update on broken arm

this is really going to be a short blog just to update anyone who actually reads this. my arm is healing nicely and i need to be using it. Doctor was not happy that i still had the sling with me, i debated about taking it with me and it was a gabmle i lost. anyway it is now in the bin. I am going back to work monday week and i have my final appointment in early december, so then i will get the x-ray pictures and can then post them on here.!!!!!

The broken arm

Well, its been a while since i last blogged. it is 4am and both Pete & I cantr sleep so we're both downstairs on our computers. I know its really sad. Anyway, my arm. It is now out of its bandage and kind of left to its own devises in a way. I'm not allowed to put pressure on it but am allowed to exercise it a little. i am seeing the consultant on friday to see what is going on - how thw bone is healing etc. I can post some pics of the lovely scars I have to show for it as well.

Anyway, what else is happening in our lives..... Pete started his new job mid- September and is enjoying it. He works from home so if there is no job booked in he doesn't go into work. Oftentimes the jobs he has booked in are cancelled so he is free for the rest of the day. Last sunday he started to lay the patio which is good but the pesky neighbourhood cats keep pooing in the sand.

Hannah started pre-school at the beginning of the month, attending 3 days mornings a week. We now move onto 4 mornings a week for this month and after the holdiays we go to 5 mornings a week. I dont know about her but I am knackered from having to get up so early every morning.

She's really enjoting it, painting, play dough, going outside etc. This week we also have an outing to a local arboretum which'll be quite exciting, and the christmas outing is to clearwell caves so i hiope to be able to get on that trip as a parent helper.

When i'm back to full health I hope to take josh swimming once a week on my day off whilst hannah is at school. He is such a little character and such a boy - investigating everythting, copying his sister, wanting to more than his body will allow etc

Anyway that is about it for the time being.

Broken Arm

As the title says I broke my arm - trampolining with the kids. I did it on Sunday whilst Pete was on a high risk adventure activity called Go Ape which involves climbing through an assault course in the trees, the irony is quite funny. Anyway a friend took me to hospital where they confirmed I had broken it and the doctors decided the best course of action was to manipulate it back into place which involves pulling the arm and hand to align the bone in a straight position. unfortunately it is a bad break and yesterday the orthopaedic consultant told me I would need an op on it (which was the 2nd choice Sunday). I was supposed to go in on Tuesday to have my op but the theatre person who organises the patients said the break was so bad he wanted the top surgeon to do the op so I've had to wait until today (Thursday). When I go in today the plan is to have a plate and 5-7 screws put in to help the bone heal in the right place. It has to stay in for 2 yrs and then i can have it or alternatively keep it in forever. (the first involves another op so i shall probably just keep it in)
its my right hand and i am one of those fortunate people that is a leftie!!!!! so there is a least a little good news.

Kids Camp

In the first week of August we go on kids camp to Sevenoaks, Kent. It is there to provide a holiday for disadvantaged children who most probably wont get a holiday and have difficult home lives. We left for camp on August 2nd (Hannah's birthday) and met up with our friends Ben & Catherine to travel with them. We got to Sevenoaks at about 10.30am - a bit of an early start - and gradually met up with the rest of the team who come from different parts of the country (Birmingham, Somerset, Gloucester, London). Some members also came with some of the leaders and went to the cinema with a couple of leaders whilst the rest of us when through camp training. After lunch we off-loaded the mini buses with all the things needed for the week. The members arrive from 4pm to settle in and meet the leaders and other members. As it was Hannah's birthday I had made a cake for her with candles on. After tea she was called up to the front where everyone sang Happy Birthday to her and she blew out her candles etc. She was a bit shy being in front of lots of people she didn't know.
Camp is very structured with not a lot of free time for the kids to get into trouble. We run lots of activities for the kids. First thing in the morning we (leaders) meet up with each other to do a short Bible study and prayer. We then go through the days activities with who is doping what and any volunteers needed for the activities. When the kids get up they can go to aerobics, jogging, or just chillin till breakfast. After breakfast and clearing up we usually have a game(s) in teams. We did games such as wellie throwing, water games, games involving shaving foam etc. We had a spiritual slot where the kids would learn a little bit about God and Jesus. Int eh afternoons there were various workshops for the kids to take part in. We took the kids ice-skating, ten-pin bowling, boating, we do something called 'Hunt the Spy' where leaders dress up and the members have to find them and then take a photo of themselves doing a challenge set by that leader and we take the members into town for this activity. We went to to Thorpe Park for the day and we had a big 'ball' for the kids on the last day.
It can be a difficult balancing act with our children and the members who come to camp - being able to serve those on camp and spending time and giving attention to Hannah & Josh. They seemed to mix well with the members and leaders and had a good time.

