It's Christmas Day, the girls awoke at 8am this morning, or should I say youngest awoke at 8am whilst eldest who went to bed saying she was so excited needed waking up. As me and her little sister woke her, she checked her stocking to see if Santa had been. Seeing some sweets and a few little presents in her stocking she woke with great excitement and glee. We awoke Nana and mummy before making our way downstairs, I popped my head round the living room door before opening it up for the girls to see the pile of presents that awaited them....
As you can see my family are big on Christmas and present giving, I think its fair to say that the girls were spoilt and I am not looking forward to getting all these presents back home in the car, something I doubt will be doable in 1 load. The girls started excitedly opening their presents, violet hugged her first present and forgot she had more to open, meanwhile rose would open something and excitedly shout, just what I always wanted, sounds like Santa got everything right. After opening the presents Rose decided it was time to be a princess for the day....
We were then joined by more family, my sisters and nephew who in turn brought more presents and had more presents to open. The children played happily together, at first sharing and playing nicely, until dinner was served we sat round the table and popped our crackers before placing our crowns on our heads a feasting on our traditional Christmas lunch of turkey with all the trimmings...
After the full lunch and desert the children played some more, this time occasionally fighting due to tiredness. We all sat round and watched the festive TV watching the queens speech before allowing daughters to watch Rapunzel as she was dressed as Rapunzel for the day herself. More playtime with the mountains of Toys was allowed to the girls who duly obliged. Sitting and riding on toys from one place,before jumping off and playing with another toy just for 2 minutes before jumping to the next toy. Its fair to say that they were pretty tired by the end of it even though they wouldn't admit it.
Once the girls were off in bed after having a later than normal night it was left to us relaxing in front of the tele for the nights offering of Christmas specials.For me the highlight was Doctor Who and Thee Royal family, but I couldn't help but think that there weren't many Christmas specials this year. Then mid evening it dawned that this was pretty much Christmas over now, I love Christmas butt it seems to speed past, I love spending extended time home, with my family and being around the girls more. I love all the decorations and presents.The smell of the fresh pine tree and the glow of the lights. I love being at home, ever since I moved away I have seen my friends less and only get to spend a little time with mam but wish II could spend more, Christmas allows me to have more time there, allows my mam to spend more time with her granddaughters. I'm sure we can rectify that this coming year, I;m sure I can factor in more time for my friends and family. I already spend as much time as possible with the girls but I need to spend more with mam, my nephew and my darling Ginger,whilst not lessening my time with my daughters, after all they grow up so fast.
Anyway, that just leaves us to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a Happy new year, thanks for reading my babbling this year, I will of course still be posting my picture of the day for the rest of this year...
Santa has already been and even assembled the girls Christmas present at our house. Luckily both daughters are away at nannys for the weekend before we head north for Christmas at my mams. So the me girls won't actually see what Santa has left at our house until later next week. I'm sure they'll love playing with this, fighting each other over it, falling out and then playing together again....
Today we started a new family tradition. I like the idea of starting a few traditions that the girls will hopefully carry on and keep doing when they are older and get their kids to do. This year, spookily, myself and Ginger had the same idea 5 minutes apart. We would every year get the girls to buy a new decoration for the Christmas tree. We'd keep the decorations every year and have 2 new ones to add to the Christmas collection. I think it's a great idea, as I remember buying the odd decoration when I was a kid they all have their own little stories. So the girls chose a green owl (youngest daughter violet) I chose a pine cone with a snowman and eldest daughter rose chose a moveable reindeer...
Today I took violet to a local play group at our local village hall. It's got plenty of space and other girls and boys to play with and lots of toys. The kids even get a mid morning snack. We had fun at the group, playing and exploring, although Violet did fall off her chair whilst eating she was fine after a 30 second cry and cuddle from daddy.
Violet thoroughly enjoyed playing on the ride on toys such as the tractor, and enjoyed them even more by getting me to push her round...
Imaginations are great aren't they? Take eldest daughter for example. Her imagination is great, she saw a cardboard box and decided that it wasn't a cardboard box but when worn was her robot outfit. It's great to see children use there imaginations like this, this begs the question why waste money on toys and just get them loads of boxes and see what adventures lie...
