Tuesday 13 October 2009

Hello, long time no see!

Hi everyone, its been such a long time since I last wrote a post, but its such a beautiful autumn day here in Cardiff that it has inspired me to start blogging again! I have been checking on you all to keep up with everyone so its about time I pulled my finger out too!!
This lot have been keeping me busy, most school days I'm like a cart horse, carrying various lunch bags, reading bags, p.e kits etc, (why is that they all seem to read and do p.e on the same day) which normally means 3/4 bags each, obviously mum ends up carrying most of them!! One day last week Max had netball (yes boys play now) cross country, rugby training and a football match, how did he manage to do his lessons too? Louie had also started violin so yet another thing for me to lug around!! HELP!!!!
I have stopped running my own little business and since May I have been a Jamie At Home consultant, I absolutely love it. Anyone who doesnt know what this is as it still is a very new comopany (set up in March this year) Jamie Oliver has started a direct selling company! The products are fantastic and there is something for everyone, you don't have to be a fantastic cook (Im most certainly not) Here is Mason kindly modelling the childrens chef outfit!
If you havent been to a party yet I certainly suggest you try and find your local consultant and have one, Jamie comes via DVD and has a chat and shows you a recipie, its great fun!!
The host gets 15% of the total party taken to choose any thing they want from the fantastic catalogue!! If anyone is interested in joining as a consultant just leave me a comment and I'll pass your details to head office!!

Through the summer we began to renovate the garden, we have had problems with it flooding due to it being lower than everyone elses's in the road, either side of us had the same problem so raised their's leaving ours to gather everyone else's rain flow! So after waking up to the below pic Steve decided to raise ours.
Yuk!
He did it all himself, shifting all the top soil from front to back (our lovely neighbours all offered to help but he was happy to do it himself)
leaving us with a lovely even flat garden, its still like this as were not sure of a design yet but also thinking that whilst the boys are still kicking balls around a playing cricket prehaps its best to keep it like this for now!
We also made over the patio area its such a great size and the back of the house has been painted, it looked so dreary before it was painted!
Before
After
We love it, its added another room almost to the house as we use it all the time, even on crisp cold days like today!!
Claire xx

19 comments:

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

Welcome back!

Our old Pampered Chef consultant now does Jamie at Home instead. I've heard lots of good things.

Victoria xx

No one is you ...& that's your power said...

Welcome back!Its me rosesposes(Dominique). I am now a decluttered life! title pretty much says it all. Well done at becoming a Jamie at home consultant. We have a Jamie at home shop here in Brighton its very yummy and nice. You can go in and cook a dish and take it home. I love the Jamie tea towels and homewares all lovely.
garden and back of your house looks lovely. a good job done and I expect it was very hard work too.Glad you are back!, we all have to take a break sometimesx Dom

Lesley (Notesfrommydays) said...

yay lovely to see you back!!! i have the same parasol as you - great minds think alike and all that ;-)
the deck looks fab and your boys are so cute!!
keep up the blogging you have been missed x

Mary Poppins said...

*Whoop* it is so lovely to see you back, Lesley is right we have all been wondering how you are :) The boys are looking cute as is the gorgeous back garden of yours, wow, it is wonderful, have you painted all of the house, it is a lovely colour. We would love to do something similar with ours, though best concentrate on the inside first ;)

The Jamie at home job sounds cool, well done :)

Welcome back

Hugs

Mary

X

LissyLou said...

Lovely to see you back!!
Gardens looking great. I've never heard of jamie at home consultants before - i must tell my friend she'd love that x

mollycupcakes said...

Hello lovely lady,
good to have you back Claire.
You've been missed.
Looks like you've been very busy. the garden looks great and no more floats.
I know how you feel about the pack horse feeeling lol Molly's only just at big school and already i have to take an extra bag with me for all the stuff she brings out. And Daisy at playgroup lol it's normally huge creations made from old boxes. Sigh! you gotta love her lol
Glad the new job is going well, i hadn't heard of it. But it sounds good fun and well as a little earner.
Hope to catch up soon sweetie.
Hugs,
Catherine x

MelMel said...

