Have woken up exhausted and with sore feet.............

Serves me right, I went to London yesterday with heels on!!!!!!!!

Seriously, never walk around London all day with heels on because that burn feeling in the ball of the foot.......................

The boys and I left for London early yesterday morning, as arranged we were going to my friend the fashion designer's church, the Pastor was going to spend time with Daniel and lift his spirit, retraining his thinking into being able to bounce off the bad comments and not let them take root in his head and start believing the negative things being said to him at school.

He gave us instructions knowing that I always park in Hammersmith then tube my way across London, only the church wasn't on a tube route so it meant car-tube-bus, so I checked on the route and decided to drive all the way with my sat nav. It was such fun driving through the centre of London but we drove straight there, of course did do one thing silly..................the sat nav told me I had reached my destination but I couldn't see it??????????? so I rang my friend and said "We're here, I drove all the way, he was amazed and said he wasn't there as he had been waiting for me to call and was going to meet us and travel with us !! He did laugh when I told him I couldn't find the building..........I was literally stood at the door!!!!! Oops

The boys and I decided to go on into the church and wait outside at the back...................That didn't work out either. We walked into the church and everyone met us with big smiles and greetings, it was awesome, we felt like stars!!!!! One of the lady ushers took us straight to the front, I told her we were meeting Adebayo and she told us it was fine she would show him where we were. We took our seats, its an African church so they don't run to time as we would its much more informal and relaxed, the service started and a few minutes later in walks the Pastor, he sat in front of us and then loudly welcomes us, over the volume of those singing..............He was really sweet and kind, a few minutes later Daniel excitedly and "loudly" whispers "He's here!!!" In walks Adebayo, big smile as always across his face rushes right up and gives all three of us hugs, after all the hussle the service started.

At the end of the service, the Pastor asked if anyone was there for the first time................meekly and discreetly I raise my hand, oh my word.........the Pastor immediately, sees, huge big grin on his face and calls us to the front!!!!!!!!!!   Adebayo was laughing and I growled at him "I don't go to the front!!!!!!!!!!!" but he just laughed and stood aside so we could pass him. Traitor!!!! At the front the Pastor gives us an amazing welcome, that we were special guests and he wanted everyone to come and greet us at the end and welcome us fully. Still at the front he asked us questions, asking the boys which football team they support, Daniel said "West Ham" the Pastor laughed and said they needed to pick up their game this season, he asked Thomas who he supported and Thomas also said "West Ham" the Pastor suggested they follow a team that wins sometimes!!!! He then proudly stated he followed Chelsea.....................my normally quiet and shy Thomas just looked and stated "Really? 3-1!!!" referring to the fact that Chelsea had lost Saturday 3-1!!!!!! The Pastor and the rest of the church burst out laughing it was so funny

At the end of the service it was like a wedding line up, everyone came to shake our hand and welcome us, some that I had met on previous visits to Adebayo came and gave me a big hug too which was lovely, I had told Daniel that the Pastor was happy to see Daniel but to remember he was a busy man so it may only be 5 minutes, Daniel was fine, he was just so glad that the Pastor was going to talk and pray with him that he didn't care how short the time was.........................an hour later, the Pastor was still with us!!!!!!!!!!! He was simply amazing!!!!!! Daniel was literally shining with confidence and pleasure.

There was also a lunch at the church, so as we were talking to the Pastor they had servers giving us plates of gorgeous West African food, cans of coke etc, Daniel was a bit fussy and the Pastor noticed Daniel was playing with his food, asking if he didn't like  it? Daniel told him apologetically it was a bit too spicy so the Pastor called someone over and told the guy to go to the shop and buy this special young man a snack from the shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!!!!!

After our long talk, we still stayed chatting, I found myself chatting to a group of African children at the back, everyone was laughing affectionately as they were climbing all over me and saying "Will you come to my house?? I love your hair its so soft, Can I see your hands again??" So funny.

Finally we all left I didnt turn on the Sat Nav as Ade was supposed to be directing me around London..................yea right we were chatting so much he kept saying "Oh sorry we were meant to go down there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"It was just hysterical!!!

All too soon we had to say Goodbye as the boys had school the next day and Daniel still had homework.

