So long 2009...I'll be glad to see the back of you!

Hi all! I hope you've all had a very merry Christmas with lots of turkey and mulled wine. After not getting off to the best of starts this crimbo (Mr Bold awoke on Christmas Eve with septic tonsillitis...again)2009 has ended up becoming the best Christmas I've ever had. Due to the very bad timing of Mr Bolds illness Christmas dinner in the Bold house had to be cancelled...i couldn't very well cook a whole turkey for myself now could I?

It all worked out for the best, my mum and dad took pity on us and invited all six of us over for dinner along with my Nana and my brother and we had a fantastic meal, PLUS i didn't have the stress of mountains of dirty dishes......PERFECT.

Another bonus this Christmas was the quality of the presents i received, i know Christmas is all about the giving not receiving and i don't expect anything too extravagant at all really but it's so nice to not just get primark slippers and a smelly set for once. Since the arrival of my girls, obviously all our energy and money is spent on them and Mr Bold and I are lucky if we manage to purchase a card for one another but this year we put in a little more effort and a few more pennies.

The result was a fabulous faux fur M&S coat which i LOVE, a beautiful watch, Marc Jacobs perfume, luxury chocolates and that was just from Mr Bold. God only knows what's come over my mum and Super Frugal dad but not only was all the girls spoilt rotten with baby Annabel everything, dolls, little people airports, garages....i could go on forever, Me and Mr Bold got some top presents too including my favourite Sanctuary toiletries and a lovely jumper.


However, by far the best present i received this year was these super sexy adult all-in-one PJ's from my little sister.....



And here is a pic of me and my brother perfecting our posing skills, i think we may have had just a little too much to drink. I'm sporting my new faux fur coat isn't it Lush?




Well here's to a Happy New Year everyone, i hope you all have a ball and that 2010 is the best year yet!

It's Snow good!

I can't believe i haven't posted for over two weeks, the cold weather's making me so lazy i can't bare to drag myself away from the roaring fire long enough to write a post. The kids are so excited about the prospect of a white christmas and i've lost count of the amount of snowballs we've made, now that i am safely sat in the comfort of my own home i can enjoy the views of snow capped roof tops and white blankets on the ground.

We've had a busy weekend and the big girls have had non-stop fun, spending every evening since friday having sleepovers at Auntie S's house, Nannys house and we spent saturday and sunday at my bestest friends house in Leeds to celebrate her daughters fourth birthday. We managed to make it home in one piece, after poor Mr Bold braved the trecherous conditions and eventually arrived safely in leeds, What should have been just over an hours car journey had taken him almost four hours!

So now with only three days to go untill christmas we are sat watching the jack in the beanstalk panto i sky+ last night and i'm trying to gear myself up for more froliking in the snow, i've promised the girls we can make snow angels after lunch but it's bloody boltic. Tonight, myself and Mr Bold should have been having a rare evening out for a meal with friends but my babysitter (my mum) has cancelled on us this morning due to the weather, which is just pants because the sexy dress i ordered from Next online yesterday afternoon has just arrived and i was sooo looking forward to actuallly making an effort with my apperance for once and spending some quality time with hubby and other ADULTS!!! Never mind i suppose i can always wear it sat in the house wrapping the last of the christmas presents.

Santa Clause is coming to town......

Guess who we've been to visit today? Yes the main man himself Father Christmas and all the girls got to tell him exactly what they'd like for Christmas and pose for a picture with him. Well all the girls except Belle, she got a little upset and refused to even look at him, yet she still accepted her selection box. I suppose three out of four ain't bad and i was pleasantly surprised at how authentic Santa looked, no whiffs of whisky or pee emitting from his costume and he was exceptionally child friendly which was quite a shocker considering every other Father Christmas I've encountered made it blatantly obvious they couldn't stand little nippers.


Here's my big girl Mia, she asked for a "tea set"




And my ickle Sofia who asked for " a dolls house"



Lastly Eva the Diva who wasn't at all fazed by Santa but she didn't manage to put a request in, maybe next year....

Commenting etiquette???

I 've been flitting in and out of blog land lately, this time of year is so hectic what with Christmas presents to buy, trees to decorate and Christmas aside, i already have my hands completely full with the girls.

A recent post by Linda over at got your hands full called "ten reasons i don't comment on your blog" got me thinking though about my lack of commenting etiquette. I am the most disorganised person you are ever likely to come across and this extends to all aspects of my life from my friendships, children and my home. I am the person who never responds to RSVPS until the day before, posts invites the DAY I'm hosting an event, always sends belated birthday cards or just forgets completely it was your birthday and i have a stock pile of well intended thank you cards that i have never actually gotten around to writing!

Obviously i am most peoples worst nightmare but i like to think my friends find it quite endearing really, either that or they are so used to my lax approach to life that they just roll their eyes at me and accept I'm a complete flake. Blog land i fear is nowhere near as forgiving, but I'm afraid this lady's not for turning, I'm too set in my ways and as much as i have the best of intentions to "change" I'm like a dog destined to never learn new tricks.

I am ashamed to admit that i don't always reply to kind comments left on my blog posts. There I've said it, but this is not because i am not hugely grateful and chuffed to bits that someone has taken the time to acknowledge the dribble I've written (I smile every time i receive a comment, it's the best feeling ever),it's simply a shortage of time on my part. I always eventually return the favour and comment on the other persons blog or i acknowledge their comment, i hardly ever manage both. When i leave a comment on someone Else's blog i don't assume they will acknowledge it unless the post in question is a serious issue causing a debate and the blogger has already responded to every other comment. One of my favourite bloggers Maternal Tales is great at responding to every comment she receives and she always replies to my comments which i admit is lovely and so i find myself going back to check her comments but this is the only blog i return to check. Once I've left a comment that's it, there are not enough hours in the day to keep going back and forth commenting on commenting!


