Silent Sunday

fed-up and ready to go home

Being terrorised by a 4 year old...

...and she's not even family!

She lives in a couple of houses down and I've let her come in a couple of times to play with the girls, as long as her Mummy agrees 1st but today she's being a little nightmare!

To start with I had to chase her twice when our girls were going down for their nap because every time they heard her they woke up again and then after their naps she let herself into the house whilst I was in the bath and hubbie was on the phone in the kitchen and her Mummy didn't even know where she was.

Now, since 7pm I've chased her a few times, I've shouted through the window for her to stay away from the window because I was trying to get the girls into their jammies and start their wind down but she keeps coming over regardless of what I say to her.

There's just no telling her!

Her Mummy says to just tell her to go away if she's annoying me but it's not working and I don't want to have to get any sterner with her than I already have because she's only 4 and by the looks of it she's an only child so is just wanting the company but she's starting to bug the life out of me when I'm trying to keep our girls on schedule and routine is seriously important for our twins, if we veer off course then it's a nightmare trying to get back on.

Oh what to do!!

How to tell I'm a home alone Mummy

For my tea

For my viewing pleasure Carmine Giovinazzo in CSI: NY

All rounded off with a cuppa and a lovely cinnamon bun whilst curled up on the sofa wrapped in a cuddly blanket.

Ahh peace and quiet!!

Reasons to be cheerful

Thank you Mummy from the Heart.
1.The bin men arrived!! This in itself isn't all that thrilling but knowing the nappies my monsters have produced the past fortnight I'm so thankful the bin men weren't late or off because it was getting rough out the back!
Roll on potty training is all I can say, it'll mean fewer nappies in the bin!
2.I didn't have an asthma attack. This time last week I couldn't breath and was halfway to having an asthma attack but thank goodness for my inhalers and both my Mother-in-Law and my Mummy for taking the girls for me so I could look after myself instead of chasing about after the monsters.
3.Speaking of the monsters, they are one of my reasons to be cheerful. They're healthy, happy and in the mood to mess about just like they should be. Stuff any mess they make, it can be brushed up, as long as they're having fun that's all that matters.

I look forward to reading everyone elses reasons to be cheerful

I need Alan Titchmarsh...

Our garden is a dreadful sight I'm ashamed to admit.

When this house was built it was used as the show house and the garden had a water feature, a couple of trees and some lovely bushes all placed to advantage, then someone moved in and it was barely looked at again other than to get the grass cut. When we moved in almost 2 years ago we didn't know there was a water feature because the weeds had grown over the protective sheeting that had been laid to discourage weeds and everything was so overgrown it was a complete mess.

Last year we tried to tidy it up and we succeeded a little bit, mostly by cutting everything back, cutting down a few of the trees because they were getting a little dangerous and by discovering the abandoned water feature (not sure how they worked it because there's no outside tap or water connection to be found anywhere) and other than a few planted pots and hanging baskets etc nothing else was done.

This year however, with our girls now being 2 and loving the outdoors, it is imperative we provide a safe and secure garden for them to play in and it's a little beyond me how on earth I'm going to manage it!

Must take pics and let you all see what I have to work with and fingers crossed my Alan Titchmarsh (aka my Mummy) will help me work miracles.

Being a tea lady

On Tuesday night I get to be one of the tea ladies along with my Sister and Cousin to help my wee Brother and my Uncle out at their installation. Election results are being announced to the Lodge in front of the higher ranking Brothers and being the dutiful females of the family we must oblige them with tea, sandwiches and buns after the meeting draws to a close with a final prayer.

All of a sudden I'm feeling very grown up. The last time I did this I helped my Granny and Mummy helped as well but this time I'll kinda be in charge and I'm part excited part terrified, especially as I don't know how to work the huge water boiler/urn thingy they have in the hall that's ancient!

I've been rummaging through the back of my head trying to think of what tray bake recipes I have. Most of the men present will be men my Grandfather's age, God bless his soul, so they'll appreciate something home-made rather than shop bought and I love to bake but there are so many brilliant recipes I just can't decide on what to make for them.

Must remember to take plenty of sandwich bags with me in case anyone wants to take whatever is left home with them because the wives etc. of the Lodge members will hopefully be providing stuff as well.

5 Reasons I Know I'm a .........

Mother of Twins

Thanks to Kate Takes 5 for this week's suggestion.

1.

My handbag now resembles a small suitcase when I'm not taking the changing bag out with us, it must be big enough to fit a day's worth of nappies, baby wipes, at least two cuddly toys, and goodness knows how many stickers and note pads to keep the girls entertained.

2.

I can make tea whilst carrying both of my girls, okay well not so much now that they're two, but I was able to make a full meal, complete with a mug of tea each when our girls were smaller without needing to put them down in their bouncers.

3.

