I don't like going out....

...but I did and it was ace. I'm not a fan of "going out"; I used to be, I used to be very spur of the moment/fly by the seat of my pants but now, well, if you can't guarantee that, once out, I can sit down and be home by a certain hour, I tend to find it a chore. I guess it's more the thought of getting out of the house that's the chore, I usually end up enjoying myself.
I blame sleep deprivation and work but that's another moan. So, I went out not once but 3 times. Unprecedented. Mum's night, evening with a friend and the icing on the cake, the "going out" highlight of the past decade, last night was Public Image Limited. Unbelievable. One minute we had stomped into the Manchester Academy, leaving behind the slushy streets of Oxford Road and the next we were watching an icon. Mr John Lydon; Johnny Rotten I salute you...one of a kind.

WORKING!!!!!

I'm sort of here but not, work has claimed me and it's getting harder to clean the house, prepare for work and spend quality time with my kids...poor blogging, taken a back seat again. I'm not saying my job is more demanding or anything because it is (joke, just joking it probably isn't). Teaching, however, has become A LOT more full on since I class taught last (not PPA cover or supply) so whilst it's good, I'm feeling the pressure. My job share is off sick (and he is quite ill, get well soon) so, I have increased my days and have planning and assessment all to myself (the joys). The school? It's great, tough but great. I can't make any comment about it on a public forum, suffice to say that some of the individual cases I have come across make me realise how lucky we, as a family, are to have each other to love and support. I'm no stranger to inner city, urban environments but this time round I feel sad because I KNOW any effect I make will be temporary. So I will be back soon and for now I must dedicate my time to my own kids and my slightly eccentric, very noisy class (if you can't see us, you'll definitely hear us)

I am still here..honest

Where have I been? We did I stop blogging? I never intended to...I know, the 6 weeks holiday might have had something to do with it, oh and starting back at work. I missed it though, I really missed it; so I'm trying to be back properly, or at least every couple of weeks!!

Annabel Karmel's Pasta....a review....

The review was, or rather is for Annabel Karmel's Make it Easy pasta range. I say "was" because as a written review it's actually been ready for some time, BUT I had no camera to document with. Therefore,I must apologise, no grovel, to Sian at Clear as PR, who has been very patient.

Right, onward! The pasta initially appealed because it had the words "Make it Easy" emblazoned on the packet...ahhh..music to my ears. And was it? Yep, cooked in 5 minutes, no problems. The other positive, was the fact that it is gluten free. Now, I'm no expert on nutrition but serving gluten to a delicate digestive system does concern me somewhat; ergo, the promise of "gluten free" was again, music to my ears.

Another plus point with this product was, a little went a long way. It has fed my 4 and 6 year old over the past few days, as well as the baby and, as the picture shows, there's still plenty left. I used it in a stew:"Yum" says Lily, 6; I used it with pesto :"Don't like pesto!" says Zak, 4 but Archie did and here's the photographic evidence to prove it

Above: eagerly anticipating cheesy pasta and pesto; doesn't that face just say "Feed me NOW mummy!" Below: one satisfied customer and I do hope he remembered to compliment the chef!

So, the last word to baby Archie. Will it be an optimistic "Ah Da" or a wholly negative "DA DA DA"; he said "Ah Da". The right result and a ringing endorsement!




Finally, don't forget to get yourself over to Brits in Bosnia and enjoy the best of what the mummy blogger's have to offer this fortnight. Better than a magazine and much more economical!!

Sports Day!!!!

