It's that time of year again...

I sit back and think about the year we've had... there have been ups, thankfully quite a few of those and also the dreaded downs, not so many but perhaps the worst kind possible this year...

The year started with my hubby and I sitting smug, sticking to our 5 year out of debt plan, we'd made it, all the scrimping and going without was worth it. We'd survived our first Christmas without the dreaded bills popping through the door in January. It felt fantastic.

We enjoyed our first ever holiday, we went to Mayblethorpe with the kids, a place very close to both our hearts, we enjoyed it immensely. We're very much looking forward to booking again for another holiday. I think Wales is on the cards next year.

We had a few ups and down car wise, it was costing us a fortune to keep bangers running, parts, failed MOT's and stress constantly meant us sitting down and working things out so that we could be definate that we could afford a newer car but on finance. We found a car that my hubby loved and went for it. It's our one bit of debt but I don't really think of it that way. The money we spend paying it off monthly, we have saved by way of parts and re-tests etc in the bangers that we were trying and failing to keep roadworthy in the first place....also it is a very pretty little red number ;-)

I had a bit of a think this year too, about what I would like to do, it's hard because we can't really afford for me to go out to full time work too, with bus fares, childcare etc we would pay out almost as much as I'd get in so it makes more sense for me to be at home looking after my disabled mam, while my dad is at work, being there for school runs and bringing up the monsters and making sure there is a hot meal on a clean worktop when the hubby gets in from work on a night. But to be honest sometimes the same 4 walls drive me around the bend. I'm a bit crafty and love to keep busy so I decided to start my own small business, nothing too big, something to keep me busy on a night when the hubby works shifts or a weekend when all the jobs are done. I started off a scented candle making business. I'm never going to give Yankee a run for their money but it's going well. If anything I've saved a fortune because I no longer have to buy them myself and the house always smells great!!

We come to the lows... my mam found out this year that she has breast cancer, I don't even like to write the word, it's hard to even say it, I can honestly say that in my whole life I have only ever felt as scared, when the drs told me my daughter wouldn't make it (she did thankfully and so will my mam if we all have anything to do with it). It puts everything into perspective, you hear about it happening to others and think 'oh thats awful' but it never really hits you until it directly affects someone you love. My mam has had an operation and is awaiting appointments for chemo and radiotherapy, then she'll be fine, I don't doubt it.

That just about brings us to the here and now, xmas has passed in a blur, we have tins of sweets and leftovers coming out of our ears. Kids are happy, hubby has another week off work and I'm looking forward to 2013, another January without the debt letters dropping on the mat. A trip to London in July with my sister to see Michael Buble and another family holiday to look forward to. I'm lucky really. My new years resolution this year, same as every other, lose weight, try not to nag as much and learn to say no.... one year they might stick...here's hoping..

Happy new year!!

My monsters turned angels...

Yesterday started off in the usual way, school run, shops for me and my Mam, back to Mam's for a coffee or two and then up the big hill back home. Tuesday is my 'big clean' day, when the bleach comes out to play, the usual daily jobs are done in a flash and the big guns come out, windows are washed, toilets and bathrooms cleaned until you can see your reflection in them. The worst jobs of the week are sorting the monsters lairs....

It's a weekly battle getting through to a 6 and 8 year old, trying to teach them that tidiness is next to Godliness. That by putting that one toy back before getting the next one out will mean that they might atcually be able to see the thing the vacum cleaner craves so badly, yes, that thing under all that mess is a carpet!!

So imagine my suprise to walk into two neat and tidy bedrooms, I almost froze in shock. Questioned myself a couple of times, checked it was actually Tuesday and I hadn't done it the day before without realising...

Nope, my monsters had turned angels for the day, all very suspicious. So all that was left to do was vacum, dust, polish and strip beds of washing.

I even had time for a coffee and to prepare the tea before the school run.

Well one good turn deserves another and as I had nothing in great need of doing when I got hom we took the long way home from school, much to their dismay, until they realised where we were heading. I told them, Thank you, for listening to me, for keeping your bedrooms tidy and for being angels and not monsters for the day....

