I am me.

Pretty clothes...

2012-02-01T21:57:00.000Z

Topshop

Be Beu at Matalan

I seem to be addicted to shopping...here are a few things I like at the moment that I am not going to buy!

Falmer at Matalan

Topshop

Board games

2012-02-01T10:55:00.004Z

Charity shopping last weekend I managed to pick up a few good things, including a travel version of this game for £1!

Have you ever played it before?

L x

Ada the fairy...

2012-01-13T21:08:00.001Z

My most popular photo of Ada on Facebook yet!

Running...

2012-01-12T21:54:00.000Z

This evening I ran 5.9km, quite easily, while chatting to my friend....and I enjoyed it. I felt good and that I could have run more.

This isn't a new years 'get fit' resolution, this is something I started in November, after a lot of deliberation, with the support of a new friend made through work.

I have run 4 x 5k Saturday morning timed sessions with Park Run and knocked 3 mins of my PB so far, I would love to run a sub-30min 5k in the next few months.

My big challenge this year is the Cardiff 1/2 Marathon in October, which I signed up for in November. On my friends suggestion I will also look for a 10k event to run, maybe around May time....to give me taste of a race.

I'm proud of my running. I never thought I could do it and now, here I am, running for 40-50mins straight with no need for a rest.

Go me!

Also, Ada is just amazing.

She is potty training - her first week - and other than a few accidents has pretty much got it!!
She's also talking lots and all the time, she puts full new sentences together, tells me that she's proud of me, that's she's had a busy day and that she's happy/angry/sad....she just blows me away everyday!
She was also so excited on Christmas day, it was lovely to see her saying thank you to everyone for her presents, even if they weren't there!!

Oh, and finally, I made it on the the CardiffBlogs list of local bloggers...along with Lisa. Cool.

Christmas crafting I

2011-12-10T00:01:00.001Z

A bit of Christmas Crafting went on tonight...here are two felt broaches which are my thing this year...along with cookies and another little hand-made item.....maybe a picture of that to come...

L x

It's nearly Christmas....

2011-12-06T13:32:00.001Z

Hobbies.

2011-11-16T22:08:00.001Z

I used to sing in a band with my best friends, Silence at Sea.

We haven't done anything for a good year or so now because we've all been busy having babies, working, getting different jobs, buying houses - the usual.

So, to get back into singing, which I love doing, this evening I went along to Canton Chorus to see how I liked it. The people were friendly and there were quite a few other new people there, I think I'll be going back.

Other news...I got my tattoo...the one I have been planning for at least the past year and have wanted since I was 18....it's sore and peeling at the moment, but everyone is saying how good it looks. Pretty chuffed with it myself and am thinking about the next one!

My other hobby, sewing, has also fallen by the way-side. however, I have a changing bag to make for a pregnant friend and curtains to make for our house, so I will get sewing some time soon.

Finally, I want to make my new hobby running. It's free, easy to start and is something I really need to do for my own health and well-being. I had the seed planted about running by Lisa and she so kindly sent me a book, which I really need to get reading....it might also help at the start if I had a running partner, but I don't have anyone to ask! And I need to find the best time to run...with it being wintry, cold and dark at the moment there doesn't really seem a good time...

Pictures I like...

2011-11-16T22:04:00.001Z

Family.

My tattoo.

Brithdays and other bits...

2011-11-09T15:31:00.000Z

So, Ada was 2 at the end of October! she managed to have 3 parties - one with family, one with our grown-up firiends (who she loves) and one with her little friends!

I didn't manage to get any pictures of the baby party as it was so hecktick with 10 little ones and 8 mums in one room!

I did get a picture of her birthday cake though, and some of the pretty things we bought her with her birthday money...

New boots from Clarkes and a few new dresses from TKMax...

It was also Haloween! Ada dressed up as Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service. I made her a black dress and found a cat that looked like GeGe!

We alos had a visit from Paul who helped with a bit of DIY around the house, we had a curry and wine and had a wander through town....

L x

Italy photo marathon!

2011-10-24T10:48:00.005+01:00

1. Su (David's Mum) and I in the village park on the last day of our holiday

I thought I get the Italy photos all done in one go.....there's lots to look at...we were in Italy from 7th-16th October, it was the very start of Autumn for them and Castania season (chesnuts) so we ate roasted chesnuts, chesnut pasta and other chesnut related things, went to a chesnut festival and brough chesnut flour back home with us. They were everywhere you looked on the trees and on the ground and were a devil to collect without getting spiked!

2. Castania (chesnuts) on the tree

As is the tradition on holiday and especially in Italy, we stopped for lots of coffee in cafes. I don't drink coffee so went for hot chocolate instead. Hot chocolate in Italy is like hot, thick chocolate mousse in a cup, you have to eat it with a spoon, it is amazing!!

3. Amazing Hot Chocolate

We were staying in a village called Veruccole in Tuscany, in the mountais above Pisa and Luca. Some of the area was made up of ski resorts. We headed out there for a drive one day and it got very cold so high up, we managed to find a sheltered spot for a picnic though...

4. Picnic on the side of a mountain

The largest town to us was Catell Nuovo (sp?), this is where we went to get amazing ices creams and browse the shops.

5. A kiss on a cobbled street

6. The best ice creams ever. Walnut, blue berry, pistashio and nutella!!! to name a few flavours.

Having Ada with us on her first holiday abroard was great for us too as she broke the ice with everyone we met in shops and cafes. They thought she was adorable and always got a conversation started!

7. Ada making friends!

We ate out quite a bit in the afternoons and David tended to cook in the evenings, which was great. Lots of local produce to choose from at the markets and supermarkets. Dave enjoyed sampling the local meat!

