Jan 2009, baby D0Gs and bumps galore.. lets make room for many more...

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here we are. am going to start a bet on who is next to get broody!

I covet the vtech pink kidizoom one regularly in shops.

Tea x

Hey Ladies. Went swimming this morning to wear out DD but she is still going strong and voiced a very pronounced no when I said it was nap time. Giving her a couple of minutes while I type here for her to get use to the idea .

The property isn't $10000, its $450,000 but we could probably secure a mortgage with that down payment as there is two cabins on the property so, one to rent, one to live. However, we could also rent both until the end of the winter, tear one down and put a semi permanent trailer on it while we slowly build our house. Here's the property The lake is electric motor only, so no speed boats, and has a nice park walk around half the lake that is about 4 km. The property is grossly out of proportion for what its worth really, even being on a lake. There is a huge industrial area, the train, and there is loads of traffic in the summer time, plus the incredibly unsightly property directly in view, next door. I asked around to some friends with property investment experience and they agree with me, and think the property could be talked down to about $395,000. There is too much work that needs to be done for the land itself to be worth 450,000. They are basing it on purely market value without considering the the full scope of the area... plus a massive housing development is going on there too, so years of listening to that. But, whatever, waterfront property in on the island is few and far between. I'm coming up with some ideas to generate money and how to use my work and I think I may explore a 'Raffle for an Art Commission' worth £5000. What do you reckon. I've seen people do crazier things, like the guy that started a scheme that began with him trading one red paperclip and now he has a house!

Sounds like a plan Chef. Do it do it. What a view! And there's so much potential with that property.

Agreed. What a great view. If you can make that happen then you could have a dream set up there!
There would be a period of less than glam times I guess, but think of the potential!

Hello Tea and Tink. I know nothing of those cameras, sorry!
Computer gone mad so calling it a night.

Night all.

Tried to post this last night, but wouldn;t post?!?!

Hi all.

Esme NOW seems OK. Had a bit of a drama last night, Wheezing got awful, and woke up gasping and struggling to breathe. Called NHS direct for reassurance and expected them to say raise matress and keep eye on her, but Nurse listened to her and sent Paramedic. Paramedic was here a few minutes and was concerned about her condition as blood oxygen low, so called for ambulance. Ended up in Queen Alexander (which by the way was FAB, can't fault anything!) still not entirely sure what it was, they seemed to think rather quick onset for Croup, didn't think Bronchitis, just some kind of viral Chest infection, but responded well to Oxygen and steriods, kept her in overnight and eventually discharged this morning. Surprisingly apart from a bit of wheezing she has been rushing around as normal even though has 3 hours sleep Max last night!!!

Missj Meant to ask, are you sad to see the back of Big brother? Liz (Elizabeth Locke) is the girl from the apprentice. She is the OH of one of DH's old Team Mates, geniunely nice girl, VERY VERY smart. I've already said to DH my money is on her winning! How long are you spending in Oz?

Dog Sorry to hear of mastitis, Hope it clears up soon. Boob/face down (face above water of course) in a really hot bath worked well for me!

Goodness me Ray what a night! Glad she is ok now though.

Think I might change my Halloween themed nickname to: witchesbrewandeyeoffrogplease What do you reckon ladies?

morning

chef - definetly go for it great oppurtunity

rray - poor esme!!

Morning all.

blood Halloween nickname sounds great, i do appologise in advance if i get confused with nickname changes, not good at them!

Dog how is mastitis?

Just sorting out my friend mailing me some uggs from the states, They are $90, so £56, even with the shipping (about £13) they are still ALOT cheaper than over here, i'm not an expensive shoe person, but my goodness uggs are divine in the winter! Very excited!

Esme perky, still sounds bloody awful, but running around like her usual nutter self! x

Poor Esme ray. Harriet did the same in August, it's so scary isn't it. We were just as amazed by how quickly steroids turn it around. Dd2 was up and about after about 2 hours and doing the wall of death around childrens ward.
Take it easy, so glad all is well now. You must have been scared. (((hugs)))

We have much mucus here too. I was vomiting yesterday, now dd2 is febrile and snotty and coughing. Had a bad night really, dh and I sleeping on floor next to her in shifts, he was up till 2 am, and so on. He must be exhausted. Then it's his early finish today, but he is going into school for an hours observation. It never stops for him. Then I start work tomorrow, so his next reast will be work at 7am on monday. I worry about him. They better give him a place at uni, when I think of the work he is puting into life. All so we can be charged these crazy course fees. I have a small hope that maybe courses leading to teaching will be subsidised, like nursing etc. Doubt it though.

