Wednesday 31 December 2008

Happy New Year!

Well everyone, hope you all have a brilliant night to end this fantastic year! 2008 has been so amazing, and I am hoping that everything continues in 2009! Lots of great things ahead for Ethan and I next year!

I am off out to a party tonight, have (another) big family meal New Years Day, then I am off out to a friends pub on Friday! Then I am babysitting Joshua on Saturday and on Sunday my boy comes home, yayyyyy!!! So great days ahead!!

Oh yeah ... and I got loads of delicious stash today and another coming soon! Will put pics up later, am literally drowning in Thickers, lol!

Happy New Year!
Lots of love
em xxx

Tuesday 30 December 2008

Scary dreams

what do they mean ....? I had a really bad dream last night about one of my best friends Grainia, I totally woke up crying and had to text her to make sure she was ok ... v odd!

E is now away with his dad down to London to visit his grandparents, so I have a few days peace, although I am really missing my little Wii companion! So I did two hefty orders with Angel Crafts and Bellaboo to compensate, ha ha!! I also have more family activities going on today as my uncle is up, and then we are all off out to dinner tonight, so that should help me take my mind of missing my boy!

I really should be working on the baby stuff, as my first class is in a WEEK!!!!!! Yikes!!

Ciao
xx

Sunday 28 December 2008

Yum, yum, yum!

Eating nibbles, watching Lipstick Jungle and stash shopping ... what more could a girl ask for??!!

Well, I am trying my best to work my way through all this yummy food (i am not sure how much longer my size 10's will fit me, lol!) and am so loving Lipstick Jungle, thank god for downloads, as everything else has stopped until January, so I am now working my way through season 2! I just took the quiz and I am Wendy, really wanted to be Nico (well she is Greek!!), but glad I am not Victory as I find her a bit annoying, although she does have a hot boyfriend, lol!

One of my lovely Christmas pressies was a sewing machine, finally, so have been tinkering with that tonight as well as taking advantage of the many stash shops with sales .... so far I have orders with angel crafts and bellaboo (unless you can think of any others Katy, ha ha!!). I haven't bought any stash in months, so am having a major blow-out, since i defo deserve it!!

Ethan and I have also had great fun today playing the Wii, we are a great team and are ripping through Mario! I have just ordered Wii Fit as I think I am going to need it after all this over indulgence (Did I also mention I am going out tomorrow night and out for dinner again on Tuesday, oh dear!!).

Anyway, I am off to add more to my cart! Hope you all all continuing to enjoy the festive season!
Em x

Simply the best!

Wow, wow, wow!

What a brilliant, lovely, cool Christmas we had. My sister in law, Debbie picked Ethan and I up on Christmas Eve, it was great to see a a happy smiling Joshua, looking very festive in his little red outfit. My brother had been called back off-shore the week before, so I knew that we would not be spending the day with him. I was a little sad that he wouldn't be there for Joshua's first Christmas, but at least he would be too little to remember. So we get to their house, and I am cooing over my gorgeous little nephew and in walks my brother!!!!!! He arrived back on Monday and my entire family had kept it a secret from me, what a lovely surprise, I burst into tears!!! So that was the best Christmas present ever, to have us all together was brilliant!

So we got the little ones to bed, Ethan in his new PJ's (i have a little tradition that he gets one Christmas present on Christmas eve, new jammies, so that he looks all smart for photos in the mornings, ha ha!!) and Deb and I got busy in the kitchen, making profiteroles and trifle... yum.
Quite surprisingly, Ethan didn't wake up until 8.30 on Christmas morning, so we all had a lie in, lol! Then it was presents galore .... Father Christmas was very good to Ethan .... he must of been very well behaved all year! Debbie and Geoff gave him a Wii, so he was particularly taken with that (as am I, my arms are aching from the boxing, lol!). After our yummy meal .... oft, sooooo much food, all the rest of the family and friends came up. We played Buzz and singstar, hilarious, (I have lots of it on video .... mmmwwwhhhaaaaarrrr), it was lovely for us all to be together! One of my favourite bits was seeing Logan (dressed in the Sporticus outfit that E and I gave him for Christmas) doing press-ups and star jumps, hee hee, if you have never seen a 3 year old doing a press-up, then you should, so so funny! We have been chilling out the last few days, and enjoying family time. We were over in Edinburgh yesterday and out for dinner. We had Nanny to stay last night, Ethan tried to get her on the Wii, hee hee!

