A photo every day for a year! 6th - 12th September! Week 37 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend. We have had a great week with lots of nice things happening! Birthday celebrations for Becky, a nice meal out, sorting the garden, lots to watch on the TV and my dad feeling better after a trip to the hospital. He got bit by something on his big toe, it doubled in size, turned bright red and he could hardly walk. He's got a bunch of tablets, is feeling much better now and is running rings around us again. Phew! I would like to think this would teach him to wear proper socks and shoes when he is out working instead of Crocs with no socks but I don't think he will have learnt his lesson.

We had a lovely quiet day on Friday. My dad popped round to show me he could walk properly again and he ended up staying longer than he had planned. He only put the cricket on to check the score and an hour later he was still watching while having a chat. Yesterday I spent the day having a good tidy up and clean around the house and really enjoyed myself with a playlist of sing-along songs. hehehe Today is all about sport, of course which is pretty normal for a Sunday. F1 and then some football. It's Man City V Man United this afternoon, which I am quite looking forward to. I am also cooking a proper roast dinner today. Chicken, all the veggies, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire Puddings and lots of gravy!

Now for a photo every day!

249/365 6th September

We of course watched the F1 race. It was, of course, full of drama. Is there ever an F1 race that doesn't have something happening!

250/365 7th September

Stu and I had a busy day on Monday pottering around the garden. I did the weeding while he mowed the grass and we also got a few loads of washing drying on the line. It is getting to that point in the year when I am making the most of drying clothes outside. It won't be long until it is too cold, too wet or just too miserable and the tumble dryer will have to do its thing.

251/365 8th September

Becky made lasagne from scratch and did a fantastic job! There were leftovers too, which is always a bonus.

252/365 9th September

Ellie got her certificates through the post from the Mechanical Engineering course that she did in college. It was really nice seeing them arrive and having something official to show for all the work she put into the course. Of course, I had to take a photo because that's what Project 365 is all about. I like being able to capture these little moments.

253/365 10th September

It was Becky's birthday and her presents were sat there for most of the day. It wasn't until about 10pm until she got around to opening them. She was very happy with everything she received.

254/365 11th September

My dad came around with a present for Becky. There is a story behind these ducks. My dad has had them hanging on one of his doors with bath towels on for years. He has always said they would be left to Becky, so she had known for ages that they were eventually going to be hers and then, completely by chance, my dad came across another hanger that was exactly the same! He knew Becky would love it, so he got it and she was over the moon about it.

255/365 12th September

We're back on the Gousto Boxes! I pick the recipes and they send everything I need to make them! The fridge is now full of everything that I need to make 4 meals that we will have next week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

This week my Word of the Week is: Merriment! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Over the past couple of months I have had a few things going on in real life that has caused me some stress. Nothing massive and not one big thing, lots of little things which haven't seemed worth writing about. You know when there are loads of small things niggling away at you and you can't really put your finger on one particular thing? That has been me lately but over the last week or so things seemed to have settled and worked themselves out. This is the first week in a few months that I have felt truly happy and relaxed and this week has been full of laughter, celebrations, good times and plenty of things to smile about.

I think Merriment is a good Word of the Week for me this week. Merriment basically means laughter, happiness and having fun and I think that sums up my week quite well. After having a few things on my mind lately, it has been really nice to have a week when I haven’t been worrying about every little thing and have just been able to enjoy myself a bit more. Sometimes you don’t realise how much you need a week like this until you actually have one. I’ve laughed more, enjoyed myself more and just felt like things are starting to settle down a bit.

Becky spent some time in the kitchen earlier in the week and she did make me laugh. She felt like she had been slaving away all afternoon making a lasagne from scratch and a sponge cake. I said that is the story of my life, cooking meals from scratch most days. lol She cooks one meal and thinks she deserves a medal. Although next week and for the next few weeks at least, I will be getting Gousto boxes again. I was sent an email with 40% off for the next two boxes and then 20% off for a few more. I have already picked the meals for next week which I am very excited about.