8. Some of Dave's meat!

One day we got back from a day trip to find a farmer grazing a heard of goats in the village. Ada had great fun feeding them with the local chidren and spotting all of the baby goats.

9. Italian goats

There were lots of castels and churches to see in the local towns and villages.

10. Castell Nuova city gate & walls

David was happy to see lots of towers like the ones in Assasins Creed...he just couldn't manage the climbing part!

11. David trying a climb a tower.

12. Ada

13. The beautiful weather we had all week

14. Family photo

15. Ada exploting the village

16. The mountains that surrounded us

17. The fort in our village

18. The park in our village - Ada loved the swing even more than me!

All in all a very successful holiday with the in-laws and driving cars in europe for the first time, we had Fiat 500s and it was great fun driving round all of the hair-pin bends up and down the mountain roads! Here's to our next holida...in Southern Italy!

shall I?

2011-10-24T09:15:00.002+01:00

Hmmm...I like this for the study...

I bought it...but I still need to sort the study out and put things on the shelves!

Our bedroom...

2011-10-23T23:02:00.007+01:00

So, I need to write about on our Italy holiday, which I will do soon, but today we went on an unexpected shopping spree and bough ourselves a proper bed and a proper mattress to replace our Ikea bed and rubbish £70 matress I bough when I first moved out alone!

The bed is up there ^, we've got it in black to match the cast iron fire place....we were going to have a blue bedroom, but it looks like we're going white now...mainly because we've decided to go for sheets and quilts on the bed rather than douvets and this means we have patchwork quilts in lots of different colours which would fit better in a white room than one with a strong colour theme...we just need to decide on some curtains now and gradually replace the other Ikea furniture for more retro things, exciting!

Old photos...

2011-10-06T15:01:00.000+01:00

How cute was Ada??? x (6 months old)

Holiday time...

2011-10-06T10:54:00.001+01:00

Well, we're off to Italy tomorrow. I am always nervous just before going on holiday, mainly because I worry about what clothes to take so that I am comfortable while I'm there. There's the added worry this year of taking Ada too, how much should we take for her...nappies, clothes, toys?

I'm sure it doesn't really matter, it'll all be fine and we'll have a great time!

And we'll be coming back to proper Autumn/Winter weather I'm sure...

What a difference a day makes....

2011-10-05T09:28:00.001+01:00

After such a lovely weekend full of sunshine the week has slowly turned into this.....

This is the view from my desk at work, the trees are slowly loosing their leaves in the wind, and today the rain is falling at a 45 degree angle and in a mist that just gets you really wet without trying!

Summer in October...

2011-10-04T09:21:00.006+01:00

Picknic in Thompson's park at the weekend, last day of summer on 2nd Ocotber!

What I'm wearing: converse, tights?, shorts Asda, top Peacocks, sunglasses Prescription Ted Baker, earings my mum's vintage.

The last days of summer...

2011-10-03T22:18:00.006+01:00

We have had some lovely late summer weather over the last few days which has meant walks in the park with Ada in the evening, BBQs two nights in a row and the opportunity to wear a few more summery outfits before it gets properly cold.

These pictures are from Thompson's park on the 30th September....Friday evening.

I was wearing a dress I'd picked up on a brilliant charity shop shopping spree a few weeks ago (Topshop dress for £4.99)...and cool bring red tights, love them (but managed to get a hole in them with a twig while kicking up leaves!)

We're going on holiday at the end of the week to Italy...it is supposed to be around 25-30 degrees while we're there. Looking forward to wearing dresses and shorts and trying not to get too sweaty AND eating lots of lovely food and drinking lots of cheap red wine, yum! It'll be Ada's first flight and our first holiday with my in-laws in tow, so we'll have to see how it goes!

I need to do a few things before we go...get through my to do list at work, wash and dry the clothes we want to take and buy a few pairs of skin-coloured tights....no matter what I just don't do bare legs!!

What else...oh yes, I went out for an 'end of (academic) year' lunch with people from work on the friday these pictures were taken. It was lovely, good food, mega cheap and had some interesting conversations about running with two people from work. One of them is a girl I've heard about lots through work and who wrote a We Are Cardiff blog, I'd never met her in person so introduced myself (getting her name wrong!) and continued to talk to her and her boss during the meal about their love of running, and how I could get myself into it (free exercise from your front door should not be knocked!)...I'm hoping to start soon-ish...we'll see!

L x

The weekend...

2011-09-19T10:40:00.010+01:00

(Cupcakes from Madame fromage)

On my few days off with Ada, and waiting for my car to be MOTed, I got some new shoes, cute autumn coloured flats and some oxfords/brogues...

...both from peacocks. I returned a cardigan and a skirt I didn't think I would end up wearing, and for less than the refund for those items I bought these two pairs of shoes. I really like them both!

This weekend I mostly ate!
We ate out on Saturday afternoon after 'doing' the Albany Roas charity shops (I got three dresses a cardie and a belt for about £20 quid!) We then went out for GOFDC (going out for dinner club) with lots of friends to The Vegetarian Food Studio on Penarth Road. It was great, cheap, great service, lovely indian food and good company. We were soooo full at the end I didn't have a pudding - very unlike me!
Then on Sunday we popped into town (in the rain) to get Dave some drum sticks and for me to get some skinny black jeans for Autumn/Winter...then we headed home to cook a Sunday roast for us and our friends.

See the cupcakes in the photo ^^^

We ate a massive roast, and then had a cup cake each from madame Fromage and, after Ada had gone to bed, we had vanilla cheese cake while playing scrabble.

