Day 335 Christmas fair

Today was eldest daughter (Rose) school Christmas fair. There was lots of activities and prizes to be won. Classics such as a tombola and lucky dips with cakes and other refreshments available too. Even Santa Claus was there to meet all the boys and girls.

Hopefully the school raised lots of money, but Rose especially liked having her face painted...

Day 334 tractor

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...

Day 333 daddy and daughter

I'd like to share something that someone sent me via Facebook on my daughters birthday at the weekend. Now I know some people may find what this says a little old fashioned, but I thought it was quite nice and these are words I will keep close to me...

The Birthday Weekend

This past weekend was a very special weekend, firstly it was my birthday on Saturday. My 28th one on this planet saw nothing special happen, nothing special planned. No big night out and this will all become clear why later on in the post. Instead it started with a lie in before waking up. As I woke to the sound of the children playing they wished me a Happy birthday and each gave me a kiss along with the girls' mum, which was a nice way to start the day. Ginger was cooking my my favourite way to start the day, a bacon and egg sandwich with ketchup and a cup of tea, in the meantime the girls wanted to give me my birthday present, they sat patiently with my present....

before letting me unwrap it, I think they are trying to tell me something....

After opening the girls present I then opened my cards. My nephew who is now 4 wrote me a card which featured some very lovely artwork of me, and his two cousins. It also featured a flying fish! Maybe he's trying to tell me to take up fishing. Mean while Ginger gave me my presents, but she couldn't resist abusing me in the process....

After opening cards and presents there was of course cake, featuring all 28 candles, one for each year. Im surprised the fire alarms didn't go off, maybe that's a sign I should be checking them more often! I knew I had a cake as eldest daughter couldn't resist telling me the other day, but I managed to stop her telling me anymore details as I was pretty sure she was divulging information I was not meant to hear...

The rest of day was spent with the girls, we popped into town and ate at a local restaurant and walked around the bustling streets full of Christmas shoppers, before heading home to relax and have some cake and ice cream. The girls then were bathed and put to bed because the next day would be more important and even more hectic.

The next day saw youngest daughter (Violets) birthday. It was extra special as this was her first birthday. Yes Violet was born just a few hours outside of her daddy's birthday, now meaning that I can't drink and celebrate my own birthday too drunkenly or fear having a horrendous hangover on her birthday, something I don;t want to ruin. However it does make the two days a little extra special knowing we have a special link in some way. To mark Violets first birthday we hosted a small party with friends and family at our house. Ginger had got her crafty fingers out and had been busy making bunting, whilst the previous night was spent blowing up balloons and decorating the house. Violet eventually woke up bright eyed and early as did her older sister. Straight away we all wished her a happy birthday before bringing the girls downstairs for some breakfast. We had her presents ready for her in the next room and so Rose, Violets big sister went to to grab hers to give to her, very excited at the prospect of her little sister opening her present...

Violet after a little of tempting finally started opening her present....

After she had opened her big sisters present we then got our present we bought her. We had bought her a toddle truck for her to use, to get use to walking but also play with and enjoy as she had been enjoying playing with a similar one at a local playgroup. As soon as she saw it she was up on her feet and busy crashing into anything and everything that got in the way...

Once all the excitement of the presents opened was done and dusted it was then time to turn attention to the party. At around 11:30am people started arriving. I picked my mam up from York as she had been staying there the night before with friends, after this Gingers Mum and step dad arrived shortly followed by Gingers Dad and Grandpa. Then my little sister and husband joined us and nit forgetting My nephew CJ. My relatives brought with them a sackful of presents as we are quite big into birthdays and the birthday person being spoilt. There were even some presents for me for my birthday which was very nice. Violet had plenty of toys to now choose from and in particular enjoyed and still enjoys her Mickey Mouse dancing toy that sings the HotDog song, (if you don;t know what I;m talking about you tube it, it's quite a nice little song) Violet even took her first steps without holding onto anything as well, successfully stringing 2 steps together to reach Nana, making today even more special.

Once all the presents were unwrapped it was time to eat. A small party spread was laid on featuring sandwich's, cheese, bread sticks, quiche was there to enjoy which many people did, but most importantly there was more birthday cake. Ginger had made and stressed over daughters rainbow cake, but thankfully the mountainous cake was baked safely and most important deliciously. To top it a candle with 1 was placed and lit and everyone sang happy birthday to Violet, at which point she beamed a huge smile at everyone singing harmoniously to her. Her sister and cousins duly helped blow out the candles before the cake was sliced and made available for everyone to eat with jelly and ice cream....

