LINSWORLD

Crossed wires

Steve (to no-one in particular): My contact lens has gone all cloudy.

Sam: What's cloudy?

Steve: It means it's not clear.

Sam: My nose is cloudy.

WHEN I GROW UP I'M GOING TO BE A PROPER LITTLE MADAM...

Mummy has a habit of leaving her bag lying around and then wonders why, a few minutes later, the contents are strewn around the floor with me, Caitlin, triumphantly in the middle of it all. Bank cards, receipts, money if I'm lucky, lipstick, diary, pens... are all at my mercy. So she stopped leaving her bag within my reach, thus spoiling my fun. Or so she thought. Daddy's backpack was still around....

and so were his highlighter pens.

...which make a good lipstick....

...one of those "long-lasting" ones. Revlon ColourStay, Max Factor LipFinity, Maybelline.... they have NOTHING on orange highlighter, let me tell you!

Don't I look gorgeous??? One tip though... if you do something like this and your Mummy says "NO!" to you, in a very stern voice, and if she then gets out the camera and takes loads of photos - she's not THAT cross!

MY GORGEOUS GALS

HANDSOME PRINCES ONLY NEED APPLY.... BUT NOT YET!!!

PHOTO-PHOBIA !!!

He hasn't got it, but to all intents and purposes, on the morning of his pre-school photo, he was moaning so much about it that you'd think he had a fear of cameras. All morning he was wailing "No.... I don't want to be taken by a photo!!!" (Poor boy, no wonder he was anxious!!!)

But when he got to playgroup, he was fine about it, and had even been practising - to my horror - his best, jaw protruding, grimacing, forced smile for the camera. So it was with trepidation that I viewed the proof - available almost instantly, thanks to digital technology. But I needn't have worried.

The sun will come out - tomorrow....

And in a beautiful musical moment today at the table, Sam was angelically singing "I am a Child of God" (albeit a diversionary tactic to put off eating the evil dinner) and Rache and I were stunned to hear Caitlin join in the last word of each line and then the whole phrase, crystal clear "Help me finda way....". She has either picked this up from Sam singing it, or from nursery, or both. A teary-eyed moment from my girl.

To sleep, or not to sleep, that is the question...

Look what Caitlin's got!

A new Princess bed, and she was SO happy to see it. Hitherto, she has slept in a cot in our room, and has viewed Sam's room as something of a treasure trove which she is sometimes allowed to play in. Whenever we go upstairs she says "Roon! Roon!" which means she wants to play in Sam's Roon - I mean, Room.

So I kind of thought that transferring her into a new bed and into Sam's room. being as she loves it so much, would be a piece of cake. Bedtime wasn't too bad - she had her usual music to drift off to, and laid down cuddling her teddy and Winnie the Pooh (who incidentally MUST have his hood on - this one wears a hoodie). About five minutes after I left the room, I heard her whimpering and rattling the stair gate, so I went back upstairs and stayed with her until she fell asleep. Sam's turn next and bless him, he was  super quiet while he said his prayers and went to bed, and all was well.

Until about twenty past twelve when Caitlin woke up crying a little, so I went in to reassure her. She was WIDE awake, and wanted to go downstairs, but was happy to negotiate if I stayed in the room, which I did, trying to get comfortable on the glider chair - in vain I might add. Literally, the next couple of hours passed with me getting a stiff neck, Caitlin still wide awake but lying fairly quietly, and Sam talking in his sleep, saying "I've come to get the book."

But then at about three o'clock ish - by this time I was lying on the floor thinking I might actually get comfortable, Sam started chuckling in his sleep, and then began to full-on laugh, in his sleep!!! This sent Caitlin into fits of laughter, and NOTHING I could say would stop her. It was so, so funny! This went on, with Sam chuckling in his sleep still, for about a  minute, and then Caitlin laughed so hard that Sam woke up, and began to laugh at Caitlin laughing. In spite of the fact that it was three ish o'clock ish, I too, found it hilarious. But tiredness got the better of both Sam and I and we wanted to get some sleep. Sam said "Caitlin, you need to go to sleep now, OK?" And Caitlin said "OKAY?" loudly back to Sam, which sent her and Sam into fits again. As soon as he'd stopped laughing, he said wearily, "Caitlin, I'm tired. Mummy keeps telling you to go to sleep, so GO TO SLEEP!" Caitlin then said something unintelligible but loud, and off they both went again. I was totally bushed and although this was so funny, I cannot begin to tell you how tired I was, and so i said, "Both of you, enough. be quiet and go to sleep!" Sam backed me up and said "Caitlin, I can't keep telling you... I need to go to sleep."  With this scenario still playing out, Steve came in at about four, and said he'd take Sam into our bed with him, to split them both up. And leave me breaking my back on the floor, or my neck in the glider chair? No way, Jose! I made up the cot again, and put Caitlin in it. She protested a little but I gave her the choice of me sleeping in my bed next to her in her cot, or me going downstairs without her. She chose the first option. Mercifully.