A great weekend, if a bit filling!

L x

4 good things...

2011-09-16T14:18:00.002+01:00

4 good things that happened yesterday....

1) Dave got home early from a video shoot after work.

2) One of our chickens laid an egg, the first one in a few months.

3) Dave got a tax rebate, not a massive one but a little bit of extra cash none the less.

4) We got a totally free car seat for Ada from one of Sara's neighbours which Dave has been wanting for ages!

Cooool!

Hair...

2011-09-13T13:31:00.003+01:00

Having the best day ever waiting for my car to come out of the garage...which means I haven't been able to drive to work and am having an unplanned day off (as I did yesterday too because Ada was a little ill).

Today I've checked my work emails, had a shower, hoovered a little, listened to the radio, gone out for lunch at Chapter with Dave and am now reading some lovely blogs - I have found some new ones by lovely ladies from the UK which is cool.

The picture above is from LLYMLRS and caught my eye because of the yellow (which I love) and the hair (which is kind of how mine could be if I keep growing it and don't get the roots dyed) will have to see if I can keep growing my hair...loving having it long at the moment.

Day 20

2011-08-26T10:51:00.002+01:00

This month...

This month has been all about Ada growing up. She's learning new words everyday, she can name colours (blue, yellow & purple) and count up to four, she can sing songs, do jigsaws, dance and jump, play lots of game, give tea and cake to her toys....she is grwoing up.

This month has also been about money. We have had very little this month and it's not easy to get back to a good point when you're where we are at the moment. But it'll be ok. I'm just fretting!

Clothes!

2011-08-24T16:29:00.002+01:00

I went a bit mad at the weekend and bougt a few clothes...I haven't got much money really, but I was itching to buy something!

Dave picked out a lovely mustard yellow sweater and I got some nice tights from M&S in black, purple and grey...

I plan to do a little photo shoot with Dave or in the mirror soon so that I can put some pictures up!

L x

Day 19

2011-08-24T16:01:00.004+01:00

Something you regret...I try not to regret anything, but there is one thing that kept me awake this morning.....I wilsh I'd taken the time to sort through my mum's things when she died...belongings, clothes, jewelry....so that I could have kept a few selected pieces, even if they were to pass doen to Ada and not specifically for myself....my mum's partner threw out some things that can never be replaced and that will always make me sad....

Pretty

2011-08-18T14:24:00.004+01:00

I LOVE this outfit.
This is the lovely lady from Blue Bird Vintage.
Check out her Blog, it's very pretty.

L x

Day 18

2011-08-18T09:51:00.002+01:00

Your favourite birthday...

Not any of my birthdays - my birthday is on Boxing Day and so gets mixed in with Christmas and never really stands out - Ada's First Birthday was lovely though...we had a week of celebrating with a family party on her actual birthday and a baby party on the weekend...we got them all to wear hats!

One Year

2011-08-17T13:54:00.006+01:00

This is me last summer when Ada was 8 months old and I was still on maternity leave.

Thompson's Park

This is Ada and I this summer. Chatting away about a book we're reading or toy she's playing with...what a difference a year makes!

At home

I might have said it before, at least I know I have to all my friends, but Ada really has been a dream for the last 21 months....she sleeps from 8pm-7am the majority of the time, eats most of the food we give her, can count to 4 already (yes, really), can say about 50 words (I can't think of them all!) and is generally sweet, friendly and kind.

We love you Ada-pops!

L x

Welsh Results

2011-08-16T12:08:00.004+01:00

On the 10th June I took my first Welsh Exam - Entry Level.

Today I got the results:

Listening Comprehension: 80/80

Speaking: 205/220

Reading Comprehension and Gap-Filling: 58/60

Writing: 37/40

Overall 380/400

Percentage: 95%

Go me!

Bedroom plans...

2011-08-15T15:07:00.011+01:00

Large mirror from Ikea.

Similar colour to this for the wall with the fireplace. Our actual colour is a little more blue than grey.

Colour for the other walls.

Image via: Antiques Atlas

A lovely sturdy chest of draws.

Iamge via: Live Love Laugh

Somewhere to hang bits and bobs.

Source unknown

Metal/brass bedstead - this one is lovely.

Image via: Brunch at Saks

Something to hang my jewelery on, I don't have much but it would be nice to display it was well as wear it.

2011-08-15T09:51:00.007+01:00

At home.

Dave takes the best pictures of me. I'm a terrible poser and he manages to catch me off gaurd which is definitely the best way to get me looking like me, rather than a stiff, trying to smile me.

This weekend was frustrating. I wanted to do lots, I want to do dome DIY in the house, but we have no money. So, I wanted to go and look at things for DIY inspiration, but Dave doesn't see the point in that, as we have no money. So we were stuck.

We did get some wood for our kitchen shelves from Dave's Mum and Dad on Saturday, so that was good, but now we have to save up for the cast-iron brackets we want, so the wood is going to sit around the house until we have the time and the money to do the rest of the kitchen.

I did manage to get the shelves in the livingroom waxed this week and they look sooo much better than I thought they would, and it was so satisfying getting them done in a few evenings...I felt like I'd been very productive.

Sunday we were quite busy. In the morning we went to The Pumping Station, an antiques warehouse to have a browse, then we went to Penarth for a walk through the gardens and to the pier. Ada loved looking at the sea though the cracks in the wooden slats of the pier. We then wanted to have lunch somewhere, so headed to Cowbridge, everywhere was shut and Ada got ratty so we carried her back to the car and stopped off at The Red Lion for a traditional Sunday Roast - no vegie option so Ada and I had a big plate of veg and yorkshire pudding - Dave had pork.

