October 2008

This was the month Flynn turned one - where did that year go?! The day of his birthday was lovely and very relaxed. He opened all his in the morning with a little help from Ethan. We then went and had some photos of the boys took as I've been wanting a nice photo of them both to go on the wall. Later in the day family arrived with their presents for Flynn and we had a birthday cake for him that we did when we had our tea.

Flynn opening and playing on his main present from us - a battery operated bike and he loves it and figured out how it worked straight away.

Flynn enjoying his birthday presents from his grandparents.

Flynn enjoying his birthday cake.

We decided to have a party for him with all his friends and family the weekend after his birthday. It was a great party and apart from a bit of a rush just before the party started it went really well.

Flynn and Ethan enjoying the party and Flynn blowing his candle out - sort of!

The presents Flynn got - need I say any more!

We went to Goose Fair earlier in the month as we always do and it was Flynn's first time. We took the back carrier instead of trying to get the pushchair through all the crowds and it was great. Flynn loved all the lights, music and watching the rides. Ethan as always had a great time and enjoyed the rides and some food/treats!

Flynn in his back carrier and Ethan on one of the rides he went on.

At the end of the month it was Halloween and Ethan was really looking forward to it especially going out trick or treating. Both boys had new outfits this year and looked great, both loved wearing them.

Spider Flynn and Pirate Ethan.

Some random October photos:

Flynn fast asleep in his pushchair.

Flynn emptying the DVD shelves as he does several times a day!

Flynn just looking cute in the winter hat I got him - I love it and Flynn loves pulling it off.

September 2008

It really has been so long since I last updated that I'm just going to do a quick round up of the previous months then try and get back on track!

September was the start of the next school year and Ethan is now a year 2, can't believe next year he will be in junior school! It was also his 7th birthday and he had a great time and enjoyed having a few friends round for a little party. Here are just a couple of photos from the day:

Blowing out the candles on his cake.

Opening his new red Nintendo DS. He used his birthday money to get this and thought he'd have to wait till after to get it but I bought it before for him so he could have it on his birthday - he was VERY happy.

One of his other birthday presents was a skateboard, something he has wanted for a long time. The day after his birthday he tried it out in the garden.

September also saw Flynn start at the childminders 2 days a week. He has settled in so well and wouldn't even wave to me on his first day!

We had a day out in Skegness at the end of September, it was a lovely day if not a little cold. Ethan had been wanting to go in the summer holidays but we never got round to it with all the other summer activities we had planned.

John, Ethan and Flynn on the beach, just before burying Ethan in the sand!

Ethan joining Flynn on one of the little rides - Flynn loved going on a few of these little rides.

I started back at work with my proper hours since starting back after maternity leave. During the last week in July and through August I was doing my hours over 2 days instead of 3 so i could have more time with the boys during the holidays. My usual hours allow me to still be able to take and pick Ethan up from school which is why I spread them over 3 days.

Also this month I have a slightly new hair style, a different colour through my hair and I'm now growing my fringe out - I'm really liking the new colours this time.

I had a great girly night out at the beginning of the month to say goodbye to a good friend who is off to live in New Zealand. It was a lovely night and great to get together with everyone. My friend then went at the end of the month to New Zealand with her family.

Oh dear.....

I really have let this go! It's been a busy couple of months with Ethan and Flynn's birthdays - will be back to update sometime this week :D

Just for fun

I saw this on Anilu's blog and thought I'd have a go:



1) Are your parents married or divorced? Married

(2) Vegetarian? No but I was for a while about 12 years ago

3) Heaven? Hopefully

4) Come close to dying? No

5) What jewelry do you wear 24/7? My engagement and wedding rings

6) Are you eating? Not right now but I just had some melon

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Yes

8) Makeup? A little but I just don't have time in the mornings!

9) Were you usually the dumper or the dumpee in your past relationships? Dumpee

10) Would you ever have plastic surgery? A breast ruduction!

11) What do you wear to bed? PJs

12) Have you ever done anything illegal? Nothing major

13) Can you roll your tongue? Yes

14) Pluck your eyebrows? Yes

15) What kind of watch(es) do you wear: I have a few, Guess, Diesel and Calvin Klein

16) Abortion? I wouldn't

17) Hair color? Blond

18) Future child's name? Well I have a 7 year old and 10month old boys, my fave girls names 10 months ago were Elsie and Macy, boys name at the moment - Riley!

19) Do you snore? Hopefully not!

20) If you could go anywhere in the world on a vacation? America, I love America and go as often as possible

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No

22) If you won the lottery, what would you do first? There would be a few things - house, holiday, car, the list goes on.

23) Gold or silver? Gold

24) Hamburger or hot dog? Hot dog

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Pizza and salad

26) Beach, city, or country? Bit of everything LOL

27) Who was the last person you touched? John

28) Where do you eat? Conservatory or family room

29) When's the last time you cried? Can't remember, maybe when Flynn was a few weeks old and I was feeding him!

30) Have you loved somebody so much it makes you cry? Yes, my boys

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex? No


32) Ever been involved with the police? No

33)Believe in Santa Claus? Of course, Santa left snowy footprints last year!

