Time to say goodbye...again

Well once again I don't seem able to work this photo thing out so the very few photos i've put on are on here backwards but hey...who will know!

So yesterday the RN kidnapped Pete for the first time this year and he disappeared off not to be seen again for a few months. I'm in a strange place with it this trip as I'm happier than I've been for such a long time which makes me more relaxed and in a more chilled out place and at the same time, I'm going to miss him more than ever. It's not a massively long trip and by the time he comes back we'll be close to going away together.

Nowhere fancy as we're still on a tight budget but we decided to put the extra cash from a council tax and water rate free Feb and March down on a holiday park get away. Will be the first time we've gone away for so long and it will be nice just to have a change of scenery. Just have to hope that it won't be the third holiday on the trot cancelled because of Pete going away. This time I've decided that if he can't come I'll take the girls on my own......if that happens I could need a holiday after to recuperate!

One thing that we did manage to squeeze into Pete's time home was the little ones baptisms. We had been trying to do this since shortly after Emily was born and it's nice that finally we got there. In a way, them being older was a bit more special as they got to hold their baptismal candles themselves and understood more of what was happening.

I must admit, I didn't wash the girls hair for about three days afterwards because there is something so beautiful and peaceful about snuggling up and smelling the Chrism oil on their heads. Thanks to everyone that made it a great occasion. Father Tim did a fantastic job, especially as all the paperwork didn't make it to him in time and so he didn't have all the details that were needed.

We had the baptisms after the Vigil Mass so there were only a few close friends present, but at the end of the Mass before everyone went, Father Tim called the girls up to the alter to let them parade around in their dresses and everyone gave them a round of applause. You should have seen the delight on Emily and Natashas faces.

Right, as Mr F has now gone, the clean up begins. The slipping into the sea routine happens which starts with sorting this house out...why is it always a mess when he's home? At least he managed to get the hallway finished before he left so a little more glossing and that baby is waiting for a new carpet. Only taken three years............x

Dipping a toe in gently

OK, I'm officially a crap blogger. Real life triumphs again and has been getting in the way of down time plus I have tried to blog before but for some strange reason I can't drag and drop photos in blogger anymore and have given up several times when trying to post because the page no longer scrolls when you drag your photo....sort it out blogger, not all of us are HTML buffs cos if I was my blog would obviously look far more exciting! Anyway,

we survived Xmas (just) and here we are in a New Year. What will 2010 hold? Well, the last year was a bit of an annus horibilus or however the Queen put it (never did latin at school). I have so many hopes for this year, it's a year to start afresh, a new decade and a new chapter. They say sometimes you have to get to the darkest depths to get a better perspective and the year hasn't started particularly well, but things can only get better and the last week has been one of the best weeks of my life.....no kidding!


This is a time for making changes and planning for the future. The benefits won't be reaped for some time yet, but feeling as though you're on the right path and that your head is clear of clutter certainly helps.


Xmas was small and cozy. The kids got a great array of presents and were well and truly spoilt again. Although we couldn't get loads this year they got everything they really really wanted and luckily they aren't the most demanding of kids.


Freya was mostly clothes, her phone, smellies and a leather biker jacket that she really wanted. Personally I hate it but she loves it and it's better than the bloody neon green tutu she came back with last time she went in town on a spending spree. Just look at the grubby finger marks all over it within five minutes. Within 2 days she'd lost the stylus for it as well. Kids eh?


Emily really wanted a guitar and telescope, she also got loads of shark bits and bobs as she has been obsessed with sharks for about the last year now. She also got some clothes and a new build a bear plus loads of drawing and painting stuff...she really could spend hours at the table drawing sharks of all descriptions.

Natasha got lots of Ponyville and Peppa Pig stuff but what she really wanted was a Hello Kitty so we got one from Build a Bear complete with pretty outfit and she hasn't let it go since. Pete was duty on Christmas day which meant he had to go in for 9 in the morning and didn't come home til Boxing Day morning. Thinking it would be too strange to be home with just the kids, we went down to the boat for Christmas Dinner. Not many women can say they've had Xmas dinner on a submarine. Funniest thing was when Freya had to check in her brand new swish phone that she'd got that morning before she could go below deck....you'd have thought they wanted to cut off the white knuckled hand that was attached to it.



So we had the biggest plate of Xmas dinner and as it was Natashas first experience on a sub, she got a tour of Pete's bunk space and seemed to think that it was funny that her dad still sleeps in a bunk bed in his early 40's! Freya also had the oxygen mask strapped to her which was hilarious as she sounded like Darth Vader and looked petrified!



We survived onboard for about 3 hours before the girls started getting itchy feet (or in Freyas case, itchy texting finger) and then popped round to see my little sis so all the cousins together could wreck their house. It's always fun to watch my OCD sister trembling with fear at the mess the kids are going to make.

Well, was going to do a fuller update but as this has taken me so long to rearrange the photos I'll have to leave the rest for another day. Possibly tomorrow. Night all.