Later last night, I rang him to say we were home ok and what a great day we had had, I was laughing with him about the children, he told me that the little girl who was on my lap most of the time, had been born with a defect, needing a heart transplant to save her, for three months her little life hung in the balance, finally a match became available, her parents were told though that this little girl would never live an active life, she would likely be a vegetable..................the church had been praying for months and were adamant that wouldn't happen, That little girl yesterday aged 3 now, looked perfectly normal to me, running, laughing, talking   and very cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is just so busy right now!!!

I am so busy with my campaign to help my friend  win his award nomination for Best Male Designer, I have even had promotional articles written in several African newspapers, its just so fun to wake up to an email saying they have printed what you asked them to. He himself is just simply amazed, he is so lovely, I keep telling him its easy to promote someone who is the real deal, I have had so many people email me and say they google searched him for themselves and its true what I am saying, the media love him, the models love him (which is apparently rare, usually the models have bad things to say about the designers and their attitude but not him,) his peers love him and the world loves his designs, I just know he is destined for even greater things.

If anyone is prepared to add their votes and they haven't voted yet please do.............

www.beffta.com/voting.htm

BEST MALE DESIGNER (20th on the list of categories)

ADEBAYO JONES (2nd on the list of nominees)

Thanks so much, I'm really grateful

xxx

Phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is meant to be easy isn't it....................

Thomas: Well, he is back to school today, he is not allowed to join in with the sports or do anything too strenuous but he is mobile again, no major side effects and although still taking pain killers, it is certainly not as bad as it was................thankfully

Daniel: After sending another email last night to his form tutor as well as a copy to the head teacher of the school, I have had quite a bit of feedback today.

Firstly I had an email early this morning from his form teacher saying she was upset to read my mail ..................... Hmmmmmm she was upset!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Told me she was going to talk to Daniel again today I later had another mail saying she had passed my emails on to the teacher in charge of pastoral care So????????? Not really action is it!!!!!!!!!!!! Then finally she told me she had sat in on two of Daniels lessons today to observe for herself......................and she sees for herself there is a problem I don't mean to be funny.................but I already KNEW that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, it seems that if the school witnesses things for itself, they can step in and be more effective as there is no comeback for Daniel, he won't look like "someone crying home to Mummy......" not that that should make any difference at all but if it means the school are actually going to sort something then I'm happy

This evening I had a phone call from the Head Teacher asking if I was satisfied with the way the school is handling it?????????

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

To be fair, I did say that I was relieved that Daniels teacher had followed up on her promise and had sat in on the lessons and spoken to Daniel. I was glad to report that the pastoral care teacher had already spoken to Daniel briefly today and was following up tomorrow, I was thrilled that Daniel left school with a smile on his face too this afternoon. The Head teacher told me he was going to catch up with Daniel tomorrow at school ask him what the school could do to help him and then the Head is going to keep me updated  via phone/email

I'm happy to take a back seat if the school are sorting things, but if Daniel comes home feeling upset or let down one more time...........I don't care what the teacher says...............I will be talking face to face not phone/computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For tonight it was just thrilling to see Daniel smiling again

The campaign: I am so busy with this campaign to see ADEBAYO JONES win the BEFFTA award as Best Male Designer, I am just loving it, I'm writing to online magazines and online newspapers all over the world, predominantly African and they are writing back and even printing my announcements and pleas for votes

I have been taking a major role in a flyer that is circulating the internet as well as promoting a promotional video which I'll try and paste here. I'm just so happy with this campaign. Ade himself is stunned at the support he is getting, he just can't believe so many people are voting for him

www.youtube.com/watch

And the kind of man I asked you to vote for.......................

He is that upset about Daniel being bullied, because he thinks Daniel is too young and too special to be going through this, he asked my permission to set up an appointment with his Pastor, he thinks it would be great for himself and I to take Daniel to meet this Pastor for prayer and empowering talk on self esteem and confidence issues to rebuild Daniel. He said he can't hear what Daniel is going through and not do something to help. I told Daniel tonight and he was thrilled, he adores Ade anyway because the first time they met, he told Daniel that he saw star potential in him!!!!!!!!

