So true

:-)

Snow!

We don't get very much snow here so when it happens it is exciting.  Today it didn't snow here in the valley but up in the hills.  Our friends from Argentina wanted to take their daughter who had never seen snow so we went for an adventure.  Here are some of the photos I took with John's Iphone.

Do as I'm Doing

I noticed that it was time for the younger children to go to bed last night.  I started to walk towards the lounge and I heard me!  I heard the exact words I say when I send the little ones to bed.  And because the younger three don't give much respect to their older sisters I also heard what I say when they are being disobedient.  It was my daughter sending her siblings to bed.  It was not just the words she used but also her voice sounded like mine and her tone.  Recently I saw a quote that said:

What the daughter does, the mother did. Well I hope that will not be the case in all areas as I would hate my girls to make some of the stupid mistakes I made. But I do see my girls copy me which can be both terrifying and complimentary.  Here are five things I hope my girls do better than me.  Without explanation. 1.  Manage their money 2.  Manage their relationships.  With boys and family. 3.  Recognise their self worth. 4.  Education, education, education. 5.  Tidy as they go.  Their rooms and their lives.

Making Goals

A while ago I found mine and John's wish board.  Probably about 8 years ago someone had advised us to cut out of magazines photographs that would symbolise our goals.  We did it as a bit of fun.  Mainly because that week John's Mum had given us a pile of her old magazines.  I think in total we pinned about 20 pictures on our wish board.  For example there was a photo of a student on their graduation day throwing their cap in the air.  One of John's and my goals at the time was to further our education and graduate.  It was really interesting looking at the board as we had achieved about half of them.  The board was placed in the corner of our bedroom for years and as with all familiar things not really noticed.  When we moved to Spain it was moved to the loft and totally forgotten about.  I realise now, that even subconsciously we were aware of that board and I believe it did help us reach some important land marks in our life.   Anyone have any old magazines?

The Driving Test

My oldest son takes his driving test tomorrow.  Yes my son is taking his driving test, not me, so why am I so nervous for him?  I passed my driving test first time, thankfully, not sure I would have coped with the nerves of taking it again.  The only thing I objected to about my husband now applying for jobs all over the world is the thought of having to retake a driving test somewhere.  It is not the driving, I believe I am a good driver.  It is the pressure and stress of it all.  Tests, I hate them.  I loved that my photography degree was exam free.  Essays I can write no problem when I am given time, but put me in a room with a bunch of other people sat at small desks and everything goes pair shaped.  I left high school with the grand total of two 'o' levels (yes I am that old) and then went back to college to get GCSE's.  My exam days are over.  But good luck son!

Sticks and Stones

One of my children began to sing a naughty (not really) rhyme today in the car that I recognised from my own childhood.  I heard one of my boys say "You stole that from me!"  The other boy responded, "No, Tom Davis made it up."  I wondered if I thought it was new when I was seven in 1977?  Of course my children could not believe it when I knew the rhyme, and I added that I heard it when I was at school.  Not only is it difficult for them to believe I was ever seven, but even more hard to understand is that I was ever naughty enough to recite a cheeky verse.  OK, they probably do believe the last one.
We were sat around as a family the other day discussing the differences in behaviour in schools from the 1970's and 80's to the 00's.  I think this discussion stemmed from one of my older boy's law class where they discussed corporal punishment.  Our kids could not believe that teachers where ever aloud to hit children.  John gave an amusing account of having been given the slipper.  The children sat with mouths open.  Points raised by the children about changes today were: 1. Drugs.  John and I didn't encounter drugs until college days.  When I say encounter, know about, not experiment with;  2. Gay issues.  Again, something not encountered until college for both John and I; 3. Teen pregnancy.  I am sure statistics would probably say differently, but I am not sure much has changed there;  4.  Alcohol abuse.  Not much change.  5.  Smoking in school.  I actually wondered if that had become better.  There seems to be less teen smokers around than I experienced in school; and 5.  Bullying.  Eternal problem.  So, other than a couple of things, I guess I have realised that things are not as bad as people sometimes make out.  Are our children having to cope with more than we had to?  Well, they don't get the slipper for being late for school.  Some things have changed.  They are still sharing the same jokes and cheeky rhymes John and I used to hear.  Some things stay the same.

Lampeter

Today John and I spent the day in Lampeter, a sacred place for me.  John and I had not long been married and I could tell he was unhappy with his work.  I asked him what he wished he could do for a job.  His reply: A literature university lecturer.  I encouraged him to apply for a place at Lampeter University, and he was accepted right away.  I will never forget that day as I played with the kids in a park across the road from the campus, waiting for news.  We all celebrated together.  We knew we would be broke.  We knew there was no guarantee this would lead him to his dream.  But we knew we had to try.  Since that day I have spent many days in this wonderful university town.  Once children were all safely off to school, I would escape with John and write essays for my degree, or work on my book in the library while he worked on his PhD.  We spent our lunchtimes in the local health food shop enjoying their amazing soups, and sometimes in the best fish and chip shop in Wales right next door.  We have spent hours in the coffee shop Conti's, sipping hot chocolate on a cold afternoon and discussing our findings of the day, perusing the many charity shops for bargains.  A solid and wonderful part of my love for John comes from that town.  Love of his bravery at re-entering education.  Love of the stolen time away from the children together, like young students.  Love of a beautiful little university town hidden away in the country where  you can lose yourself in your dreams.

This song will always remind me of 2011

Back to blogging

It has been so long since I last blogged that I forgot I had one!  I have sat here and read some of my old blog posts and apart from my inability to express myself eloquently it has been great to reacquaint myself with events, thoughts and feelings I had shared.  I don't keep a diary or journal so this is my only attempt of writing anything down.
It would be impossible to write down everything that has happened over the last year so here is a summary in ten points.
1.  Moved back to Wales from Spain.

2.  All 13 of us moved in with husband John's heroic parents!  For 6 months!  (I think they are still in therapy.)

3.  People renting our house moved out.  We moved back in.  Phew.  Hurray!

4.  John and I drive all the way back to Spain to get our stuff.  Amazing adventure, sleeping in truck stops and visiting some much loved and greatly missed friends.

5.  John finished PhD and I finish my book.  I know!

6.  Our 18 yr old son moves out to live with John's brother in Birmingham to get a job and prepare for his lds mission.  I cried and cried.

7.  Friends from Spain move in with us, two families.  One returned to Spain and the other moved next door and look like they are here to stay.

8.  Kids all settled back into British education although living in Spain put them back a year.  They did gain a language though so I have to look at the positive.

9.  John and I had some amazing adventures in Hereford, Spain, Belgium, France, Dylan Thomas's boat house, Manchester, Lampeter and a Kate Rusby concert in Aberystwyth.

10.  Spent an amazing Christmas in Belgium with our friends The Box Family.  What a perfect way to end our year.