Monday 27 February 2012

The House Of Two Teens!!

I have to say that being recently prescribed medication to reduce my blood pressure could not have been more timely!!

Saturday saw my baby boy turn thirteen & it was almost as if his older brother saw fit to ‘show him the ropes’ of being a terrible teen, throughout the entire day!  interspersed between card openings, breakfast, gift openings, a very pleasant trip to a local outlet centre (to spend his ‘burning-a-hole-in-my-pocket’ birthday money on clothes) & a birthday tea, were bouts of bickering, abuse & general wind-up sessions in varying degrees of intensity & volume!!  Is it just boys that do this?

2 February  
That said, all in all I think Nathan enjoyed his day & did very well in the gift department! It really was a pleasure watching him choose a selection of T-shirts, a hoodie & some high-top Nike trainers, always attracted to bright colours & of course the ‘right’ brands! Thank goodness for T.K.Maxx & being able to find five items for the original price of one!!  I wish they’d been around when I was a teen!!

I was very canny when it came to his birthday cake & suggested that instead of the usual large cake, that I bake a batch of cupcakes. My ulterior motive being that it’s easier to ‘Pro-point’ an individual portion that way!! A slice can be….well a slice…or a s-l-i-c-e!!!! If you know what I mean?!!!! So, I was able to enjoy a birthday cupcake (or two!) & still stay well within my daily allowance!! :)

As far as ‘Move More Eat Well’ is concerned, February has proved, not unexpectedly, to be a bit of a challenge! I’m certainly moving more but the eating well hit a glitch just after I was told that my ‘Op’ had to be postponed! The good news is I haven’t gained any weight, the bad news is up until last Wednesday I hadn’t lost any more either!!!

BUT…a much appreciated outcome of my last BP check-up was a GP referral to Weight Watchers, funded by the NHS!!  So, last Wednesday I went along to class & have been so ‘In Control’ ever since! I have negotiated an evening out with the girls as well as Nathans birthday without a single slip! Weigh in is on Wednesday mornings, so I can’t wait to see what the scales will say this week!! Maybe February’s ‘Move More Eat Well’ album pages won’t look like such a disaster after all?!!!

I also have my next BP check-up on Wednesday afternoon, so keep everything crossed for me!! I so want my BP to be low enough for my shoulder surgery to go ahead & for life to return to some semblance of normality!

I’ve nothing scrappy to share this time, but I did take part in a photo project, called ‘The Meal’ & set up by the Art House Co-op in Brooklyn NY. The idea was that all participants, worldwide, prepare a meal/snack at 12pm EST (5pm UK) & photograph it, including themselves to some degree, & post the print off to the Brooklyn Art library. I can’t wait to see how all the photo’s are to be used!! I opted for very English toasted crumpets & jam…no butter of course!!!

22 Brooklyn Art Project  

cid_6_2506045945@web80606_mail_mud_yahoo4 I’ll leave you today with a picture that came in an email…how great would it be to have one of these?!!!

Although I don’t think my ample rear would fit in that slide (!!) it would certainly make it easier getting the boys downstairs for breakfast on a school day!!!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you’re all feeling refreshed after the gloriously sunny weekend we’ve just had in the UK! Come back soon! :)

9 comments:

Paul B said...

If it helps - I'm in the same boat as far as MMEW - I'm exercising but food has gone for a burton. I'm eating sugar, chocs and cake like it's going out of fashion. I keep telling myself that tomorrow will be better & then, taking today as an example, i wake up and eat chocolate raisins with my morning cuppa. Not sure I'll be so proud of the next photo & LO I have to upload lol. Pxx

Sandra said...

Looks like someone had a good birthday, I like your way of thinking with the cake too :). I certainly will be keeping my fingers crossed for you, the sooner you can have your op, you can get on with your plans

scrappyjacky said...

I'm here to tell you it's not just boys!!! Sisters bicker and bitch as well....constantly at times!!!
The cakes idea sounds brilliant....I must remember that one.
Glad Nathan's birthday went 'relatively' well....and I so agree about TKMaxx....luckily my girls are now past the 'designer label' stage and are quite happy to shop in Primark or New Look....so long as the style is trendy and 'in the moment'.

Dawn said...

Fingers crossed BP continues in the right direction. I think going to class will really help. I'm managing ok with the eat well but as for moving it just ain't happening!!! Can't imagine the noise 2 teenage boys make - with just the one girl our house is always so quiet.
Hoping to see you soon and good luck for Weds weigh-in xx

Lizzie said...

Oh no, it's not just boys, Sandi! Sisters certainly bicker - but they can be very spiteful and it tends to be more words and less physical stuff. I think, on the whole, I prefer boys - they are more obvious and straightforward. Big brothers do tend to bait their younger siblings and I think it can be hard to keep insisting that they treat one another with respect... I suppose you can always separate them (like you do with small kids - "if you can't play nicely together, you will have to play in separate rooms"!).
Glad your lad enjoyed his birthday all the same. Cup-cakes are trendy just now, so your "birthday cake" was in fashion, as well as being "pre-pointed"!
Hope the BP measurement is ok now and you can get on with the op asap. Good luck with that - and the MMEW, but don't be too hard on yourself if you have the odd slip...that kind of defeats the point of feeling good about yourself.
Have a good week!

Julie J said...

I nearly missed that slide - every home should have one.
Fingers crossed for your shoulder op - hope it's not too bad.
If you're feeling creative, pop into soul scrappers and give my recipe challenge a go (CUCC1). You've got till thursday. Please, pretty please......

Beverly said...

Good luck with this week's weigh in and next BP check. It sounds like your son had a great day (other than his brother lol) I have 2 boys 4.5 years apart and those years (when the youngest was in middle school (6-8th grades in US) were the toughest for them. They are 19 and 23 now and the very best of friends.

Sian said...

Just imagine if we could have one of those slides from our fourth floor right down to the kitchen! You have got me dreaming now!

I'm glad the birthday trip was a great one. That shop is so perfect for teenagers, I love it too.

Keeping everything crossed that your BP has gone down - if you do the same for me!!

debs14 said...

Having had one of each, I can confirm that teenage boys are no better and no worse than teenage girls!
Fingers crossed about the BP on Wednesday - keep us informed!