The decluttering continues....

I sorted out the mountain of junk in the kitchen today. You can actually see the worksurface again, plus I have paid all my bills.
Tomorrow the high sleeper is going, and then I can really crack on with moving all the junk around. And throwing most of it out lol.
WIsh me luck...

My desk is done!

Hooray, the joiners have been and built my lovely new desk in my new scrap room! I am over the moon with it, and can't wait to get scrapping in there.

There is a high sleeper still in the room at the moment, but that is going on Sunday. Once that is gone I will be able to move all my cupboards in there and get my stash sorted. There is room for my PC on the right hand side and a huge scrapping area to the left.

I feel very good about all this, which makes a nice change!

No longer a statistic

Went to see my GP today and it seems I am no longer part of the obesity statistics. My BMI is 24.6, so within the healthy range. My god, the first time since I was 12!

Been busy today, painting Alex's new bedroom. The pink is described as 'Babe' and it is pretty much pink pig colour! She will love it when she sees the first coat on in the morning. Then it will be time to move all the furniture which is never an easy job. The joiners are coming on Friday to build my new desk, and then I can get on with sorting through the mountains of crap which currently reside in my house. I am going to have to be very brutal, as otherwise I will be back to square one. I also need to get some varnish for the new desk to seal it, and do it on Friday night so it dries overnight. The excitement....

Rain rain go away

Here's 'sit', and as it was bucketing down all day there was no chance to sort it outside. Floods everywhere, Gildersome was gridlocked as the M62 was closed, as was the M1. Nightmare. Had to cancel my docs appointment as I couldn't get there!

I have been a woman on a mission today, and emptied the small bedroom ready to paint it pink as soon as I can be bothered. I can't believe how much junk there was in that room, and so most of it will be recycled or binned. I have no need for most of it so it has to go. I'll keep the crucial stuff of course!

So tomorrow it is off to the gym to try and give myself a mood lift. Wish me luck!

Write

Prompt for my photograph today is write. So here is Sophie writing her name this afternoon.

Other than that, not a lot to report. My brother and sister in law are here visiting with my nephew and niece. They are moving down to Berkshire this week so goodness knows when we will see them again.

Felt like a change...

...so here's my new layout.

Not sure why really, just did. Another busy day, gym this morning and then gymnastics for Alex at lunchtime. Then this afternoon I nipped to Ikea once mum and dad had arrived to look at some storage cupboards. Didn't buy yet though.

At tea time I finished off three paint cans I am giving to Sophie's teacher and TAs. I will photograph them in better light tomorrow. Just need some suggestions for what to put in them!


Just a snap of my lovely Sophie. She is getting very tired now, ready for the summer holidays in a few weeks. She has had a fantastic year in Reception with 3 great members of staff. I worried so much about her starting school, but she has been so well adjusted and settled. The odd 'moment', but nothing major really. I just hope year one is as successful!

Edited to add:

Just had to stick this in....we are off to see a preview of Shrek the Third on Sunday afternoon. Alex is the BIGGEST Shrek fan, and this will be her first ever visit to the cinema. She is going to love it!

Press

I think the teddy in this shot has to win the prize for most annoying soft toy. It is an angel bear which plays a violin. Silent night. On and on. And on. Yuck. But the press button responds to the prompt over on her space my space!

Catch up photos

I've been playing catch up with her space my space today, but now I can't seem to upload them!
This is the first, shell. Got some others too but I will do them later.

More relaxing day today, I went to the gym, then to the garden centre. The girls then cycled on the road outside the house while I put in the low fence I had bought for the front garden, and then I laid the slate pieces to go alongside it. I am pleased with how it looks, better than I thought it would turn out that's for sure.

Back later with more pics I hope.

ETA more pics!

Thinking positive

Evening all.

The reports are done HOORAY!

And I am off work for a fortnight to sort myself out and adjust to my medication. Not sure how long that will take, but I have started taking it so fingers crossed.
Got through today, it was easier than I expected, but then I haven't left the house all day. No seeing happy families for me. We are a happy family as the three of us, so let's look for the positive.

Tomorrow I am dropping the girls at Debbie's, and then I am off to the gym. If I don't get started on the fitness routine, Linzi, my fitness instructor, will shout at me! I do need to shape up, and my GP has reccomended exercise as it releases endorphins which will make me feel better. Plus I want rid of my bingo wings....

