got plain milk?

I was just hoping to give a quick shout out to 'The Milk Revolution' Blog that has been started by Mrs. Swelander (http://www.blogger.com/profile/00854835773544246798 ) on behalf of her grade four class.

http://themilkrevolution.blogspot.com/

This blog is a follow on from Jamie Oliver petitioning to get plain milk back on the school menu in the US where they are served chocolate or strawberry milk for breakfast and lunch - Just one glass of which contains 4 teaspoons of sugar. That's almost 2 gallons of extra sugar A YEAR

If you are based in the USA and would like to support Jamie's petition please follow the below link

http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/sugary-milk

Many Thanks.

x

I've woken up this morning with a renewed look on my lifestyle after a very disturbing dream. In my dream, I had ended up homeless with the kids and with no way of providing for myself, until I came across a tomato (I hate tomatoes) seed packet and planted them in a park where no one could find them and they provided for us. Rather bizarre I know and no idea where on earth that came from but still.........

I now am deciding that I want to start making my dreams a reality and therefore am now planning for my little families future.

We are still hoping for a house to come up for us - we know of at least 2 3 bedroomed houses that are coming up in our next bidding booklet so we are hoping upon hope that we will be lucky....but we also know that with added space (ie a third bedroom) comes the added rent and water bill. So I have been looking at ways to lessen the blow for us when it eventually happens and starting to plan in advance little things that will help us out.

If we have sufficient space the dog will have his own 'garden' as being a Jack Russell anything that he can get hold of is either destroyed, eaten or dug up. I'm hoping then that I will be able to find the best sun trap and make myself a small vegetable plot - space permitting obviously but Ben's school recently contacted a local farmer who donated his used tractor tyres to the school for them to use as planters where they are currently growing tomato plants so I wonder if that could be a cheap option as well as a weird feature in a back garden - not to mention a handy seat as well i guess. Ideally I would have a few fruit bushes and hanging baskets too.

Also another thing that crossed my mind was watering these plants - but whilst I do live in Wales - near the coast and in a valley too I might add - I think a water butt would still be a money conscious buy. It could also come in handy for car/motorbike/mountain bike washing as well as bathing the dog and filling up a bird bath. Which reminds me - Benjamin has asked if we have a garden if we can have a bird bath and bird table so he can look after the birds. Cant really deny his caring instinct - especially as he wants to be a zoo keeper or a vet when he's older.

Saying that I think 95% of the councils gardens are a rectangular shape so I can draw a rough plan of what my mini garden will look like so I will plan that quickly then I can have a basic idea of what Im working with.

I shall return with my sketch......

x

Wow - have been away

Well its glorious sunshine here in South Wales today and I am..........stuck indoors as Benjamin has picked up some sort of tummy bug along with 3 of his rugby co stars!

Oh should mention my son is now a sportsman at 6 years old as a rugby star (training on a Monday, match on a Sunday) and footballer (training thursday, match on a saturday) which is leaving mummy suitably shattered being that she also has returned to work and now does a Wednesday night 5- 10, and a sunday 3 - 10. Not to mention the added fun of three main birthdays coming up so attempting to money save and a almost crawling 9 month old! YES I said 9 MONTH old! Didn't that go bleeding quick!

Here is Minnie enjoying her food

As for recent months - all seems to be ok. Owen has had some good news about his eye and is now on every 6 month visits, my sister had her surgery and they successfully removed all the cells so she is on regular smear tests fro the foreseeable future. I had the all clear sign off after abnormal results so I'm now free until 2014. The HV from hell has finally left us alone - which reminds me I should go to clinic at some point to see her though for a general check up and weigh in. Money has sort of lapsed though due to me restarting work but we are doing much better since our debt free help before Christmas with my win.

Which reminds me - winnings.

