Family Weekend and Party

On the weekend of the 14th of November my cousin Rob, his wife Beth, and their toddler T came to stay with us. They were partly here to see our new house, but they also were here for my mum's party. She had decided to through herself a 'I no longer have cancer' party once she had got the all clear, and once I had had my first mammogram and had made sure it came back clear. She booked a room in a pub near her and organised it from 2-5 in the afternoon. So it fitted in nicely with Rob and co's plans to come visit. 

They arrived at about 7pm on the Friday having been at work, and we all had tea together before T went to bed. I think Beth ended up going to bed at the same time as him, but Rob and Lee and I sat and watched TV and chatted, it was nice. 

On Saturday morning we had breakfast and stuff and I got ready for the party. Lee's parents all arrived about 12 and we had a cuppa and chatted to them et cetera, and then we all headed off to the party. My aunt and uncle were already there as they had stayed with my mum for a couple of nights before. There were also my mum's cousin Gary and his missus Allie, and a bunch of friends already there. My friends Sam and Jodie turned up not too long after. We sat and talked to people and then this band called The Broken Amps played. They are a pub band around Wakefield and my mum and stepdad first saw them about eighteen months ago and really like them. They are a covers band and they sounded pretty good. I haven't seen them before. 

T got to play the electric drum kit which is very exciting when you're two years old, and he also has a pretty good sense of rhythm! He also danced with his grandma and grandad which was very sweet. They left earlier than us as Lee and I were talking to family friends and stuff, it was really nice to catch up with lots of people that my mum knows. My mum also got Lee and I a present which is a photograph of a loch in Scotland and which matches a different photo which we got that was a wedding present for us twenty years ago. It is so lovely and we have put them both together at the top of the first set of stairs in our house (it's a three storey house) and I love seeing it. 

We got back about 6.30 I guess and Rob had started making tea for us which was very sweet of him. We were having giant Yorkshire puddings with veggie sausages, mashed potato, and vegetables. So that was ready not long after we got back. After that I helped Beth bath T which was a lot of fun because I let him use bath bombs and tons of shower gel and so on. He went to sleep better that night, so Beth came back down and we chatted and watched TV and did quizzes and stuff. 

On Sunday morning we went to Barnsley Metrodome to go swimming. It's a big leisure centre near us and when I was a kid it was the best place ever. It has a wave machine and slides and so on. I've been as an adult of course, but not for a while. So we had booked tickets for all five of us to swim. I have to say that the whole place could do with a refurb. The tiles and everything are a bit delapidated and in need of a rehaul. I don't suppose they'll do it though because it would mean closing and losing money. Anyway, we all went in. Beth and T went in the baby pool but they hadn't been in long before a bucket of water tipped itself over them! T was quite upset so we all went in the pool with the wave machine but when you're in the shallows - you know, with a toddler - the waves are quite vicious! 

So we went into the length pool which was better for all. T was swimming between all of us, he's very good. It was a fun time! We went home and had some lunch, although I don't remember now what we had to eat. Rob and Beth and T set off home about 3pm I guess. Just after that I went in the bath! I had bought a couple of bath bombs from an independent shop in Barnsley so I chucked one in. The water was very purple! It smelt of violets and was lovely. While I was in the bath Lee brought me a cup of hot chocolate which added to the cosiness! 

It was a lovely weekend. The week before I had had an infection in my face which was incredibly painful. I had had to go round the houses to get antibiotics because I'm allergic to penicillin and it set everything else off, but I finally got some. The GP I saw was incredibly helpful and thinks I have fibromyalgia. It would make a lot of sense for me, I'm often fatigued and need to take things slowly. I'm hoping to get on betters meds too! 

T was allowed to play the ukulele which was thrilling for him. He is honestly the cutest

My mum and I at the party. I was wearing a Scarlett and Jo dress and you can read her t shirt for yourself!

The Broken Amps in the middle of their first set

T playing the drums, very cool

In the band's second set

T dancing, very cute!

Tea when we got home - thanks Rob!