I have to drive a Vectra just to fit their pram into the car. I had to give up my beloved Corsa when our girls were a couple of months old because their pram was just far too big to fit into the car.

4.

People give me more pitying looks than they would a Mummy of a single child. The oh dear how on earth do you cope conversation is heard at least once a day when we're out and about and the amount of silly questions I get asked is beyond the joke, but I've learnt to smile, nod and agree and then walk away before they hear me laughing at them.

5.

I have 5 scars to prove it! Not only do I have a caesarean scar to show for carrying around my bundles of joy I also have 4 scars from needing to have my gall bladder out, according to the surgeon carrying twins gave me gall stones because of the build up of calcium floating around my body and I ended up having to have it removed as the stones just wouldn't stop getting stuck. Funny how no-one warned me about this during my pregnancy but after it they all talked about it like I should've been aware it was a possibility. 

Listography: Top 5 Things That Makes Me Happy

• kate takes 5 asks us this week for our Top 5 Things That Makes me Happy so here are mine...

• Our identical twin daughters. They may be little monsters but they're our little monsters and we wouldn't want them any other way.

• My kindle that Santa brought me Christmas past, I feel completely and utterly lost if I don't have it near me at all times.
• My husband. Despite being made redundant he hasn't let the dooms and glooms overtake him and he's turning his down time into something productive (like diy round the house) and focusing on what the next stage of his working life is going to be.
• My Mummy. Regardless of what age I am she'll always be called Mummy. She's had it really rough the last year or two but she's still standing and if it wasn't for her I don't think any of her children would be as strong as we are today, it's thanks to her that we turned out as well as we did and nothing we can do can ever show her how much she means to us, although according to her her twin granddaughters were a good start!
• Baking. There's nothing better than creating something you know everyone will enjoy and even better when your friends and family know you're planning on doing some baking at the weekend and they put in requests for their favourites. I love that feeling.

Date Night!

Hubbie has booked a table for us for tomorrow night at 7pm and despite the fact that I'll only be getting home from work round 6pm and will have less than 15 mins to get myself decent to go out again I'm really looking forward to it!

Can't remember just how long it's been since we've been out as husband and wife and not as Mummy and Daddy so it'll be a novel experience but I'm a little concerned over what's suitable conversation, so silly I know but I'm so used to having our toddlers with us that talking to an adult is a little difficult for me at times. Thankfully Hubbie feels the same way so we'll muddle through together I'm sure and if we end up giggling halfway through our starters then at least we're giggling and making a mess of it together and it's something we can enjoy together too.

Now what to wear...............

I have a cold, let me be miserable!

Is there a unwritten rule somewhere that says when a Mummy has a cold she's not allowed to feel miserable like everyone else does when similarly afflicted?

Am I not allowed to look a little down in the dumps when our children are looking the other direction? Can I not grimace each time I cough and my throat feels like I'm scraping it with a wire brush without being told that someone else has a cold and sore throat that is much worse than mine?

Just let me be miserable! even for a little while.

I do not make a good patient, I don't like being told that I have to curl up and behave myself and let whatever it is do it's job and make me feel better, I do not like being tied down and have the really bad urge to get up and do stuff (like housework) when I'm not feeling well. Strange though that I have a housework phobia when I'm perfectly well :D

Vengeance shall be mine when my hubbie comes down with a cold, oh yes I'll get my own back then! 

Tomorrow I'll be playing the role of 'Bad Mummy'

My eldest daughter (Miss C) has to go to the Doctor tomorrow because she's got a lump on her finger that's looking suspiciously like a wart and it's starting to hurt, especially when she catches it on something so it's going to get looked at. Unfortunately if it is a wart like we suspect then she'll have to go round to the treatment room and that means I'll end up having to sit on her while one of the nurses sorts it out for her.

Oh dear. I'll be the bad guy for a while!

Having to put my daughter through this isn't something I particularly enjoy but unlike the rest of my family I can handle it at the time and don't get as upset and stressed as some of them do because I know if I get worked up then I'm not going to be any help to either of my daughters when they need me to stay calm and focussed to help them get through whatever it is they're going through at the time.

Oh the joys of being a Mummy.

After the appointment we'll go to Asda and pick up something nice for a treat then take it back up home where Granny B and Miss A are waiting for us so Granny can do the 'Bad Mummy, Good Granny' routine with Miss C.

Organised!

Santa has one trike left to buy, Mummy has a lot of baking to do and Daddy just needs to get paid so we can give all his nephews and niece their Christmas money and that's all the Christmas present bought, wrapped and waiting to be delivered.

Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Organised is not something you would associate with our house but this year for a change we're all organised and ready and raring to go (I even have all the Shloer bought and hid away for Christmas day).

Other than the fresh food we'll need nothing else needs bought that we're aware of so far so why do I feel like I'm missing something?