Our First Tomato Harvest this Season
***Hooray! The long wait is over. This is the only time that I wish the green turns red because that means our tomatoes are ready.***
It's not long ago when I shared with you about the greenhouse that we've got for Mum so she doesn't have to go to the bottom garden. I'm scared that she will fall. And yearly as you know by now, we always grow our own tomatoes.
A greenhouse just for Mum. She has her own comfortable chair so she can relax here and have a snooze.
It didn't take long for the tomatoes to grow and look how it's high up now.
And started flowering and there you can see the green unripe tomatoes.
And now to this.
Some are ready so I'm excited to pick them up.
The first taste test of our first harvest of course goes to Mum. She had her tomatoes with salad cream.
And as for us? Oh it has to go with the rice! And perfect with fried fish. And garlic chilli soy sauce. I'm having cauliflower rice this time.
Oh the tomatoes are very nice same as last year. It's so juicy inside. I went back to the greenhouse and pick more after that because it was not enough.
Even Jigz said it's really good! That's the joy of growing your own tomatoes. Just watering and feeding it right and it will be fruitful in months.
*Di gaya ng iba na ibinigay mo na ang lahat lahat, sa huli wala kang napala kundi sakit sa puso at luha. Kaya magtanim ka na lang! 🤣*
**Thank you for reading.**
Ice Cream and Haircut
***She loves to go to work with me. Or maybe it's the ice cream shop in front that inspired her the most.***
What a lovely Wednesday we had! Tia went to work with me today while Jigz was at his friend's. They had a sleepover. And lol I thought he never goes back as he says he going to stay 1 more night. They must have great boys' time.
So it was just Tia and me at work and she did a good job. When the customer comes in, she will run to them straight on and ask,
***"What carpet are you looking for?"***
Hahaha. And the customers can't help but smile and she made quite good sales and goodness I don't know how can she get a tip and a free ice cream?
And the way she looks at the Ice cream, it's full of love!
She chooses the flavour and the cone- Bubble gum and cookies and cream. And what a price! Cost £3.50 for ice cream!!!
She says the biggest thank you and her eyes lits up when someone praises her for being helpful.
The main reason why I bring Tia is that they have an appointment with the hairdresser. Mum and Tia need a proper haircut now and lol I got the sack. Mum wasn't able to go to the hairdresser for years now.
So after work, we went straight to pick up Lola and went to the hairdresser. It's always Samantha who cuts her hair for a very long time. And now, all three of us get a haircut from her.
She was so worried that she won't be able to walk or if the steps is too high for her. But not to worry. Tia is always there to give a hand.
And the two are enjoying the walk. Tia telling her Lola,
***"We just walk slowly so you do not fall"*** is the sweetest.
And if this picture doesn't make you smile, I don't know what else will. Because Mum is always ready, when I say, **"Smile!"**
Hahaha. That's a very good one! It's just so nice to see Mum smiling that big. And as you can see she recovered and looks much better now. Thank you, Lord! Tia got her ice cream and Mum and her got their haircut. Happy days!
Thank you for reading.
It's the 1st Again
*Happy 1st of August everyone! And next month it's already the start of Ber months. Hello, Christmas is waving again. Haha isn't it just too fast?*
I am very thankful that I made .5 BCH from read.cash and noise.cash last month of July. Yey! Thank you, everyone! Thank you read and noise!
Rusty seems not happy with my articles now. Which I'm reflecting, on what's going on. We've been here a long time. We are all here because we want to earn and get a tip from TheRandomRewarder and the tip we get from others as a bonus. The tipping drops but we are still here because we are enjoying the platform. But I know we all want to get rewarded for doing so. Not to worry.
And Hooray the market is down but it had a good pump this week! I am so happy as my hodlings are rejoicing that finally, we are moving. Though far from the recovery of my account, still, I'm happy.
And look who else is happy tonight!
Mum is playing with the kids with the balloons. Her sister, Auntie Rona who we visit in Leeds is coming this week and staying with us for a fortnight.
Mum is delighted as they haven't seen each other for 3 years. And maybe she will be able to go with her as well. Why not? Mum is back on track without walking about. She looks better and healthier again.
And it is my husband's birthday soon. I save my salary to buy him a present. Got him a phone, and I bought him an Android phone coz I got tired and frustrated when he asked me about his iPhone which I don't know how to use. Now, I will be able to help him. Well, I think so.
And today the 1st of August I started sorting all their uniforms, bags, school supplies etc getting ready for September. Aside from that, I started cleaning/decluttering. And I don't know how but my cleaning ended up in mess. Big mess. Worse than when I started. Haha. I'll do the rest tomorrow. Or next week. Or maybe never. 🤣
Thank you for reading and have a lovely August!
Family Fun at the Crazy Golf
***Everyone loves to play with the ball and the holes. You might get lucky with just one shot!***
Oh, I don't know how to play Crazy Golf and this is my first time playing this and the kids. But before we start there's an ice cream van on the way so you know the drill. We have to stop and let them get ice cream first.
Tia says so.
There you go, all cool down and happy after they had their ice cream and off to the Crazy Golf to play.
**£4 per person to play.**
Jigz is too excited. Hold your fire.
How to play Crazy Golf?
*Place your ball in blue (whatever colour) at the start of the hole. We have 1-9 to play on. Then we take turns putting the ball using the golf club towards the hole. We count how many times it takes until we sink the ball in the hole. Whoever has the lowest score wins!*
I can tell you Crazy Golf is so much fun and recommended to family. They will surely enjoy it. It's the joy of the ball going to the hole that will make you feel like in a tournament.
Go Jigz!
Oh no, the face of the ball missed the hole!
Go, Tia!
Oh, she needs a wee bit of help! There's daddy to the rescue.
Look at that smile she's enjoying every bit of it. She laughs hard when her ball goes even further.
And oh common Daddy, hit it! You're very good at that.
And how about Momma? Let me tell you, I'm lucky with my ball. It always goes to the hole. Hahaha. But I didn't win.
That day Jigz won! Tia last but all go home with a smile. The next day we do it again. It's really fun.
**Had a great time at Haven playing this. Have you tried Crazy Golf before?**
Thank you for reading.
She Just Pulled Her Tooth Out
*I don't like going to the dentist. I don't like the injection and how they examine my mouth. I ran away from the dentist's chair once, as soon as I saw the needle in his hand. No matter how painful I am feeling, I avoided the dentist when I was young.*
That's me but not my Tia.
She likes going to the dentist and lol and I think she is one, herself.
The other day she said her tooth is moving. And we told her not to touch it. But that night while I and Mum are reading the paper on the table she just sits and grabs a kitchen roll. And right in front of us without any warning whatsoever, she pulled her tooth out and say,
"Yey, it's out!"
She had a big smile on her face while it was bleeding (not too much). She just wipe it out and lol face us and ask,
"Am I beautiful?"
Take a picture of me and my teeth!
Who amongst you can smile after your tooth gets pulled out?
She's the only one I know. And quite proud that she did it herself. No trace of pain. Just pure happiness.
**After that, she lost her tooth. And I found it first so the tooth fairy can do her job.**
There's nothing wrong with her tooth it's just a milk tooth and maybe the permanent one is already ready to come out just like the last one recently.
**You see this one she just pulled out herself as well.**
But I was at work and she tried to wash it in the sink according to her but the water wash it away. So she lost her tooth. The tooth fairy took a day or two to find the tooth and gave her something in return under the pillow.
And I was emptying the hoover when I saw a blue stone Well, I thought it was a stone lol. Then found out that's her missing tooth!
She lied that she lost the tooth and she painted the tooth at night when I'm in bed. And nobody can see what her doing and she forgot about it and lost it. Luckily I lost my earring and check the hoover but instead of an earring, I found her missing tooth.
*You see that's the 17th of April when her tooth come off and it started to grow by the 11th of May.*
And as you can see in her first photo it's already up and that's her first permanent teeth. The first 4 that the dentist pulled haven't grown yet so I suggest just leaving their teeth alone. That's milk teeth/baby teeth, it will loosen and fall out in their time to make room for the permanent teeth. Normally at the age of 6.