Not sure what we are up to today, but it is bound to be lots of fun. One thing my family do well is Christmas, chilling out and spending time together (and eating and drinking!!) is always so much fun. There was talk of a walk through Falkland wood today, so I had better get my boots out! My uncle and little cousin arrive tomorrow, he is 5 and more energetic than Ethan , if that were possible, so i had better fit a little recharge in somewhere!!

Right, I am off to make pancakes for breakfast, well it would be rude not to entertain my house guest!!
Enjoy your day everyone
em xx

Monday 22 December 2008

Christmas mania ....

Yes, that is what is going on in our house ....

So school is out, I went up to the nursery on Thursday at the end of his Christmas party, just in time to see Father Christmas arrive and give all the children an early gift, Ethan got a remote controlled car, which was a huge hit! All the children were very hyper and the teachers looked like they were looking forward to a nice rest!! I had some nice presents and cards for the staff as they do such a great job of making my boy so smart.

Ethan's 'wife' (whilst in the home corner, they seem to like playing at getting married, and E is always the groom. I think it is because he is the tallest in the class, and has a gaggle of girls wanting to marry him. But Raigan appears to be the favourite. Her mum told me she can't stop talking about him and says he is her prince!), a sweet little girl called Raigan, was desperate to give him a hug goodbye, but by this point Ethan was very distracted with his car!

Then I did the Christmas food shop .... a tad stressful, but it is done now! So now my kitchen is bursting with yummy treats ... mulled wine and a slice of dolcelata anyone!!

Then on Friday morning I had to take Ethan to the doctor as he didn't seem right at all, he has Broncilitis (sp?) and the dr said it is worse at night. Hence the nigthmares and high temp, and his 'hurting heart' as he kept telling me, will be heartburn. I felt particularly bad as Dr Bee said he has swollen glands like golf balls, I hadn't even noticed! Once the meds had kicked in, I was able to take him to the Singing Kettle (he was past the contagious stage, lol!), which is a great way of taking the Christmas spirit up a notch!!

Ethan is away with his dad until tomorrow afternoon, so I am trying to get all the wrapping done and tidy the house in preparation for the toy explosion due to hit on Thursday!! I was out with all the girls on Saturday night. A great night, although I didn't like it when we ventured into town (I prefer the smaller, more intimate pubs, lol!), so I was back home and in bed by 11.30!! Well I am getting old, lol!

I am going into town later with Marion and Nanny ....... I must stop buying for Ethan ... I just keep seeing little bits for this stocking ... he is going to need a skip!

I have loads of pics to show, but haven't uploaded them yet. Promise to try!! Also my next SA submission was sent off last week and we have out next package and challenge instructions already, so need to find some time over Christmas to get scrapping!

Hope you all enjoy the next few days!
Chill out and relax.
Em xx

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Phew ....

Well that is all the cards for my friends and family made, written and addressed! I have another load to make for Ethan's nursery and my neighbours, but I will just run them up quickly with some cheaty toppers I got form work and a bit of matting and layering. I have been working on these ones since Saturday night .. I have cut 72 felt Christmas trees, sewn 24 sequins, 72 pearls and 48 beads... was a total production line and I may have gone a tiny bit blind as a result, but I am v happy with the end cards. I will take some pics tomorrow when the light is better.

I will also take some of the tree (a 7ft beauty!!) and my Martha Stewart-Esq home decor .... am into green gingham ribbon in a big way! Ethan and I made gingerbread men to hang on the tree yesterday so the living room has a wonderful gingerbread and pine needle aroma... so festive, I love it!! Was very funny as we had Rachel and Logan around for dinner last night, and after they left I found lots of maimed gingerbread men ... who were obviously a casualty of Logan's nibbling!!

I need to put the finishing touches to my next SA submission, as I want to get it posted off asap to avoid and Christmas madness. I also need to do some baking tomorrow as Hils and Stru are coming for tea .... so need to keep my favourite blond curly imp sweet!!