Daniel is having a hard time at school

I wrote to his form teacher last week telling her there was problems, she promised to keep an eye on things, but in the last few days he has come home either tearful or withdrawn

Friday night was pretty grim, but at least I had the weekend to rebuild his spirits. Today I had a text message late morning from him to say it was a bad day, I had a phonecall at the lunch break with him upset, I told him to go to the form teacher and talk with her, then this afternoon I had three chilling text messages

Kill me

Kill me I'm not joking

Kill me

Seems I am putting a lot of time into rebuilding him at home but I'm not sure the school are doing their part, his form teacher called me when I highlighted the problem and told me she had arranged to meet Daniel each lunch time, she has had four opportunities to do this but he has only met her twice briefly. The teachers are having trouble with the whole class messing around so punishing everyone, Daniel is getting stressed so his other symptoms are coming out such as dyslexia, today he had a teacher berate his work for bad spelling???????? Hello, does the teacher not know what dyslexia is?????????

I've written to the form teacher again today, this time sending a copy of all communication with the teacher to the Headmaster who has a zero tolerance on bullying

Daniel has been called names, slapped, punched and kicked in the last few days!!!

I have made it clear that I will be available for a consultaition asap asking What is the school doing for my son?????????

Thomas is doing much better, he is going back to school tomorrow, but for obvious reasons I will be writing to excuse him from Sports

 

As if yesterday wasn't memorable enough for me!!!

With Chris birthday and the quiet hope that maybe this time next year........................

TJ and Daniel were outside playing tennis last night when chaos errupted, TJ came into the house crawling and making quite a strange noise, I actually couldn't work out if he was laughing or crying..............I soon discovered he was crying !!!!!!!!!!!!

He had been running with his tennis racquet, instead of stopping, he stumbled and ran into the wall, head of the tennis racquet hitting the wall, the handle stabbing back into his body in the ....................Hmmmmm private region!!!!!!!!!!! Ouch!!!!!!!

Brought tears to my eyes too!!!!!!!!!!!

Fortunately after talking to him and finding out where exactly he had been hit, I was relieved to discover he had just missed his "treasure" by a tiny distance ...............Phew!!!!!!

The pain he was in must have been pretty horrendous as he lost all colour, got very sweaty and seemed to almost faint, I had to keep asking him to open his eyes so I knew he was conscious, we waited for a little while but eventually made the decision to get it checked out so drove to the hospital.

The A & E unit was heaving!!!!!!!!! Standing room only !!!!!!!!!

We waited for over an hour, then heard the announcement that it was going to be at least another 4 hours before even the triage nurse would see patients!!!! Thomas wasn't going to sit up there that long!!!!!!!!!!!

We decided to come on home, dose him up with Ibuprofen and I am now waiting for the GP to call back with an appointment time for this morning. He is struggling to walk and still in a lot of pain, so I need to get a DR to assess what he has actually done. Hopefully its just bad brusing!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hi Everyone
I need your help!!!!

Someone very important and special to me is up for a prestigious award with the BEFFTA to be announced on October 17th.
He is set to win the award as BEST MALE DESIGNER
He is one of the nominees, his name is ADEBAYO JONES and believe me he certainly deserves to win this award.

I honestly don't know anyone who works harder.
He is an amazing man, completely genuine, trustworthy and honest
He is highly thought of in the fashion industry and his creativity is astounding producing haute couture of the highest standard imaginable.
The attention to detail he puts into his designs are exquisite and everyone seen in one of his creations stand above all other Bridal and Evening wear

I have NEVER seen or heard a single criticism about him either in print or in gossip, he is gentle and considerate, with no ounce of arrogance or diva in him, which is pretty astounding considering his achievements

If Fashion doesn't interest you, please still vote for him simply because it would make me very happy ;-P He has been fantastic support to both the boys and myself and I would love to repay his kindness by helping him win this award

It would really make my day if you could all vote for him by following this link www.beffta.com/voting.htm and registering your vote

The link takes you direct to the page, where you will be asked your name and your email, this is purely to prevent spam/block voters, you will NOT be getting an influx of bogus emails, I have not received anything since placing my vote

The category is
BEST MALE DESIGNER
which is the 20th category on the list

ADEBAYO JONES
2nd designer on the list

THANKYOU SO MUCH


Thanks everyone

 I am so fed up with people sending my invites to write to their private email address because they have seen my profile on Minti and believe we are destined.............