Story Time
When Tia was **3 years old** we were told that they have to take 6 of her teeth out. And I was shocked to hear such. I didn't even know you can pull 6 at a time. There's one that turns bad but it wasn't that bad when I first take it to the dentist, they didn't do anything about it till later on and all of a sudden they want to pull 6 at the same time. The thing is they want to pull the two front teeth at the top. And I didn't let them because there's nothing wrong with it except for the hole in the middle.
They sedate her by **placing a mask over her nose and mouth and she would then breathe in the nitrous oxide until she fell to sleep** and then extract her tooth.
But if I can only go back to that time I will only let them pull that one bad one, and leave the rest and just let it fall on its time.
The upper front teeth she just lost last year. It just loose and she pulled it out herself again. And the other tooth is still there and they want to pull it 3 years ago.
Lol yes, that's 3 teeth she pulled herself. She is a dentist herself.
7 teeth out so far!
Do you keep your kid's baby teeth?
I have this Tia's teeth box.
*The dentist told me to keep it as we never know if we need it. Baby teeth are a rich source of stem cells that can be grown into multiple kinds of cells if needed. It means storing it can save lives and treat diseases if in later life your child needs replacement tissue for whatever reason. Imagine, that the stem cells from their baby teeth can be used to grow the needed tissue! Amazing, isn't it?*
***Did you know that?***
***Are you brave enough like Tia?***
Thank you for reading.
Butlin's Minehead Resort
From Devon Cliffs Haven we travelled for a couple of hours to Somerset and headed to Butlin's Minehead. That's our second destination from our last week's holiday.
*There are three Butlins Resorts: Minehead, Skegness and Bognor Regis. Minehead is the biggest and oldest and is closer to Haven. That's why we choose to go in here.*
My mother-in-law always takes my husband here when he was young. And my husband remembers this place as being great to be at.
That day was the hottest so far in England and was 34°. We are all sweating. After checking in we have to wait till 4 pm for our accommodation. So we have time to check out the place. And grab food.
We park near our accommodation we are in the West part. In front of where we park is the West Lakes Village
The accommodation here in this area is really good as this is a new one and I can tell you it cost a fortune to stay in one of these.
There's only standard and silver room available on the dates of our booking. And we booked the silver room. Butlin's is dearer than Haven.
My first impression, it's smaller than I expected. Or maybe because we went first to Haven that it raised the standard. It's like you can see everything that's in it in one go.
They have this Skyline Pavilion with all the arcades and games. Different restaurants and shops. They also have puppet shows and all the entertainments are here.
One of the good things is that most of the rides are free as long as you have the wristbands that we have. Others you have to pay for.
Here are some of the rides:
Lol, we enjoyed that!
The oldest ride here maybe is this one.
There's this mirror illusion that we had good fun. with
You can also hire these quads and family bikes.
They have an indoor and outdoor pool.
Here's the outdoor pool. And I think it should be bigger than this or should add more for there are too many accommodations they keep building which means too many guests and we all want to use the pool.
They only have this one outdoor pool and one indoor pool that I can't take pictures of.
And lol look at the queue in the morning!
And you are only allowed in the indoor pool for an hour. It was fun though. I enjoyed it. But the long queue in the morning ended up going to the beach instead. The beach is just in front of the road from Butlin's.
We left here a day before our check out because my husband can't stick our room. We are on one of the oldest accommodations I guess but still decent. It's too hot and the room has no aircon, no kitchen and sink. It's a basic room. We went to buy a fan on our first day ever extension cable coz there's only one socket.
Just to show you the room. I took the pictures before we left so I didn't make up the bed and make sure we don't leave anything behind.
The kids running and shouting early in the morning. Well, that's what we paid for. Can't complain because if you want better accommodation you have to book it early and pay a good amount of money.
And the thing is a meal for a family of 4 cost us at least £35 so it's an easy £100 a day just for food. Their shops are very dear. If there's a kitchen I can cook to make it cheaper but there's none. This is the reason why you should have good extra money if you're going on holiday. At least next time we know what to do.
*So we packed our things after booking a place to stay in Blackpool. Though our accommodation let us down we still enjoy Butlin's. We will still be back in Butlin's but maybe not in Minehead. We will try the Skegness next time.*
Thank you for reading.
**I hope you enjoy a wee tour.**
Devon Cliffs South Beach Cafe: Food and View
**Hello lovely people! Our holiday is over and just back home safe and sound tonight. I have loads to share that's why even in the middle of the night I push myself to write.**
Let me share this wonderful restaurant that we've been to while at *Devon Cliffs Haven*. It's called **South Beach Cafe**. And is located just down our accommodation so it's not a long walk. And it's absolutely perfect for a family!
I have to prebook a table online, a week ahead because I know it will be a busy place. This is not our first choice but I love to read reviews and I appreciate others' honest criticism. I consider that when booking. And when I read South Beach Cafe's plausible recommendation from customers who experienced it first-hand then I book for it right away.
Before we get inside Tia wants to play. Jigz saw kids playing football and he joined in. And that's the good thing about this place, kids can play and enjoy. And this is just outside the restaurant.
And here's the view outside. Oh, you gonna love this. Like all in one place. Food plus view with your family. It's fantastic!
The Mountain Cliff and Sandy Bay
Haha, did I ruin the view? It's very hot that day but at night it's cold so I always bring my jacket.
Let's go closer!
***Oh, we are hungry now and it's just on time. Let's eat!***
This is a special day as it is Jigz's birthday. I booked a table for dinner and we all choose what we want to eat.
Here's the menu.
*But before we order let me show you some cool stuff inside. My husband loves wood and we appreciate the ambience. It's very relaxing.*
*I love the creativity with the bottles. And love those lamps.*
Food
The birthday boy ordered his favourite spicy chicken wings, chicken skewers and corn on a cob.
*Mind you he eats all that chicken!*
My husband had Fish and Chips.
Tia got Mac and Cheese
And I had this Coconut Braised Cod with Pilau Rice.
That's so good! It's tasty and flavourful.
10 out of 10! 💯
**After that meal we didn't eat ever again because we are broke. 🤣**
View
Plus the view from the restaurant. Oh, this is worthy of a visit. What do you think?
Thank you for reading.
***I hope you enjoyed a little tour and the mouthwatering food that I shared. ❤***
Dream Garden
**We were heading to our next destination which is Butlin's Minehead here in Somerset when on our way we saw this castle from afar and since we have plenty of time before we check in we stop and checked it out.**
Look at that will you not stop when you see a glorious castle like this? I just tell my husband,
"*Stop!!! I'm taking pictures!!!"*
And he was like, *"I'll take you there."*
Aww. Sweet. That's awesome!
So we went and see. But we were told that it will take us at least 5 hours for us to see everything in the castle and gardens. So we decided we will check in first and do it the other day. Because we have to be on time for our arrival at Butlin's.
So what we did is walk about the castle grounds down towards the village and saw this beautiful garden. As you can see it's a bit cloudy down here opposite from where we came from that's bright and sunny.
It's just a good enough size garden with a lovely layout and landscape. It's filled with gorgeous flowers and plants.
Here are some of the flowers. They're glorious and captivating. Their colours are playful.
And aside from the garden filled with these lovely flowers, the church in the background makes this place extra special. It's like a masterpiece. A fairytale garden. The one we see in movies or read in books.
Here's Jigz and Tia as my models.
Yes, Tia, that's the one! Isn't it a lovely background perfect with the Dream garden? Yes, it is! Imagine being there with your loved ones. Sit on the chair and talk about how you love each other. Aww. This place is so romantic!
***And if you are feeling blue this will surely cheer you up. I hope it did!***
Thank you for reading.
Make A Bear Activity for Tia
**Who doesn't want a bear when they're young? I'm sure we all have our own favourite. Is it a teddy? A bunny? A doggy? But how cool it is if you can make your own? And that's what Tia came here for.**
We prebook this activity in Haven but before that, we went to the town centre to see what it looks like in Exmouth and it is a wonderful place to be at. The perfect weather that day. The beach, the shops and the crowd. It's amazing. Then we run late for the activity so Tia and I run as fast as we could to make it. And here we are.