Ethan hasn't been very well this week, he was off nursery on Monday and Tuesday with a cold, but has perked up a bit now. He also got 2 birthday party invites today, one of them is a trip to the Singing Kettle, so he is very excited!

I can't quite believe how quickly Christmas has come around, but at least I am organised, just need to do my wrapping (I have lots of lovely gold organza ... see I am just like Martha, hee hee!!). We had our annual visit to see Father Christmas in Jenners and a jaunt round the Winter Wonderland in Princes Street last week, and also Kerry and I enjoyed our annual mulled wine in the German Market .... mmmm I love mulled wine!

Anyway .. I am off to watch a bit of Dexter ,,, it is the penultimate episode ... then to bed as have a busy day tomorrow, I need to do some baby business stuff before our visitors arrive.

So good night. Will try to remember the photos tomorrow!!
Em xx

Monday 1 December 2008

The voting has begun ....

So this is where our fate lies in your hands ... yikes!!

Yes voting is now open for the first challenge of The Scrapbook Apprentice, there is so much lovely work, from some very talented ladies and lots to choose from, but if you like mine, then please vote here! Thank you, thank you!

So it is also December now yayyyyyy!!

But also, can someone please tell me where or where has this year gone?? We have nearly been here a year and I have still to paint my bathroom, ha ha!! But it has been a great year, so many wonderful things have happened, so many blessings and I am really looking forward to Christmas. My shopping is pretty much all done (just waiting for deliveries) and I am hoping to get the tree this week, then I can get the house festively decorated and ready for Father Christmas!

Right, i am off to bed... Don't forget to vote (for me!!!)!

Night ya'alll
em xx

Tuesday 25 November 2008

I Heart Aga's!!!

So our retreat was amazing, wonderful, loads of fun, and to directly quote Jo and Sonia 'great food, great location and great company'!! Our house was in fact a mansion, but was so homely and perfect. The kitchen became the central point (well that and the barn with our huge scrapping table!) as it was lovely and cozy thanks to the fabulous aga (i seriously have to add one of those to my dream kitchen wish list!!).

We have loads of photos (we also managed to fit in a proper photo shoot, thanks beckie!!), I will add some soon (or look at Hils blog as she has some up already). It was really strange yesterday, not to be surrounded by them all, missing you all already ladies!!

The gold star goes to Hils, she is the most efficient, prolific scrapper I have ever seen. I didn't do as much (although **coughs** I was the only one who managed to alter my reindeer, ha ha!!), we had a couple of lovely mini book classes, thanks to Sonia and Beckie, although I have now crossed a BIA off my wish list as it totally stressed me out!!

Anyway, it was a total blast, I loved it (even if I was ill with the cold throughout, hope none of you get it!!) and we are already planning our next trip!!

But back down to earth with a bump .... charlie is ill... so I have given him some chicken and hope that it settles his tum.... I am working today and then I have Greek and we are out to dinner, so I can really do without a trip to the vets! Charlie hasn't been ill for a year, but when he does get ill he goes all out, unlike his sister who has the constitution of an ox!! Thank goodness for cat insurance!

I also came to a decision yesterday about the baby classes... I have had a lot of demand for the Saturday morning one, that i was going to start later on next year. But after giving it some thought, and after having some time to myself this weekend (which I don't get, as I either work, have Ethan all week or work weekends!) I have decided to be brave and make the jump! I emailed all my interested mums and already have 4 confirmed spots, and that is without my marketing assault which is starting this week! So from January onwards I will have Saturdays free YAY!!! I can't wait to get to the farmers market, hee hee!!

Right, I had better get moving... ohhh before I forget, my second box of SA goodies was waiting for me when i got home ..... so my mind is buzzing with ideas!!
ok, am defo going now!
em x

Thursday 20 November 2008

One more sleep!

Ooooh what a couple of weeks I have had!!

Basically, I had a long checklist of jobs to get through and I was a tad stressed and daunted by all the work I had to do and how I was going to get it all done in time, but I have done it! I've still got a long list left, but for now I can take a break. My UKS teamies and I head off to our retreat tomorrow, for 3 days of fun, gossip and scrapping! You should see all the food we have, think there is going to be as much eating as there is scrapping. Plus Bex is going to teach RP class, am really looking forward to that!

