Nobody said it was easy....

We had some news that rocked our whole family recently. Our lovely mother has once again been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Its amazing how when someone close to you is struck with an illness or disease you quickly realise what is important in your life and it always turns out that it is not that much! We would all live in a tent and eat carrots for the rest of out lives if my mum could be OK.

Me and Gareth have never had loads of money (we chose to have children instead of being rich) and when things like this happen you realise that money does not matter at all.

My mums diagnoses is so far so good and we are praying every day for her, she is an amazing woman, no one comes close to her and we are confident she will be ok. Its been lovely to see my Dad with her, they have an amazing relationship, they celebrate 40 years of marriage in a few months and are an inspiration that they are still so close and strong as a couple. Me and Gareth celebrate 10 years of being together soon, and we think we have a good marriage too, I hope we are still the same in another 30!

Our kids are great at the moment, 3 of them turning a year older in the last few weeks, Daisy 3, Billy 16 and Ava is 5 next week. We never planned any of them and maybe planning would have ensured their birthdays where a little more spread out! Billy has passed his first round of Army exams and is waiting for the next stage. When he turned 16 it was a strange and

emotional time for us all, he is the exact same age I was when I had him, I remember when I had him saying he'd be half my age when I was 32 and here we are! We made it!

The pic was in the Yorkshire evening post when I was 16.

Alfie has been given a speaking part in the school production he's doing really well, . He's one of 4 boys in the whole school that went forward to take part in the production so I was proud he went for it, not easy when your 8! He still loves football and is quite good at it, he scored 2 goals last week. Ava is 5 next week and we are having a small party after school for her friends, I wasn't surprised when her teacher gave me the list of her friends and out of 10 children 7 are boys. I was the same at primary school, girls used to annoy me and to some extent they still do!! (ha ha) She

is a great little reader and is progressing really well with it. She's still full of 'it'. I am yet to work out what 'it' is. But she keeps us on our toes! Dot is just happy to be part of it all, she's grown a bit and now fits into age 2 clothing nicely. She loves wursewy (nursery) and is coming out of her little shell there. I walked into her and Ava's bedroom last week and she was all tucked up in the dolls cot (Ava was playing mum) and when I asked if she was ok she said, 'Mummy, I don't want to be the little sister anymore' Poor Dot!

The caravan is coming along nicely this week, me and Gareth got an urge to finish it so he's been painting it and i have made almost all the curtains, it will look lush! The outside it a bit shabby so I am looking into hand painting bunting all the way around it to make it more chic!

My course is going well, somehow I managed to get the second highest mark in the group for our last essay, I still don't know how but hopefully something in my brain has switched on and I will do ok, health visiting is the best job I could ever do, I love my placement days and I hope I can get through the next lot of exams and essays, right now they feel like the biggest mountain I have ever climbed but I will take it one day at a time! Its such a nice thing for me and Gareth as throughout our time together we have both been so unhappy with our jobs and have both changed careers completely, Gareth loves being a Police man, he's never been happier and hopefully another 18 months on this course and i'll be the same!!

Apart from all that I am longing for summer days............

Another day another dollar!

Its been ages again since I wrote on here but nothing could have prepared me for the complete change of life that took over our family last September! That change comes in the shape of a Masters in Public Health.
We have never been busier in the Bennett household but I am loving the course and that is spurring me on to do well. I work with a lovely Health visitor once a week who is slowly becoming my second mum- we laugh all day long, I should be there for 2 years so itslovely that we get on so well. I am in a really deprived area and have been shocked at the poverty I have seen but I love helping the ones we can and really think I am in the right job which I have never thought before in all my life. However I have to get through the course first which is the hardest thing I have ever done, I am just doing my best I hope that it will all work out in the end.

Billy has had his last Christmas at school, he has applied for the Marines and is waiting to hear if he has got to the next stage, after many tears and tantrums (from me) I do hope he gets through as he really wants it and having all that motivation at 15 is rare. All in all he's a good egg!

