Big Brother is watching.....

Or rather I'm watching Big Brother. Again. This year.....
But for a change I've decided not to pretend to myself and others that I only watch the highlights and the "good bits" or the after shows. No. This year I am camping out in the sitting room with plenty of fresh water, nibbles and a duvet for when the fire goes out. I am going to throw eviction parties (I have one recruit as of today, will let ye know how the numbers go as we progress) I am not going to deny that I love the freak show that is Big Brother. Phew, I feel kinda liberated!!!!
Well, they are all in and let the bitch fest begin! A house full of women???? The stuff of nightmares. The twins are annoying me already. Also the footballers wife wannabe. By tomorrow I will know all their names, background, medical history etc etc. I have spent the last few evenings watching "Big Brother love Stories" and "What they did next" programmes on E4. I feel kinda nostalgic looking at Kate, Nadia, Michelle, Nikki, Kemal and that Godawful Kitten.....ahhh will these new recruits live up??? Only time will tell. Should be fun when they horse some poor unsuspecting male of the species in there on Friday!

On other matters, I have been playing with my new toy a lot since I got it. Made a few cards and even a huge banner for my neighbours DD's communion. It came out pretty nice although the pics don't do it justice (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) I still don't know how to put the photos into the body of the text so they'll all either be under this line or at the top (in which case you've already seen them!)

Bloody technology...... tried 3 times to upload photos and still no go. How long does it usually take? Am I not supposed to do anything else while they are uploading (although, tried that and it didn't work) Ugggghhhhh.....
I'll try again later or tomorrow.
Slán go foill folks.

My quote of the week!

I'd seen this before, but came across it again tonight while blog surfing (on Petra's blog) and I think it just sums it up for me really!

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming Whoo what a ride".

You can replace the chocolate with a big slab of Port Salut cheese. Yeah, I'm done!
Had a good day today. After a hiccup after picking up Cathal from school (which I handled very calmly) we dropped off "Hurricane Leah" (Cathal's new name for her....) to Mamó's house and off we went to do our grocery shopping. I love spending time with Cathal on his own without Lulu screaming in the back seat (that's all the nicknames she has!!! I promise, although she is sometimes known as The Lulu! (But moreso The Hurricane...))
Whizzed through the shopping, quick stop in World of Wonder next door, Cathal got himself a baseball set (I'm all for sporty things, funny, I didn't have enough for a new ps2 game??....) and Leah got a new book (actually Momma got a new book, cause if I have to read Goldilocks and the 3 bears again in any shape or format I'm going to lose the will to live) Our house is overflowing with books for the kids and she picks the same story out of them all. I am glad that she loves books as much as I do but is 3 yrs too young to explain that she needs to broaden her horizons?? Myself and Cathal are working our way through the long version of Alladin at the mo. I say long version, because we have so many short versions of it in books that I'm assuming this one is the full version (Big book, nothing else but Alladin!)
I'm not sure if I should post this but I did ask and she didn't say not to but...........I have a Cricut on the way!!!!!!! Jean, a lovely woman I met online and then had the pleasure of meeting at Crafteire, had ordered a Cricut from the States. She then saw them in front of her at Crafteire and couldn't wait so she bought one. (Tut Tut, a bit of restraint woman!!!!!) I was lucky enough to meet her seconds after and told her I'd buy her "bargain" from US. She's soooooooo nice she's selling it to me at the price she got it for over there. Jean, you're a sweetheart, I love youuuuuuu!!!! Enjoy your holiers! (I think your the only one who reads my blog anyways!!!!)
Right all said and done, had a good day, off for a shower and into bed if I can fit, just checked on my way back from the bathroom and yes, they're ALL in my bed..... bit of shuffling to be done. Or maybe I'll just leave them there. They're like 3 little birds in a nest....
Oíche mhaith agus coladh sámh.

Oh what a week.....

Not really sure where to start or just post pics of things I made, and of course I forgot to take pics of the nice cards I made before shipping them off......

Saturday-communion party, walking outside to have a puff while talking over my shoulder, walked into their patio door (closed, obvoiusly) much to my disgrace.

Monday-realised I'd been driving around with an expired licence, took myself, €15 and 2 photos down to tax office. CLOSED FOR TODAY.

Tuesday-Jerry gone to town and forgot to change the baby seat over from his car to mine. "Click" from the backseat. I braked to get out and close her seatbelt and she came forward onto the cupholder in the middle of the car (I wasn't going fast and she wasn't in the middle?????) Result-3 yr old daughter with one black eye and marks on her other eye. Bad mother points for that one.

Today-one of those days where nothing goes right. Came home after dropping Cathal off to school. Cat in labour, brought her in, made her comfy. Kitten was stillborn.
Pissed rain all day, Leah like a bag of cats all day. Due at a meeting at 7.30, Jerry arrives home at 7.40. Leah wouldn't sleep tonight, then the icing on the cake, left alone in the bedroom for a few minutes she dumped her beaker of milk on top of my photo printer. "Sorry Momma"....