My SA Challenge 1 work has been submitted (phew ... although I loved working on it, I definitely like working to a deadline and under pressure ... i am not so sure about my blood pressure, lol!) although I stupidly forgot to take any pictures .... duh!

I have also made lots of progress with the baby classes (launching in January 2009!!!!), been doing lots of marketing, development, planning and training. Lisa and I are going to spend all next week doing a big leaflet drop, and get posters up all over Kdy! It is basically going to be non-stop, well I guess that is what it is like if you are running your own business. But I am really pleased with how it is going, it is very exciting!

Well I am all packed, although I haven't picked any photos to take..... will do that in the morning as I am really tired. Then Hils, Beckie and I will load our totes and head off onto our road trip adventure to our Cottage in the lakes, I wonder if we could get a starbucks on the way ......!!?

Will update you all with photos and gossip next week!
Night night ... don't let the bed bugs bite!!
Em xx

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Bad Blogger!!

Sorry, sorry, sorry!

I haven't written for ages. Loads going on and I am really busy (and a tad stressed out, ha ha!!).


I am very excited to announce that I have been picked as one of the 12 Scrapbook Apprentices, we are all really busy completing our first challenges. For more info check out the Creativity Life blog.

I am also really busy as I am launching my baby sign language classes in January, which is really exciting. Plus I am demonstrating scrapbooking at work on Thursday night, so have loads of prep for that to do. All this along side everything else, so I am a bit tired at the moment! But on the upside, I am babysitting Joshua on Sunday evening, can't wait. I will be poking him to wake up so I can have a cuddle!!

Here are some recent pics, as it has been so long ...
OK, better get going as need to do a ton of work today!

Em x
















Friday 17 October 2008

The Good Life ....

Well we are having a superb time up here. Great fun and lots of time to chill out, we have been having walks in the woods, gardening, cooking, making chutney and jam and looking at lots of old photographs. Plus a spot of shopping and starbucks yesterday!

We were due to return home on Sunday, however my Nanny has a hospital appointment that I need to accompany her too and she is having some work done on the house, so we are going to stay another week. So more time to chill ....

... which will be much needed as my neighbour has just informed me that I need to report for Jury Juty a week on Monday, just what I need. I have phoned work, as I have no idea if I will be selected or how long it will last for... last time I was a juror, it went on for 10 days and was mind nummingly boring!

So it looks like I am goingt o be out of action for the next few weeks. Oh well!

I had better get back to the kichen, as I have a chicken carcus boiling away to make stock and soe scones in the oven!!

xx

Monday 13 October 2008

Red Leaves .....

Morning,

I am busy trying to get all the laundry done before Rachel and Logan come round to play. I also need to put up the shelves in my living room, then I need to pack as we are going up to Nanny's tomorrow. I am really loving all the red leaves on the trees at the moment, so autumnal (also an excuse to get a whole new wardrobe of clothes!!). Ethan and I will take a trip through the woods when we get there and go exploring, maybe we will build a 'dent'!!

My UKS teamies and I are all getting v excited as it is only 5 weeks (and 4 days!) until we go on our SPS Retreat, we are discussing menus and pink PJ's, as well as scrapping obv!

We were at a family wedding on Saturday, all us girlies got dressed up, was great fun. Here are some of the pics, so much posing going on; I have also been given this award from Katy, thanks hun. I love your blog too!

Right, need to move my but!
em xx

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Strange dreams and a dongle ...

Yes, I have been having lots of funny/odd/peculiar dreams.. highly amusing. But i means I have been waking up at 4.30 scratching my head and wondering what it was all about...

Maybe is is because I have been devouring the new series of Dexter and Heroes and I love, love, love Joshua Jackson (remember Pacey ... swoon!) in Fringe. These are all a bit freaky, but oh so addictive. Thank goodness all the shows have returned from hiatus in the US as i am now back getting my McDreamy fix. I am a bit of an obsessive geek, so have a little schedule drawn up. It goes something like this;

Monday - download Brothers and Sisters, Dexter and Desperate Housewives.
Tuesday - download Heroes and Dirty Sexy Money

and so on and so on ... you get my drift!

