Sexy no? No? That's how both my eyes look at the moment! Actually, this is how they look now. On Friday when it started you couldn't see the white for the red. Bloody typical, only part of my body I like and it goes all yeucky!

And that's it. Can't spend too long on the computer, makes my eyes hurt. Normal service will be resumed when I can open my eyes again!

Sunday, such severe stomach pains thought I'd end up in hospital. Monday, temp of 103/39. Tuesday, had yet another observation, this time shadowing my assessing skills. I'm going to be an expert soon in what to expect when being observed. Wednesday Joe gets refused a place at college. Thursday Ella's pyscho-therapist shared some sad news with us that is not going on here. Suffice it to say if I ever bumped into her birth parents..... Friday. Joe very upset, quite worrying, can't remember the last time he cried. I got conjunctivitus in both eyes and when chloramphenical drips down the back of your throat it is foul! Took Ella to special needs morning at the UCI - G Force. Think I enjoyed it more than she did. As long as she has something to eat I think we could be watching the test card! Remember the test card?! Ben's guitar lessons started up again. 4 hours spent on my teacher training course. What on earth am I going to do with all the free time come the summer? True, bound to find something else to fill in the time - hopefully fostering!

Photos: Ben posing for a career playing bass :)

And Brad Pitt as I like him. Sometimes he's just too girly - and at the moment with that dead bird stuck on his chin - don't even go there!

No posts, sorry, felt sooooo ill thought I'd end up in hospital! Spend 48 hours in bed. Now, if you know me, and hopefully you do! I just don't do that. The last time I was confined to bed was when I was stuck in hospital carrying Joseph nearly 19 years ago. Still, feel better, which is what matters :) So not much to share. But completed this little album of last summer the last couple of days. It's not difficult, not even any inking!!! Which shows how pathetic I was feeling, but it's done. 9 in 2009 here I come.

"Mum, you have got to sort Ben out, he's out of control". This was following the 2 of them fighting. "Excuse me?" "He's bone idle and his rooms a tip" (Language cleaned up!)

"Which one of you smokes?" "Me"

"Which one of you drinks?" "Me"

"Which one of you did I have to have a serious sex ed chat with?" "Er, me"

"And which one of you has seen the inside of a police house more times than I'd like?" "Er, that would be me too."

"Okay. And Ben is the one that's out of control?" "Yes!"

He (as in the Higher He, not He Joseph) surely knows how to test me!

Notice anything? Nothing? Maybe? Oh come on! I am just sooooo chuffed with my efforts. Had this blog about 4 years, and it finally looks a bit interesting! All thanks to Irene who suggested the little link up in the left corner :)

Today have done 3 hours in class studying. Followed by 20 - yes 20 - minutes in the Post Office. But had to wait. Forgot to send Joe's compensation claim back, oops! Then a tutorial. Took Josh to town. Joe to work. Jeff and I went to Ella's parents evening. Bless, she's doing the best she can. They are considering letting her do Year 6 again and delay going into secondary. We're happy with whatever's best for her. Played with the blog - did you notice? LOL Sorted out some photos - going to have a go at a Flicker - watch this space! Sorting out notes for tomorrows lesson. Then plan to curl up in a corner somewhere!

Today, Hugh Grant. Love the floppy hair and those sad, sad eyes :)

Friday was, thanks to the snow, my first teaching day since early December, and what a day it was! One of the students had broken her foot. So, classroom A was out, went to set up classroom B, but someone in it! Went back to classroom A thinking how to cope, and the student ended up not coming in anyway! Then the computer didn't work. Then it did. Then the power point didn't work. Then it did. Then the SMART board didn't work. Then it did ...no, actually. never got that to work! Then I forgot I was being assessed and my tutor came to watch me cope for an hour! Thank goodness for Joy running around helping me adapt my lesson plan. Feedback tomorrow- if I don't post you know it didn't go well.

Ella's nappies have run out. Need some more. I'm very sorry madam, we only replace them every 12 weeks. But she's run out early as she wasn't well. Can't help you madam. Can you suggest where I can buy a pack as it is urgent. Nope, can't help you with that either madam. Arrhghhhh! What can you help me with. Well, I can give you the date to phone back for when we can help you. Seriously, that was a real conversation!

What company could possibly leave a complaint for over 3 weeks before they even bother to speak to the person? Oh yes, that would be the local Police Station. After the fiasco with the park warden are we surprised? Thought not!

No men today, on the wrong computer :( Ella instead :)

So much for yesterdays post! All good intentions as usual went out of the window thanks to one of the kids.Got a phone call from Ben's school. He'd been throwing snowballs. Now, knowing that they're not supposed to, I was laughing and said "boys will be boys!" She then stopped me to advise me that Ben's eye was so swollen he couldn't open it! Oops, that told me. So the next 3 hours was spent collecting him from school, sorting someone out to look after Ella and then sitting in Minor Injuries! I swear I need a season ticket for that place LOL Just as well we only had 4 kids, otherwise they probably would have named a bed in our honour LOL But, jokes apart it's sore, he grazed his eyeball like you would graze a piece of skin :( I think what he's most unhappy about though is that so far there's no black eye.

Balance? Work and kids the last couple of days. But tonight Jeff and I plan to curl up in front of the box with a good film, chocolate and alcohol and undo all the hard work dieting and exercising I've done all week :)

Today we have Colin Farrell. I love the rugged look, and when he smiles his eyes come to life. Not forgetting his soft Irish accent of course! Now I'm picking these purely by looks ladies, not by their reputation. And I shall definately be posting a few more :)

Snow day -again! 15 minute journey took 50 mins this morning, waited 40 minutes for no students at all to show, then came home again! I know I'm in a minority, but I'm still enjoying the snow. We've be moaning for the last few years we hardly get any snow in this country. Then when get it, and then some, we still moan! Something I think we English are very good at - whinging LOL

So, nothing to report. Need to amend my 2 assignments now I've feedback from the drafts. Have uploaded a couple of short clips of Ella playing in the snow to my Facebook page. Trying to figure out how to upload here, want to share Ella's Christmas Show, her school is just so good with the children :) ETA look at the videos, that school is simply the best at bringing out the best!

