Are you on the wagon?

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hi tink-

great news on DD1 reading.

GBL enjoy your 2 days with her glad shes on the mend by looks of it and hope its not long till shes fully back to herself.

Morning! Lovely and sunny here, and not too cold. Ds at home, which is nice. I am also cheered by the fact that he has calling out 'Ma ma ma' when he wants me - never had that with the other 3
GING, enjoy the next couple of days - glad you got sorted at the docs and dd feeling brighter. Thanks about the weight loss - have another stone and a half to go
NAT, they might want ID as it's a distance learning course? (ie. to make sure it's you doing the work). There again, there's nothing to stop other people writing students' assignments who go in everyday, so probab;y just a formality. Do make sure you check whether photocopy will do though (wouldn;t want any more delays ). By the way, I meant to say yesterday that take you time about getting used to the new car/motorway etc before heading my way. It must be a scary prospect motorway driving in a car you're not used to!
KAYZ, hope last night went well . Really pleased that you have arrived at a decision that is right for you - that's all anyone can ask for!
MMM, you're having very busy days at the moment! Sounds good fun though
SES, hope the headache improved! Sounds like you did a lot yesterday - remember when Wed was my only day off; was nice to have the break mid-week
Hi RUGBY! Hey I didn;t realise you had a phd too - though I'm sure you've told me before (is it science-based?)Are you following the low GI diet again? How do you know what's high and low? (sorry for ignorance!).
Just a PO visit planned for today, then up to get dd2, back to the house, wait in 20 mins then back up hill to get dd1...these afterschool clubs are a killer!

MMM, it's amazing how they can appear seemingly from nowhere!

Tink, lucky DD1! Have to admit, I haven't bought one single book since before xmas, they've got loads, and DS1 is still reading the ones he got at christmas alongside the school ones he brings home. I have bought comics/mags for them, just not books

GBL, glad DD is picking up

Diege, yes sunny and blue skies here as well, but it's freeeeeeeeezing, it's still icey in the shade. I spoke to DH about a different way other than motorway, he says it would take forever, but the motorway down near Warrington is infamous for being difficult. TBH, it won't be next week at this rate anyway, the salesman at Evans Halshaw is away on a course (yes a course to sell cars?! ) tomorrow and day off on Saturday, he want's to close the deal (i.e. get the commission no matter how much it put's us out) so we've either got to pick it up tonight or it'll be next week. DH has wangled the time off with work, but the car is currently on a transporter coming from Scotland, salesman is saying if it arrives intime for them to "do the finishing touches" (???) and tax it, then we can pick it up tonight, but no one seems to know when it will land.

Told you it's going to be one of those days!

Have emailed the NDA, they replied pretty quick last time so hopefully won't have to wait for long!

Morning all,

Diege - yeah, my PhD is science based, I was working on an asthma project for most of it. It was good and I loved working on my own project but it was really really hard work! Do you have a PhD too - what were you researching? I am following a low GI diet from the Tesco diets website. It gives you weekly menus then you can swap meals or ingredients so it suits you/what you have in the cupboards. It's all pretty simple stuff - today I have weetabix, a banana and OJ for breakfast, a sandwich, yogurt and apple for lunch then baked cod with a crispy topping, potatoes and veg for dinner. For now it saves me having to think too much but we'll have to wait and see whether it works or not .

Kay - hope that dinner went well last night and that you and DH were able to talk.

GBL - glad DD is feeling better today. It's good to hear BLW went well for you - did you stay away from spoon feeding completely? We were planning on doing a bit of both. I put a tiny bit of squash on a spoon and handed it to her and she stuck it in her mouth and sucked the squash off - I figure she can still choose whether to eat it or not but she gets to practice using a spoon. Plus we can feed her a little when we are out and about.

Nat - good luck with the reading but are you sure you need to read all of it? I've never had a textbook I needed to read from start to finish but your course could be completely different.