I have had a busy week of pottering around the house, having a tidy up in the garden, doing some life admin and of course, wrapping birthday presents. It was Becky's birthday on Thursday and she had a great day despite spending most of it in bed after having a night out on Wednesday evening. There were cheap drinks and late-opening bars in town, so she made the most of it. I think she was glad of a quiet family meal on her actual birthday. There is nothing wrong with having a big night out followed by a very lazy birthday day in bed. Sometimes that is exactly what you need. 

I have been on writing this blog post for over an hour as I keep getting distracted by the TV. As I type this I am watching Friday Night Dinner, a British sitcom about a family who have dinner together every Friday night. The two grown up sons constantly wind each other up and play silly pranks. Their parents, Jackie and Martin are pretty strange themselves, while their neighbour Jim keeps turning up uninvited. I haven't watched it since it was on TV years ago and I really did forget how funny it was. I haven't stopped chuckling to myself and sometimes laughing out loud. I was also trying to paint my nails at the time and did a very bad job with all the laughing and then laughing at myself getting the nail polish everywhere. Oops.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 37. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you've all had a good week. We have had a great one. I am keeping this short and sweet because we have a birthday to celebrate and I am having to write this on Wednesday while I have the time. Things seem so busy here at the moment but I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share what I loved this week!

My eldest turned 24!

By the time you read this, Becky will have turned 24. I am sure she had a great celebration as she was off out with friends to town on Wednesday night. I have always thought it strange having a big night out mid-week but apparently it's a thing aimed at students with cheap drinks and the bars stay open late. Then yesterday there was a family meal out. The table was booked at another one of our favourite places to eat and I already know that I am getting the fish and chips as they cook their fish perfectly! Then it's home to open presents and probably an early night as we might have plans for over the weekend.

Harry Potter!

Harry Potter has made its annual appearance in our house! I rewatch all the movies every year and on Sunday I started from the beginning. This year I am trying to spread them all out a little and not rush through them in a few days. I am planning on watching one a week and so far so good. Harry Potter is one of those film series that I can watch over and over and still notice little things I didn't notice before.

Sorting the garden out!

Our garden has gone from looking rather sad to needing a good tidy up in a matter of weeks. A couple of weeks ago, the grass in our front and back garden was dead, burned and all yellow. We'd had such a dry spell and there wasn't much we could do about it apart from wait for some rain because of the hosepipe ban. I really didn't fancy filling the watering can over and over and doing it that way. We've had quite a bit of rain over the last two weeks and it has all come back to life. Suddenly we went from worrying about the grass being dead to realising it needed mowing! Stu did that while I did some weeding. I would have done more but the garden bin was full. I think that was a pretty good excuse to stop. hehehe Stu also fixed the guttering around our little shed. It had been on his to-do list for ages and he finally got around to it. Now the end of the guttering is right above the water barrel so we can collect water to water the plants.

Lasagne!

We went off the meal plan on Tuesday! Becky decided she wanted to make lasagne from scratch with the mince, lasagne sheets and different sauces. It's something I never make from scratch, so it felt like a real treat for the family. They had it with chips and garlic bread. I don't eat lasagne, I am allergic to lots of cheeses, so it's never taken my fancy, although I do always think it smells amazing when it's cooking! Becky also baked a basic sponge cake to have with custard. I didn't complain about that one! It was so nice to have a night off from cooking but Becky did make me laugh, she thought it was such hard work cooking a whole meal from scratch and seemed to forget that I do that probably 4 or 5 times a week. lol

Voicemails for Isabelle!

I watched Voicemails for Isabelle on Netflix this week and this was another one of those films that I put on not expecting much but I really enjoyed it. It is a romantic comedy-drama about a grieving pastry chef named Jill who copes with her sister's death by leaving long, confessional voice messages on Isabelle's old phone number. Unbeknown to Jill, her sister's old phone number had been reassigned to Wes, an Austin, Texas-based real estate agent. I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it but I really enjoyed it. It definitely has that feel good rom com thing going on but there are quite a few moments that really tug at your heart. It was a lovely film and well worth a watch if you fancy something that is funny, romantic but also has some more emotional moments thrown in.

What have you loved this week?

My eldest is 24!

