Dear house,

One day, my friend, you and i are not going to have a continual wiff of poo. Yes it seems unlikely right now. But it will happen and im may just do a little dance.

potty training purgatory, Sx

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Dear Women's hospital planners, 

Just curious to know why there are in fact TWO new mummy and baby spaces outside the hospital now. Im thinking 6000 babies a year we may need a few more than that. 

nightshift working nurse, Sx

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Dear skin on my hands, 

Dont break up on me now, i need you. Spring is on the way. 

handcream loving, Sx

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Dear half term, 

you can't get here quick enough. Seriously. 

done with the school run, Sx

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Dear Larger toddler of mine, 

What happens at 4am in the morning that makes you come and get into our bed, on my side, with your freezing feet? huh? Can we do something about it so you stay put for just a few nights.

trying to think its cute but failing, Sx

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Dear darling daughter of mine, 

sitting on the toilet when your parents are in the shower and putting the phone onto movie mode is so not funny! Stop doing that. No-one needs that sort of shock when scrolling through photos. 

must lock my phone ALL the time, Sx

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Dear weather,

Could you please just either snow or get lost with the freezing hail/rain type stuff. Its boring to do life in that sort of rubbish precipitation and no fun if you are a little kid with a sledge. 

how very british, Sx

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dont forget to pop over to Kat's blog for some more. 

over on the fabulous Bodfortea blog while its ever-so-lucky author is at the business end of FUN in DisneyWorld.

A little reflection on this crazy business of being a working mama…

this week Tara's challenge was to find a picture that told a story…a family story. So got me thinking, the one about the vinegar on sprouts? the 6ft2 rugby playing brother who had a brief flirtation with the delicate art of ballet? or my strange love affair with those bat wing coats *shudder*

Nope…i found this picture and it made me think of a lovely story..

This sweet blondie doggie is Josh, he was my parent's second golden retriever. He is a puppy here obviously and he is with my mum. We had a dog called Ben when i was a child and he died when i was in my 2o's. My mum refused to ever have another one but i knew if i could get her to see some pups she wouldn't be able to resist and so the onslaught began 'go on, can we, you know we need a dog, please!" (honestly i have no idea where my kids get their persistance from!)

and she caved finally and we went and chose this little fella. He was a tiny 7 week old pup when we got him and i was still living at home. Yet to set off for the North west to begin my own family story. 

He died a couple of years ago at a grand old age, not before he had jumped around my parent's garden with three out of five of my kids, the little ones never got to meet him properly. My kids, who growing up in a city, are a little wary of dogs but not Josh. They loved on him like crazy and my son broke down in great big hiccuping sobs when we told him that Josh had died. 

and thats a little bit of my story… 

Who doesn't love a good list? hmm?….

just me then…

Another discovery of mine is this cool link up from Kate at katetakes5.

This week i was interested because her title was phrases that drive  you crazy..and i believe i can think of one or two of them. It would actually be VERY easy to make this entirely about comments people make about my family, being large 'n all but im not going to do that but just for good measure the first one is:

1. You must be glutton for punishment?! – Nope, not really. Can think of far worse ways to punish myself really. Like going a whole week without chocolate….that would be pain dude. 

2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Ex-h-use me we could live in an orchard but still fuel up on those awful winter vomiting bugs..every.single.year

3. Better late than never – um..yes..unless you have been waiting with 5 children orbiting you like the sun and acting like mini-tornadoes leaving epic devastation.

4. Different kettle of fish. a) i dont like fish and b) if it was in my kettle i would be majorly upset. 

5. Those that can, do and those that cannot, teach. I probably don't even need to explain why i don't like this particular phrase…pfffttt…

1. Okay hands up who didn't get snow this weekend? Yeah…us too. Instagram was FULL of images of snowy shots from bedroom windows in the morning and we were looking at….rain. I even joked with a a lady in Asda today that the managers of the store had obviously dragged all the sledges out to the front because you pretty much fell over them on the way in. None for us. *sulk*

2. i have re-discovered Pinterest. Ive had the app on my phone for ages and have surfed around it a bit but someone 'liked' something i had come across a while back and it reminded me..i found this image titled "the RAY OF DEATH takes more victims' – made me giggle. 

3. Anyone have a really good slow-cooker/croc-pot recipe for a lentil dahl? Yeah the kids will all go 'ewwwwww..it looks like sick' but i like it and im the chef….what of it?

4. Speaking of food, this sunday i did some roasted carrots and parsnips in honey, orange and olive oil. They looked INCREDIBLE and tasted awesome. The kids reaction 'Why can't we have carrots the normal way ' for full effect imagine in a whining voice too…

5. We are still in the throws of a vicious stomach bug. Nowhere near as bad but there are some lingering symptoms. For the Love of God. Enough. Im starting to dread seeing the school number flashing up on my phone..gah!

6. I have mentioned this a few times on twitter but my eldest daughter seems to have her future husband all picked out. He is in her class and they have already discussed at what age they will marry (when they are 21/22 apparently) and it will be on the 3rd January. Is it mad that i thought..ooh winter wedding how lovely! Yes it is insane but i need to start some early planning for this you know about i have to potentially be mother of the bride 4 times! 

7. Music for today, i heard that paul McCartney has done a cover of this song but i couldn't find it but i quite like this little version:

8. After a bit of a winter rest up my photography enquiries are coming in again for Spring. Which is exicting. Happy to be getting back to it again. Exciting news hopefully soon with regard to that too!

9. Its so very nearly half term…i can taste it… 

10. Im guest posting for a couple of other blogs over the next couple of weeks. Very exciting and so lovely to get other people's feedback on my writing. *skipdy skip*

Linking up with these lovely gals. Go check it out:

hannah

Lucy

Helen

Jo

theoriginalbritgirl 

If you have a blog why don't you join in with the ten on tuesday. Go on 🙂