It's that time of year again: the egg and spoon race, the sack race, tug of war, the humiliation of being dragged along in the three legged race and all to mark the end of the school year. Fun, fun, fun; or not, if you're a non-competitive, competition hater such as myself. Actually, I tell a lie, I did love the warm orange squash and biscuit we were awarded as a treat after the event, and running. Running was fun too but just running; that is running, without the encumbrance of having to balance a quoit on my head (see picture for some stellar examples of quoits). We were in teams: red, blue, yellow and green, primarily because they were the colours of the sashes one was forced to wear, which in turn, matched the colours of quoits and bean bags (integral to sports day) and, ohhh, the responsibility! The responsibility that came with that sash, the pressure not to let the rest of the time down. Now, I'm talking here, as one who was always the last to be picked at sports. Give me a spelling test and I was there; but sports? I think the main problem was, I didn't "get" having to come 1st. Well, someone had to be 4th, or even last. Put that sash on, however, and you were at the mercy of THE most competitive child in form 2B, as they systematically shattered your illusion of that coveted 4th place. They would FORCE you into athletic prowess, just because you both HAPPENED to be wearing a blue sash and quoit. It's not that I don't see the value in a little competition, it's just that I'm very non-competitive. I like to do well, but if my best means 4th place and I've tried hard then that's fine too. Now, though, schools seem to have done away with sports day. In my 8 years at the "chalkface", I have participated in any number of "fun days" but no traditional, sash wearing, bean bag swinging sports days. The school that D#1 and S#1 attend don't seem to do anything to mark the end of the year; well, there is a teddy bears picnic, plus a few games for s#1. Having said that, I am infamous for misreading letters (in my defence, the amount of letters sent home from my kid's school would paper the walls of a small mansion at the very least) so D#1 could be on for a full on athletic extravaganza soon. Y'know what though? I kind of miss it. Not so much for s#1, he is like me, he hates competitive events; but d#1 would be in her element. She loves a bit of competition, well a lot, if I'm honest; it kind of, drives her forward. My only sigh of relief would have to be, not running the mums race. D#1 would demand it and would expect a win, and it would all end in (my) tears. I can almost hear it: "No mother of mine come in 4th, you go out there and you win!" Hang on a minute, I seem to be raising that child that doesn't value 4th place...how can that be?

Strangely enough, it seems the traditional school sports day is making a come back in some sectors; check this out. When you have tell, please tell me me why? Would YOU put yourself through a sport day type event 30 years after you HAD to do it the first time round?

A Tag of 8's (which took me about 8 weeks to complete)

I have been tagged by the fabulous Wife of the Bold and SandyCalico, with the tag of 8's (wow! I'm still trying to think of the 8 remaining facts from the last thing...maybe I could squeeze a couple in here!?); anyway, here goes....

RULES
1) Mention the person who tagged you
2) Complete the list of 8's
3) Tag 8 others and let them know

Right, let's DO this...huh! (said in the manner of rubbish American Cop show)

8 Things I'm looking forward to

1. Sleeping for a WHOLE night, uninterrupted bliss.
2. Going to see Quadrophenia at the Opera House (or some such place) on Saturday. It's one of my favourite films; not sure how it'll translate into a stage play but, hey, it's a night out.
3. The sun shining; again. Please!?
4.Long, long 6 week summer holiday.
5.A tidy house (in my dreams)
6.A flat stomach (again in my dreams)
7.Today, the kids coming home from school, want them at home today.
8.Something to happen....not sure what. Will let you know when it has.

8 Things I did yesterday
1. Took s#1 to A&E (where we shall probably be taking up permanent residence soon). He swallowed a 5p st school
2. Loaded some new posts onto my daughters blog, lilyamber.blogspot.com, very sweet.
3. Completed my usual quota of procrastination; I did a bit of staring into space, checked Rightmove that sort of thing ;)
4. FAILED to do any house work (procrastination takes time and dedication, dontcha know)
5. Ohhhh made a lovely Korma from Jamie Oliver's new book (The Ministry one) I don't cook (well only for the kids 'cos I have to) I hate cooking but this book is so bloody simple...top! I'm not a fan of Oliver in his cooking demonstration programmes though...can't abide his jaunty manners (being basically dour person myself, it rubs me up the wrong way). I rather like his social crusade ones though.
6.I watched Dodgeball for the millionth time on film4. I like this film but I don't know why I seem to have seen it sooo many times, I don't like it THAT much. Also don't understand why I stayed up until 11.30pm watching it? I guess only I can answer that (probably got to the point where I was so tired, doing something different seems insurmountable!)
7.Went to ASDA, put a load of stuff back that I reckon I didn't really need. Took my s#1 to the sweetie shop after A&E to pick a consoling ice-cream for him and d#1 and my friend's kids and my friend (she's very good and looked after d#1 whilst A&E was going on) Oh, and me! I wanted one too! "Pick anything!" I trilled. So, he went for the really expensive Flake cornetto thingy; COST a fortune!!! Bang goes my ASDA saving! It'll be mini milks from now on I tell ya!
8.Made some piles of stuff to go into the loft (in ohhhhh about 7 weeks time!)