The lovely staff was very nice and attended to us even though we were late. She already started the activity with other guests. The kid's faces are all lit up with excitement. Then she came to us and let Tia choose what Bear she was going to make.
Of all that there is, she chooses the bunny. This seems to be the favourite as there is just one more left. I thought she was going for a unicorn. She said she was going to show Thumper her bunny.
Then she was given what she needs to make it.
She started filling up her bunny with this cotton filler. And she was also given the heart to put inside. She choose a blue heart but before putting it in she was told to make a wish. And she did!
And when we filled her bunny we were assisted in closing the back of it because once we close it you can't open it again so it's safe for the kids.
Then it's time to make her bunny's personalized t-shirt! She has this fabric pen that will not wash off. So it's up to her what she wants to draw on it.
And there you go. Put it on Tia! Now, her bunny is all done with a lovely shirt on her. And what a star did a great job!
Look how happy she is.
She puts her in the bag and carries her about. How cute!
*But lol before we left we just found out that we were at the wrong venue! Because I book for a Make A Bear Party and it's not it. But almost the same without the party. So still, my Tia is happy enough. I'm happy.*
*But the next day she lost her bunny. She forgets it somewhere. And she cried at the top of her lungs the entire time. Glad we get it back. So she's happy again.*
**I hope that made you smile too.** 😊
Thank you for reading.
The Journey to Haven
**Finally, we are in Haven and it does look like one too. It's worth the bum-numbing journey. We travel from Larne to Cairnryan via P&O Ferries. We take the boat for 2 hours.**
Here are the kids as soon as we board the European Causeway.
After crossing the sea for 2 hours we started our 10 hours of a road trip that turns 12. We take the transit van this time because we packed too many things and the tent and essentials for our camping.
The long drive is worth it as when we reach Devon, the weather is great and it feels like back home. You can feel the sun, nice and warm.
Touched down, Devon Cliffs!
We're going to stay 4 days here. The place is a massive caravan holiday park. The location is perfect and it's very picturesque. You will get lost here, easily. As we did! We arrived 2 hours early from our check-in time and so we have to park our van in the carpark. We have a look around and decided to look for our caravan and lol we get lost. As the place is so big and looking at the map isn't helping much.
Before we see the caravan places let's check out what's around.
Here's the shop.
It's nice to know that they have a mini shop here for most of the essential needs. On our first night, I prefer cooking dinner as we are starving pizza costing nearly £40 will not fill us up. The food here at the restaurants are cost a fortune!
Entertainment
Oh, the kid's place and kids at heart! Arcades are all those you see in an amusement park. They have many entertainment activities for you to watch in different places day and night.
Soon as we get in the kids started playing and Tia was called by the horse. Hahaha.
And Jigz already changed his pound for 2ps to play this favourite game of mine. I can seat there for hours and forget all of them lol.
And where my husband goes to? Lol, grab a beer! Oh well, this is the only time that he drinks so I'm glad he can relax and enjoy his pint.
Indoor Swimming Pool
We just nosing around and checking out the pools. There's an indoor and outdoor pools and we are not allowed to take photos only that's close at that time so I can take one.
Activities
Some needs prebooked and some you can just walk in and pay if there's an available slot. There are loads for the kids to enjoy and for the whole family as well.
Here is the list of activities and prices.
My internet connection here isn't very good. Took years to download photos so I'll share the caravans in the next article. For now, that is some of the first that we've seen as soon as we came.
**I hope you enjoy it!**
Thank you for reading.
Bonfires and Parades
**It's that time of year again. Remember all my posts last year about bonfires and bands? Yes, it's The Eleventh and Twelfth of July and that's the occasion which we are celebrated here in Northern Ireland. Time flies and here I am again showing some towering bonfires in flames and men's on their kilts while playing the bagpipes.**
Let's start with the bonfires. It's normally made up of wood pallets. They stop putting tires, still have some but not as much.
Then on the Eleventh Night, this massive bonfire was lit to its glory and goodness gracious it can cook you if you get near.
Everyone is gathered to see the bonfire. Most have drinks in their hand. Have set up chairs and tables outside their homes near the bonfire. Eating and drinking with families and friends. The kids love it!
The flames are raging and I got scared when it started falling to the banks and burning the grass. Thankfully the firefighters were there just in case some things like this happen.
Look at these flames! You can dry your clothes or grilled some meat. If it's not well done, surely it will be cremated!
So we went to three different towns to see their bonfires. They are all massive and getting near even if you are far felt like you are being roasted.
Here's us enjoying the heat from afar.
The last bonfire that we went to see is in our town of Comber. A big crowd gathered to see the bonfire being lit and now watch it collapse.
Lol, the cheer of the people. I can still hear it.
And that's the Eleventh. Now let me show you what the parades were like yesterday for The Twelfth.
The main parade was held in Ballygowan. We waited two hours for the bands to march where we are. They go to different towns and villages and quite a long parade it is.
When we went there the street are already crowded. Most of the elderly were there early and set up their chairs.
Look at that little girl with Bella! Dressed for the occasion with a hat and baton. The old people smiled just looking at her.
And finally, we can hear the band and when we see King Billy on his horses then that's the parade started.
And here's a GIF of photos of some of the bands that match yesterday. Your favourite men in skirts (called kilts) are present!
And there you go! Had two days of fun. I hope you enjoy the pictures.
**I'm on Hive now as well! Most of you are there I know lol. Not surprising that I'm there now too. It's nice to see us all around different platforms. It's hard not to plagiarized my own content but I will try. I don't know how you can keep up but I'm happy to share in Hive too. New adventure!**
https://hive.blog/@tiredmomma
Thank you for reading.
Learning From People You Call Friends
***You've been there for others when they need you but when it's time that you're in need, you wonder why they are not available to be of help.***
Last Friday night, on the way home, unfortunately, our car broke down. We had a flat tire. Good thing we are on the back road so it's not a busy road. My husband always brings a jack and other tools for emergency purposes like this but since we just change our car so the tools were left on the other one. We have a spare tire at the back but without tools, he can't get it to change.
So we went back in the car and the first person that my husband thought of calling is *his friend*. Let's call him David. David always calls him when he need help with his car. We have a big garage and almost complete tools. Sometimes he comes 2 weeks straight to fix his car, welding and everything. Too much electricity, I have to say.
When he needs a hand on something, he calls my husband. When he needs to borrow some equipment. When he comes to the house and it's dinner time, I cook for him too. When he is looking for a job, my husband told him where to go. But he said he needs a car. So my husband lends him our van. The van broke down, it's the clutch. He didn't fix it. And he got no money to buy a car so my husband lends him money and now he got a job. He said he is making good money doing delivery. Wondered why he isn't paying what he borrowed. He must have forgotten.
**My husband calls him but it keeps ringing just. He didn't answer the call after many attempts. So we call my brother-in-law who is not far from where we broke down. And within 10 minutes he's there with the tools we need. And didn't take long for them to put the spare tire.**
When all is good we are back on the road, we head home. **And we see David. On his car, on his phone.** He is not even far from where we broke down. He has his phone but didn't answer our call. He didn't even bother to give us a return call to ask why we call him multiple times. Nothing. Isn't it just disappointing?
We are all different. We can't always expect other people to be like us. Some are great. Some are like David but we still call them friends. Friends come in different forms. Try to be the ones your friend are grateful to have in their life.
*This is not the article I enjoy writing and it's not my vibe but still, I need to express how I feel even in writing.*
***HAVING FRIENDS IS GOOD.***
***HAVING REAL ONES IS A BLESSING.***
***BUT YOUR FAMILY IS THE BEST FRIENDS YOU CAN HAVE. TREASURE THEM.***
Do you experience having a friend like David?
Untitled
I just want to write. And talk about nothing specific. So let me share some of what's in my mind coz I can tell you, mine is full.
School Supplies
I don't know why I'm like this but lol the school is just finished but I'm already getting bits and pieces of what Tia and Jigz need for the next school term. Glad they both got a list.
