Moving on

Ah Clanettes. What a time lapse eh. I last posted from Scotland, and now I write from the Isle of Wight. A holiday sandwich!

To say I've had a time of it in the last 6 weeks, is to understate it, but I'm feeling a little more in control now. 

The Kiddicare store where I work is closing and I am being made redundant. I had major anxiety about it. The job is more than a job, it was my life support, my aim post surgery last year, it was my crutch during quiet days, it was my purpose and my colleagues are my friends. The thought of it not being there frightened me. I totally panicked. But I'm excited to say that I have found a new job, in a bicycle shop no less. They are giving me my own perfect hours and they are as excited to finally have a woman on the team as I am excited to be dealing with bikes and cycle mad people. This lady knows bike mad men!

I've been back to the hospital and had confirmation that my back isn't (wasn't) right. I'm not crazy!! Ok, I am, but you totes know what I mean. One of my screws was too close to a nerve, and I've since had an injection into the nerve. It has taken a while to settle, but it is so much better.

There are lots of life updates on the children and on Paul. So much to talk about.

I'm back peeps, don't worry x x x

Photo highlights

Here are the highlights of the last couple of weeks in pictures:

Out for dinner for Rachel's birthday

Work had a fundraising day

We all dressed up as superheroes and or princesses for the whole day - yes I really spent 9 hours on the shop floor with pants and a cape on!

And yes, Vikki really dressed up as Minnie Mouse!

Then after work a few of us went out for dinner and dancing - yet again I am wearing my fave dress and THOSE glasses!

We have dressed the house for Samhain

My parents came to visit with my brother in law and Leif, and I made her wear THOSE glasses!

I am loving my new seasonally spooky knit wear.

Love this captured shot of Niamh cross with Lochie.

Paul is away on business (in Lithuania!) and I am doing a juice fast. It's either juice or eat and drink - JUICE!

I have been cycling to and from work. It's only a 5 mile round trip, and on this pic I was soggy from a down pour, but it gives me a great sense of achievement.

It dawned on me last Sunday, mid mope, that I worked Thurs/Fri/Sat, cycled to and from work on two of those days, went dancing after work on Saturday and went for a run on Sunday morning. I am constantly frustrated with my lack of ability/mobility and then I suddenly remember what I can and am doing, and realise that I have so much to be grateful for.

I need to stop comparing myself to the old Sarah and appreciate the new Sarah - and the untested things she is yet to achieve!

My week in pictures

I have tried really hard this week to take a picture of one thing every day - sometimes a couple of things, sometimes just a 'selfie', but a picture nonetheless.

Its been a busy, HOT, one. I took an official stand this week, I drew a line in the sand (ok, there was no sand) but I did say 'enough is enough'. And whilst I can't share the details with you, and I may never be able to, I can say that I stood up for myself and whatever comes next, I did the right thing. Cryptic I know, but as I always say.. this is my blog.. about me! (If you know me personally, feel free to ask me next time I see you!)

Anyway.

Monday:
Look at the amazing tissues that Vikki treat me too. I do love a good skull!

Tuesday:
Zebra bunting for Elle's birthday! When I was recuperating, I knitted Lucy an 'Ugly cow horse' (what it lacked in beauty, it made up for in love!) anyway, at the time Elle jokingly challenged me to make her a zebra.. Zebra bunting much Elle?!

Wednesday:
I had lunch with Lucy today - they have now gone on holiday. Happy holiday Lucy!!
Bebe needed a super hero costume for school.. After a bit of faffing we hit upon the idea of mask.. Cue some cardboard, attached to some sunglasses.. and lots of glitter! As modelled by Niamh, mid photo bomb!

Thursday:
We took the toddlers to a local ruined Abby for a run around.

Friday:
Work!

Saturday:
Paul and Adam, with their charity hats on, came to the store and cycled on their turbo's for 6 hours to raise awareness for Neuroblastomo!!  Total combined mileage was 180.5!! And they raised over £150. They brought balloons, t shirts and an elephant costume.. Great!

Saturday night:
And in the evening, I went for a meal and cocktails to celebrate Elle's birthday, and non-hen night.

I always seem to wear this dress on a night out (like I go on many!!) but as Beyonce has Sacha Fierce, so I too have... Well, I'm not sure what her name is, but she deffo likes a tight leopard print dress and heels!

In league with Elle's hubby, Vikki and I set up a game of Mr and Mrs and obviously I needed my game show glasses and Bebe's barbie microphone..

 Cocktails...

 A selfie with Elle's sister, Sandy

 More cocktails..

Elle herself! HI ELLE! Loving your zebra corsage!