Today Becky turns 24 and I have said it again and I will probably say it every year. I can't believe how quickly another year has gone. Becky has had quite a year and if I had to sum up her 23rd year, I think I would say engaged, making plans, growing up, finding her feet and happily living her best life. There have been some big changes, some exciting plans for the future and lots of moments that have made me sit back and think about how she has grown up so fast!

Becky found the love of her life a few years ago and one of the biggest moments of the past year was when she got engaged. It was the best couple of days for her as her and her partner went off to Newcastle Upon Tyne to see Alex Warren in concert and that is when it happened. It still feels strange saying that my daughter is engaged and now she's planning a future with someone she loves. It really is something special seeing your daughter find someone she wants to share the rest of her life with. She's happy, she's excited and she's looking forward to what comes next.

Of course, getting engaged also means there are now lots of conversations about the future with wedding plans, homes, kids, money and what comes next. She's at that stage of life where there are so many possibilities ahead of her and I am excited for her and to be part of the planning. Another big step this year has been making plans to move out and get her own place. She's now looking for somewhere that she can call home, which I wasn't very happy about at first but we talked things over and I came around to the idea. It's not that I didn't want her to move out. I just would have preferred she saved and bought somewhere rather than rent but it's her life and her choice. I will be there beside her, supporting her where I can and so far, that has been with filling out forms. I keep joking that she needs to buy new ink for the printer because I've lost count of all the printing that she has done.

Becky is living her best life and probably the thing I love most about this past year is seeing her happy. She works hard but she also knows when it's time to have fun and has done so many fantastic things over the last year. Had trips away, been to concerts and shows, had some fantastic nights out and had plenty of downtime too, playing games on her laptop, watching football and binging TV shows. At the moment, she is halfway through Geordie Shore. That was a blast from the past. I used to watch it about 15 years ago. lol As I am writing this she is off to the beach with her friends, like I said, living her best life!

There have also been plenty of those little everyday moments that don't sound exciting when you write them down but are the things I will remember. The chats we have, watching the wrestling together, the laughs we have, the random TikToks she sends me, hearing about what she's been up to and all the little bits of her life that she shares with me. Those are the things that remind me that even though she's growing up and becoming more independent, I am still lucky enough to be part of her life.

At 24, Becky is still young enough to have loads of time ahead of her but also old enough to start making some big decisions and that is exactly what she has done over the last year. If I could wish anything for Becky at 24, it would be that she stays happy, keeps laughing, looks after herself and never feels like she has to have everything figured out.

The Wednesday Hodgepodge #72

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? On a scale of 1-10 how much of a fan are you? (10 is never miss a game and 1 is I'm just here for the snacks). Who's your team? If you're playing along today, but live outside the US feel free to sub your feelings about futbol for the more American sport of football.

I am going to be talking about futbol or soccer as it's sometimes called. Here in England it's just called football, it's the one with the round ball. I am a pretty big fan. I would say an 8 out of 10. As I am typing this, I have football on the TV. Birmingham V Wolves. I don't really have much interest in either team but it is a good match. My family's team is Newcastle United but I have found myself supporting our more local team, Hull who moved up to the Premier League this season. They were not expected to be doing as well as they are. I hope it lasts until the end of the season but there's a long way to go.

2. What's something you currently have a game plan for managing?

At the moment, I’ve got a bit of a game plan for getting organised for autumn. Sorting out the house, getting back into a proper routine after summer, sticking to the meal plan and making a list of things I want to get done before Christmas suddenly appears out of nowhere! I’m trying to tackle things one at a time rather than making a massive list and then getting overwhelmed by it. There are little jobs around the house that I’ve been putting off, things that need cleaning or sorting, cupboards that could do with a good clear out and hopefully, by the time this goes live, I have had a big sort out in the garden, weeding and pulling up the plants which didn't survive the heatwaves!

3. Do you like chicken wings? Hot, mild, or some other flavor? What's a must have food for you on a tailgate menu? I know tailgating isn't as big of a thing outside the US of A as it is inside the US of A, but you can also answer the question this way-what's a must have food for you at a sporting event viewing party?

