SSSSSSOoooooooooooo relaxzzzzzzzzzzzzzed

Today I've been to a relaxing spa day here with my mum.
The place is a golf course and spa. Clever idea - golf for the men and relaxation for the women! The place where you eat overlooks the golf course and the peninsula beyond. Lovely views.
So I've been in the gym (I am really very unfit), had an hour long massage (ooh your back is a bit knotted isn't it?) (And how can she work with that inane tinkly music going all day?), beautiful food (goats cheese salad followed by salmon), an aromatherapy sauna, ordinary sauna and whirlpool.

Ooooh I could be a Footballer's Wife. Well at the moment I could be two Footballers Wives judging by the teeny weeny-ness of most of them! But maybe you grow tired of pampering if it happens every week.
Yeah, I bet.

The rest of the family went swimming. In the Swansea swimming pools it is free for kids and pensioners in the holidays. So 2 adults and 3 children went swimming for £2:40. What a fantastic idea to get people swimming!

Kathy B has reminded me of the big dilemma for the rest of the holiday.
Do we get an ice-cream at Joes?
Or Verdis?
Its a hard life...

Keep your paws crossed

I'll explain the title later.
Here I am in - gasp - truly sunny Swansea. It did rain in the middle of the day when we were going to go to the Swansea show, but the rest of the day has been lovely.
Yesterday was our 18th wedding anniversary. I gave Phil the romance card I made for the Brun card comp. YOu can't write on it!!!! So he says he only presumes it was from me.
Apparently he ran out of time to get a card. Yes 364 days since the last anniversary does fly by doesn't it.
Still I have now got the gift that is more precious than rubies.
HE OWES ME.
And he shall pay when he least suspects.Mwah, ha ha ha.

We spent the day in a combination of leading worship, Church meetings, a card making class and driving to Swansea.

During worship I told a story and everyone had to make the noise of various tools (yes there was a point to making everyone feel stupid.It was for me to have a laugh..No it was about how we need to work together but still need the master builder (Jesus) to help us do that.When I'm back home I'll post the link so you can all play along) Anyway we have a little baby called Ayomede who comes with his family.He is about 7 months old. We were all going 'bang, bang' bang' being the hammer and making a hammer action. And he joined in.He waved his little fist and went "ba,ba,ba" How cute was that!
Sadly it meant that everyone was paying more attention to him than the meaning of the story but I'm hoping the Holy Spirit will work on that during the week.

The card making session was part of a Primary Care Trust community initiative on being healthy.I had mentioned that I think card makign is therapy and so got roped in. It was good fun but I am learning that at public events people tend to think that card making is only fort he children. And the children either take your basic idea, turn their nose up at it and create something far better OR just use up ALL the stuff you have brought in a kind of 'more is more' effect.
I did get some adults to try it and their pride at having made their own card was fantastic.
(BUT if you listen to me and do EXACTLY as I say it would be much better)
There.
Couldn't say it out loud at the time. Have done now. Feel much better.

The journey up wasn't bad and could have been worse as we were diverted off the M4 at Junction 17.If we had gone just a few yards further beyond that junction we might still have been there now thanks to a huge accident. We spent the whole journey listening to 8 episodes of Radio 4's Old Harry's Game. Hurrah for portable car radios with MP3! OHG is written by Andy Hamilton and takes palce in Hell. It combines philosophy, religion and comedy quite brilliantly with enough crudeness thrown in to keep most of the Nevards happy and the youngest puzzled. We have enough to fill the journey back as well.

Phil thought he would have to go back today as we have left Dutch the Dog with our fantastic neighbours June and Brian. Our poor hound had slept on the parquet floor all night and couldn't get up. A few worried hours and phonecalls later and he'd managed it. He will be sleeping in a carpeted room tonight. He is old, fat and has arthritis and a weak front leg following his car accident. Think we will have to take him with us or just leave him with mother in law from now on. I hope he manages to get up tomorrow.
SO now you know why the paws are crossed...
Today has been relaxing, lazy and fun.Hope yours was too!

