August 2017- What has happened,

I have to admit I am glad this month is over. It has been an extremely difficult month and very emotional for us as a family as my brother in law died unexpectedly at the beginning of the month. It has been made worse by the fact that cause of death has not yet been established and it was 3 weeks before we could have the funeral. Craig took the death rather badly as he was the one who found him and he blames himself for not making his brother get help sooner. I am not going to go into detail because it is a personal family matter but my brother in law had demons to contend with and unfortunately they got the better of him.  His death really hit every one hard and I have been trying my best to keep home life as normal as possible for the kids but also for Craig to help him come to terms with everything. I have also been having to deal with some of the more practical arrangements that need to be done when somebody dies as the rest of the family relied on Craig to sort everything out and there were times when it was too difficult for him.

In remembrance of his brother Craig got his very first tattoo. His brothers, sister and girlfriend also got Superman themed tattoos as well.

Stephen was an extremely funny man who missed his calling in life. His funeral was attended by over 400 people and the family were determined that there was going to be as much laughter as possible as that is what Stephen would have wanted, and there was certainly that. I had a lot of comments saying that it was the best funeral people had been to which I know sounds terrible but in my opinion a funeral should be a celebration of the life and Stephen was the entertainer and comedian in everyone’s  life which was reflected in the funeral and the wake afterwards. I was lucky that one of the guys I work with is an artist and cartoonist and I asked him to do the front cover of the Order of Service with Stephen as Superman flying over Old Trafford Football Ground. These were his two main passions and you could not say anything bad about either  Christopher Reeve as Superman or Manchester United in front of him.

Stephen’s death was also hard on Emma and Matthew. I was thankful that Emma went away on the Sunday that he died for 2 weeks.  She went to Cyprus with her boyfriend and his family. She sent this picture of the view from a restaurant she ate at to make us jealous. It helped having something to distract her.

 For Matthew it was his first experience of death and he was upset at the time he found out and at the funeral. He renamed his most powerful Pokemon, Stephen, in tribute to his Uncle.  

To try and cheer him up we went to Cadbury World. I have been a number of times when I was teaching but this was the 1^st time I had taken Matthew. We also took my niece who’s birthday wasn’t quite as she had hoped because of what happened. Both of them absolutely loved it. I loved the free chocolate you got (though it didn’t do any good for my weight loss) but a lot hadn’t changed from when I went the last time and the bits that had weren’t as good in my opinion.. The 4D experience was fantastic though and on a par with anything Disney could offer and that was my favourite  part.  Videos and photos are not allowed during the tour and experience so memories are all we have except for these photos I took outside.

I haven’t really felt creative this month but I did go to the WI craft club and we made fabric bookmarks. As soon as I saw this fabric I just knew that I had to make them for the kids.

Now that the funeral is over and there is nothing more to be done I am hoping to be able to get to be more crafty and back into a routine for blogging. have loads of projects that I want to do, the most important thing being 2 advent calendars for my nephews. I need to get them done by the middle of September as my Mum is going to visit and I am hoping she will take them over to save postage but also I will know they have got there.

I am rather looking forward to September, a visit to Legoland, the start of the new school year, mine and Matthew's birthdays and it always feels like a fresh start for me so bring it on.

The Doctor Who Experience

This was my 3^rd visit to the Doctor Who Experience and probably my last as it is closing at some point in September this year. It was very different from my last visit which was on a cold Monday afternoon in March 2013. That time, Matt Smith was the Doctor and there was only one other person on the Tour with me. It was almost like having a private tour that time.

This time it was definitely a lot busier and it seems like most of the tour time slots were full. There were plenty of Cybermen walking around for photo opportunities. Thankfully none of them were looking to upgrade people visiting tho)ugh there were opportunities to be voluntarily upgraded but tickets for that sold out pretty quickly.

The tour is partly interactive and partly exhibition. The interactive part involves the finding of crystals whilst coming up against some of the Doctors greatest enemies. I remember how one little boys face was in awe when we were in the TARDIS and it started moving.  The exhibits are the largest part and the area for photos.  There were various TARDIS sets from different Doctors, Costumes worn by the Doctors and some of the companions, the Doctors enemies, obviously, as well as some of the iconic props from series 10.

 There is also an opportunity to have your photo taken on a green scene and choose from 8 different backgrounds. I did not partake this time as I still love the one I had done last time and also the queue was much too long and the others did not have the patience to wait.

You can spend as long as you want in the exhibition centre but the average length of time is a couple of hours which is plenty of time to look at everything and get the photos you want. It’s a shame it is closing as the props and costumes are fascinating and even now I cannot get over how tiny Jenna Coleman must be looking at her outfits. Hopefully it will re-open in a few years with a whole bunch of new props from the new Doctor as well as more props from the classic series.