Today's picture isn't actually one I took, it's one from my OH Gingers blog, she took this the other day and I thought it was a great capture and one you couldn't replicate again. Don't worry she was in no danger but our youngest daughter certainly looks like a baby Tintin here. It was featured yesterday in the official tin tin website so now she's a star, Hollywood beckons?
This is the sight outside Liverpool arena. Like many cities nowadays, Liverpool has an 'eye' a Ferris wheel which gives you a view of the famous city. Liverpool's is located on the riverfront next to the impressive Echo arena. It has to be said that in the night it looks very spectacular and beautiful...
I've got a new bike to go with my new house. I've been particularly pleased that with our recent move I'll be close enough to run or bike to work no problems. So I no longer have to drive everywhere although I will kiss listening to the radio station
Today was my last shift at my current employer. After 3 years I left VA UK, I've had a great time working there, met so many fantastic people and been given so much training to develop me to be the best I can be. I'm very thankful for this and I am sad to go, but I know it's best for me and the family.
Luckily I didn't end up in the pool, partly because I can't swim so as soon as I went in they'd have to go in after me. The end was marked with a staff night out where not only current staff I worked with but staff from other clubs came along, it was great and I'm gonna miss them, Thanks for the memories and endless banter....
At work today, for some unknown reason we had a few cans of squirty cream. So it was too good to turn down the chance to have a bit of squirty cream. However me and J (pictured) disagreed with the method to which squirt the cream in your mouth, there's J's method of putting the nozzle horizontally in your mouth or my method of holding the can high and pointing down to your mouth. What's your method?
Another glorious day so why not spend it in the garden? Unfortunately we don't have the best of gardens, we've no grass so it's not the best. However we are blessed with a lovely neighbour who has a garden. She also has a grandson who our eldest child enjoys playing with. That said our eldest daughter has been busy playing in the neighbours garden which is much nicer for her. With the neighbours grandson they managed to create a lot of mess, play in a paddling pool and a game of throw the ball to each other (hitting each other in the head repeatedly)....
Meanwhile we say close by relaxing with the youngest in her parasol....
And before we leave you on this fine day eldest decided to leave you with a curtsy....
A few weeks ago I was tagged in a meme, the meme was in Romanian Mum In London's blog which you can find here. The post itself was a guest post written by the retired musodad, which you can find here, who, like a band that had previously split up did a comeback tour as a one last hurrah *cough* money spinner *cough*
So I have taken a while to reply to the questions posted one reason is that I wanted to think about them, another and probably the most plausible reason is that I have been really lazy in my blog postings recently. So here goes:
1; First gig
Ahhh my first gig. I remember it was when I was 14, my sister bought me the ticket for my birthday. She came with me to the gig. I wish I could lie and say my first gig was someone undoubtedly cool and ever-lasting in music. The band I went to see first however has left us with some memorable tunes, I am not ashamed to say I've seen them, I'm glad I did, maybe just had preferred a different band for my first gig.
The band I first saw was Savage Garden. This was in Newcastle. Now they were a great show, the front man I remember was a Entertainer and they were really good live. Many people laugh when I say they were my first live band, but like say I'm not embarrassed to say they were, I still like there songs, they are catchy, and the gig was good, I remember getting quite a bit of stick from my school friends at the time for seeing them bit meh, who cares I survived it.
2: Worst gig
There's not too many bad gigs that spring to my mind. I've been lucky enough to see quite a few good bands. Theres a few bad acts I've seen as a result of being at a festival and just going along to see a band because no-one else has been on and I couldn't be bothered to go back to my tent as there's a band coming on next I want to see.
I'd say of this bunch last year I was at live at Leeds with my friends. I remember all the posters were dotted around town and had the full line up. Live at Leeds is kind if like a gig crawl, around the city there are different venues with different musicians on. One of the top acts their last year was James Blake. He was tipped to make it big last year by the radio and NME etc. so without ever hearing anything of his me and my mates went along to his 4pm show, by 4:15 we had left, I can honestly say that was one if the most depressing dull acts I'd ever seen. All his songs sounded the same and had all sounded like he was too depressed to do anything but cry. His singing didn't even sound human it sounded more like a whales mating call!
