A trip for two

On New Year's day Evening, Nathan and I went to Lancaster for a night and day away. It was great to be back in my University City and it seems crazy that almost a decade has passed, since I lived there. 

Ashton (Thashton as we used to call it) Memorial Building

 There were some changes to the town centre but most things were the same, including the old door and old curtains which could have done with being replaced back in 2000/2002 when I lived at 19 Balmoral Rd !! ( I wonder if Rosemary still owns it?)

St Martin's College, which when I was there was part of the University of Lancaster is now The University of Cumbria.

I lived in Waddell Hall South, in the room, middle row, second in on the right.

And 18 Dallas Rd has now got a bright yellow door (there is still a VW campervan parked nearby as there always used to be, just a different one). I think it is the landlord stamping mark as a few houses around the city had the same striking paintwork.

We had a walk around the city then drove to Bowness in Windermere. One of the many things I always loved about Lancaster was its proximity to the lLkes and also the Dales. I guess I was especially lucky that Jane had Mindy and we were able to go places and explore whenever we wanted, which we often did - happy times. 

What in the evening and the following day turned into a huge storm, was already brewing when we got there. It put our plans to have a nice walk into touch.Instead we had to force ourselves to enjoy a  Thai lunch (Tiger Prawn Green Curry for me and Pork Sweet n Sour for Nath) and do some shopping (new boots for my birthday and a cream snood) - oh the hardship.

Just as the hailstone began :)

But even in the cold, wet, wind and hail it is still so beautiful.

It was fab to be able to walk around in our own time, hold hands and chat. We went back to Lancaster and dashed to get Nathan the Samsonite laptop case we'd seen in T K Maxx for his birthday. Back at the Travelodge we chilled watching Marley and Me,by the end of it , we were both sobbing  our eyes out and then laughing at the same time because we were both sobbing our eyes out!!

A lovely day - just the two of us x

3rd January - My Birthday

So like I mentioned before a storm was brewing and it came into it's full effect of my birthday :( I think last year I'd been spoilt, as we'd had a lovely cold but bright day and gone for a walk around Swinsty reservoir. I'd had the same expectation  for this year planning on a walk around the 12 days of Christmas walk,  at Bolton Abbey. It was a definite 'no goer' in the end we took the boys for a run around Monster Fun at Lister Mill and then had a chicken pie tea at Mum and Dad's - I'm 32 and never missed a birthday without seeing my Mum n Dad - I'm a lucky girl :)

Stockeld Park

7th January - Nathan's birthday. 

Breakfast part one in bed

Bacon, sausage n egg butties downstairs with cards and presents

Joseph was so excited to give him his card he tried to give it to him whilst he was in the bathroom getting washed :) 

Joseph and I had a lovely time, the afternoon prior, colouring the dragon on Nathan's card. Up until recently, Joseph hasn't really shown a liking for colouring or drawing but when we did the dragon he coloured really carefully. Sat on my knee, he'd do some and then direct me where I should colour. He offered me great praise for my efforts 'That's fantastic!' 'That's just perfect mummy.' He went to find his dragon to inform us which colour the wings should be - red! 

After brunch we had some shopping to do, to get ready for Aunty Caroline's upcoming wedding. Necklace ordered in Morley and black shoes bought for the boys in a busy White Rose centre. We took the boys round in the Little Tyke's Car trolleys you can hire, to make the experience more bearable for our shopping-phobic boys. Ben made all the usual high pitched  breaking and skid noises as we meandered around the hustle and bustle!

Jobs done and a quick stop off at Macdonalds later, we headed for Stockeld Park with it's Christmas Adventure. We'd been planning to go since November. Ideally we'd hoped to go before Christmas and take the boys to see Father Christmas, then we planned to go between Christmas and New year but opted for two chill days, then new year's eve were changed due to lack of time. So in the end we finally got there one day before it closed for another year. We were not disappointed. 

The walk around the Enchanted Forest was really great. Along the walk were deer,

a talking tree;

Rapunzel in her tower;

The boys imaginations were captured

by the forest coming alive as we walked through it.

Ben is still not happy with his hat, Daddy was more than happy to use it to keep his ears warm :)

We had to play the chimes to make the fairies wake up and dance.