Whilst in Cardiff you can also undertake a walking tour of the outdoor locations used in Doctor Who but you don’t need to wander very far to see some of them, Cardiff Bay has been used in relation to episodes which featured Captain Jack and Torchwood with David Tennant . The Millennium Centre was the Hospital on New Earth, again with David Tennant and Billie Piper. If you walk over a little further to Mermaid Quay, you will find Eddie’s  Diner which is the Diner in which the 11^th Doctor met River, Rory and Amy when he knew he was going to die. It was also the Spaceship that Clara went off to travel with Me. Booth 11 is the booth that the Doctor, River, Rory and Amy sat at and it is marked with a couple of photos from the time they were filming. You can also still see the doors to the Tardis if you look right at the back.

Menu Plan week commencing 3rd July 2017

I have to admit I have been feeling pretty 'meh' for most of last week. I find when things are quiet in work it affects me at home and I do not feel motivated to get anything done unless I absolutely have to.

Quote of the week

To go along with how I have been feeling most of the week especially around the house.

Looking around the house

All though on the surface it doesn't look too bad I know the furniture needs to be pulled out and hoovered or swept underneath and there is a big pile of papers that need to be sorted out.

On the Menu

Monday-Poached egg and potato cake
Tuesday - Lasagna which I have already made and frozen so just needs reheating
Wednesday- Grilled Cheese Toasties and Soup and I will have a Mango, Banana and Kale Smoothie as I have a Parent's Evening at Matthews' new school and won't have time to eat anything beforehand.
Thursday- Slimming World Red Pepper, spinach and sweet potato tortilla with salad
Friday- Slimming World Special Egg Fried Rice
Saturday -Fakeaway KFC Chicken
Sunday -Slimming World Baked Cannelloni

What I am looking forward to /From the camera

The whole family are big fans of Doctor Who so we were very upset when we heard that The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff was closing in September. The summer weekends are pretty busy but we decided to do the trip in a few weeks time and get an early start and do it in a day. I went on my own a few years ago whilst I was doing some training so this picture is me on Matt Smith's Tardis.

I can't wait to go again with the family and see all the Peter Capaldi Doctor's props and characters.
Doing my usual link up with Happy Homemaker Monday and Organising Junkie

What I have been doing (19th-26th June 2017)

As this blog is called 'DIARY of a Busy Working Mum' I thought that I need to treat it like a diary and let you know what I have been up to ( It isn't 'Secret Diary... after all).

It was a busy week which started out at Quilting club on Monday. I am making a throw quilt for my bed and wanted to do hexagon flowers. I have made a few up to now but there are still plenty to go as I am hand sewing them all. It will probably be ready for Winter 2018 as the only chance I generally get to do anything is at the club which is once a fortnight.

 (1 down, 49 to go)

Tuesday was a big day for Emma as she had been invited to the Student of the Year presentation at the Lowry Theatre by her college. Some of the students had overcome tremendous obstacles to stay in college and I really admired them for their resilience and courage to complete their studies. Emma didn't win Student of the Year but I was still proud of her for getting Student of the Term

She is now looking for an apprenticeship doing photography or videography but there is little out there at the moment but she is definitely trying hard. She wants to be a travel photographer eventually but is willing to do anything to get experience.

Wednesday brought Emma a little closer to buying her own DSLR camera when she came into work with me to do a research project for my boss. She has been in a few times before doing other projects and it is what made her decide that working full time in an office was not for her. ( I can't blame her, I wish I was in a more active job sometimes)

I managed to resist temptation on Thursday when I took Matthew to Krispy Kreme for a treat. I stuck to coffee whilst he tucked into a sprinkle doughnut

I love going there and watching the doughnuts being made. This time they had the glazing machine on as well. We have been lucky in the past and have been able to go behind the counter and see how the doughnut mixture is made and then filled and ate our own doughnuts. Matthew has also been to a party there and came back on such a sugar high from all the doughnuts he had eaten it was a wonder he wasn't sick.

I was in cooking and organising mode on Friday when I made the Spicy Lamb kebabs from Prima magazine for my brother in law, J.  Craig and I then helped him organise some paperwork he needed for the legal separation from his wife. J had a massive stroke nearly 3 years ago and isn't able to organise the paperwork himself due to the brain damage he suffered.

I also did my own planning for the week and decided to start decorating my planner the way I have seen people on Instagram and Youtube. I have made the inserts as I have not yet found exactly what I want and even these aren't perfect but they are close

The weekend was spent mainly out of the house visiting friends and family. I did lose 1 1/2lbs this week at Slimming World putting me a bit safer in my target zone. I want to get to the lower end of my target zone so that I have got a bit of wiggle room for events and holidays. I also managed to get these planters to brighten up my front garden a little.

We went to Morecambe on Sunday and ended up catching the last part of the kite festival. The kites were huge and it was a good job they were well fastened as it was extremely windy on the front.

We ended up getting back a little later than planned from there because of the Kite Festival so I have got to spend this week catching up with housework. I am glad there isn't much else planned for this week.

Menu Plan week commencing 19th June 2017

I hope everyone in the UK is enjoying/coping with the heatwave we are currently experiencing. We had a busy weekend with Emma's 18th birthday party and Fathers Day Barbecue at my sister in laws. I was glad there was plenty of shade to keep a little bit cooler in.

