HAPPY NEW YEAR

Just to wish you all a very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

we hope you have a great one wether it be niosy or a quiet one, with family or with friends, thinking of those that we still wish were here.For those that live too far away, of not being able to be with them .

love to you all tracey xxxxxx

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Ok so it's that time of year when most of us mum's are pulling our hair out, hoping that we have got and done everything that we meant to have done,The dreaded food shop hustling with every other mum who is as stressed out as you.. "oh "the joy of the holiday season, The dad's if they are the same as my delightful husband through no fault of his own go to work and hope that we have got our acts together nad got everything done.

Well enough said just to wish everyone we know a very merry christmas and we hope you have as good as one as we are hoping to have, to the really special people that know us love you loads.....

love Andy, tracey, jamie and steffie xxxxxxxx

Christmas Time

Well it is once again upon us, that time when we go up the attic to the far corner and hunt out all the xmas decs, with steffie hot on my heels i manage to get them all down.I seem every year to have more and more boxes , this year again changing all the colour scheme, i decided to go with different colours of brown to go with the lounge, carefully hiden from "Andy" as i know what he will say.
The tree has never looked better and the decs look fantastic. Needless to say Andy still wonders again why i need new ones,but i have told him "yeh but it looks great " it's a woman thing.......
With my beautifull new tree with all it's baubles, at 3am this morning Bruno takes his aim and decides they look rather good and gently as to not make the tree fall over takes some to bed carefully taking them off the tree and quite happily munch them to bits.....Needless to say me at 3.15am this morning after him waking me up decided to have a few stern words. There will be a board infront of the tree tonight

Happy 13th Birthday

it is Steffie's 13th birthday today,i can now quite unhappily say i have 2 teenagers in my house. Besides the fact that i seem to be feeling decidedly old these last few weeks,the last 13yrs seem to have flown by.
The very special child that survived the car crash when i was pregnant with her, and fought hard to stay where she was, has turned into the most smart, stubborn as her father,witty child who can talk for England.The joy she brings to those that know her ,always helping the neighbours with their kids or dog sitting for those that need her, All i can describe her is a joy and hopefully as she goes through her teens will stay just being the way she is now.
Hopefully after the sleepover she is having tonight there maybe a few photos to show as the camera has somehow dissapeared with them.

Have a wonderfull Birthday with lots of huge hugs and kisses

mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

update

life here in the household has seemed to be just to hectic to put down the time to actually sit at the computer.
Mum and dad have been over , dad has been ill, my brother also with his back, Andy's birthday seems to have flown by with not too much celebration, we have camped in the new tent at "Paw's in the Park" with friends in Kent for the weekend and then gone on holiday the day after we got back.
The kids have gone back to school and Jamie starting college. Our lives seem to be just like a roller coaster at the moment. Andy diagnosed as having a Hernia the day we went away . The day after we get back Bruno was back at the vets, it now seems that he has slipping knees in both back legs , this at the worst will be both legs operated on at £1500.00 each leg without the x-ray or specialist consultation fee. We are now waiting for our appointment.
Mum flew back today as dad has gone back downhill so it maybe she will have to bring him back with her for a while again, meanwhile my brother is on a detox so i am on call for him. Stress is a word i can see coming quite rapidly round the corner....

He returns tired but safe

Jamie has now returned home after his trip to Canada,He has now decided that when he eventually leaves the kidd hotel he would really quite like to go and live there.This i think was the hardest challange that he has done so far,canoeing for about 6-8hrs a day as well as having to carry the canoe's across rocky terraine.
He visited Toronto and also niagra falls,went up the tower which he has said is a definate must.Life has now returned back to normal and he is now looking for a part-time job. He did well with his exam results and got his place at college on the course he wanted.Unfortunately for Andy and i it seems will will still be a hotel for at least another 3 years.
Steph is also back from her weeks camping in Weymouth with friends, has a great bit of a tan and is now getting ready to go back to school.We have done the town trip for the last few bits as well as her fleecing me for yet more clothes that she must just have.Oh yes and just to finish off with we have just got a different caravan, beware on the roads as Andy thinks i will be up to towing it !!!!!!!!!.

When the sun comes up

After mine and Andy's quick break last weekend i suddenly realized, NO KIDS, so, NO DOG WALKERS for me in the morning. This meant for the last 2 mornings i have been up by 5.15am to take them out before leaving for work.
Besides it seeming like the middle of the night, by the time i have got down to the shore which is only 5Min's walk from my house , i remember why i loved this time of day.It is the peaceful lapping of the waves on the shore, not a soul around, the dogs playing on the open field and me silently breathing in the morning sea air.
At times like this i would not trade for the world where i live.But as usual when i get in, it is to run around like a blue arse fly , give Andy a quick peck goodbye and we are both off to work,Bang goes the idyllic walk of the morning and the trudge of everyday life begins.....