Along the route there were also unicorns, owls, swans, wolves along with an ogre, a Wizard with his spell book; Cinderella's carriage; another bridge with a troll underneath; giant toadstool houses and an Enchanted lake. 

A few trees had doors where you rang the bell to find out who         lived inside. 

Figgy Pudding was not very pleased about being disturbed :/

Little Red Riding hood's Grandma looked like she needed a shave

Joseph and Daddy being statues 

It was really, really well done and magical for the children. I'm glad we finally made and hopefully we'll get there sometime in December this year.

In the evening Nathan went to conduct the baptism service for Denise Osbourne (unfortunately I had a migraine coming). He came back really uplifted by the strong spirit he'd felt. Elder Pezensky performed the baptism with Steve Lawrence also there to offer him assistance in the water. Dee is so lovely and seems to have grasped the gospel with all her heart. She'd ordered a temple dress for her baptism and organised her own service with Nathan and Ben Adamson speaking, and a  musical item of ' You raise me up' which she really makes her feel the spirit. Her family came to support her and had driven up from the midlands to do so, even though they are not members themselves - what a great example of family unity. 

Farewell 2011

December 31st 2011

New Year's Eve was a quiet one. I needed to stay later at mum and dad's to help mum move forward with my dress. We decided to move the plans to got to Stokeld park forward to next week, opting for a easy evening. We ate M&S food, watched the Cawood fireworks from the bedroom window ( I wish I'd been bothered to go and get the camera from the car, as the fireworks looked so cool over the house tops and the thought did cross my mind that we might not be here this time next year to do this again) We put the boys to bed and then snuggled up and attempted to watch the first Harry Potter (or Barry Potter as we call him :)) from our box set. We both fell asleep only to wake at the end credits in time to watch the fireworks broadcast from London. They were spectacular and went on for a whole 15 minutes - we're celebrating the arrival of 2012 big time because of the Olympics. 

We bid farewell to 2011 - it's been a good one, a fast one and very busy one and so we promptly at the end of the year went to bed :)

Christmas living

December 27th

Nathan went to play golf with the boys and then we drove to Billingham to see Nana and Aunty Diane. It was nice to see them again so soon after visiting in October for Nana's birthday.

December 28th

Oh joy of joys, a day I had been looking forward to for so long, a day we had designated to be 'a total slob day!' It was great, it was slow, it was long in a really good way. The boys didn't get dressed all day, I showered and then got back into my pyjamas again. We watched lots of films (The Great expectations adaptation by the BBC was really good), the boys enjoyed playing with their new toys. Nathan didn't get out of bed until midday. The only thing I cooked were pancakes and Jamie's epic hot chocolate, the rest of the days eating was direct from the cupboards, fridge or sweet tin! It was a really, thoroughly enjoyable day :)

December 29th

Kind of a version of the day before only  we did slightly up the activity rate. Nathan ventured out for needed supplies, we all got dressed and I did cook as the missionaries came over for tea with Eric. Our current Missionaries are really great. Elder Balls is nearly homeward bound but still working hard, he has a down to earth personality. Elder Pezencsky is an extremely special missionary and brings with him a very special spirit. He suffers from muscular dystrophy which causes him balance issues and to talk slowly. I have never come across an Elder with the same level of disability as He has. Nathan said the first time he came to our house, straight from the MTC, it took him 10 minutes to take off his shoes. We are truly humble by the conviction of his testimony to serve His heavenly father by coming on a mission and preaching of Christ. He shared the spiritual though this evening and challenged us to share the book of Mormon with someone. We committed to this challenge. What is even more humbling about this Elder is that he  himself had only been a member of the church for 18 months prior to his call. He met the Elders at a bus stop in London, they invited him to read the book of Mormon and come to church he accepted and that Sunday he went and knew that he needed to go on a mission. He is as yet the only member in his family. Because of his disabilities he needed to demonstrate to the stake and area presidencies that he would  physically be able to cope with the demands of his mission and with his determination he was able to do so. We in Selby have been really blessed to have him serve here.   




