July 2016 – Early Morning London

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london, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, travel, UK

At the end of July we spent a weekend in France with my parents and my brothers. Matt and I spent the night before up in London and then left the children with his parents and  set off in the early hours. Matt drove us through London on our journey to the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone but I am not naturally a morning person the only way for me to wake up properly…was to take photos…

Natural History Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum

 

Harrods

Harvey Nichols

The Ritz

Tower of London with the Shard in the backgroundTower Bridge

London Skyline including the Shard

Typical London pub

Bank Buildings

Greenwich – Where Greenwich Mean Time and all other time zones are measured from.

June 2016 – Catching up

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2016, 365, childhood, children, photoaday, photos, postaday, UK

I have a few months to catch up on so am just posting a few photos from each month to get caught up and give a flavour of what we did…

Matt continued to be my photography subject when the kids had fled…!

Dx had a haircut – way way overdue!!

Sx and Dx got into Athletics – they began training on a Friday night with a local club – and Sx represented our local borough in the county school athletics championships

Lx visited her new secondary school (she will start in September) and it all went well.

We went to my parents for a BBQ for Father’s Day

Four years after the event i managed to get a photo of Matt’s Dad in his “gamemaker” unform from when he helped at the London 2012 Olympics

Sx managed to break his ring finger trying to catch an American football. Luckily it is the end of the rugby season but it did stop him doing pre-season training (oh… and writing at school…so not all bad!)

Dx helped make pancakes at the weekends

…and socialised with his friends on Minecraft after school.

 

Sunday 17th January 2016 -Haircut massacre

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2016, 365, children, family, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, UK

Today I could put Dx’s haircut off no longer! I do prefer him with his hair longer but when it gets in his eyes its time to cut it. And because he HATES haircuts, I try and make the most of each haircut so it doesnt need doing for a while.

Before

After

All these involved me practising with my speedlite (in manual mode this week) but just to be sure I had tried it out – I took one of Sx doing his homework (a rare sight!)

Sunday 10th January 2016- Lounging around!

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2016, 365, childhood, children, family, home, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, UK

Matt isn’t feeling well and has a tonne of work to do so we decided to cancel Dx’s rugby training this morning so he could get on with some jobs at home.

Meanwhile I took Sx to rugby training (in the sunshine which was a relief after yesterdays rain). Home for a quick lunch then Matt took Sx to his “extra” monthly rugby training in the afternoon – partly as he could sit quietly at the back of the classroom and get on with work – and partly as he wanted to watch what was involved in the class.

I am doing an online course on flash – so used Lx before bedtime to get some practice…

 

2016 – Week One

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2016, 365, childhood, children, family, home, photoaday, photography, postaday, UK

Yep – I’m back. Well I hope I am. I’m going to try and be back anyway.

1-1-2016
New Year was spent at my brother’s and then we came home and chilled out once we got back

2/1/2016

A rare day at home with no rugby training, visits to other people or commitments which meant we had to go out. So we chilled at home all day – and luxuriated in our laziness. It also gave me a chance to read through the online “Flash and Continous light” course I am doing.

3/1/2016
All rugby was rained off which was just bliss as it gave us anoher day of relaxing at home – and a chance to get things done which we had been too lazy to contemplate yesterday! Things like getting the decorations down and loading Lara’s new tablet with games.

Monday 4/1/2015
Last day of the holidays today – and it should have been the first day of my radiotherapy (I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year hence my absence from this blog).  Unfortunately my body had changed shape since my measuring scan in December (due to my body “settling” since my mastectomy – not due to too many mince pies!!) so radiotherapy could not begin and I need to come back for another scan tomorrow instead.

Tuesday 5/1/2016
The children went back to school and I got a lift from a volunteer service to go for radiotherapy (as I currently can’t walk the distance from the hospital car park to the radiotherapy unit I need to rely on volunteers to drop me off and take me home). I currently have no idea when radiotherapy will begin which is frustrating – both for me – and for the volunteer service!

Wednesday 6/1/2015
A day’s reprieve where I thought I would be hospital bound but instead could catch up with friends – to Brownwyns for coffee and then home for a quick lunch before Penny came over. I am so lucky to have such lovely friends around me -I also got a wonderful hamper from Lucy today.

(Todays photo is some speedlite practice for my course. These are from when Matt went to the rugby World Cup final at Twickenham)

Thursday 7/1/2016

With the New Year has come a determination to shed the pounds that last years treatment, lounging around recovering and general policy of “my tastebuds are so odd – if I want to eat something and it tastes ok – I’ll eat it”.

But now I am trying to get back on track with healthy eating, less carbs and trying to ensure thatI get the children eating healthier too. Sometimes that fell by the wayside last year too when just getting “something” for their dinner was a huge effort, getting “something healthy” was often beyond me.

