10 Places to visit if I won the Lottery

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With holidays never far from my mind, I can often be found dreaming of our next adventure. I have a huge travel list of all the places I want to experience with the kids, but I am also aware that the teen will be turning 16 next year. If only I could wave a magic wand and win the lottery, but in the meantime I can spend my days dreaming of my 10 top destinations to visit if I won big with Lottoland. Would your adventure be an African safari, or maybe sailing around the world ?

Walt Disney World in Florida

The world class entertainment is spread across 40 square miles and features four theme parks, two water adventure parks, resort hotels, spas and 81 holes of golf on five courses along with an entertainment, shopping and dining complex.  … Continue reading

My Sunday Photo – An unexpected view

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These pictures were taken as we were travelling home from the beautiful county of Northumberland today. You might think we stopped off at a local beauty spot. But no, we stopped off on the M6, and these pictures were taken at a service station. Yes a pretty dismal, run of the mill service station with an amazing view at the back. We certainly didn’t expect that.

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Bird in flight

Darren 1… Continue reading

10 reasons why July was awesome

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So after taking a break in June, I am looking back at what we did this month.  July saw us have a mini heatwave. However I am currently sat here debating whether to put the heating on, whilst its chucking it down outside. Ah the great British weather eh.

1) Hubby and I went to our first outdoor concert at our local forest. We were so lucky with the weather, and enjoyed watching Tom Odell whilst sipping wine on camping chairs. Perfect night out.

Cheers

2) The kids and I went and cheered on hubby and our friends as they did a local downhill run.… Continue reading

My Sunday Photo 26th July 2015

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Sunday photo

This is the first time I have linked up with onedad3girls for the Sunday Photo. My iPhone is filled with memories of last week when we were away. This particular photo is where we all spent a great deal of our time.

This is the place where we chatted away as a family

This is the place where we played charades with the kids late into the night

This is the place where I relaxed for an hour all by myself

This is the place where I drank coffee in the morning and wine in the evening

This is the place where the birds and butterflies would fly past

This is the place where we giggled as a family

This is the place my husband and I talked into the early hours

This is the place where I felt the most relaxed and happy

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The Summer Holidays – Bring it on

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In Corfu during the summer holidays last year

In Corfu during the summer holidays last year

The summer holidays are so close now we can almost touch them. Sports days have been ticked off, drama plays done and reports sent home. The kids shoes are just about hanging on in, and the tween is sporting a new cropped trouser look for school. The pristine white school shirts now resemble a dirty grey colour, with some added pen marks thrown in. I can’t wait to bin it all come Friday at 3.15pm.

Its funny how I used to dread the summer holidays when they were younger. But as with everything associated with parenting, its a learning curve.… Continue reading

Making the right decision – Time to say goodbye

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I have no idea whether I have made the right decision.

The decision for my children to attend their first funeral.

A few days after my nan died, people started asking whether I was going to take the children to her funeral.

And at that point I really did not know.

But then the children started talking to me about the funeral.

And as they are 9 and 12, I let them make their own decision.

And they both decided they wanted to be present, to say goodbye to ‘older nanny’

They will be involved in the funeral, by carrying flowers from her favourite shop Marks and Spencer.… Continue reading

Not so awesome June

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At the start of the year I decided I would do a post which looked back at 10 awesome things we had done for that month. After losing my nan in June. it just feels wrong to write about the awesome things we have done this month. Don’t get me wrong we have had some lovely family time during June. I have enjoyed time with friends, and Katie has been away on cub camp. But June will be remembered as the month I lost my dear nan, so forgive me for not writing up my usual blog post.

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Losing my nan

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I have written this post in my head about 10 times, but when it comes to putting the words down it’s so much harder. My nan passed away in the early hours of Monday. She was the incredible age of 90, and in the past few years she had been diagnosed with cancer. Up until her late eighties she had never really suffered with ill health, and she put this down to teaching yoga. She taught yoga years before it became the trendy exercise for the yummy mummies to do. Infact the last time we took the kids to visit ‘older nanny’ earlier this year, she was sat up in bed showing the kids her yoga moves.… Continue reading

Dress Dad Competition

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Dress up dad

My daughter is a typical girl who loves to dress up. What she loves more than dressing up is seeing her parents wearing ‘funny clothes’. She fell about laughing when the husband and I went to a recent fancy dress party. So when I heard about a ‘Dress Dad Competition’ I knew it would be right up her street. I told her she could have free rein to use any clothes in the house. I was surprised when she headed off to find the Halloween fancy dress box. I was told to leave the room whilst she ‘made up’ daddy. I had visions of all the other dads in the competition dressed up in smart suits, and here is our entry

Our entry for the Dress Dad competition

Our entry for the Dress Dad competition

Yes she had dressed daddy as a ‘mad scientist’ which is quite ironic as he is actually a scientist (and no doubt mad at times when he has deadlines to meet).… Continue reading

10 reasons why May was awesome

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May is one of my favourite months of the year. I met my husband in May, and married him 2 years later also in May. We usually get a glimpse of the warmer weather this month, but this May has been a total disappointment. I say this as I am sat here with the heating ON ! So here are some of the things we have been up to this month

1) At the start of the month I went to my first blogging conference. Even though I was a mixture of nerves and excitement, I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I met lots of awesome and friendly bloggers, ate cake, drank Prosecco, and came home with the most amazing goody bags.… Continue reading