Almost famous

I got a big mention on Kel's blog today! It is funny because there are probably not that many people reading our blogs but the name check still makes me feel all important! I'm jealous of Kel cos she had the cool idea of naming her postings after songs and I just rambled. Ah well.

I amde a few more cards with the QVC kit. It really does make card making almost too easy. I am trying not to look at the 'how to' photos so i can make them my own. So out come the distress ink pads! Will post photos when i reutrn home next week.
Mum loved her cards - especially the one Carys made!

Today has been wet. we went to the Library.
The good news is that you can now renew books online.
The bad news is that I had renewed mine but not the kids.
The badder news is that you now have to pay fines for the kids. £10.50!
Carys said that she would pay her part of the fine. Awwww.

The work stuff is clearly going to get much worse over the next few weeks. It isn't right to post any more than that but when I ask for hugs you'll know that I really, really need them. I have done the right thing, but sometimes, Lord, that sucks big time.

Photo of the day is of...my beloved crocs! A woman in Artbase stopped what she was doing and said 'oooooh, I love your shoes where can you get them?'. Once more I ought to be on commission for something...

Next time I post it wiill be from sunny (hah!) Wales.
Pob hywl!

Dear Diary

"You'll never keep this blog up" says Phil.
"I will" says I
"No you won't" says Phil
"Yes I will" says I in slightly hurt tone that he could think such a thing.
"How long have you ever kept a diary for?" says Phil
"Two weeks".
The silence spoke volumes...

I've only missed four days. I know how disappointed you all are. NO not (just) because I'm a BigHead.
But becase I HATE it when I log into a blog to find it hasn't been updated.
Profuse apologies.

So what's got in the way?

• work
• still feeling a bit icky
• work
• being a lazy wotsit.

I ahve even got as far as opening up a fresh clean webpage but nothing has come out. I could have shared

• the fact that Phil got chucked (or would that be clucked) off being a Mod on a chicken forum. (there's only room for one cockerel you know). He's very proud of being the Bad Boy.
• Carys went to a Hawaian disco at school
• the boys have done their end of year exams (but its only May!) with seemingly no revision and come home and say 'it was easy' (Go on, comment on that Hywel I dare you)

But now you will never know...

My work week has had some great news - one of the Church members has had a mastectomy but only needs tamoxifen as further treatment which is great! But mostly things have been really tough and got a lot more difficult yesterday.

So I'm left a bit of a wet rag today. Will really needs God's help and inspiration to put the Sunday service together. (Well he does most of it every week to be honest, its just normally my needing help is not so obvious and he allows me to take the credit. he's good like that!)

I've got one story to share this week. I like stories.
It is called 'the Hermit's gift'

I've been cheering myself up/distracting myself by listening to Magical Trevor
The kids love this song and sing it all the time. Apparently this is an udated version and "not quite the same". They haven't got over the change in the Pingu music either and see that as sacrilege. (Don't think they they are too old for Pingu. It is their favourite dvd to watch in the car. In an ironic sense. Of course)

I've also made a few cards. I tried to unwind last night card making but I was so wrung out they were, quite frankly, pants. So I may have to see if they can be rescued. Or just thrown away.
But this week is Mum's birthday (old Sa kit card with new letter stickers1 It can go on the fridge)

and a school friend is 40. (BG Urban couture and some inked and embossed sizzix numbers)

Carys made a card for mum using my new QVC box set. It took forever to find the envelopes as they cunningly pack everything away. She thinks the outside of the card is soooo funny.

I think what she wrote on the inside is funny too

And I can now reveal the DV swap as the postman excelled himself and sent them both ways really quickly.
Here is Helen's original and here is mine

Another part of the cheering up has been a trip to Artbase. The ever trendy and talented Sue O sent me enough Artbase stamps to finish my card AND share with Anita. I also had to buy materials for a card making stall I am doing at a community event on Sunday. So I was able to spend almost £50 and all I spent really was £1.38. well you can't keep to £25 can you?
I bought...

• Distress ink pad in tattered rose
• A QK primitive heart die
• A Maya Road tin full of chipboard flowers
• Chatterbox Rosey Embellishment Set
  

How hard is it to choose stuff when I don't have to pay? I tried to mix what is useful and what is fun but I don't know what to choose? Only thing now is that I have 46 stamps to collect before I can do it again!!!!