We headed home and did some gardening in the afternoon, just tidying up and weeding...then headed over to Tom and Steph's for a cup of tea. I went out to see Super 8 with G and Nic in the evening and Dave had his sister over and watched some of 300. I was soooo tired when I got home and had a banging head ache so headed to bed before 300 finished, shame as I was really enjoying it.

Tonight dave's sister is coming over for tea, I hope I can get a little bit of house work done as well as chilling out and chatting.

Tuesday Dave is at band practice so my plan is to sort the bedroom out and paint the ceiling! Yay!

Re-do and Re-think...

2011-07-29T08:46:00.004+01:00

Me in Thompson's Park

Well, I've changed my blog a little to give it a new look (with the help of Dave).

I've been totally uninspired to write anything on here for ages as it seemed a bit boring compared to the other blogs I read these days...then this morning I started reading back over my blogs and found that they aren't actually that bad! There are plenty of spelling mistakes I could do with correcting, but apart from that I quiet enjoyed reading them.

I think I would like my photos to be bigger, so I will experiment with that, but otherwise I'm quite happy with things now.

Now it's time to decide what I want to write about. I've been thinking about being more open and personal on here, but haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll just stick to how things are with a few added extras.

L x

Ada

2011-07-21T14:02:00.001+01:00

Ada enjoying her first ice cream a few weeks ago at a local park where we went to a little fair....she stayed up most of that night crying...we thought it was because of the ice cream, but may just have been teething.

What I wore 21/7/11

2011-07-21T13:56:00.003+01:00

Second day of conference. Feeling really tired so topped up on diet coke and chocolate!

T-shirt- gift
Cardigan- Asda
Shorts- Asda
Black tights- New Look
Pumps- Tesco

Yes, I shop a lot in supermarkets!

What I wore 20/7/11

2011-07-20T15:55:00.004+01:00

Shirt-Gap
Long sleeved top- New Look
Cardie- Gap
Skinny jeans- Asda
Shoes- converse pumps

This makes me look like I shop at Gap lots, I really don't!

I'm at the BIG Event in Bristol full of science communicators and I'm feeling decidedly anti social, not in the mood for networking today...Quiet excited about heading home to view a beautiful bike I might be able to buy for a very early birthday present!

Thank you

2011-03-10T22:39:00.001Z

This is the usual reaction I have to programmes looking at poverty...thank you for everything I have. I'm so grateful that I was born in the UK. I am so grateful for what I have. My family, my job, my home and my health. Soppy I know but I mean it!

Day 17

2011-02-06T17:59:00.004Z

Your Favourite Memory

(rather late but I'll keep going til I finish this dam meme!)

I really can't think of a favourite memory...but I know what I enjoyed...giving birth. Sounds wierd but I really enjoyed my labour and Ada's birth. The hardest thing I've ever done physically....but amazing and sooo worth it. Ada ia amazing, and any favourite memories I have in the future are bound to include her!

2011

2011-01-05T21:48:00.003Z

Thompson's Park in the snow

Ada and Tomos

Mexi-feat at Charlie's

More snow

I had a bit of a melt down on Monday night (I guess the thought of going back to work - to a mountain of work didn't help) and I guess it made me think - I really need to start appreciating what I have, enjoying myself and loving myself more!

As for my three Christmas wishes -

1) this one came true thaks to our awsome friends G and Nic who babysat Ada for 5 hours!
We cooked them dinner to say thank you because we felt so guilty!

2) Dave is going away for a week for work and my aim is to use my evenings to get our bedroom decorated - or mostly painted. It's not the most essential room that needs doing, but it's managable and should be do-able - If I get some help with the curtain rail!

3) This was go out and have a good dance again - something that I haven't done since our Weddin party back in April 2010....there's plenty of time for this I guess!

Somthing I didn't get round to at Christmas was taking photos of the gifts I made. Instead of spending too much money I gave two charities a donation and made cookies for people...Dave also made chocolate truffles for which I made pretty origami boxes.

It was lovely to give something hand made and we had lots of nice comments, mainly because people were amazed we had the time to make things! I think we ended up making 20 ish boxes of chocolates (4 in wach box) and about 13 jars of cookies! Phew!

Anyway, I can't go without some photos so here are some more of our Christmas 2010..well, they are up there ^^ as I can't be botherd to drag them down here!

My three Christmas wishes...

2010-12-22T22:11:00.003Z

Ada in the mega-snow we had this weekend.

Some simple Christmas wishes (which are a little bit selfish!)

1) A clothes shopping trip, just Dave and I. Dave is my stylist (sometimes!)

2) A day or two in the house to sort out lots of stuff without Ada to look after as well (I love her to bits but she doesn't let me get anything done!)

3) hmmmm.I'm sure there were three things I thought of earlier...oh well..the top two would be enough!

It's December!

2010-12-01T15:20:00.008Z

Wow, how did that happen, it only feels like last week we had Ada's birthday party!

Well, I've done the Christmas shopping I need to do for our work and friend Secret Santa, I have plans to make some tasty treats for the rest of the family, and I have made my long-planned donation to charity (instead of spending the money on presents people don't need/want). I decided to go for the Haiti Cholera appeal and the Paki stan Flood appeal. Far better to give money to those who can help than spend it on things we don't really need (or even want!).

I still need to order Ada's art supplies which we're getting her for Christmas, and get some Jars for our home made treats...oh, and I need to get some things for Dave and Ada's stockings...just little things that can either be eaten or are useful (I hope), I don't just want to buy a load of tacky rubbish!