I like the idea of chicken wings but I don’t like eating anything off the bone! Chicken wings always look so good, especially when they’re covered in a nice sauce but I find eating them far too messy. I’d much rather have chicken without the bone so I can just get stuck in without worrying about sauce all over my hands. If I was choosing a flavour I’d go for something mild rather than really hot.

I’d never really thought about tailgating before, I actually had to Google what a tailgate event was because it’s not really a thing here in England. I’ve seen it on American TV and in films but I never really understood what everyone was doing. Now I know, it actually sounds like such a fun way to spend the day before a sporting event. We don’t really have anything quite like that here. Whenever we go to a sporting event, we usually get the train or bus because there’s no point driving when you're heading somewhere with thousands of other people. Finding somewhere to park would probably be a challenge.

If we were watching sport at home, I’d definitely want pizza and probably a take-away one as watching sport seems like a whole event, so it needs to be celebrated. There would also have to be crisps, dips and plenty of little finger foods that you can grab along with fizzy drinks like Coca-Cola.

4. Teams typically have strict playbooks they follow. What is one unwritten rule or piece of advice in your 'life playbook' you think everyone should know?

One unwritten rule in my life playbook that I think everyone should know is: never pass up the chance to go pee! If you’re leaving the house, go before you leave. If you’re out somewhere and you’re thinking, you probably don’t need to go, go anyway! If someone says, Do you want to use the toilet before we set off? The answer is always yes! There is nothing worse than getting halfway somewhere and suddenly thinking, why didn’t I go before we left? My advice is simple: always go before you leave!

5. This is the week we remember and mourn all that was lost and changed on September 11, 2001. I always include a spot for bloggers to share anything they'd like to share about 9/11. Share as much or as little as you like.

It's crazy to think 9/11 was 25 years ago! It’s one of those moments where you can always remember where you were when you heard the news. I was at home when my mum rang me and told me to put the TV on. The news was on all the main channels, which only happened when something big was happening. At first, it didn't seem real. I remember watching and thinking it looked like something that belonged in a movie. I think that's one of the reasons 9/11 has stayed in people's memories for so long. It wasn't just the terrible events themselves but the way the whole world seemed to stop and watch the news together. Even though I was in England and thousands of miles away, it was one of those days when the whole world seemed to come together. Ordinary people had been going about their day, going to work and doing all the normal things and their lives had changed forever. It’s a reminder that sometimes a single day can change history in a way that none of us could have imagined when we woke up that morning.

6.Insert your own random thought here.

Sunday's are almost my favourite day of the week! On Sunday I slept until gone 9am, scrolled on my phone for a bit, had a shower, did some blog commenting and started writing this blog post all while watching some football. Stu made us a nice lunch, just sandwiches and a cup of tea but food always tastes better when someone else makes it. I spent the afternoon watching F1 and started rewatching the Harry Potter movies. It was a lovely, relaxing day, just what Sunday's are meant to be!

The first September in 20 years without a child going back to school!

It's September and for the first time in about 20 years, I don't have any children going back to school or college and that feels very strange to say. August would normally be spent thinking about the new school year, buying everything the girls needed and trying to get everyone ready for another year of early mornings and school runs. I'd be looking at school uniforms, buying new shoes, sorting out stationery and always wondering how on earth the six-week summer holidays had gone by so quickly but this year, none of that has happened. My girls are adults now. They have their own lives, their own routines and their own plans. They don't need me to make sure they have everything ready for school because, well, they don't go to school any more.

I am finding it all a little strange and what has surprised me most is that I'm missing things I never thought I'd miss.

I miss buying school uniforms. For years, school uniform shopping was a massive chore! Every summer there would be a list of things the girls needed and off we'd go. There were shirts, trousers, skirts, jumpers, socks, PE kits and school shoes. I remember one year I thought I would get ahead of myself and buy the school shoes not long after they had finished school for the summer. Of course, September rolled around and Ellie had gone up a size, so I had to pay twice for school shoes. I probably could have returned the pair that didn't fit but I never thought of that. I even miss the stationery shopping when the girls would try and convince me that they needed the glittery or scented pens, fluffy notebooks or really expensive pencil sharpeners. Buying new stationery made September feel like a fresh start. Now I can walk through the stationery aisle without having a reason to pick anything up. I still of course look though, who doesn't love new stationery?