Glorious purple bath on the Sunday afternoon

And with my hot chocolate too

What I Wore December 10th

On December the 10th I went out for my work Christmas party. Now at this point I was starting to get really worried about Omicron, so I wasn't even sure I wanted to go, bur I did. We had some money to spend so my boss had organised for a meal and drinks at a hotel in Wakefield. I managed to not catch Covid so it was fine... but worrying all the same. 

I turned up at the same time as my boss was outside, which was good as I was quite anxious. I don't know everyone at work as even thought we're small we have different teams, and I'm only there once a week. I went in with her and then the curate Kathy turned up a little bit later (I work for a church!). She is a friend of my mum's and a lovely lady, so when we sat down we sat together which was really nice. The food was pretty decent for what it was, and my boss had paid for plenty of wine so I had a nice drink. I didn't stay really late especially because the music was rubbish, but I had good fun.

I wore my black and mint Yours dress which I really love, and I put some make up on. I love this picture of me and Kathy, it's lovely!

Me and Kathy looking nice and festive

In mint green when I got home!

Party for My Mum End of May

As I said, my mum retired on her birthday at the end of May, and we wanted to celebrate. My aunt and uncle were able to come up because of the lifting of lockdown, so I got thinking about what to do for the (very small) party. My mum was sixty-three, but we thought maybe she'd prefer to be 21 and again and again, instead! So my aunt and I talked about it and decided to do a lunch buffet with foods from 1958, 1979, and 2000, and the same for tea. We googled a lot and settled on a few things, and split it between us for cooking. 

I also prepared a playlist and a quiz for us to do. I ordered some cupcakes (which were from 2000, apparently) from a lady in my village who's done them for me before and they're always delicious. We arrived at my mum's about noon and started preparing the buffet lunch. I'll show you the pictures:

We had Mateus rose, Hock, crisps, hummus (I decided some vegetarians were definitely eating hummus in 1979), vol au vents (I love a vol au vent! I don't know why they're out of fashion now!), sausages and cheese and onions on sticks with veggie sausages for Lee and I, beef paste sandwiches, salmon paste sandwiches, and tuna paste sandwiches. Oh, and egg sandwiches for me. Everyone really enjoyed the buffet and my aunt said it reminded her of her birthday teas from the 70s. 

A better view - all the flowers were retirement presents from my mum's work and so on

Cupcakes! Aren't they so gorgeous?

I had a rose one

We did the quiz and enjoyed the music while sitting outside in the sinshine, which was lovely. I definitely caught the sun, but I'm in desperate need of Vitamin D. 

For tea we made spaghetti bolognese followed by Black Forest gateau. Lee and I had veggie bolognese of course, and we cooked some garlic bread too. My mum really enjoyed it, which was good. After that we played a game before it was time to go! My mum had had a really good day and enjoyed the theme of it. 

I put just a tiny bit of make up on in the morning, including one of my Body Shop lip juicers on my lips, which I think is a lovely colour and it smells so good (it's the strawberry one). I was wearing my flamingo skirt with a top that I haven't worn before. I got it last year I think, maybe from Crazy Clearance. It's very soft and I thought it matched with the skirt. It wasn't too dressed up but neither was my mum when we got there, so that was okay. 

Oh, we also swapped Christmas presents with my aunt and uncle as of course we couldn't see them at Christmas. I got some gin liqueur! 

My face!

My outfit 

And finally here's my stepdad with my umbrella - to be fair he was holding it so the sun wasn't on my grandma, as she was asleep, but it did mean the sun wasn't on his head either!

Photo an Hour December and My Aunt's Party

Photo an Hour in December was on December 15th and we happened to be going to Surrey for my aunt's 50th birthday party, so I had lots of fun stuff to take photos of. I'll post my outfits separately, but here's the rest of the day:

Early, post shower

Lee in the car on the way

I was in charge of music which means you get stuff like this, sorry

Stopped for lunch 

Still on the motorway...

Finally at Caroline's and we'd got changed and I'd put my face on. I recently discovered a bunch of Models Own lipsticks that I'd forgotten about so I had pulled them all out to wear. This peachy coral is gorgeous!