That's about it for now. A demain.

Flowers

Meant to photograph them but I forgot! Today I received some flowers, beautiful flowers in fact, from some of the other reception mums at Sophie's school. They were to say congratulations on getting to my target weight. How lovely, I was over the moon to get them!

I have also been to the gym today which I enjoyed (madness I know) and then for tea I had a rather tasty fresh tuna steak. Went down very nicely. Just need to decide what to have tomorrow as I went to Tesco and got some smoked salmon and mackerel, some rocket salad, and another piece of tuna. As the tuna is fresh and the others are sealed, I think tomorrow will be a tuna nicoise salad (of a fashion). Plus a cup of tea with milk in. Blimey, how exciting, a cup of tea with milk in it!

Tomorrow it is father's day. A day I would rather forget for now. Not the person who should be celebrating it with us, but just the fact that other fathers are still here and Nigel isn't.

If you are celebrating, have a great day, and raise your glass to dads who aren't with us this year.

Yum yum in my tum

Salmon went down a treat. Felt good to be sat at the table eating with the girls, and I felt full once I had eaten the piece of salmon I chose for myself. Didn't have room for any veg, but then I am not allowed to have that yet! Tomorrow, well I am not sure which protein I will have tomorrow, could be chicken, could be tuna, could be cottage cheese (or not, nasty stuff lol). Definitely won't be tofu!
I went and had my hair cut and coloured today which was good. I did feel very nervy in the hairdressers tho, which was not so good.
And will it ever stop raining? Where is Noah when I need him?

Time to eat

Still here
still feeling crap

but on a positive note I went to my first management meeting tonight, and I will be eating a piece of salmon later today. Wow. My first food for 155 days other than Lighterlife food packs. I also discovered I have lost another 3 lb so I am 6 lb under target weight. And 1lb away from having lost 7 stone. Blimey, 7 stone, that is scary!

Made my bed today...

Sounds bizarre but today I have made my bed properly for the first time since before the loft conversion was started. I have had all sorts of things stored in my bedroom, and so have been unable to make the bed in the way I truly like. Odd, I know, but that is just how it is! So tonight I will enjoy getting into a made bed for the first time in ages! Small things keep me happy....

My mood is still not great. I have felt very weepy repeatedly today. The thing that scares me most is how close I have come to having a panic attack. Life is smothering me, and I am trying to keep my head above water. So if you haven't spoken to me for a while and did in the past, give me a ring, so I know you haven't forgotten me. Come and see the girls. Friends are what I need just now.

Attention all ticker haters....

I have had this weight loss ticker since starting Lighterlife, and have it in my signature on a weight loss forum I post on.
I have been to LL tonight and check out the results..... I am now 6 stone 9lb lighter than I was in January. Feeling good about my success there.

On other issues, things are not so great. My mood is sliding so if anyone knows a good way to make me feel better, please get in touch.

Father's Day....

I am in need of a sleeping pill to go to sleep on Saturday night and wake up on Monday. This year I would like father's day to pass us by. It's not that I want to deny that Nigel was ever here, I just feel so desperately sad that on Father's Day my two beautiful girls will be without their daddy. Having spent today with other members of WAY, the harsh reality that all those children face next weekend is too much. I am glad that facing Father's Day is ten months down the line for us. It must be horrific for those who are in the early days. Sophie's class don't make father's day cards as there are too many children in school who don't have contact with their dads. But in nursery, they do make cards, so I have asked that Alex makes one for my dad, addressed to Grampy.
Nothing really to report now. The loft is nearly decorated, and the carpet is being fitted on Tuesday. Then we wait for the furniture for mum and dad's room. Move the pull up bed to the other room and start sorting through the boxes of crap which control my house. ARGH.

Mojo, mojo, where are you?

It has started to reappear this evening. I had a CJ entry to do and once I got started I ended up doing a LO for a new album I am doing. I will photograph it tomorrow as the light is not enough tonight. I really enjoyed it, so I can't wait to get my new scrap room sorted. Just can't decide whether or not to have it painted or keep it lemon for now. Hopefully the joiners will be here on 18th June to build my desk.
So until tomorrow when I upload the photo of the LO....