And here's the funny and confusing part. Off you go to the shop and went to the school supply aisle and you'll be overwhelmed with everything you need. But for the same thing like it's all pencil and all crayons or glue but why on earth do they all have different prices. Like the other pencil or pen is affordable, cheap enough and the other is ridiculously priced. Like as if it's made of gold.
And oh common, they're both pencils! And sometimes I'm wise enough to get the cheaper ones for doing the same thing. And most of the time I feel guilty not buying the good ones, I mean the more pricey ones. Because it's in our head that a much expensive one is a good quality when in reality they function and does the job same as the cheaper ones.
It's like when I'm buying things like toothbrushes but "Pink and Blue" always cost much more than any other colours and their all the same!
**Marketing strategy. We all fall into their trap.**
Also in getting shoes I always go to Clarks because Mum told me that's the best place to get the kids shoes. But the shoes for Tia is like £30+ and Jigz is at least £55. So what I did is search eBay and for the same shoes I see it's cheaper. So that's an option for me. Still loads to get especially uniform so I'll get it sorted one step at a time.
Holidays
As I've told you I've booked our summer holiday in Butlin's and Haven. Haven is in Devon Cliff and is a holiday park. Wonderful view and lots to do but we have to book everything. I tried to plan what we have to do and everything must be made in the advance.
So for a start, this is what I book for the kids.
I'm so happy there's bike coaching because Tia doesn't want to ride her bike without the stabilizer and maybe she will be keen on learning when we are there. Bungee jumping is always on the list. And Jigz will have the jump on his birthday. And I also book for our dinner in the restaurant at the park.
Look at the place! We will be staying on that Cliff. I'm so excited to see it for real.
Devon Cliff's Haven
https://www.newhols.com/devon-cliffs/devon-cliffs.asp
I've got the kid's wetsuit and paddle board. I still have to get mine. Husband got one!
I'm already thinking about what to bring and what to pack. We're bringing the van and still not ready for our 10 hours drive from Scotland lol.
Butlin's Minehead
The kids are looking forward to this resort and the pool they are eager to slide and splash.
https://www.butlins.com/resorts/minehead
Go home
Then my Papa in the Philippines wants me home as well. But my problem is the flight cost £2200 at least for July and August!!! And he is not happy that I can't go home but I'm the one who is not happy not to be able to see them. But I will keep checking flights. If I can go October-November as that is the cheapest I've seen so far. Before I can have a flight for £400 return now it is impossible.
But hopefully, I will see my family before the year ends. I missed them so much!
My Portfolio
Lol, I still look at it with a hopeful heart. Because if I only use my eyes I will not stop whining. But It's great to see it is green. Let's stay this way. ***I even dream about the market pump and BCH went straight to $2000 lol. Then I wake up, look at my account and laugh. That was a nice dream! But you'll never know, in the future, it might become real! IT WILL BE.***
**That's some of what's in my head now. What's in yours?**
Thank you for reading.
Weekends: Were Work Never Ends
**Happy Sunday everyone! I like it to sound like I'm enjoying my day. Even I'm not, lol. Coz I want to chill but I just can't. Too many things lying about and when the kids are here, it's either they are messing up or they are hungry. So cleaning and cooking are constant.**
I'm writing this at 12nn and my house chores are never-ending. I send Jigz to the caravan to clean up his mess. He brought his friends and oh the place looks like a wreck. I went to Tia's room and told her that she needs to help me sort her clothes. So I ask her nicely (negotiating) to take out the clothes from the drawers and she needs to help Mummy to fold them.
**Tia: But I have to eat first!**
Say no more. Come and eat, call your brother and eat then you have to help both of you. We will all clean today. And when she finished eating she showed me what she accomplished.
Presenting a mountain of clothes to fold!
She will help me she said. And she will tell me if the dress doesn't fit and we will give it to the charity shop. That's very good.
Under her bed, I saw all the missing pairs of socks, sweets wrappers that she gets without permission and lipstick under her pillow. Oh her toys are everywhere. Oh, help me!
I have to cook for Mum and the husband too. I need to tidy up the lane and pull the weeds out. Have to clear up the shed that my husband mess. He's also in trouble.
So let's start folding and sort this out, Tia!
*All I hear, this is too small. My head won't fit in this. Oh, this is beautiful I'm going to keep this!*
And here we are. In case you are free, I got loads of jobs that needed to be filled lol. I badly need help!!! Don't worry I'll feed you rightly. 🤣
Thank you for reading. Thank you in advance. I need moral support.
Cheers to the 1st of July
Merry Christmas!
*Mic test. Mic test. Early? Is it? But sure we greeted each other* ***"Be happy and bright"*** *just recently. It even feels like it happened yesterday. So time flies. It surely is. Half of the month is gone and yes Hello July!*
I know what you wish, for it to be a better one. Or better if it is a greener one. June was a tough month. No more red market, please. Oh well, that's not the priority but to be happy no matter what the colour of market but red still looks depressing so let's stick to the green wishlist with a healthy body and mind.
This is our summer holiday season. We have two months to enjoy the sun (more on rain). And also this month is ***Jigz's 12th birthday***. He is asking us if he can have any musical instrument that he can practice on which is music to my ears. I ask him to think about what instrument he would love to try. He's thrilled that we will be away on his birthday. And I will book different activities for him on his special day.
Holiday Plan?
Oh, I got myself a portable spa so I'm staying in the back garden having the time of my life! Lol, no. Just kidding. We booked at **Haven**, a family holiday park in Devon Cliffs. And after this, we are going to **Butlin's Minehead Resort**. And then we're going camping. It's pretty exciting!
There are loads of activities. We choose this for families that the kids will surely enjoy. We cannot travel abroad because of airport chaos and so we're just going near. It will be a boat and road trip. Can't wait!
Today at work with my Lil Helpers
So I brought Tia and Jigz with me to work and they did a very good job helping Mummy.
Look at those small hands trying her best to roll a long hall runner.
She's a very good salesgirl. She even convinced a customer to buy her favourite Rabbit Fur with a £65 price tag. Well done!
And Jigz sold two at a time. Really good! And then there's this lovely customer that is very pleased with their service and gave them money to buy ice cream. You know Tia will not say no to ice cream.
She's very nice, lovely, sweet and kind. She even goes to them when she knew that their money is not enough. She's like a granny to them. Just like Mum. God bless her.
The kids look happy but I'm sure the lovely woman there smiling at the picture is the happiest.
How about you, what's your plan for July? 😊
Thank you for reading.
Last Day of School
**Time flies. I get tired of saying that but it truly is. Remember when I share Tia and Jigz's photos on their first day of school? And now, today is their last day.**
She even bring Boris (her baby) and Pupply with her. They have to stay in the car and wait till she's back.
Tia's last day in P2 and will be P3 in September. She was introduced to her new teacher but I know she will miss Mrs Sims just like how much she cried during her first teacher when they bid goodbye on their last term.
Jigz is moving to the big school, he's in Year 8 now. He will go to Nendrum College and I just love how his school got a College in it when in the Philippines it's only High School and College school is when you are in college/university.
**They are getting big. Still babies to me.**
Red now, Can we have Green ASAP?
And let's segway to crypto. How are your holdings doing? Are you holding tight still or letting go of some even if it means loss?
I know how you feel. We are all in the same boat. I can't help but get stressed about this dip that keeps dipping. When will this end? What's going on? Oh, who knows really?
It's a good opportunity for those who want to start but a heartbreaker to the strong hands who put their money and faith. Well, still are. That's why we are called risk-takers. And this is the consequence. You only put what you can lose. Easy to say hard to absorb.
But we've been through crash years ago. This is not a first-time event. We have a future ahead. No matter what it looks like, let's fingers crossed it will be good. That's me talking to myself, convincing myself that it's okay, it's alright. It's not 0 yet.
**Oh my piggy heart!**
***How are you doing? How are you feeling with the red market? Are you bloody okay?***
Thank you for reading.