Away time

Andy and i spent a wonderful weekend away with Amber,Len and the kids,Ours both being away meant we were able to not to worry about what the kids would like to do but what we would.
My main aim was to go and see some castles but have since learned my perception of what a castle is and what a castle is in Scotland are very different. Still we walked visited and took lots of wonderful photos to remember our time.
I think i may have bought Amber and Len a bit of bad luck as a few things seem to have gone wrong while we were there, but bless them they could not have been more welcoming.The place they live, so different from us it has such a tranquil feel to it,both the perfect hosts,not to mention their fantastic kids and to say when they make up their own sushi bar it is something else.


We had a lovely meal on Sunday evening and while sitting on the decking the most fantastic view of the sunset , golden fields filtering through the trees and over the side of the house a golden glow that burst through, Amber coming to my rescue to take some photos on my camera which i have now decided i must really read the manual. A big thank you to her as they are fantastic. (Click on photo to see slideshow)

A welcome break

Yeh!!! Andy and i finally have come to our weekend away break in Scotland, We leave tommorow morning, Steph is leaving with friends to go to Weymouth for a weeks camping.We have no kids wehee for us.

We shall be spending time while up there with Amber ,len and their kids,I can't remember the last time i got together with Len it was only to be described as many moons ago when we were so much younger , no greying of the hair and i'm sure a few pounds lighter. It will be great to meet the rest of the clan and for Andy to meet them , He has heard many stories of us as a group that where at Warsash together. He has only to meet Len of the group

I have even managed to get him to leave his England rugby shirt at home, even though they are playing this weekend.

the time just goes faster

No entries for a while as life here just goes and before i know it weeks have gone by, The weekends have been taken up doing dog displays, thye evenings traing so Andy and i seem to pass in the door, Jamie has left school and has his prom tommorow night, stef has high school musical performances .
We have had the dreaded lurgy that seems to be doing the rounds.Taxi runs and trying to sell Andy's old car. Other than that we are just about coping.
Mum and Dad are staying over again as it looks like dads cancer has returnrd so he is waiting on the docs yet again, At least they can stay with my brother this time as i have just about finished helping him decorate his new flat.
Ok i have run out of time so untill the next brief space i have i may just get back on the computer.......

display

Life has been rather busy here at home, Stupidly i may think at points ,Bruno is now in a local dog display team.It started back in February when i was putting him forward for a bit of agility training and seems to have progressed into the display team.So far we have done 3displays and bless him he has not let the side down. The only downfall to this is i now need to get much fitter to keep up with him. One minute he is by my side next he is about 3 jumps ahead and seems to fly over the six foot a frame.
Should i have taken something more on i ask myself with all the extra things in my life i have to contend doing as well having to help my brother to decorate his new flat, Jamie doing his exams at present, but it gets the whole family out for the day and into the events free.
Stephanie and her friend Jayde help out too, they put up the jumps that have been knocked down or help hold the dogs, We have had a photographer take some fantastic photos of the dogs in action so as soon as i can get some i shall show Bruno in action, he is just to fast for my camera.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today i have a son turning 16, it seems no time at all when he was born, and now he is just about to leave school.
I would love to know where all the years have gone, to watch Jamie grow up to where he is today and to have done the things that Andy and i have been able to give him.
Over the last couple of years he has had some trips and this year he is going sailing, Canada and in February next year is off to Manilla. To much adventure, but thats what we as parents are for to give the best to our kids to give them experiences in life that they will remember.
So a very Happy 16th Birthday Jamie.xxxxxx

points of life

There are lots of points in life that we decide that that we shall try and live by.......

As we get older we don't usually have regrets for the things that we have done , but for the things we may not get to do.....

You have to find a bit of humor each day.......

You have to have dreams if you don't have any dreams then what is there to live for......

We watch so many people walking around us, that act like they have already died.look at yourself and see what you have, it makes you go on another day.....

There is a huge difference between growing older and to growing up........

In your life try not to have regrets, we all grow older, there is no talent or ability to do this, the talent is to grow up by finding opportunities to change.....

