time in years ???? I'm so excited I have already packed their overnight bags, got the sleeping bags and pillows, packed some food.... oh man.....

And there they go..... woooo hoooooo !!!!!! I thought I would feel nervous about them going away for the night, but I don't! Ha ha, we forgot to pack their teddies, so Stew has just popped out to take them over there... it's only a 5 minute drive away, so that's ok. I have some plans this evening that involve a sheepskin on the lounge floor..... *HEEE HEEE HEE*...... ummmm , errrrrr, nite nite. STEPS TODAY : 10733

RAINING ALL NIGHT

As it's been raining all night, I'm not sure what's on the agenda today... walking with the dog and Janet??? or painting???? Or go to the gym?????

I have been slacking off the gym a bit lately, I want to concentrate on losing the weight, not going to the gym every day... I think it's working .... and I am getting a bit more done around the house too which is good. It doesn't feel so cold today either, which is great! Oh well, better get outta bed eh?

WHAT'S WITH 3.45 AM !

Why the hell do teenagers have to stay up till 3.45 am ??? That's the time Mike came home after being over at Steve and Lisa's, and I'm sure they woke the whole neighbourhood with the noise from Steve's car roaring down the bloody road in the dead of the night.

I sure hope the people at No 1 (house at beginning of our driveway) don't come and complain AGAIN about the noise! Derrrr, like I can do anything about it. I am shitty as hell cos I couldn't get back to sleep after that, and I have RPM this morning and I'm sooo tired.

On a happier note, I WAS GOOD again last night, I resisted food again and I couldn't be happier! I can feel a loss coming up this week... about bloody time! Every day will get easier I know, it's all in the mind this weight loss shit, and I think my mind has finally accepted that I really really want to shift these excess friggin kilos for good.

HOSPICE INTERVIEW TODAY

Today... kids to school, walk with Izzy and Janet, then... I have that interview at the Hospice to become a volunteer... quite looking forward to that!

I've woken up starving! Must have done something right last night eh? I did NOT go anywhere near the pantry or fridge, wooo hoooo. Now just have to do the same again today, and tomorrow, and.......

Must buy more paint today too. The white in the lounge is looking..... very stark! Not sure about it yet. I am going to do two walls then decide if it should be a 'colour', or be white.

The interview went very well, I was given the run down on the place, given the grand tour, and then..... I shall probably be helping in the Day Stay Area, where people come in on a Tuesday and Thursday for craft and lunch, and generally spend time socialising..... right up my alley. And I might even help out in the Hospice Shop as well as they are screaming out for help apparently. I was really impressed with the organisation, how many voulunteers they have (over 350!), and thought maybe they had enough? But the Volunteer Co-ordinator was very keen to get me "on board", so I'm happy to go there. And I don't have to wear a nasty uniform, EVEN BETTER !

After that, I went into town and had lunch with the man... we went to a relatively new place in town called the Noodle Canteen, where they sell asian style noodle meals in a cute little "box".... it was extremely delicious, and soooo filling ! I could hardly finish mine. That should keep me going all day. Now I am going to get out of me "posh" clothes and do some more painting.

I didn't get a chance to get outta me "posh" clothes before going to get the kids from school... it was so funny getting up there and having the other girls say : "Wow, where are you going?", "Look at you!", "Havn't ever seen you in a skirt before!"... ha ha ha. It made me feel quite good actually, I usually live in my casual gym type stuff, so getting dressed up must become a "once a week" thing me thinks ! It makes ya feel nice knowing you look kinda nice, and not skanky even!
WANNA: If I can be bothered I will get back into it later and take a photo of me "posh" outfit....
MR CHOO: you have a grubby mind!

Right, I have finished one wall of the lounge totally... and here is the posh outfit I wore today, as requested. Now I'm going to go have a sauna and get the paint off my hands...

Oh yes, I am also going to bed next... so nite nite. STEPS TODAY: 17431

"THE PARTY"

Time to start making some plans..... first and foremost, who's coming????

If you think you are coming, please send me an e-mail (stewandchris@hotmail.com) so I can give you my address and phone number! If you want accomodation with me, I still have 3 single beds and 1 double bed settee available!

PARTY DETAILS:

August 4th, 3pm till whenever.....

- Food: Bring a plate

- Grog: BYO

- I ask everyone to bring one Unisex "Xmas" present to the value of $10, to be put under the tree and exchanged during the evening.

