Meet Max - The newest member of the Saving Mummy's Pennies Household!

You are all aware that i went MIA for a few months. Ill explain more in other posts but it it has been a busy time. One of the reasons were this little bundle of fluff! 

We were given the opportunity to adopt Max, a very energetic orange roan working cocker spaniel. It has been 6 months since we adopted him so i thought id do a quick meet max post. 

Here's Max

#MHAW16: Dear Gareth

This is one of my favourite quotes regarding mental health. One that i believe is very true and one which i think personally reflects me. 

When you move do you miss home?

When I was growing up I was I insistent I would never leave home. My whole life, my memories and my friends were in London. My kids were born there and the thought of being somewhere else was just not an option. When I met the hubby we discussed the option of moving. I dismissed the idea for 3 years, using the excuse that I was Dagenham born and bred and living elsewhere was just a stupid idea. I am proud of where I am from, despite the areas faults. It wasn't until we started looking into secondary schools for big K that I realised it was an area I didn't want my kids growing up in. After 9 years the council had no intention of doing anything to sort the mould problem in my flat, jobs were non existant so we sat miserable on job seekers allowance, stuck in a rut of fighting to keep our flat warm and safe and not being able to move as the rental market was extortionate. When the idea of putting metal detectors up on secondary school gates come up, we started looking at affordable areas. If we moved, we was going out of London. I knew we couldn't afford Essex but moving further afield scared me.

My grandad was from Derby, I've always known that as I have been told a lot I have a little northern twang in my accent. As hubby is from Nottingham, we decided almost right away that if we could afford this area, I would likely feel more comfortable and not feel so alien. As luck would have it the cost of living is cheaper. My 2 bed flat in Dagenham was costing £700 a month! We found a 3 bed detached house for £500 a month and immediately started arrangements to view it. The whole process was quite quick, we viewed the house and gave the landlord our paperwork and deposit within 2 weeks. The week later we moved. That was 3 years ago. I have never regretted it, my kids are happier and in better schools. He found a job right away and the people were friendlier. Recently my sister had her baby and I arranged to go to Dagenham to see them both. As the day got closer I panicked about coming back. At first I was excited. I have heard that quite a few people that things are so different since I left. Arriving here yesterday though I am not so sure! 

The second I arrived in Kings Cross and got near the underground, the amount of arrogant people just hit me. I am used to people waiting till others are off the bus/train before trying to get on, ques of friendly people instead of idiots trying to push their way to the front in one huge pile, people offering a seat for a pregnant or elderly person, my kids not being forced to be squished against the door because some idiot wants to put a huge bike on the train! I deliberatly booked tickets a lot earlier than rush hour. Spending most of my adult life travelling on the underground I am fully aware how busy the 4-5pm rush is! Pulling up to St Pancras I immediately knew that I was no longer in Nottingham. Looking out the window all you could see was huge buildings and graffitied walls. The thought of being back now just filled me with dread. I was no longer excited I just wanted to get home! 

Dagenham itself hasn't changed. It's still dirty, the same shops I went in are still here with the same staff. I had a quick walk round to where my flat was and that's still exactly the same just a different occupant. I walked to the park where at 14 I once got so drunk on bottles of hooch and lambini that I had to phone my dad to come get me as I couldn't stand up! I was grounded for 3 months solid and made to eat plain bread and strong black coffee till I sobered up! At 13 I sprayed my tag on a wall behind the bowls building... It's still there! It was almost as if it was frozen in time, nothing at all had changed apart from the buses are now not taking cash! I also took a walk to some of the places which hold some not so nice memories, the places where if those things didn't happen I wouldn't be who I am today. It was hard to revisit them but I felt better doing it. 

Coming back I have realised how silly I was to not move sooner. I love where I am now. My family are not nearby but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I am still proud of where I am from and will always call Dagenham home but since coming back I have realised that I throw that term around too much. Home is now in Nottingham, where my family are. When the time comes and we move from Nottingham, I will be excited about where my new life is starting and think next time round I will handle the whole move so much better. Next time I will remember the good memories and will look forward to where life takes me :) 

Diets... Meh

I started slimming world properly last week and up until today have felt fantastic! I've got my diet head on, I've been exercising, stuffing my face with salad and super speedy free foods! I've ate more in one week than i have done in 28 years! Weigh in day comes.