Update

Well we watched...
and very funny it was too. haven't seen it since it came out in 1994. we all enjoyed it. PHil especially enjoyed Cameron Diaz. Carys was shocked that her skirt was so short that when she danced you could see her knickers.

And then I made some cards - result!
I can't show you the Double Vision swap cards because Helen who I swapped with hasn't seen them yet.
Double Vision is where you make a card and seal it in an envelope, then you put the identical papers, embellishments, card etc in a kit and swap with someone else. At the end you open the envelope and see what different cards you have made - and then send the one you have made in the post back to the person who donated the bits and pieces.
Still with me?
Well you'll have to wait until at least Thursday now!

But I can show you my template cards.
For the forum folk who did not go to Birmingham the talented Kathy B posted a template to follow. And she graciously allowed those who had spent a lovely day playing to have a go too.
Here is the template
And here is my first attempt.
You may think "but that looks nothing like the template". You would be right. It got changed somewhat. But I like it!
The backing paper is actually DCVW orange retro paper that I crumpled and used alcohol inks on and lined with Krylon pen. The image is a freebie off the interweb. The heart is a die cut embossed with a quickutz embossing thing and covered in matching alcohol ink.
The second attempt was more successful!
using some of my delish Crate Papers.
I love using card patterns - even if the results look nothing like the original

Procrastination

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggg
hhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I drive myself mad sometimes, I really do.
I'm itching to do some crafty stuff after getting lots of goodies at the weekend.
BUT
I really have to do some tidying of the house first and some washing.
A NORMAL person could achieve this in two hours and then have lots of fun doing cool, creative stuff.
not me.
Oh no.
Why do something efficiently when you can do things
reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllly slowly,
take breaks and then have no time to do what you want.
on the bright side I did finish my latest read!!!
Good story - ended before I wanted it to. Love a bit of chick lit I do!
Must remember to pack it to take to Swansea next week to give to my friend Suzanne. Don't worry blog fans - my dad has a computer so I can still keep up with some entries. I've only been doing this a week and this is my 14th entry.
Do you think this could possibly be another form of procrastination? Surely not!

Anyway my tasks are nearly done so I can get on with a bit of card making.
Only trouble is that it is Movie Night tonight...
Once a fortnight we watch a DVD and have a takeaway so that cuts down on crafting time.

What do you mean I should be glad of the family moments that will help to shape my children in years to come?
I could be making cards!!!!!!
well as long as its a good one.

Photo of the day is another one of my lovely girl. It will look nice in my new scrapbook.....


.
.
.
.
....when I get around to it....

Didn't we have a loverly time

the day we went to Shirley!

(its a place you know, on the Solihull/Birmingham border)

Yes finally the day of the CraftsbyCarolyn forum meet.

I had still been feeling a bit iffy the day before and probably if I hadn't been driving three other people I wouldn't have gone.
Anyway had a good night's sleep and woke at 7 raring to go.
I went to empty the mess out of the car at 10 to 8 and found Dingledel(Adele) sitting outside in her car with her family! Just as well there wasn't much mess then! We were all very restrained in what we took I think. Picked up Axaria (Anita) just down the road and then off to Loughton to pick up susan (Sue) and all her flowers!

The journey was ok - we only got a little lost and all coped very well...
Found the hall and went inside...

When I went to Hitchin last year I found it all quite overwhelming. I was suffering from mild depression at the time and just found it a bit much at times. Glad I went though. Since then I've met loads of people and I'm much better so this wasn't as nervewracking.
these are my observations

• Carolyn's forum is full of lovely, lovely people
• Some are loud
• Some are shy
• Some are loud and shy
• Everyone is really, really talented
• We can talk for Britain, even the shy ones!

I didn't get to chat to everyone, but I did try to mentally tick them off in my I-spy book of the Forum. I'm doing quite well now - I've even got 3 international stars of the forum - Nicola in Canada, Nicki from Switerland and NZJane (she wasn't at this meet and we missed you honey!)