Waiting for my glass of wine to spontaniously combust........

Please bring Madeline home

I haven't posted in a few days as I couldn't really bring myself to do something so trivial when there is a little baby girl missing out there. It is really really affecting me. I have a baby girl the same age as Madeline and every time I look at her I pick her up and hug her and am so thankful it wasn't me. That little girl has not been out of my mind since this happened. I feel physically (spl??) sick every time I think of what could have and be happening to that poor doteín.
I'm not going to get into playing the blame game, but I cannot believe that 2 parents with I would assume reasonable intelliegence since they both went through med. school would leave 3 small children alone in an apartment in a foreign country. (And for the record, I don't care if they were 50 yards away, those kids were alone in an apartment) I have been on holiday with my children. They NEVER left my sight. If they were too tired and cranky to bring to a restaraunt we ate in. But to us, there was no other option. It didn't even cross our minds to get a resort babysitter, never mind leave them alone.
I'm not banging the parents, I'm sure they are doing that enough themselves, but I just can't believe they left them alone.
Maddy is in my thoughts and prayers tonight as I'm sure she is in yours. Please God, bring her home safe.
Sorry about that rant, it's been building up all weekend (I'm sure you all understand)
Well Jerry came home Saturday after working all week in Athlone so I didn't get a look in with Leah 'till I tried to leave the house! We went for dinner in Barna in the new hotel called "Twelve" (the old Twelve Pins) on Sunday and to be honest we won't be going back there. The service was great (parking is sh*te) the restaurant is fantastic (the food is la-de-da) Put it this way, I wouldn't bring my Dad for a slap up meal there (By that I mean he's a big man who likes his food........we nearly stopped at a chipper on the way home but it was closed.....)
To make up for it we went to Spiddal with the kids on Bank holiday Monday for dinner. Leah wouldn't sit still for a second, wouldn't eat her dinner and kept climbing over the table to get to Daddy. We didn't have dessert.
I have spent all weekend playing with Leah and Cathal even when I should be putting them to sleep. I spent hours colouring in pictures WITH Leah tonight instead of letting her get on with it while I'd try to tackle the housework. I spent time with Cathal asking about his day and what he'd like to do in the Summer holidays. I found myself looking at them in a whole new light. "You're not just mine, but anyone who takes a fancy to you"
Mothers, hold your children tight, smell them, touch them, cuddle them, whisper to them when they are asleep, take every opportunity you have to tell them you love them. Love them and never forget how lucky YOU are to have THEM in your life.
My prayers tonight are with Darragh (my friend) and with Madeline, and Madelines family, with the Portoguese Police. PLEASE BRING HER HOME.

It could only happen to me.....

Today I found out from the postman where the stray pup had come from so up we walked but no one was home. Later on I piled pup and kids into the car to complete my Good Samaritan Deed for the day and what do I do?????? I hit their other dog...... You couldn't make it up. The dog is fine, I think I just got his paw but he'll never chase my car again, thats for sure!!!! I still feel a bit sick.

Anyways, before my journey of doom I finished a l.o. I started last night with photos I took at the beach yesterday. Only one disaster later and I finished it this morning. It is loosely based on a sketch from Pencil Lines which I found on Kates blog. The fibres feel exactly like the mossy stuff that grows on the rocks in the 2nd pic. When I was glueing the paper strip with the fibres to the l.o. didn't the top come off the bottle and poured all over it. I don't know how it didn't ruin the whole thing (as I was working on top of the l.o. as usual....) but I managed to salvage it.

Here are some pics hopefully of the finished l.o. and pup in very good hands!!! Off to get a chinese now as I'm still too traumatised to cook!!!!!

Please upload!!!!!

Finally we seem to be getting somewhere. Blog is not playing nicely today.....

Advice taken!!!!

After everyone telling me to sod the housework, today I did just that!!! Packed up the car with towels, buckets, a few kids thrown in, some sandwiches and drinks and off we went to the beach. I'm soooo glad we did and I hardly thought about my dirty house at all! I even roped in a partner in crime (who maintained there was still egg on her walls when she heard the war cry and came running, hmmmmm??) so all the kids were happy killing each other, throwing sand, you know, kids stuff!!! Leah proclaimed not to like sand the minute we hit the beach but she soon got over that. The boys had a ball looking for mackeral and shrimp, and the little one even caught a shark in his bucket!
Leah stripped off completely after a while (very quiet beach so I let her off) and she was strutting around like she owned the place, hands on hips and shaking her finger when the boys peed up against the wall! Me and my friend were saying how wonderful it was that they are still too young to be conscious of their bodies. IYKWIM. Mind you Cathal kept shouting at her to "Put some knickers on"!!!!!
After we arrived home, showered and dressed again for more play, what do we find but the cutest little puppy wandering about on the road. I have been drafted in to make posters as we have a puter and they caught me taking photos of him....No owner found as of yet but he is definately a pet. He's tame and friendly, clean and well fed. No collar though (not that that means much round here!!)
On the crafting front I have an order for 5 personalised Communion cards, which is great. I don't really Take orders per se but friends know I make cards and sometimes they ask for something special which I'm delighted to do. I'm just so thrilled that someone would want them!! My partner in crime today is just back from the states and apart from the stuff I'd ordered she got me a pressie from herself. A lovely embellishment pack from Colorbok. It's so funny getting crafty presents from non-crafty friends. "Uhhhh, I'm not really sure what it is but it had ribbons/buttons/shiny bits, so I figured you'd like it"!!!!! I love it, thanks Eileen. It has 40 sheets of papers, 940 punch-outs, 3 3-D embellies, 6 buttons, 20 brads and 2 13"lenghts of ribbon. She got it in WalMart????? Said there was a full aisle of the stuff and that I would most likely die of hyperventilation.
Thats it from here. A few photies of our day and I'm off to play with my new bits!!!!
Hmmm, photos don't seem to be up loading.....I'll sign off and try again later.
Slán go foill folks!