Dave bought a tree in his lunch break, so we'll be 'trimming up' (as they say in the valleys) tonight, after I've been to Yoga! Exciting!

After that I need to finish off my stocking Advent Calendar (24 felt stockings that we'll fill with chocolates or other goodies in years to come!). I'm surprised I finished the stockings, glad too!

Finally put up the pictures we had for Ada's room last weekend, here are a few pictures of her room, and the little lady herself!

Oh, and it's been snowing too!

The weekend...

2010-11-15T16:09:00.004Z

We finally had a weekend where we did stuff, brought stuff and relaxed a bit! We've been either busy or ill for so long that it felt like I hadn't been out the house for months!

We went shopping in town on Saturday a brought a few things for the kitchen (Bread Bin, saucepan) and Dave bought some new shoes...and we brought the Warpaint album which is pretty good. Dave also baked bread which turned out nice (again!)

We also brought Ada her first proper Clarke's shoes (she's had one pair from Mothercare already but with Clarke's you get a little photo of them in their shoes! - the picture is terrible but cute!)

Here are the shoes Ada got - little booties for the Winter weather!

I don't think I got anything for myself.....I'm planning on getting a few new clothes soon though!

On Sunday I was a bit ill (again, I was also sick on Friday night but seemed over it just about on Saturday - weird!) We went to DIY shops to get paint for the living room and bedroom and curtail poles too....still got to decide on the curtain fabrics yet!

Will have to post photos of the decorating once it's started and the end result! But I'm guessing that will take a while!

2010-11-12T09:11:00.002Z

Ada hasn't been very well for the last week, but I think today she's back to her old cheeky self! Huray!

Day 16

2010-11-03T15:40:00.001Z

Your first kiss

I think I was about 14/15

It was the summer, the start of the summer holidays

I had been on a school trip and got a new boyfriend, Andy

We walked some of the way home and had to go separate ways, so we kissed goodbye.

I remember roughly where we were...

I remember it being very hot and sunny.

I remember the kiss being very wet and slobbery!!!

I didn't go out with him for very long. We split up after I left him at the ice rink.

Day 15

2010-11-03T15:38:00.002Z

Your dreams

I can't remeber any recent dreams, but here are some of the things I dream of...

Zombie unkillerble rabbits

Volcanoes

Being able to jump really high so I'm almost flying

Making friends with famous people

Arguing with Dave

People dying

Stuff like that...

Day 14

2010-11-03T15:33:00.002Z

What you wore today

Today (Wednesday 3rd November) I wore:

(old) Skinny jeans from New Look

Stripy long sleeve top from Warehouse

Grey High Top Converse Chucks

Bright blue hoody from H&M

Glasses (as usual) from Vision Express

Cream ear rings with a flower pattern cut in them from Matalan

black socks from Christmas

Necklace with green stone pendant from a charity shop in Bristol and 'Monday' pendant Dave found at Barfly years ago!

oh, and a vest to keep me extra warm from H&M!

Day 13

2010-11-03T15:31:00.003Z

This week

Monday: Work as normal

Tuesday: Day off with Ada doing some work from home as our childminder's little boy had to go to hospital, Welsh class, Master Chef final.

Wednesday: half a day off with Ada, hung out with G, until mother in law came to look after Ada and I came t work.

Thursday: Training course all day, Welsh Class, Christmas Craft evening with friends.

Friday: Speed awareness course. Nothing else planned.

After last week with all it's parties (Ada was 1 - photos and story still to come) I am glad this week isn't too busy!

Day 12

2010-11-03T15:27:00.004Z

What's in your bag

In my bag today:

My mobile phone, my purse and my wallet.

Tissues for my cold!

A red umbrella.

Red leather gloves.

Gift vouchers for John Lewis from our wedding.

2 x pens.

Children's' sun cream.

Lip balm.

Odd bits of paper.

Scotland in October

2010-11-03T15:14:00.011Z

1. Melrose Abey, 2. Looking to the lounge, 3. Geocache at St Abbs, 4. Ada and Diane, 5. Ada and Derek, 6. Ada and the chickens.

Scotland was lovely. Lovely food and wine, lovely company (my aunt, uncle and cousin) lovely little places to visits, some shopping...but we were tired...looking after Ada while doing all that really took it out of us and we ended up having a nap in the car on Wednesday as we couldn't cope!

We visited Tantallen Castle, Melrose Abbey, Edinburgh for some shopping and ate lovely meals with D&D every evening. Lucy my cousin came to visit on Tuesday evening too...and we even fell in love with Villy, D&D ex racing Greyhound, he was a sweaty!

We also managed about 4 or 5 Geocaches along the way!

Holidays...

2010-10-08T20:15:00.001+01:00

So, we're off to scotland (via derbyshire) this weekend for a whole week! Exciting. looking forward to nice food (out and in), walks, beaches, showing Ada off to my family, a bit of shopping and stuff...

Also, booked FREE flights to barcalona for our anniversary next March thanks to a friend at work who had some credit and let me use what she didn't! cool! Saved us £150 and gave us the chance to go somewhere neither of us have been before, and prob wouldn't go unless we have lots of money! Coooool!

Day off

2010-10-05T10:59:00.003+01:00

Lsst week I had 3 days off due to sickness and flu - I was in bed Sunday to Wednesday. It was not nice.

Today I am off because our childminder now has a chest infection, probably passed on from me. Oops!

Bummer!

Doing bits a pieces of work fom home when Ada is sleeping, like now!

At the weekend we went out for Charlie's birthday, food and pubs and skittles...the weekend before we went out for Dave's birthday, bowling and home for drinks and hanging out. It was nice. Then we all got ill!