December 30th

I went over to mum's to be fitted for my bridemaid's dress. I made a somewhat unsuccessful and rare trip into Leeds to try and find beads and a bra!! It was quite a treat though to be able to pop into a number of shops by myself :) In the evening I'd arranged a 'hen do' of sorts for Caroline. The Sarah's three: Hillary, Fenton and Walker, Angela (with amazing Lemon curd cheesecake and a divine oreo cheesecake which Gemma claimed 'she needed in her life again'), Julie,Jennie, Val, Gemma, Mum and I arrived in pyjamas. We presented Caroline with a pair of Mum's silky pyjamas and tied her hair in ribbons. Jennie had the opportunity for revenge and took her to collect the Chinese takeaway dressed this way. 

We played the Christmas card game and Tension  and Vital statistics with a few 'Stuart themed rounds' Sarah Fenton had brought plenty of Sing Star Games and the PS3 and we all bar Mum had a good sing and a good laugh too.

Charlie - the only male permitted to the attend the evening's event :)

Sarah total Sing Star :) 

Why I blog #4

In Monster Fun, Joseph had great fun running around up and down the slide over the obstacles as fast as he could. There were quite a few other children there including two little girls who couldn't make their minds up whether they wanted him to chase them or not. As they squealed running away from him. Nathan heard Joseph say    'It's OK, I won't hurt you, I'm just a friendly boy'

Christmas Round up

Christmas was lovely with a good mix of bustle and time to relax, time for our extended family and time for just us. Nathan was off for 11 days which was a treat in itself. Here is a run down on our Christmas living -

Christmas Eve -

We went over to Mum and Dad's for the traditional Christmas eve meal of potato pie and mince pies. Grandma Josie and Grandad were also there as they were spending Christmas there this year. We read the Christmas story from the scriptures and Mum had bought lots of Christmas books for the children to look at. We set off for home making some last minute deliveries to Maurice and Patricia and Lesley on our way. Dressed in new pyjamas and stockings hung, the boys went to bed without a fuss and slightly too tired to be overly excited. Nathan and I then had to work like troopers in our traditional Christmas Eve fashion to get everything ready for the next day. This is a tradition that each year I say I'd like to change for a more leisurely Christmas Eve through being more organised though as yet it has never happened :)

Our own baby Jesus :)

Not too happy with his manger 

He liked cuddles with Grandmother though

Emily and Joseph found a different baby Jesus and laid Him in a manger

Granne in pursuit of just one photo where they're all looking :)

Christmas Day -

I woke up first 7am (still pitch black outside). I tried to creep downstairs to put the lamb in the slow cooker, without waking the boys but 'eagle ears' woke up the second I hit the landing. 

We had a lovely time opening the stocking presents. I always love to see how happy they are with each small present. This year the squeal of excitement came when Joseph opened the Lewis car.

'What is it?'

Toy story stickers

'Nigel Gearsley :)'

'Lewis, I really wanted Lewis' :)

After stockings we went downstairs and the boys found a castle with knights, horses and even two ghosts and a garage - they were thrilled :)

We had just enough time for a quick breakfast and then we went to church. It was nice to go and be at church on Christmas Day and have time to sing the carols and hear about the joy that Christ's birth brings. 

When we came home, the boys and Nathan had time to play and I set to work on the dinner, accompanied by the carols on Classic FM. 

According to my own personal food critic Christmas dinner was a success :) We listened to the Queen's speech and I felt moved by her words especially this part -

"Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.

"God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a saviour, with the power to forgive.

"Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love."

 'Cheese' (Ben singing for his supper)

Truly a Christmas feast :)

Joseph's contribution to the Christmas Table decoration was one of Daddie's trainers :)

In the evening we went over to the McNee's and the boy were spoilt with gifts and attention - a lovely evening to a lovely day. Oh and Nathan gave me another gift by lying with the boys to get them to sleep so I could watch the Christmas Downton Abbey special in peace :)

Ben was really thrilled with the Woody outfit Grandad and Grandma got him - especially the hat.

Boxing Day


We had a nice easy morning, Joseph enjoyed going from room to room getting hi Uncles and Aunties to do things for him or lend him things. In particular he was very fond of Uncle Tom's Mac book for watching youtube clips of Lightning McQueen and his iphone 4 for playing 'Angry Birds'

I had fun being creative in the kitchen making the Turkey Cranberry Wreath I'd tasted at the Pampered Chef parties ready for the 'Hillary, Harrison party'


The party was its good traditional self ; a great buffet Mum style; lots of relatives crossing 4 generations; Dad's games (Christmas card game and treasure hunt) lots of gift giving and receiving  and a great dollop of noise - good times :)