I have so far since I started comping in November won

1. £5000 cash
2. 37" LCD TV
3. an XBOX 360
4. a Kinect for the XBOX 360
5. 2 Kinect Games
6. 1 Nintendo DSi
7. 2 Nintendo DSi games
8. 2 front row tickets to Britains Got Talent Auditions
9. Pocket Trivia Pursuit Game
10. 2 giant moshi monsters teddies
11. 2 small moshi monsters teddies
12. 2 moshi monsters books
13. 1 mini pack of moshlings
14. 3 childrens books (series - fantasy thing cant remember)
15. 1 flat stanley book
16. 1 DVD - Despicable Me
17. 1 22" LCD TV/DVD Combi
18. 1 Dr Who Tardis mug with lid
19. 1 Dr Who Projector Torch
20. 1 Carbon Monoxide alarm

so all in all not bad for 5 months worth of competitions! So needless to say I am frequenting the competition boards at the minute. Plus as I am writing this the projector torch has just arrived so I have a happy little Benjamin being that he's off school poorly today.

Oh and we have a second win today - two tickets to the cinema as a runners up prize too. Bargain ~ think Mummys good luck is wearing off on him

Really do need to get a hang of finances again though as recent spending has gotten out of hand over Christmas and I seem to be putting weight back on again which I'm very unamused about. Even stupider really being that Owen's £750 mountain bike is sat in the spare room doing fudge all and has done for about 1yr+ - really think I should start making a point of an evening bike ride - plus it will help me de-stress a bit too I think.

Other than that myself and my little brood are all ok. Abby my sister si still convinced she is going to move to America to be with her USA boyfriend - yes the same one who dumped her when he found out she had cervical cancer - but she wont listen.

oh and still no sign of a house.

I hope to be back with you more now!

x x x x x x

Well figured whilst I was posting my updates I would also give a general update.

1. Have my new washing machine - woohoo!

2. My sister is making a good recovery - she has to go back in 6 months but the surgeon was pretty sure they removed a substantial enough amount of her cervix that they have all the cells.

3. My paralyzed friend is home now and recovering and now has her grandparents staying with her which means I am off children/dog sitting duties.

and relax.....................

(and Yes this is my little princess Holly May snoozing)

My day today however has most consisted of bill planning, food planning and football.

Whilst sitting making a list of the bills to pay, how much I needed to pay etc I have realized that I can now after my win last year and becoming debt free afford to start saving.

So once

*all bills paid

*£20 debt repaid to my mum

*£30 extra which was owed to DenPlan

*£20 treat for myself

*£70 into my savings account with the credit union

I am left with the grand total of £130!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have decided though that £70 will be budgeted aside to give my little boy Benjie's room an update.

Let me explain first - when we moved in his room was already decorated from the previous tenant as Winnie the pooh - 3 pale yellow walls with a border and stick around and one wallpapered wall, which was cute when he was 1 year old ~ but now hes 7 and not so much a baby as a little boy.

BUT..............

I don't want to go mad redecorating as we want to move to a house soon and so don't want to spend a fortune because sods law says we'll move if we did that but I have decided to update it to a Sponge-Bob bedroom so I have found

* Buy One Get One Free on pale blue bedding (him and his brother are in bunk beds) £14.99

* Sponge bob border x 3 --- £22.41

* Stick a rounds (33 stickers per pack) --- £10.99

* Dulux 'First Dawn' Blue Paint - £16.99 9but will see if Wilko/Focus do their own version cheaper

Total : £65.50 (for sake of argument!) and he'll have a big boys bedroom. I already have a blue lampshade, his curtains are pale green which is in the border, and his carpet is purple which is also in the border.

So I decided to budget £70 and then if things can be gotten cheaper or on offer then I'll put any left into his savings account.

Plus I'll still have £60 thats 'spare' money.

Just need Holly to be good now so I can get it done!

Will make sure to post before and after pictures too!

x

Right, my revelation for the day.......

Whilst tidying and reorganizing my bedroom I have discovered a box of books that I had stored away carefully but came to the realization I had never read.

So I have decided to start reading the books that I have being that they are just gathering dust now and I figure I can expand my literacy ability and my literature knowledge being that Ive only read books really as coursework other than biographies.