Caroline's amazing cake, her daughter in law Beth made it

My younger cousin and me - the hat is mine but isn't he cute in it?

Lee and I 

On the left screen were tons of photos of Caroline through the years, which were lovely to look at

Sparkler and singing happy birthday

Lee deep in conversation

My stepdad checking his camera

A quiz of films that were all released in 1968 - which do you know?

The most amazing brownies ever

Later in the evening, playing Heads Up with my cousins

And a couple of others

Sitting on the sofa in the conservatory feeling quite drunk

And finally... what's left over at the end of a good party!

Mum's Birthday Weekend Day 2

My mum's birthday itself was Sunday the 27th of May and she had a big party planned at her church after the service. She and the rest of my family went off to church, while Lee and I stayed at home and then went to meet everyone about 12.30. Some people had stuck around after church so it was a bit of a picnic! The bouncy castle arrived and the face painting lady arrived, and the church cafe was open to do tea, coffee, scones, and cake, because that's what my mum wanted. The kitchen head, Frank, did really well and I'm glad she decided to do that.

People started arriving from around 1.30pm and the kids were all over the bouncy castle. Lee's mam, stepdad, one of his brothers, and his friend Paul all came down together in one car so it was lovely to see them. Tons of my mum's friends came, some from really far away! One of her cousins came, and his son and grandson, who I hadn't yet met, so that was really lovely. I think there was around a hundred people there!

I had asked my mum's sister and my uncle to give a short speech each because I knew my mum would like it, and if I gave one too. I thought about asking my stepdad, but he was really stressed when he had to give a speech at their wedding, so I thought he wouldn't mind if I didn't ask. We rounded everyone into the main church area and I went first.

I thanked people for coming, and then I told everyone about some things that my mum is, including being a very good bookkeeper and dressmaker. Everyone laughed and applauded me, and I got very choked up but managed to not cry! Caroline went next and she said lovely things about being good friends with my mum as well as her sister, and then Neil went last. He and my mum are very close too. My mum then said something really briefly but we had sprung it on her because I wasn't sure she would agree! I was really nervous but proud of myself for doing it.

I had my face painted with flowers and glitter, the lady was a friend of a friend and she was so friendly and also really talented. She did loads of faces and arms and had unicorn horns and flashing lights and all kinds of things! I'd recommend her so if you need a facepainter hit me up. My mum was really pleased she'd had a facepainter and the bouncy castle.

We all left the church at about 5pm and went to my mum's. She opened some of her presents (so much alcohol!). There were 17 of us left by this point so we all went to a nearby pub for tea. I was sitting with my godmother, Lee, my cousin Peter, my second cousin Ben, his son, and his girlfriend. It's ages since we've seen Ben so it was really nice. I had a burger with halloumi in, and chocolate cake with ice cream. The pub, the Dam Inn at Newmillerdam in Wakefield, has recently been refurbished and it's really nice if you're in the area.

After that we went back to my mum's, getting fewer in number as people left. She opened her presents and Lee and I didn't leave hers until after 1am! It was a long day but I know my mum really enjoyed herself and that was the main thing.

Here's my photos of the day plus some I stole off Facebook:

On our way! This lipstick is from Models Own and it's semi matte and utterly gorgeous

Have you ever seen a bouncy castle in front of a baptismal?

Lee's brother, Lee, Peter, Paul. Peter was doing somersaults

Lots of bouncing going on

Just as Peter was about to do a forward flip

And just after!

I didn't get on the bouncy castle properly but I did lie on the front bit and get bounced about a bit which was fun

My face painting! The bit in the middle is a sticker and I had to take it off because it was itching me. The right hand side is pure glitter and it kept falling off me in huge bits, I think I'm still covered in it now

My mum's arm painting and a bit of her dress, which she made herself!

Me giving my speech! Lisa took this photo. We had to stand at the lectern to use the microphone there but it did look a bit like we were giving the sermon

My mum saying thank you

And this is Sarah's photo from the back of the church so you can see most of the people there! So many!