- Attire: Anything goes

- INCIDENTAL... if you have any "Bigger" or "Smaller" clothes that you no longer want, bring them.... you never know who else could use them.

Right, that's all for now.... if anyone has any ideas to help the evening go well, party games etc.... bring em on.

***************************************************

Today: kids to school, walk Izzy, paint lounge wall.....oh and do some darn housework too I suppose.

WE ARE VISITING THE PIGS TODAY.....

Three possible captions:

1. Sorry about your tongue, but I didn't think you'd take the "Kiss my ass" suggestion literally !"

2. Believing in multi-cultural relationships, Fluffy did her best to give Spike a blowjob and ended up with a quill in her tongue.

3. Tastes like chicken.

Now wasn't that a nice way to start the day??? Saw this on another blog yesterday.... lovin it.

Right, rest of day looms.....

WE ARE GOING TO VISIT THE PIGS TODAY...that should be fun eh????

AHHH "REST DAY"

So, it's my rest day from exercise.... you watch the steps come down ! Today I'm off to WW and morning tea, time to get my "girl" fix.

No idea what we are doing this weekend, probably diddly squat (nothing much)... didn't paint that bathroom yesterday afterall, so might get on to that too...

POTENTIAL HOSPICE VOLUNTEER?

I woke up with a completely blank mind.... said to Stew "What could be a good title for today?", he came back with:

- Potential Hospice Volunteer?

- Hospice Helper?

- Woman with a smile!

Any idea what the last one could be alluding to??? Friggin men!

Today: all the usual, then ring the Hospice lady and see if they have any need of a very willing volunteer! And.... I'm sure I could just paint the bathroom upstairs where a certain person splashed hair dye up the bloody wall....

www.wltips.com

Blogger won't let me move the photos above so... Above is the picture I painted for Brylee's room ... and it in the room !

Hmmm, just remembered, I did an interview for the above website... pop over and have a gawk if you are inclined. It has my weight loss story and a few others worth reading.



TODAY: Kids to school, walk with Izzy and Janet, gym for whole body workout.... then check out some options for volunteer work. Hope I can find something interesting and rewarding!

I went down to the local Citizen's Advice Office, they did not have a list of Volunteer Jobs or ANYTHING... handed me the phone book and said "Check out the Community Organisations" in here.... so went home and did just that! I could help fundraise for some people.... or drop off leaflets in letterboxes ....none of which appeals.... or .... I am talking to a lady tomorrow from a local hospice who takes on volunteers to do a variety of things within the hospice... something that does appeal! So fingers crossed they
- Want me
- Have a job for me
- It's not boring !

Feeling quite positive about that! Was feeling rather despondent there for a while, no one seemed to have anything that involved being around other people... which is what I want. And if I can be helping someone, even better.

BROWN WATER...

VegasGirl: no question is stupid mate.... in New Zealand our water is sourced predominantly from local lakes and rivers, and held in very large "tanks" , where it is filtered etc before we get it... if we have had lots of rain the water is discoloured due to dirt getting flushed into the rivers etc... and obviously it's impossible to get the colour out totally... this only happens once in a while luckily. And it does not taste like dirt!

Today: Kids to school, RPM at the gym, walk the dog, work on picture for Brylee's room.... housework too I suppose!

THAT'S FUNNY !

You people are too funny ! I paint a room white... nothing else...just white... and I'm suddenly an Ace Decorator! To think I was going to do pink and white stripes or something similar... but opted for plain white and everyone claps!!! Maybe it was the bed linen then ??? Must be eh? Ha ha ha.

Today: First and foremost.... BE GOOD ! Do not lose the plot.... then, kids to school, walk the dog, go to gym and kill me thighs/butt again.... did I mention my legs and bum are killing me??? Friggin lunges! I swear they are the worst exercise ever invented! My bum is so sore you would think someone had beat me!

TEENAGERS VISIT US NOW, SO CUTE !

Our teenagers (them that left home) came to visit last night... it was lovely to see them both... Steve has been back a few times already. They are freezing their buns off in their house, too scared to turn on the heater cos of the cost!

