Sleeping.....

British Summertime Begins

Summertime arrived today with a great big sunny sky and 23c temperatures - oh yes!
We dug out the picnic rug, purchased some charcoal and enjoyed the park and then our first BBQ of the year.
Happy days :-)

Touch of the Drama Queen?

Yesterday I picked up Lauren from after-school club and she looked very sorry for herself. Apparently she'd bumped into a friend at school and whacked her head in the process - she was sporting a very fancy looking bruise on her forehead. Off we trundle home where she regularly points out that she feels dizzy and that her head hurts.
Was I worried?
Not really.
Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I wasn't concerned about potential concussion, it's just that Lauren can be prone to bouts of dramatics (this bump had taken place at 10am and its now 6pm) plus there's nothing she loves more than a bit of sympathy. Add to the fact that she wolfed down her jacket potato for tea, chomped her way through a fudge, asked for more food and was able to concentrate on Sponge Bob Square Pants (he's enough to give anyone a headache) you can see why I wasn't overly concerned.
At bedtime more looking sorry for herself, woeful eyes and 'sick voice' when she suddenly disappears 'to get something important.'
5 minutes later I get this note given to me;
'
I got a headack and I feely dizzy and I really can't tack it anymore'

And then she flounced off to watch more spongebob!

Just a touch of melodramatics no?!

Dom decided to put it on face book and this the response from most of my friends.

Yes my daughter is on a fast track to drama school that's for sure!

Mothers Day

Went something like this....

* Lie-in until 9.30am
* Breakfast in bed (marmite on toast & cuppa)
* These lovely, lovely cards from my lovely, lovely babies

* Mooch around Primarni where I managed to spend £35 (I only went in to get some eyelash curlers)
* Brunch
* Crafty hour with Lauren where we made this beauty for her friends birthday (1st attempt - still needs a lot of work *ahem*)
* Jog around the park with the kids on their bikes
* Lamb dinner (I cooked)
* Shower
* Homeland
* Desperate Housewives
* Bed

The Gallery - 1st entry!

This weeks gallery theme is colour.

This is the 1st time I have taken part in the gallery and I have spent a few days thinking about how I could interpret this theme without looking like a complete novice. Not an easy job let me tell you.

It was whilst looking through photos of our wedding for the blogger wedding album that I came across our honeymoon photos and when I saw this picture I knew this was 'the one.'

Blue.

Ok, so I have taken the theme literally. The more I take part the better I will become.
That's the hope anyway....

What an amazing time we had in the Seychelles, it is such a beautiful place and this picture reminds me of a very happy time :-) (Thats me by the way! Just incase you wondered about the random person!!)

And yes, the sea really was that blue!

xxx

Wedding Day

This post fits nicely with my memory theme  and also links with the wedding blogger album that I am planning on partaking in.

Dom and I got married on September 25th 2004 at the beautiful Leigh Court.

I've got lots of fond memories of the day;

• Spending a lovely morning getting ready with my besties and my mum at super plush Hotel Du Vin
• My lovely hair and make-up lady,Sharon
• Not caring that it was a rainy day
• Our brilliant photographer, Phil Nicholls
• My future mother and father in-law pulling up behind me just after I arrived at the venue and rushing in (Inge and Robbie late? Always....)
• Robbie looking like the milk tray man in a black polo neck and white suit jacket complete with red carnation
• Feeling sick with excitement and nerves
• Feeling relief when I made it down the sweeping staircase that I had to walk down in front of all our guests
• Dom crying his eyes out as I walked down the aisle and me grinning from ear to ear from sheer relief (see above)
• Andy Williams 'Cant Take My Eyes off You' playing as we walked out as Husband and Wife
• Becky's dad Graham forgetting his suit trousers and wearing his jeans
• Becky spearing a carrot and watching it fly across the table and land in the best mans lap
• Becky taking a big mouthful of what she thought was ice-cream. It was in-fact clotted cream
• Graham getting very drunk on cider
• My mum making a surprise reading of a beautiful poem after the speeches
• Frank Sinatra 'Under My Skin' as our 1st dance
• Brilliant music
• Happiness at being surrounded by all the people I love and everyone getting on
• Throwing my bouquet
• Relief when we got back to our hotel and I removed the 500 odd clips from my hair (slight exaggeration but that's what it felt like)

But the best thing?

Finding out I was pregnant with Lauren 10 DAYS BEFORE WE GOT MARRIED! What a lovely secret that we carried around with us that day!

