It has been a while since I blogged!  We had a horrendous night last night.  Peter's workmate stayed with us, and the girls had their worst night sleep ever.  I ended up taking Martha out in the car at 0330 to try and settle her - thankfully it seemed to work but left Lauren, Peter & I restless!  They are both really struggling with yet another cough and cold - I don't know how much longer we can all cope with them, our energy levels are dropping and dropping.

 

Other things that have happened this week.  I was really angry to discover about 25 red elastic bands scattered on the ground outside our postbox.  The box is right by the gate into a grazing field with sheep.  I picked them up and sent an e-mail to Royal Mail, not had a response yet (apart from the automated one).  This incident prompted me to do something I've been meaning to do since Autumn - I telephoned our local council and asked if they could provide any help, support, equipment for me to do my own litterpick down the country lanes around here.  I've got inspiration from my sister Jan who regularly litterpicks and seems to have great support from her council.  Our council were very helpful and have raised a works request for the Ops Team to call me to discuss.

 

Viewings at our other property are picking up (rental only, not sale unfortunately but beggers can't be choosers!!).  Fingers crossed one will turn into a contract.

 

I have eaten an Easter Egg (with Peter) and feel guilty so hope this "confession" helps!  Why is Easter Egg chocolate so nice?!?!  Answers on an Easter Egg please!!

It is-6.5 this morning and I had to get some photos of how beautiful it looks outside.  I've uploaded these to the February album.

 

Sometimes Lauren and I have "groundhog day" conversations.  Not sure what I mean?  Here's an example from this morning as I was reaching across the kitchen worktop to get the girls a digestive.

 

Lauren:  You look like a faraway man

Me:  What's a "faraway man"?

Lauren:  you

Me:  Yes, you said I look like one but who is he?

Lauren: Yooooooooooouuuuuuu (getting annoyed with me!!)

 

The other thing Lauren does is every couple of days she has a "new" something.  Just now it was her "new happy face", a couple of days ago her "new laugh", and we've even had a "new cry"!!!!

There are two worst pains in my book, migraine and toothache.  For the last 4/5 days I have discovered what I describe is a horrendous combination of them both - sinus pain!!  Oh my, I have never felt so miserable, painful, grumpy in all my life.  It hurts my head to move, to talk, to eat, to sneeze, to blow my nose is agony and bending down to pick up something (which happens constantly with two children!) is probably the worst!!  I slept last night lathered in vicks and was relieved when I woke to a slightly reduced pain level which reared it's head again after lunch.  I think the atmospheric pressure has something to do with it too!!! 

 

It has been hovering around -1.3 all day today and last night it dropped to below -6, cold, cold cold!!  I hope my daffodils, snowdrops and winter pansies are going to be ok, I worry about not the coldness but the fluctuations in temperature last Sunday it was 15 degrees!!

We spent the morning at Lauren's playgroup friend, Toms' farm.  We had a lovely time and at Lauren's request had packed a picnic.  Martha loves seeing the goats and she giggles and giggles when they clamber to see her (or run away!).  It was a glorious, albeit cold, day and we all enjoyed having our lunch outside on the patio.  Normally Martha has a morning nap and as soon as we got home around 1400 she fell asleep until 1545!

 

Peter left this morning to work away again, back Wednesday early afternoon - I hope!!

 

I took some photographs which are now in the February album.

This morning I drove through to Harrogate to collect a Freecycle item. A really nice (and new!) green summer mac - I know it probably sounds horrendous on here but it's not!! Roll on some warmer weather so I can wear it!!!

 

Peter left this afternoon to drive to Slough as he's got a job there in the morning.  He's working away so much lately, it's hard on us all, we all miss each other dreadfully.

 

The girls had great fun in the bath together and it's lovely that Martha is getting so much more confident with the water - I'm planning to take her swimming in the few months before she starts playgroup (can you believe it?!?!).

 

I've pasted some links in below - they're the paranormal sites I belong to!  Asylumcam.com is the #1 in the top 100 Paranormal Sites!!

 

 

 

Lauren:  Let's play Doctors.  Mummy you're the Doctor, Martha you're the nurse and I'm the bleeder

 

Just one of the lines I hear in a normal day!

