It has been a traumatic week.

My best friend died very suddenly last week.

I got to know Lisa on UK scrappers in December 2005, when she joined Humbug's Angels, and as she lived just a few minutes down the road from me we became friends in real life too. When she died a huge void has been left within me that will never be filled, and I know I am not alone.

Today was her funeral service.

It was very very sad, but very beautiful at the same time. Warren, her husband was so very brave and said a few words about his lovely wife, and how much he loved her. Lisa's nephew was also very brave doing a reading and a poem about sister's love, (Laura should be very very proud of him). Finally a close friend of Lisa and Warren's managed to bring a smile to our faces with some lovely recollections. Lisa certainly went off in style today, the church was absolutley packed with family and friends.

RIP Lisaxx
21st Nov 1972 - 13th September 2006

Our Little Princesses

Yesterday we went to a wedding

We had an absolutley fabulous day - the girls had been asked to be bridesmaids.

So at ten am I dropped them off at the hairdressers, and didn't see them until we arrived at church at about half past one. The transformation was amazing; they really did look like princesses. I was absolutley choked. I went to them as we arrived and told them they looked stunning, but my voice broke half way through telling them - goodness knows what I'll be like when it's their time to be the brides !!!

The day was fantastic, it was a beautiful service, followed be a lovely meal. Time to freshen up and then onto the evening "do".

All the children were so well behaved, Abigail just had an absolute ball all day and enjoyed every second of it.

By half past eleven Sam and Georgia were literally dropping, so we took them to bed, Abigail was still dancing the night away; after they were settled, I went back down for her, and then she came to bed too.

I would love to include more pictures, but other people are on them, so it's a bit difficult as I don't have their permission to put it here. I will post some of the official pictures when we get them later and in the meantime post the other pictures to those that matter.

First Day at School

Well, today saw the first day of school.

It was Georgia's first morning in school, and Abigail started juniors.

I can't believe my little girl has just started school. She was very very excited; meanwhile I had major stomach churning going on - but she was undaunted and not at all nervous she said.

I collected her a at lunchtime, and she told me she'd made lots of new friends. I asked their names and she said she couldn't remember. I told her not to worry she could meet them all over agin tomorrow. "Am I going again tomorrow" was the answer.

I just can't get over how grown up she looks.

And then if that wasn't enough, our big girl is now in juniors. She to was very excited to be going back to school. Fortunatley she has already had the teacher before and she is well liked - so that'a half the battle.

She came home with the Star of the Day sticker - because she'd been good all day. Pardon ??? good ALL day ?????

She's been catching up with her friends and had a good day and didn't stop chatting all the way home!!!

camping trip in Scotland - friday

Friday was going home day. We woke up a little later than usual had a coffee and struck camp. This was the first time the children needed their kagoules - it was just a little drizzly.

They all played together whilst Gary and I packed everything away. A few hours later and this was what our home for the past few days looks like!!

So we attached the boat to the car and off we set . We hadn't had our breakfast, but I had agreed to treat everyone at the Little Chef on the way home. Me and Gary had an Olympic Breakfast with extra toast, Georgia and Sam had the kids breakfast and Abigail had chicken nuggets. The children all had ice cream as part of the price for dessert and I had a pancake filled with cherries. Yummy!!

Then we finished our journey home and got home just in time for tea.

camping trip in Scotland - thursday

So after a tiring night, we woke to a fine day and had our breakfast.

We played football and frisbee again, and then went for a run in car to get petrol for the day after and we got some pies for our dinner too. Unfortunatley, we didn't set off straight away as the car battery had run flat, but we managed to have enough charge to start it - just and set off. After that I'm pleased to say it was ok again!!

After we had our lunch, I had a cat nap whilst the girls went to the park (again!!)

After I woke we all played football again and had a great laugh!! - the girls are such cheats, but have great skills

We had our tea and then settled the children to sleep - again they slept right the way through!!

camping trip in Scotland - wednesday

Wednesday was a sunny day. We had our breakfast sat outside, and then had a game of football on the field outside.

After dinner the girls went to bed for a siesta!!! Abigail said it was my fault she was so tired as I had made her keep running up and down the hill after the football. Gary fell asleep in the chair, so Sam and I occupied ourselves.

We had our tea, just before the rain set in for the night. Georgia was complaining of feeling sick and having tummy ache, so I bunked down with her for the night.