34) Do you talk in your sleep? I'm sure I must have done at some point

35) Beach or pool? Pool

36) Can you cross your eyes? Yes, without even trying

37) What's your favorite song at the moment? I'm Alive

38) Window seat or aisle? Window seat

39) Ever met any famous bands/singers? D:Reama and some of Boyzone

40) Do you feel that you've ever had a truly successful relationship? Yes

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Cut it

42) Rickie Lake or Oprah Winfrey? Neither

43) Would you ever admit to having done plastic surgery of any kind if confronted? I think so

44) How long does your shower last? Not long, I like a bath to relax in

45) Do you drive a stick? Yes

46) Cake or ice cream? Ice Cream

47) Self-conscious? Yes

48) What time do you get up? At the moment about 5.45am, my 10month old loves early mornings - not complaining he goes to bed at 7pm

49) Have you ever given money to a bum? I'm sure I have

50) When was your first crush? At Junior school!

51) Where do you wish you were? In Virginia/New York/San Diego

52) Have you ever broken someone's heart? ?

53) Ever been given a ring? Yes :)

54) Longest relationship? 10 years and still going strong

55) Last gift you received: That would probably be my Canon DSLR for my birthday

56) Last sport you played? Dancing

57) Things you spend a lot of money on? Scrapping and holidays

58) Where do you live?Nottingham

59) High school you attend(ed): Comp

60) Last wedding attended: Some good friends last year

61) Favorite fast food restaurant: McDonald's but I hardly ever go there

62) Where do you work: In a Health Centre

63) Can you cook? Yes and I enjoy it

64) Most hated food: Olives

65) Can you sing? NO!!!!!

66) Last concert attended: I think it was Daniel Beddingfield

67) Last kiss? My boys at bedtime

68) Favorite Alcoholic drink: Rose

69) Current crush? Now that would be telling LOL

A few layouts

Here are a few layouts I did during August, there are more but I haven't photographed them yet.


Ethan on the monkey bars, I didn't even know he could do this when we were at our local park, thankfully I had took my camera along.


John and the boys in the paddling pool earlier in the summer when we actually had some nice weather LOL This was Flynn's first time and he had fun.


Flynn is a very determined little boy as these photos show! He was trying to climb up the stairs and would have gone all the way had I let him. He also wanted his toy off his pushchair so he climbed on it and got the toy!

Flynn and how easily he can fall to sleep in the strangest places sometimes. This layout was a scraplift of April's layout for the Studio Calico hand picked kit.

All layouts using my Studio Calico kits and a few extras - Doodlebug alphabets, Bazzill cardstock and gems. I'm really loving the Studio Calico kit and it's really changed how I scrap. I very rarely now buy any scrapbooking products other than the kit. It has everything in it I need and if I do want a little more or I can't resist then I buy an add on. What I love too is past kits often co-ordinate with each other so I often mix and match. The community over at Studio Calico is fab too, so friendly and welcoming plus the gallery's are fab/inspiring.

I will photograph the other layouts and post soon.

Where did the time go?

I can't believe it's the end of the summer holidays already and Ethan starts back at school tomorrow, he'll be in year 2 - last year of infants. Everything is ready and I'll just spend a little time later sorting it all out so it's ready by the door for the morning.

At the weekend we went to Warwick Castle, somewhere we have planned to go all summer and we finally fitted it in. The day didn't get off to a great start with poor Flynn being stung by a wasp on his lip. It was a little worrying to start with as it swelled up (as you can see in the photo) very quickly and he seemed to be struggling to eat. By the end of the day the swelling had gone and down and he was back to his normal self. Ethan enjoyed doing and seeing various things at the Castle and was a lovely way to end the summer.

Here are some photos from Warwick Castle:

Flynn after he was stung by a wasp.

Ethan inside the Castle and walking along the Castle.

Ethan by the fountain and with Flynn in the gardens.

Birds - they are beautiful.

Ethan with the Castle in the background and me with my boys.

I will be back tomorrow with some layouts.

The boys

Some recent photos of the boys:

We went to TGI's as a treat for Ethan as he got such a fantastic school report, we had a great meal.

Flynn has been pulling himself to stand for a while now and gets himself into all sorts of places! He is also able to sit on his little bike now and keep himself on, lots of fun especially when Ethan is pushing him!

Ethan at Sports Day, they did an Olympic games event where all the children were split into 4 different countries. They then all did the various events and the children that came 1st, 2nd and 3rd place got points. The points were then added together and the countries placed in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Ethan also went to his first football match which he was super excited about, it was a great game - Nottingham Forest v Everton - and the result was a draw so at least he saw some goals scored!

Flynn is so active and strong, here he is pulling himself up on his pushchair and climbing the stairs (supervised of course) - at 8 months!

We went to The Black Country Museum a few weeks back, Ethan loves history so the perfect place for him to visit. It was a great day but VERY hot and we're looking forward to going again when it's not too hot. Ethan in the old school writing and playing a game - from the "olden days" as Ethan would say LOL

Flynn and Ethan at The Black Country Museum.

Not a sight you often see now, Ethan asleep in the car. Fortunately I'd just been to visit a friend and her new baby so had my camera on me to capture both boys fast asleep in the car as we arrived home.

Just love this first photo of Flynn, going to get this framed probably in B&W. The other is of Flynn being trapped in and prevented from going upstairs by another stair gate - the other is upstairs and I think we may need another for the kitchen - he loves to open cupboards etc and follow me around!

Ethan on the monkey bars - I had no idea he was able to do this till we went to the park last week. It's quite high so was surprised to see him up there!