I think they were pleased....

Snow day!

Well, we got the much talked about white stuff here last night. Kids overjoyed, guinea pigs not so much...

Went out to top up the hay and bedding and take a guilt ridden carrot or two out for them this morning. They seemed to forgive me...

The kids were out already, old gloves, hats, scalves dusted off and sat proudly on the snowman.

The sledge we'd bought back in November (we couldn't get them for love nor money last year, so we'd prepared.) was out and littlest monster was sat like royalty, being dragged around by a red nosed middle monster.

The snowball fights have been had, the cold has done it's job and my 2 monsters have come in, tired, cold twisty and hot baths have been had. The Sunday roast is on (the hubby is cooking it! :D) and smelling fantastic.

There's nothing else to do other than, whack the heating up, grab a blanket or two, eat our roast dinner and watch some cheesy family films...

I love my little Family :)

Papa's got a brand new...car

Well, when I say 'new' I mean newer than the old one.... and not really new at all.

We upgraded 'Rusty' the Micra, for 'Bogey' the Miganne, (it's green...) don't you just love kids...

It's going to give us a few extra months of saving until we can afford another 'new' car.

She's been bought, cleaned, then fixed and fixed again, filled with fuel and taxed.

Has done her first shops visit, thats obviously the main priority...

Here's to hoping I won't have to mention her again....

***I hate cars***

**Doesn't understand the hubbys fascination with all things mechanical**

A woman's work...

Phew, it's been one of those days today. It's 16:30pm and this is the first time I've sat down since last night... Got loads done today though, you know, in preparation for tomorrow and my weekly 'Big Clean.'

Got up and me and littlest monster Jessie, along with her baby annabell, pram, changing bag, bottle, spare clothes, 4 barbies and a wind up hamster set off for a walk down the street to the allotment to check on things and get some brussels sprouts for our Dinner.

Made a few stops on the way, called to get some shopping, went to the sweetie shop so Jessie could get a mix up. Called at mother in laws so Jessie could show off the functions of her 'baby.' After that was a walk to my mothers, a fun fight with her Granda and off again up the hill to home.

Hubby must have figured out what the contraption in the cupboard was and the carpets were remarkably less 'bitty' than before we went out...

Breakfast dishes awaited me, uniforms and the weeks washing waited to be ironed, the veg sat on the vegetable rack needing chopped and 3 monsters were in danger of becoming half starved as they pleaded for sandwiches and yogurts.

Pleased to say that as of this time now, the uniforms and PE kits are ironed and waiting, the ironing is done, there isn't a dish in the sink, homeworks and reading books have been done, the sunday roast is almost ready and monsters have been bathed and smell more like fruity angels.

And relax...will start it all over again tomorrow....oh is that the oven I hear calling my name...must dash :)

We're Jamming....

I've been busy using up the frozen garden and allotment fruit, making room for this season's harvests. To be honest, I don't need an excuse to get the pans out and start making Jams, Jellies, Chutneys etc. I love it.

I had bags and bags of blackberries so decided to make some jellies using 4lbs of blackberries, 2 apples, some sugar (slightly less than the weight of the drained fruit, once cooked and drained.) and water.

I love the look of all the shiny berries in the pan and nothing really beats the smell of them as they boil away and let out all the juices.




I decided to make some plum Jam whilst I was busy as I'd never made it before, Wow, it's fantastic, so sweet and you get so much from almost no fruit.

Already I'm 4 small jars down, better stash some out of sight before they all decide to get up and walk away.....

And we're off...

On our holidays this year! It's been years since we started saying we could do with a week away somewhere. This morning we booked a week away in August, just me, Les and the monsters.

It's just a haven holiday, in this country but you know what, the kids are going to LOVE it. I can't believe we're doing it. (I've never even been on a weekend away with my hubby yet and we've been together almost 11 years!) You remember that new year blog post.....

**one seriously happy woman**