You are all idiots!!!!!!!

Leave the members of this site alone. We are NOT interested in your rubbish!!!!

As soon as you write to one of us, we instantly report you and get you removed from the sight!!!!!

GO AWAY!!!!! We are all sick of you

OK VENT OVER!!!!!!

.............the tough get going la la la

Had that song in my mind a lot this summer, as it seems life has become a bit of a battlefield!!!

Nothing big or major but a series of stupid little things that when all piled together, make you want to stand in a corner and scream, I'm sure you all know the feeling

I'm really struggling with the whole "Chris 25 on Monday" scenario. I will be writing to him, I am able to do that by facebook, not as a friend of his unfortunately as he won't accept me but just by sending a message. Not really sure what to say though, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I don't want to be distant but neither do I want to be in his face. I want to remind him that I have loved him from the second they lay him on my chest after delivery, the first eye contact........who am I kidding I've loved him since the second I "peed on a stick!!!!"

Its hard to know what to say when you love your child so much, yet don't like the man they have grown into. He thinks every word I say is a lie so he probably even sneers at me saying "I Love You"

Then there is Daniel, afer doing so well, he is struggling, we are back to him making silly mistakes or losing his temper into a huge rage, screaming abuse at those around him, then smacking his head and calling himself stupid as he cries with remorse. This week I was called the "Worst Mother in the World" over something stupid, he is so repentent after, we have tears, hugs and promises it wont happen again, as well as the questions "Why do I get like this Mum??" He tells me Chris is confusing him. His big brother is still messing around with the boys, promising trips that don't happen, ignoring Daniel on chat, yet speaking to Thomas a few minutes later..............I know more than anyone that Daniel is sometimes hard work..............but the benefits of connecting with this amazing boy are huge.

Need a big favour from you all tomorrow, my VERY BEST friend, has been nominated for an award, He is a top fashion designer and has asked me to co ordinate his campaign to win votes. I am loving this role. Maybe its a calling for me in my new search for a career Whats great is even Amy and the Boys are involved, inviting all their facebook friends into the support group I am setting up on facebook. I'll put links up on how you can help me by voting tomorrow. I assure you I wouldn't even ask if he wasn't such a lovely guy, really talented and hard working

xxx

I'm so excited !!!!!

You may or may not know that I have simply the best parents on the planet............

Well they have paid in advance, (I will pay them back one day I know I will.........)

So that the boys and I get to spend half term in October with my brother and family in Iceland

The only thinking that has marred the whole holiday planning though, has been that my supervisor at work told me she couldn't let me have the holiday off from work, unless I found someone to cover me!!  I have been majorly stressed about it, to the point that I made up my mind to quit just before the holiday and start a new job. Today we had a business meeting, just a regular quarterly one at the end of the meeting she asked me if I had managed to sort anything regarding cover for said holiday, I informed her that NO I hadn't, it was half term so people I had asked, were going to have their own children off of school themselves so couldn't do it, I did make a stand..................quite brave for me.................letting her know that I was definitely going and if she fired me for it then so be it........

Straight away she told me that wouldn't be necessary, she didn't want to lose me!!!!! I HAVE the holiday YAY!!!!!!!!

So relieved...........

But also so decided, its time to drop the security blanket of this job and find something much more challenging!!!

Bring on October!!!!!!!

Busy morning at the hospital today seeing new Mums

Out of the 9 new mums I saw.....................6 of them had just given birth to their 4th child!!!!!

I was like........."Good for you, I have 4 too!!!"

Its like a private club in the hospital ward today!!!!!!!!!!

But then one Mum beats us all, she just gave birth to her 7th child, yep 7th, even made me gulp too!!!

The midwives were funny today too, one of them was saying she would love a baby, but its the 9 months that puts her off!!!! LOL She said it would be so much easier to buy one at the supermarket, of course, she endured much teasing for that, I just told her to be grateful we weren't like elephants or rhinos!!!!!!!

This afternoon, the boys and I are having a lazy afternoon watching DVD's, amazingly enough its even keeping them quiet.

