The times they are a-changing....

So much has changed lately. As always, life is never dull, and I find myself entering yet another new phase in life. I feel optimistic and excited.

In March I completed training as a birth and post natal doula and have been part of a doula charity since then. I'm also a quarter of the way through my training as a birth preparation (ante-natal) teacher. I've lots more work to do on that yet and it'll be a good few months before I finish the course, but I am learning so much and enjoying the process. But what I am most excited about at the moment is that I recently trained and qualified as Northern Ireland's very first Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. Yep, I'm gonna be turning placentas into tablets. Yay! It's not every ones cup of tea, I grant you that, but I am excited to be able to offer this service to women in NI. If you want to read more about it you can visit my new website.

So, I've been down to citizens advice and found out what I have to do to get working. I need to write to the benefits office and write to the Inland Revenue and then I will be ready to go. Part time at first, as my life doesn't have many free hours as it is!

In other news.... I joined slimming world, and in 5 weeks I've lost 18lbs and gone down two jean sizes. So that is good and I have legs to die for now (although I still have a wobbly tummy, but after 4 kids I don't think thats gonna change too quickly!)

Now that I'm single again I've gotta make sure I look a million dollars at all times, so I'm losing weight and I dyed my hair red. Not so that I can get a man (I'm sick of men!) but so that I can feel good about myself and build my confidence up. I have been on a few dates but nothings really caught my fancy. I don't think theres many decent fish left in the sea. Plenty of perverts and lunatics from what I can tell.

I took a weekend trip to Derry recently with a very good friend. We stayed in a travel lodge hotel for two nights and spent literally the entire weekend talking. We didn't see very much of Derry, apart from a brief walk across the Peace Bridge, but we talked non stop. It was so nice to spend time with her and catch up and I can't wait to do it again.  Although next time we might venture a little further and drink a little less gin.

The kids are all growing up way too fast.  No blog post would be complete without some photos of them, of course.

Here we have young Barney dressed up as a King for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations at school, with his little sister who is his best friend at the moment, and simply adores him.  She can't wait until 3pm each day when he finishes school.  He's a good big brother.

Rosie will be starting nursery school in September and has suddenly grown up so fast. She is very like Barney in her personality and behaviour.  She's a hilarious little madam and great company.  Her vocabulary is brilliant, just like Barneys was at that age. She sounds like a little professor at times.

Badger will be turning 17 next week. I know! Seventeen! As you can see Rosie loves him to bits too. She is so lucky to have so many people around that adore her.  I am sure to write a blog post about his birthday. He wants a laptop but he's saved up a lot of money towards it as there's no way I could afford to buy him one.

And here are the girls with a cake they made their Daddy for Fathers Day.  Aren't they both so beautiful?  Tarja is like a second Mummy to little Rosie.

So, just to finish this is a family photo we took a few days ago on Fathers Day.  The girls made Daddy the cake and the boys helped me cook Daddy a roast.  He was spoiled with presents and drawings and the usual stuff.   The kids had a great day spoiling their Daddy and he didn't seem to mind either.