Ethan and I are off up to visit my Nanny in the depth's of the Scottish Highlands in a few days, and such is the wonder of technology I can take my little 'dongle' and surf away up there. It will be particularly useful on the train a I can entertain E with the cbeebies website!!

I have also been trying to sort flights to Bristol to visit one of my oldest friends Carrie. I mean she isn't old, in fact she is only 3 days older than me. A fact she loved telling everyone when we were kids!! Carrie is the friend who I practiced kissing with (on our arms and against a mirror) and tried smoking for the first time, i am sure we even shoplifted a pot plant at one time. We were also HUGE Madonna fans (although I triumphed slightly as I have the same birthday as Madonna, and middle name and confirmation name,lol ... a fact i loved telling everyone ...). I particularly remember one Guide Barn Dance (see i told you i was a geek!!), where we wore matching knee length turquoise cord skirts and cerise pink bat-wing jumpers, patent black shoes with little white socks (well it was the 80s!!).

It will be lovely to visit again, I lived down there for most part of my childhood. I haven't been in years, but I know that there are some great scrap shops, ha ha!! But it will also be a little sad, and I know that I am bound to cry. We were best friends you see, and as a result of this our mum's became best friends and my brother and her sister 'went out', well Carrie and I made them kiss in a telephone box, lol! But my mum died 12 years ago, and I know seeing Di (her mum) again will bring all the memories back. But that is good. It is good to cry, and to remember.

So I search for flights ... and chuckle at all the memories and outfits that keep come flooding back! What were we thinking!!?

em xx

Monday 6 October 2008

Countdown ....

Yikes .. there are only 11 weeks until Christmas.. so a kind colleague informed me yesterday .... better get my finger out and finish those cards. At least I have started my Christmas shopping, I am going to Edinburgh on Thursday for a meeting, so might get a few more bits then as I will be child-free!!

Been doing quite a bit of scrapping, but nothing I can show at the moment ... I have also had a couple of commissions through work, but don't want to put them up as they are photos of someone else's children, if you know what i mean ...? But mojo is certainly flowing ... i credit Joshua ... all those cute pics!

Got 2 weddings coming up, so need to try on party dress to see if it still fits, as I am now back down to a size 10! Can't claim any dieting credit, it is all down to illness and stress, lol!

Right, better get going.
Ta ta
xx

Thursday 2 October 2008

and then life changed .....

Well, what a mad few days it has been .... my beautiful sister in law went into labour on Sunday evening ... but the minxy little bubba took 48hrs to make his entrance, yep, 48 excruciating hours. I felt sick, anxious, emotional, worried and totally stressed out .... i am very protective of my little (erm over 6ft!!) brother and have known Deb since school, so the wait for news was really hard.

I was getting regular updates by text and was then passing this info on to the rest of our friends and family ... so people kept asking me 'any news' ... I couldn't concentrate at work, and if anyone spoke to me, I feared i might cry ...

BUT, finally at 3pm on Tuesday afternoon I got the call I had been waiting for (whilst in the supermarket!) ... little Joshua was here. Phew.

So i am now an aunt.. Aunty Em ... maybe I should move to Kansas hee hee!

I met him yesterday and I nearly cried all over his perfect little head. It was like meeting Ethan for the first time, that overwhelming rush of love. He is beautiful, looks just like Geoff did as a baby and has loads of blond hair. Ethan was amazing with him ... as I held him he was over my back, looking down .. 'I like him Mummy' he whispered .. 'I am going to teach him to walk' ... bless my boys!! Ethan isn't usually that keen for me to hold babies and can get a bit jealous when i shower other children with affection, lol .. but he was really eager for me to hold him, even when Marion and Jody were getting a cuddle, Ethan said 'you hold him now Mummy'. This morning he asked if we could go and see Joshua again, I think he might of fallen in love with the little bubba too!

I cant stop looking at photos of him, and can't wait to spend more time with him and help him find his way in the world ... I love children, I love my friends children, the other children in my family .. but I know that Joshua has a special place in my heart. I am going up again on Friday and then on Saturday night, in fact I think I might go up every day ... maybe I could move in, (well they do have 5 bedrooms ha ha ha)!!

