My Life with Cold Sores

COLD SORES

What can be said its awful.  Anyone who gets them will fully understand.

I suffered with cold sores through out my school life, they started when I was about 7 or 8 years old.
I believe I got them from my grandparents as they both suffered from them.  It only takes you to have contact once and you have them for good, its in your blood as they say.

So growing up was tough, a lot of name calling and being made to feel worse about myself.

I don't even think my parents were really aware of how much it affected me.  They just used to say don't touch it, wash your hands, put your cream on.

I wanted to put a bag on my head and hide most of the time.

I suffered with tonsillitis as a teen as well which just made the problem worse as I became run down and they would emerge.  The thing was I got them on my nose, inside and out, as well as my mouth, so I looked as good as I felt.

Every time I was worried or excited about anything they would appear.  I think they just came when they wanted to ruin an event that was due.

Every party as a teen, one or two would appear on my face, I became expert in putting make up on around them.

Boyfriends were an issue too, because you don't kiss anyone when you have them for fear of passing on the infection.

It could be tough at times, but, I did become stronger for it and tried not to let them ruin my life.

It got to the point when someone would call me a nasty name and I would turn round and say " is that all you have got, do you think I haven't heard that one before or wow that's original".
Its quite hard to do at first but the reaction is priceless, when they realise your not going to run away crying they loose interest and most of the time leave you alone.

But I am very proud of the fact that I have been with my husband for 23 years and have never passed it on to him or any of my three children.  We just used to say to the kids that mummy had a sore bit and they would kiss my head to make me better.

It does seem like the end of the world when your friends don't have them and you do.  But its a part of me now and usually a sign that I am feeling a bit low in myself.

It's like my body waves a big red flag to say slow down a bit.

At 43 I am finally listening and I don't seem to get them as much as I did. x x

I have also written a poem on Wattpad about this topic, if you want to take a look.

A mothers rant

I am sure I am not the only mother who feels this way.

Every morning in my house is simply a joy.....

I am up at 6.30 to wake them all up as we tried alarm clocks and that doesn't work, so I am the annoying persistent alarm clock in our house.

I wake them up turn the heating up and turn lights on, then downstairs to let the dogs out and put the kettle on.

Then upstairs again to rewake them as they haven't moved....

It's repetitive and Carries on until 7 when they finally get up for a shower.  Then I am banging on the door as they think a shower needs to be 20 mins plus ( I actually think they go back to sleep in there).

It's the same everyday of the week.  It's no fun and normally ends in a row each day.  

It doesn't matter if I have a headache or I feel under the weather, I am up.

Unfortunately I have three children that are definitely not morning people.  They are grumpy and argumentative with each other and myself.  

Very rarely do we have what I call a good morning.  I struggle to get them to eat breakfast as they know better than we do.  They don't have time as they move as slowly as they can in pure protest for being made to be up.

Mornings are quite stressful as you can imagine and nearly as bad as bedtimes, which is a whole other nightmare!!  

We have tried early nights, removing phones and laptops, eating earlier in the evening.  Nothing seems to help with the mood in the mornings.  Is it just teenagers?  Mine are 13, 15, and 19 ( at college).

Any suggestions gladly received as I do feel like I am going crazy at the moment..........feel stressed out till about lunchtime.

I love my kids so much but they drive me mental with their attitude towards me for making them go to school.

Help!! 

Writing Poems

To be honest I have always been able to write.
Couldn't spell or punctuate, but just loved to write.
I would write long letters to family and friends, just to keep in touch.
I would write stories for the class and my teacher said I had an ability for imaginative writing, I made stuff up to make it sound better in stories is what I think she meant.

I love to read and that has broadened my writing over the years also.

I have also had a fetish for pens and notebooks since being quite young and even now will always look for a nice pen when out shopping.

I progressed to writing down how I felt and reading it back as a way of getting stuff out.

My husband, poor soul, used to quite often come in late and get a dear John letter, if the kids had been playing up. Explaining in detail that I was on the point of going mental with three little kids driving me there fast.

He hasn't had one of those in years.
If I was to put into writing what happened now as they are teenagers! I think he would have a heart attack in shock....
But I thought as they were his children too he should share in whatever naughtiness they had been up to that day.  He worked long hours and some days I barely saw him.

