Written by Andrea on January 4th, 2012
2011 was quite simply brilliant!
For those of you that have been following this blog, you’ll know full well that I got married! Yes I did it…and it was fantastic!! We couldn’t have wished for a more perfect day! The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the whole thing went off without a hitch!
And look…here’s a piccie of me and the new mister!
Although we had a fantastic time I do feel a little sad that it’s all over and I’ve now got nothing left to organise and I do like to organise!
Although we do have one big adventure left! My hubby was bought up in Hong Kong and my new in-laws are paying for return flights for us both so that I can see where he used to live. What an amazing and generous gift and one thing is for sure, I won’t be needing any electric blankets like I have on my bed at the moment. Brrrrr!!!
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Tags: electric blanket, hong kong, wedding, wedding gift
Written by Andrea on November 1st, 2011
….you know the rest.
Not sure where that rhyme comes from or even why brides still recite it, but it feels like the right thing to do for our wedding.
Something new…is of course the dress. Something borrowed….my cousin is lending me her bracelet to wear. Something blue…..it has to be the garter!
But what about something old? That was the one that I was struggling with until my dad told me that he’d repaired my mum’s old citizen watch that he’d given her as a gift some years before and that he’d like me to wear it. I was very touched and started filling up….again!
I now have everything I need. Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
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Tags: citizen watch, something blue, something borrowed, something new, something old, watch repair
Written by Andrea on October 28th, 2011
Halloween is always an extra special time of year in our house. Yes the kids love to dress up and inflict heart attacks on our elderly neighbours but that isn’t the only fun they have!
Halloween is also middle sons birthday and we always have a fabulous Halloween party to celebrate.
This year, I was on the look out for different, unusual and above all, cheap decorations for the party when I was contacted by Poundland who asked me if I’d like to have a look at their range.
I have shopped at Poundland before but hadn’t considered it for Halloween, so I was quite surprised when I popped into town and saw that their window was crammed full of fantastic decorations, costumes, horror make-up and everything was…you guessed it… a whole pound! Brilliant!
Poundland in Coventry used to be Woolworths, so it’s a pretty big store with plenty of choice and I have to say I was really very impressed. The store stocked pretty much everything you could want from table decorations, plastic glasses and paper plates through to the whole costume and when you have three children to buy for, value for money is the key!
I filled my basket and the whole lot came to just £15 which I thought was amazing value for money.
I showed middle son when I got home and we started to plan the big bash for Halloween night. He was over the moon with all the goodies I came home with and I feel confident that all of his friends are going to love it too and have a fantastic time.
And if you’re stuck for party ideas, these websites give great tips and advice on how to host the perfect Halloween party:
www.halloweentips.com/
www.allfreecrafts.com/halloween/index.shtml
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Tags: Birthday, Halloween, poundland, trick or treat
Written by Andrea on October 20th, 2011
It’s OK, I’m not going to actually bore you with all the details of how we both met, but it was one of the questions asked of us by the woman conducting our wedding ceremony.
I have to say that I felt a little embarrassed as it isn’t some fabulous romantic story where our eyes met across a crowded floor and it was love at first sight. No…we met through online dating!
Seven years ago, online dating was frowned upon, at least it was in our house. My mum wouldn’t even tell my dad how we met!
But now, where as the most popular way to meet used to be through work, it’s now online dating. And if it’s free online dating then that’s even better!
It’s worked for us. We were both single parents and lets face it the chances of meeting someone in a bar or club were pretty slim. We probably had about five or six dates with other people before finally meeting each other and I was on the verge of giving up.
But I didn’t and I’m so glad that I persevered as here we are 7 years later and on the verge of our wedding day.
All together now…..awwwwww!
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Tags: dating, online dating, wedding
Written by Andrea on October 17th, 2011
I’ve been thinking about buying OH a really nice and expensive cigar for him to smoke after the wedding.
The only problem is….he gave up smoking a couple of months ago, much to my delight! I’m concerned that a cigar specials will get him smoking again!!
I don’t know anything about smoking, or even how people get hooked! After all, I have tried it and couldn’t stand it! But I know that people see cigars as being different, certainly not the same as a cigarette. I would even go so far as to say that I quite like the smell!
I think I will buy him one and if he starts smoking again? I suppose he’s already given up once so could do it again!
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Tags: celebration cigars., cigars, quitting smoking, smoking
Written by Andrea on October 17th, 2011
Future hubby and I have been debating whether to film the wedding.
We saw a fantastic idea on Dragons Den a few weeks ago. Two ex female TV producers were hiring out professional quality camcorders. The idea was that the wedding guests take it in turns with the cameras, taking discreet footage of the bride, or interviewing other guests.
They then returned the cameras and the two girls who would edit all the footage together to make one funny, quirky or romantic film. It looked amazing and we were hooked! Only problem is, we’ve already blown the wedding budget and it obviously costs a lot of money.
Not to be outdone, OH has done his best to call in favours from friends, business associates and family to see if they can lend us some good quality cameras so we can do a DIY job!
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Tags: budget, camcorders, DIY, dragons den, wedding
Written by Andrea on October 17th, 2011
After a rather successful hen weekend in Manchester with five of my best buddies, I’m being greedy and having a second local one this Saturday.
This time it’s for all the female (well, those old enough to drink!) wedding guests. We’re going to M’s beauty in Burbage which a favourite of ours. Not only do you get a half hour beauty treatment, but you also get a four course, home cooked meal. It’s great value for money and we always have a great time.
I am a bit worried though about what they might make me dress up in. I just hope it’s not a playboy bunny outfit!
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Written by Andrea on October 7th, 2011
It’s flippin hard work running a business (or two). On top of which I look after 5 kids including one stepdaughter and one foreign student and to top it all we’re getting married in less than six weeks!
I’ve decided that if I ever went back to working for ‘The Man’, I should look for project manager jobs. I think I may even be over qualified!
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Written by Andrea on September 21st, 2011
My kids do a minimal amount of activities outside of school. The reason being, is it starts to get very expensive!
My OH’s ex-wife has recently started to ask for more money as she says the money we give her doesn’t even cover my step-daughters activities!! We then found out she takes part in an activity every day except for the weekends we have her. Is that too much?
My boys have to pick and choose what they do so that it falls within our budget. Once middle has played football, youngest has taken his spanish class and eldest has had his pocket-money there isn’t much left to go around.
Middle has been thinking about going horse riding but just to buy the speciality equestrian clothing is going to cost a fortune before the riding lessons even start!
OH bought himself some golf clubs for his last birthday and yet still they sit in the garage, brand spanking new and never taken out of the bag! Sigh!! Think I might sell them to pay for riding lessons!
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Written by Andrea on September 21st, 2011
A couple of years ago we had a new kitchen fitted. It’s a lovely kitchen with high cupboards that reach to the ceiling.
Lovely, until I want to get something from the back of the top cupboard! I’m not a shorty, in fact at 5ft inches I’m classed as above average height and with heels on I could stretch to 5ft 9! Even so I just cannot reach to get things at the back. Up until now, dining rooms chairs have been dragged along the floor and back or I’ve asked OH who at 6ft 3 can just about reach on his tip toes!
So, yesterday I finally invested in a couple of two step stools and my life has suddenly improved! I don’t know why I didn’t do this years ago!!
I have one downstairs and one upstairs to reach into the top of the wardrobe. I am officially a very happy bunny!
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