The Town of Datça
***This is our 3rd time in Turkey and we've been to many places and experience different things and enjoy it every time we are here.***
This time we were in Datça. It's a small local town that is being visited by many. The place is spot on! It's so beautiful with the mountains and the sea surrounding the area. It's a paradise.
Stroll around the beach
Just a 5 minutes walk from our hotel.
The water is so clear that even Tia and Jigz enjoy catching small fish.
**Dine on the beach at Datca Restaurant**
If you love to eat and want a great place to do so. Come here and done at the beach. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from. We tried Kekik Restaurant and it's lovely.
Fresh seafood and all.
And that's me starving and patiently waiting for food.
I appreciate the food. We are satisfied with the service and the place is absolutely perfect!
Enjoy the harbour view
If you are tired of walking just sit here, relax and enjoy the view!
Freshwater Lake
My favourite! What a place!
Look how clear the water and you can see big and small fish!
Eat Datca Ice Cream
Of course, we are in Turkey and Turkish Ice Cream is very famous. So we have to try it. You call Turkish ice cream "Dondurma". Just look how Tia loves her ice cream!
**Buy souvenirs**
If you're going on a holiday then you have to bring something back home with you. There are many souvenir shops around the area for a reasonable price. You can ask for a discount as well and they gave you freebies most of the time.
A night walk
I love it even more at night when the beautiful lights lit up the town and it looks so magical.
**Datça is beyond beautiful and we will surely be back in Turkey again. Can't get enough of its beauty.**
Thank you for reading.
Cats and Dogs
Yesterday, a ginger cat came to our house looking for some feed. We believe it's Alex's cat. He's our neighbour who died recently. He loves animals and owns a couple of sheepdogs, cats, horses and many more. We are thinking that maybe her sister who stays there has already gone back to America so no one is feeding the poor cat now.
Here, cats don't normally stay in the house. They love walking about and will come back when they want to. The cat that we got the last time went back to its owner. The kids are not happy but what can we do, it won't stay with us.
So this ginger cat that I'm talking about has been here quite a few times now. But this time It will be a regular visit. So I borrow Thumper's extra food bowl and my husband gets something from the pantry. We don't have cat food left so he gets canned meat from the pantry instead. Then give the cat milk to drink.
Tia was over the moon and she was so excited when she saw the cat and yelled,
***"Yey! We have a cat now!"***
*The cat is trying to eat and she's trying to stroke it. She's happy that the cat is letting her. She even gives her a name, "Caroline".*
Tia told her Daddy that we need to buy the cat and cat food. **I remember when Tia was young and she cries at the top of her lungs because we don't want to give her cat food for breakfast.** Those are for Mum's cat that comes to our house. They never come now after Dad died.
Cats In Turkey
When we were in Turkey, dogs and cats are everywhere. And I'm saying it nicely as even if we don't own any, we love them. We are not that sensitive. In the hotel that we stayed in, there are a couple of cats and a dog too.
Tia and Jigz enjoy their company. It even sits in the chair while we're eating. They are well-behaved and won't jump and eat your food. The staff will take them away but they always come back. They worry that it will bother us but we told them were fine with them around.
When we went to Marmaris, they are everywhere too. We went to eat in KFC and the cat is having a snooze at one of the comfy seats. Oh, they are living the dream!
Went to Jeep Safari and dogs are everywhere too. And Tia and Jigz can't help but pet them every time they see one.
Went for a walk near the beach and the dog is barking "Hello!" to us. And we bark back.
Oh, they simply love dogs and cats but I know they should be cautious too. I told them always ask the owner first if they can pet them. Ask permission. Some owners don't want their pets to be stroked by strangers. And some may bite them but kids don't think that way. They only knew it was "**cute**".
***But aren't they just?***
Thank you for reading.
Happy Father's Day
**Rejoice all the fathers in the world for today is your day and the rest is Mother's Day.**
Oh, I just read that and laugh. Do you agree with that? I think most of the articles today are about Father's Day so count mine in as well.
Happy Father's Day everyone, especially to awesome father's here in read.cash. **Happy Father's Day, Papa** even though I'm not at home to be with yous all to celebrate this special day, you know that my love is always present.
It's lovely to see all of them look well but my Father's smile is so precious. Look how happy he is. I surely got my smile from him.
Yesterday Tia and Jigz wrote their card to Daddy. Tia made it extra special with her drawing of Daddy, her and Jigz. I'm not there in that drawing coz it's only Father's Day.
Jigz got his Dad a box of his favourite Maltesers chocolate. He loves chocolate and sweets. And Tia got him a wee stuffed toy that says *"Happy Father's Day"*. Tia said, she will look after it. That means that's for her. Daddy can have it for one day only.
I just ordered some clothes online as I run out of ideas of what to give. So I just choose ones that I'm sure he will like. And I'm glad it came on time as the original date is the 20th.
I got him a cap which I like the most because his cap is already more than 10 years old. I think it's time for a change.
And that's him happy with his new cap! I also put his initials on it.
And he got an extra present from Tia. A glittery silver nail is painted with love lol. Tia is so proud and she said, that was her present for Daddy.
And that's him happy. We're in KFC now to have our takeaways. A bucket of chicken will be perfect with my Spaghetti Bolognese.
And oh the boxes will not go to waste as Tia already making her artwork so her friends can sleep on it.
Happy Father's Day, My love!
And that's how our Father's Day going so far. I already read some of the articles here and I'm happy to see that we all love to pamper our partners/fathers on this special day. This is their day, though it should be every day. You are all awesome!
Thank you for reading.
A Walk in the Lane
When everything seems a little bit too much.
Pause and have a break.
Go for a walk and grab your loved ones' hands.
And into the lane go walk hand in hand.
Go visit the field.
And enjoy the view.
You will see the Scrabo Tower in the background too.
We have wheat and barley and the farmers on their tractors.
They are working hard every day and night.
And from afar he waves us his hand and shouted, "How are you, folks?" with a smile.
And go say hello to the sheep.
I tried to scare them too.
Try to make them smile, while telling them to look at the camera and smile.
The sheep have thought I'm mental. I can see it in their eyes.
And look at this rabbit hole.
There are plenty of them all around the fields.
And it's nice to know that they are back coz once they are all gone from this wild.
And have a photo shoot.
Let your partner do the honour.
You can piss him off by asking to take more shots because one picture is never enough.
And the reason for this walk is to breathe. Have some fresh air. Run away for a moment.
To relax, to take out my mind from tension and to just cheer myself up.
And this walk put a smile on my face. It help me a lot.
Plus a date like Ruffa said that is free of charge.
But the fresh air, oh what a fresh air it is!
The chicken manure is haunting my nose to my throat.
I can even taste it and tell you it wasn't good.
The smell is nasty and the taste is awful.
Nevertheless, the walk in the lane is such a pleasure.
Thank you for reading.
The Place You Don't Wanna Be At
***What comes to your mind when you hear the word "hospital"? It doesn't sound like a happy place to me. I can only think of sickness and death. On the positive side "recovered" and "to be discharged" sounds very nice.***
My mother-in-law is in the hospital again. I remember the last time that we took her is when she contracted Shingles and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome which I shared here in read.cash with you. Now this time, she got a bad chest infection. She's 89 and even a simple cold is tough for her age.
We called for an ambulance on Thursday night because Mum can hardly breathe. She's crying and it making her condition worst. When the ambulance came and did some assessment, they gave her salbutamol to open up her lungs so she can breathe. They gave her fluids through her veins as she had not eaten or drunk properly for two days. She's dehydrated. She didn't sleep either. That's why even though she don't like us calling the ambulance we didn't hesitate.
They took her to the hospital but it takes almost 24 hours to get her into the ward as most of the beds are occupied since the pandemic until now. My brother and sister-in-law were with her as my husband has worked and I cannot leave the kids.
Today we visited Mum in the hospital. This time we didn't get lost thanks to my bro-in-law who told us the best way to get into Mum's ward. Her breathing has improved but is still far from normal. She is is still being herself, look at her smile!