8 Things I wish I could do
1)More domestic ish things
2)Sing 9well I think I've greatly improved over the years, some would beg to differ.
3)I wish I could do "optimism" a bit better; 'fraid I am more of a glass half empty.
4)Control my (or rather obliterate) my raging hormones.
5)Make it so every child in the UK could read.
6) Make it so every child in the world had the chance to attend school on a regular basis.
7)Fly
8)Make a decision quickly.

8 favourite fruits
1) Strawberries (my s#1 is the only person I know who doesn't like strawberries - except for those who are allergic- I find it very odd)
2)Blueberries...especially in blueberry muffins;)
3) good 'ol kiwi
4) Apples. I craved them when I was pregnant with d#1 but I generally found that the ones I got had accidentally tripped up into a crumble, or pie, or turnover. Odd that...
5)Oranges but I usually avoid due to sticky nature. OK satsumas. YES!! They remind me of Christmas.
6)Lemons. You're not bitter or sour; you're lovely.
7)erm....rhubarb?
8)Maybe...raspberries

and I HATE watermelon (any melon really) gooseberries, mango (like the taste not the texture); anything dried bleuurghhhhh.

8 Places I'd like to travel
1) To the edge of space
2)Ohh too hard. There are too many places and I can't think of one. India, actually, and I've never been to Ireland. Every year I say "lets go to Ireland" but we always end up in Scotland. I like Scotland but I'd like to go to Ireland next year.
I know you're supposed to do 8 but I really can't think. Honest.


8 Places I've lived
1) Manchester
2)Preston
3) Seriously, that's it. Let me see? In Manchester, I've lived in...
4)Hulme (Manchester inner city)
5)Sale (Manchester Suburb)
6)Flixton (Manchester suburb)
7)The imaginary land that exists only in my head.
8) Finished now.

So, I will pass it on to

Clareybabbling
Kelloggsville
Wife not Lodger
and1 more means four
Mamma Po
Eve Upshall
Soapboxmummy

PS May I point out that, due to procrastination, this post was started about 2 weeks ago, so any news is old news BUT I'm on the case now and I'm gonna get better at this I promise!

MOVING!!!

I'm really excited!!! I'm moving house!!! Currently I am trying to decide which room the 4 kids will occupy. Our new garden is lovely; It's HUGE and split into 3 sections: a civilized "grown up" patio/decked bit (handy for BBQ's on a day like today); a lovely, lush garden bit in the middle (handy for sunbathing in on a day like today!) and a wild secluded bit at the bottom, where the kids can play in the manner of the Swallows and Amazons sans watery element (I was going to suggest Lord of the Flies, but I can't be doing with the fighting and there's going to be a few too many girls there). There is, of course, an office and the loft conversion is to die for. In fact, I might put D#1 and S#1 in one of the rooms up there, and use the other bit as a playroom. Did I tell you about the original features? Ohhhh, it's all sash windows, cast iron fireplaces and tiled hallways. An added attraction has to be the massive garage but, hey, we'll have off road parking too. Best of all, there is no chain...

...and I really must stop this imaginary moving house business. Why is Rightmove so much more appealing than the Teaching Ideas website? I should be planning Green Day (no not the band) for school. Back to reality... BUMP!!!!