Sunday:
Ending on a bit of a high.. We had a fab family day today, and spent most of it swimming at Pauls gym. I went to the gym on my own late this afternoon and after my usual round of bike/cross trainer I hopped on the treadmill.. Its been a few weeks since I last tried and decided against running.. This Thursday sees me at 4 months post spinal fusion.. And today I ran. Ok, what I mean is I ran 1 min, walked 1 min, then ran 2mins, walked 1, ran 3 mins, walked 1 min.. and then continuously ran for 4 mins. That's 10 mins in total.. BLOODY AMAZING!! IN YOUR FACE SPINAL FUSION!!! I feel like this is something I can start building on maybe. It felt 'achievable' for the first time - rather than feeling like I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I'm not sure I'm making sense. But anyway. My fitness is good, my back felt solid, like I could train it to run again and 4 mins on the treadmill didn't kill me. Win!

I'm ending the week with another Selfie.

Personally I'm in a good place right now and I can't ask for more than that.
Thanks for reading xxx

The perfect pair

Our second breastfeeding blog poost went live on the Kiddicare site today... COmplete with photos from the old days - me feeding Bebe at a wedding in 2009 and me feeding Niamh on a cycling break in 2011!

Go take a look!!

http://blog.kiddicare.com/2013/07/booby-traps-the-truth-behind-breastfeeding-myths/

Weekend

Let me start by saying its been a HOT one! Our wall mounted thermometer showed 40 degrees C at 3pm this afternoon...! The kind of heat that hits you like a wall..!

Anyway. On Saturday I went to work like I 'always' do, this has become our norm and Paul and the kidlets have settled into their own routine on a Saturday. I had all my overtime paid last Friday and whilst obviously the money is a huge and massive bonus, I have realised that having a job is more than just money, and I am finding my sense of self worth. More than working the shop floor, which brings its own rewards, I am enjoying using my breastfeeding information sharing skills - Vikki and I are set to write our BF blog for Kiddicare right through to November (The next installment goes live very soon!) and we now have flyers on the shop floor.

In addition to the BF flyers, I littered the store with flyers for an event next Saturday that will see Paul and his colleague Adam, in their NB heroes guise, come into store for a charity cycle-athlon. 6 hours on a turbo trainer! KILLER if you ask me - and I know my turbo trainer.

Then on Sunday, Paul went to London to run the London 10K (also known as the British 10K - confusing!) so whilst he was running around London with his charity team, the kidlets and I set up a water slide in the garden.. then once they were amused, I, obviously, hopped on the turbo!

The water slide was a MASSIVE hit and amused them for most of the day - once they understood the action of propulsion that is!

Niamh likes to keep me company when I'm in the shed. And when I wasn't in the shed, I was busy with some sewing - to be revealed soon!

Only a week and a half to the 6 week summer holidays! I am looking forward to having no weekday routine.. I am dreading having no weekday routine :-)

Thanks for reading Clanettes x x

Carnival

A few colleagues and I went to the Hedge End carnival yesterday to promote our store (Something I was tasked with pulling together only 48 hrs earlier..!). It was hot, sweaty, hard work, there was nothing glamorous about work yesterday - but it was GREAT FUN!

After the parade we manned a 'stall' at the fete. I was dead on my feet, full of pain killers by the end of my shift, but further proof, if I ever needed it, of how well I am! How normal to go to work and walk in the parade. How fabulously, gloriously, excitingly, mundane! LOVED it!

MoJo

Being on my bike briefly at the weekend was such a boost for me. I feel like it restored a bit of my missing Mojo. Since posting about re-evaluating my goals too, I have taken some pressure off myself and given myself a little room to breathe.

By the time we reach this coming Saturday, I will have completed a 14 day stretch that will have seen me work 7 of those 14 days, in 2 blocks of 3 and 4 days, I will have been to the gym on average every 2 days and mixed it up by agreeing to handfast (marry) friends of ours in August, looked after a poorly Bebe (bronchitis), spent a lovely visit from my fabulous parents and been on a night out.. Not so hardcore for many of you, sure, but that's a busy old time for me. Further proof of my continuing return to form.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe I don't need to be able to swim, bike and run in a specific order to have a sense of myself. Giving myself permission to go to the gym and sweat profusely just for an endorphin high, and to burn off indulgent puddings doesn't seem so hard. I want to maintain this ideal weight that I've found AND eat my cake. The gym allows me that. I want to work over time and buy fake tan. Work allows me that. I want to Mummy my children, cook and sew and pretend I'm an old fashioned house wife. My family allows me that.

I think I'm in a good place to hang out for a while. Maybe I'll stop and smell the roses a bit. Worrying that I'll never be able to run again can wait for another day.

Thanks for reading xxx

The perfect pair

 Vikki and I are live on the Kiddicare website, with our 'Top ten perky tips'!!

 Go and read the article here

Scroll down the 'contributors' page to see us gun slinging, here.

We are looking to write on different breastfeeding topics every three-ish weeks, so keep checking over there for more updates. Tee hee x x