Now the food was served and presents opened, over time people trickled off and made their way home. More people joined the party and occupied the girls. Tears were shed as the girls got tired and spoilt with attention from various other people. Needless to say everyone was tired and eventually as everyone left it was time for the girls to go to bed shortly followed by Mummy and Daddy. It's been a great weekend, it's been a lovely family themed weekend. But most importantly theres plenty of cake left over, yum yum.

Day 332 Grumpy gus

She's got a new coat yet she just looks grumpy, but at least she'll be warm from the cold.

Day 331 hitchin a ride

Youngest daughter got a riddle truck yesterday for her birthday. It, as you may have seen as shapes in it to play with and drop around the house. She has been busy leaving these throughout the house much like a trail so she can find her way back should she become lost. As well as ramming the truck into my feet. However what she has also noticed us that she can now take her friends with her too. Nana bought her a singing Mickey house she has particularly enjoyed and so she has decided her must ride with her...

Day 330 The first birthday

Today was youngest daughters birthday. Yes she was born just a few hours shy of my own birthday. This was her first ever birthday and for those of you who have read my blog will have seen pictures if her develop and grow over the year, a longer write up if mine and youngest daughters birthday weekend is to follow but here is a picture just for today....

Day 329 birthday

Saturday was my birthday, and while there was plenty to do it was nice to relax with the family and enjoy some fun time together, my daughters bought me a cup they felt summed me up...

Day 328 birthday prepping

It's a busy weekend this one. Firstly it's my birthday tomorrow (I accept cheques for those of you who wish to celebrate this) and immediately the day after it us youngest daughters 1st birthday. So today it is all go, the kids have been bundled off to school and nursery so me and Ginger are spending the day prepping.

When we woke up this morning we realised we had people coming on Sunday for daughters and yet not enough cups so they could drink tea and coffee. So we've had to break out the back up, novelty cups. I'm sure they'll prove a conversation starter at least on Sunday.

Day 327 new wheels

Tonight I built youngest daughters birthday present. It's her birthday on Sunday and so instead of here opening up a box and waiting for me to build her present its already done. Now just to get a bow and hide it from her till Sunday...

Day 326 Fashion icon

It looks like something from a catalogue but somehow my OH Ginger has capture this photo of our youngest daughter modelling her fashionable jacket wrapped up warm for the winter chill. This has to be one if my favourite photos, sterling work...

Day 325 gruffalo crumble

Mmmmm youngest daughters favourite food is Gruffalo crumble yum yum

Day 324 Movember update

So November is in it's last 10 days so here's an update on how my succulent tashe is looking. Ginger may not like it but I do. Please feel free to donate to this very worth cause right here. Or read up More on Movember here.

Day 323 the gig

Tonight we went to see my fave band Feeder live. It's one of many times I've seen them live, this time in Manchester. However I'd like to say thank you to the bands bass player, Taka. I had some trouble with my ticket not being delivered. The box office were refusing to re-issue me a ticket so I tweeted Taka my situation in the hope he'd see it and help and he did just that. Proof why they are such a good band, they care for their fans and write some cracking songs.

The gig itself was fantastic as always, stood pretty close to the front they played a great blend on new and old songs to please all fans. The crowd itself were pretty energetic too and the band could see this and rose to that energy. My highlight was hearing them play sweet 16 it's been a longtime since I heard that live, here's a clip....

Day 322 younger artist

Earlier in the year I shared some pictures that our 4 year old daughter painted. The pictures she not only showcased in a local exhibition but also sold.

Well it looks like her 11 month old sister is following in her artistic footsteps as she has now taken up painting. Below is her painting she painted yesterday in nursery...

The Spinathon - Days 320-321

The last couple if days have been taken up by a spinathon by charity. Never heard if a spinathon? Basically it entails spin bikes and keeping them spinning for a period of time. This one was a 12 hour spinathon so that meant from 7am in the morning at least one of the spin bikes had to keep spinning at all times until 7pm in the evening. All this in the name if children in need.

                           

We decided we'd do this at work last week and so I then decided it on myself to do the whole thing, yes the whole 12 hours! After I decided this, Gertie (my OH) also decided that she wanted to do this. To help us other members of staff and members at our gym helped keep us motivated by signing up for guest slots.

