Saturday 22 May 2010

Ofsted Inspection prayer request

Our school is having an Ofsted inspection. We were expecting it and are hoping we can really show the inspectors how much our school has improved since our last one. For my US readers, this is an inspection that a government agency does for all state schools and the report is available for everyone to see online. It is incredibly gruelling and Governors need to attend. So my prayer request is that the school shines like I know it can, the inspectors see just how well our children are doing and that I come across as a confident Governor, not the bumbling wanting to do good mum!!

Thank you all, the inspection is being held over 2 days, tues and weds. I am meeting the inspectors on Tuesday!!!!!

Aaaagh!

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Same old, same old!

Bit like the title at the minute. Things are plodding along, girls nursery, Bubbs school. Me coffee mornings for school, Governor meetings and related stuff and a lot of demoralisation. It is always the same, however much you try to help, volunteer, do stuff that you really would rather not it is always the same.

I remember when I was younger both my sister and I competed in gymnastics and I mean seriously. We both trained every evening and on weekends and the gym was a 30 - 40 minute car journey away and it was just the norm for us......HOW DID MY PARENTS DO IT!! Yes we were good and we enjoyed it, but we competed most weekends up or down the country and I remember it was always the same parents that helped mine included and it must have been so frustrating for them cos no one else bothers!!!!! Bit like now, I'm really trying with certain things but still not getting results. Also, I sometimes think, well know really that too much knowledge can be a bad thing however much you think you want to know, when your children are involved sometimes ignorance is BLISS.

Wow sorry for the cryptic blog, can't go to into detail but lets just say it is hard work at the mo!

On the brighter side, half term is first week of June and Bill has got the time off which will be fab, we have friends coming down on the first weekend then on the following one my sister is coming up to visit and Bill and I are going to a wedding, on our own.....wowzers!! In London too and I have to dress up!!!!!

Monday 10 May 2010

Calling all potential Phoenix Traders

Most of you already know I sell Phoenix Greeting cards and accessories. I am always looking for new traders and you don't have to be in the UK, we are in France, USA and Australia.

I would love to hear from anyone who wants to know how to earn some extra money and run your own business.

Here is the link to my website so you get an idea of what I am talking about.

Look forward to hearing from you
xx

Sunday 9 May 2010

If you go down to the woods today......

You're in for a big surprise...!
We went for a lovely walk today, Bubbs, Jim Jam, Moodle, Nannie and I! The bluebells were out if full force and they smelt amazing. Mabel had the best time and came back filthy which Hubby won't be too pleased with as he gave her a bath yesterday and she was all lovely and soft and fluffy!! Oh and white!
I am going to try to tell you what these pix are of but you may have to guess what goes where because blogger keeps moving them. Next to us are my gorg kids...I had to get their winter jackets back out again as it was sooo chilly.


The one below us is one of the lovely bluebells














The girls kept picking up all the bluebells that were laying about the ground and telling me they were for me, bless them















This one is of Jim Jam standing by a lovely fairy castle, Nannie said this one had a garden planted on top. The kids had a great time imagining where the fairies and pixies would live and sleep and have their tea :-)
















Nannie also provided snacks of the chocolate variety much to the kids delight....we had to stop on this perfect log, bluebells in the background to eat them all.

















Bubbs and his lovely nannie












The bluebells which this picture just does not do justice too












Ahh, group pic
x

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Where to start....bad news always first I think.
My dad has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. They came home for 2 weeks about 24th March and have yet to go home. They are going back to France next week for a month to pack up the house get some more belongings so they can come back here mid June for an MRI and gameplan with the consultants. On a good note, he also had to have a CT scan on his kidney but has been given the all clear on that today which is a real blessing. Please keep them in your prayers as there is nothing else I feel I can do except pray.

The rest of us are fine, the girls have the most rotten noses full of gunk and are just quite grumpy at the minute. We have had some amazing weather recently but it has turned really cold again and I don't think that is helping. They are being amazingly cute at times though, I love to just listen to them playing together and with Bubbs and they give the BEST cuddles.

Bubbs is doing well, he is getting on much better in school and has had a couple of football (soccer) lessons on a Saturday morning now which he seems to be enjoying. I am not thrilled about this but he is enjoying it so we'll see how it goes. My feeling is the he is very young and has his whole life ahead of him to fill up with STUFF and he is doing so much better at school since we have stopped doing anything after school and I just don't want to go through the tiredness again. I have noticed he is getting more grumpy already and am not sure whether it is this or the stuff with my dad. We have been careful not to go on about it too much while the kids are around but they are still going to know there is something going on and as I found out the hard way last summer with my depression he is one sensitive little boy.

Bill is doing well. He is without a bike apart from my old one which he uses for his commute at the minute so can be very grumpy on the weekends for this reason only. The trouble is even fixing bikes costs money which we just don't have.

I'm doing good. I am keeping on top of my depression which I am really pleased about. I can feel how easy it would be to slide but am turning to my faith to help prevent this happening. I also get to catch up with my therapist quite often in church which is an enormous help, just her asking after me seems to keep me grounded. (sounds silly I know).
Lots of other stuff has been going on, I was asked to be on the interview board as a governor for the Deputy Headship at Bubbs school. What an honour. It was a very long and gruelling day but amazing and a unanimous decision was made on one candidate who then accepted straight away. He gave me shivers and I nearly cried on the presentation he gave to us on inclusion in our school. He was bang on the money and is going to be such a great asset to our school. Yeah.
I've been going to Curves 3 times a week, sometimes 4 when I can and LOVING it. I have now lost a stone (14lbs) so only another stone left to go!!!!

Anyhoo, that is the small catch up I am sure there is loads more to say as I hadn't blogged for ages but the news about my dad seems to have put us all on hold somewhat.
I'm still reading alot though and always do even when I don't post.
xxx