Alfie is 8 now and remains (most of the time) a lovely little lad. he loves football, cars and playmobil. He was amazed today that his friend didn't know what the M62 was. 'Imagine that' he said. Blesshim-that's all I can do!

Ava is almost 5 and loves school more than anything in the world. She is really bright and reads her books every night. Her being my first girl through school I can definitely see the difference, she is really motivated and never needs asking to get her books out. She continues to have a 'strong personality' and challenges us most days but I would not have her any other way!

Daisy is 3 in a few weeks and is much the same. She has got louder but not much bigger. She told me this morning she was older but not bigger, she got it spot on!! She has moved to the big room at nursery and really enjoys it.

Despite the busy household we've still managed to do some lovely things and even bought a caravan ! We are doing it up when we get time and aim to take it on holiday from april. I would like it to look like the picture but not sure if we will achieve it, I have the material and the oilcloth but not the time! Its painted now inside so as soon as have a few days to get my sewing machine outI will try finish it off!!

We have had the best Christmas ever on record! Me and Gareth spent 10 full days off together and it was so lovely. We had lazy days, lovely food and drink with both sides of the families.

Its all back to it this week but we didn't mind. I think we were in slight danger of becoming hermits.

There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead...

..until her big sister cut it off!!
We've had a funny old week in the Bennett household. It would seem Ava see's her 4 year old self as the new Vidal Sassoon. Twice this week she has got out the scissors and cut firstly Daisy's hair, then her own.
Gareth said to Daisy 'your little curl on your forehead is lovely' the next thing the said curl was on our bed.
Sibling rivalry afoot at the Bennetts? or just playing? who knows!
The next day Ava climbed up to a unit in the bathroom (before you all say why didn't you move the scissors out of her reach) and this time got 2 pairs of scissors and cut Daisy's hair once more, and her own! So the fringe I have spent 2 years growing out is with us once again. It will grow back...

Its life Jim but not as we know it....

Its been another few months since I wrote this, I was going to stop doing it, but reading the things they have done in the past its actually lovely as you forget very easily.
Right now in my life have never been happier! I am starting a course in September to become a Health Visitor. I'v wanted to do this for a while but its the right time now with the kids etc. I spent a few hours with the Health visitors last week and loved it- absolutely loved it! There is a specialist teenage mums unit and eventually thats where I want to be, then retire and foster a million children.
Gareth is doing great in his job, he's had an appraisal and is doing really well. I am so proud of him, he worked in a job he hated for so long and completely turned it around to do something he wanted to do and it has paid off. The kids are great, hard work as always, but great. Ava starts school in September and she is over the moon! Its kinda sad as its the end of an era-but on with next phase of my life and hers. The school will be cursing the day they asked me to personalise her cardigans and book bags! Don't think they know me very well!
Alfie is performing in Robin Hood this afternoon and over the next few days, we are taking it in turns to see him so one of us is at every performance! He loves acting and has a line to say which we all now know off by heart.
He has started playing football and is actually very good at it! Bill is doing well at school , he is a bright boy and when he gets his GSCE results I can finally relax and smile inside at all the people who doubted me as a young mum! He is the same age I was when I got pregnant which looking at how young he can be at times is very scary! We have come a long way !
Daisy is lovely, finding her voice and learning to shout in order to be heard. She is so caring, I have found her in the last few weeks caring for a playmobil tiny baby and a key! She thinks they are her babies and cuddles them as they are crying!
Jean her key worker at nursery told me she had carried half a crayon around nursery for a full day doing the same! She wouldn't let anyone put it down.
I am still busy on eBay and hope I don't have to give it up when I go to Uni.
My door handles are very popular and I have been selling them for over 18 months now and they are still going strong. The pic is of a selection of the patterns I do!

What a difference a day makes....

