Little Loves (June) Prom, Goodbye GCSEs, and a Trip to Center Parcs

I can’t believe the last time I wrote my Little Loves post was at the end of April, and life has certainly been a rollercoaster over the past 2 months. GCSEs have been and gone, the teen has finished High School, I left my job of 6 years, Prom has happened, and we have just returned from a chilled trip to Center Parcs which was very much needed.

Little Loves - June

Read

I am making the effort to read every night, as for me it’s the perfect chance to switch my brain off. I am currently about two thirds through The Keeper of Lost Things, and last week I finished Friend Request which my lovely blogging friend Angela from Adventures in Websterland lent me. What a gripping book, and I am really enjoying reading different genres. I also picked up the latest Lisa Jewell book in a charity shop a few weeks ago. That is next on my reading hit list.

The Keeper of Lost Things

Watched

I watched my teen get through his GCSEs. I wrote a few weeks ago if 24 exams are too much for our teenagers. Yes, 24 exams was the amount that Morgan took between the 14th May and the 20th June. This isn’t including the Spanish oral exam, and the hours and hours of coursework he did prior to the exams starting. I was extremely proud of how he handled the exam season, being self motivated to revise, and plan his time between burying his head in revision books, and spending much needed time with his friends. We never have to speak about the GCSEs ever again… well until results day anyway.

Heard

Peace and silence at Center Parcs. I loved sitting out on our patio area and just being able to hear the birds tweeting. We certainly picked the best week, and the sky was the bluest I have ever seen, with the forest providing lots of shade for us.

Blue skies at Centerparcs

Centerparcs Woburn

Coffee at Centerparcs

Made

We ‘made’ room on our decking and got a hot tub. Every spring we discuss getting one, and this year we finally made it happen. And what a difference it has made, especially as the past few months have been stressful at times. It’s so nice to sink into at the end of the day, and completely chill out.

Decking area for Hot Tub

Hot Tub

Wore

One word….. Prom. Oh my goodness what an amazing night, and I was an incredibly proud mum as I watched my son go off to his prom at the Liver Buildings in Liverpool. It is such a tough time for anyone in year 11, and prom night is the perfect time for them all to kick back and have an amazing night. The boys looked dapper, and the girls were stunning. And we won’t mention the fact the teen rolled in at 6am and slept in his clothes (thankfully not his prom suit lol)

Prom

Prom Night

And of course our summer wardrobe is getting a good airing at the moment. I love these summer trousers I picked up from Asda at the bargain price of £8. And Katie has been adding to her ‘Primark collection’ by picking up a few bits and bobs for the nice weather.

Asda Summer Trousers

And Lastly

Life feels a little strange at the moment, with me adjusting to life without work, and the teen finishing high school. I’m sure things will settle down, and we will find the ‘new normal’. In the meantime I am going to be enjoying the glorious sunshine, and looking forward to having the summer off with the kids.

 

32 thoughts on “Little Loves (June) Prom, Goodbye GCSEs, and a Trip to Center Parcs”

    • Ah thank you so much for saying that Rachel, that means a lot. And yes, 24 exams was VERY brutal for poor Morgan x

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  1. You have had quite a couple of months….
    Well done your son! 24 exams sounds so many….It sounds like he worked so hard. He looked so smart ready for his prom.
    Center Parcs looks amazing!
    Enjoy the summer with your kids x

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    • Ah thank you Kim, he did us incredibly proud in how he tackled the huge amount of revision for all the exams he took. Center Parcs was a very much needed break for us, and I am definitely looking forward to the summer now x

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    • It is crazy the amount of exams they have to do now Sam, but thankfully all over now and he can enjoy the summer. The hot tub has been amazing for us, and I am so glad we got one this year x

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    • It has certainly been a hectic few months, and we have a few more weeks of craziness ahead of us. I keep thinking how I managed to find the time to work lol x

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  2. So many gorgeous photos and wow what a few weeks it has been for you all. Centre Parcs sounded fab and probably just the break you needed after the last few weeks. I bet you are all so happy that the GCSEs are all done now, it is a stressful time and 24 exams is crazy isn’t it?

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    • I never want to speak about GCSEs ever again !!!! Well apart from results day, and then Katie will do them in 4 years time. It’s never ending isn’t it. CP was just what we needed, and it was lovely to just envelope ourselves in the forest and have some much needed chill time x

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  3. I am SO envious of your deck and hot tub situation! I’ve been craving a hot tub for a good few years but we keep thinking it’s not worth doing till we’ve done an extension, and that always seems so far off!

