Just Checking In

I am still about but have been incredibly unwell with my MD and on top of that I have sprained my knee which has also triggered an old injury in the same place. I was given a strong dose of Tramadol to help with the pain but it made me really sick and as high as a kite so I stopped taking it after the first day and I am managing on paracetamol alone now. I also had a phone call from the hospital on Wednesday evening a cancellation has come up and I will be having my surgery on Monday now. I have had the surgery before and it is only a grommet to replace the one that fell out last year but it really does help with the MD. So as nervous as I am about it all I am also looking forward to a bit of respite from the dizzies. Anyway I will check back in on Tuesday and let you all know how the surgery went and in the mean time its leg up and rest.

Much Love
Claire xx xx xx

Summer Holidays Are On The Way

Well it is almost that time of year again the school summer holidays are almost upon us and boy have I been busy making plans for this over the last few weeks. I have leaflets detailing events at our local libraries and museums, I have looked at cheap days out at theme parks, and I have made plans for camping trips and visits to family and friends. August is almost completely booked up now which is a relief. Brad will be going on a ten day camping trip with an organization that specifically caters for teenagers with special needs. The cost of the trip is 350 pounds however there is a small pot of money to offer those on low incomes a free place and Brad has been lucky enough to secure one of the free places. They do ask for a donation towards the cost of the trip and I have agreed to pay 100 pounds towards the cost. This is the most I can afford to contribute and they are very happy with this amount as most families only give around 20 pounds towards the cost. I had to give what I felt was fair and 100 pound for a ten day trip seems more than fair to me. If I had the money I would pay the full 350 but am just not in a position to do so right now. Now that I am aware of the trip I will put money aside monthly so that Brad can go again next year and I will be in a position to pay the full cost of the trip and the free place can then go to another deserving child. They also very kindly lend the kids any equipment they do not have so that we as parents do not have the added expense of going out and buying a load of new camping equipment for the trip. Brad and Ben will also be spending five days with their dad and step mother and I will be doing several day trips with Brandon while they are away to ensure he does not miss out. Brad and Ben will also be going to their nan in Wales for ten days again I will be doing lots of day trips and maybe an overnight in Weymouth so that Brandon does not miss out. Despite Brandon not being Dee's grandson she never leaves him out and would have happily had him for the ten days also. However due to his toileting issues I felt it best that Brandon stay at home with me this time around. So this is how our summer holiday calendar looks at the moment although there may be a few day trips thrown in here and there in addition.

Thursday 25th July Trowbridge Tudors cost is free and all 3 boys will be coming and it is Brads birthday that day.
Saturday 27th July Brad goes away for ten days camping cost 100 pounds.
Tuesday 30th July Summer safari workshop cost is free and Ben and Brandon will be coming as Brad is away camping.
Thursday 1st August Picnic at the park cost is free and Ben and Brandon will be coming as Brad is away camping.
Friday 2nd August Stumpy's decorate it day cost is 1.50 each and Ben and Brandon will be coming as Brad will still be away camping.
Monday 5th August Brad and Ben will be going to their dads for 5 days.
Thursday 8th August Creative collages cost is free and Brandon will be coming as Brad and Ben will be at their dads.
Friday 9th August Make a mobile workshop cost is free and Brandon will be coming as Brad and Ben are not due back from their dads till later in the afternoon.
Monday 12th August Day trip to Longleat cost unsure as yet (we get discount tickets due to disabilities and being carers) all 3 boys will be coming.
Tuesday 13th August Summer safari clay modeling cost is free and I will be taking all 3 boys.
Thursday 15th August Luscious Landscapes workshop cost is free and I will be taking all 3 boys.
Friday 16th August Brad and Ben will be going to visit their Nanny in Wales for ten days.
Saturday 17th August Carry on card weaving workshop cost is free and I will be taking Brandon as Brad and Ben will be in Wales.
Monday 19th August An over night in Weymouth cost unsure as yet and I will be taking Brandon as Brad and Ben will be in Wales.
Wednesday 21st August Flowery felts workshop cost is free and I will be taking Brandon as Brad and Ben will be in Wales.
Thursday 22nd August Treasure chests workshop cost is free and I will be taking Brandon as Brad and Ben will be in Wales.
Saturday 24th August Picnic at the park cost is free and I will be taking Brandon as Brad and Ben will be in Wales.
Tuesday 27th August Fun with wool workshop cost is free and I will be taking all 3 boys.

