What a wonderful video

http://my.bhgscrapbooksetc.com/bettertv/?cid=824514741&lid=1078683787&tid=1258439047/?sssdmh=dm17.280053&esrc=sblsdr

I have just watched this video from scrapbook lifestyle by Pattie duffner called 'love notes to your kids' talking about how important it is to put journalling on every page. it nearly bought tears to my eyes - I was so moved by it and I totally agree with what she says - this is what scrap booking is all about.

I must say I find it easier to do this with recent photos and recent memories as they are still fresh, but it has been hard doing Jessica's album as I cannot remember everything that happened up to 18 years ago or what the children thought or what i thought. I wish I had known about scrapbooking then- my pages would be so much more memorable and thank goodness I have discovered it now so that I can record all these special times..

I had been waiting until the end of the year to do Liam's 'a year in the life of album' - but really I should start now because I really can't remember how we felt then. I have the things he did in the diary I kept for the album, but that does not tell me what he ate or wore or said. I need to make a start on this album ASAP.

Here is a quote by Anna Quindlen in Ali Edwards new book which really sums up how I feel:-

"...but the biggest mistake I made is the one most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is perfectly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only by photographs. There is one picture of the 3 of them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate and what we talked about and how they sounded and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the little things a little more and getting it done a little less."

lets compare some photos

thought I would post these few photos just to compare the difference in me - I can see it in these photos- however I think need some new clothes to really show the difference

This one was taken in Norwich in June this year - the week I started my diet - I was shocked & horrified by these pictures. My piggy face - what an incentive to stick to it.


This photo was taken the week before my diet when I nearly died trying to climb up the Longmynd - I think it was this experience that made me realise I had better do something about my weight - though I had been mulling it over in my head for a while before this. The walk just confirmed it.

this photo was taken last week - 5 months after starting my diet and 3 stone 10lbs lighter. I can see me looking a lot better - just need some new clothes. Janet bought me 2 tops from M& S for my birthday which do look nice even though they are fitted. I tried on the size 16 trousers today - could do them up but they were a bit too tight so perhaps in a few more weeks I can try again.

This photo does show it is worth keeping going and as I am only half way there - another 3 stone 4lb to go - I should look and feel a whole lot better by next March.

Slimmimg World Scan bran cake

I have made some Scan Bran cake and in fact it is quite tasty.

Here is the recipe

5 scan bran
2 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon syrup
2 level tablespoon mincemeat
5 level tablespoon sweetener
1 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
grated zest of a lemon

Soak the scan bran in boiling water for 1 minute. Then drain water away and mash up.
Mix ingredients thoroughly
Pour mixture into Pyrex bowl and microwave for 8 minutes.
When cooked the cake will be springy to touch and have pulled away from the sides.

Whilst this is very nice to eat I wonder if it will get me back into bad habits of snacking in between meals. I have been very good since I have started at SW and only eat at meal times except for some fruit for elevenses. But now I have this will I think 'oh its healthy its OK to eat it' and end up slowing down my weight loss. Perhaps I could take some to the gym as I felt quite exhausted after water areobics on Friday and had to have a rest and a banana before I could go into the gym

Ali Edwards new book - Life Artist

This book finally arrived on Friday - I had ordered it direct from CK in the USA on 3rd October - so over 3 weeks ago and was beginning to give up hope. I started to read it Friday evening and finished it Saturday morning.

It is a very good book though I think I would give it 8 out of 10 as I was expecting a lot more from it. Ali is renowned for her beautiful writing but the book is just full of basic ideas and 'don't worry if you are scared to write - just give it a go' - well I am not scared to write -just want to improve it so felt that this book was aimed too broadly - trying to please everyone thereby not really fulfilling any ones needs.

Saying that I was so inspired by it that I did another layout yesterday afternoon - using her ideas. She said see the smaller things in a photograph and let them tell the story - so I did. Using a photograph from our trip to Oxford on Thursday I told the story of Liam spending the day on his mobile phone, rather than interacting with us. I think it is a fab layout but Steven says I must not let Liam see it as it is not very complementary to him - so it his hidden in his album where he will never look!

I used Basic Grey - Stella Rigby Papers and alphas plus a family clear sticker from DCWV. Not really sure about the 'time?' word - so think I willl change that.

A really lovely layout

I really love this layout, which I finished last night. It is so simple but has taken me all week as we have been so busy and I have had to use the dinning room table.