At about two o'clock she woke me to say she needed a wee, so we got our coats and shoes on and I took her behind the tent.

At four o'clock Sam woke up crying, he'd fallen off his airbed and his pod was wet. I didn't want to risk waking eveyone so I cuddled hm whilst sat in the chair until about six, and then we moved to Georgia's pod and got about half an hour before everyone else woke up.

camping trip in Scotland - tuesday

On Tuesday, it was Gary's birthday. We got up and he opened his cards. After our breakfast, we went into Castle Douglas to get some windbreaker to put in front of the tent and a cooking pot. After we got those we went to get bags of chips for our dinner. After we had our dinner we went back to camp and decided to take the boat out onto the Loch. What a disaster!!! We managed to get the boat off the trailer and into the water, although it almost went in sideways off the winch!! We anchored it down and then Gary carried everyone onboard. It was hard in the water as it was very shallow - we couldn't set off straight away as we couldn't lower the engine into the water. Gary tried to push away using the oars, but it just wasn't happening!! So he climbed back into the water and physically puished us away from the shore. He was quite deep by the time he tried to climb back in, rocking the boat - quite literally!!

By this time the children were quite scared as they though "daddy was going to sink" and "we were going to tip over". We were deep enough by now to lower the engine, but Gary (who was soaking wet by this time) had to climb into the back to start the engine and Sam was upset because he was getting squashed and wet!!

Still it started, and we went for a very brief sail round as we were concerned about getting back ashore. We then had to cut the engine, and lift it out of the water and row back in. Gary climbed out and pushed us back to safety and then we could climb over the boat to shore.

We eventually managed to winch the boat back onto the trailer and went back to camp!!

We had our tea and put the children to bed, the slept through again!!!

camping trip in Scotland - monday

We went to Loch Ken last week, in Castle Douglas, Scotland.

The weather forecast was showers but amazingly we managed to stay dry.

We set off on Monday and got there late afternoon and set up camp. We made our tea, and then settled down for the night - all of the children sleeping through the night!!!!

a few recent layouts

Ali Edwards Challenges via uks

I have decided to have a look at these challenges, provided every 3-5 days by anne hafermann on uk scrappers - this is a link to her blog where the challenges are listed http://www.ahafermann.typepad.com/

Although she's up to six already so I've got a bit of catching up to do!!

what a week

We've had a turbulent week here.

Firstly i had resigned myself to having our dog put down this week, he had lost his bladder control and was taking on board loads of water. I took him to the vets on Monday and the vet gave him an injection to reduce a swelling in his prostrate bladder. She also gave him some anti biotics to relieve any infection he may have in his kidney - possibly the reason he was drinking so much. I also had to take a urine sample to them to help rule out anything more serious.

There has been a turbulent week within our team on uk scrappers too, I think this will result in the team disbanding, a lot have things have been said and done this week and a few people have resigned. I feel quite sad about this, I have made some good friends within the team.

Anyway we went out yesterday with a friend and her children, one of whom is in Abigail's class. We went to Heaton Park in Manchester, and surprisingly we didn't get wet, although we sat under a large black cloud at lunch time. We had a lovely day, it was nice to meet up with them.

On the way home I took the sample to the vets and they tested it there and then, and told me that Ben had an infection. So hopefully the antibiotics will clear it up.

And it's only Wedenesday !!!

bye bye blue note, hello little tyke

well after having our boat, "Blue Note" for a while now it was proving a bit difficult to actually get on the water with it

so Gary advertised it on ebay, and on Wednesday evening it was sold on the buy it now option

on Thursday they came to collect it , and off it went
"Bye Bye Blue Note" the girls said



Never one to sit around, Gary had already found the look of one - much smaller that he liked and after a few emails on Thursday evening, he went to look at it on friday and brought it home.

It was pouring with rain when he got home, so the chuildren havn't seen it yet, but as it all hapened over a couple of days and
it's name it "Little Tyke" , I figured that would be the title of my next layout

an ordinary life

this is me - humbug

married to a wonderful husband who seems to have an obsession with boats at the moment - more about that later

we have three children two girls and a boy

i am an active member of uk scrappers, team leader of humbug's angels, and recently voted tea lady of the no. 4 a-z bus at the summer holiday cyber crop

back later