Bits and Bobs

Basically nothing really to talk about, dad got taken back into hospital again, Mum flies in tommorow with my brother but because of dad being bad again will fly back Saturday or Sunday.Life is just not fair when people are given crap things in life when they just don't deserve them. Having an illness like his has taken it's toll on everyone, but he has never let it take controll of him and let it take out it's effect on us as much as it could have done,
We have grown up with what we call "the waiting game" everytime he goes in, will he come out ever since i was old enough to understand we have waited. Now though we are on the last ditch of type of medication at £1800 an infusuion every couple of months. I can only praise the way he has lived his life so far doing as much as he has, and as usual he will tackle this as he always does. we just need to get the boat back into the water as you still i'm sure have a few sails in you yet.

the easter holls

Well it's been busy busy busy here, Andy had the first week off, me i have had the 2ND, so far i have washed all the curtains, cleaned the windows,washed the nets, gone through all of Stef's clothes and Jamies, got the dogs over to The New Forest for the day with Anne and Naiomi that totalled 8 dogs and then went for a relaxing pub lunch. Wow we did get some looks when we walked in with 3 huge long haired shepherds, 3 black Labrador's and my 2. In the end people decide not to be too scared and come over to say hello to the dogs.
I have tidied the garden done the sleepovers and my last thing on my list was completed today. I went to town and kitted both Jamie and his friend Stephen out for their prom, I never would have believed they could look so smart. We are now finished the car is booked along with Andy who is going to drive them.
I will eventually have some photos to post as they in a backlog on my camera when i can finally remember my password for my flicker account as they have changed the way you use it ......

bruno's tv debut

As i talked about a while ago Bruno and i do heel work to music , which is basically the dog dancing with you.Well on our workshop day we were filmed by Chanel four . The program was It's me or the dog crufts special which was shown on Tuesday night at 8pm.
We had about 10seconds of fame, but we had made it and i now have a little superstar , i would like to say the fame has not gone to his head and he still snores and barks at everything that moves. Tyson as usual just watches the world go by......If you did just happen to watch the program i was the one in the pink sweatshirt with the black and white dog or holding the cream shepherd.........Now I'm back to being the normal mum.........celebrity is just not me.

busy week

This last week has been all go dad has flown back home leaving mum with us ,he then will fly back next Friday for a couple of days. They have started him on a new drug which has to be done every other week by intravenous. Next i have had a few days off with it being crufts we went up on Thursday and although it is a long day such a brill day out.
Andy has been suffering with an extended asthma attack due to stress and ended up collapsing at work while i was at crufts and ended up in hospital. he is out but has a good old shiner on his eye and quite a few cuts and grazes. i think he needs his house back and a bit of normality will do us all good. Me i am totally stressed out trying to keep everyone happy.

At work

while at work today there was a conversation concerning my blog, one of my colleagues i work with called Doug has visited my blog several times and we have several conversations about it. Now one of my managers who i work with has become aware of this and good natured as it is quite happily takes the mickey out of me about this. Now just in case he may visit this blog we shall in name just put him as the big "D" as a manager he is one of the good ones as they go, but trying to explain what blogging is about and why people do it just goes beyond him and the more exasperating side of him takes over leading him to make comments and take the mickey.
So if "D"JUST HAPPENS TO VISIT, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE I DARE YOU TO LEAVE ME A COMMENT TO PROVE YOU HAVE ACTUALLY VISITED THIS SITE AS YOU SO HAPPILY CLAIM THAT YOU HAVE. with that i will happily see you at work on Monday morning or i will look for my comment............... oh yes and my worktops are not black marble.

Stressed

Our home is not our home, Mum arrived over a week ago, dad is now out of hospital, the kids are desperately trying to keep their mouths shut, poor steph sharing a room with her nan is having major peace problems.
However much you love your parents can you honestly say you can live with them 24/7 with no room to escape to exept for your bedroom. we have had dad now with us for near on 6 weeks, mum a week, in a 3 bed house with one teenager and the other not to far behind, two adults and the 2 dogs.
Now i love my parents beyond a doubt and it is not there fault that there is only us to stay with, but Andy and i can't even have a decent row, let off steam and is totally no good for the love life. There is just not enough room at the inn. The grandparents forget that they are the grandparents and not the kids parents, how i run my house is how i run it, and tho this may differ from my mum it serves us well, How long they stay at the moment seems to be for a long while , Andy .....when the 8th arrives and they may still be here, you are not going to stay with friends xxxxx

steph's poem

Stephanie had to do a poem about bullies for her half term homework this is what she wrote......

bullies
I wish that bullies would care.
When they yank and pull your hair.
Why can't they be nice and share.
They make me scream when they growl like a bear.

When they pull and push me around.
I usually trip and hit the ground.
They can make such a horrible sound.
I try to stop them from taking my pound.