My outlet has always been writing.
Poems for the family have been quite fun to write and I have posted some on wattpad.  I even wrote a poem for my sisters funeral, as my dad asked me too.  This one I am unable to read yet as its too personal and still makes me wobbly.  It gave me a headache writing it as it was so important to the family.
My absolute favourite thing is playing with my kids.  We have word games where they ask me on the spot to make a poem up about anything and I do.  Or rather I try, a lot of these are on wattpad under three little words.  Its a great game and can be quite silly.
We also rhyme about anything in general if I'm cooking and they ask me something I will answer in rhyme and they join in and it normally ends in made up nonsense words, that make us all laugh.
I think poetry is a great outlet for feelings and I use it when happy, sad, angry, frustrated and confused.  It doesn't have to be written with big long words or have a deep meaning under the surface.  It should flow like a story, well that's what I like to do.  My words are not complicated but the point is put across and most of them are just fun to read.

Have a look at just some on wattpad my name on there is turtlesoup as the picture shows and I
am sure you will find something to put a smile on your face.

Thanks for reading x x

Fancy dress

Once again I have seen a program on fancy dress costumes for children.

This just reminded me of some of the things we have done to our kids over the years.

My oldest daughter didn't really go to fancy dress parties as they just didn't do that at the time.  Though she would be a witch or cat for Halloween every year and I would always make her costumes.

My son had a couple when he was at playschool.

He went to one in camouflage pj's with a rifle on his back and my husband painted his face....he was action man.

On another occasion we stood him on the table and dressed him in ripped jeans and a ripped shirt with shredded sleeves.  We cut the front out of his trainers and then painted him green from head to foot ....the hulk.

The thing was it was a superhero party and he was growling at people at the party.  The mum said " he is so cute, he has been in character the whole party". When I got him in the car it was obvious that he just had the hump about something that had happened.

ANGRY 3 YEAR OLDS DON'T HIDE IT WELL.

My youngest daughter was always invited to fancy dress parties as she started at a different school and it was a big thing at this one.

She had lots of Disney princess dresses and fairy wings.  Her first party she was dressed as a Christmas fairy all fluffy and sparkly, 4 years old.

She then went as Snow White to another.

My favorite dressing up school day was world book day.

My oldest daughter went as Hermione from Harry potter armed with a wand.  My son was Dennis the menace one year and Peter Pan another year.  The youngest went as a brats doll two years on the trot.  The first year was all lacy covered jeans and sparkly butterfly vest top with sunglasses and beads all over her. This was passion for fashion.  Then the following year she was a rock angel which was electric guitar shades and denim with chained hanging from her belt.

When her friends were still trying to be princesses my daughter wanted to be different and she still tries.

My oldest daughter has been to a few fancy dress parties since being over 16 and it's a whole new ball game... From a cat at Halloween with the shorts being very short!!  To a munchkin in multicolours and a large lollipop it never seems to end.

I still love making the costumes and will continue as long as they ask me too..

My kids...

Thinking back it just seems like yesterday that they were tipping spaghetti hoops all over the floor, to share with the dog as he didn't get any.
Or when we got our kitchen decorated the kids having patiently watched us painting and stencilling the walls, decided to give it their personal touch and coloured one wall to waist height with crayons and felt tip pens!!
They were only tiny and had helped mummy and daddy, slow walking round the garden, counting to ten and deep breathing to calm down...
What do you do? Explain to a baby that they shouldn't do that when they just watched you do the same!

Oh but they were good my kids, creative in their mischief.  Getting the dogs involved or just blaming each other all the time.  It was hard to keep up.

I was always busy, in and out during the day, I had one at school and two at home, though one was part time at playschool.
They ran me ragged!! I was permanently exhausted and all mums will know that even going to the toilet has to be done with military precision.  They have to be distracted, but you must keep up a conversation at all times.
So when your busy!, and it all goes quiet, you are suitably alarmed.

This happened to me often, they once put toast in the video player ( after removing the child lock).
We only found this out when we called a repair man.  He arrived and my then 3 year old son helped him by removing the lock so he could look inside, after finding numerous toast crusts and cleaning he got it working.  Luckily for us the man thought it was funny and didn't charge us.

Or when I picked my daughter up from the floor to find my son had stuffed her nappy with his sandwiches, rather than eat them.  Oh they were clever!! Unwanted food was daily cleaned from the sides of the sofa or underneath it and we had the best fed dogs in the neighbourhood.
At one point we got my dad to install sliding door panels to separate the kids from the dogs and the kitchen in general as my youngest was in a walker and could destroy a room in minutes.  They got round this by lifting them up to let each other go through or as they got a bit older would commando crawl over the top.