Hi RUGBY! Hey that diet sounds pretty good. Are you allowed unlimited fruit/veg etc too? Not sure I could survive without my snacks! My slimming world books have arrived from e-bay today, so I can obsess all night about the syn values of every supermarket food known to humankind tonight . Yes, completed my PhD 1997 - seems ages ago now, bored me stupid by the end of it. It's on state theory and is entitled something like 'Re-Presenting the Nation: An Investigation into the Political Economy of the Discursive' - you still awake?
NAT, you make sure you're safe in those roads! 'Difficult' doesn't sound great. I know Warrington is roundabout city, which (for me) is a nightmare in itself. I'm actually south warrington (Stockton Heath) if that makes any diference? If it's any easier we could maybe meet mid-way in Manchester? (with any other wagoners that are near?) Think we've had this conversation before actually
Right, better get my lunch cooked - if I get too hungry I go all hulk-like and change into a food binging psycho
Oh also NAT I've never had a student of mine (even the good ones) read the whole text book - they're intended to dip in and out of as and when, (ie, when there's a relavant topic they go to the book (and hopefully wider reading list) and read around it. It would be nice to think they were all as conscientious as you

Hiya Rugby Diet sound's alright, that's more than what I eat (except last night!) I have slowed right down, losing somewhere between 1-2 lbs a week. Re. the book, yes this one at least needs reading cover to cover, it's all about the architecture and technical drawing, and how to build the plans and stuff, it is the ID's guidebook if you like, everything from day one, to health and saftey regs. accounting, trade accounts, everything basically!

Which reminds me, I am sure someone asked what my course is, but I can't remember who asked (sorry ), and I can't find the message now, but it's Interior Design, it's only a diploma, but it leads to masters, which will lead to the BA honors, t'is all very exciting - well it is for me, am sure everyone else around me is mightily fed up with it all now!

Afternoon... not been on in a couple of days, had caught up this morning but had no time to post. Then spent an hour sorting out DD1's wardrobe... removed a bin bag full of outgrown 2-3 clothing, Have sorted all her summer clothes- she has 27 outfits!! (i dont know how either!!) PLUS extra tops/pants that dont match up very well... That was without including lots of brand new/barely worn 2-3 summer bits that would still fit, but i thought i may aswell put them away ready for DD2 to grown into as she's already got so much that will fit her for summer!!

Sorted DS's out too, he's got plenty to be going on... and i may get him a couple of extra t-shirts but otherwise he's fine... so it's just DD2 that needs anything for summer, and even then not much either as she already has tons too!! think i'll just get her a handful of shorty rompers and that'll probably be her sorted too!!

I'm gonna make spag bol for tea tonight, and make enough sauce to make a lasagne ready for tomorrow too. DH won tickets for watching wrestling with backstage passes tomorrow night... he's taking DS with him, so if i cook the lasagne today it'll mean he can collect me from my BFN course, then all go to collect DS from school, then have tea and the boys can set off... busy one!!

Did my wii-fit this morning- have gained 1lb in the last 2.5wks so i'm back on my diet & excercise routine!! Hopefully i can loose another stone by summer... that'd be good.

Have caught up but can't remember much... lets see how i can round up...

Kayz- hope you and DH are doing ok. did you have a good evening yesterday?

Nat- good going on reading... spilt milk is a PITA!!

Diege- we are thinking of possibly going to underwater street with the DC's during the summer... maybe we should make a day-trip like we attempted last summer?

Tink- books sound good.

GBL- glad DD seems better today.

Gruff- did read but it's gone over me now.... but HI!!

Rugby- good going on sleep front- i did dream feed for a month or so and it'd get her through till the morning with only one other feed... then i started ignoring the waking for a feed and she'd be back asleep normally within 20mins or so... then after a couple of weeks with just a dream feed i dropped that too. You'll find a way to slowly get no feeds, just all in your own time!!

Hello anyone i may have missed...

Nat - sounds fantastic! Of course we aren't bored with hearing about it. Good luck with getting through the book!

Diege - no unlimited fruit but there is at least 1 piece of fruit with most meals so I can save those to eat between meals. You can also choose a small snack like a banana each day. It's the portion sizes I stuggle with - I've clearly been keeping up with DP who is 6ft4 and having huge meals .

Your PhD sounds way over my head, I can barely understand the title!