She's in her cot, in our room tonight. I quite like sleep.  

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK!

I wish I'd had a camcorder in Primary at church today. Sam has been in Primary since February of this year, and is used to saying the opening prayer there, but today he said his first scripture/spiritual thought. Now when I first told him that it would be his turn to say a scripture, he decided he'd say one of his own. In our family scripture reading time, one of his own usually goes like this. "And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek and Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore and Piglet and Tigger and... who else....Kanga and Roo and Owl and Rabbit..... Alma and Amulek asked all the people to follow them, and they did." I figured this would be hugely entertaining for Primary, and certainly not one that they'd ever had before, and it did fit in with the theme of "Family"... ish. But then I thought that maybe we should stick to something a little safer so we went with the theme for the month taken from The church's Proclamation on the Family. So Sam learned by heart "The family is central to the Creator's plan, for the eternal destiny of his children." I'd told him that it means that families are very important to Jesus because we can all live with Him again one day. And not only had he learned it, but he was looking forward to sharing this in Primary today.

I was really looking forward to it too, but I was worried that standing in front of everyone, on the raised step so he could see over the "pulpit" thingy would make him go tonguetied.

Or not.

Sam went up to the front after the opening prayer, stood on the step, and this is what happened. Almost a transcript.

"Everyone -" arms gesturing to include us all "Everyone listen because I'm going to read a scripture! You, too Moo-Moo" pointing to my Mum "And Tor," pointing to my neice and his primary teacher "and Mummy stay there because I don't need any help."

"I'm going to open my scriptures -" turning the pages in the small Primary songbook because we'd left his scriptures at home "I'm going to start at the beginning of the scripture".

By this time, I'm working my way round to the front to try and stop my boy building up his part and encouraging him to actually get on with it.

"Mummy, STAY there! So, is everyone listening because I'm going to read the scripture now. Everyone? Listen! The family is central to the Creator's plan, for the eternal destiny of his children."

Daddy's boy, with the confidence in speaking in church. But the verbal diarrhoea I have to admit, probably comes from me!

On cuteness, stuffing your mouth, and how Caitlin takes after her Grandma.

Last Sunday I had a headache. And not just a little headache, but a full-blown When-I-grow-up-I'm-going-to-be-a-migraine kind of a headache. I felt sick too, all day. Was too, but you don't need to know that. At one point in the day (only one?) Sam had been particularly boistrous and shouty, and Steve had been telling him he needed to be quiet because Mummy had a headache. At bedtime, the Liahona (which is anything Sam has to hand at the time... could be Zurg, could be a bottle, or a puzzle piece, or a plastic animal) decreed by pointing - ably assisted by Sam - that I was to be the chosen one to clean his teeth. (Seriously, that's how Sam chooses who will clean his teeth, and he, or the Liahona, tries to be fair to everyone, and pick us in turn.... but it will only work as long as we are being good...) So anyway, I felt up to that, so we went upstairs and did the deed, and then Sam went into his bedroom to say his bedtime prayer. In addition to thanking Heavenly Father for his blessings, for the wonderful day at church, and asking Him to bless the sick people, he said: "And please bless Mummy that her headache will get better -" Ahhh. "- so that I can shout again." Oh. Still...

Sam loves fruit and certain veg and would sooner have a plate of grapes, apple, satsuma, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pepper.. than meat and potatoes. One day last week , given the choice of chocolate cake, yoghurt or grapes for dessert, he chose grapes. This is his latest trick.

I'm going for the world record of cramming as many grapes as you can into your mouth.

It's easier if I hold my mouth closed!

Wiv blackest moss, the flaaar pots were fickly crusted, one and all!

Here they are! See?