Pah. On a downer now I have written it all out. M&S order finally came, dd2's sale clothes. I got 18-24 and I think they are going to be huge. Plus I don't really like them. So....I don't know....samey.

I like both names Tea, although your currenet one is easier to read I guess I'll be hauntedtreedelivery - no imagination.

Yes. It is the cold and flu season. Get your Vit C and D into ya and keep those hands washed. ;) Which is virtually impossible with little ones.

Bookmarking. Have to head out to shop for some meatball ingredients... going to an appy party tonight with mom friends and all the kids. Should be fun.

afternoon

rray - luv esmes buggy

hi tree - sorry for ills

enjoyed today went into town this morning - had a try of elc camera is great will definetly be getting dd2 that one for xmas
this aft saw friends

bookmarking...will catch up later.

Ray- poor e, hope she's feeling better

Yay lenni! great job news! congrats!

Welcome back HKZ, and big waves Books. How goes it?

Am awaiting our first ever domino pizza delivery. 50% discount form mn you understand, and a treat as we are knackered, plus it's very unusual to have me home on a friday night. Normally working. Start tomorrow so have that Monday feeling, hey ho.

Difficult bunch to settle tonight. DD1 better after a poo that made me feel sick it was so huge. Her poor bottom. Dd2 a mucus explosion, she can't breath well and can't settle.

Have code for 50% off at merino babies, on their merino playware. How tempting is that??????

yum for pizza, tree - I think I would have to drive at least 25 mins to get to a pizza place here, and as for delivery, forget it.

ray how utterly terrrifying, glad the hospital looked after you though, and glad E is doing better. These things are so scary when they are so little and you can't ask them how they are feeling or reassure them that everything is going to be okay.

Bargain on the uggs - I got some from the US last year too - am hoping Aus will be pretty cheap this time around! What colour did you go for? I know they are a bit cliched but I just love them, there is nothing comfier, and it feels like going out in your slippers!

Amazing news lenni, well done - bet you will really enjoy it. Am .

Where's pat? Pat? Paaaaat? hope you are okay x

Waves to everyone else - my birthday today, mainly spent cooking for 20 people, but we did have our 20 week NHS scan which was nice. All looked good although you do feel they are a little brief about the whole thing.

Wow, chef, that view is amazing! Looks like a pretty idylic location, and no UG living upstairs!

MissJ Glad the scan was all good, pretty cool birthday present! Did you take N with you? What did he reckon? J is loving there's a house in my mummy at the moment...not sure wat he'll think when the present occupier vacates and comes to live in his house though.

Ray, sorry , missed you last post, glad that Esme has bounced back, scary stuff. Bargain uggs! I have size 9 feet and look ridiculous in them!

Tree, how was the pizza? I am super hungry but have the most rubbish heartburn and can't face anything much. Sorry about poo troubles too, gah, poor girls.

Waves to Books, Lenni and Tink and Blood! Where are 120 and Moose and Pat? And Elki?

Well I had a good week with the Year 11s on the Isle of Wight, weather was amazing, but I am exhausted now. Was lovely coming home to my babies too, I missed all those cuddles. DH and I have spent the evening making plans...we are off up to newcastle for half term and have pretty much decided to make a move up there in the summer. The house we looked at last easter is still on the market, so we might make a daft offer and see what they say.. here Am quite excited about being near the sea and all the lovely countryside up there...not so excited about the average rainfall and temperature though! The idea is to have it as a base and rent it out if we can get work abroad again...who knows though.

Am in a deliriously tired mood so am going to go to bed before I fall asleep on the sofa! Night all!

Tree - have replied on fb.

Ray - Glad she is okay, terrible for you.