Lisa was a dag, she was dressed in her Pyjamas and a jacket, said it was the warmest stuff to wear ! I felt sorry for them so gave them some Hot Water Bottles to take home... that should help them I hope. Actually, we have a couple of Portable Gas Heaters, could give them one too I suppose? Anyway, here's a photo of Lisa last night:

Oh yes .... Brylee lost her 2nd tooth last night, Mike pulled it out actually. On the right is Brylee's wee "precious" box, and the teeth go in there to be picked up by the "tooth fairy"... in this house that's Stew!

Right.... today... kids to school, walk the dog in the rain, go to gym

WONDER IF SHE WILL TURN UP????

I'm off to the gym at 11 to meet with my Personal Trainer... after she has seemingly avoided me for over 2 weeks, she better turn up! I have been floundering with my excersise these last 2 weeks, not motivated to go, and I'm sure it's cos I don't have my new programme and some direction to head in.

I need a programme to follow or I simply muck around ! So, fingers crossed.

Food : I have two days under my belt of being on track, and I am already feeling better for it... I had heartburn for the first time in years the other day, and I'm sure it's because of all the crap I have been eating.... and I've been feeling like crap too, most likely cos of all the bad food going down me throat. So, NO MORE, I want to feel on top of the world again, and I know that is only going to happen if I stay on track with my eating and exercise.
It will be worth it!
"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING SLIM FEELS".

TODAY.... Crankybee and Chops (AKA Belinda and Ewen) are getting married !!! WOOOO HOOOO , I hope they have a fantastic day and don't get blown away with the crap weather... or fall down shit faced while doing their wedding dance !!! Thinking of you both at 4 pm Aussy time... Love and Best Wishes.

Right.... Cat (PT) turned up !!! Shock horror !! She had no good excuse, said something lame about leaving me heaps of messages (she didn't), but I didn't want to get angry so left it at that. I now have a good new workout for the next 6-8 weeks so I'm happy. Will reassess whether to stay with her after 8 weeks.

Below.... decided to do some painting... Wanna inspired me.... so there is Stew plugging the sander in for me.... don't go thinking he did anything, cos he didn't ! The redecorating is my domain it seems. Then there's me, in me painting clothes looking like a dag.

On left: Brylee's room before.... Right : with one coat of white..... now I'm thinking.... maybe I will make the room predominantly white with a little bit of accent colour.... and paint the headboards another colour too. Not sure yet..... working on it.

Just painted Brylee's headboards light blue.. it was that or light green.. the only paint I had left in the garage for now... if they look yuk I will just paint them again. Heading into a quiet evening, so will say nite nite. STEPS TODAY: 10935

OFF TO WW, MIGHT BE A NICE DAY OUT THERE

AND... according to Lynda in the UK, Paris has been dragged kicking and screaming back to jail....oh what a shame! NOT.

Havn't got a lot of time to yak right now, slept in ! Got to pick up WW buddy Chris D and go to meeting/morning tea... so later...

Kek : thought I would ! *SNIGGER SNIGGER* ha ha ha.

Been out to WW meeting, Chris D and I didn't stay.. went browsing around the shops instead, then morning tea with a couple of other girls... home now and wondering what I shall do today?
There's always housework.... or redecorating..... or ??? Dunno, feeling a bit flat today... probably just cos it's "that time of month".... Stew and Mike are off to rugby soon.. so it could just be a quiet time at home for me, Brylee and Griffin. Kinda boring eh?
Oh yeah, it is our Eldest Son's birthday today... he's 24 ! Hope he is having a nice day up in Hamilton.

Oh, I'm proud to say I have been 100% "on track" since yesterday .... not bad considering how "off track" I have been the last 2 weeks.... I had salad for lunch and dinner last night, and no naughty food AT ALL... and so far today I have been excellent again. AND there are giant chocolate cookies in the pantry and they stare at me every time I open the door.... but I resist, I do I do. I am determined to be 10 kgs lighter when I have the PARTY !!!

I have been giving the PARTY a bit of thought, and have come to a few decisions, which I will post next week....all to do with food and drink mainly... nothing earth shattering like cancelling it!!! Hell, that would be disasterous now! I am so looking forward to it!

OI .... Shouting very loudly now.... Wanna.....Don't ya need one of these to leave ya country??? Huh????? ha ha ha.

Another day done and dusted, did 5/8th of bugger all ! BUT... I was a good girl and have eaten nothing naughty again! So I am happy with myself.... steps havn't been that crash hot but not bad for my "day off" exercise! Going to bed now, am still feeling a bit low with the TOM ... pills not working this time... major flooding "down there", bummer.