The day started well and full if energy, also started with a macdonalds breakfast to help keep us spurred on, this was tactic borrowed from our great north run earlier in the year. All 5 bikes were full a spinning and people full of optimism in the task ahead. The wheels kept turning and members start kindly donating which was the main thing as the sun rose over the building.

                                    

 

The first 3 hours went by quite quickly as a quarter of our deficit passed, the buckets were getting regular do stop s and the next 9 hours if the last 3 were to judge wouldn't be an issue. Slowly the first people who signed up to help motivate left one by one and we were joined by new people who replaced them each adding their fresh enthusiasm for the hours ahead.

Before we knew it we were over halfway there. More money had been donated staff had gathered around to watch and encourage and many more people had helped with guest slots some taking it serious and some there to provide laughs but the main thing I can remember is that between the 3 and 6 hour point my bum started hurting real bad, being sat in what can be kindly described as an uncomfortable saddle for this time wasn't good.

After the 6 hour mark just before the 9 hour mark cramp started in my left knewe, this now meant the transition from being seated for 5-10minutes to being standing for 5-10minutes to relieve the pain being sat was know being joined by pain being stood. Nevertheless after occasional stopping of the left leg (while the right leg kept spinning) and stretching on the bike it helped make it a little bearable, albeit through gritted teeth.

Oranges were given to keep the spirits up and proved a welcome help. More friends and members came on to help, while members kept donating. Gertie was doing great and at many times seemed like she was dealing with it a lot better than me. She didn't seem to feel and pain in her knees just in her bum being sat in the saddle. She seemed to be able to keep going and going just on the few cups of tea and bottle if Ribena she'd had during the event.

                                    

All the seconds,minutes and hours crept down to finally we were in the last half hour, the Ricky soundtrack was on the music system to spur us through, you couldn't help but look at the clock wishing each luck had miraculously ticked down to the last minute, then it came 7pm it was over, done, finito, 12 hours non stop cycling was done. After a stretch off it was home to shower and bed a hope we weren't too sore the next day.

We had raised just over £400 for children in need which is fantastic. Thank you to everyone who donated. A big thank you to everyone who helped motivate and encourage us but most importantly thank you to Gertie who was there all the way, you did great.

 

Day 319 our new addition

We want to introduce you to our new addition to our family. No we aren't having another child we now have a pet! Yes eldest daughter has a dog, well infact she made a dog with mummy out of an old Pringles tube. Quite creative, it's a sausage dog and his name is Richard...

Day 318 sickness

It's that time if year when people starting getting ill with flu etc. in our house both daughters have been ill and now I am. Nothing helps me feel better though than a bowl if nice warm chicken soup, yum yum...

Day 317 a ducky day

Pulling into work car park can sometimes be quite intimidating. Not because work is an intimidating place but because a gang hangs outside sometimes. There can be hundreds of them, all making lots of noise and leaving loads of mess around too. Someone really needs to sort it, I mean one day there'll be an accident, see for yourself...

Movember 2012

It is now 8 days into the month formally known as November, for those of you questioning what has happened to November, it's name has changed to Movember. You may have thought the world has gone crazy if you've stepped out your house and noticed many men sporting a furry upper lip. This is what Movember has done, it's a way for men to help make more men aware of male illness's and cancers such as prostate and testicular, cancers which kill so many men, yet in most cases are easily curable. Check the Movember website out here for more details and you can donate here

It's been shown in recent years that promoting awareness helps, look at what women do with the run for life where women run 10k to raise breast cancer awareness or the tinkled pink promotion where they ask people to wear pink etc. For men it's simple the whole month of November you grow a Mo, a moustache. Simple, start 1st Movember freshly shaven and then let everyone see that you can grow facial hair, that you are a man! Women can also bet involved, by supporting men, drawing a moustache on at events etc, as men who participate are called Mo Bro's, women are called Mo' Sisters. Obviously different peoples ability to grow facial hair dictates on there success/humiliation factor, but at the end of the day they are trying, are you? Well heres my effort so far.....

Movember is there to raise money for research into Men's cancers and to, maybe most importantly to encourage men to go see there doctors for a simple check up. Men statistically fail to do this, as men we often notice something may not be right with our health and shy away and neglect it, hoping that if we forget about it then it'll go away, but you know what guys, this is down right stupid, we can't do this, this is playing with your own life, your own health, probably both physically and mentally.