And so it is done

The loft is finished in terms of building work. AT LAST! Mark from TL came and checked it all over today. Buildings regs have got to come and inspect, but I know they will be ages in coming. The decorator is now hard at work (well not right now as it is 11.20pm!) and the carpets for the two bedrooms and vinyl for the diddy bathroom are coming to be fitted on Monday. I ordered the new furniture for mum and dad's room today. Beautiful oak furniture, and it should be here in four weeks or less. Hopefully less, and then I can get on with sorting the girls' new bedrooms out and moving everything round.
Argh
What am I doing.... the house is upside down!
Nipped into gap tonight for some new Boy cut jeans. They have to be the most comfortable jeans on the planet. Got into some 14s which was good. Bought a jumper too, but that was too big so it will go back asap. I picked out a large through habit, and it looked silly. Not sure about the colour tho so will reassess that when I go back.

Alex is starting swimming lessons tomorrow at my gym. She is having an individual lesson as I think she needs the attention. Will be interesting to see if she will get in without me!

Back to my reports... but not without posting today's her space my space prompt of bread. A quick snap of forbidden french bread...

9 days and counting....

So it is nine days until I start management with Lighterlife. This means I will be reintroducing food slowly but surely over a 12 week period.
I was delighted when I realised tonight that I am 2 lb from my target weight. I was chatting with my mum tonight about it all and we realised that I am the lightest I have been since I was 13!
Other than that, it has been work, sleep, work, choose new carpets, ring the loft conversion company and shout at them, work, sleep, work. Yuck. No fun for me at the moment. I did get my ironing back today. Wow. I am soooo impressed. Not cheap as there was loads to do, but definitely a service worth using from time to time. Especially with work clothes which I hate ironing! As it is summer just now I wear more t shirts for work, but when it gets colder and I am back in blouses and formal trousers I will send them to the ironing service every week. Definitely worth saving my sanity!
Nothing else to report so I will sign off for now.
Oh yes, one more thing. Happy 2nd Birthday Oliver!

Back to work blues

Boo hoo back to work tomorrow. Wish I could stay home, especially as my childminder is away on holiday so I have had to ask my parents to take the girls to and from school. Would be so much easier if I could take them myself. But alas no, it's got to be done.

I have got the washing sorted at last, and the ironing pile is ENORMOUS, but mum and dad are taking that to the ironing service tomorrow. There is no way I have time to sort it at the moment, so I am taking the lazy option. In the past, Nigel would always take a couple of extra days off after a holiday to get the washing and ironing sorted. Now that it's just me, my holidays are not flexible so there are two overflowing baskets waiting to go to Drighlington tomorrow.

Her Space My Space is on hold for me, I should get a chance on Wednesday and I will take all the photos. I have really enjoyed the few I have taken so far. I'm also going to have a go at some photography at school, class photos no less so I am going to have to buy me a tripod. Any recommendations would be welcomed.

So onwards and upwards, time to tidy up my planning for the week and get me to bed.

Home again

Shame really as we had a fantastic time. We did very little really, just went between the hotel and the pool, and the beach. The girls adored the beach, and Sophie was in heaven when she was in the water. Dad bought them both an inflatable ring to use in the water. Sophie certainly got her money's worth with hers, and her laughter could be heard all over the beach when she was riding it on the waves!

The hotel was great, right on the beach, and the girls were able to choose from the buffet for their meals. Sophie ate a cooked breakfast every morning, and Alex managed to consume her own body weight in melon every day! I stuck with my lighterlife shakes, as I am so close to target that I didn't want a set back at this point.

ANd while I am on the subject of Lighterlife, I am aware that there is a person who reads my blog who has been criticising my decision to do Lighterlife. I know that they actually know nothing about Lighterlife, and as usual they are claiming to know it all when actually they know very little. I have to see my GP for checks every 4 weeks, so it is fully supervised and safe. And do you really think I would do something to put myself at risk now that my girls only have me?

I got back from Menorca to find a fantastic parcel from Holland. Wow, thank you so much! Drop, hagelslag, stroopwafels, speculaas... I am looking forward to savouring them once I am back onto food, and they will last a long time! I will be in touch to organise a little something in return for your kindness.

Well I had better get back to the washing mountain that is currently consuming this house. Yuck. That part of going on holiday I really hate! So think of me as I stand behind the ironing board....