Well its been along time, almost a year- which I cannot believe since I came on here. lots of things have changed!
Gareth is a fully fledged officer of the law and doing very well although he will never say anything of the sort!
He has so far passed every course with flying colours. I have been off work for 1 thing and another but this last few weeks has seen a turn around in my self! I am working in a different place now and its all A-okay.
Home life is better than ever at the moment. Kids lovely, usual hard work but usual loveliness.

Billy is training with York City, he is taller than me and turning into a lovely young man. Its hard work for all of us at times but to date Billy is my greatest achievement! When he is 18 and not an alcoholic drug taking father of 10 then I will finally rest. He has his 15th birthday this week and we had all our lovely family around for food tea and birthday cake-as my mum says 'you can't bottle it'. We are a very close family which annoys others at times but we are so content sitting, drinking tea and putting the world to rights and i love it all!

Alfie's doing well, he's got a lovely Valentine from a girl at school, Daniella, he bought her 1 back as I said if he didn't she would be scarred for life. He's just taken part in one true voice Choir with school and sang at Sheffield Arena, his school was behind a giant speaker so not the best view but next year he will be the main act!!

Ava's loving nursery and all it brings. I was told by her nursery teacher that she looks around to see who is playing alone and goes and gets them to join in. How lovely !! I had to reinforce we were talking about my child as she is not like that at home but indeed she was. She's the girliest girl of them all and I love it! The pinker and sparklier the better- and I quite agree!! Santa gave her her first Cath bag for christmas and she carries several (of my) lip glosses around in it with a selection of my jewellery and rings.

Daisy dot's still a dot, I just bought her some jeans today and decided to try them on her as all the ones that I have bought her in the past are up to her armpits and travel the length of the floor when he has them on. So i tried them on and ended up buying her 6-12 months! love her ! she is 2 now and plays lovely with Alfie and Ava, they play great games and I love that their imagination runs wild just like I did with my sisters, their bedroom can be anything from a football pitch to a school and bakery!! Daisy's very bright and says loads, 4th child syndrome apparently as she listens to all the others and picks it up. She has a little lisp which most kids do but its lovely! She's been washing up today and got wet 'i'm soaked' she kept saying with her little lisp! Cuteness in a bundle and once again 'you can't bottle it'

The picture is of my new home, me and Gareth are going to live in it when the kids leave as its only 1 bedroom.

Peace be shattered

We've had a lovely week, Ava and Daisy have been away and we've managed to catch up on silly jobs and enjoy ourselves too. Gareth finished his 4000 word essay, only 1 more to go and he's done!Ava and Daisy came home and its lovely to see them, they've had a great time. We've been to the park today, had a picnic and then came home and chalked Alfie a road out on the driveway. He want me to do a countdown for when he can drive/ buy his own car. I'v told him its over 4 thousand sleeps but he wasn't amused. He's such a sensible child, he's enjoyed the park but spends all his time worried about Ava and Daisy. I'v had to tell him he's not there parent but I think its deep in his nature to care and secretly I know theres always someone taking better care of them than me sometimes! Ava's back with a storm, I forgot how deep and Yorkshire her voice is as she's shouting to Billy playing football on the field, every Billy in a 100 mile radius turns round.

I've been crafting again today! I'm never happier than when I'm crafting! I sell some bits on eBay but never have time to keep up the orders so when Daisy's at nursery its something I'll do moreI made this for my eldest sister, Emma, her surnames Day so its a play on that.