I wasso looking forward to meeting Nicki Zugstitcher. She has a beautiful, animated face which never stayed still so my close up of her is not that flattering... Here she is holding a quilt

and still talking.

We didn't really get much of a chance for an in depth talk but the hug we gave each other said more than we possibly could and I shall hold it in my heart for a long time. Here's to the next time we meet!

And I didn't really get to talk to Canadian Nicola at all...

It is always so lovely - and so wierd - to meet people you talk to on a computer forum regularly.

Lovely - because everyone is so nice.
Wierd - because we know a lot about each other already. For those with big mouths - like me! people know more about me than the mums I stand with at the school gates or the people from Church for example. You start a conversation with someone and then realise you know the answer already!

Every time I meet with people the bond gets deeper and deeper. Its nice to know so many other people who will go ooh and aah over paper, stamps and ink. I wish we could go on a carding retreat together so there would be MORE TIME!!!!!

Fun things about the day:

• Saffa's badge. Think she put more effort in than I did
• I ironed my name on a t-shirt. Did colour it in usingPhotopaint. Its a cool font called Rebekah'sbirthday and I don't know where its from.
• Having a laugh. I love this picture that Kel took of me and Rachel (turtlestres). I think she spent the whole time laughing! And she and her sister Nicola are so alike and seem to get on so well (Nicola gave her raffle prize to Rachel - what a star!)
• Sheila Bookworm's demo - she is so talented, I could have watched her for hours. And she is another beautiful woman - needs to get a new avatar on the forum because she is so much younger looking and prettier in the flesh.
• Seeing the talent in the card competition. Mine got one vote - thanks kind public! It was rather eclipsed by the winners that were just breathtaking

• Sharing the joy of alcahol inks with others. I don't just share things I've discovered with others because I am part of an evil plot to part people from their cash, despite what some people think! Its jst that when I discover a good thing I want more people to try it. Anita is so much better at experimenting with the inks than I am - but ti doesn't take much work to produce something impressive with them.
• Sharon asked me to do the vote of thanks - cos I'm used to public speaking. But then did a lot of the speaking herself and a good job she did too! She is such a lovely, lovely person - such a generous spirit. I think she and Sue (susan) are the mother hens of the forum - and I mean that in a nice way!!!!
• Net liked her clip board which is SUCH a relief. It looks quite nice in a phot - its just close up you can see the flaws...
• Having a meal later on. We couldn't all sit together but it was a nice relaxing end to the day.
• Net's cakes -mmm
• My QVC box that I bought from Sheilagh. I've now got the two things that I really wanted over Lent when I gave up buying craft stuff - and for a reasonable price. You are not supposed to be rewarded for your abstention but thank you Lord!
• I won third prize in the raffle. I won the much coveted bebop scrapbook kit donated by http://www.scrapbookingcastle.co.uk/store/index.php?main_page=index. I have bought from this site before and the owner is really lovely - and generous. Thanks so much. I was the envy of many and had to escorted off the premises with a guard. Anita won first prize and was so chuffed as she "never wins anything". She won the quickutz so next week will be borrowing my dies to play with!

So can you tell I enjoyed my day?

Thanks to all who helped organise it and here's to the next one!

Happy 12th Embo!

Yup. My middle baby is 12 today.
Doesn't seem like 5 minutes ago since I spent the night before watching 4 weddings and a Funeral in the cinema (laughed so hard thought I'd have the baby there)
He was induced which made life easy.
Won't bore you with the birth - here are the highlights

• waters broken
• baby in distress
• Doc saves day at last minute with a pair of tongs
• Dad eats sandwiches and watches cricket rather than gaze lovingly at wife and new son.
• "You were both dozing"does NOT count as an excuse.

12 years on Emrys is still cute - though hates to be thought so. He spent AGES opening his cards and reading everything.

