Hello again

Well Blogtober went to pot didnt it lol. This month seems to have just flew by and tbh I've had a few more difficuilt days than usual.
I think a huge source of stress has been our surprise trip to Disneyland :) Mum and I booked it ages ago for Caitlin, me, Mum and Mollie as it was a super cheap coach trip. However keeping it a secret from the girls and trying to plan it with very little information wasn't very fun for me lol.

Despite a few hiccups, and a NIGHTMARE of a trip home it went well. :) The girls had fun and Caitlin got a few new signatures in her book so everyone was happy.
So now I'm back! Fully unpacked, Christmas planning back in force and hopefully will be doing some layouts sometime over the next few days as my kits are piling up! First though I'm sitting down with a coffee and catching up on my blog reading :)

Yesterday

Woops, I missed yesterday. Well yesterday was this little guys birthday :)

So it was a walking in the woods, falling in the mud, in the sand, in the streams, pretty much playing and getting filthy kind of day.

A playing in the same relics that Mummy played in kind of day.

A screaming, bouncing, bring crazy kind of day.

A home for cakes, tea, leftovers, bath, movie then falling asleep on the couch kind of day.
It was perfect :)
Today was a drs appointment, ironing, and chucking out rubbish in Caitlins room kind of day. Not as fun. :p

Blogtober day 10 - Happy and warm

Don't know about where you are buts its getting colder and colder here! Had to put the heating on today as just could not get warm!
Its another sign Christmas is on its way though so I'll allow it :) Been a bit of a rush rush morning then a sitting about afternoon here lol. Had a dr appointment for Mark at 9:30, then had to pop Tesco for potatos, stop in at my Grans then rush down to my Mums to take my niece to her drama lesson as my Dads car had a flat tyre lol.
Was home 11ish and thats about it! Spent a relaxed couple of hours sorting hama beads and watching 'The Returned' I've watched the American version already but now the French one has got a second series I'm having to rewatch. Its different for me as usually when I watch TV I'm ironing or crafting or doing something else, but obviously because I don't speak French I need to properly watch the show. Its an entertaining show but I do feel a little like I'm wasting time 'just' sitting and watching TV.
Anyway, back to being cold lol. Me and Caitlin can't stand being cold. Mark and Cameron arn't bothered by it but we hate it. Like me, when shes cold, or feeling poorly or even when shes a little sad, Caitlin loves a warm bath full of bubbles.
Now I know theres a big controversy atm about putting photos of your kids in the bath online, but IMO this is a perfectly innocent photo, you cant see anything besides bubbles and her head so to be honest if it offends you, don't look lol.

Love this kit, honestly its SUCH good value and never ending!

Hopefully starting the next one this week :)

Blogtober day 9 - Hello

Been ages since I joined in with Stuck sketches but I really liked this months.

I decided to use some of my huge washi stash and make the triangle shape. I picked a photo of the kids on their first day at school this year and used lots of arrows to draw the eye in and purple to match the new uniforms.

Its a bit busier than my usual layouts but I really like it :)

Well today has been another busy one. Been working on a few craft projects, cleaning, washing, all that stuff. I also cashed in a load of online vouchers and ordered a couple more xmas gifts so aside from the big ones I've not got a huge amount left to hunt for!
I always say that though and always find more to get lol. Caitlins getting two expencive ones though which takes most of her money so trying to make as many little gifts as possible for her, including salt dough food for her shop. Think I'm more excited about the idea of making them all than she probably will be when she opens them! hehe.

Blogtober day 8 - Woops

Well I had planned to share the layouts I did last night, however for some reason blogger won't let me upload photos :\
So without photos I'll just say I managed 2 more layouts, one more and I'm pretty sure I'll have killed this kit :) Aside from some ironing tomorrow there's not much planned so Im quite excited to start using it as its full of beautiful autumn colours. :) Though unless you visit the Like for ever website you'll just need to take my word for it at the moment!
FX whatevers wrong will be fixed by tomorrow.
Well while yesterday was busy but I don't know how, today has been busy and I know exactly how lol. The morning was spent going into town and running errands there, shopping for perishables, exchanging a t-shirt I'd bought for Mark that was too small, putting money in the bank, post office, hunting EVERYWHERE for a witches cauldron (still not got one) then dropping shopping off to my Gran before home.
Home Mark went to bed while I sorted what seemed like an endless pile of clothes that had been washed and dried the day before, before wrapping some more Christmas gifts that have been delivered recently. Finished just in time for the school run and then the usual homework, dinner, bath, bed routine. Caitlin did make me laugh though.
Me - Caitlin wheres your camera?
Caitlin - I've not lost it!
Me - Ok, where is it?
Caitlin - *pause* Well I know exactly where I put it, I'm just not sure right now where that is.
What do I say to that?! BTW it was in her pink handbag in her wardrobe. Girl has too many handbags lol.