So before I start crying all over my laptop, or make you all vomit with the hallmark smaltz, I will leave you with some of the pics.
xx

Monday 22 September 2008

Re-living my youth .....

This is just a quick post, i will try to update more tomorrow. But i am LOVING the new 90210, they even have the same theme tune, even if it is all re-jazz-ed up! The older Kelly is fab, Brenda is back, but boy is she looking old (so not like the Brenda or even Prue that I remember).

I love it, love it. And guess what, season 5 Greys starts on Thursday night ... yikes, I can hardly wait!!

Nite all
xxx

Monday 8 September 2008

New Toy

Thankfully my new camera arrived today, it is great. Very dinky and light, so perfect size for handbags, lol! One huge bonus is that is has a rechargable battery, so no more swearing when it runs out, just at an important moment! Unfortunately is is black and very similar looking to my mobile .. i see lots of confusion down the road 'Hello, Hello' oops I have taken a photo of my ear, lol!

So I have spent the evening playing and trying to get the hang of it, before I go away on Wednesday, here are a couple of pics of my willing volunteer.
I also got a phone call today to arrange delivery of my new desk, and yayyy it comes the day after I get home, so I will soon be crafting in style! We are also going to Ikea the weekend I am back, so can gets some more bits, plus some things for the kitchen. I love Ikea, but thankfully my aunty has a small car, so cant buy too much,lol!

Marion and Jody were up today, so I got a final Greek lesson. It will be the first time in years that i don't have her to rely on, hopefully I will remember all I know... Ethan gave us a little fashion show as i got him his winter coat today and he loves it. It is a grey duffel coat, complete with toggles, he looks just like Paddington!

Right, i am going to watch Juno in bed and look at my To Do lists, I really should do my packing but can't face it tonight.

Sleep well
em xx

Sunday 7 September 2008

LABB (Life After Big Brother!!)

Ha ha, how do we all cope, post BB. It is funny how quickly we forget all those people who kept us amused for so many weeks. I really wanted Sara to win, Rachel was ok, a bit boring, quite sweet. But I had to turn off her interview with Davina ... yawn!! So what do we do now .....

Anyway, am loving my new laptop, just the freedom to use it anywhere, and Ethan is really getting the hang of it too. I have the feeling he will be needing his own one pretty soon.

Debbie and I had a wee photo shoot this week, as I needed some decent head shots for some work I am doing, but typically my camera broke (sob, sob, well it is about 4 years old). So Debbie rushed (well as fast as a 35 week pregnant woman can rush!!) up to theirs and get her camera, by which point we had totally out of time and the end results were not that decent!! But i am v self critical, and don't really take a good photo, yuk!!

Here is one of them. I have also managed to get some of the other photos off my SD card (including some from Geoff's 30th Birthday party, cringe!!).
I ordered a new camera last night, I just hope it arrived before I go on holiday on Wednesday. Plus the next stage in my Craft area master plan is complete as I have bought a new desk as well. So it will be lovely and organised and I can craft in style, hee hee!!

Anyway, I am about to jump in the bath, so had better get moving.
Hope you are all well.
em x

Thursday 4 September 2008

Loving technology

Hello everyone ...

I am writing this from my spanking new laptop, which I haven't really worked out how to use yet.. but at least the wifi is sorted, lol!!

Will writie again soon, as loads has been going on and I am off on holiday next week!

Am off to get Ethan sorted for tea and then going to have aplay with my new toy, better now spill wine on it!!

xx

Thursday 28 August 2008

Success!!!!

Yayyyy!!! Thanks to my brother, who found me a replacement laptop .. I am back on track and I have just had an email to say that it has been dispatched!

So I have gutted my living room and moved all my craft stuff through to my bedroom. I will keep the desk in the living room, (without this humongous old pc, it will look much less cluttered) and just use the space to craft and bring through all the bits when i need them. This way my living room is back to being a living room, and a lot more spacious now, and my bedroom is still a bedroom!!

Success!

I am off to collect my boy in a bit. I need to take him to the hairdressers. Usually his dad takes him, his hair is getting v V v long, (which is my intention) and i just want it tidied up a bit. But i am scared James will take him in and get it all chopped off. He is even schooling Ethan to say 'I want my hair short like daddy's'... however I have told them both that i am the boss of the hair (well for now anyway!!).