Here is the one I made for him

Here is the lovely poem Carys wrote inside her card (I missed off the end of the word 'perfect')

Here is the game Hywel made for him on flash- the Emrys sizemogrifier

And here is Emrys' stash

• a big frisbee thing
• latest Darren Shan book
• Postman Pat trumps (ironic gift)
• favourite Maom sweets
• a thing that shoots foam bullets at people who come into your room unasked
• a computer game
• pens to design Manga comics
• Do it yourself Beano maker (cool!)
• some money

Have a lovely day sweetie!

I am lovable, yucky, tempting, hot...

and naughty.

Yup that's me to a Tee (well a LYTHAN).

How about you?

L	Lovable
Y	Yucky
T	Tempting
H	Hot
A	Awkward
N	Naughty

Find yours here. acronym
I am also avoiding writing my sermon! It is so ready to go. BUT have you ever put two magnets together the wrong way round? There is a kind of push, push sensation? well that's what its like when I come to write. Its sooooo aggravating. I just have to nibble away until its done.

Anyway this will be a 2 post day as I have to talk about Emrys' 12th birthday later. If you are really lucky I'll throw in some birth stories too.

Munsching away...

I actually managed some work today. Gasp, faint.
Didn't have a good night because I am making a thankyou gift for someone for Saturday and it keeps going wrong. Yesterday I was almost in tears over it.
Sadly I am that over dramatic.
Phil said it would look better in the morning. And he was right.
There are still problems with it but I think I can work round them.
If only my hands would do what my brain wanted them too. Its mostly problems with being slightly squiffy!
Well as long as the "lucky " recipient smiles and doesn't look too closely on the day she can throw it away when she gets home.

This Sunday the worship is about love. Which is a nice thing to talk about. But also a bit limiting.
God loves you. we love each other because Jesus first loved us. Its a good message. A great message. But could be over in 2 minutes...

So I did what I always do in a sermon type emergency. I went surfing.
First stop was 2 Peas.
OK so its a scrapbooking site rather than religious, but it can be inspirational... And a black hole of sermon prep avoidance!

There I found a link to another fantastic site called Bembo's Zoo
That is an awesome timewaster!

And finally someone mentioned something that was a real help on textweek
That was to this book Love you forever by Robert Munsch. I have done a quick order on Amazon and God willing will get it before Sunday but you can find the text of the story here.
This is about a Mother's love for her son and how that love gets passed on. So I can talk about how God's love is so much bigger even than that.

I love Munsch books. We discovered them when we went to Canada when the boys were 2 and just born.
(When H was born I wouldn't leave Hartlepool until he was about 3 months old, just in case. Emrys went to Canada at 7 weeks...)
we have these...

Grandma has this one...
and my all time favourite (cos it has the word Fart in I expect. But it really is very funny)

They are brilliant stories for reading aloud over and over again!

Right back to the 'gift' and I need to make Emrys' birthday card as he will be 12 tomorrow.
Everythig done for Sunday bar the Sermon but that is halfway there thanks to Mr Munsch!

Slowly improving

Still a bit of a wet rag but have bursts of energy. Even put away the washing - which means its time to do more - boohoo. Have been let off work today as i have very little voice and its no good chairing a church meeting without a voice. You know how naughty they can be.
Joke.
Almost.
Sometimes.
yes, joke!

So I might as well introduce the rest of the fambly.
Here is Dutch.
This was taken in the summer when he ran out in front of a car. Long expensive story. He was better off than the car...
Dutch is mostly Border Collie. Its a dumb name but as we were his fourth home in 9 months I felt another name change would be too much.
For years he was a bit of a pain as he was not keen on small children and we had rather a lot for a while! But now he is old he is more mellow and they all mix well together. He does a lot of sleeping and snoring now as he is about 14.

Then we have 'the girls' aka Spot and Mrs Miggins.

They are chickens number 4 and 5 as Marvin the Paranoid Chicken (1) escaped. Very clever, except this is a fox ridden area so she didn't get far.
BiBi (the ravenous bugblatter beast of Traal, number 2) and Trillion (number 3) got eaten by a fox INSIDE their fox proof house because someone (and he knows who he is and has to live with it for life so i won't mention his name in this context again) kindly cleaned out the Eglu but forgot to put the door back on.

When we got these hens we decided that being named after Hitch-hikers characters was not very lucky so irony (Spot) and Blackadder (Mrs M) won round.