Blogtober day 7 - Be brave

Besides the school run today I haven't left the house, and I honestly couldn't tell you where the day has gone lol.
I've done washing, some questionnaires online and a couple of layouts, and I know I've been doing something at every point in the day, I've just no idea what :\ Does that happen to anyone else?
Anyway, catching up with challenges this was the September sketch at Sketchy scrappers. Nice easy one to adapt to whatever you like.

This was my take. I liked the background paper so kept it quite plain so I didn't hide it. The photo is of Scamp after he had an umbilical hernia removed. Because of where it was he was able to scratch it with his back leg so it was a nightmare to get him to keep his bandage on.

I'm getting 

He kept managing to wiggle it down, then he would pee on it so it kept getting infected. In the end the only thing that would stay put was a scarf of mine tied on with a ribbon. You can see how thrilled he was with it lol.

Looks like a cute Christmas present :)

Happy and content :) (warning, christmas content!)

Well today finds me feeling very happy and content :) Its a seriously miserable day outside but I'm nice and warm, have a good TV show to watch and ordered a couple of xmas gifts this morning with vouchers so saved over £40 :D
I know I know it's only October, but I like to get it all done and dusted before December so that I can just enjoy the run up without panicking that I haven't got the kids 'must have' gift they've asked Santa for. November is full of day trips and charity events so trust me my time will run out quick!
Still on Christmas, a challenge over at Sketchy scrappers on facebook was to do a Christmas themed layout (guess who set that one hehe) I had lots of scraps sitting about so decided to make a wreath style layout.

Blurry photo but I love this layout. The kids are in their 'Christmas PJs' which the elf always brings on Christmas eve.
I see these Christmas eve boxes are all the range now. Boxes with new pjs, a dvd, some sweets etc. My Mum did those for me and my sister when we were kids and I do them for mine. Obviously we were ahead of the trend!

Think the elf decided she liked Caitlins Anna nightie however as its since vanished into thin air!

Blogtober day 5 - little one

Ok I'll be honest I'm asleep on my feet at the moment so this will be a quick blog post.
Today has been Drs appointments, painkillers, crafting and making lists. In the run up to Christmas I'll need all kinds of gift lists, to do lists, decorating lists etc so this will be my bible for the next 3 months

I remember last year I lost my notebook and pulled the house apart looking for it. Found it eventually in the bin, would have been lost without it!
Quick layout share. It is straight in real life its just a dodgy photo lol. Another with the Like for ever kit. Hoping to finish this kit soon so I can start the new one.

Rate I'm going the next one will be out before I've even started!

Hopefully more awake tomorrow. :)

Blogtober day 4 - Grown up?

When do you know you're a 'grown up'? I was talking to Mark about this the other day, I certainly don't feel any more grown up than I was 10 years ago. I still love Disney, would rather eat ice cream than a healthy meal and get very excited whenever Christmas comes around :)
Thursday night was Marks long awaited birthday trip to see Michael Mcintyre down in London. I'd actually booked these tickets last February and was very confused come October that it wasn't on as I got the year wrong. Woops! Anyway, while down there we were given 'Buy one get one free' vouchers for a fancy cocktail bar. Unfortunately my 'child like' nature was made all the more clear when we went lol.
First of all, I don't feel comfortable in places like that, its too quiet and fancy. There were huge curtains of beads hanging down from the roof and it took all my willpower not to go run my hands through them. Then there was my 'Oh, wheres my little umbrella?' complaint when the cocktail did actually come (with a bit of orange peel pegged to the stem, what!?) then finally, when Mark stumbled on the little step up to our table and fell flat on his face and rather than rushing to his aid I cried with laughter.
He was ok though, and I did feel a bit guilty for laughing, so I'm not 'too' evil :p

The show was amazing though. Mark really enjoyed it which TBH is the main thing. Rather than push his stamina I'd booked a overnight stay at a nearby hotel which felt SO weird without the kids! We brought them home Cinnabons though so don't think they minded.
Yesterday was a very special day to us; if you read yesterdays post you'd know its been 6 years since Marks transplant. We like to do something special on that day as a family so decided to go and see the new Hotel transilvania 2 film. Was a lot funnier than I thought :) On the way home we popped into Farmfoods and I was very excited to see this!!!!