Guilt...

2010-10-04T13:57:00.001+01:00

I feel guilty about most things.

Letting the tap run when I'm washing up and brushing my teeth.

Eating too much.

Buying 'stuff'.

Wanting 'stuff'.

Doing nothing.

Watching TV.

Not cleaning.

Cleaning instead of playing with the baby.

Moaning.

Wanting more money.

Spending money.

Not making people happy.

Lots and lots of things...and it stops me from just getting on and doing stuff.

God, how annoying!

I made this....

2010-09-28T11:47:00.004+01:00

I finally got round to making Ada a dress...from the tutorial here....sooo easy and simple and looks great. I'll have to make more in different fabrics and with some bows, sashes etc!

Dave's parent's bought Ada lots of winter clothes at the weekend which is great, with our washing machine broken and the new one not arriving until tomorrow..and us all being sick in bed, we've run out of clean Ada clothes!

2010-09-24T09:13:00.002+01:00

I love this picture....Dave took it at Dyffryn Gardens near Cowbridge a few weekends ago....we were running and chasing wach other! Ada was squeeling with delight!

Stating a fresh

2010-09-21T14:48:00.003+01:00

Dave and I have been at each others throsts for the last few weeks which hasn't been fun. Last night we finally sat down and has a good chat about everything and things are a little more settled.

Things that haven't helped - the washing machine and playstation 3 both dies at the weekend, and as Dave can't live without the playstation 3 a new one has already arrived! We also had to buy a new washing machine meaning no money for house stuff next month :-(

On the up side, I finally made a dress for Ada using this tutorial, I will have to post some pictures of it as Ada loos so sweet (even though all I can think is that she is is wearing a pillow case!).

Ummm..I still have a whole changin bag and mat to make for a friend that I really need to get on with...I went to start it the other day but couldn't find my rotary cutter...so didn't make anything...I must sort out the study so I can find my things!

Started watchin Glee on DVD, really enjoying it as I knew I would....hopefully dave will let me watch a bit more tomight on the new playstation 3! G and Nic have leant it to me while they are on holiday in the US and Canada (lucky things!)...and we've also stolen their washing machin while we wait for our new one! Need to pop over tonight to get one load out and put another load in! fun stuff!

Also going to the Drs tonight with little Ada as she has a bad chest, hopefully nothing serous and not asthma...but you never know...lots of Dave's family and my family suffer from it!

Aaaanway, enough random chat. Photos soon!

Day 11

2010-09-17T10:59:00.003+01:00

Your siblings

I have 2 sisters.

Helen, a year younger than me.

Jenny, 4 years younget than me.

Helen likes travelling and works in policy making for ILF (Independant Living Fund).

Jenny never knows what she's doing. Currently she's off travelling the world.

I am the oldest.

Day 10

2010-09-17T10:57:00.004+01:00

What you wore

I hope to add photos here later.
Today I am wearing what I wore yesterday.

Grey Gap cardigan
Grey and white striped shirt from H&M
Skinny blue jeans from New Look
White Converse Chucks
hair up
Glasses

I would really like some new clothes right now.

Day 9

2010-09-17T10:54:00.003+01:00

Your beliefs

I'm not religious, although I used to be quite into hare krishna for a while and did go to sunday school unitl I was about 12.
I don't belive in a god who can save us.
I believe that we should try and be good to each other and tolerant of others in their beliefs and choices.
I hate racism, homaphobia, sexism and all the other isms and phobias in todays society.
I'm far from perfect but I try to live and let live.

Day 8

2010-09-17T10:52:00.004+01:00

A Moment

Last night when we put the little one to bed she cried and didn't settle, which is unlike her - she usually sleeps really well.
She's teething so we gave her some calpol and dave picked her up, the lights were off and I was sitting on the futon watching in the light from the window...
Ada gave dave lots of unprompted kisses and did lots of bouncing - we think they are her version of hugs.
It was very cute!

Day 7

2010-09-17T10:51:00.001+01:00

Your Best Friend

My best friends are Gareth and David.
Gareth because we've known each other since the start of Uni and shared a lot.
David because he's my beau and the daddy to our little one.

Day 6 (catching up)

2010-09-10T14:26:00.002+01:00

Your Day

This is a typical weekday:

Wake up at 6.30am to the alarm clock and/or Ada gurgling in her cot, 6.40am Shower, 7am Ada has a bottle and I have breakfast, 7.30am leave the house, 8am drop Ada at chidcare, 8.30am arrive at the office, 8.30am-4.30pm do work, read email, have meetings, read blogs....4.30pm leave the office, 5pm pick Ada up from childminder, 5.30pm arrive home, 5.30pm-6.30pm Dave cooks and we eat tea at the table, 6.30pm-7.30pm play with Ada, wash up, give Ada a bath, 7.30pm Ada goes to bed with a bottle, tidy play things away, 8pm flot on sofa, sewing, tidying, laundry, sometimes TV or a film, 10pm usually bed, maybe read a littl, 11pm light out!

Not much time between work and baby to do that much..when you've got the energy that is!

This evening I go home to a kitchen piled high with dinner plates and mess from last nights tea when we had friends over and sat and chatted all evening until 11.10pm - no cleaning or wachin up was done last night!

L x

Day 5

2010-09-10T12:53:00.006+01:00

Today should be 'Your difinition of Love' but it's sitting in the draft box unwritten..I'm uninspired..not becuase I'm not in love, but because I don't like defining something that is different for everyone and with everyonw you're with...