HKZ/MissJ/Books - Thanks for congrats. I am really pleased. Has sunk in today. Feel very content and excited as is such a great role and a decent sized promotion from my last post which is a great up yours to all the colleagues who've made remarks about my decision to have time with the children. It is also such a varied post that I'll get loads of experience and training so if I did go back into mainstream I'd be able to go for an assistant head level job as this job is just below that level albeit in a smaller school. I just hope I'm up to the challenge.

Great news on the scan, pictures, pictures.

Chef, house doesn't work when I click on it. My internet is so totally crap. I am certain it is amazing though.

HKZ Nice place. That's like what is happening with the place we're looking at. Its still there so it must be waiting for us. lol

Lenni Great on the scan. Mine's coming up. Because I'm over 36 (shock) I get 2... and early one at 11weeks.

Haha, Chef, not me preggers, don't tell DH, he'd get ideas! Nearly 11 weeks already - wow! That's hone quick.

miss j - sounds like u had a great bday glad scan went well wow 20 weeks already

lenni - great news

MissJ - brillant news on the scan. Has anyone noticed how other people's pregnancies go much more quickly than your own? I can't believe how the thread pregnancies fly!! Really lovely birthday for you MissJ, I hope you enjoyed it.

That house is lovely HKZ. OUrs is similar, but less grand. But I really love these kind of houses, although the stairs are a killer. I went to Newcastle uni fab city. Am starting to wonder why our family feels so trapped, when I know more and more people who are just up and off! Oh yeah - childcare

Dominos pizza was rally very lovely. Never had before, due to £££. It was worth it though. Really really nice. Droooooool. Watched StarTrek film and ate. It was almost like before H-bomb.

Lenni you are a star. Poor dh has a lot to do on that form, but he is childcare this weekend. Am encouraging him to get his parents down tomorrow to take the girls. He needs to work on the car for an hour or two [overheating] and then could do a couple of hours on UCAS or maybe, even, the blooming access course! We keep sort of forgetting it has to be done
Am hoping all will become a little easier when the coughs and snots pass, and the dc's go to bed at usual time. Ho hum.

Tryng to keep eyes on the prize, imagine when he is in post, and earning more, maybe eventually I could go seriously part time. Or be a SAHM. Maybe I could have a 3rd. Wow. Eyes on the Prize.

Oh but the money. How do you loose 50% family income and pay course fees too? My plan is that the misery of poverty will be offset by the more relaxed student lifestyle and the loss of his 40hr working week. He might get to do some school runs and see more of dd1's school life. What do you think people? I mean the course will be tough, and the study hard. But surely nothing can be as hard as his current work hours, commute, dd2 this last 20 months, and me going back to work.
Surely it has to be easier?

Chef - you sound excited about the house. How long do you think the new buuild would take, and what would you be allowed to build? Does it have to be single story? We are all going to have serious house envy in x amount of time

AFTERNOON VERY QUIET ON HERE [HMM]

HI TREE [GRIN] HOPE U R WELL I LUV DOMINOES PEPERRONI IS MY FAV AND I LUV THE GARLIC AND HERB DIP[GRIN]

Flyby post - tree there are a lot of options for support whilst at uni. Families get help on childcare costs etc. Plus hopefully you'll get a higher rate of tax credits. It may not be so bad. He'll be working full time on placement by the third year but in the earlier years he'll have more free time than he does now. Have a look on the website of the student union for info on financial help.

Cheers Lenni. I don't think we'll qualify for the childcare aspect really, as dd is in school and dd2 will be passed around the gp's. Although that might be worth reconsidering. Am hopng we will get some ctc too. And he can hopefully pick up some sort of weekend job or nights stacking shelves etc. We'll muddle. Hey, he won't be leaving at 6.20am 5 days a week. I just looked at our monthly budget thingie, and we save £200 in fuel. He can cycle to uni. Yee har!

Mind you, have to get on the course first. The interview day will be very demanding. Scary.

I'm leaving for work in an hour. It's harder in winter when it's dark. Pull of couch and cup of tea is strong.

Lenni - at the job sinking in. You must feel great. What a lovely way to see out the year at home with the babies, a fantastic challenge on the horizon. You have kicked ass to secure a promotion in 'these times'. Bloody marvellous. You are up to the challenge. You are Lenni.

That garlic and herb dip is fabby. It has a real pickle or lemon zing to it, me likey. I could eat that lot again.