My son taught his baby sister to undo any fastening, high chair, pushchair, car seat you name it she would get out of it.  I can remember shopping with my sister and holding a top up to myself in a mirror to see if I liked it, then turning back round to an empty pushchair ( mothers worst nightmare).
The thing with my kids is they were loud!!  So even if out of sight I could hear them.  I found them harassing women in the changing room by lifting the curtains.

They were a full on nightmare the pair of them!!

The personnel shopping experience!,

Everyone has that what am I going to wear panic before a wedding! It is completely normal.

But when you have to find outfits for the whole family of teenagers it becomes a little more than merely stressful.

So I decided to book a personal shopper at our local DEBENHAMS store.  A completely free service I might add.

I have done this before and ended up with two dresses that I would never have chosen for myself, but loved them both.  Alas this wedding is with the same people so something new was required.

I arrived at 11am with my two daughters aged 18 and 13 in tow.  They were pretty much dreading the whole experience.

We were greeted on arrival by the assistant Michelle and taken to a side room with tea making facilities and a private changing area and comfortable seating area.  Michelle was really bubbly and engaged with the girls straight away, just chatting about the event we was attending and telling them a little about what she does.

They seemed happy enough.

It was me first as I am a nightmare for clothes, I don't shop for myself enough to know what suits me or not so just left it up to Michelle.  

Well I must have tried on 15 dresses from fitted to vintage, both short and long and nothing jumped out on me.

I knew my dress instantly last time because it made me feel special, that's the reaction I wanted this time too.  Michelle was really patient and went back out into the store and came back with dresses priced from £30 to £195.  

You could tell what was expensive and not, by the feel of the fabric and the way it hung when on.  

I kept going even though in my head I had already decided that nothing was going to look any good and I would come away with nothing.  

We all know that feeling and it normally means time to go home.

  

As last time I put on the last dress and fell in love it felt amazing and I would never have even looked at it if I had been walking round the store myself.  My heart jumped to my stomach when she told me the price and I thought that's it I can't spend that much on a dress.

Hang on said Michelle it is in the sale with 70% off.  I couldn't believe it and was so chuffed.  

Me sorted and now the girls..

Then came my youngest daughter who lives in leggings and tshirts and plimsolls.  This was going to be an experience, but she told Michelle she was open to try anything and that's what she did.

At one point she was in a pale peach meringue which was hilarious as she got stuck in all the netting and we could just hear her chuckling in the changing room.  She tried on fitted dresses that looked amazing but made her look a bit too old for my liking.

It becomes very difficult when at 13 she is 5'6" a size 10-12 with curves and long blonde hair.  She doesn't look her age anyway, so as a parent you need to be aware of this and dress them appropriatley, not always easy when their friends are wearing heels and revealing outfits!!

She put on dark dresses and light dresses, floaty ones and lace ones.  She tried an off the shoulder dress which was pretty but just not right.

Then she tried on a midnight blue chiffon dress that comes just above her knee and the front is covered in crystals and beamed.  She said it felt really nice on and kept going back to it.  She had found her dress and it looked lovely.

Now for daughter number 2

Well what can I say, my oldest daughter went to the dress fitting with black skinny jeans on and lace up boots, covered in tie up bracelets and rubber band bracelets.  

I really thought Michelle would struggle as my daughter explained to her that she doesn't like attention and would rather go unnoticed, oh and that she normally wears black.

She started bringing in various dresses in every colour and pattern and black!!

Shannon was trying the dresses on but I could tell she didn't like anything and was just getting like I had been.  Everything looks bad on me attitude,  though not just being her mum, she has a lovely figure, but cannot see it herself.

She is almost 6ft tall and is a size 12 with curves and legs that go on forever.  Top that with really long, colour changing with her mood, hair that she wears straight or naturally curly.

I stepped in and asked for more dressy dresses as the ones that were on the rail were playing it a bit safe.

She tried on lace dresses and prom dresses with sparkles, but everything was nice but just not right.

Then she tried on the dress that my younger daughter and myself had said wow when Michelle had carried it in.

Oh my goodness, I felt really emotional, she looked stunning.  She felt stunning as well she smiled and I just can't describe how I felt.  The dress is black lace top over white with a black sash belt and white netting skirt, if it had been another colour it wouldn't have been the same.  It was so dramatic and she could wear it again and again.  It wasn't too short and she can wear her shoes that she already has, amazing.

Michelle truly outdid herself as what we all came away with was brilliant.  She made us feel special the whole time and we was laughing and joking and most of all had fun.

