I have had a strange week, at the beginning I felt really down and as if I couldn't make a decision to save my life, but at the end, mainly yesterday, I suddenly came over all positive and I have decided to start a diet, and today has been my first day on it and I feel really good, and although I have had a couple of moments when I really fancied something naughty I have managed to fight it and I feel really pleased with myself. I am still a bit worried about Amber and the whole homeschooling thing as she really doesn't seem keen to do any work and I feel a bit lost as to what to do with her and my time is always so limited. Darcey has started to walk just a few steps but she is well on her way now, I can seen a pair of new shoes coming along any day now. My son Joe has gone out with his football team today, he is going to be a ball boy for Southend United for their match today, my hubby and my dad have gone also. Amber went round her friends to play today for a couple of hours, although that doesn't sound that exciting, it is the first time anybody has asked her, since she became diabetic, a lot of mums are a bit nervous, understandably, about having her round, so I was really chuffed she was asked, it is also nice that her old classmates are still asking to play with her and so on, we are having her friend round on Tuesday after school. Today is the anniversary of my mum's death, so it is a bit of a strange one, I don't think this day is really any different from any other ones really as I miss her every single day! On a happier note I have made a good start on Ambers Bolero, my knitting has been going a bit slow at the moment so it was nice to get back to it. Not much else to report today, I am planning to try and get to church tomorrow morning, maybe this time I actually will.lol.

I have just taken a couple of photos of Darcey wearing her bolero ( although it actually fits her more like a cardigan, she is with Amber in one picture and my dad in another. They are not very good as I couldn't get her to keep still.

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Well, our school days at home have begun, but with more a whimper than a bag, Amber is not that keen on the idea of doing any work!! Yesterday I started off all keen, we went to the libary and WHSmiths and filled our little arms up with lots of books and pens and folders and lots of lovely stuff and when I got it all home, she nagged me to look at the books with her, which we did for about 10 minutes, she then decided it was all actually borring and went back on the computer. Jade on the other hand came flying in from school, almost busting a gut to get to all the new stuff, and then proceeded to spend the rest of the evening reading, writing, designing folders and drawing pictures, she was so keen she even made me let her take everything up to their room at bed time!! If it were Jade at home my life would be a piece of cake. On the knitting front didn't do any last night, too tired and none in the day, no time. Probably won't get much done tonight either as we have to go to a meeting of our local support group for kids with diabetes, it is the AGM and lots of people are stepping down, so I have a pretty good idea who will be coming home with another 'job' to do. They have been so supportive to us though that even though I could do without another committment I couldn't bare the thought of them having to fold. Anyway back to the knitting, I did start knitting a cardigan for Amber which is half eskimo half dk, but I didn't like it so I ripped it and now I have started a bolero for her the same as Darcey's only in different colours. It is Jade's 7th birthday on the 19th so I really need to think about what we are going to do for her, had a big party in a hall last year, but just keeping it light this year, we really would like to see The Narnia film, so maybe I will take them to see that. Anyway I supose I had better try and get some work out of Amber. She is already moaning about wanting to be on the computer!!!!!!!!

Went to the Belhus Country Park Today We went to the woods for a bit of a stroll and to feed the ducks, the girls are modelling my knit wear. Darcey's bolero is finished although it looks a bit big, will try it on and take some photos. The pictures are as follows, some ducks and geese, the girls in a puddle, Amber by the lake and finally Darcey looking over dads shoulder. I still obviously haven't managed to place my photos properly yet, they looked much better when I was putting them on but when they load on the blog they come out in different places. Oh well.LOL.

Here We Go Today was Ambers first day at offically being home educated. I am finding it quite daunting, but I think a lot of that is just that I am going through a bit of a patch at the moment, ever since my mum died, 3 years the 13th of this month, I have found each New Year a bit of a downer, like I find it hard to have anything to look forward too. That actually sounded a lot more dramatic than I feel!! My eldest didn't help because for the second year running she decided to do a disappearing act on New Years Eve, I phoned at about 8pm to speak to her and her boyfriend said they had had a row and she had gone off with no money and no phone! well it took a lot of phone calls and stress until 2.30pm New Years Day she decided to turn up informing him she had been to a Party!!!!!!! I really do worry for her, she is fine for ages and then suddenly she seems to go mad and do really silly and irresponsible things. I know people say she will grow out of it but I Worry she won't make it' the way she carries on. On a lighter note I have almost finished Darcey's bolero and my dh's niece liked the cardy I knitted for her baby. I am reading the Diagnosis Murderer books that my son bought me for Christmas at the moment, I have finished the first and I have to say they are very good, I love Diagnosis Murder, Murder She Wrote,and Quincy to name but a few. I also have a great book called The Praying Wife by Stormie Omartin, or something like that, I have recently been feeling a bit of a Spiritual urge come on me, and have been thinking about joining a church, I was christened C of E, but haven't ever really attended church or anything like that, I am starting by doing some reading on the subject, which is what I always do when I am interested in something, I love books!! Well I think I have said all I want to say today, so bye until my next ramblings