Anyway, I thought I would do the menu plan post a little differently as I found Happy Homemaker Monday on Diary of a Stay at Home Mom so I will be using her format to give you a little more than just a menu plan each week.

The Weather.  
Glorious but I am glad it is going to cool down during the week. There is nothing worse than being in work when the weather is hot, hot, hot.

On my reading pile

I have recently re-purchased some books that I had when I was trying to get organised but I must have given them away in a clear out a few years ago. Anyway I bought them again as I feel that I need to sort out myself out as things have 'drifted' so to speak. So they are

Totally Organized by Bonnie McCullough

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker- Deniece Schofield

The Family Manager takes charge - Kathy Peel.

They were only 1p on Amazon (with £.2.80 delivery on each book ) so I couldn't resist. 

I am not going to read them cover to cover, they are more to dip into to get inspiration and ideas.

Movies or Shows I watched this weekend

Doctor Who

The Pioneer Woman

On the Menu this week

Monday -YOYO (You're on your own)

Tuesday- Chicken Stir Fry

Wednesday - Gammon, Eggs and Slimming World Chips

Thursday - Vegetable risotto

Friday- Spiced lamb kebabs and salad

Saturday - Curried Mince Beef and Rice

Sunday - Roast Chicken Dinner

On my to do list

Make contact lens check and sight test appointment

Do the WI newsletter

Buy the curry for the Curried Mince Beef

Student of the Year ceremony-Tuesday (Emma has been nominated ;)  )

Make an list of all account numbers and contact numbers (utilities, pensions, insurance etc) so easy to find if need to contact and also all in one place to grab in case of emergency.

Also hooking up with Organising Junkie as usual.

Have a good week.

Deborah

Menu Plan (17th October 2016)

The last week of term has arrived. I cannot believe how quickly it has gone. The weather has definitely become a lot more Autumnal and my thoughts are turning to warm, comfort food especially after a day at work with no heating in the office Brrr.  There is only 5 meals as Craig is taking the kids to my Mum's caravan for the half term and I will only be with them for the weekend as I could not take time off work.

So the meals for this week then are
Burritos
Sausage Casserole done in the slow cooker
Spaghetti Bolognese
Gammon, Egg and Chips (Slimming World friendly)
Beef Stir Fry

Linking up with Organising Junkie.

Hope everybody has a good week and is enjoying the change of season.

Deborah

Menu Plan (10th October 2016)

Hi Everyone,

I didn't do a menu plan last week as I was working away for most of the week and Craig would not have stuck to it anyway. I do get a little worried about what and when they are eating when I am away as the first words out of their mouths on my return was not 'Mum, we missed you' but 'Mum, what's for dinner?' and this was at 6.30pm. We have normally eaten by this time when I am home.

Craig is out every night except Wednesday so meals are child and Slimming World friendly as I am determined to get to goal long before Christmas. I haven't lost any weight since I got by Club 10 award in July and I only had 4 1/2lbs to go. This happened when I was at Weight watchers where I lost a stone in 17 weeks then it took over a year to lose the last 1/2 stone. I am determined to make sure that doesn't happen this time. If anyone has any tips on how to get over a plateau in weight loss then please let me know.

The meals for this week are
Monday - Homemade pot noodle (so Syn free as just dried noodles, chicken, chicken stock, sweetcorn and peppers)
Tuesday - Pasta and homemade meatballs and tomato sauce
Wednesday - Slow cooker Chicken curry and boiled rice
Thursday - SW sausages, mash and peas
Friday - Steak and Salad
Saturday - SW Singapore Noodles (homemade not the ready meal) Recipe here
Sunday - Chicken in a Mushroom Sauce.

Linking up to Organising Junkie as usual.

Hope you all have a good week. Thankfully mine is a lot quieter and I am looking forward to having more time to cook.

Deborah

Visit to the Black Country Living Museum

Over the Bank Holiday weekend Craig, Matthew and I visited the Black Country Living Museum near Birmingham. It is a place I have wanted to go to for a while as I love finding out how people used to live. I like the fact that there was a proper community spirit with people knowing everybody around them. I don't even know 1/2 of the people who live on my street.

Although I wouldn't have wanted to live in those times I think in some ways they may have been simpler as there were less distractions and definitely less choice in everything. I sometimes wish we had less choice nowadays and that we weren't constantly bombarded with advertising, news, TV programmes that are a 'must watch' and food.

Life in the concrete house depicting life during World War 2.

I am glad we no longer have to black lead these.

 No supermarkets back then.

Getting a bit more modern in the kitchen with an electric oven

Built in shopping list and inventory Genius idea!

Girls being told off at school for wearing nail polish

Beautiful needlework

I hope to pay another visit to the museum nearer Christmas and the beauty is that the admission price you pay the first time you visit means that you are then able to make as many visits as you want within a year without paying again. If I lived closer then I would probably be there at least once a month.