It is nice to see her. She's complaining about how bored she was. As you can see, she got a coke. I wonder what the doctor thinks of that. She doesn't drink water no matter what good words we put on it. She loves milk. I brought her orange juice as well as she's complaining that the hospital gave her blackcurrant just which she doesn't drink.
The thing about the hospital now is there are no more chairs for the visitors. I'm taking that's because they don't want anyone to stay up too long. I told my husband that we're going to bring our chair next time lol.
She asks about the kids and how we are all getting on. She wants to know when is she going home. We told her, that as soon as the doctor says so. She missed the kids and told me to show her hands to them. She said they should come and rescue her. She wants to go home she said.
We go home and we will see her again the next day. But before that, she told me one more thing to say to the kids and so I recorded it.
She knows that they are good at messing up the house.
https://youtu.be/KXIdrQ2zuAc
I laugh at "Carry on if you like!" 🤣🤣🤣
**Just tonight around 7 pm I received a call from the hospital. My Mum wants to talk to my husband but he's at work, it's the nurse. I talked to Mum, she sounds so sad and asked if anyone coming to see her today. I told Mum, we'd been there this afternoon and that her other son will be there tomorrow and bring her papers for her to read. That's dementia starting. We already noticed it before but it looks like it's progressing now.**
Mum forgot that we've been there. As I'm writing this, I can't help but cry. In old age, I hope she will not forget much. But I know for a fact that this is just the start and my sister-in-law has already given me advice and support as she knows I'm doing my best to look after Mum. They will forget and will get grumpy in a snap but I love Mum so I will do my best.
*Get well soon Mummy! We missed you in our home sweet home. I hope that you will be discharged soon and that your good health is restored the soonest.*
**And to YOU who's reading this please look after yourself! BECAUSE HOSPITAL IS NOT A PLACE YOU WANT TO BE AT.**
Thank you for reading. Thank you in advance for your prayers and well wishes.
Dalya Resort in Datça
Turkey holidays are full of delights, from their luxurious beaches to their mouth-watering food you will surely enjoy every minute of your stay. Another holiday in Dalaman and we choose Datça this time. We stayed in *Dalya Resort Hotel* and it was splendid!
Welcome to Dalya Resort
We check-in at midnight as we had a late flight. We were kinda lost as the driver can't find our hotel that night but we saw it from afar as it is situated at the top with a magnificent view of the mountains and the sea. It's in a prime location and you can't miss it when you're down the road.
**After checking in we just want to rest and close our eyes so we all looking forward to a comfortable bed. And there we have it. Love the flowers too!**
The room is a good size for a family. And they have a spacious wardrobe with a safe inside. We have the basics like a kettle, coffee, tea, sugar, water and soft drinks. And toiletries, hair dryer, slippers, they even have a sewing kit and shoe shining kit as well.
The view from our balcony
The Reception Area
The Pool
One massive for adults and a small one for kids and to those who can't swim like me. Hahaha
The view from the pool area is breathtaking. And the snack bar/pool bar is also in there. You can play table tennis while having a drink or eating your food.
The new water slide and Park
We are the very first guest to use this new slide! And they are now called **Dalya Resort Aqua and Spa Hotel**.
Spa
Oh I definitely had my massage and Turkish Bath. Aside from food, that's what I'm always looking forward to.
They even have food/fruits ready for us when we arrived. Although the plate on the left most of them I've seen the first time and I don't know what they are.
Let's talk about food. So this is their timetable.
Breakfast
On our first day, we have this tray for breakfast. The thing is we are their first get this season and there's no other guest aside from us. We are a family of 8. We have other two couples with us. So only the 8 of us were in the hotel for almost a week. That's why it's not a buffet.
So every breakfast we have bread, hot drinks, juice whatever. And love all these different jams and spreads. They are very nice! Then you can also ask us to make you an omelette and pancakes.
I like the olives just the green ones but not the black. And look at those cheese!
Lunch/Dinner
You can always choose what you want if it's fish, chicken, or a burger. I prefer a buffet so I can choose what I want to eat but the good thing about this one is you get what you want. And everything comes with side dishes and salad. And the staff are very approachable. Though communication is very challenging, using Google Translate is to the rescue. And we were treated well and they attended to our needs diligently. And after a couple of days of stay, they already knew what we want.
One thing is for sure. We are well fed in the hotel.
And the day has come that they serve buffet as the hotel has guests. And we are very happy.
How can you be not? Look at all these desserts!
Oh my Tatli!
That's Tia's favourite part lol and surely mine too.
And Tia always gets the attention. Everyone looks after her. And this is the woman that looks after our room and me. Coz she's done most of the things that I normally do and glad I can say this is a true holiday for me. Thank you, my sweetheart.
*All in all, we had a pleasant stay at Dalya Hotel and all the staff had been amazing! We are also glad to have this all-inclusive deal for a good price as it's not in peak season yet. July and September and I don't think we can afford this holiday. So happy days and great experience we had indeed!*
Thank you so much for reading.
Tia's Sports Day at School
***This is the time of year again that the students are looking forward to showing their skills and doing their very best to win every sports game. Sports Day has come and at last, families are welcome to watch. Thank goodness that we're getting back to normal as Covid restrictions in the past three years hindered this event for families.***
This event is always held before the school year ends. And before this, they've been practising in school so they are prepared on the actual day. My Tia is always excited and tells me good stories about how fast she runs and how she falls and gets up.
Look at them practising! And lol Tia said this is not an easy one.
Today is the day but last night Tia came home from school not being well. She went straight to bed, she said she was tired. She woke up crying her head off complaining about her head is sore. And when I touch her, she's boiling. I run and get Paracetamol. She started vomiting. I got scared. And all I can think if we're sick is we need 'Gatorade'. But we don't have Gatorade here so I send my husband to get Tia any electrolyte drink to keep her hydrated. I get all my balm stuff *(lahat ng pampahid!)*. And massage her back and head gently. I put Cooling Gel on her forehead to see if it helps.
She falls asleep again.
When she gets up she said she was feeling better and asked for ice cream as ice cream can make her feel better even more. Hahaha, I laugh at this. And her fever magically disappears. Here comes the night and she's hot again.
I stayed beside her bed last night keeping her temperature monitored. I left her and get some sleep before daylight and in the morning she's full of life again but still, I know she's not at her best. She insists on going to school because it's their Sports Day. She's so excited about this.
And off to school and look at my baby having fun! It's a nice day but turns out dull but nevertheless the kids are enjoying it.
Many times she fell and was left behind but still, she's smiling and laughing and that's what's more important. She's enjoying it. She's having fun!
Thank you for reading.
Turkey: The Second Time Around
***It's been a long time I know! Can I say hello again? Hello! And a big smile up to my cheeks because I missed you all so much and writing here in read.cash. I hope you are all doing well.***
I'm not here for a long while because I just can't. And I'm glad that I'm writing again and I should because I have loads to share. I'm no longer doing a full-time job. It's not really easy to be a working woman and be an all-around Momma and Wife so kudos to all parents who juggle to do this. Now I'm back on just having a part-time job and that's just what I want. Only my bosses need me to work full time this past month so I wasn't able to be active in any of my social accounts.
Those times I have to take Tia and Jigz with me to work. Good thing that my boss allowed me to do so and the kids help me and they got tips from the customer too lol. I never had one. I wanted to share what I thought when I couldn't write at all.
Last time I shared that we are going to Turkey for the kid's Easter Break, and we did. We stayed in Dalya Resort and Spa in Datça for two weeks.
The first time we were in Hisaronu, this time in Datça. It's a small picturesque town, it's perfect. Our hotel is in the best location where you can see the whole town and admire the stunning view.
But I have to say we are in the wrong place in a way that this place is more on for locals. Communication is challenging and using Google translate comes in handy. During a week of stay, we are the only guests in the hotel. We have the pool all to ourselves.
The food is amazing especially when the buffet was served lol And my favourite part is the "tatli" or what they called the dessert. Turkish desserts are the best!
Tia says so too! Look at that face 🤣
And the town centre is just a walking distance. You see the marina in the picture above it's only a 5 minutes walk and the place will stun you with its lovely beach, and you can even see the fishes in the water.