More soon
em xx

Grrrr

I have just had a phone call to say that my laptop has been damaged, they have no more in stock and are offering a refund ....!!

That isn't going to help!!

Wednesday 27 August 2008

no photos yet!

Sorry, i know that I said I would put up some pics today (and I have huners from the past few weeks..) but i am getting a new laptop any day now .. so adding new photos to this old slow mo PC seemend pointless! I am just trying to back up all my files, move over all my millions of years worth of photos onto CD's etc and saving all the links to websites that i love.

Am soooooo looking forward to new laptop, as this one is ancient and is v slow. Plus because the new one has wifi and I have a spanking new router, I can use it anywhere. I am currently debating wether to move my craft area back to my bedroom, as it is SERIOUSLY taking over my living room, and I want that space back. Although I do like my bedroom, as it is lovely and calm, and clutter free (apart from the 4 year old sleeping on my 320 thread count sheets, lol!!).

So i am in a bit of a pickle ... I have a number of options;

a) leave it as it is, as with new desk and laptop, living room will look less cluttered anyway
b) move it all to bedroom, however to maximise space I will need to get a new flatscreen tv and mount it on the wall ... oh dear more spending, lol!
c) move it all to my bedroom cupboard, but keep new desk in living room, and just bring out stuff when i need it....
d) I take over Ethan's bedroom as my craft room/office .... ha ha ha ha ... not yet anyway!!

I am going to need a bit of 'office' space for my new 'work' ventures, so am just trying to work out what is the best scenario .... however most of them involve spending more money... dooh!

Anyway, I am off to catch up on some TV and enjoy a glass of wine. E and I had roast beef for dinner tonight, (he ate the lot), so i needed to open the bottle to make the gravy (wellt hat is my excuse!).

Night all
em xx

Monday 25 August 2008

Hello there .. it is me .. remember me!!

Hello Everyone ...

Well where do I start ... it has been so long and so much has happened and I would bore you all if I were to even remember it all!

Lots of exciting developments and much fun has been had .. I will try to remember some of the best bits!

Ethan and I had a fab time up at my Nanny's, the weather was great and we had loads of fun hanging out in the garden, picking veggies for tea and collecting worms. It was really nice to spend some quality time with her and Ethan loves her to bits, I love seeing the two of them, they are v sweet together.

We also hit the shops in Inverness and I got loads of new bits for Ethan and stuff for my holiday, as well as some divine chocolates for my neighbour Sandra who looked after the cats for me (she was so touched by the chocs bless her, so I have arranged for her to look after them again when we are away in Sept and Oct ... don't you just love good neighbours ... everybody needs good neighbours ... with a little understanding ... oops sorry, a little off track there, ha ha!!). We went for a yummy, fab, meal for my birthday. I had THE MOST delicious fillet steak .. lovely and bloody and was like cutting through butter, Yum. Plus Ethan shocked me by eating an entire 3 courses!!!!! I certainly think he has turned a corner with regard to his eating, he finally seems to be through the fussy eating phase, which is an huge relief! We are going back to Nanny's for a week in October, so will go out for another meal then .. am dreaming about that steak, lol!

We took Nanny up to Debbie and Geoff's when we got home as she has never seen their new house, and we all oohhed and ahhhed over the nursery. They are going to make such great parents, I am so happy for them and immensely proud of my brother. Because I am such a lovely sister in law, I am helping out Debbie by giving her some hands on childcare practice, as she is going to have Ethan for a few days when I go away, ha ha, bless her .. hopefully all Ethan's 'fight play' wont make the baby come early!

It was my brother's 30th Birthday party on Saturday, well what can I say ... I am the Singstar champion, or so I thought at the time ... also I was doing my best sexy dancing (thank god I can't remember that bit, lol!!) We didn't leave until after 4am and lets just say I was feeling a bit 'delicate' the next day! (I did find out whether i am having a niece or nephew tho ... but I am not telling!!).

Had a lovely day out on Friday, went to Edinburgh with Ethan and then Joanne and I went shopping for holiday bits and then for a lovely meal (where we wrote lists out on napkins as we couldn't find any paper hee hee!). Jo looked stunning in all the slinky dresses she tried on, watch out men of Petra ... grrrr!!