I've been packing for Ava and Daisy they're going away tomorrow for 4 nights with Gareth's Mum and Dad, I'm looking forward to it and am very blessed having such generous in laws. I'm going to decorate and meet my Mum, Dad and sisters in York on Thursday for a brew, chat and shop and none of us are taking any children!! Its been ages since we had an unbroken conversation or a sit down without the cry of 'I need the loo' or 'I'm 'ungry!' I can't wait, going to Cath Kidston shop too! I will miss the kids but my wise old parents who do say some good things! often tell us that as parents its important that we don't forget our husbands and that relationship, as children will eventually fly the nest, so its important to keep a relationship with your partner that's not based around the kids, and I couldn't agree more! Gareth calls it 'keeping the dream alive!', remembering all the nice things that day to day can get lost in snotty noses, dirty nappies and hormonal teens arguing about every thing that is ever possible to argue about. So we're gonna have a good week, and Ava and Daisy will too!
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This is a photo of Freddie, he's a rescue dog. He lived with an old man for years and was going to get put down when the old man died. He's about 6. Because he lived with one person for so long he must think he has joined the circus living with us. He is slowly getting used to Daisy using him as a prop to stand herself up and Ava dressing him in tu tu's or trying to get in his cage with him. He takes it all in his stride though. For those of you who know me well I am not a dog person at all, I think its something your born with and that gene missed me but freddie is nice except the barking irritates me, he's house trained and obediant so thats a good start to any friendship!

Theres no mistake I smell that smell its that time of year again!

Gareth is on his 2nd of 4 lates and when he first started I used to find it hard being home alone for 4 days with the 4 kids!
A wise not old woman AKA Sheila White AKA My mum! told me that you can not change a situation just yourself! Wise words they were! She is very right indeed, so a regularly used saying for me is 'crack on' and if I feel low and fed up I get up and 'crack on' and usually find that attitude sorts the day out! Today's been a nice day, Alfie and Ava arguing alot as Alfie tells me she's not a nice sister, I agree with him, she's not at times, but as I explained to him were stuck with her! She's helped cook tea (She likes adding the 'erbs and spices-she's very Yorkshire)
We took the dog for a walk. He is so frisky, much like most men I suspect, but little Alf nearly lost his arm when he tried running after another dog! I am going to ring Monday to get him 'done' once and for all!
Billy's been at the park all day, every time the sun comes out Billy gets up with his footie and go's out all day and comes back with the best tan in the world. He's so brown!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and that last photo is obviously my ironing, just liked it, 4 kids = massive ironing, thats just Ava and dots. (daisy!)

The sun is shining and Alfie and Ava are playing mums and day, alf's the mum ava's the dad. I am painting and crafting and trying a bit of new stuff today!'v just done this set of letters with Cath kidston tissue paper, took me 50 years and is very tricky, but i'm happy!
Lovely day x

So thats my lot, well apart from the 2 chickens, 2 cats, 1 dog and my Husband Gareth! I hope to write this once a week with little titbits, lifes not always easy and sometimes I'd like to hang them all up on the washing line by their toes for a cup of tea in peace but on the hole its good times!

and whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed!!

Little Alf! a lovely sensitive soul who adores cars and his Dad! He has lots of friends and is a real help! He worries alot and cares for his 2 sisters better than me. He loves his sleep and can't manage much past 7pm. He's very much like Daisy, laid back and easy going.

so she gave them all broth without any bread

Ava! She is 3 and full to the brim of life, very much like Billy but in female form and loves Pink, which makes her old mum proud. She has tantrums to make your toes curl but they seem to be going now. She's a girls dream and i really love having the mix of boys and girls i am truly blessed!!

she had so many children she didn't know what to do..

This is Billy, 14 and full to the brim of hormones. I remember it well! He's a boys boy and loves all things to do with footballs and muck! He's growing up fast and this has helped me enjoy the yongest as I realise how quick life goes bye. He's clever and handsome and I hope one day he makes me the millions I deserve.

There Was An Old Woman Who Lived In a Shoe

This is Daisy, she was 1 in January and is an absolute dream, she has renewed my faith in babies, I'd have had ten if she was my first. She smiles every day and is a joy to behold, my Mum calls her a little drop from heaven and I think it suits her to a tee!

Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy

We've been up in the night with Ava and we are very tired today! Its Gareth first day off and so its a shame we're tired but we have learnt that family life is not to be predicted so to 'crack on' we went to Temple Newsam in the sun an had a lovely time. Ava tells me she's been here before-(yestormorrow) and Daisy took steps with daisy's behind her ears! ( Billy picked some and put them there) it was a lovely day and everthings so much nicer when the sun shines!