They will hurt me with a punch or kick.
Or with a pinch and a flick.
As well as name-calling and chucking sticks.
Which makes me feel really sick.

This is what a bully will do to me in a day

Stehanie kidd feb 07

Well done steph that was really cool xxxxxxxxx

New Kitchen

This is a pic of our new kitchen :)

my fine is

my fine is according to doing this on tj's site here is my fine....£351. not too bad i think.

Dogs dances to music

Today has been a long old day, my only real day off and i spend it with good friends doing a heelwork to music workshop with Richard Curtis. He is one of the top people in their field of their dogs dacing to music.I took Bruno who bless him at not even 3yrs old strutted his stuff and showed off his moves.
It was a good fun day with lots of motivation to get your dog listening to you. If anyone reading this has a dog that is a bit bored and there is a local dog club that does this sort of thing then i can totally recomend it.
I have been to about 4 of these 1hr classes and i can say Bruno is a lot more motivated towards me than he has been in the past. I shall now have to see if this type of trainin will help us in the obedience ring this season.There may be some sort of surprise on about 13th march but i shall keep you posted.

crap day, crap week

Thank god this week is finally over. We have had dad over for 3 weeks, unfortunately he has not been well and got taken into hospital on tues night. In some ways it is a break as mum has had to stay in portugal, it has been hard work but now of course i have a 30- 5o min journey each way to the hospital as well as still working and the family.
I have tonight off so Andy and i can sit down order a chinese and watch mission impossible 3 before collapsing into bed knackered. I spoke to the hospital today and so news for us is at least another 2 weeks of hospital and then they will look at it again.
It is just so wrong with this government that we have to pay to go visiting our love ones when they are in hospital, Some of us do not have all day to travel on their public transport when visiting is only limited to a few hours. I bet blair would not have to do this, why should we be made to suffer for being ill with the extortion of paying the prices charged at a hospital car park.

happy birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEEEE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Well thats me another year older hitting the grand old age of 44, still in pain from my tooth, getting up at the crack of dawn to go to rugby which has now been cancelled, NO TEA IN BED,NO BREAKFAST IN BED, on a good note i did have cards and pressies and the kids have gallantly taken the dogs for a walk for me, with that we shall wait for B&Q to open to get a few more bits for the kitchen.......

pain

with what i thought was the last visit to the dentist last week, i hate to say but lord knows what he has done but i have been in pain ever since. At first you think the usual it was a big job and with an extra injection it will take a couple of days to get over it.NO...... not me it seems to be getting steadily worse and however much i am petrified of going i think i shall have to succum. I am starting to feel a bit like a junkie at the moment.What with my doctor thinking i should be rattling at the moment and sending me for blood test next week, i'm really getting fed up now.
The complaining over good news on the kitchen front, i have got all the tiles of so yeh!!! me............

kitchen

The painting thank heavens is now all done in the kitchen and i'm now busily getting off all the tiles. Andy is starting to do the work next week so i have to be finished doing all the prep work before then.Needless to say at first he said i need not take any time off" a man thing" but you guessed it i have now booked off Tuesday and Wednesday to help.
Hopefully we will not hit any snags and we shall be finished by the end of his weeks holiday,Yep another holiday for Andy working at home one day he will actually get one, when i don't have any jobs for him to do XXXXXX...

The last one

yippeeeee I had my last dentist appointment today. NO more visits for 6 months and £4oo.oo later, my mouth feeling numb with having 2 injections ,jaw ache from being kept open . But hey it was the last one and when I can actually eat and drink something i shall be a happy bunny.
Good news on the kitchen I am off to a flying start with the top cuboards emptied, the ceiling painted, the coving painted and i'm about ready to start on the walls, get that done and i will be ready for Andy to start. Well exept for the fact that I have to remove over 200 tiles at the weekend......

Bringing in the new year

We hope everyone had a good new year, we had what started as a great event in the close, most of us out huddled under the patio heater, in the road or in one of the neighbours houses was a good gathering of neighbours and friends, kids quite happily playing and drink free flowing.
Needless to say unfortunately things as they do sometimes turn sour and we had a few problems which ended up Andy treating a severed finger me holding the torch, looking for the finger and waiting for an ambulance a good end to a good night and eventually getting to bed at 4am.
Now with some good news and totally out of point, Andy has booked a week of work to finish my kitchen, I have been paint buying, wall tiles in 3 colours" bless him and he didn't even moan" I even worked out the pattern I wanted. So now all I have to do is paint the ceiling and empty the cupboards and start to get the old tiles off. Well I have to do the preparation for him so he get on.....Oh yes and great new beechwood worktops...........