The Gallery

Ive been reading a numer of blogs over the last couple of years (many more in the last few months) but the one that I have enjoyed reading the most and who has inspired me to start my own is Tara at Sticky Fingers .

Finally a woman who loves photos as much as I do! In fact, she may even love them more than me!

 Every week she selects a word or a prompt or a theme etc and asks fellow bloggers to take part in the gallery .

I am very exited about being part of the gallery and am hoping that life wont get too busy and prevent me from partaking as much as I would like!

This Makes me Smile

Love that Lauren thinks that Marks & Spencer is pronounced Marks Expensive!
To be fair, her pronunciation is a pretty accurate description....

What the Kids are Reading...

Lauren and I are nearly at the end of the fabulous 'Mr Stink' by David Walliams. Having read some great reviews I was thrilled when she was bought the set of his books for Christmas by her lovely godmum.
Most nights we cosy up in my bed & I read her a chapter (I have a feeling I may be enjoying it even more than her) and tonight was no different. Except tonight we encountered a sad part, the part where we find out about how Mr Stink came to be Mr Stink.

And my poor baby girl wept like, well, a baby. She is such a funny little character, strong and feisty in so many ways yet super sensitive about certain things.

She wouldn't stop crying because it was so sad and she 'feels so sorry for poor Mr Stink' - she nearly started me off. I reassured her that it was just a story, we will get to the happy bit soon, promise! But life's not always like that is it?

I don't think 6 years old is too young to understand that sometimes life can be a bit sad but i just don't like to see my baby upset.

Missed out on a life lesson there Lou.

Let's hope Mr Stink finds happiness in the next chapter.

Please and Thank you

Teaching the kids their manners is proving to be an uphill battle. When I'm in the park, or at soft play or generally anywhere frequented by lots of kids & their parents there's always a handful of kids who have impeccable manners. They remember to say please and thank you. They never talk with their mouths full. They most certainly do not 'back chat' their parents. My kids most definitely are not these children.
My kids are half way there. Well Lauren is at least. Especially if it means winning brownie points & showing up her brothers lack of manners.
I spend most of my time with the kids asking them, 'and what's the magic word?' and 'is there something you're forgetting?' I'm so used to it now it's almost an automatic response.
I'll keep on reminding them.

A picture I really love. And I mean really, really love.

My beautiful babies.

How Could I tell him off??!

Isn't she gorgeous?

And no she's not wearing make-up. She's just got cheekbones women would kill for.

Things I Love

Music.
I love, love, love music.
I have rather an eclectic taste in music & most definitely do not have a 'type.' This is what's on the playlist I'm listening to right now.

Told you I had eclectic taste.
There are certain songs & artists that can conjure up the strongest memories of certain events & periods of time in my life.
Abba & Supertramp remind me of my childhood - my mum played them - lots. Cathy Dennis remind me of sitting in Becky's bedroom when we were early teens. Catatonia, Road Rage reminds me of the night at uni that Nic and I sealed our friendship & knew that we'd be besties forever. Any Take That song reminds me of my teenage years. Kylie Minogue, Can't Get You Out Of My Head reminds me of the summer I met Dom.
These are just a handful of memories triggered by music (and the ones that immediately sprang to mind) there are many more stored in my brain waiting to be rediscovered when I hear a certain tune.
Lauren & Joe love music too. Lauren especially. She's even got her own playlist on mine & Dom's iPods! Right now she especially loves One Direction! (who can blame her?!)

The girl got good taste!
But the one song that makes me smile & makes everyone in our family happy & dance is Metro Station - Shake It. Go listen - it's a bloody brilliant song!
Xxx

New To This

Ive decided to start a blog. Ground breaking huh?

Just recently, in an attempt to wean myself off my facebook addiction, I have started to read various blogs and they have inspired me to start my own.

What I really want to do is create a some lovely memories for my children as they grow up. I love photos but sometimes a photo does not tell the whole story. I want to write down the funny things the kids say, whats on my mind, what Im reading, things I love etc All very boring really unless you happen to very close to me, or indeed, me.

I am also hoping that it will not only distract me in the evening from consuming copious amounts of chocolate and Special K (not at the same time but not that far apart either) but also allow me an outlet for my feelings....guilt, love, guilt, frustration, guilt...more of that to come.

So. This is me. Memory Mum.
Happy reading. Thats assuming anyone is actually reading.......