Hannah's 3rd birthday

It was Hannah's 3rd birthday party on August 2nd and we had her party on the Thursday before. She about 5 friends come round. We had party food, birthday cake, presents, played pass the parcel and played outside thanks to the weather holding off for the day. In the evening family members came round and we had pizza - thanks Uncle Andy - and more presents and cake. We bought her a new car seat which is bright pink, a butterfly cushion, a balamory magazine, and other little bits and pieces. She also had colouring things, a smart denim dress outfit and other clothes, a little suitcase for when she stays overnight with Grandma. It was a long day but she enjoyed it all. I can't quite believe she is 3 years old. Being an August baby means she'll only have 1 more year at home before she goes to school. She will be going to pre-school in September which I think she is looking forward to.

Happy Birthday Josh

It was Josh's first birthday on Sunday (May 25th). We had planned a big family gathering at Rodborough common where there is an ice cream factory but unfortunately the Great British weather was against us and it was just too unreliable to be outside and away from anyone's house. We phoned everyone up and told them that the venue had changed to our house. Then we rang Pete's parents and they suggested we held the party at their house which has a bigger living space and kitchen so we rang everyone again to tell them the new venue for the party (fortunately everyone managed to get there as some of our friends wouldn't have ever been to their house). Dad (Pete's) came over to pick me up to take all the food and birthday cake over from our house to theirs. The birthday cake was Winnie the Pooh holding a number 1 which my Mum helped me decorate using fondant icing - having never decorated a cake with fondant icing before, and to make up for not being at the ice cream factory we had bought some the day before so everyone had a bowl of ice cream.
We had 27 people come over including Josh's friends and aunts and uncles, grandparents etc. He had a really good time with lots of presents to open and play with. Lots of noisy, battery operated toys, new PJ's and clothes.
On Saturday to celebrate his (Josh) last day of being months old he was going through the nappy bag whilst we were in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. Hannah came into the living room and came back to tell us Josh had made a mess. I thought he had just got lots of toys out but NO he had got the nappy cream out of the bag, unscrewed the lid and was smothering it all over himself, the carpet, the nappy bag and all over his hands. He looked a sight and couldn't really understand what all the fuss was about when I started cleaning him up. He has also since then managed to get the lid off a bottle of shampoo and spread the contents over the hall floor. I have to say I am struggling with getting to grips with boys, they are just different from girls. Hannah never did any of that kind if thing when she was little. All I can say is Boys, Boys, Boys.

Holidays and haircuts

Well its been a while since I last wrote and as the title says we've been on holiday. We went to a Christian conference called Spring Harvest which was at Butlins in Minehead. It was really good to get away and be with friends. The kids had their own club to go to in the morning for about an hour and a half, so Pete and I went to the morning bible reading sessions. In the afternoons we were free to do our own thing. We went swimming one day which the kids thoroughly enjoyed, Pete and I went to a parenting class - not that I think we're in need of parenting classes per say but it is always good to get ideas from other people. We had lunch at Pizza Hut one day and Pete managed to eat pizza slices reaching into double figures.....he's a growing lad!!!! In the evenings there was a worship and word session which we got to once or twice but it is also relayed to all the chalets so we didn't miss out too much. It was sad to leave as we had spent a week being with friends almost 24/7.

The hair cuts... well mine was well overdue and I got it cut two days after getting back off holiday. The really momentous hair cut was Josh's. He's only 11 months and has already had two fringe cuts and now has had his first full hair cut and he looks like a proper little boy. He looks so scummy and gorgeous now - even more so than before hair cut. I will upload a photo of his new haircut onto facebook asap cos I think he is just gorgeous.

Well if I dont write sooner I will blog in a months time as it will be Josh's first birthday so I shall let you all know what we did to celebrate.