And on the same day, proving that she is like her Grandma, at least in this, Caitlin is the only one of my children to like prunes.  Come to think of it, maybe that's why she was a bit whiffy last week.

Caitlin, that is, not Grandma.

You mean I'm supposed to EAT these? Can't I just squelch them around in my hand? They were MADE for squelching!

One has to work up to these things. It's touched my lips.. hey, it's a start!

It's on the tongue, people! Actually, it's quite nice!

YUM YUM!!!

RACE FOR LIFE 2008

Norwich hosted the first of this year's Races for life, and I felt so proud of our ward's young women, and especially proud of MY two young women as they joined together to participate. I love this event, and it was great to watch thousands of women coming together for a common purpose. There are a few people in our ward who are fighting cancer at the moment or who have recently lost their fight, as well as a few who have come through the other side and are now fit and well. The girls ran for them all, although each had their individual dedications written on their backs. Sad for me, was that Jess, who last year ran for one of my dear friends at the time still fighting, this year ran in memory of her. One of the young women and her sister dedicated their run to their Mum who is still battling, and who came to watch and cheer them on, despite having had surgery last week. But the dedication that made me well up read: "For my dad, who lost his fight last sunday".  Some truly inspiring and courageous people, those running, and those being remembered. Kirsty and I plan to do it next year. Well done girls!

   

Catch up

I know, I know, it's been an AGE since I last posted anything. Blame my busy life, my inability to import photos from my camera on to our new computer (Technophobe was what Steve actually called me today), and the fact that whenever I have had the chance to sit down, a computer chair wasn't quite doing it for me!

So a brief update.  We are all well; Steve is working out his notice at Norwich Union (three cheers!) before taking up a new post as a faculty manager over six schools at the University of East Anglia.  Jess is about to sit her year 9 SATS, Rachel is about to sit her AS level exams. We've just heard that Sam has been offered a place at our chosen Infants School www.garrickgreen.co.uk (named as one of the country's outstanding schools - and it is only half a mile away), so we are very pleased about that, although the thought of him starting school in September, albeit part-time, makes me want to weep. Caitlin is talking in two word and sometimes three word sentences. In fact, the last time our friend Ben came to dinner, just a couple of weeks ago, Caitlin said her longest sentence yet. "I love you Ben". It just so happens that Ben wasn't the one saying I love you to her at the time, it was Jess. But instead of saying "I love you" back, Caitlin replied "I love Ben." Now whenever we say "I love you Caitlin" - even two weeks on, she mischievously says "I love you Ben!"

The other day, while we were out for a walk, two ladies who were power walking, stopped on the other side of the road to admire Caitlin's hair before saying goodbye and power walking off.  This is the conversation Caitlin and I had afterwards.

C: Ladies

Me: Did you see the ladies?

C: Yes. Hello.

Me: Did they say hello to you?

C: Yes. Hair. Pretty.

Me: They said you had pretty hair didn't they?

C. Yes. Bye  bye.

Me: Did you say goodbye?

C: Yes. Running.

Me: Were the ladies running?

C: Yes.

She'd make a great reporter! Sam has also impressed with his conversational abilities. He went with Mum to meet Laura from work, and decided, when Laura emerged from the offices, that he needed the toilet. Laura said "Are you sure Sam?" Sam was sure, so Laura took him in. When they were safely inside the building, Sam admitted "Actually, I don't need the toilet, I just wanted to come into your office."  A delighted Laura - who was never above telling a porky herself in her younger days to achieve her own ends - took him around to say hello to everyone. Ian, Laura's boss and one of the senior partners in the law firm came over for a chat and in the course of conversation asked Sam how old he is. Sam replied "I'm three years old." "And when will you be four? Is your birthday in the summer or the winter?" Sam looked at him and replied (probably thinking i'll make it easier for him) "My birthday is in August so that would be Summer."

During our extra long Easter holiday and the days since, we had some fun family times. As pictures speak a thousand words, here they are.

BROTHERLY LOVE 

SPRING  HAS SPRUNG. NOT!

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

 

OR 101 WAYS WITH 2 CARDBOARD BOXES!

MAKE THAT 1 CARDBOARD BOX!! RACHE!!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!! YAY!! (ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER THE SNOW!)

A MORNING AT THE PARK ENTERTAINING THE CHILDREN. ESPECIALLY THE BIG ONES!

                                                                                                

SPIN DOCTOR.....

I FEEL SICK!!!