So so far the books I have dusted and unearthed if you like from the black hole that is under my bed are

Love Sets You Free (The Autobiography of Janni Kowalski)

Through Thick and Thin (The Autobiography of Gok Wan)

The Lake By Richard Laymon

James Toseland (James Toselands autobiography)

Charley and Ewan - The Long Way Down

Charley Boorman - Race To Dakar

Ok so I know most of those are autobiographies but I would like to read some well known novels to so if anyone has any good suggestions then please feel free to leave them in a comment below - one book Ive never read is 'to kill a mockingbird' or 'little women' so I will have those in my 'to read' list but if anyone has any other suggestions then I would love to hear them.

Told you there would be several updates today!

What do you expect Ive been away for over a month!

Anyway~! I had some good news today - well to be totally specific ~ Holly had some good news today! I entered a baby competition the other day with her details in to win two Moshi Monsters books (for those who don't know Moshi Monsters is a children's online game where they have to raise there own monsters).

Well would you believe it Holly Won!

So she won

* a Moshi Monsters activity book full of puzzles, wordsearchs etc

* a Moshi Monsters Handbook with hints and tips

So I have decided that Ben can have the activity book, and then their big brother J who is now 10 (as of January 16th) can have the handbook so Benjamin has already given Holly a big kiss and said Thank You and J can have his on the weekend if he is over

Now to try more competitions.

My wins for January 2 tickets to go and watch the 'Britain's Got Talent' auditions in Cardiff.

Hello!

I am alive ~ just.......possibly.........sleep deprived I think is the correct terminology though!

I am about just having one of those months I think!

*Washing machine blew up

*Abby had her surgery today and isn't recovering as expected

*Mums been diagnosed with depression and hasn't been eating

*Best friend struggling with things

*Another friend has just attempted suicide and been released from

hospital so am at her beckon call at the minute

*Another friend has been paralyzed in hospital due to prolapsed discs in

her back so been looking after her two kids and dog.

NIGHTMARE!

But I am about - my poor blog has suffered too, my posts have been non existent on any boards at all. Have been arguing with Owen and to top it off money has been tight because of the bloody washing machine!

But I am me and you all know what I'm like!

Washing machine replaced thanks to coop electrical store, so discount and a friend lending me £60 towards it so landed to have that back. Would have cost £240 but I had it for £160 and it would of cost £220+ to mend the old one!

Sister has literally been out of surgery for about 1.5hours and not responding as they think she should so shes in the best place at the minute and has our cousin and gentlemen 'friend' with her.

My mum - I cant do anything but listen and try not to stress her out too much and help where I can so have treated her to a pick n mix of her favorite things and have been making sure to feed her when I see her even if its a cup of tea and a sticky finger bun! plus sending a few of my BOGOF/ discount stuff home with her

Best friend and other suicidal friend - if they ring I have to answer it - whether its 3pm or 3am as the suicidal one tried to overdose by crushing sleeping pills into her tea although just how I'm meant to help I don't know but I cant not. Other one cant get past her dad passing away and the fact that I'm settled with kids and our other best friend got married so she feels left behind.

Friend with prolapsed discs is almost reliant on me at the minute - shes been released from hospital and her mum helps her with basic care - dressing/bathing etc - but Ive had to look after pup, her mum lets the dog out but refuses to touch him etc, I have to go shopping with her, school runs/ medicines etc. Phone calls and money collecting on her behalf from post office etc. Plus her son took a turn in school the other day, was stood in line, suddenly went pale and his lips turned blue but he has quite severe asthma and she ran to the school as quick as she could, although hes fine but now sh has been suffering for the last few days.

Plus the normal day to day stuff, with my two kids, Owen and dog, school runs, footy practice, football matches etc. Sammy Kaye is almost dead on her feet and in need of a full nights sleep since holly has been teething!

On top of all that Ive just taken on the 'better reading' challenge in Benjies school which is 2 hours a week to learn how to help kids improve their reading but after the first 10 weeks learning phrase you go on to do more work and training and it eventually gets you a level 3 NVQ so can only help really - just waiting for the CRB check to finish but its only 2 hours a week.

Right off to make sausage casserole with mashed tatties, then off up the hill to feed her mob. Wish she lived closer its about 3hrs total between getting there, sorting everything, and coming home and its a bloody steep hill she lives on top of!

x