Incidentally last film night we watched 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'
Better explain that every other Monday is movie night where we have a takeaway and watch a film 'during which mum is not allowed to do any card making stuff'. The concession of cross stitching has been given cos otherwise I fall asleep.
So Monty P it was and they loved it. it has been sooo funny hearing them going round the house being the Knights who say Ni and 'I'm not really dead'. It feels like passing on a rich piece of heritage.
"we want a shwubbewy!"

To finish the pets we have goldfish who no longer get named cos they don't last long enough, tadpoles in the pond, a fish in the pond WHICH WE DID NOT PUT THERE. (Spooky eh?) ands lots of dustbunnies.

Happy Birthday Phil!

I managed to get up with the kids, watch him open his pressies then i went back to bed while he made their breakfast, packed lunches and saw them off to school.
How I love that man!
I managed to finish his present yesterday and he was pleased to get his 'favourite' card from the ones have already made. It is one in this style


but using the American Crafts Bookshelf papers which I love, love, love.
I enjoy making this style of card as it is effective but super easy. Cut out rectangles of paper, snip some of the ends, punch out circles then turn them into flames (triangles with rounded bottoms!), ink around and stick on at funny angles!
Phil's pressies were

• Phil's treats: my book of tokens (hopefully piccie will appear later when am human again). Has tear off coupons for a lie-in, night out etc. Had to buy a perforator in order to make it. hee hee!
• Two pairs of smart 3/4 length shorts. Yup he was a bit underwhelmed.
• A paper game and paper pen topper made lovingly by Emrys and Carys
• West Wing series 4. Which is around when we had to stop watching it cos the schedhuling went funny.
• A t-shirt with 'I love my chickens' on it and a photo of Spot and Mrs Miggins. I still haven't told you about the pets have I? Patience, my child.
• a fantastic computer game made by Hywel called the Philifier. http://img474.imageshack.us/my.php?image=philifier1jo.swf

Tonight's cordon bleu meal may be a trip to McDonald's if he is really lucky. Then Phil has an elder's meeting. I have thought about making a cake but my sick bed sounds more inviting. Plus I have to turn my craft space back into a meeting room for his meeting.

Happy birthday Honeybun. Love you!!!!

Bleurgh again

So this is getting boring. Still not very well.
I am meeting up with girls from the Crafts by Carolyn forum next weekend
So excited!!!!!!
I know, it doesn't take a lot to please me!
Today - my first day off in oodles knows when I have to get ready for Saturday.
I need to make

• my card for the competition - theme Romance. (May double up as card for hubby for anniversary next week)
• my double vision card swap. This is where you create a card and give someone else the same bits and see what they come up with.
• my name badge
• the secret mission I have been given (not telling what it is cos it is a secret)
• Phil's birthday card for tomorrow
• one of his pressies

But I am really under the weather and it has taken me a whole morning to set up my craft stuff and almost make my card for the competition which I don't like. Moan, moan, moan.
Moan, moan, moan,
moan, moan,
moan.
There now you can feel as fed up and miserable as me.

I did get to lie in and finish reading a book that I only started last night though -
Most enjoyable!
She has only written three books but they are all quite different, fun, quick reads.
My fave is still the first PS I love you. But I like all three of them. She is very young and beautiful too. It's lucky I'm above jealousy.
Grrrrr....



One of the reasons for this blog is to post piccies so I shall start a pic of the day.
Here is today's



Yes it's some felt tip pens.
Very arty eh?
More useless pics tomorrow...

Really slightly squiffy

If you were wondering... the blog name comes from 3 things.
One is the nearest thing to a nickname I have ever had. (apart from 'Greaseball' which is what my brother used to call me. Gee thaks Bro)
A little girl (I expect she is about 25 with little girls of her own now) used to call me 'Wiffen' which gets shortened to Wiffy.

Another is that I can't cut straight or glue things on straight. At least not first time. When I started making cards I called myself 'twirly cards' (dunno why really). Now I wish that 'd thought of 'slightly squiffy' then...

And my view of life and sense of humour are probably more than slightly squiffy....