So as you can see lots has been booked and the boys will be kept very busy this summer holidays. Hopefully this will make my life easier as they wont have a chance to get bored and play up which will equal a happy mummy :)

See You Soon
Much Love
Claire xx xx xx

Back To Normal Life

Hello everyone. We are now back in to our usual routine after being away for the weekend all the washing has been washed, dried, and put away, the shopping has been done (not much needed as we are still eating down the freezer I reckon I have a good 2 weeks of food in there). It's a good job I'm on top of everything as I have come down with a horrible cough and cold. I have a banging headache, stiff neck and joints, sore throat, bunged up and can't breath properly, and a yucky cough. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are my best friends right now that and lots of rest. So I am spending most of the day on the sofa either watching TV or reading but at least I don't have the worry of housework not being done. The good thing about being stuck at home unwell is I can't spend any money. I don't spend much when I am out anyway but being stuck in I can't spend anything which is good for my purse :)
For dinner tonight we will be having roast beef (yellow sticker), roast pots, Yorkshire puds, mixed veg, and gravy. Total cost 2.84 and will serve four of us so 71p per person.

I want to share something I have been thinking about since I got back from my trip to London. My family are very different to me and they don't really get the frugal homebody thing. They seemed to gang up on me a bit at the weekend (Lee included) that I don't go out and do stuff enough. That I should be going out with my friends and doing STUFF. I tried to explain that I do go out occasionally but that with my MD it can be difficult at times and that I prefer to be at home with my little family and enjoying my hobbies. I explained that I have interests such as jewellery making, knitting, reading, and learning how to sew, that I enjoy baking, making my own laundry detergent and such like. According to my family this makes me old before my time and I was referred to as grandma. I have to say this hurt a little especially coming from the Mr as I thought he would have defended the things I do in the home as he benefits from these things when he is here. I realise that simple living is not for everyone but it is a life that I enjoy, a life that has shown me the meaning of true happiness, a life that has enabled me to pay off almost 5000 pounds of debt in just under 6 months. Although their words hurt I am pleased to say that it has only made me stronger in my views and I will not be changing my lifestyle for anyone or anything I love my life just the way it is. So to my family and the Mr as much as I love you all it's a big two fingers up to you all now go pick on someone else lol.

See You Soon
Much Love
Claire xx xx xx

Our Weekend To London In Pictures

The Journey Down

 

Ben and Brandon

 

Brandon

 

Brad

 

I went prepared with books, games, paper and pencils, drinks and snacks and we had a pretty good journey and the boy's were very well behaved.


The Tube In To London

 

The boys with my dad

 

Buckingham Palace

 

Adam (my step nephew), Ben, Brad

 

Brandon looks so unhappy in this picture I can not remember why though

 

And 2 seconds later he is happy again lol

 

The palace guard

 

 

The queens water feature a bit to grand for my back garden lol

 

 

Big Ben

 

Little Ben and Brandon with Big Ben oh and grandad

 

Brandon with Big Ben and the top of Lee's head lol

 

 

We had a fabulous day the sun was shinning and we walked a good 4 miles seeing all the sights. London pride was on also but we did not stop to watch any of it as I think we just caught the tail end of it.

Saturday Night At Dad's

 

Brad and Brandon with their great grandad

 

Incase your wondering yes my granddad only has one leg he lost the other a few years ago due to an infection in his foot which spread up his lower leg.

 

Lee and Dad enjoying a beer and a game of chess

 

 

Shortly after this photo I went to bed as I was so tired from the days events Lee and Dad however played on in to the night with Dad being the overall winner.

Sunday At Mum's

 

I love this picture of Lee and myself

 

Brandon with aunty Carina

 

Brandon with aunty Leanne (my sister) and her partner Carina

 

 

We had a lovely day at my mum's having a good catch up and playing swingball in the garden with the boys.

The Journey Home

 

Some very tired boys on the journey home. We had a taxi booked for 5.50pm to take us the 10 minute car ride to the station so we could catch the 6.26pm train. The taxi did not turn up and as a result we missed our train. Furious does not come close to how we felt with this taxi company. We had to work out another route to get home which added an extra 2 hours to our journey which meant a 5 hour journey and we did not get home till midnight. Considering all this and how tired they were the boys were extremely well behaved and I was very proud of them.

Much Love
Claire xx xx xx