It is the gorgeous photo that I like so much which is why I enlarged it and made it the focal point. It did not need much adding to it after that. I found a lovely 'happiness' definition which I love as the girls all look so happy.

I struggled with the journalling - not what to say - that bit was easy, but how to put it on the layout . I toyed with printing the photo again using PSE to add text to the photo, but as I still have not got my laptop can't do that (it is not on the big computer as adding anymore powerful software will just bring it to a complete halt as it is so slow already). Then I thought about handwriting on the cardstock with white pen - but not sure. I printed the journalling out onto white printer paper but that looked rubbish so used this vellum - which is ok but I could not find the transparency button on the printer options so the words have not printed out well on it.

I used sprinkles glitter glue round the edge as the photo was so sparkly and the journalling mentioned it - but I have mucked it up as the table was such a mess that I kept smudging the dots and having to do more - then bigger blobs came out - so even though it was a good idea has not worked well in practice.

still no laptop

Well it is now a week since my laptop went to be repaired and it has not come back yet and as it has been half term it has been impossible to get on the big computer as Liam has hogged it all week - hence no blog entries.

I have had a very busy week

Monday - mum moved house - she moved in with us temporarily. After a very busy morning of packing and cleaning we went to view an apartment in the afternoon which she liked - put an offer in and by tea time her offer had been accepted.

Tuesday - went to gym - starting to get good now as I have started to increase my resistance on the cycle & cross trainer and increase the weights on the muscle machines! My legs are quite strong and am increasing those quite easily , but one of the arms machines I am still under what he suggested and can only do about 10 instead of 15 - so useless weak arms.


Wednesday - All the Downes came up to Shrewsbury to celebrate Sain's 21st Birthday. She caught the train from Aberystwyth and went back on the 21.30 train back. We had a lovely day and went back to look at the flat so that Janet & Steven could see it. They all thought it was very nice as well. Then in the evening we went out for a meal to the Shalimar Indian restaurant. This always used to be our favourite place to eat but Steven & I were both actually rather disappointed with the food - we had a usual the Shlaimar special Biryani but something was missing from it - so I don't think we will rush there again - it was lovely to be out with everyone and we had lots of laughs.












Thursday - Steven , me & Liam went to visit Eleanor in Oxford. We had a nice day and it was lovely to see Eleanor but we had no money so just walked around all day doing nothing. I had a £2.99 meal deal for lunch from Boots and a n apple & Banana for my tea from Sainsburys. As this was our last visit to Oxford I would have loved to have visited a college that we had not been to before but as that would have cost a few ponds - Steven said No - it was a day trip on a budget!



Whilst this photo is not very clear I think it does show that I have lost some weight as my clothes do look rather baggy and I did have a big cardi on underneath my fleecy coat. Must see if I can fit into the size 16 trousers I bought a while back.

Friday - big gym session today - 20 laps in the pool, then water aerobics, 10 minutes in the steam room (getting to like this) then 1 1/2 hours in the gym! I managed 30 mins on the bike, 30 mins on the Cross trainer and weight work - I am still increasing the weights so feeling quite chuffed with myself. Then had a haircut in the afternoon. I decided to have a change and as I had so much Grey now asked Sonia to cut out all of the colored bits. Its just short with a bit of a nothing style and nobody really likes it - so I will grow back the old style - don't really want to start colouring it again though . My hair is not a glamorous grey yet just a sludge - so perhaps I had better!

I've lost again!

Yes - 1 1/2 lb tonight - I was so relieved as I really thought I was going to have gained! A group of us who all sit together all lost 1 1/2 lb - so we were the 1 1/2 lb gang tonight! I have now lost 3 stone 10 1/1 lb - not bad. Only another 4lb to get to my 4 stone award.

Here is the back of my book - just to prove it!

Michelle - our star as she has lost 4 stone 11lb!! - was leaving tonight as she is moving to Cornwall so we had a bit of a party night with lots of food tasting - I made 20 sugar free jelly and cut up kiwi fruits to top them. other folks bought lots of food like - savoury rice and cous cous cake and scan bran cake.

This scan bran cake was actually rather nice so I bought some scan-bran to make some cake to eat in Oxford as it is going to be difficult to stick to the plan being away for 3 days. I have never used the scan bran before - some of the others buy it by the ton!

I also bought the new slimming world magazine and today I had to buy Scrapbook Inspirations magazine. I subscribe to this but because of the postal strike it has not arrived and I could not wait any longer, as it has been in the shops for days, so I have got lots of bedtime reading.