Anyhoo, today i really am slightly squiffy. One eye is almost completely swollen. I would show you a piccie but sadly Phil has taken the camera to photograph his church flower festival. Take it from me, its ugly. Hayfever has a lot to answer for - but I think I might have a cold as well.
Cue the violins.

Is it time for me to come out as a hypochondriac?

Phil has borrowed the harp for the flower festival which has reminded people that I can play it so in a mad moment of weakness I agreed to play for his colleague's sons wedding in August 2007. Why did I do that?
I have a love/hate relationship with the harp. People love to hear me play and I hate playing it in public.
Gulp.
Let's hope they forget the whole idea...

Oh in case you are wondering - there is a display that goes with the Psalm 'praise him on the trumpet, lyre and harp'. They had a trumpet and a little guitar thing and the arranger said 'if only we had a harp'. Phil said "Oooh we've got one at home". Its even the same colour as the material they have as part of the display so looks fantastic
.

My birthday surprise

so when I knew that number 3's due date was 26th June and my birthday is 29th June I began thinking.
And I thunk

• wouldn't it be nice to have the baby on my birthday (yes I'm mad. What better way to spend your birthday than IN LABOUR)
• wouldn't it be fantastic if I finally got a girl. (Boys love ya loads but I wanted some pink in my life)
• wouldn't it be wonderful if she had red, curly hair.

Readers, thats what I got. Yes we share a birthday. And not just any old day. Not only is it almost halfway from Christmas but it is the Saints Day of St Peter AND St Paul. 2 of the toppest saints there are!

My baby Carys will be 10 soon.
NB: When we chose her name it was fairly unusual. I'd never met a Carys, just liked it because it is Welsh for love and also Greek for grace or gift.
BUT somehow almost the whole of Wales seems to have read the same baby book in 1996 because there are loads of them. Carys even has 2 cousins called Carys (Mine was first!). You shout 'Carys' in Swansea market and half the girls turn around.
It was the 19th most popular girls name in Wales in 2005. Even Catherine Zeta Jones Douglas has one. Ah well still like the name!

Here she is - I love taking her photo and she loves having it taken...

Middle Child Blues

well you are supposed to get them, but I don't think Emrys does!
He is 12 next week
Emrys was a sunny natured baby and toddler. He would spend all day sitting on my knee cuddling and kissing.
At 41/4 he started school and that was it.
I still have to bribe him to allow me a hug every now and then which is usually accompanied by "you'll pay for this"

He is also scarily clever with a wild and vivid imagination.
Emrys has thrived at secondary school which I'm surprised but glad about.
He even puts his books ready the night before which goes against the Nevard family way of doing everything at a rush at the last minute. But its a Good Thing.

He and Hywel remind me of Frasier and Niles Crane from Frasier. I'm pretty sure they wilil end up doing the same job, whatever it is!
Emrys is pretty photogenic but alas hates having his photo taken because it "steals your soul".
He also doesn't want me to talk about him on my blog.
So I won't.
Or have I?
Mwa hah hah hah hah

Moan, sniff, moan, cough, moan, scratch

Yes I've got hayfever.
I am the world's worst hayfever sufferer.
What is weird is that before I was married I never had hayfever. Then every year it has gradually got worse and worse.
When we got married Phil had terrible hayfever and each year it gradually gets better and better.
I think he is secretly passing it on to me in the middle of the night.
If only I knew how...

Actually Hywel gets it worse than I do poor lamb.
I try and tell him "Just wait until you get married and you can secretly give it to your wife in the middle of the night" but strangely these words do not help...

Hardly slept last night, drove Phil to the Spare Oom with the strange noises that came from me trying to breathe. Totally knackered today and trying to work on my sermon. for which I need a clear head!!!!
I'm linking Anansi the Spider Man, Christian Aid week and Jesus saying "I am the vine and you are the branches".
I'll let you know tomorrow if it worked!

Plus I know you are all dying to know about the rest of the family but that will have to be tomorrow too.
This evening there is a family party at Phil's Church which is 100 years old and I have to sing 'Baby it's cold outside' with him (he is being Tom Jones and I'm being Cerys matthews from Catatonia. Actually at the moment I feel catatonic and sound like Tom Jones...)
Which means we have to record Dr Who.
Cue one unhappy family....