Instead, as it's quiet in work, I have been readin some blogs about Eco living and Cycling. It's making me want to be different and make more of an effort with things like being more environmentally friendly/aware and getting rid of one of our cars - I keep soming back to this again and again...

I would love to get rid of a car - prefereably both of our cars and get one larger family car that is big enough for family trips but not as costly as D's to service etc. D does not want to get rid of his car under any circumstance, so it looks like the best I'm going to get it to sell my car and keep D's....if that even happens. It'll have to be when I've paid my car off in Feb/March next year, which is fine...

Then, if/when I do sell my car, we'll have to get used to having only 1, and Dave will have to get to work anoth way...

Options (if at office closer to home) - walk, cycle (if he had a bike)
(if at office further from home) - bus, cycle (if he had a bike)

Will Dave do eithr of these? Probably not.

I have to have the car to drop Ada off at the childminder and then to get to work - which is a good 13 miles from home.....if I could work in Cardiff and ride a bike to work, I would!

I feel quite bummed by the fact that this is not going to happen. I would like the money saving aspect and the greener aspect of having only 1 car!

Bum!

Day 4

2010-09-02T14:17:00.004+01:00

What I ate

Breakfast: Tesco 'Special Flakes' with milk and a glass of OJ

Snack: Flap Jack, banana, apple

Lunch: Pasts cuppa soup, natural yoghur with nuts and seeds

Snack: Chocolate Brownie

Tea: Veggie (frozen) pizza with salad and cheescake

Drinking: Water

Exciting house stuff (for me anyway!)

2010-09-01T13:28:00.003+01:00

Yay!
We're finally doing something constructive in the house.
Dave's brother-in-law is coming over on Sunday to help us (well do it himself) put up some shelves in the living room to match the ones in the other alcove, hopefully put a cabinet to match at the bottom too. Finally some much needed storage for our books (which are currently piled up on the floor) and our/Dave's DVD collection which is rather large and over-flowing from the other shelves!
I'm excited to watch and learn how to drill into a wall!

Day 3

2010-09-01T13:01:00.004+01:00

Your Parents

My Dad:

My mum and dad split up when I was ten. We lived at each of their houses for a week or two at a time and so were moving and packing all the time, they only lived down the road from each other but still, it wasn't the greatest way to live while you're at secondary school and doing exams and the like. But it was fine.

My dad is lovely and cuddly, good for advice on grown up things and loves Ada to bits! We don't see him or my step-mum that often as they live 3 hours drive away, but when we do it's nice, although we don't see them very much! Dad lives with Jenny my step-mum and Jenny's daughter has a little boy called Hux who they spend lots of time with - I guess I'm a bit jealous of that really. My dad is the mayor of my home town and knows lots of people, he's kind of a small town celebrity I guess!

The picture shows him being a cool dad when he came to Indietracks Festival to see me sing in the band Silence at Sea in 2008. He's with my sister and her husband.

My Mum:

My mum died just under a year ago after a stem cell treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma. She was really ill in the end and it was all a bit horrible. She died 7 days before Ada was born, the day after Ada was born was the funeral so we couldn't go...it was mad driving to and from the hospital not knowing what was going to happen when, with my mum and the baby!

I've missed my mum so much since Ada arrived as there are so many questions I have and so much advice I need, but what can you do...you just deal with it.

My mum was a teacher and a nurse and a high flying chief executive - while being ill and being treated appalingly by her trustees! While she was off on long term sick she really got into photography and glass bead making, both of which she was really good at, she was also very good at sewing and knitting and cross stictch and inspired me to try all of them (although I can't knit for tofee!). She used to make me and my sisters clothes when we were little (something I MUST do for Ada) and she started life again in her early thirties when she split up from my dad (who is 13 years her senior).

I know lots of people say this about their parents, especially when they have passed away, but my mum really was an inspiration to me and I was/am very proud of her...even though she didn't always follow through on things...she is my hero.

The picture is me and my mum in December 2007, she came to stay for the weekend, I cut her hair short as she was going to have chemo and loose it...I think the short hair really suited her!

2010-08-31T16:03:00.002+01:00

I can't wait to go home, well to my sister-in-law's for tea, then home. At the moment work is very quiet, so most of the time I read blogs....I feel like setting up my own little crafty business so that I can give up work and stay at home, but there is no way on earth I can afford to do than...so I need to get motivated at work and I need to do more at home with the time I have...sigh...

Day 2

2010-08-31T13:15:00.004+01:00

Your First Love

This guy, was my first memorable long-term boyfriend, and so I guess my first real love. And, although we split up in a rather rubbish way - thanks to me - we are still best friends. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, ask anyone. He was my 'maid of honour' at my wedding.

I had a few boyfriends before him but they were a bit meh. Nothing to write home about, you know.

Now I am married to David, the one man I can live with without going mad!

(Love you really chicken xxx)

Day 1

2010-08-26T10:21:00.006+01:00

Introduce Yourself

Name: Laura Roberts

Age: 30

Home: Cardiff (origionally Heanor)

Family: Husband David and Baby Ada, two sisters, two step-sisters, 3 brothers-in-law, 2 sisiters-in-law, dad, 1 dad-in-law, 1 mum-in-law, one step-mum = messy family!

Interests: Music, sewing, cleaning the house, wahing up, listening to music in the car, reading a good book, watching a good film, eating good food.

Likes: Listening to the radio, snuggling in bed, swimming, kisses from my baby, a meal with my man, hanging out with friends playing games.

2010-08-26T10:12:00.003+01:00

Greenman - Sunday Morning in the sun!

