Part 2: Himself

Ok, I know that I promised to update on my weightloss 'later this week' but I've been hit with the most horrendous cold ever. As I write I'm sat in bed with my laptop and I've been in my PJ's all day. Consequently the photo I was going to take of me looking all svelt and slinky has not happened this week. I look rather a lot more like a hedgehog that's been dragged through a haystack... backwards. So excuse me if I don't take a photo right now; I don't really want to cause a stampede as you all run away screaming!

Instead I thought I'd update you a little on what Himself has been up to in 2010 and give myself a little bit of time to recover before I try to take a photo of myself.

So, what's he been up to? Himself would say:

Eat. Sleep. Work.

True as this may be, it's not the full picture even if it is a large part of it.

This year Himself decided to embark on Weight Watchers with me. He wasn't fat as such just a little tubby and in need of a healthier diet.... like most of us on this planet actually! His will power is amazing and has been really inspiring to see him shed the extra pounds! So far, he's lost 3 stone and is looking much trimmer. He's happy because he's back into his 'skinny man' clothes and feeling much better without the additional weight to carry around. Well done that man! I think his goal weight is only about a ½ stone away so not much more to do.

The other major change that has happened this year is that Himself changed jobs... well, sort of. These things are never straight forward with our family are they? His previous company has seconded him into the local water company and he was enjoying that job when it was announced that his employers were losing the contract in the next 5 year spending period. This prompted Himself to approach one of the companies that had been awarded the contract and they took him on in exactly the same role that he was in already. So the upshot is that he works in the same office with the same people on the same projects for the same salary BUT the paycheck is signed by a different hand. This move has also provided him with a good 4 years worth of steady work before the madness of tendering for the following spending period begins in earnest.

Eat. Diet. Sleep. Work..... and play with the girls. His engineering skills come in really handy when they're playing with Lego!

Thanks for coming by! I really appreciate and read all comments that are left. I will be posting an update on my weight loss and a few other things early next week so come back soon!

Part 1: The girls

I promised you an update on all our comings and goings during 2010, however, it's been harder to put together than I anticipated! Firstly, I'm so out of practise with this whole blogging thing that the words dont seem to flow very well. Secondly, I wanted to include some photo's but then realised that, along with blogging, organising my photo's isn't one of my forté's so I felt the need to sort and organise first! (Procrastination, however, IS one of my strong points!) However, being the numpty that I am I somehow managed to delete almost my whole Picture folder!! So I have spent ages using various free programmes off the web to restore all those memories that I lost... and then because the programme just dumped it all in once place I've had to go through and sort it all out again! Methinks I should just have posted the update and ignored the mess on my hard-drive!

Anyway, now that photo's have been recovered and restored and reorganised and re-sorted I shall finally do this blogging thing again! Thanks for all your patience!!

So in January 2010 - which is about the last time I mentioned either of them in a blog post - Herself was 4½ years old and still at nursery. She was very much looking forward to her birthday in July and starting 'big school' in August although she was still rather enjoying nursery!

The Little One was only 16 months old and had only just gotten the hang of walking!

In May the girls enjoyed having Grandma and Grandad around for a visit from Down South. Especially as Grandad is always up for a bit of this:

In June Herself performed in the nursery 'end of year' play and did really well! Never the shy, retiring type she was very pleased to be given a 'solo' part!

As the weather improved we all spent more time out in the garden, which Himself and my Little Bro had childproofed for the girls.

We also went on holiday where Herself started learning to ride the bicycle ....

..... and so did the Little One!

In July, my pre-schooler turned 5!!

.... and so she officially became old enough for 'big school' which she duly started in August. There was quite a bit of excitement from Herself on the big day (and a fair few tears from myself!)...

Meanwhile the Little One had progressed to running everywhere and talking ten-to-the-dozen. She turned 2 in September!

In October we had a lovely (if somewhat chilly!) day picking apples in the back garden.

With all the snow bringing so much disruption in November, we ended up staying at home a lot! We tried building a snowman but the Little One didn't enjoy the experience!!

Gosh, I can't believe what a fun year we've had with our two growing girls! It has been fun, frantic and very special. I wouldn't have missed it for anything!

Finally, I leave you with this image. The Little One has been brushing up on her computer skills so she can take over the blogging from her mother. Perhaps this way you might get more regular updates!!

Thanks for your patience and thanks for dropping by! Later this week I shall be updating about my weight loss progress. It will be significantly LESS photo-heavy I promise!!

Coming soon....

Watch this space! I'm currently putting together a series of update posts for 2010. It won't be too much longer I promise!!

In the meantime here's a random picture that I took in my back garden this autumn.

2011 already!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great time? Were you sensible or are you still feeling the ill effects of too little blood in your alcohol stream?

Our new year's celebration took a last minute change of course this year. We were all set to go to Derby to ring in the bells with our usual set of friends only to receive a phonecall from our hostess to say that they were having to cancel as both her and hubby were ill with a nasty bug. So, after a chance phonecall to another friend we we found ourselves on our way to Bradford instead!! I must say that for an impromptu party is was rather well attended and better organised than I would have managed!!

We headed back up to Cumbernauld on New Years Day and have so far spent our time running around like headless chickens... all in the name of trying to get back into the swing of things! For some reason I have found it really difficult to get back into a routine. Consequently my sleeping habits have gone down the hewey and I'm oversleeping in the mornings and then finding I'm late for EVERYTHING for the rest of the day. It's not good.

Anyway, I hope it's not too late to wish you all a very happy, prosperous and healthy 2011?

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more often.... so pop back in a bit!

PS. I think I shall have to bite the bullet and do a massive (or maybe a couple of large) blogpost(s) to fill you all in on the events of 2010. What do you think?

PPS. Do you like the new look of the blog? I'm still trying to get used to it!