First Newsletter of 2014 part 1

A New Year A New Me

Yes it is a new year and in fact we are five months into the year and I am only just starting to think about a new newsletter but what the hell my life is so bloody busy that it is amazing at times I remember to do anything other than what it expected of me day in and day out.

This year I decided to try and lose weight, I wanted to lose around 20 kilos by the time Tim and I go to Hawaii in September, at the start of the year I was 103.7 kilos and my aim was to get down to around 80-83 kilos, hell it still is and so far I am doing ok it is slow going but the weight is coming off.

I started walking again at the start of the year, the first day I went out I found it really hard to get to the end of the street but I stuck with it walking around the block but it really took a lot out of me. I am still walking and have increased the distance I walk so I am happy, I intend to stick with it. I am now down to around 95 kilos.

Diabetes and Me

As some in the family know I have had problems with my diabetes this year, my BGL's have been up in the teens often it was around 14 when I got up of a morning and for those who do not know it should have been around 4-5, after eating my BGL would often go up to as high as 18 it should have been around 8.

I went to the GP who wasn't sure what to do so he referred me to see a specialist at the Royal, the GP was thinking of starting me on a drug called Byetta but wasn't sure if I should continue taking the Diamicron and Junvia or if I should stop one of them.

Anyway I saw the specialist on the 11^th April and he started me on a drug called Victoza which is like Byetta but you only take the Victoza once a day the Byetta will need to be taken twice a day. I have to take the Victoza for a month and keep a record of my food intake and my BGL's and when I go back he will decided if I should start the Byetta or not.

Since I have been on the Victoza my BGL's have been better still not normal but better usually between 8-11. Also the Victoza has an appetite suppressant in it and I am eating less as I am just not that hungry most of the time.

On the Job Front

What can I say about jobs, well I still don't have one that pays but other people in the family do such as Jessica she has a job now driving special needs children to and from school for Newcastle Limousines, she likes the job.

Tim is still driving buses for Hunter Valley Buses although he still isn't on full time or permanent much to is annoyance.

Natasha is still looking for work as a hairdresser but other then that I know nothing since she doesn't tell me much about her life.

Kathy is still working at the service station but has been studying child care, she wants to work in child care at some point, she has finished her on line studying and now has to do her work placement which is like work experience as she doesn’t get paid to do it she has to do 120 hours of work placement.

Jono is still working in security but would rather get into youth work remind you of anyone.

Michael lost his job earlier in the year and has been trying to get his own business up and running he has a web site which can be found here: http://www.tekdoffwebsolutions.com.au/

I know things have been hard for both Kathy-Lee & Michael and I know that Kathy has often been worried about money and mummy wishes she could do more to help them.

Houses & Homes

Do you have a home? Sounds like a simple of course I do question right, however, not all in the family have their own home. Sue was lucky to find a place of her own in December moving into a flat in Charlestown on Charlestown Road in the same block of flats that Kathy-Lee lived in when she first moved out of home it is a small one bedroom flat but it her own place and she is happy to have a place at long last.

Kelli has been homeless for over a year now and has been living with me and Tim since last October and I have to say I have liked having her with us although she is now looking again for a place.

Recently she has been staying at her mums flat while Sue has been in Queensland with Kirsty have to say the house is very quiet without her here. I have been missing her and Daemon something fierce.

Babies and Toddlers

In our family there always seems to be a new baby coming along, and this year is no different, Kirsty is due to have her first child any time now and Sue is in Queensland with her awaiting the birth of what will be her 5^th grandchild. Kirsty has decided to name her baby girl Kelsi Eve.

The family is full of toddlers and preschool children as well with the terrible trio who all will be starting school next year can you believe they are all 4 years old now. All so different and all so the same at the same time.

Then we have Daemon who is now 2 he loves to play with his brother Blain and his cousin Leo when those three boys are together they are a hand full and will often be running amok. Daemon also loves to play with his cousin Summer when she is here with me.

Summer who was the baby of the family is now 1 year old and such a daddies girl, she seems to me to prefer males, she loves her papa and prefers him over nanna any time. Also Summer doesn't like Jessica much for some strange reason she will cry whenever she see Jessica, honestly as soon as Jessica looks at her she will start crying.

Other Children

Now let's move onto some of the other children in the family.

Isabel is now turning 10 and she into Monster High and loom bands.

Holley is now 8 and she is into lala loopsy and Adventure Time then we have,

Lenny who is turning 5 this year and he is still into wrestling and likes Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

Leo is now 6 and he also loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Adventure Time he loves Transformers he is growing up so much but he still loves his nanna and papa and loves to come here once a week,

Moving onto Blain his is still “my Blain” but he often doesn't like to come over for the night, he gets bored and wants to go home but he likes to come for a visit and stay for a while then go home. Blain is now 8 turning 9 this year.

Sandra's step son Zac has been living with her and his dad a bit this year and has even come to Friday breakfast a few times it has been nice to see him. He loves his little sisters so much and it is so plain to see when he is around them.

Dawson is now 15 wow where has the time gone I can remember when he was born, he of course still lives with his nanna and pop and goes still to Wakefield school 5 days a week and he loves spending time with his little cousins Temika & Denni and adores his little sister Liarna and his little brother Landon.

I am sure I have forgotten some children but hell there are so many I can't be blamed for forgetting one or two.