One of those days!

I have been chasing my own ass all day trying to clean/tidy this house and it looks now exactly the same if not worse than this morning......so much for getting out and taking photos.

I'm not anal about the housework but when you've hoovered and mopped and then 6 kids come traipsing in with cut grass and mud on their shoes (does nobody wipe their feet anymore?) I get the clenched jaw feeling but I don't say anything. I love having kids in the house (I just silently wish they'd all leave their shoes outside!!!) My hoover blew up a few days ago, it didn't ACTUALLY blow up, but it was making a funny noise and I thought the filter had come loose so I opened it, pushed the filter down, and turned it on again. Funny noise and now a strange smell.....So I turned it off, opened it, turned it on. Filter wasn't moving. Turned it off, removed the filter and turned it on again............SPARKS coming from the side!!!!! I think I may have an unusual amount of static electricity in me as this is not the first appliance to do this to me....Hence my reluctance to let grass covered kids into my house today.

On the crafting front I have FINALLY finished my L.O. for a c.j. I'm doing (only 2 more sitting on the table) I get so overwhealmed by the talent in them I freeze when I go to touch them. I finished 2 b.day cards for people on cs forum (actually one has been sitting on the table for a week, just kept forgetting to bring it to the p.o) and finished a l.o. of Leah and her brand spanking new friend who's moved in beside us! I have only one more l.o. to do and I will have finished my first album!!!!

Still not sure how to post pics so hopefully below this will be Leah eating dinner "al fresco" ??? with me yesterday afternoon (except I took the pic so it's just her!!) and the boy's thinking they are in Brazil.

I am sooooooo loving this weather. I really believe I would be much better suited to a warmer climate. Sssshhhh, don't let Jerry hear me say that, he'd love to move to Spain but in all honesty I couldn't leave here yet. Not while the kids are in an Irish speaking national school. I know although being "fluent" (I use the term loosely!!!) I don't use it enough at home for them to fully learn it. Speaking of which, Noelle has launched her blog which I will list in my" blogs I like", check it out. She uses both English and Irish and I think it's fantastic. It's great to see the Irish being kept alive. Maith thú Noelle!!!!

Here's hoping the laundry, cleaning, cooking fairy, that everybody else in my house believes in, visit's tonight.

Ok, photos have up loaded but they are on top of the message. I will figure this out eventually. Tomorrow I am asking everyone I know who blogs how to do this.

Slán go foill a chairde, agus go raibh maith agat as buaileamh isteach!

Bye for now friends, and thanks for dropping in!

Have I a life????

Saw this over on Kates blog. Although I can't remember half the titles of the movies I've seen I'll give it a go!

It’s been said that allegedly if you’ve seen over 85 movies you have no life.Mark the ones you’ve seen.There are 239 films on this list.Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste it in and put x’s by the ones that you have seen.Add them up........
(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
( ) The Princess Bride
(x) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
(x ) Saw
(x) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
( ) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Total so far: 11

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
( ) Harry Potter 1
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch

Total so far: 16

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(x) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
(x ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
(x) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
(x) King Kong

Total so far: 29

( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
(x) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
(x) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving Christmas
( ) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards

Total so far: 38

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
( ) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
(x) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George

Total so far: 48

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) E.T.
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She’s All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3

Total so far: 60

(x) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X3
(x) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
(x) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
( ) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2

Total so far: 66

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street*
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
(x) Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
( ) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
( ) Lord of the Rings: Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Total so far: 71

( ) Base-ketball
(x) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard

Total so far: 76

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
( ) Hook
(x) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
(x) Kill Bill Vol. 1
(x) Kill Bill Vol. 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness

Total so far: 81

( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
( ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
( ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
( ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks: The Battle For Endor
(x) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix: Reloaded
( ) The Matrix: Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal

Total: 84 out of 239

Ha ha, I scraped by, by the skin of my teeth!! And Hostel, Saw and Saw 2 I could only watch a bit as they are sooooooo gory so they don't really count, do they!!!!
Another glorious day here in Galway. Should get some nice pictures today.