Friday 8/1/2016

Gx went off to Tirabad in Wales today on his school residential trip. I think he was a little nervous as he has only just started at secondary shooland so it is a little different to his trip last year with his primary school where he knew everyone really well. He has somenew friends and some old friends on the trip with him though so I am sure he will have a good time and forge some new friendships.

 

 

Thursday 19/2/2014 – Mud glorious mud

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2015, 365, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, rugby, UK

Sx had a day of rugby training today – the rest of us had a day of chilling without Sx. It worked well all round – apart from the bit where we all had to get up early to drive Sx to training and had to negotiate our way round about 10 roundabouts because of a short stretch of roadworks, a closed road and no diversion sign. Thank heavens for Sat Nav.

Sx was suitably muddy when we picked him up – perhaps next time though I should take a photo of my bathroom after he had been in there washing it off!

Saturday 1/11/2014 – A wander through London

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2014, 365, family, london, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, UK

Today we went up to London for the children to go to the theatre with my parents. We called in to Matt’s parents for a quick snack lunch on the way.

Once I dropped the children off I had a few hours in a very sunny London to wander round and take photos – so after a cake to keep me going, I walked my feet off!!

When we met up – we went for dinner togeher at Bella Italia – the children’s favourite restaurant. Then we went back to Matt’s parents to pick the car up – and drove to Nan and Pop’s to stay the night. THe children were all VERY tired (especially Sx after last night’s sleepover) and all decided to go straight up the stairs to bed once we arrived.

Monday 21/10/2013 – How we do…Breakfast

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2013, 365, breakfast, cereal, family, home, monday, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, UK

Our morning routine has changed a lot this year – with me taking over the morning bedlam, Matt moving out and Sx starting secondary school.

Our alarms are set for 7.15 (an extra 15 minutes early since Sx has to leave earlier to walk to school).

The kids are generally pretty good at helping get out cereals, milk, spoons and bowls. Gx is usually the sleepiest first thing in the morning (he takes after me!). Sx and Dx jump out of bed wide awake.

Sx is a real cereal monster – at least two bowls of cereal full to the brim (or often overflowing!!) before he is on his way.

Lx has her cereal dry. We have built up to it gradually but she now has quite a good portion size of Multigrains. Cereals are fortified with all kinds of goodness and given her terrible diet – it is so good for her to have these extras in her ereal. She has the milk on the side 😉

Dx likes his cheerios – and is starting to ask for seconds.

Gx likes weetabix minis with chocolate. He only has a small bowlful and if there is the chance for anything else (sometimes we have muffins in) he would far rather go for that than cereal – especially if he is allowed chocolate spread on it!

While they are eating breakfast I am stood at the table making packed lunches for the little two – rolls, scotch eggs, scones, sausage rolls, grapes, bananas, frubes, chocolate chip muffins and biscuits are current favourites.

Sx usually gets down by 7.45 then off to get himself ready before (if i am lucky) he empties the dishwasher as his morning task. His bag is packed the night before to cut down on last minute panics (although he is getting more blase about this – and his bag didn’t actually make it home from school today!) He is off out of the door at 8.10 to go and call for his friends. Once he goes I can concentrate on getting the others ready.

Gx is in charge of clearing the table when he is ready and dressed for school. Not the dishes as he can’t bear touching dirty dishes! He puts the food away in the fridge, puts the cereals away and puts any recycling out in the recycling boxes.

Lx doesnt have a “morning chore” as she needs the extra time to brush her hair!

Dx doesn’t have a morning chore as he is still a little whirling dervish in the morning with no attention span!

At 8.30 we are out of the door for the 10 minute walk to school. And when we get back its time for my breakfast. A nice cup of coffee and a catch up with the internet world…

Tuesday 22/10/2013 – Showing it Like it Is

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2013, autumn, childhood, children, landscape, macro, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, UK

So its wet. And grey. And dismal. But hearing someone on a photography group I belong to say they were struggling to find something to shoot made me determined that today I WOULD find something.

I would try and reflect how it is outside – off-white sky, rainy windows, foraging squirrel and all.

 

Thursday 17/10/2013 – Quality time

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2013, 365, childhood, children, family, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, shoot, UK

Sx had the day off school today due to teachers’ strikes. We decided against another trip to Legoland as lots of people would be there with the schools closed. Instead he chose a trip to town to get him a coat and some new clothes (and he was actually quite excited at the idea – how he has changed!!)

The weather was beautiful so I suggested a photo shoot on the way and he was really up for the idea. We headed to the park for some photos with a colourful background, a little “parkour” and then off for lunch and shopping.

Again I am currently stunned by how the photos are coming out – straight from the camera. I don’t know which of the new things I am using has changed it (zone system, back button focus or zone system) but the difference is REALLY noticeable and I feel like doing a little dance! The only editing any of  these photos needed was a little tidying up and  sharpen.