Yay, Feeling Better...Boo, Half Term Nearly Over...

I've managed to get some housework done today, I backed away from the computer and I actually emptied bins, emptied washing baskets, emptied... no run out of "emptieds". Anyway, the living room floor has been cleaned, all the clothes that were lurking in baskets have been put away...in drawers ...cor I've been really good today .

R went to her friends for a sleepover today, so we are one child down. C's almost chickenpox seems to be fading already with only two blistery spots in sight , M has been a little minx today, enjoying herself chasing about after me and using her new word "Why?" a lot. K disappeared early on in the day to see some of his friends... do you know, it's been quite a peaceful day, almost tranquil .

Sadly as my little helper wasn't about, I had to entertain littlies whilst hanging out washing. This requires the eyes in the back of your head routine, C kept creeping over the grass (Nooo, the grass seed, get off the grass seed) M kept sidling round the back of the bunny hutch (M... no not there, round here, no not round the back...) and then they came to um, help me. C talked the hind legs off several small donkeys, and M kept wanting to hand me clothes pegs, dismantled clothes pegs.

I sadly made the mistake of switching off when C was asking me things, then I realised I was agreeing to stuff and had to snap out of it quick!

I am just grateful I feel more human, and that all the kids appear to be healthy (ish... young man is still slightly spotty). Off to the pictures tomorrow, a birthday treat for Madam R, so think of me when I am watching Hannah Montanna on the big(ish) screen, I will be buying chocolate and sedating myself for the duration

Here are some random pics of the little darlings

Oh and of course this is Splodge!

The Icing On The Cake

Despite the fact that it's big girls birthday, there will be no cake . Madam is feeling a bit better, she's even managing a slice of toast as I type (fingers crossed we won't see it again later).

I awoke to a giddy head and a headache(yay) and when I came downstairs, I was greeted by a small boy with a face-full of spots. Hoorah, the chickenpox has landed!

Despite everything they are all a bit more cheerfull today, young man is especially lively, I think that's quite common once the spots actually appear. I hope he survives the day though, my irritation levels are high. Biggest lad bought himself a Slinky yesterday, I now realise how much I dislike the noise of a slinky descending the stairs. It is very, very irritating . It is also a lot louder than you would imagine, and we have wooden stairs, ugh I am not in a good mummy mood.

I need to find a handy pillow to lay my head on, sadly it isn't likely to happen until tonight, and then I will do the usual of waking up and feeling lively around 10pm....

Off to not strangulate small, middling and big children. I may shout a lot, but I shan't kill them .

An Award

Many thanks to Maternal Tales and Amy of and 1 more means four for this lovely award. It is to show gratitude and I have to pass it on to ten blogs that I am appreciate and am grateful for. I appreciate all the blogs I follow so this will be a hard one especially as a lot of you already seem to have this award! I am going to try hard not to duplicate but please bear with me.

Ok in no particular order I'd like to pass this on to

• Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy?
• Is It Just Me?
• Eve Upshall
• Home Mum of 2 (or 3 if you count their Dad...)
• Sane without drugs
• How To Survive Life in The Suburbs
• Diary of a Desperate Exmoor Woman
• Reasons To Be Cheerful, 1, 2, 3.
• Sticky Fingers
• Caution...Woman At Work

and just to add things I am grateful for....mmm, let me see....

I am grateful for any quiet time I get (when I blog lol). I am grateful to have four healthy (usually) kids and I am grateful that I have the ability to have some measure of control over my life when others do not.

Just off to tell you all about the award now... hope I don't forget anyone!

A Long, Long Day Of Not A Lot

Poor biggest girl is still unwell, it seems the sickness bug is hanging on for her. There has been a lot of lounging about looking pale and interesting combined with bucket emptying.

I have had a headache (which has been sort of there for a few days now... I suspect sinusitis lurking) and just couldn't get a move on at all. I had to deal with big girls new pet,Splodge the bunny (don't think I've mentioned her yet, very cute bundle of fluff) and so I got to change her hay and water and give her bunny food (bunny food looks a lot like bunny droppings, most odd). I also managed to get a bunny hug in there .

Eldest lad has been off out for a lot of today, this was a good thing as I couldn't have handled lots of boy bickering, and if he'd stayed home I'm sure the lads would have screamed at each other for a larger portion of the day. Little Miss has been very snotty today but otherwise lively and bit too cheerful for my tender disposition. There was a moment when I was trying desperately to keep my eye's open and had a small but bouncy two year old boinging on my tummy "No! No! Don't sleep! Read!" followed by a heavy cardboard book shoved in my face (ouch). Mummy's just a bit tired honey "No tired! Read!" So read I did, sort of, Elmer I think it was.

Now three are in bed and big lad is bored (hah maybe he'll go to bed then) I am waiting for Desperate Housewives (the programme not a local gathering you understand ) and then time for me to crash.

