My Baby Boy Turns 16

 

And my other baby boy is all grown up. How has he got to be 16?

Kieran turned 16 on Friday. But my bad, I've just not had a chance to write a blog post, and my RSI has flared up so I am limiting the work I do on my PC. 

Where has the time gone? 

Seriously, I can remember his birth like it was yesterday. He was a lot quicker and easier entering this world, compared to his big brother. And maybe being the second child, I was more relaxed so we took to each other much easier. 

Since he could walk, Kieran has loved kicking a ball. So, still, 16 years on, it's no surprise he's into his football. He's now having to consider playing for a men's team as he's too old for juniors! 

And Kieran has become much more image conscious than Ben. I can't buy him clothes unless he chooses them! (So we had a bit of a shop for his birthday!)

But he's also very thoughtful, liking to buy gifts for me or his dad whenever we're away on holiday. 

He's as tall as me, so it won't be long before he's taller than me, just like Ben. 

Kieran will finish school this summer, and that means no more school-aged children. As of September, he's going off to college to study Sports Science. 

Anyway, my Bubba, Happy Birthday! Even when I'm moody, and cross with you - because you can be quite moody too, I love you to the moon and back... You're working hard towards your exams, and I'm proud of you for that. 

Thankfully, you've lost Kieran The Destroyer instinct... wrecking your toys, and although still adventurous, you're not quite the Kamikazi Kieran we used to know as a toddler... 

The Reality Of Mother's Day

Does anyone else actually find Mother's Day exhausting? 

Although my boys are older now (nearly) 16 & 18, they tend to spend the weekends at their dad's and so Mother's Day weekend was my weekend to have them. 

I made waffles with bacon & maple syrup for breakfast - which was yummy, and I decided to cook a beef roast dinner with homemade gravy (a first for me) and yorkshire puddings. I had to cook the beef to my son's specifications - medium-rare. (I did a good job considering I've not really cooked beef before.) 

As it was sunny, prior cooking the roast dinner, I did get out in the garden and spent a couple of hours with Dad preparing the garden for Spring's arrival. Hard work, but therapeutic. And Ben did help until he had to go off to work.

Luckily, I do have a dishwasher, but I still had a mess of a kitchen to deal with after a roast... and the boys did manage to put their plates in there - at least! 

My eldest had to work so he couldn't help with making the dinner, and well, my youngest, came home from his football match and plopped himself in front of the telly... Man United was playing... 

I barely had time to sit on the sofa and read my book! (I'm not very good at doing 'nothing' mind you.)

I think next year I'm going to actually have the day to myself and not spend it with my kids - or just go out for dinner! - because Mother's Day just reminds me how much I have to work when they're about.

I love them. And they're not bad boys. But it doesn't matter how hard I try not to over mother them... it's still a lot of work. 

I Am Grateful

My RSI is still playing up, even with much rest over the Christmas period, so I'm going to very quickly bash this out but possibly not take too much time over editing... sorry. I'm finding it quite frustrating if truth be told. And I love using my PC, I love my new admin job and I love typing, etc. 

However, it's made me very grateful that I got involved with UW two and a half years ago. If my RSI suffering stresses nothing else, it shows I can't go back to full-time work in an office, even if I love the work. 

I joined UW to fund my writing passion but now I know it also needs to fund me not going back to full-time work. 

But to be honest, I don't want to go back to full time work, and in fact I would love to ditch it altogether, one day! Hence I joined my network marketing business to achieve this. Imagine, my desk time could be just for writing, and I would be able to manage my RSI even better - being my own boss. 

So, if you're like me, you've got a passion that doesn't really pay that well. Or is a bit sporadic. I've not been paid badly this year, but the royalties aren't reliable, and being a single mum, I don't have someone else bringing in a reliable income, so that I can be the full time writer I desire to be. 

It takes a while for some writers to get to the stage that their royalties from their back list are earning them enough to write the next book. Because when you're writing that draft, you're not getting paid. We only really start getting paid from publication day. And how much we get paid will be down to the publisher and their marketing strategy. And the reality for most writers is that we're not paid anywhere near a full time salary.

I'm not really a New Years Resolutions setter... but I'm stealing this from UW. 

My New Years resolution is to help more people save money and/or like me, earn money. And in turn help change people's lives for the better. Imagine that second pay day every month that can eventually be more than your salary. Fancy something like that? If you're in a Journey of Boredom (JOB) each day, maybe it's time to look at making a change. Life is way too short...  Long-term you'll free up time to be able to do the things you enjoy. It won't happen overnight, but if you start NOW, you'll get there quicker than waiting until you're ready, the time is right, or for that lottery win... 

Message me if you'd like a chat friend to friend. No obligation. 

Life is too short to wish every day away. 

There's Another Adult In The House

Where has my baby boy gone? All of a sudden I am now the owner of an adult! I don't even feel mature enough to have an adult as a child. 

Happy 18th Birthday, Ben. 

Even when you drive me to frustration, I do love you. I am incredibly proud of your achievements. 

Continue to work hard and follow your dreams, and the universe will provide. But the MX5 might not be an ideal first car ha ha! 

And now for the photos! I know I post this picture a lot (above), but it's my favourite. I could watch him sleep and I just loved that blue sleepsuit on him. It was my favourite. These moments I do miss. 

And then this is Ben off to his first ever football practice, and Kieran would watch from the sidelines until he was old enough to join him. 

I love how Kieran looks at his big brother so adoringly, and yet now, the bickering drives me mad! Hopefully, when they both emerge from their teenage years, they'll be the best of friends again. 

I could share loads of photos as I have LOADS of photos. 

But this is Ben pretty much now. Taller than me, and possibly the spitting image of me (poor boy). Ben on holiday in Corfu. Still only 17. 

He's training to be a civil engineer, and to be honest, it's such a suited job. He's always loved building things with lego. He's loved steam trains, and still does, and once, Grandad couldn't drag him off the seafront, where he was more than happy to watch the cranes building the new Grand Pier after it had burnt down. 

I love how you're afraid of dogs but not swans. I love that you send me funny reels via instagram, some of them proving we both have the same silly sense of humour. I love that you drink coffee. You appreciate nature, the stars, and good quality chocolate. 

You're not perfect. Nobody is. But I do hope that your dad and I have done enough for you to go out into this big wide world, and make it your own. 

Lots of love,  Mum x x x 

49

So I'm now in the last year of my 40's. This is technically, my 50th year... 

The last couple of years has been a dramatical change to my mindset, all thanks to joining Utility Warehouse. I was probably getting stronger already, as I'd dropped online dating. I'd clearly got to the point where I didn't want timewasters in my life anymore and that if I was meant to be with someone, eventually the universe would provide. 

However, the past couple of years has really strengthened my belief that I am more than happy to live on my own. I have enough friends and things going on around me to keep me busy. And I'll never be bored because I will always have writing. 

UW has given me something that I also desired; financial freedom. And the belief that I will have it. 

I am concerned that if I did find someone else in this life, I don't want to lose my financial independence. I will want to own my own house. I don't want to be in a relationship to rely on that person's income. And I definitely don't want to give up on the decision making. 

In my marriage it had been so easy to hand over all the financial reins to my husband. But now I've got them back, I don't want to ever lose that again. 

I was supposed to post this around my birthday... I started writing it in October, the day before my birthday, but opps... I've neglected my blog. 

Anyway, here's to the last year in my forties, and to my fifty things for fifty...