It made what would have been an awful trip, enjoyable and the help we received with colours and styles was really useful, for us to use ourselves.

Personally anytime I have an event to attend I will be using DEBENHAMS personnel shopping service as it is just your time and stress levels your saving.

Would highly recommend this great service and lovely staff, can't wait for our next event now!!

X

What happens when you get distracted!!

This subject is often discussed with my friends, " oh, little tommy tipped his juice all over himself when I wasn't  looking for a second".

My kids should get medals for what they achieved whilst we were distracted.

I left the two youngest painting when they were about 2 and 3 1/2 to go to the corner shop.  My dad was left in charge.  He began reading to my oldest daughter, in the same room I might add.  I was gone only 20 minutes the most and when I returned I couldn't believe it.  My kids had painted each other black.  They had mixed all the paints together and smeared them onto each other.  One was in a nappy and the other was in just underwear.  It was from head to foot black and grey ( my daughter had white blonde hair as a little one and it took 3 days to get it close to original colour).  

They had done it without any noise, which would have made me check them anyway. My dad couldn't believe they had done it without him realizing.

Another time they had been unwell and we had had a few rough nights with them all.  My oldest went to school and my friend agreed to collect her for me, so I gave the other two some calpol and let them play in the lounge.  I sat with a cup of tea watching bob the builder with them.  

I nodded off to sleep, the gates were up and it should have been ok.  They always snuggled up to me or made noise and would wake me up anyway. Not this time.  I had left some margarine on the dining table in the corner of the lounge.  They decided to smear it on the patio door, they did such a good job!!

One did the under the table bit whilst my son did the above table level by standing on it.  I woke to a room with mottled light and two angelic kids watching tv.

It was only on closer inspection I could see they were smothered, and the table and the floor.  Then I noticed the patio door.

I phoned my mum to come and help me but she and my dad thought it was hilarious.  'That will teach you for falling asleep!' they roared.

But I blame the Calpol!!

They were also famous for changing the cooker settings, sneaking coloured socks into the washing machine, making potions in every sink in the house or the dog bowl.

Oh yes, it was a joy to have them daily.

Most days I felt like I couldn't cope, but some how I did and they are completely normal........to some degree!!

School holidays!!

School holidays used to mean trips to the park and the beach.  Planned days to the zoo and safari parks even the occasional trip to the local pool was a family affair. 

But, sadly, those days are long gone.

School holidays now mean staying up late and pretty much sleeping for the majority of the following day.  If you try to get them to accompany you anywhere it has to be after midday and only local incase they get a better offer.

As parents we now have a back seat roll.  We supply the transport or fair money and normally pay for the organised event that we have no part in.

It is quite upsetting but having teenagers is a whole new adventure.  Very stressful when they decide not to answer the phone or ignore your text message, which I have to point out, may have been important to you but really isn't to them.

The usual what time are you home text? Is responded with soon, or when I am finished or my favourite I don't know!!  Are you in for dinner? Is responded with what are we having? Then they will decide!!

And if you do plan a day to the beach, they want to bring a friend.  With my lot that means I am chauffeur for the day as there would be no room for me to take a friend also........great day out!!

I shouldn't moan as I do get to spend time with my girls when they feel up to it, but my son alas now has a girlfriend who is the priority in his life!! :(

Things change and we should make the most of the time they do want to spend with us.  We still love them and wouldn't want them any other way.  If they wanted to be with us all the time at the ages they are we would be worried!!!

Stay calm they say it gets better!!

Getting fit!!

Well this all started in front of the bedroom mirror, deciding that my weight had started to creep up and as we have a few big outings and a holiday coming up I needed to get a grip.  

Also we have diabetes in the family which is a constant worry and another reason to keep my weight under control...

My daughter who is 18 decided as the gym is so expensive she would research a fitness regime for us...

We started it yesterday.

We had to take a picture of our bodies in underwear front and side view, so we can see the changes.  That was quite a shock, I wasn't expecting what I saw.  Felt quite emotional.  It's funny how in your head you look completely different.

Anyway we went into the garden and started doing squats and step ups and other exercises that I would rather forget.  My daughter kept laughing as I kept making noises like a professional tennis player, grunting and groaning.  In my defence it really hurt.

We kept this up for the allocated time and were then supposed to have a break and repeat it, but I felt so sick and shaky.  I was embarrassed by how I reacted to it all... I thought I was going to have a heart attack at one point - not funny.