I have four small children which consume all my time, i don't make a living from my blog and i am in the process of starting a new business venture so my blog is purely escapist and a fun outlet for me. Yet lately the fun has been zapped out of this from the huge guilt i feel at my lack of blogging etiquette. I find myself avoiding writing a new post for fear of upsetting those last few lovely commenter's i have yet to respond to and worrying they'll be annoyed at me for ignoring them. Seriously just saying this out loud sounds absurd, so for anyone out there thoughtful enough to read or comment on my blog thank you and sorry for my laziness i assure you I'm very appreciative, It's just I'm useless and have no manners!

What Katie did next...

So the Saga continues and just as Katie Price was winning me around with her "normal" down to earth persona and team player attitude she goes and pulls another publicity stunt and her true colours shine through, and to think i was actually beginning to feel sorry for her!

"The pricey" as she so annoyingly refers to herself ( i mean only idiots refer to themselves in the third person) has gone and dumped another fool live on national TV in Australia, it appears to be a failed attempt at a reconciliation with her ex Husband Peter Andre. I can't say it's a surprise as nothing she does has any shock value anymore, she's over exposed and desperate but why on earth is she putting her kids through this circus?

Peter Andre is no saint, of course it's a two way street and the way she has been vilified and thrown to the lions is absurd, it takes two to tango. Yet her Ex husband is discreet about his love life or lack of (yeah right your fooling no one Pete) and until Jordan, Kate, Katie, the pricey whatever she's calling herself today learns the meaning of the word she's going to continue on this train wreck taking her poor innocent kids along for the ride.

As for Alex i doubt he'll be shedding any tears, he's used her just as much as she used him and I'm sure he'll be making a tidy profit off the back of their liaison for a few years to come, cynical me? Never.

Spreading the love

So I thought I'd do a good dead for the day and spread the word about some great sites out there (this is NOT a sponsored post)purely out of the goodness of my heart, yes I'm just that kind of girl!

If any new parents or parents to be out there are in need of a baby sleeping bag then look no further than The dream bag Company. This is, in my opinion, the best invention EVER and every parent should own a sleeping bag for their babies they offer peace of mind and ensure your little bundles of joy are always nice and toastie. Now i have to admit i may be a little biased as this site is run by a very good friend of mine Maria, it's a family run business and the quality of the bags are fantastic, i used them for all my girls. If you hop on over to the site you'll also see my adorable children modelling the sleeping bags(I did it as a favour in exchange for some gorgeous photos)and if you request a brochure my beautiful little Eva is on the front cover!

Secondly The lovely Emily over at Brits In Bosnia has asked me to mention the release of the X factor single "You are not alone" which is raising funds for Great Ormand Street Hospital. I was happy to oblige as i think it's a fantastic cause and i was in floods of tears on Saturday whilst watching this http://www.gosh.org/x-factor/the-charity-single/the-story-so-far/oscar/ Please everyone go out and buy the single, lets help little Oscar and all those other Children too.

"All 12 of this year’s X Factor finalists have released a fantastic cover of Michael Jackson’s You Are Not Alone in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

If you want to find out why Great Ormond Street Hospital needs your support please see Oscar’s video. http://www.gosh.org/x-factor/the-charity-single/the-story-so-far/oscar/ Anyone who watched X Factor on Sunday night will know that Oscar really was the star of the show!

Thousands of children just like Oscar, who really is an inspiration to us all, need the help of the amazing staff at GOSH and this single will help sick children from across the UK to get better. Some of the patients of Great Ormond Street Hospital appear in the official music video launched with the single on Sunday night http://xfactor.itv.com/2009/videos/player/item_200784.htm and if you watch this then I am sure you won’t fail to want to support them.

We are asking for everyone’s support in helping this single make the number one spot this weekend. Sony are donating all profits from the sale of the single and a number of retailers are also very kindly donating all their profits from the sale of the single (find out which ones by clicking here http://www.gosh.org/x-factor/the-charity-single/buy/ ). Please ask everyone you know to buy/download this single now – it doesn’t cost much but every single bought will make an incredible difference to the sickest children in the UK right now."

Bills, Bills, Bills

I've had one hell of a morning and have spent the best part of three hours in floods of tears over an astronomical electricity bill that floated through my letterbox this morning. Scottish Power have kindly sent a YEARLY estimate to the tune of £1,987.76!!!

Yes that's right in the thousands, are they shitting me? I know i have four kids and a washing machine that's constantly doing a cycle but surely they cannot be serious? Well after several conversations with a clueless and unhelpful customer service representative (oh the irony) and getting nowhere I've left it in the capable hands of Mr Bold.

My stomach's in knots and it's completely ruined my day, I'm now wondering how to reduce the amount of electricity we use (no more tumble dryer sob)as well as all our other outgoings and am putting my frugal hat on trying to come up with ideas how to save some pennies. Whilst googling "how to feed a family for £30 a week"(we average £120 at the moment including nappies etc) i stumbled across this picture



The Ayme family of Tingo Ecuador survive on £31.55 between 9 of them a week. The photograph was taken as part of an article about what the world eats which can be found Here. Look at their lovely faces. I now feel slightly embarrassed and unappreciative, I'm busy worrying about an electric bill when this family doesn't even have an electric supply. It's a very sobering sight and has helped put my troubles in to perspective, i just need to learn how to be content with my lot and not to sweat the small stuff.