Wednesday 30/7/2014 – Preseason training

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2014, 365, childhood, children, family, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, rugby

A day on my own today while the children went to Warwick Castle with their Dad and then picked up Sx after his scout camp. I met them at rugby pre-season training.

Sx LOVES this training. He is first one back for every drill, with a big smile on his face and desperate for more. Despite 5 days of very little sleep and lots of activities at scout camp he was there early tonight to practice his kicking – and wanted to stay after the official training for a bit of a game with the last stragglers. If he could do this every day – he would.

 

Monday 28/7/2014 – Paddling Pool

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2014, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, summer

We met up with friends this morning and after an inauspicious start – the weather changed back to the “normal” sunshine.

After a quick game for the kids and a coffee for the grow ups we headed off to a local park with a huge paddling pool and had it to ourselves!

After lunch I suddenly came over very nauseuous. no idea why but we had to suddenly pack up and head home in case i got worse. A few hours in bed and i was feeling a little better but still not great. Hopefully I will be back to normal tomorrow.

Saturday 26/7/2014 – Hampton Court Palace

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2014, 365, palace, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

I took the children to a “Gorgeous Georgians” weekend at Hampton Court Palace – which I am lucky enough to live only 45 minutes away from. The children went for free and there were lots of different activities for them to learn about life in the reign of King George I

Hampton Court is just to the west of London and easily accessible by train. It is a beautiful palace inside and out and was a royal palace fromthe time of King Henry VIII (the one with all the wives!) I can really recommend it if you are ever visiting London.

For the special family weekend there were various ativities in the gardens. They often run special kid themed events.

There were people dressed in period costume ALL over the place – including some demonsrating the art of sword fighting Then we got to go and admire all the wonderful interior of the palace…

and the outside…

Friday 25/7/2014 – Kayaking fun

After a day yesterday which was supposed to be a chance to relax – but ended up as a chance for the kids to bicker and my stress levels to rise…it was good to get out of the house today. We headed out to the local Cuontry Park for a walk round the lake and then a chance for the two older boys and their friend to hire a kayak.

Of course Sx couldn’t stay in his kayak – and oh-so-accidentally fell in while standing up in it. I knew he would go in – and I am sure his dip was refreshing.

The weather suddenly broek mid afternoon (it had been quite oppressively hmid for days so no great surprise) but when it rained – it rained. We sheltered under a tree for the first shower but when the second came, we deicded to cut our losses and head home.

Wednesday 23/7/2014 – A Tale of Two Parts

Tags

365, photoaday, photography, photos, piano, postaday

Part One: Normal life

Sx finished school at lunchtime so he and I went for lunch at the pub. Another REALLY hot and sticky day – a thunderstorm is needed!

Gx has got more into playing the piano lately so I chose him as my topic for today’s photos.

He does have a bit of a strange two-fingered claw like approach to playing!

Then time to do my lighting assignment for the course I am on this week. I find recognising and understanding lighting really tough!!

I have to warn you I was so grumpy doing these. I am not sure if this is because
1) it is unseasonably hot here and needs to have a big storm to clear the air
2) the children finished school today and are hot and tired
3) I am finding it hard to follow the threads on the course forum where every reply quotes previous photo rich posts and makes it hard to find the new nuggets of info. (Reply with quote is needed as so many people are posting in one thread it would be difficult to know who was replying to what – but my head is spinning!)
4) I am finding it hard to follow all the new info in the course information  (this is GOOD as I am getting lots of information. But I feel a little overwhelmed)
5) The visions I had of me doing this course and wafting from one natural light setup to another as life unfolds around me, smiling smugly whilst applying the new rules for lighting I have picked up thus far and taking shot after shot of breathtaking beauty…

…have been replaced with the reality of a harassed sweaty mum persuading unruly tired children to PLEASE sit still before bed in the same spot while I try and read what I am doing, try and appreciate what I am seeing while doing it and try and avoid having too much of the ironing forming colourful bokeh in the background!!

 

Tuesday 22/7/2014 – Shopaholic

Tags

2014, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

Shopping trip with my Mum today to try and get the final bits and pieces for our wedding outfits for my nephew’s upcoming wedding. A successful trip – not least because of a yummy lunch.

Gx had a party after school (complete with water guns – what great weather for it!) and went straight to football for more partying after so I had a nice relaxing evening with no trips to and from children#s clubs. Bliss.

Dx and Lx enjoyed their usual mix of skateboarding and scootering outside…

 

Monday 21/7/2014 – Goodbye teachers

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2014, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, school

Mixed feelings about the teachers the children are leaving behind them this year. Some have been lovely but one in particular has made me more unhappy that any teacher ever has before. So I am glad we are moving on.

Not one to bear a grudge all have received end of term gifts from me though – and this morning the children wrote the accompanying cards.

And then I went off for a day at the Spa with a friend. A day shorter than planned as Matt had forgotten he had agreed to have the children after school today. Luckily I checked with him yesterday in time to cancel the treatments i had booked, and in time to ensure the children were not waiting for hours for someone to turn up at school. Matt had arranged meetings in Manchester so I enjoyed my time at the spa before jolting back to reality i time for the school pick up.

Thursday 17/7/2014 – Sports Personality Evening

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2014, 365, brushing, daughter, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

I went to help today with putting up my photos to sell at the school’s sports personality evening. The least said about those sales the better. Suffice to say that I don’t think it works well for my stress levels selling them through the school.

The sports personality evening itself was quite good tough – not least because Sx got nominated for the Y7 “Effort and Achievement Award”. he was one of six, and didn’t win – but still very impressed he was mentioned.

No photos from the evening so instead this set entitled…

“Brushing”

 

Sunday 20/7/2014 – Bubbles

Tags

2014, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, sunset

Tonight we went to see “Pudsey the Movie”…starring Sx and Gx.

Oh – ok, they didn’t “star” – but they were extras in it and it was a real film and they did feature! It was a terrible film though so I can’t recommend you go to see it. But if you do…look out for Sx as the boy scout to the right of the vicar at the summer fete. Such a shame he was doing strange things with his mouth during his five seconds of fame!!

Earlier – Dx and Lx had a great time with the bubble wand.

   

And then in the evening Gx got up to tell me I needed to go outside and take some photos of the clouds because they were so beautiful. So I did.

 

 

Wednesday 16/7/2014 – Summer and Leapfrog

Tags

2014, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, rugby

The two go together so well…

I took the two little ones with me to Sx’s preseason rugby training tonight so Matt could go and see Gx’s school play. THey had a lovely time practising their rugby kicks, playing leapfrog and hamming it up for the camera!

 

Sx loves his fitness training – this week it was at the very prestigious Wellington College and there were 3 professional players helping out with the coaching as there was a promotional video being shot for the training website.