My Year - 31st July - Toys R Us

It is my nephew Connor's birthday today and so I had to venture into Toys R Us to try and find something for a present for him. I know what to buy little girls, but boys are a whole different matter. In the end I got him some transformer toy and of course, Zoe just "had" to have another puzzle - a Noddy one.

My Year - 30th July - Put me to sleep

Aargh what is happening to me? All of sudden on Monday night, my vision went all blurry and I had the most horrible headache. I went to bed at 8.30pm and fell straight to sleep until morning. I felt quite groggy the next day. Then today the same thing has happened - I got Zoe to nursery and suddenly my vision went again. I went to work but came home as I felt so ill. I went to bed and slept all day. Is that a migraine?

My Year - 29th July - Poorly Wrist

I went to the doctors today about my wrist. I hit Gavin at work about 3 weeks ago and caught my wrist bone on the face of his watch. It didn't hurt at the time but it started to hurt the next day and hasn't really eased up. The doctor thinks I have damaged some tissues between the two bones in the wrist - I have to wear a support and take anti-inflammatories for the next 2 weeks - oh and rest it!!!

My Year - 28th July - Another Jodi

I enjoyed My Sister's Keeper so much that I have bought another one of Jodi Picoult's books. I have only just started it but it has captured me already. I love her books - they are so easy to lose yourself in.

My Year - 27th July - Virgin Vie

My goodies from the Virgin Vie party last week arrived today. I bought some Guardian Angel skin cream and a powder foundation called One Step Face Base. The skin cream is meant to be fantastic for dry patches - we will see!

My Year - 26th July - Cousins

This is Zoe and Connor. They don't see each other very often but they get on so well. There is 18 months difference between them. I love this photo - I was using my zoom lens and was quite a distance away from them - I wonder what they are talking about?

My Year - 25th July - Flowers

Having done the photography for Joe's wedding I thought I would use some of my favourite ones for this project. This is Sarah's bouquet - just a small and simple bouquet of roses and gerberas. The bright colours were lovely against the green of her dress.

My Year - 24th July - The Wedding

Today was my brother's wedding to Sarah. They have known each other since school and met up again a few years ago. It was a lovely small and intimate ceremony and then lunch at The Salterns Hotel. We all had a fabulous day. Sarah looked stunning in her lime green dress. I was in charge of the photography.

My Year - 23rd July - Joe's Wedding Eve

In preparation for Joe's wedding tomorrow, I have had the day off work and had my hair cut and dyed. I have been into town and bought new shoes and a matching bag. Unfortunately the shoes were tagged together and so I couldn't try them on properly. When I got them home, they are too big and slip off my feet when I walk in them. I will keep the bag though! It does match some old shoes that I will be now wearing!

My Year - 22nd July - Little Miss

I am doing an album on Zoe's Favourite Things for the July challenge over on Digi Chick and today's prompt is her favourite book. Well this is easy and it is any of the Little Miss Books although I think Little Miss Scary is still her favourite.

My Year - 21st July - It continues...

My healthy eating continues with eating lots of fruit and cutting down on the rubbish foods, but I don't seem to be losing any weight - I am just static and I can't shift anymore. Drastic action may be called for - E-X-E-R-C-I-S-E!!!! Argh!!!!

My Year - 20th July - A Sad Book

This book is brilliant but so very sad and I have only just started it. It has been made into a film and I keep hearing people raving about it, so I thought I would try reading the book. It is fab but it really makes you think. It makes me want to hug Zoe really tight to keep her safe.

Scrap Like You Mean It - Week 29 - Scrap with three

This week, Shimelle challenged us to scrap in threes. I used lesson 12 of Jessica Sprague's Frame Up and Special Effects course to make a 3 photo story board. The papers are from Total Papercraft's July kit.

My Year - 19th July - Bike Riding

James has been trying to encourage Zoe to ride her bike. It took a trip to Halfords for a new bell and some spokey dokies. But from hating riding her bike, she has now been down to the sorting office on it to post some letters. I was expecting them to come back with James pushing the bike and Zoe walking and sulking beside him - but no, she has come zooming across the road busy trilling her bell. This photo is pre-bell and spokey-dokies.

My Year - 18th July - Rainy July

It seems to have been raining for so long now. What has happened to our summer? I thought we were meant to be having a really hot one this year but July has been very wet. This is a photo of a Busy Lizzie in mum's garden in the rain.

My Year - 17th July - A Day at Mum's

Today we spent the day at my mum's and had a lovely roast lamb lunch. Her garden is looking lovely so I took a few photos. This is a water lily in her pond.