3: Best gig
This could only be one gig, without doubt it had to be when I saw Bruce Springsteen in Manchester in 2008. The gig was fantastic, the Boss is and always be one of my favourite musicians. He, in my eyes has never wrote a bad song that I've heard and his live shows certainly live up to his music. The E street band that accompany him are of course also of equally high measure and the fact the band and the Boss go on staff with no set list but the first couple of songs and the judge the mood and feel of the gig shows how good and In sync the band are with each other.
I'm delighted to say ill get to see them again this summer in Sunderland, and I'm sure it'll be an equally as good show, albeit quite sad as the big man Clarence Clemons Wont be there but I'm sure the Boss and the E-street band will do him justice. There's nothing like seeing a 60 year old man power slide across the stage on his knees to make you realise that he truly us a genius.
After the gig also was coupled with a great night out, and isn't that the point of the gig. Not just the show itself but the stories you have of the night out afterwards. Me and my mate jack were staying in Manchester. I drove, I bought the tickets, all he had to do was sort the hotel, which he did, for £20 each in the city centre which I thought bargain! What he didn't tell me until we got there that it was a certain sexual preference hotel of which we were not! No difference, a bed is a bed after all. A night of many drinks around Manchester followed of which most stories I can not place on this blog :O
4: Last gig
Feeder in Sheffield. This was the 16th time I had seen this great band. They are my favourite band. I went to see them with my OH for the first time and my trusty side kick Disco Dave for the 16th time. Now many people say if you've seen them that many times you could act their show. True I always know what song they finish on but they do release new music and play them their gigs. They also regularly play songs they haven't done got years from their back catalogue.
In Sheffield it had coincided with the day of their new album being released. I had already feverishly listened to the whole album a few times and do was well acquainted with many of the new songs. They played a large majority of these, at the dismay to a few people behind me. I understand that some 'fans' may be annoyed at this but I see it from the bands point of view that they want people to hear their new music. They still played all their favourites but blended then in between new songs.
Now obviously I am going to be biased as I love all their songs and do they could've played their entire first album or their new album and I would still love every second of it. The gig itself was great and I've already got my ticket to gig number 17 bring it on.
6: Dream gig
This is a tough one as the rule of the original post stipulated it must not be the stereotypical answers of a band like the Beatles or Jimi Hendrix as these were obviously not around in my lifetime, but instead a band or musician I could've easily seen but didn't.
I guess for this dream gig I'd have to say it would be Tom Jones. Now I know very well that he's still alive and still active in the music industry and maybe one day I will get to see him. I think the man is a legend in the music industry and the reason why I chose him is simply that I've been privileged alot musically in my life that I've seen many of my favourite acts and artists live, quite a few time. There's many smaller bands that I like that I have never seen but these have never been dream gigs to me, they are simply would've been nice to see.
Similarly it would be great to see Bon Jovi or Robbie Williams live, but as they often tour the UK I am often confident that this will undoubtedly happen. However with Tom Jones I am less confident, I think what would make it a dream gig would be to see him live in somewhere like Las Vegas. I'd love to see a big act live in America, I've been to sporting events there and everything just seems to happen on a larger scale, and I'm sure Sir Tom wouldn't disappoint.
But now who to tag? The whole point of a meme is to tag people in it. Or should I just break the golden rule and not? Surely I can;t do that can I ? Well I think not tagging anyone would be disrespectful to Musodad who started this post and also Romanian Mum who kindly borrowed her blog for tis to happen.
So I will tag a few people. First my OH @ourpeagreenpod she probably won't do it because she hates memes, but its worth a try isn't it?
Next I'm going to have to tag @firsttimedaddy , purly beacuse we have had a few football related discussion on twitter and now I'd like to see his music tastes.
After this I am going to invite @saskadad , one of my new followers, I;m intrigued to hear his musical tastes. As well as @thejdaddy .
That is all for now, but if you want to join in please do so and comment me the link.
Here is eldest trying to use a scarf as a skipping rope, unfortunately she couldn't quite grasp it and as it swooped round it would stop at her feet, step over it and swoop over her head again. Eventually she gave up and used it as a belt....
We had a trip to the seaside today, and eldest child was promised an Ice Cream if she was good enough. She kept her end of the bargain.... Just and so did we. But she wasn't quite sure on mummys ice cream....