Feeling uninspired as I am totally bored at work and seemingly have no time at home to do anything creative or crafty between cleaning, organising, bathing and feeding and bedding the little one so I though I might do this - see below - which i saw posted here...a new blog I read from a girl in cardiff...

I hope you find my posts slightly interesting (not sure if there are any readers except my husband!)

Day 1 - Introduce Yourself
Day 2 - Your First Love
Day 3 - Your Parents
Day 4 - What you ate today
Day 5 - Your Definition of Love
Day 6 - Your Day
Day 7 - Your Best Friend
Day 8 - A moment
Day 9 - Your Beliefs
Day 10 - What you wore Today
Day 11 - Your Siblings
Day 12 - What's in your bag
Day 13 - This Week
Day 14 - What you wore today
Day 15 - Your Dreams
Day 16 - Your first kiss
Day 17 - Your favourite memory
Day 18 - Your favourite birthday
Day 19 - Something you regret
Day 20 - This Month
Day 21 - Another Moment
Day 22 - Something that upsets you
Day 23 - Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 - Something that makes you cry
Day 25 - A first
Day 26 - Your fears
Day 27 - Your favourite place
Day 28 - Something that you miss
Day 29 - Your aspirations
Day 30 - One last moment

Also, had an idea, which I have been cultivating for a little while, to run a fund raiser of some sort for the peaple affected by the Pakistan Flood . I'd like to run somesort of bring-and-buy crafty sale with maybe a little bit of music thrown in....we'll see...nothing like keeping busy!

greenman

2010-08-25T11:54:00.003+01:00

So the weekend was a great sucess, forgetting about my minor melt down becuase of the weather on Friday/Saturday, Ada had a grea time and I really enjoyed it when the sun was out! Yay!

making

2010-08-19T12:00:00.003+01:00

From here.

I really want to make some of these cute felty foods...I bought some from Ikea for Ada recently but home made is always best!

greenman

2010-08-19T11:07:00.006+01:00

We're off to Greenman Festival tomorrow, slightly aprehensive about the weather, really hope it doesn't rain too much!

L x

a bag...

2010-08-17T21:21:00.002+01:00

For my manager's birthday, I hope she likes it!

done.

2010-08-14T22:58:00.005+01:00

Two changing mats done. Two bags to go!

sewing

2010-08-14T18:46:00.006+01:00

Now and then I sew, I usually make bags.
I'm making some changing bags for friend's having babies. The Bags are nice and big, with pockets, and in baby/mummy friendly fabrics.
There is also a changing mat in the same material with a coordinating oil cloth/pvc side for catching those pesky wees!
These ones are going to be blue and cream and grey and yellow.

so...

2010-08-05T14:38:00.003+01:00

Today I have done no work that I can think of..except reply to a few emails. Instead I have been reading blogs of crafty ladies who all seem to live in australia....who sew cute clothes for their little ones and run businesses from home...I wish!

Maybe I could make bags and bits and bobs for a living..but it's the marketing that would get me...I'm terrible at marketing!

Bummer!

procrastinating

2010-08-04T15:14:00.005+01:00

Not many thoughts for the blog today, trying to be a bit more constructive at work as I tend to just sit and read other blogs at the moment...loving this one today.

I made a lovely little lunch bag last night which I will have to get Dave to photograph so taht I can post it up here.

More sewing tonight for Woodstick!

so...

2010-08-03T13:36:00.002+01:00

From here...

done...

2010-08-03T10:04:00.000+01:00

Blog update done.

same old same old...

2010-08-03T08:58:00.006+01:00

Back to work and the same old same old...

Everyday the same, same drive in the morning, same goodbyes at the door, little hands waving, the same quiet office, the same chat about this and that...

Trying to be organised, trying to exercise and eat well, trying to get along, trying not to to huff and puff and sigh and nag...

Making time for play and smiles and hug and me and us...

There really aren't enough hours in the day!

today...

2010-07-27T20:00:00.002+01:00

Today we played lots. Now she's standing up in her cot instead of sleeping. Hey ho!

a reminder

2010-07-26T21:40:00.005+01:00

This evening I was reminded by a good person that I can relax when I get home and I don't need to do everything!

baby dreams...

2010-07-26T21:29:00.001+01:00

This is mad!

all the time...

2010-07-26T16:26:00.004+01:00

I think 'how do people find the time to do so much?', 'how do they fit so much into their brain?'. Especially when I read something like this...I'll never know.

somthing simple

2010-07-26T09:08:00.006+01:00

This little blog is so sweet.
Habit

so far...

2010-07-23T11:02:00.004+01:00

Dave is ill and off work so is mooching around the house today. Ada and I have been shopping for a bit of food for our house-owning party tomorrow evening and this afternoon we're heading to Gemma and Bella's house for baby play date. Fun x

the thing is

2010-07-22T19:40:00.005+01:00

When you buy a house you end up with no money! Then all you want to do is spend money doing it up, and you can't because you don't have any, how very annoying!

this morning

2010-07-22T11:03:00.004+01:00

We've already been to the park, the post office and the charity shops.
next stop, our letting agents to get OUR spare house keys and town to buy LCD Sound System tickets.

the house is pwned!

2010-07-21T09:10:00.007+01:00

So, today we complete on our house. Done. Just given them the last of our money!

monday

2010-07-12T14:30:00.003+01:00

Cinema tonight: Eclipse. Exciting!

Spent the weekend on the beach, in the house napping and trying to get over my cold. Eating out with friends and watching the world cup final.

A new leaf

2010-06-30T21:09:00.005+01:00

So, back to work and a new look blog. More regular. More focused.

All about the house now it's nearly ours.