STEPS TODAY : 8035 nite nite.

POOR STEW

It's 6.20 am and I just asked Stew to get up and take Mike to work, cos it's absolutely foul out there! Gale force winds and raining something shocking... and Mike was gunna go to work on my scooter... like hell ! He would have ended up in the gutter! Not MY baby, that's for sure.

And, maybe Izzy will just have to stay home today, even I'm not mad enough to go walking in this weather. Awful it is!

Will drive the kids to school then go to the gym/personal training session, am not looking forward to it now... TOM has hit big time and me back is killing me... oh the friggin joys of womanhood... my arse !

Maybe I'm on my own on this one but....
BIGGEST JOKE OF THE DAY: They let Paris outta jail... Oh that poor pathetic excuse of a woman!!! F**k what a bunch of twits they have over there, letting her out! What? She didn't like the food? The lack of maids? or was it the metal loo ??? Ha ha, hope she got constipated... Ok rant over.

Friggin daft weather we are having... it's now sunny and brisk, lots of wind but no rain... looks like Izzy is gunna get lucky! Been to the gym, did the RPM (felt ill half way through, but still did it), and again a NO SHOW from my Personal Trainer... but she did leave a message that I got after I had sat and waited for half a bloody hour! bugger damn and blast ! Seeing her on Sunday now... she better show up! Or she is "dead meat" mate!

Being the lovely Mum that I am, I picked Mike up from work at midday, he has another shift this afternoon.... and of course I wanted to take a photo of him at work!!! What mother wouldn't??? Hmmmm.... seems Mike didn't like that idea and did a runner.... the little shit ! So, below is Mike Running...

Running away from his darling Mum ! Crushed I am , totally crushed... ha ha ha. And this fickle weather has changed again... and it's friggin well raining again...

Kek mate... I have done that already! Come to think of it, Stew and I have done so much to our older kids to embarass them that I've run outta ideas! I think the worst I've done is flash me tits at them .... now.... do ya think I'm evil too??? lol

I am feeling like crap crap crap today... TOM is shocking, headache is the pitts... all in all I'm quite miserable.... ah well, that's life eh? Am having a quiet night. nite nite.

STEPS TODAY : 10217, probably won't do many more either tonight.

LOOKS LIKE A MISERABLE DAY OUT THERE

I'm sitting up in bed listening to it piss down out there... not too promising for going walkies eh? If Janet does not want to go, I think I still will... must do something to walk off all the crap I ate at the movies last night!

Stew is out of town again today, but it coming home early so we can go suss out "the ring"...ooooo, still not 100% sure which one ... it is going on my right hand where I only have a simple gold band at the moment.

On my left is my wedding and engagement rings... will post a photo of them later.... when I'm outta bed! Oh it's so neat having a laptop beside my bed.... it's like an addiction... first thing in the morning and last thing at night, I HAVE to check out a few blogs!!! I think I am a sad

20 YEARS... AND LOVING IT !!!

Our story:

I left my first husband after 7 years and 4 kids... moved with the kids to the beach... stayed in my little house with my kids for 6 months before venturing out for the first time -28th September 1985 - with a girlfriend to a Netball Prizegiving... Stew was the coach of the team.

He was one of only 3 eligible men in the room, and I fell in love within about an hour! Seems so did he.... well almost anyway!

WE locked lips fairly quickly that night, and that was it so to speak... he moved in with me and the kids after about 2 weeks of meeting.... and never left. The first words I EVER spoke to him were "Don't get interested, I'm a solo mum with 4 kids"....ha ha.

We moved from the beach after about 6 months together due to his job... and we bought our first home together. Got engaged, got pregnant, got married one month after my divorce was final and 6 weeks after I gave birth to Steven... so we have been married 20 years today !

Our Wedding : All our guests were asked to "bring a plate", and they all put together to buy us some larger essential items..... we had a church service then back to our home for a party and food! It was bloody neat! No hassels, no leaks... I was breastfeeding No' # 5 afterall !

Our Honeymoon : Ever tried to book a Honeymoon Suite with a double bed, 4 singles and a bassinette ? We did not have a honeymoon! WE did finally have our first holiday without kids 10 years later, when we visited my brother in Singapore.