My husband looked quite concerned when we came in and made me sit and take sips of water.  I think it was the fact that I was borderline in tears that shocked him.

Well the thing with training is you have to do the count for the other person as well, so back into the garden we went so my daughter could have her turn.

She started off really confidently as she does squats and sit-ups quite often.  Within minutes her legs were shaky and she felt sick as well.  I must say I didn't laugh when she had to keep stopping as she was exhausted. It just goes to show me that age doesn't always matter when it comes to things like this as I thought I was rubbish for not being able to do it for the second time around.

But today is the morning after and I can honestly say my body is struggling.  

Every muscle in my legs, back, arms and even my bum hurts! We are meant to be doing this every other day with walking inbetween, sounded great... but, I think I need at least a week to recover.

So in truth I think my daughter is trying to kill me. 

Watch this page to see what happens in our goal for fitness... If there are no more posts it's because I couldn't type as my arms had stopped working!!!!

I know she loves me really x x x

Shopping with Kids

Let me try to think of a good place to start!

Being a mother is a wonderful gift that we should all cherish is what they tell us in the books and baby magazines.  The reality is something quite different.

They do not come with warning stickers or instructions of any kind and let me tell you each child is an individual.  If you have a child that is calm and quiet and think to yourself this is so easy we can handle another one........think again.

This is being said by a mother of three, so it's very tongue in cheek.

Have you ever tried to keep a toddler quiet or still? Just not gonna happen.  
Have you ever tried to do a food shop with a bunch of chimpanzees? That probably describes my experiences.  I was generally a laid back easy going mum.....but not when food shopping!! I would leave home thinking it was all good and then they would start.  
Just let me state, I believe double seated trolleys were invented by childless people who don't have a clue!! You cannot seat siblings that close together without something happening. They either fight or hatch an escape plan, you think you have them under control, then one runs off down the aisle whilst the other one is shimmying down the side of the trolley.  Let me tell you not a lot of shopping got done on those occasions, as I nearly came home without them, just walked out.

On another occasion I was shopping and they started to wander, luckily my eldest daughter aged about 8 was with me, so I was able to at least put some things into the trolley....progress!!  She came running down the aisle looking really worried " mum I tried to stop them but they wouldn't listen" never a good start to a conversation.  I left the trolley to find out what had happened, turning the corner only to see my kids laying on the middle shelf of the cereal aisle, having made room for themselves....another hasty retreat from the supermarket.
Or another time when they climbed the shelves just for the hell of it.  I wasn't the type of mum who would shout at them in public and they knew it.  I would just growl and tell them to wait till we got outside.
The problem was they competed all the time, so if one did something the other had to try and out do them.   
Even the simplest tasks became a problem as they would act up whenever I had to do something necessary.

But saying this they were good kids, very loving, naughty, mischievous, but very loving. 
I have so many of these stories from when they were young and would like to share them with you.  So if your kids are driving you crazy read about mine it probably will put a smile on your face or make your own not seem quite so bad!!
  
No matter how embarrassed or stressed they made me I wouldn't change a thing, as it just makes me laugh now, which is lovely.......

First Post

Well what can I say? 
This blogging was suggested by my sister as she found my life past and present a constant source of entertainment.
I have been married for nineteen years this November and though sometimes we have had no money and wanted to kill each other...I wouldn't change one thing.
I have three children, if you've visited Wattpad they are featured often!!
When they were younger they were always doing something funny, my oldest daughter was 3 1/2 when my son was born, and he was 21 months when my youngest daughter was born, so I was kept very busy. 

But I will get to that in another post.

For now I would like to say how much fun can be had setting up a blog.  I had my daughter helping me and all we did was laugh.  The profile pictures were something to be seen, scary as hell most of them as they always take my picture when I am doing the housework and look my best!!
Then what to write to let you know how interesting and special I am ( ordinary and average more like) and how I love to write about everything.
My daughters versions... were great.  I didn't actually know how many ways you can say hello, hi, welcome or other words unrepeatable and yet amusing to teenagers.
Her description of good ole mum was brilliant, according to her I am a famous author... really? That would be news to me, I have posted random poems on Wattpad, some well received some not so much. 

I enjoy writing, that is why my sister wanted me to do this.  I am writing most of the time, it makes no sense to anyone else but me, but it is fun.

If I am upset, I write, if I am happy, I write and if the kids drive me crazy, you guessed it, I write.

If this is appealing then read on.  As I don't know what blogging is I will just randomly write and hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for being patient with me as I will learn this as I go along.

Gill x