Now i don't own a set of bathroom scales, anything with in my budget only goes up to 18-20 stone - I'm ashamed to admit, I'm over that :/ I have no boots nearby and can not afford classes until I've paid for my oven and sorted Kaycee's birthday. So I'm weighing myself on my trusty wii fit.
This baby has NEVER let me down before. So i get home from taking the kids to school, kick off my shoes and instead of dragging myself to the kettle for my morning cup of tea, i turn on the TV, switch on the wii and standing their practically naked, excitedly wait for the disk to load up. Its loaded!!! I go through the blumff the virtual board gives me and step on the wii fit board, hearing the sound of my faithful virtual board screaming "measuring" at me, im preparing myself for some good news. What happens next is beyond me and left me seething all day!

My BMI jumped up by 1 and my weight jumped up by 3lbs! How the hell is that possible?

I'm not due on, I've not stuffed my face with the cakes and crisps Gareth has brought home. When they had their fried chips i was good and ate fry light fried mash because i tried to hob cook syn free chips! I've eaten more salad and fresh veg than my rabbits did when they were alive and I've eaten regually, snacking on cucumber, celery and carrot sticks.  Gutted wasn't even the word when those numbers come up :/ 

Having had a chat with Gareth about it, even he can not work out how that happened. To make matters worse, i got an even bigger slap in the face when he jumped on the wii fit to weigh himself and hes 2 stone lighter than me! Que the chocolate overdose! 

I spent all night trying to work out where i went wrong. I worked out an even better meal plan and after inputting it onto my fitness pal, decided that wasn't the way to go as i was only eating 1000 calories a day and if i stuck to my exercise plan, burn off 700 of them! Chatting with Gareth today, i realised, I'm just not active enough. I do 3 out of 10 school runs, and apart from some hoovering, i just sit there. This is partly due to the muscles in my legs being pathetic and partly due to my weight. It just hurts to walk or stand up for long periods now :/ Gareth said i must push through it, i must keep going and ill start ignoring the pain. It will get easier! As much as i hate to admit it, hes right. No matter how healthy i am eating if its just sitting there, its never going to go anywhere. 

I come to another possibility. I usually live on one meal a day, endless cups of tea and smoke 20 a day. I was wondering if i ate so much last week my body just took it all. If that is the case, with any luck next Monday i will have lost a little bit. Hopefully!

So today marks the start of a new week. I have new goals and a new meal plan. 

Goals

• Do something active for 10 mins each day. 
• Do half the school runs 
• Make less heavy meals
• Snack more throughout the day on carrot, celery, cucumber and fruit
• Only use 5 syns a day 
• Try find someone who can buy me the books
• Replace 4 cups of tea with glasses of water. 

Meal plan: 

Tuesday

Breakfast - Didnt happen, woke up late and wasnt feeling too well

Lunch - Ham salad sandwich, A slice of melon and a yogurt (3 syns)

Dinner - Pasta in homemade tomato sauce with cheese (HeA) and leftover chicken. 

Snacks - Cucumber, celery and carrot sticks. Banana and kiwi. 1 options sachet (2 syns)

Wednesday

Breakfast - Porridge oats (HEB) made with water. Topped with berries

Lunch - Home prepared, seafood salad ( 1 syn) with a jacket potato (no butter) Slice of melon and a yogurt (3 syns) 

Dinner- Homemade chorizo and red onion, feta (HEA) stuffed meatballs, with homemade spicy tomato sauce and paprika potatoes. 

Snacks - Cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, apple and kiwi. 1 options sachet (2 syns)

Thursday 

Breakfast - 2 boiled eggs and toast (HEB) fruit salad with muller light yogurt 

Lunch - Tuna in brine, pasta, cucumber, onion and sweetcorn mixed with 2 tbs low fat mayo (2 syns) an apple

Dinner - Beef stew made with syn free dumplings and syn free gravy. 