Nevards: the Next Generation

So now we are onto the children...
I have 3 little dears.
This is Hywel


He is almost 14 and has just finished year 9 STS ready to start his GSC's. EEEEeeeeek!
Hywel is scarily clever. He can do maths and science type things like his dad and arty farty english type things like his mum.
Not so good at languages so I have something to feel slightly superior about
(what do you mean you're not supposed to be in competition with your children)

Hywel embraces his geekiness with pride.
He is naff at sports but brill at computers.
He remembers EVERYTHING.
He is quite outspoken. (e.g. dares to disagree with his honoured Mother from time to time. And sometimes even has the nerve to be right. OK most of the time)

By the time he was two he would mediate in 'full and frank discussions' by his parents at the front of the car.
"Dat's not what Daddy said, you wong Mummy"
"I fink Mummy is telling the twoof"
He loves to draw, read, plays the cello and most of all
play on the computer.

He is also a committed Christian. The children were dedicated as babies to give them the option to choose baptism as a mark of entry to their grown up faith. Hywel asked to be baptised at the age of 12 and shares his faith and good advice with his friends.

Hywel has a false front tooth due to an accident when he was 11. Excellent for scaring people with.
Can you spot which one it is?

First Aid Adviceof the Day:
Should you loose an adult tooth for some reason, place it as quickly as possible in milk and this will keep it alive longer allowing more chance of a successful rerooting. Otherwise you have about half an hour to find a dentist.

My family

Didn't keep you in suspense for long!
So let me tell you a little bit more...

I have been married to Phil for what will be 18 years on 28th May. Personally I don't believe that because
a: I am not old enough to have been married for that long, what with only being 28 inside
b: I can't believe that Phil has managed to cope with me for that long. My parents would agree. You have never seen people so happy to see their daughter married off.


So here he is...
He is wearing
a: the slightly resigned face of a husband who wishes he hadn't agreed to that new digital camera
b: the smug smile of a Bolton fan who has just watched Bolton beat Charlton 4-1 live at the Reebok
c: His brand new footie shirt bought to celebrate the momentous occasion


Phil is also a Minister in the United Reformed Church and serves 2 Churches in Upminster and Hornchurch.
Unlike certain MP's losing his hair has not made him seek out surprising company although now I think about it, the less hair he has the more dedicated to Bolton Wanderers he is...


When I was young and shallow(er) I used to think I could never love a man who was bald.
I know!
But hey, I'm being honest.
And I realised very, very quickly that it doesn't matter what state a man's hair is in (apart from a comb over obviously) he can still be beautiful.
And Phil is the most caring, wonderful, funny, laid back, handy man, brilliant, awesome guy it is my privilege to love.


You are right. He will be reading this.
But it's still all true!

Its Friday (aka sermon avoidance day) so back to Worship prep for now. Stay tuned for more Nevard news later.

Be gentle with me...

I'm new to this blogging stuff!
This is a chance to talk about one of my favourite subjects - me!
It will be full of ramblings about my family, my faith and my spiralling out of control hobby of card making. So if that doesn't interest you, turn off ....NOW

If you are staying - welcome.
My name is Lythan.
Sigh.
Yes it's a funny name.
Yes, its Welsh.
No, most people have never heard of it either.
And yesterday for the first time in about 25 years when I was being introduced to someone, she thought her friend was saying "listen" with a lisp and got quite cross about not being told my name...
This is me

I am 40 years old.

still look a bit younger than that but no longer asked for ID when I go to the pub.

I work as a Minister in the United Reformed Church

http://www.urc.org.uk/

I serve two Churches in Harold Hill and Romford. Postal address Essex but also in London.

Cue for my favourite Essex girl joke.

An Essex girl was in an accident. the paramedic said "Where are you bleeding from?"

"Romford"

I'll tell you about my husband, kids, dog, fish, chickens and tadpoles later.

After all - how do you keep an idiot in suspense?