It only comes out around Christmas and is one of my favourite flavours. :) I may have squealed in the middle of the shop, lol.
Oh well, who wants to be grown up anyway :) Except the wine, and the driving, and the being allowed to eat a tub of ice cream instead of dinner (as long as I ignore the hubbys protests that its not good for me lol)being a kid is more fun ;)

Love my hubby

6 years ago today we got a phonecall saying there was a liver available for my husband. Those who know me already know this story but for those who don't he suffered from lupus since he was 13 and his body attacked his liver and basically killed it.
So many times he was taken into hospital and we were told to say goodbye and so many times he pulled through. I honestly look back now and wonder how I got through it, particually with two very small children at the time.
We never forget that someone had to die for him to live and I am so grateful for the family who chose such a selfless act to allow my kids to keep their Dad and me to keep my best friend.

Of the many reasons I love him is that he understands me so well. :) Remember how I was saying about feeling lonely and missing my babies? Well when they were babies I loved putting them in the prettiest cloth nappies. I had them custom made and covered in detailed embroidery. Silly to most people but I loved them. While feeling nostalgic I went to the website I loved the most (weenotions in case you want to google) and found they were making Christmas stockings! Then I saw the price and cried, £25 a stocking! Seriously I cried lol. Mark obviously asked why I was so upset and through sobbing I explained. Bless him he insisted I order them anyway. I couldn't afford to get 4 in one hit so ordered one for Caitlin and one for Mark (which is a surprise) and will order another 2 next month.

Expensive, crazy, but I love them :)

Scraptoberfest challenge

The challenge over at Challenge YOUrself is a little different this month. Because we love to challenge ourselves and other scrappers, we have teamed up with 3 other great scrap challenge sites to bring you an ultimate challenge with a chance to win multiple prizes!

This is how the challenge works:

Each challenge blog is hosting a challenge on their blog for a chance to win a prize. :)

Now here’s the fun, challenging part… If you create a layout, combining all (4)challenges together, and link it up to each participating blog, you will be eligible for a chance to win the ScraptoberFest BONUS prize!

Here are the challenges:
Scrap our stash challenge - Create a layout using at least 2 different type of Washi Tapes.
Challenge YOUrself - Create a layout that includes YOU in the photo.
My scraps and more - Color Challenge

The memory nest - Sketch Challenge

Rules for all challenges:
Must be new as of October 2, 2015…no back linking
Layouts only ~ No Cards
No Digital Layouts
Participants are allowed to complete or combine one or more of the challenges, but to be entered into the BONUS prize drawing, they must combine all (4) challenges.
For each challenge you complete, you MUST upload to the blog that hosted the challenge to be eligible for that sites prize drawing.
All entries due October 31, 2015

This was my take :) This is me and my Mummy lol. Its a running joke that the husbands hate when we get together as we always get into trouble. Once we went for coffee and came home once having booked a holiday in Spain lol. This weekend in particular we went to Milton Keynes for an overnight break. Spent nearly £200 in Ikea, drank too much and actually ended up drunk for the first time since college! So glad we booked a nice hotel, Mum enjoyed her comfy bed and I spent the night on the bathroom floor.

I love our relationship. We always have an amazing time together and we really are very close. I hope to have the same kind of relationship with Caitlin when she's older :) Though I may watch her drinking a little closer than my Mum watches mine :p

Good luck! Can't wait to see what you create!

Lonely

Blog post number one :) and I'm starting with a self pity one lol. I remember when I was little and I basically lived in my bedroom or out with my friends. My Mum forced us to all sit together and have Sunday dinner and I remember counting the time until I could go hide in my room again. Now however I'm the Mum, and my two are either in their rooms or playing outside. Even when we got a takeaway the weekend just gone and I suggested watching a film or something together, nope, they took the plates and back upstairs they went.
So guess what rule will now be coming into force this Sunday? They may be counting the minutes as I did but I don't care, I refuse to have empty nest syndrome when my kids are 7 and 8!
I suppose I'm overreacting a little, they still love snuggles at times and Caitlins still coming home daily with pictures shes drawn for me :) I always feel guilty throwing them away but I can't keep everything she does, I could wallpaper the house!
With this in mind I looked on pinterest and came up with this. I picked some of my fave pictures, mothers day ones or the first one she did at Rainbows etc; I punched a circle out of each and made this frame. There were a few less to choose from when it came to Cameron but I made do :)

Love it when things work out the way I picture them :)