RUGBY, if it's volume of food you're suffering with, have you tried Slimming World? Seriously, there are so many free foods, and there are no limits for portion size. A typical day for me (take today) is 2 weetabix, milk and banana for breakfast, homemade vegetable chilli (made with quorn mince) and unlimited boiled rice for lunch, yog and fruit for pud. Mid-afternoon, cheese on toast (2 pieces)and greek yog with chopped apple, tea is cooked all-day veggie breakfast (2 quorn sausages, can of baked beans, 2 fried eggs (in fry light spray), tomatoes, mushrooms. And for later cream egg and a rich tea biscuit. All fruit, veg and things like quorn sausgaes, baked beans, rice, pasta,are 'free' which means you have in umlimited amounts, so technically I could have baked pot, beans and q-sausages on the hour every hour - but of course baked pots aren't my problem, so I don't! That's the veggie option btw, same sort of thing volume wise for meat eaters. I know I sound like a zealot, but it's really worked for me in the past ( I do well with high carbs,low fat and protein).
CANT, Liverpool sounds great! Will def arrange something for the warmer weather . BTW did your dd wear those gold Gap hotpants were were drooling over in York?NAT, just bgettiong my head round your course (as you are!); masters usually happen AFTER the BA/BSC degree - is this different whereby it's a sort of masters at diploma level?
Right, I'm hungry now

Diege- yes she did wear them last summer.... only a handful of times tho as they had to be super tight on the waistband to fit her!! They are still like new so she'll hopefully get another summer out of them at least!! Though with the amount of clothes she has they'll bearly get any wear this year either... i got her 5years tho, so they MAY last till next summer too ... she's only in 3-4 in everything else. In fact, when i said i'd sorted her summer clothes they were the only things she asked if i found!! She must have liked them!! I plan to team them up with a lovely plain-ish DKNY tee i got her, it's just white with pink 'DKNY' across the chest, with gold glitter and gold bead detail!! Lush!!

wow- i just typed all that about a PAIR of shorts!!! god- can't you tell I liked them too!!

Hello

Cant- good going on the sorting and cooking.

Nat- course sounds great. Good for you

Rugby- when we did blw, at the start we didnt do anything with spoons then realised it really limited the foods so we started doing loaded spoons and forks (bit older)
I really really dont like her being spoon fed and I have never done it which means she is ace with a spoon now. Although im sure nursery might have done it as occasionally she looks at me and just opens her mouth!

We did thick porridge, risottos, couscousy kind of meals etc like this. Then used a toddler fork for stuff like lasagne, pasta twists etc. I'd recommend buying yourself a square of plastic table cloth for under the high chair though. Catches all the mess. Mine just caught a pile of vomit- how pleasant

PhDs- you guys are all too clever

Hi everyone else...

CANT, I saw The Gold Hotpants in the Chester branch a few weeks ago, and my heartrate notably increased . Wish I'd got them for dd3 now. Make sure she wears them for the Liverpool trip with her DKNY tee - sounds gorgeous
GING, baby-led weaning sounds great - wish I'd tried it now but was worried about not using a spoon (didn't think it involved spoons ). Maybe next time .
Right, better get ds up from his nap and head out for school run. Tis like summer here!

Sorry Diege, x posted before but had to take spag bol out of oven, and then eat!

Re. meet up, I'm happy to let you all sort it out and if I can make it on the day then I will

The website says the masters makes up 2 years of the BA degree, so the BA should take only 12-18 months to complete after the masters. I actually do not have a clue how it all works, even last night, filling in the forms, it says they enrol you onto a level 3 diploma in art and design (equiv. to 1 A level) in your chosen subject (you can do either the ID or curtains and soft furnishings diplomas). I have no idea what that means , I'm only doing the one course, how can you get two different diplomas? Although, as much as I'm confused, I figure it will fill up a huge empty space on my CV come job hunting, and I couldn't care less what it's called as long as it get's me to the point where I can go forth and job hunt! I guess this is why if I were actually going to a centre to study you'd have such things as open days etc.!

Can't, LOL at the shorts speech

hi lots of chat

can't - sorting clothes sounds good

my 2 will have plenty as well.

i have lots of summer clothes for dd2 that dd1 had there seems to be loads and i have some new bits from debenhams blue zoo

dd1 has all her nits that i bought from boden plus summer clothes from last year for the summer hols and after school

Not sure what the official rule is on BLW and spoons, but loaded varieties are definitely mentioned in books.

Think key is that they feed themselves/ control what they eat rather than get it shoved in, scraped off face, re-shoved in etc etc.

Just put DD back to bed an hour after getting up. She really isnt herself with this chest infection.

Nat- if you'd seen 'The Shorts' you'd understand more!! .... diege will back me up on that one!! They are GAP, shiney gold hotpants... very Kylie-esq!!