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    • It has been a god send for us and I am so glad we decided to get one. It is only an inflatable one, and the whole set up with the gazebo, tub, and chemicals was only £350 which I think was fab value. Really impressed with it, and it’s so nice to sink into at the end of the day x

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    • Ah thank you Jess. It has been a crazy, fun packed, emotional at times month. But I probably wouldn’t have it any other way x

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  4. So glad you enjoyed the book Tracey, can’t wait for another book swap when we next meet. What a busy few months you have all had, teen looks super stylish in his suit. Your decking looks fab I bet it’s a great place to relax and read x

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    • We have been using the decking so much over the past few weeks with this gorgeous weather. Yes I have a nice collection of books for next time we meet. Doing so much reading at the moment which has been fantastic x

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  5. Its such a huge transition isn’t it? I remember feeling like this last year, and now it all seems so long ago and ha ha prom night!!! they really let their hair down don’t they ? I am so glad you got time to chill a Center Parcs its been a tough couple of months for my my friend xx

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    • I remember chatting to you just after Jack’s prom, and yes they do let their hair down and us parents don’t get much sleep that night lol !!! CP was just what I needed, being enveloped in the forest in the glorious sunshine. Wish I could have stayed there all summer x

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  6. Oh how exciting for a big change though wow. Love the outfit hunny you look fab. Prom can’t beat prom I loved it growing up still remember all four of my prom experiences in high school. The best! have a great weekend ahead.

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    • Ah thank you Jenny, I always feel really conscious baring the tops of my arms, but anything goes in this heat lol. Wow 4 prom experiences !!!! That sounds amazing for you Jenny, but probably slightly stressful for your mum lol x

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  7. Oh I could do with a bit of peace and silence! And you should be a very proud mum, he’s looking very grown up for prom!

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    • Ah thank you, I was definitely a proud mum and it was lovely to see all his friends looking very smart and the girls looking extremely beautiful x

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  8. Wow that’s a lot of exams! I had no idea they took so many now. Sounds like he did brilliantly and looks very smart for the prom. I would love a hot tub! It looks like a great one and maybe one my husband would agree too. I am with you on Center Parcs there really is something every relaxing about it x

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    • Nor did I until he came home with his exam timetable, 24 is just too much for our teens, but I am very proud of how he handled his time and revision. Honestly, the hot tub is one of the best things we have purchased. It’s so good to sit and chill out in it at the end of the day x

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  9. Wow Prom night, I actually photographed a prom night on Saturday and couldn’t believe how grown up they looked. I hope you’re settling into your new routine x

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    • Ah I bet that was so special to be photographing such an occasion, and yes they all looked incredibly grown up (especially the girls). The past few weeks have been crazy, and I don’t think I am going to settle into a new routine until September now. But life is all good x

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  10. He rolled in at 6am!?! Ha ha I thought mine was bad at half midnight! Mind you he certainly deserved it, he has been my little pillar of virtuous revision/down time when my teen was being less than thorough with her revision.

    I’m rather jealous of that hot tub and your stay at Center Parcs. You definitely convinced us all we need to try Woburn next.

    Hope you find your new normal soon, well once the summer holidays are out of the way anyway x

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    • He is usually tucked up in bed around 10.30pm so you can imagine how he handled a 6am bedtime the following day lol. He definitely deserved it though so I didn’t mind him having a blow out. Center Parcs was lovely and just what we all needed, and yes I can highly recommend Woburn, though I have only tried Woburn and Whinfell x

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  11. I bet you’re all glad to see the end of exam season! It sounds like you had a fab break at Center Parcs – we’d love to go back but it’s so expensive now we have to go in the school holidays. I hope July has been a bit calmer for you 🙂 #LittleLoves

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    • I think we all breathed a huge sigh of relief when they were all over, especially the teen. Now the school holidays are here, life will start to become a little calmer thank goodness x

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  12. 24 exams? That’s brutal. I know my girls have got a few years to go before doing theirs yet, but I’m already dreading it.
    Very jealous of your hot tub! We’re making plans to do our garden and I’ve got one on my list – still need to convince my husband though! xx

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    • It is very brutal, especially for the poor teens who go through it. I couldn’t believe it when we counted how many exams he was actually sitting. Honestly, the hot tub is the one of the best purchases we have ever made and such a bargain too x

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