Pudding - Homemade syn free rice pudding with 1 tbs strawberry jam (2 syns)

Snacks - Cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, Milk (HEA) 

Friday 

Breakfast - Bran flakes with 3 tbs onken cherry (3 syns) and chopped banana

Lunch - Ham salad sandwich (made at home) sliced melon and grape fruit salad

Dinner - Home made hunters chicken, boiled rice and veg

Snacks - Snacks - Cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, Milk (HEA) 

Saturday 

Breakfast - Boiled egg and toast (HEB) fruit salad with yogurt (3 syns) 

Lunch - Cheese salad sandwich (home made) apple

Dinner - Home made fajitas with syn free chips 

Snacks - Snacks - Cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, kiwi and melon

Sunday 

Breakfast- syn free pancakes (HEB) topped and fruit

Lunch-  Vegetable soup, a banana and yogurt (3 syns) 

Dinner - Home made syn free lasagne with veg

Snacks - options (2 syns) any fruit that is leftover 

Monday 

Breakfast - porridge oats made with water (HEB) topped with berries

Lunch - vegetable soup slice of melon and yogurt (3 syns)

Dinner - Mushy pea curry with syn free onion barjis

Snacks - snack on left over carrots and celery 

Im thinking maybe i should add abit extra in but i think this would already fill me up. Im not a big eater and am quite happy with nibbling on bits and pieces throughout the day. Ill have to see how i go :) 

Is anyone else following slimming world? Or weight watchers? How is your weeks coming along?

March madness

Having kids means I'm always busy. There is always something that needs doing. The kids have homework each day, the school have things going on each month, they need entertaining and that's on top of general mummy duties and housework! March was no different.

Heres a round of up of some of my favourite moments. Its a little late but better late than never :D

Pancake day - 4th March

We had great fun this year. We always come up with something unusual and gives the kids a couple of hours of creative fun. This year we made foodie themed pancakes and the kids had a go at making coloured pancake creations.

World book day on 6th March

I dread this time of year. The girls always want some over the top expensive costume that i simply can not afford and i never have enough warning from the school to make something pretty!
This year i was given 3 weeks notice. I knew it was looming but wasn't sure on the date. We were able to send them in costumes that they wanted and both me and the girls were happy with the outcome.
Our joint effort of a homemade Cleopatra and a Pocahontas won both the girls 1st place and runner up in the schools competition :D The only shop brought items were their head pieces, the jewellery and a roman legionnaire costume for Kaycee which Gareth spent 4 hours turning into an Indian :)

Mothers day - 30th March

Introducing us all.

I just realized its been nearly 3 months since i started this blog and i haven't even introduced us all :O

My family :D

Its just me, my partner Gareth and our girls, Kirsty 11 going on 30 and Kaycee, 7 going on 13! I'm originally from East London and Gareth's born and bred in Nottingham. We have been together for pushing 5 years now and moved to Nottingham 2 years ago to give the girls a better lifestyle. Something i haven't regretted in the slightest!

Me:
Loves - Chatting away into the early hours, candles and making things. I spend most of my time, cleaning cooking, entering competitions or knitting :D
Hates- Arrogance, liars, snobs, feet, mothers who do not watch their children and dog owners who let their dogs crap in my front garden!

Gareth:
Loves- Fishing, Nottingham forest, his motorbike, playing with little plastic spacemen, fishing and annoying friends with sarcasm.
Hates: Sheep, people not bothering to charge gadgets when dead and Derby County

Kirsty:
Loves - Monster high, her mobile phone, nail polish and music
Hates: Bedtimes, having a bath, mushrooms and homework

Kaycee:
Loves - My little pony, littlest pet shop, moshi monsters and the ipad
Hates - Mushrooms, red, meat, peppers and bedtimes!

The flufflings:

Jack - our 3 year old ball of fluff.

Smeagol - Our youngest fluffling, he has just turned 1

Sam - Our female cat. She is 4 nearly 5.


Thats all of us :D