My Year - 16th July - Winner

I have been to a Virgin Vie party. We played a malteaser game where you had to roll a dice with colours on and if you landed on the chosen colour then you had to try sucking up malteasers using a straw. You had to keep going until the next person rolled the right colour. Nobody seemed able to suck up the malteasers. The person with the most malteasers won - and that was me - I got 13 malteasers. Was very funny. I won an eyeshadow compact for the malteaser game and I also won a £10 voucher in the raffle so I bought some yummy goodies quite cheaply.

My Year - 15th July - Bargains

I went into Hobbycraft today to buy a new art book for my Photo A Day project and saw that they were selling own branded mini guillotines half price. It was £11.99 but then it was £5.99 in the sale and then ofcourse I get a further 25% staff discount on that too. So a bargain at £4.49!!! I treated myself to a new pair of scissors too.

My Year - 14th July - Sports Day

Zoe had her nursery sports day today and she got 2 certificates - one for taking part in the hoop race and for coming third in the team running race.

Scrap Like You Mean It - Week 28 - Scrap with thread

This was a bit difficult as most of my crafting stash is packed away in the loft and all my thread is up there, so I had to do a bit of a cheat and use wool type thread.

Scrap Like You Mean It - Week 27 - Scrap a happy story

Was a bit behind on the SLYMI challenge but caught up today having had a sneaky day off work! Week 27 was to scrap a happy story - well I had to do the story of hedgehog antics on our 365 retreat. Basically whilst waiting for dinner to cook, I nicked Kath's camera and her hedgehogs and went off around the cottage and grounds to take some sneaky photos.

My Year - 13th July - Complete!!

The flat has finally exchanged and completed and now we are officially in the renting market. Luckily our buyer agreed to rent it back to us until we get our new house.

My Year - 12th July - Wedding Shoes

We have been shopping today to get new outfits for the wedding. It is going to be very informal but Zoe didn't really have anything suitable so she now has a new skirt, top and cardigan and these lovely sparkly shoes.

My Year - 11th July - Sister in Law

My brother is getting married for the third time at the end of July and it was his wife-to-be's hen do. We went to Poole Quay and had dinner in La Lupas. We all had a great time - the italian waiters are all very flirtacious making sure the ladies have a good time. Of course we had to dress her up as the hen!

My Year - 10th July - Writing

Whilst I was busy ironing, Zoe was drawing and doing some colouring in. She came up to me and handed me this. Her name - pretty perfectly written. Not bad considering she is only 3 and a half. It now has pride of place on the fridge door!

My Year - 9th July - Wake Up Zoe

I have been looking for a clock for Zoe for ages. I found this on line and it is brilliant. It is a night light and then at a certain time, you can set it to turn green - then she knows it is ok for her to get up. As she grows up it will teach her the time too with digital and hands. It was quite expensive but it worked this morning. She woke up but because the clock was still yellow, she laid in bed and read and then when it went green at 7.30am she got up.

My Year - 8th July - Comfort Eating

Crikey house buying and selling is so, so stressful. I had to stop in Asda's tonight to get something for tea and fancied a sweetie or two to cheer me up. Trouble is, Zoe kept piling more and more into the basket - and who was I to argue?

My Year - 7th July - Reading Again

I used to read all the time but just don't seem to do it anymore. I have not been feeling too well for a few days and so have been having early nights. I love getting into my pyjamas and lie on the bed reading a good book. This is my latest read. A good bit of mindless chick lit!

My Year - 6th July - Lego Girl

I was busy doing the ironing when Zoe came up to show me what she had made with the Lego. It may not be a big building but I thought it was quite clever that she has covered the whole board with the same shape pieces. She then decided to hide it to show it Daddy when he got home.

My Year - 5th July - Jammin'

After a few drinks at the barbeque, the guitars came out. I love to hear guitars being played, but unfortunately a few too many drinks had been consumed to get any sweet, sweet music.

My Year - 4th July - A bug's life

We went to a barbeque at Darina and David's and whilst we were all sat eating lunch, this little bug came to see what we were all doing. Linda was all for squashing him but I wouldn't let her. Isn't he cute?

My Year - 3rd July - Broken

Argh I was using my beloved Making Memories paper trimmer this morning when I heard an awful cracking sound. The paper grip had snapped at one end and now moves all the time when you try to cut any paper. Have e-mailed their customer services in the hope that I can buy another one.

My Year - 2nd July - One step closer

Today we had to go to the solicitors to sign some paperwork for the sale of the flat and for the solicitor to confirm our identities. We are hoping to exchange and complete next week. i sneaked this photo whilst sat in the car waiting for our appointment.

My Year - 1st July - Nesty Storage

In preparation for my craft room in the new house, I am busy planning how I will store everything as everything must have it’s home in there. Sheila had a fab storage idea for Nestabilities – so I am going to pinch her idea – I have the magnets – now just to put them all together.