Let me give you an example. When I was around 15, I noticed a lump. Now being that age, I was scared, even more so because it was on one of my testicles. I wasn't sure what to do, so I ignored it, I didn't tell anyone, I didn't try to speak to my doctor, I was defiantly not going to speak to my parents or my friends. At 15 I thought the best thing to do was try forget about it, surely it was nothing and after a couple of days it would go away, life would go on as usual and I'd carry on like nothing ever happened. But guess what, it didn't go away, I would often think and worry about it thinking that something was wrong with me, it was my fault this had happened, it was something I had done or I was weird and if anyone found out they would laugh at me.

I let this go on for 3 years, Knowing full well that this could be something serious, that it could possibly be the Big C. After 3 years I'd decided enough was enough, I'm being stupid and playing Russian roulette with my own life not knowing, and knew that there was only one thing to do. So I made an appointment with my Doctor, within 5 minutes of breaking down to the doctor and being checked I was assured that it wasn't cancerous and more than likely a simple Cyst that wouldn't affect me. They did thorough testing and within the week the results came back as clear. Overnight relief for something I had worried about for over 3 years, so how stupid had I been.

I often think that them 3 years of my life, the sleepless nights, the anxiety, the worry could've been easily avoided had I simply seen my doctor. After all they are qualified to help, they are professional people who won't laugh at me, snigger behind my back, or tell the whole town about me. But you know what the worst thing was, having to tell my own mother that for 3 years I had been so stupid with my health, having to tell my family who only care and want the best for me that something so simple could've been put to bed so easily. That even if the lump was cancerous that chances are early detection would've been successful and that by me putting it off I risked that success rate.

I could never imagine putting my loved ones through that again and so every Movember, I pledge to grow a Mo, raise some money, make men more aware of their health and most importantly get myself a check up, and if in the rest of the year I notice something is wrong, I'll be making an appointment straight away.

So this is why Movember means a lot to me, I support any charity that supports men's health because although I have been incredibly lucky in my story that unfortunately somewhere another guy is doing exactly what I did all those years ago, and risking his life and being stupid and foolish. Guys if you notice something is wrong go see your Doctor. Get a check up every year, it doesn't take long, because if you don't you might be playing Russian Roulette with your own life.

So once again please donate to help raise awareness and help to find treatments. You can donate here
Thank you.

Day 316 Hospital

Unfortunately today we have spent the afternoon in hospital. Baby daughter has been feeling a little under the weather and so I took her in to be on the safe side after a severe bout of vomit. The doctors gave her a look over and a few toys to play with along with a little medicine and thankfully we are back home with mummy and daddy doing regular night time checks, what a trooper....

Day 315 Drinking in my pants

It's Saturday, so what better way to start the weekend by getting up, relaxing on the digs and drinking milk in just your pants? Well that's baby girls idea anyway....

Day 314 Twiggies

Do you love them or hate them?

Day 313 going for a stroll

Uh oh she's now on the move with toys! Toes aren't safe!

Day 312 - Taschetacular

Movember is well and truly under way. All around the nation moustaches are springing up gloriously. So here is a few examples from our work...

Day 311 Robot

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...

Day 310 bath time

It's the girls' bath time so just to make sure they knew the bath was for them I put their names on the side of the bath....

Day 309 wrap up warm

It's that time of year, time to wrap up warm, so this is how youngest daughter decides to show this years latest trends....

Day 308 dressing gowns

A weekend trip at nanas always means new clothes and the girls getting spoilt. This time round nana had some new dressing gowns waiting on the radiators for them before they went to bed, perfect to keep them snug and warm before having some warm milk before beddy byes...                                  

Day 307 Sexy and we mo it

I saw this and loved it so its today's picture. Loving the mo, I love Movember....

Movember 2012

So it's that time of year again! The time has come to show your manliness and grow a moustache all for a good cause, of course it's time for Movember. Over the next month, as ever i'll be taking up the challenge and giving updates on how it's all going. Usually I write a music inspired post at the start of thus ninth, and this month is no different however, instead of highlighting certain bands or music I've been listening too this time there's just one song to sum up this month ahead. That song of course is Dead Cat Bounces charity single for Movember called, Everytime you shave a moustache dies! Sound advice, enjoy and happy mo growing....

To find out more about Movember please click here.