 

The other morning Peter & I woke to hear Lauren singing in bed "I love lemon juice, I love lemon juice, I love lemon juuuuuuuuuice!"

 

 

 http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/view/rDgX3jgq1DM9Bphx2pgq1IwT

 

I found a great website tonight whilst I was looking for a discount code to save money on our online grocery shop, www.mysupermarket.co.uk.  I found the site easier to navigate/use than the proper store site and it tracks how much the same trolley would be at Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Ocado (Waitrose).  It also tells you how much more you can save at the existing store by swapping items - I managed to save an extra £8 or so from a potential of £14 but there are some things I wouldn't compromise on eg coffee and teabags!!  An added bonus for me is that I get to earn iPoints as well!!

Trying not to tempt fate but we've enjoyed 2 nights of uninterrupted sleep - I think the girls (and we) and coming out the other side of our colds and coughs now - hurrah! It's amazing how much better you feel after a decent sleep!!

 

Didn't do a huge amount today.  I seemed to spend most of my time refereeing between the girls which isn't nice.  It's half term this week for Lauren and playgroup and I was determined to make sure we do something most of the time.  I have made plans for Tuesday, Wednesday am (cleaning lady is here and Lauren wants to help), Thursday and Friday so am pleased that it's worked out!  The weather forecast is good all week too which is wonderful news!

 

 

This morning we headed over to Peter's sisters to look at how her barn conversion is coming on, for Peter to do a bit of work in the stables, for us all to get our hair cut and to enjoy Sunday lunch with them (and Peter's parents).

 

Today was even nicer than yesterday and the girls (Lauren, Martha and cousins, Holly & Poppy) were running around without coats on.  Their barn is amazing and the builders have made a great (and fast) job - I can't wait to see it finished.  I was nervous about trimming Martha's hair as I didn't want to lose her lovely curls, I needed have worried!!  Amanda trimmed it and it is now curlier than ever!!!  Lauren is sporting a shortish bob which really suits her, Peter went for his usual close cut and I showed Amanda a photograph of Sharon Stone's hair that I liked - I think she's pulled it off although I wish I could copy the rest of her!!!

 

We enjoyed a lovely lunch of roast beef and all the usual trimmings.  The girls ate brilliantly, even better than their older cousins!!  Lauren's allergy reared it's head and stupidly Peter & I forgot to bring her Piriton syrup.  Her skin calmed down a lot after her bath when we arrived back home but it's definately something we have to watch.  It's a shame as she really likes being with the horses but we just can't let her.  We think this reaction came from transfer of her cousins clothes as they'd been riding earlier in the morning.

Wow!!  What a fantastic and unexpectedly nice day (perfect for house viewings please, please please!!).  We spent most of the day outdoors which is where we all prefer to be.  Managed to get a lot of jobs done that just haven't been possible as the weather has been so poor.  Peter & I moved the big patio tables back up to the top field/lawn and I was sad to see our gazebo had been damaged by the rain.  It's now hanging across 3 washing lines, drying out before I manage to hopefully manage to scrape the mud off it.  I found a half full bag of daff bulbs that have started shooting (I don't know if that's the right term!) so we decided to walk around the place and plant them in odd places (au naturale!), they obviously have a 50/50 chance and I'm being hopeful!!  I weeded my walled section outside the front door and planted some more daffs and pansies in there.  Peter helped find the last few pieces of stone I needed to complete my wall on the opposite side which looks really good.  It now just needs some soil and plants and it will look brilliant - I will take photos and post when I've done it.  Martha and Lauren loved being outside again although Martha ran off (as usual!) and ended up in a huge muddy puddle.  I feel so happy to wake up and see a glimmer of sun and eat dinner whilst the sun is still out - as much as I enjoy all seasons, I know the Winter is my least favourite!

The girls have been really poor over the last couple of days.  Yesterday I took Lauren to playgroup only for her to tell her playleader as soon as we'd arrived that "I'm not feeling very well, I want to go home, I have a bad cawf"  No, I'm not spelling cough incorrectly, I'm trying to describe how Lauren pronounced it - she was very posh!!