Below: Photos of our wedding... and I hated that dress but couldn't find anything to fit me that wasn't too expensive! WE were on a darn tight budget!

From the top, left to right: Me and Steven, 6 weeks old and adorable.

My Maternal Grandmother, Me holding Steve and My Mum, 4 generations .....Mother, Daughter, Granddaughter and GreatGrandSon. Me and Stew cutting our cake, Leaving the Church, the first 4, aged 3,4,6 & 7, and finally Stew and his Mum...Ruth died of cancer just under a year later. So sad, she would have been THE BEST mother in law ever. It was a small wedding, just immediate family and a few very close friends, just how we wanted it.

And now the next 20 please....

BACK TO NORMAL ...

Ahhh, all is well in my house! All clean and tidy after what feels like years of having no control over the mess. It is a wonderful feeling.

Ok, we still have one teenager home, Mike, but he's not too bad! I even like him! Well, most of the time anyway. Brylee and Griffin are ok too, in small doses. Lucky school is compulsory is all I can say. PHEW !

Not sure what the day's like out there, but I can hear a fair bit of wind... so walking this morning may not be on, will wait and see.

My gym buddy does not like walking in yukky weather...so may have to just go do a gym workout instead.

What else? May just chill out ! Work on sorting out 5 years of photos and put them in albums... that is the next job on me list! Oh joy.

NEARLY FINISHED...

Still in bed again, and it's 8.40..... bliss !!! We should get the rooms finished today, yipee! Then all I have to do is paint / paper them...

Brylee LOVES pink, so her room will no doubt have pink on part of the walls, but not all me thinks.. it would be just too much. Mike's room is going to be cream wallpaper with an accent wall or something? Not sure yet.

Mr Choo: HA ! too late about the kids learning bad habits etc from Steve and Lisa, these kids have grown up with Steve... let me assure you they have learnt "heaps" of bad things from him already! Griffin in particular is like a "mini me" of Steve, talks like him, acts like him.... bugger!

Isn't it neat when something you have been wanting for ages finally happens? I am going to have masses of room for my ever growing wardrobe... wonder how many times I am going to just stand in my "dressing room" and smile??? ha ha ha

I am hoping to visit Janene today, she just moved into her new home with Jorja....

THRILLED TO BITS !!

While we were out last night, Steve and Lisa cleaned up the rooms upstairs !!! And they did a decent job, so I am thrilled to bits with them. And this morning we were talking about them having their own place, and Griffin said "I can have a sleep over at Steve and Lisa's house soon".... oh my gawd... we never thought of that!!!

Imagine... dropping them off on a friday or saturday night and actually getting a sleep in for once!!! OH YEAH !!! Hmmm, wonder how soon we can do that??? It would be a FIRST for sure.

So today will be spent moving bedrooms around and hopefully setting up my new "dressing

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE....

Sitting up in bed, thinking.. what can today's title be... and Stew came up with it immediately!!! Such a good one too... Steve and Lisa spent last night at their new home.... it's impossible to dance up and down while sitting in bed, but I FEEL LIKE IT !!!

They still have heaps to take over there, and there is a shit load of rubbish to clean up, then it's into cleaning the rooms up there, the bedroom won't take too long ... the bathroom is another story... eeeewwwww. I feel like hiring some cleaners to just come in and do it! And then.... I can move Mike back upstairs, Brylee back into her old room and then... I will have a spare room downstairs to convert into my "dressing room/wardrobe"...wooo hoooo.

This morning I'm off into town for morning tea with my WW buddies, am going to the WW meeting too, I miss them ! Weird but true, I miss listening to all the same old drivel, I miss meeting all the ww girls/boys, I miss getting to yak to them! So I am going back just for that at the moment, not to weigh or anything silly like that.... my weight it totally out of control at the moment, I think it's cos I am stressed out.... too much going on and not getting

TODAY SHOULD BE GOOD !!!

If my teenagers havn't got a complex by now, this weekend should do it.... I am soooo willing to help them move out... I can hardly contain myself! Hopefully they get the key to their own place today...

I have had a look at the house from the outside and it is soooo nice! It breaks my heart to think what it will look like in a few weeks. I really am hoping they take care of the house, the owner has it looking immaculate, both inside and out! If I get the chance I will take some photos before they wreck it.

Today I have RPM at 9.30, and will be doing my lower body workout and core... after that... "helping" the kids all going well! I