I dont know how or why - but I am thankful x

As you already know I have 3 children and would love more, my dream would be a house full of kids like they are in Cheaper by the Dozen where it is all organised chaos, - we have the organised chaos sorted already, but circumstances and finances dictate that we cant have any more children, I do however love all the films with large families in and love reading books about large families. I recently picked up a fantastic book written by a lovely lady Mary Ostyn who actually writes on of the other blogs that I follow http://www.owlhaven.net/ the book is called The Sane Womans Guide to Raising a Large Family, and Ill be honest with you I have read it minimum 4 times and still love it!!

Anyway in the book it tells the story of how Mary and husband are raising their family, and the financial obstacles that they have overcome in order to adopt, A paragraph stands out so vividly to me (I am summarising here) "adoption is an expensive business but somehow a door always opens and god provides for us, enabling us to proceed with the adoption process and alowing us to open our doors to care for another child" - Sorry Mary I know I havent quoted it exactly !!

Which now brings me to our situation, for the longest time (in fact for as long as I can remember since being with my husband ) we have had to scrimp and save for everything, I am not overly religious but I do believe that something/somebody is looking down taking care of our family. Whenever we have the wolves at our door (collection agencies), just before they manage to get in something always comes our way, I dont believe that it is down to luck, twice it has happend to us this week, we had some concert tickets that we couldnt go to - had them for about 6months no joy in selling them, but this week when we had a Friday deadline for a debt, someone out of the blue said they were unable to get tickets because it was sold out ! this is not the first time, I was crying because of the relief.

Later that evening, I was taking to Mark (husband) about it and he had thought the same thing - he likes to think that it is his mum looking down on us still taking care of us - I hope so - I dont think that we are ever going to be rich and affording foreign holidays, but we are so much richer than any millionaire who doesnt have to wait and save for anything, I have my family, and we have camping holidays, but my family and the time together with them is so much more precious than any amount of money in the world.

Happy Fathers Day x x

Yesterday was Fathers day, and it made me think about the different relationships I have and my children have with the male figures in their lives, Obviously the biggest relationship we all have now is that of my husband - the kid' dad, I couldn't ask for a better more patient man to raise and guide our children along the way, it says it all when a grown man goes between knowing all the words to Bob the Builder to Hannah Montana and who doesn't mind getting down to glue and glitter.

Then there are the grandads, my dad, I have always had my dad there but have never had the type of relationship that you could talk him about anything - yet he has a great friendship with his grandchildren, my stepdad, who I very rarely speak to, who shows no interest in the kids, and that leaves us with husbands dad, who is a complete nutter and again who the kids love dearly.

So it just goes to show,that like most things in life, relationships vary in their intenseness (if that is a word?) and that each relationship whether it is as a daughter, son, dad, grandad, is each unique and brings a special quality to the table.

To all the sons, fathers, granddads, uncles out there I hope you had a wonderful Fathers day and remember that you mean to the world to someone x x x

wife and mother

Now what I am about to say will go against what a lot of people agree with or have strived to achieve over the past few decades.

I am a Housewife and Proud of it

When I had my first child I went back to work part time and it broke my heart to leave her each morning at nursery, luckily my husband is very supportive and so when I had my second daughter and then my son said that if I wanted to stay at home then he would totally support my decision, which trust me is no soft option to stay at home.

I work harder, longer and have picked up a wide spectrum of skills that I would have never experienced through sitting behind a desk in an air conditioned office.

I love the warm feeling that you have when you watch the old 1950’s films where the mother stays at home pinny on baking all day (not that it happens in reality!!) I don’t feel that I was born in the wrong era, I love the independence, and strength that modern day women have, but I personally feel that my best job is to stay at home, running a busy household and making sure that the children are ready and to respective classes on time.

During my time as a housewife I have learnt to

Budget as a single income family, which is no mean fete as hubby is a postman so not earning millions – yet !

Time Manage – trying to co-ordinate 3 children, 1 husband, 1 dog and 1 rabbit, remembering, school, after school classes, parties etc

Cleaner – refer to previous post and my 6 binbags full, and that’s just the start.

Cook – working out how to cook nutritional food, healthy, within budget and more importantly that the kids will eat, not always the same thing

And these jobs are only the ones that spring easily to mind, if I was an executive I would be hailed as a wonder for my multi-tasking and paid a small fortune, yet I do all of this for nothing, just for the love for my family, the respect from my family and the wet sloppy kisses that I have off the kids when their faces light up when I am there every morning and afternoon to pick up and drop off at school.. we have very little money spare….money can’t buy everything….and do you know what….. I wouldn’t have it any other way x x

got the house back

Well the kids are back in school after the half term holidays and husband is back to work, baby is in bed and I am sitting with a HOT cup of tea. Normally running around so much cup of tea is luke warm by the time I get to it, so, tradition is 1st day that the house is back to normal I do nothing, put a video on and settle down with a hot drink - lovely ! take 5 min to myself get organised ready for tomorrow onwards - oh and before I forget we have parents evening to look forward to this evening- let you know how we get on