 

I brought her home and not surprisingly she perked up a bit but really I think a day at home did her good.  Yesterday they both played out on the veranda which was such a lovely treat for us all, a sure sign that Spring is on the way!

 

Today, after dropping Lauren off, Martha and I decided to have a walk.  Initially we were going to walk from the village hall to the garage for the paper but it was such a nice day that I decided to continue to the park.  I am so grateful to Jan for the baby reins, they have proven far more valuable with Martha than Lauren as she wants to explore every nook and cranny, even if it's across the road - eek!  After an enjoyable 20 minutes on the swings, slides, roundabout and see-saw, we walked back to the hall.  We were followed by a lady who was walking her very nice dog.  Martha really loves animals but especially dogs at the moment so was glued to the spot when she saw one behind us.  The lady told me that the dog was friendly so Martha stroked him, cuddled him, tried to pick him up and ticked him for a while.  The owner (and dog) crossed the road to get into the car but Martha refused to move an inch.  It ended up that we went over to the lady and helped clean the dogs' feet before he went into the car, Martha waving madly as the door closed behind him, shouting "dog, dog" all the time.

 

It's half term next week and I really hope the girls feel better so they can enjoy the time off together.

 

 

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Martha said the word "horse" today whilst pointed to a horse (funnily enough) on a visit Ireland brochure I received - very impressed!  She can now say a few more words and I'm sure I've heard her say "it mine" when she and Lauren have been playing.  Lauren declared that she was going to work on the way home from playgroup at lunchtime.  I asked her what she was going to do she said that she was going to go outside and help Nana with the logs (they've just had a delivery of firewood).  Sadly, not long after she arrived home it started to rain and with her having the cold, I decided it wasn't a good idea plus she'd not mentioned it again.  At 2030, Lauren popped her sleepy head out of her bedroom door saying "mummy, I forgot to go to work this afternoon" - she is such a lovable girl.  She also declared this morning "I love you very much - I choose you...I choose you from a shop", this was promptly followed by "Now say it to me", she is such a bossy girl!!!

We are all still suffering with horrid noses and coughs and as a result the girls and I are getting a bit short tempered with each other.  Martha gets impatient and irritating to Lauren who pushes, pulls, grabs her in return, both start crying and running to me, fighting all the way, I get clambered on and covered in runny noses and get irritated and the cycle continues - what joy!  After an hour or so of this, I decided enough was enough and thought I'd explore a new approach with Lauren whilst Martha had her nap (she'd or rather we had been up since 0500).  I asked Lauren if she'd like to go outside, to which she replied very excitedly "yes please".  She got her outdoor clothes on and I let her out of the french doors onto the veranda (which hasn't seen much use for the last few months with the rotten weather).  She was under strict instruction to only play in a certain area which she stuck to and I kept the door ajar so she carried on shouting to me whilst outside.  It was the first time that she'd actually played outside on her own.  I know that this might sound very strange to some people but if you knew where we lived you'd understand!  There are badger setts, rocks, rabbit holes, big drops, tree stumps, poisonous plants (if you veer off) etc so you get the idea!!!  Anyway, she had such a good time and I felt relaxed that she's getting old enough to see the dangers so will definately do it again. 

I had a really full and productive day today.  Firstly I was up early with Martha and felt quite energetic although I'd been up a few times during the night with the girls (they are both still poorly with colds/coughs).  Lauren woke around 0700 and ate breakfast straight away then we got dressed early.  Lauren decided that she didn't feel well enough for Church so I decided to give it a miss too.  By 1100, I had cleaned the kitchen, the oven (inside and out!), done 3 loads of laundry and tidied some toys.  We decided to go out for a walk so now that I'm a member of the National Trust (thanks again Barker family!) we headed off to Studley Royal for a walk around the deerpark.  I have never seen so many deer, it was a truly magnificent site.  Lauren & Martha enjoyed finding sticks which seems to have become a habit on our walks now.  We headed home before it got too dark, to fly our kite which sadly broke in less time than it took to make it!!  Lauren enjoyed watching it on it's ever so short flight so it was a good result!