There's Tia and Jigz catching fish and putting it back into the water after.
We also went to Marmaris which is the place that we should really be. It's only an hour from Datça and we stayed there for a couple of days. Oh, they have lovely beaches as well and shops! Oh, too many restaurants and bars. I love Marmaris!
While in Turkey we went on a:
boat trip
quad ride
jeep safari
went to Jesus Beach
And many more. I will share loads starting from the time we fly lol. So there's my 'Hello' and nice to be here again. And I'm very pleased that you are reading this now. Thank you for your support. ❤
Thank you so much.
Kids Hate Sleeping
**When I was young we have to do as we were told. No buts and most of all no complaining or else you will get a good hit with a magic wand. The magic wand comes in different forms and sizes whichever my Mama or Papa get their hands on first. You take your pick!**
We are required to sleep early and the afternoon nap is a must. They always say we need it to grow. *But don't believe it, I didn't grow that much!* They also threaten us that if we don't take our nap between 2:30-4:00 we will not get **"merienda".** That's an afternoon snack. But who doesn't enjoy food? We are always looking forward to eating banana cue or turon with matching palamig sago at gulaman (pearl and jelly drink) from Ate Lina. She always sell those and is very good at cooking pansit and spaghetti for merienda.
We are 5 siblings and if we don't feel like sleeping we have to pretend that we are so we can get a snack. **Pretending to sleep is a very hard job as you have to act really good to make your parents believe that you are indeed sleeping when you're not.** I always think that they only want to get rid of us so they can be in peace doing their thing.
Then at night we have to be in bed. Oops, we don't have bed that time. I mean we have to sleep as early as 7pm so we can get up early for school. That time we can only walk from home to school. A very good exercise that we hate because we didn't sleep at night and our body and mind was not fully awake. We're like walking zombies.
And then fast forward to me having kids. And just like me and my siblings, they don't like to sleep either. **They hate the word bedtime!** You know as soon as I say bedtime they both have their ways and think of any possible ways not to. Here comes,
"Mummy, I'm hungry."
*Like of all the time that they can eat, that's the time they choose to be hungry. Even you reminded them that they just ate an hour ago.*
"Mummy, I need something to drink."
They will even try their luck by asking me to make them hot chocolate. Ah, NO!
"Mummy, just 10 more minutes!"
The 10 more minutes that end up into an hour till I'm the one who fell asleep waiting for them to sleep.
Pretending to Sleep
They are very good at this. High skilled professionals with matching eyes twitching. Oh I have a good laugh when they are trying so hard to look like they are sleeping. Just as we were when we were young!
Playing Phones/Gadgets
Oh many times with Jigz! Caught him many times and when I do the phone flies up to the air when I startled them with my presence. And then telling me it will help him sleep. Hahaha. Don't me, Jigz!
You will only know that they didn't sleep especially Tia because you will see the evidence all over the place and on her face.
***The poor unicorn and dog becomes a victim of a child who couldn't sleep.***
**And if you can't sleep just put make-up on, Charaan! It works! I'm sleeping now, Mummy!**
Like most of the kids here asleep by 8. Tia and Jigz are still up at 11 and it's very hard to put them in bed even when they are tired. That's why I don't really get rest and peace not 'in'. 😜 Even if I put them to bed at 9 they will still be up. And ever since Tia was a baby she never takes a nap and stays up late no matter what we do. Until now.
I wish I tried hard when they were a baby for them to have an early bed routine. Or maybe there's techniques I didn't know that might actually help me.
*Any hacks, parents?*
***If only they know that when they get old, they will not be able to sleep even if they want to. And no one will give them a "free snack" but they have to buy or make their own. If only I knew, I could have slept when I was told to do so.***
***I somehow missed being a child who only worries about how to convince my parents that I'm asleep so I can get a snack.***
Thank you for reading.
Upcoming Trip to Turkey
**18 days to go until our Easter Holiday Trip to Turkey. It's been 2 years since we last visited the place and since then, we are always looking forward to going back and doing the things we weren't able to do and see.**
Our original plan was to go to Thailand for Songkran (Thailand's New Year). The water festival is fun and the kids will surely enjoy it. But Thailand still has so many restrictions which are put as off but understandable. I was about to home to the Philippines from there to see my family. But we decided to move the date and go to Thailand and the Philippines in July-August when the kids are off school.
We are all excited and even my husband keeps checking how many days to go till our holiday. You can see the happiness on his face every time he checks and sees the day getting nearer the date. But to tell you the truth the process is very stressful. I book the all-inclusive package without our passport. I was crossing my finger that it will come on time. And by God's grace, Jigz and mine came. We are over the moon! Only to realise that Tia's passport needs to be renewed as well.
My husband is too relaxed that we can avail of the fast track option and just pay extra and get her passport in 2 days or even in a week. Unfortunately, we didn't know that Her Majesty's Passport Service stops the fast track application and the backlog from Covid is unbelievable that it now takes to a minimum of 10 weeks before you received your new passport. Plus the online application is very complicated for us because there should be someone to confirm it. Not just anyone else but a professional and those on their list.
Imagine, we already booked the flight, already started packing clothes only to be upset that we might not be able to go and the holiday money goes to waste as even you a get refund, it will not be 100% of what you paid. If Tia can't go, we can't just leave her and enjoy ourselves. They bad. And she's so excited about it, you know. She's always asking how many days till we go on a plane? And I just couldn't tell her that "You don't have a passport yet Tia. We might not able to go." Oh, I pray hard!
It's our fault. We didn't plan it well. We didn't check it early. We are too relaxed that there's an available option if we are in a rush. But there's none.
My husband keep phoning for passport assistance and told them that we have an upcoming flight. Thank God that He sends us an angel. The customer service assistant was very helpful and kept track of the passport and updated us.
And now we are just waiting for them to deliver the passport as the last email said **'it's already been printed.' Happy days.**
Memories of Oludeniz
Last time we went to the stunning Oludeniz in Dalaman. We are still going to Dalaman but this time to Datca. We are planning to go to the nearby town of Bodrum and Marmaris. We are looking forward to an adventure for a fortnight. More information and photos in my next article. I will be sharing which hotel we are going to stay in, this time and what has changed after covid when it comes to travel aside from it getting more expensive than it used to.
***Stress no more. Turkey, here we come!***
Thank you for reading.
The Challenges of Aging
***Mum was crying when I came home from work yesterday. She's trying to hide it but her eyes are all red and her face says it all. I ask why is she so upset and she told me what happened.***
The minister phoned her about the check she send to the church. She put two checks inside the envelope. Both signed and with the amount in it. Mum was embarrassed. She has religiously given tithes to the church for 69 years since she got married. She doesn't go to church but she never failed to give tithes.
*Some of you will say, just for that? What is so upsetting about it?* Because she's old. Because she can't accept the reality that she can't do things right now at her age. She doesn't want people to think that she is going. And it's upsetting her.
*Mum is 88 now and turning 89 in June, where she gets her name from. She works hard all her life, doing man's work. As before man's job pays more. She lives her life to the fullest. Her arms are legs are well used. She loves travelling around the UK and driving her car. But as she gets older things changed and things that she was able to do before now she can't.*
**Mobility. She is always tired.** Her legs are slowly giving up. Walking a distance is a challenge. That's why we bring her wheelchair when we go out. Yesterday, she asked me to get her mobility rollator because she wants to walk to the garden. A rollator is like a walker only it has four wheels. But Mum as soon as I get the bike changed her mind because she can't get her legs to walk as it was sore. She's teary-eyed again.
**She is always cold.** We have to keep the heat in the house from morning until 11 at night. Even it's warm, she still feels cold.
**She doesn't want to eat at times.** She always says "I'm not hungry" or eat very little. I have to pursue her and sometimes ask kids for help as she will not say no to them.
**She used to cook now she can't do it.** She always says that cooking has left her. She forgets that she's cooking and burn the food. Mom loves to cook and she is a very good one. She taught me how to cook cauliflower cheese, steak carrot and onion, stew, vegetable soup and many more. But her cooking and mine even with the same ingredients are never taste the same.