Oh that reminds me, the dog decided I didn't need much kip last night and growled bravely about half one this morning. Then she barked bravely, I was worried that Splodge might be having a visit from a fox or something, so I came downstairs to investigate. Brave and loyal hound ran and hid behind the sofa when I checked out the back garden!

Humph I think I need a new guard mutt .

Quick Catch Up

First things first a big thank you to Maternal Tales for The Lemonade Award she bestowed upon me. I was going to take her sage advice and pass it on quickly lest I forget what I'm up too. Sadly as you shall see events have overtaken and I'll do it tomorrow, honest I will, I'm just a bit knackered at the mo!

We currently have child number three down with the sickness bug, I am hoping against hope that child number four escapes it completely, oh and also hoping the same for adults one and two .

Yesterday Other Half took the three biggest kids to the park, I was making a sunday dinner yesterday to make up for not having one the day before (you know... sunday). Because of the delicate timing involved in roast potatoes and yorkshire puds I rang Other Half to see how much longer they would be. "We're on our way back, I think C (youngest lad) has been sick" Oh dear, Other Half does not do sick, and what did he mean thinks he was sick?

I anxiously awaited their return, however I was a tad surprised at the reaction of Other Half when he pulled up. He had an expression I can only describe as outraged, on his face. Confused I asked what the matter was "There's puke all over the car and it's all in the crevices and it's going to stink..." how's C I asked? Not good, poor little lad was as white as a sheet. I managed to manoeuvre him upstairs and into the loo before more vomitting occurred. I got him changed and into his bed, with the all important sick bucket beside him. I then went downstairs to the raving lunatic who was ranting and doing nothing productive. "I will clean it" I hissed at him. "We'd better get some disinfectant" he raved... I have disinfectant, I will clean it! "It's in all the crevices...!" Shut up about the bloody crevices, it's not the childs fault, if you carry on like that he'll think he's done something wrong!!! I then went on to some very indiscreet muttering about "who's the bloody adult?" and "it's not even that bad, what's all the f... fuss about?!"

Other Half finally started to calm down and disappeared whilst I cleaned the **horrendous** (what's all the blinkin' fuss about??!) mess in the back of the car. He reappeared and declared C was Ok and he'd just been to make sure he was alright, oh good, should have done that first really shouldn't we? I think I managed to inflict maximum guilt onto him as he behaved impeccably for the rest of the day. I do think he has "issues" with sickness and germs, he just completely over reacts and has to run and wash his hands, he won't even touch some things (sick bucket for example) I cruelly expressed the opinion that if he was going to get it, he was going to get it, cos it was already in the air (now watch me go and get it for being evil!)

Today young C is much better; sadly now eldest girl has thrown up (lots) this evening. I do hope she's better for her birthday poor girl (thursday).I am also desperate not to have a sick baby girl as their aiming capabilities are about zero and no bucket will save me then. Ah well at least it is half term and I don't have the added worry of time off work !

On a different note, the driving lesson went well, although Dave the driving instructor did take me on a nasty fast A road , but I managed it. Just felt sick for the next twenty minutes, but I did manage it.

Off to have a hot choccy and ignore this headache...I am not, not, not going to be ill (please, pretty please?)

I Love Youuuu....

I may be a little cheerful, actually I am quite a lot cheerful, lets hope I'm still cheerful tomorrow when I have a driving lesson . Here comes a slightly tipsy blog, woo hoo.

I went to see a Robbie Williams tribute act Lee Pashley, and what a good show the young man put on! I was dancing from start to finish and got thoroughly hot and bothered (he's fairly fit actually ). My companions for the evening where also impressed and we ate (dinner included) drunk and definitely got merry. Now I have buzzy ears and I'm a bit sleepy .

It's been another one of those good days you hear about, the family fun day was lovely, it was mostly free too. The kids played games and won sweeties, the biggest two were so determined to win a coconut that they went back once we'd left (they bloomin' won one each as well ). The weather was fabulous and the kids could run about independently and do what ever they liked, it was a good day.

Now I am off to my bed whilst I still have the cheerful thing going on, tomorrow I may be bad tempered and tired .

Back To Normal

I have lost the quiet and subdued boy, he has now been replaced by the loud and vaguely (actually, very) irritating lad. So, big lad is obviously feeling better!

We made a trip to the emergency dr yesterday (appointment for 5:50 saw dr at 7 o clock!) and the boy has tonsillitus! At last we have medication and he seems to be a lot brighter, yay.

It is a gorgeous sunny day here and we are off to a family fun day at the church at the end of our road. There will be cakes and BBQ and a bouncy castle, so of course the children are over-excited already! I am really looking forward to my night out this evening now, I can relax now biggest boy is back up to full (almost) capacity. And of course an afternoon with hyperactive youngsters is bound to make me appreciate adult (drunken) company even more!

I am going to try and get all washing, drying, cooking done before I go anywhere today, in the hopes of a quiet and relaxing day tomorrow. We shall see .

Ok, off to start the preparations and maybe another cup of tea have a great bank holiday weekend all!