Argghhhhh! Why is nothing simple. So I have downloaded film (or is that uploaded? Who knows, who cares!) from Sony camcorder onto the computer. I can put these PMB MPEG-2 files onto a DVD and watch it on the tv. But I cannot convert them to a movie and save onto the computer to enable me to upload one film - all 11 mins of it - onto here. Or You Tube. Why is nothing I ever plan to do simple. I swear Him Upstairs really thinks I don't have enough spare time. So, going to upload some of them to Facebook and put a link from here today (21st Jan) at some point. Wish me luck, I may be gone a while...... Okay, this is the best I can do. I can't combine the 10 clips. Very disappointed with myself :( So I have uploaded 4 of my favourite - of course they've all got Ella in. You know since we adopted her what a joy she has been, and singing and dancing is one of the best things. 11 and can't even write Ella, but watch her knowing the words and moves - amazing :) Enjoy!!!!

Arghhhh! I can't believe they're not loading now. Just going to have a stiff drink or six...will be back!........That's better. Right, if the clips below don't work, this link will (well, of course, knowing my luck, won't!) take you to all the video's http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile&id=1153542301

Hottie for the day. Oh, only doing this for this week - there isn't that many drop dead gorgeous fella's out there - or maybe it's just as you get older you get more fussy? Eh, probably not. Just did my Fine on Facebook - £535! The boys joke about how daring and cool they are - where do they think they get it from LOL. Sorry, back to hottie - My favourite today - Antonio Banderas, not too clean cut, and the voice **swoon** Enjoy :)

So, the My Fitness Coach. Can I just say, I ache! Going through the profile set up was exhausting. She feels I'm overweight and unfit - no really? There's a surprise *insert rolling eyes* Today was my first 15 minutes, and it was a lot easier. Wish me a lot of luck and positive vibes. Will let you know at the first review how I've done :)

While we're discussing fit or not fit, can't possible leave the Winchester family out of the equation! In my eyes, all three definately come under the 'fit' category :)

3 out of the 4 kids are back at school :) Just Ella's, which although is a pain, I do understand. The kids needs are such that they need a full complement of teachers and assistants. Plus it's not easily accessible and the transport's not running. Still, it's cool. We're sitting here together, me on my laptop sort-of working and her on the main computer playing on cbeebies :) When I say sort-of working, I keep doing a little bit of work, and then getting distracted by a little project. I really have no focus, always going off on a tangeant!

The My Fitness Coach arrived today. No more excuses. I need to lose a lot of weight and get fit.

No photos to share. I did do a Truprint order and they have a fab idea where you can order a collage of photos on one 6"x4", 7"x5" or 8"x10" which is perfect for the December album I want to do. I don't always want a photo of something minor, but this way I could document a day out on one page. Plus, works out cheaper, and now I can put off getting a new printer a bit longer. All good. So instead, here's a mini book I completed over the Christmas and New Year break.

Balance is all good atm :)

And my word for 2010 - twentyten? or thousandandten? - is BALANCE. Last year seemed too, too much. So, after nicking the word from Suzelle :) this is my aim for this year. One week in and how am I faring? Well, the weather conspired against me! I had 2 assignments for my teacher training to complete. Hell, who am I kidding! I had 2 assignments to start and finish LOL 3000 words and 2000 words. Well I do work better under pressure. So this week all kids go back to school and college. Do the necessary jobs Tuesday - banking, shopping, etc. with a view to sudying Wednesday and Thursday in a quiet house. See that balance thing happening there? And then it snowed. And it snowed. And it snowed. Schools shut and kids under my feet. But, you see, I love, love, love the snow, so I can't be cross for very long :) Jeff was a star and kept the kids out of my feet. Even all the visiting teenagers kept away from the kitchen table! But I remembered balance and made sure I got outside and played with Ella in the snow several times, and filmed the boys pushing Jeff up the hill. And of course took some photographs! So today, no college work. Going to edit some photographs after I've up updated this blog and then maybe work on an album I started last year - 9 in 2009.

Out with 2009 - in with 2010. So, last year my word was Gratitude and I think it would be good to mention all the things that I am grateful for. To coin a popular X factor phrase..."in no particular order".....

A roof over our heads. With our money worries that's not completely gone, but che sera sera.

Joe's head injury has left him with his sense of taste and smell a bit dodgy. When I think how much worse it could have been ........

Ella's still fitting, but they're not getting any worse.

Joshua seems to be sorting his head out - no thanks to the doctor who was talking out of his derriere when he mentioned Joshua and Autism in the same sentence!

Joe has got a new girlfriend and he seems to be calming down again :)

Jeff and I both have a job in the current economic climate

I may be tearing my hair out, but thanks to said job I'm going to add a Playwork qualification and a Teacher Training degree to my c.v. Who'd of thought it!

I still have the most lovely bunch of friends anyone could have, even if some are scattered over the globe!

Ben hasn't yet been expelled! And we've found out he likes playing guitar - bass - takes after his mum :)

We were asked to be Godparents to the most adorable little girl :)

Ummmm. Even the obnoxious probationary p.c. deserves a mention. Because of him I am absolutely determined to lose some - a lot - of weight! I know you all love me as I am (well as least one of you! LOL) but maybe I would love me a bit more if I shed some baggage.

Altogether, although 2009 was probably not in my top 10 fav years, it could have been so much worse, and for that I am very grateful.