Friday, one of my "daughters" lol Polly came up, she stayed overnight, bringing with her a bottle of wine and an Indian take out, how lovely to be spoiled!! We had a lovely time, yesterday we went shopping, she left to go back home in the evening,

I have a funny story to make you laugh........
Amy came around and decided to take the boys, herself and I to Pizza Hut for a meal
Amy works there so all the staff were lovely and friendly
So later Daniel and I decided on a lesser dessert than the rich and filling concoction Amy and TJ wanted.............
so we went to the self service ice cream factory!!

The ice cream machine was empty, so the waitress said she would fill it and asked us to return in 5 minutes.............
Couple minutes later Amy told me the ice cream would be ready now as the lights on the front were no longer flashing...............
It was a set up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She knew the ice cream spits if it hasn't had time to harden
So she watched me go to the machine, expecting to see a little ice cream spit and splash onto my bowl..................
But course this is me!!!!!!!!!!!
If its going to go wrong, it goes wrong BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!
The machine spat ice cream completely ALL over me!!!!
It was in my face, in my hair, all down my top, all over my jeans and all over my shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!
I looked like I had been in a severe snow storm!!!!!!!!
Can you imagine the reactions of everyone!!!!!!!
First there was silence................
Then I just burst out laughing, to the point of having to sit down so everyone else was laughing too!!!
I then walked with great dignity to the Ladies for a MASSIVE clean up!!!!!

Ah the boys are back at school.............

That means I can have more regular access to my computer once again

Mind you, I have to say I still prefer them running around and under my feet, I miss them being around already and its only the first day back!!!

Apart from the dismal weather, we actually had a lovely few weeks, lots of fun, lots of adventure and LOTS of walking LOL but good and great fun.............all of it!!Aching muscles and all

Can't believe my "little" boy Thomas, started Year 11 today, very scary!!!

Last Friday, my cousin Julia and I had a "girly" day in London, her children were with their grandparents, my boys were with theirs, we left about 9am parked up and caught the tube to Harrods, Knightsbridge.............fabulous, after tiring outselves in there we went to Selfridges, our challenge was to buy something in both shops just so we could carry the bags around London LOL

In Harrods I bought some Harrods momentoes for the boys and a cute Harrods teddy bear for me In Selfridges we had a little more trouble, but eventually settled on sweets, even though you practically needed to take out a mortgage at the cash till for a simple box of Jelly Bellys...............well worth it though

My cousin and I always have a fun time and this time was no exception, we spent most of the day crying in laughter, one story involved my cousin buying a bag, being stopped by security as she left as the bleeper went off, nothing found so we left, we caught the tube to Oxford Circus for more shopping,  hours later we stopped for coffee, Julia was looking through her bag, found the security tag in a zipped pocket!!!!! so we caught the tube back to Bond Street, got the same Security Guard, who embarrassingly remembered us from earlier he apologised removed offending tag, we caught the tube back to Oxford Street to continue shopping.................... Went to River Island my favourite shop, after looking around we asked the security guard where the nearest Primark was, he pointed up the street and said it was about 20 minute walk that way!!!! Unperturbed we started walking..............15 minutes into the walk, I noticed familiar territory.............we were back at Bond Street, next to the shop where Julia had purchased "that bag!" We simply doubled up it was hysterical as we happily waved to the security guard once again LOL

Later in the evening, I took Julia to meet a dear friend of mine, he is a top fashion designer so we went to his studio, he had just about finished work for the day, so we ordered Pizza hmmmmmmmm yummy and started chatting............and chatting, about half midnight he jumped up asking where my car was, I told him where and he started running around getting his coat and telling us that the tube only ran to about 1 am we had to go now or we would have to bus it around London!!!!!!!!!!

He walked us to the tube station, getting us on the first train out which went about half way to our destination, Julia and I weren't in the least bothered and started walking, I tell you, the streets of London are busier at 1.30am then my town at 6pm!!!!! It wasn't the least worrying, at a bus stop I worked out the bus number we needed but we decided to keep walking, eventually coming to another bus stop as we arrived the bus with our number turned up, we jumped on, got to the car and we were still home by 3.30am!!!! Great adventure though! Loved it!!

We're both already planning our next trip................just don't tell Mum