Diege- will try to remember to put her in hotpants outfit for liverpool trip!! will have to be in summer hols... DH is off the 1st 2 wks of aug i think, so most likely then if you can make it?

since my last post i properly sorted out DS's... had already cleared out all his too-small clothing last week, but hung all his summer stuff up and he's also got too much- 20 outfits!! I dont know how i've done it... i dont remember buying most of it... it's just there... I half expect i bought it all at the end of last summer in the sales... but honestly can't remember. I know i haven't bought much for them clothing-wise since last summer... except xmas clothing and recent bday bits for DD2... magic clothes making fairy in my house maybe??

have made the spag bol... so after tea today i'm gonna make the lasagne ready for tomorrow... and need to do my 'homework' for my next course lesson tomorrow. ... i did do all the reading part- but forgot about the sheet of questions i had to complete.

GBL - that's more or less what we planned on doing so I'm glad it works . For now we are just letting her play with some bits of fruit and veg but we had also given her a spoon to play with to keep her amused so I just stuck a bit of mushy squash on the end. We will stick with that until she reaches 6 months so we won't really use a spoon but I had thought that it might be useful later on. I hope DD is back on top form soon.

Diege - I'll bear that SW diet in mind but to be honest I think I eat far too much - its just greed and keeping up with DP - so learning some portion control will be good for me. I'm glad its working for you though, how much more do you want to lose?

Cant - lol at the hotpants speech!

hi everyone, been to my aunties all day. just watching the soaps and gunna get an early night. feel awful, got a cold, and nakered from lack of sleep. hoping to have a better night. wish i cud jus turn my mind of so i cant lay awake thinkin about things.
hope everyone is well and had a great day

MMM - hope you get a better night's sleep. Have you tried leaving pen & paper beside your bed and writing things that are going round your head down?

GBL - hope DD is doing better and you get to enjoy your couple of days off. We don't have much luck with loaded spoons. O will (eventually!) put it in his mouth but then won't let go unless it's to throw the spoon on the floor. He does get spoon fed at nursery and at home I tend to stick to finger foods and chunks of food.

Kay - hope everything is working out

my headache is still lingering but I think it's partly lack of water and partly tiredness. O's sleeping has settled down again but he still wakes once for a feed which means I'm awake for about 60 - 90mins in the middle of the night by the time I'm back asleep.

Well done everyone on your diets. I'd love to lose another stone but have no will power and need regular carbs otherwise I get lightheaded. Like Rugby, most of my problem is portion size.
Having said that, I hVs had some nice xo nents from people at work as I'm now less than my pre-pg weight.

Morning

Next door's bloody CM alarm is going off AGAIN, they must be able to hear it, why can't they just turn it off?

Will be back, going to make a brew!

Well that was a long brew, alarm woke all the kids up, so breakfast and lunch making happened...

DH has taken the enrolment forms with him to post, so we're now on the 14 days countdown. Think I could burst with excitment, and I am already dreading the moment it all arrives, the poor delivery bloke is going to have a story to tell - I'll be his wierdo of the day!

MMM, hope you got a decent sleep last night? I was thinking of you at 3.30 this morning, strange what comes into your head when you can't sleep!

No word from Kay still? Hope they are alright.

It's really foggy here, hope it lifts and we have the sun back, even though it was still freezing yesterday the sun makes everything seem better!

morning, feeling dreadful this morning, woke up with the mother of all headaches ( due to lack of sleep i think its catching up on me ) and i have no paracetomol in. bloody typical.
was up for an hour in the night where i couldnt sleep, but not as bad as the 4 - 5 the other nights. thanks NJ and SES, not tried the pen n paper, as never thought of it tbh. i kinda dont see how it wud work if u get me? writin it down ill still be awake thinking about it? or am i jus bein stupid?
suns out here again this mornin was really warm here today, sat in the garden at my auntys all afternoon, hope it stays like this tomoro too, as hopefully going to the zoo ( weather permitting )

Hello,

I'm about. Just not posting as I don't have time.

Trying to sort everything out here as we had told tax credits etc we had split up.

Things are going well, but we seem to have gone back to sitting on the sofa watching tv and not really talking to each other. So that has to change but he isn't a big talker so I'm not too bothered.

I am exhausted, not been sleeping properly for ages and the boys always wake up at 6.