**She is becoming extra sensitive.** Words can hurt her easily. If Mum told me, "I help you wash the dishes." I used to always says no. But she gets upset to think that I don't need her help and she's becoming useless. So in the morning, I left the dishes for her. She is happy doing things.
When the kids are busy doing other things, she gets sad thinking they don't love her anymore. That's why I prefer Tia and Jigz out of the room even they are doing something.
**The most challenging part is she's becoming forgetful.** She keeps repeating what she just said. She forgets what she's about to say. She forgets things easily. Recalling the past is hard now. I'm glad the last time she told me the story of her life, I put it on record. Whoever comes to the house that would be my name for the day.
Aging is very challenging and sometimes heartbreaking when you don't have a family to look after you and keep you right. My mother-in-law is one of the kindest I know. She loves us all and now that she's old and in the challenging phase of her life we stand by her.
We keep cheering her up. We keep understanding her. She will never go to a *"care home"* because this is her home with us, her family who can give her all the care she needs. We will look after her and her grandkids keeping her on her toes. Children are an amazing pill for elders. No medicines can make them feel better than their grandchildren can do. Tia and Jigz are Mum's magic pill.
***They may get moody and forgetful but let's not forget them at their best. Their warmth and their love. They may be getting old but they are still the same person once young. They are still the same person only we need to give them more attention, care and love. A little bit more understanding, patience and compassion should not be hard. And make them hear and feel every day that they are loved and precious to us. Because when they are gone, you will miss them so much. And you might regret not giving your all when they are around.***
It may get challenging but that's not always the case. Mum is still full of life and fun! Thanks to Jigz and Tia. Our house is filled with smiles and never a boring one!
*Mother's Day is on Sunday and I ordered a card for her from the kids with a lovely message at the back to their wonderful Lola. She is the best Lola and a Mum to us!*
Thank you for reading.
Tia's 6th Birthday
***I am blessed to be a mother. It's not easy to raise kids but to love them with all my heart is the easiest part of it.***
Time flies. That's all I can say. It all started with this.
Then came out like this.
And it flies. That this human..
Now, this.
Yesterday 19th of March 2022, my daughter Tia celebrate her 6th birthday. Oh, I still perfectly remember how she wants to come out at 6 months. And how worried we were when she came out at 8 months. But all is well. God bless me with a lovely and healthy girl.
Yesterday was filled with fun for her special day. We went out and take Tia with the family to Airtastic Inflatables which they enjoyed. Mum went out with us and Tia was very happy because usually, her Lola doesn't want to come. But since it's her birthday Mum didn't think twice.
After that, we went to the shopping centre for her to choose her present from Lola. She said she just want clothes so we went to TK Maxx.
You know it was lovely seeing Mum so happy watching her granddaughter while she's picking her clothes. You know Tia love her dresses. She picks 6 dresses and most of them are yellow. 😅
And here's the sweet part when she says thank you to Lola for buying her beautiful dresses. Thank you with precious kisses.
We bought her a new bike for our presents aside from the arts and crafts that we bought her. She was happy to open other gifts she received. Jigz bought her a lovely butterfly necklace from the money that he saves for her. That's really sweet.
And she got her unicorn cake and cupcakes. We had KFC instead of cooking as we were out.
She told me yesterday that it was the best day ever! And that she is very happy.
She must be very happy that this morning she told me,
**"Mommy, can I have another birthday tomorrow?"**
This must be true.
*Hahaha. No, Tia. You can't be possibly 7 tomorrow. We have to wait till next year again. Don't be too excited.*
Thank you for reading.
Jigen's Residential Trip at Share Discovery Village
**Share Discovery Village** is the largest residential activity centre here in Northern Ireland. Its 60-acre site is situated on the shores of Upper Lough Erne outside Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh just two hours from Comber. This amazing centre offers a wide variety of great activities for children. And Jigz together with his class in P7 will have the opportunity to create wonderful memories and unforgettable experiences since this is their last year in Primary.
They were off to Fermanagh on a Monday morning 7th March for a 5-day trip. Everyone is so excited and can't wait to reach their destination and begin their adventure at Share Village. While we, parents can only wait for updates and we are very pleased that the staff and school shared us with all the things that they are doing and what they are up to on that day. As soon as they reach their place and showed in their rooms, they went straight to different activities.
*I remember when I was at school we also have this residential trip called "field trip" but ours only for a day. We left school early in the morning and back home at night. We go on an educational trip, most of the time to museums and amusement parks I think the first amusement park that we went to is Star City. We live in the province and it feels like we go out of the country when we go to the city. I have many good memories of our field trips. I'm reminiscing while writing this. So before I start telling you mine, let's go back to Jigz.*
I'm sharing with you all these photos that the school shared with us. I hope you can also remember your school trip and share it in the comment.
Water Adventures
**Canoeing**
Jigz said, he enjoyed this the most. We have a house in front of the sea back home. Jigz knows how to sail a boat, is good at paddling and is a very good swimmer too.
Share Village has wonderful views of the Lough!
Land Challenges
**Archery**
**Mountain Biking**
**Bush Craft**
**Making Fire**
**Bushcrafter's Treat!**
**Combat Corps**
**Fussball**
**Biking**
Wall Climbing
Art Activities
**T-shirt Painting**
Team Games
And this one in the dark. I don't know what you call it. It looks fun and you have to trust the one in front of you lol.
You can see in all the photos that they are all having a good time. They went there for adventure and surely they get what they are hoping for. And now they have an unforgettable experience that they will cherish for the rest of their life.
And here they are before they leave on Friday 11th of March, 2022 wearing the shirt that they painted. As soon as Jigz came home he was flat out!
This time, I'm writing this article for Jigz. In the future, he will see this and remind him about the wonderful adventure he had in P7!
**My school trip was far from this. I wish I experienced this when I was young. How's your school trip? Do you still remember?**
Thank you for reading!
Life is Getting Tougher
***Life is beautiful and living is a gift. I know we should always be grateful and I know we are always trying to be.***
The Coronavirus is still here. The pandemic has not ended yet. Our hospitals all over the world are still under pressure maybe not as much when this starts. But many are still dying. Many are still out of their jobs. Many are still having a hard time putting food on the table and keeping the roof over their family's heads. The pandemic hit the world and we are all devastated beyond words. We thought that was the worst but the worst is yet to come.
Not even done with the virus, the cost of living went up. The electric, supermarket prices, oil, petrol, everything went up. It skyrockets! And what does it mean to the poor and middle class? When there's no job available, how are they going to provide? How will they keep themselves afloat?
We recently bought oil for heating the house. Just 1800 litres for 3 months cost us £1320! If this keeps going on, I don't know how can we cope. We don't have deep pockets. And the petrol? £1.79 this morning. £125 for a full tank!!!
And this war? You turn on the tv and watch the news. You can't help but feel sorry for the innocent civilians most especially the old and the young ones. In a shelter laying close to each other in a small room while their mothers can only watch them sleep while they think of the future of their beloved. All those died. All those have to fight for their country even they don't have proper training. All those scared for their lives. All those left their homes and flee to other countries and shelters some without their husband, some with their families broken by war. **For what?!**
I saw a child may be the age of Tia or even younger. He is crying while walking alone. No visible adult with him and also with the rest of the other Ukrainians trying to cross another country. It is so sad. It is so hard breaking.
Life is getting tougher. We know and we can feel it. The paper bills now feel like coins. And how hard to earn it and how quickly it goes. We can't even keep it in our hands for too long and sometimes it's already spent before we have it.
***Life is getting tougher so I say to you my friend that you should too. And don't let the adversities of life take away the heart in you.*** *Hardships shall pass. The economy will be back to its glory. We will have enough to cope. The pandemic will come to its end. The war will end in peace talk. We rebuild the house, we rebuild our lives. But for those who lost their lives and those who were left behind, I know acceptance will be hard. But I say that God above has a plan for everything and every one of us. May He consoles your heart.*
***It's easy to say and write but life is already tough. But darling, YOU ARE TOUGHER. You have a brave heart.***
Thank you for reading.
@tired_momma