It is only about 2 weeks until we go away, I am soooo looking forward to it. I seriously need to get cracking on the sit-ups though .... since I lost a stone when i was ill, my tummy has turned to jelly .... do you think the 'Simon Cowell' looks works well with a sarong?!

I also have some exciting work developments in the pipeline ... it is going to such a busy few months, I will defo need to holiday to chill out before it all takes off.... so watch this space, I will tell more soon.

Right, I have so much more to say and loads of photos (one of my particular favourites is from our trip to Inverness. We got a shopmobility wheelchair for Nanny, however Ethan also enjoyed it, sitting in her lap the entire time, so I pushed the two of them around the Eastgate centre for 6 hours!) but I need to get to bed.

Sorry it has been to long (especially sorry to Katy, I promise to be better at updating!!).
Night all
em xxx

Wednesday 30 July 2008

Long time no blog ....

Hello everyone,

I haven't blogged in yonks, as I haven't really been out of bed in 3 weeks. Have been really ill and even had a stay in hospital. Am on the mend now and will update you all soon. Just wanted to pop on and say HI!!

x

Thursday 10 July 2008

Introducing Harry and Bob ....

.... the two newest members of our little pet family!!
Debbie and Geoff took us up to the pet store today to pick out Ethan's new fish. We were only allowed to get 2 today, we have to wait a week to introduce the next two. My how fish care has changed, in my day you just threw them in a bowl and hoped for the best!!

Ethan decided to name them Bob (the black one) and Harry (the gold and white one), and has been very attentive, he is particularly keen to use the little net we bought!

We also went to Old MacDonald's as i have been trying to pack up the kitchen and couldn't be bothered making lunch!! I am a bit anxious about all the mess that the installation is going to create ... but I know that it will only be for 2 days and then I can clean, clean clean!! Little does Joanne know, but i am going to rope her into helping me move my dining table on Saturday night, as I almost gave myself a hernia when i put it up last time!!

Birthdays, nose bleeds and stash shopping!!

Well, my boy is now 4! Where, oh where did the last 4 years go? I can still remember, so vividly the tiny little baby in my arms and now he is so big and tall and full of funny little sayings and observations!
We have had a great few days, his party was on Sunday and we all had a ball. Apart from when Ethan had a massive nosebleed, which took ages to stop. I have never seen so much blood, it was quite scary. Thank goodness Aunty Debbie was there, as she has fist aid training and knew just what to do. He had another one while he was sleeping (in my pristine white bed, lol!). So I took him to the Dr's on the Monday (his actual birthday!!), he has a virus and if he gets any more we have to take him back for tests. So fingers crossed he wont!

On the Monday, Ethan, Marion and I headed over to Edinburgh. We stopped by my mums grave (as the anniversary of her death is the day before Ethan's birthday!) and then we went for a lovely lunch and had a wee beer in the sunshine!
Ethan got quite a bit of birthday money and one of the things he decided he wanted was fish?! So Geoff got the tank for us, as you have to have it all set up and filter running etc before you get the fish. It is really big and can take about 5 fish. We are going up with Geoff to get them today, I am quite excited, although I know (to quote Hils) 'I will be their primary carer', lol!

We had a fun day trip yesterday, we joined Jay and Vicki on an outing to Perth. We went for lunch in a really cool, child centric cafe called the Honey Pot. It has a wee child's play house and lots of little tables and chairs and a fab kids menu.

Then we went mad in the craft shop ... during the trip I saw something that I never thought imaginable .... a very restraint Jay! For anyone who know Jay, you will know that the fact that she didn't buy much stash is totally amazing .. I think the sunshine must of made her dizzy or something!! Vicki on the other hand went wild, lol!!

We sat in the sun at the park while we waited for our train, E had great fun beating Vicki up!!

I also got a phone call this morning to say that I have an installation date for my new kitchen ... it is going in on Tuesday!! How exciting, can't wait, although I know it is going to be totally messy and chaotic for a few days, the end result will be great!

Right, I have better get up off this seat and get moving!!

Hope you are all enjoying the rain, ha ha!!

Em x