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

lovely to see you back!

I'll be back later to catch up...xxxx

Carol said...

So great to have you back!
wow what a great job he has done. The lawn looks fantastic as does the decking, you must be so chuffed.
Jamie At home consultant sounds very interesting....perhaps you could email me and tell me more...please.

Yogihan said...

Welcome back Claire! What an amazing transformation in your garden - inspiring!
x

Beki said...

Yay, i'm your 100th follower!
Jamie at home sounds great, hope it goes well for you.
Your garden looks fantastic!
((hugs))
Beki xxx

Summer Blue said...

Great to see you back in blogland!
You've been really busy, no wonder the blogging had to be on hold!!
The garden looks fantastic and I'm LOVING the decking patio area and your lovely outside furniture.
Jane. x

prettyshabby said...

hello again you! I've been checking in on those Easter bunnies and had almost given up hope of you returning!I've been wondering how your house was coming along and how you and your boys are.How nice to hear from you again..twice! I loved your messages, thankyou. Know what you mean about bloggers block, my posts are few and far between at the mo..I've loved reading everyones look-a-like tales..You lucky thing , sharleen and Cindy..although, my hubby has a 'thing' for Liza Tarbuck he thinks she's rather gorgeous and funny...but dont get me started on weight gain though..(says she..4 stone later..eeek!)Anyway, anyone who reads this will wonder what an earth this has got to do with anything you have written on your blog, I think your garden and deck is looking rather fabulous, well done to your chap Steve, I know what hard work leveling is,completely knackering! and your new job sounds fun, I do quite like Jamie O,(I have a fab union Jack mug designed by him) have you been following his series in the usa? Can't cook for the life of me but I quite like to watch others doing it. Lovely that you have returned again..sorry I've waffled on a bit but you have been missed! x
(and yes, I do still work in the gift shop..2 days there and then four days gardening) have a lovely week x

Vanilla Press said...

Hello!! Welcome back!! I am so happy that you started blogging again..I love your blog.
Your garden looks so fabulous & I love that decking with the Parasol, looks divine.
Looking forward to keeping up with your posts.
Take care
Jas
x

Vanilla Press said...

Hey again!
Yes...I would definitely consider living there, there is so much to do with the kids.
Unfortunately never got to NY, we were only there for 6 days...& financially...
but maybe next time!
My hubby is there for a month to 6 weeks from monday (sniff..) but will hopefully make a short trip home in between that time!

You take care & have a great weekend too
xx

MelMel said...

Hello!
I'm so gald you're doing the childminding course...well done you, its a lovely job!

The program is the wartime one...I'm so excited!!
AND you live near the set...flipping heck, they would be fighting to keep me out of the houses, I'd so want to play!!

Please try to pinch me a bread bin!!lol!!!

Oh you lucky lady!
Did the neighbour enjoy doing it?
What great fun!xxx

Anonymous said...

Great to have you back! Love the before and after photos, looks like a lot of hard work but definitely worth it!

Unknown said...

Hi Claire, lovely to see you again!!

Thanks so much for your lovely comments on my blog, nice to hear from you. We definitely have a lot in common don't we...Cardiff, New York City....and Paolo....I wasn't sure anyone would even have heard of him!!!

Nice to see some sunshine in Cardiff in your photo - and your garden and deck look great, lot of hard work there!

Happy Friday!
Simone

Carol said...

Me again...I did send you an email but not sure if your got it?
Anyway have another go if you have time.
Cx

Amanda and Tim said...

WOW you HAVE been busy!! The garden looks fantastic, truly it does!! And Jamie at Home?? I never knew it existed but it sounds like a lot of fun! Of course I have a little bit of a dislike for Jamie as he is opening a new restaurant in what used to be the tourist office part of the Guildhall, meaning we were kicked out of a beautiful large, airy room for a cramped, no air, no natural light room :o( of course it isn't his fault, but still... (I'll get over it!!) we loved his American show though so I'm beginning to find more of a fondest for him again.

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