For years, making packed lunches was a big part of my morning routine. I'd be in the kitchen making sandwiches, putting fruit into lunchboxes, adding a drink and whatever else I thought they might eat that day. There were days when most of it came home again, which was always slightly annoying and then there were the days when they suddenly decided they didn't like something they'd been eating happily for months but I miss those little lunchboxes sitting on the kitchen side.

I spent years wishing I could stay in bed longer and now I can, I don't want to or have to get up to use the toilet and then I am awake for the day. I miss the busy school mornings when we were all rushing around trying not to be late getting out of the door, someone not wanting the breakfast I had made and even the arguments over lost shoes that were always right in front of them! At the time, I probably didn't appreciate those mornings as much as I should have. Now I miss the noise, the chatter and even the school run. There were days when I wasn't a fan of doing the walk to and from school, especially when the weather was awful or we were running late but looking back, it was also time together which I miss now.

For around 20 years, school was just part of our lives. The school calendar was also part of our family calendar and we used to plan everything around it. September meant a new school year, October was half-term, December meant Christmas holidays, then came February half-term, Easter holidays and then another week's break sometime before the summer. It just carried on year after year until suddenly it didn't. I think that's what makes this September feel so different. We can go anywhere whenever we want to within reason.

It's not all bad though there are some big positives to not having children at school any more. I don't have to set an alarm in the morning, I don't have to remember which days are PE days and have their kit ready and I don't have to panic because someone has suddenly told me at 8pm that they need something for school tomorrow. I can make plans without checking the school calendar and I can have a slower morning without someone shouting that they're going to be late. Then there's the money. No more new school shoes, uniforms, stationery, school trips and all those little things that add up to pay for.

We spend all those years working towards this as parents but I don't think anyone really tells you how strange it feels when they get here. Yes, I miss the school days but there are some lovely things about reaching this stage too. I have more freedom, more time for myself and two grown-up daughters who are becoming their own people.

Our weekly meal plan! 7th - 13th September! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We had a quiet one with some family time, F1 and football. It felt like a proper good weekend!

Last week's meal plan went well. Stu ended up cooking sausages, mashed potato and baked beans on Monday, which we all enjoyed and we ate almost everything else I had planned. I was out on Thursday, had a bigger lunch than usual, so we ended up just having corned beef pasties and sausage rolls from Greggs for tea! Yum! We made homemade pizzas on Friday and there were leftovers for lunch on Saturday too so that was a bonus!

I have a few things on this week which will keep me busy and it is Becky's birthday too! How is it even possible that I almost have a 24 year old? She has plans to celebrate with friends and is honouring us with her presence for a family meal out. I am very excited about it as I already know what I am planning to order!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Corned beef hash!

We're starting the week with a proper family favourite! I haven't made this for a little while, so I thought it was time to put it back on the meal plan. It's one of those meals that is simple, filling and doesn't need loads of ingredients, which makes it perfect for a Monday. I'll probably make enough so that there is a chance of leftovers too, some to pop in the freezer and some to have for lunch tomorrow.

Tuesday - Chicken and bacon pasta bake!

Chicken, bacon, pasta and a creamy sauce all baked together with plenty of cheese on top. What's not to like? This one should be nice and filling and it's a good meal for when I might not have loads of time to spend in the kitchen.

Wednesday - Slow cooker beef stew!

We're getting properly into the autumn meals and I love using the slow cooker. I don't use a recipe for this one, I just whack everything in the slow cooker and let it do its thing. Beef, potatoes, carrots and onions all cooked in gravy, with some crusty bread on the side for mopping up all that gravy.

Thursday - A meal out!

For the birthday girl! We are going to one of our favourite places to eat, which reminds me that I need to book a table.

Friday - A help yourself evening!

Everyone can have a look through the fridge, freezer and cupboards and choose whatever they fancy to eat!

Saturday - Chicken fajitas!

This is a meal where everyone can get involved and make their own exactly how they like them. We'll have chicken, peppers and onions with the wraps and all the usual extras. I'm sure there will be plenty of cheese, sour cream and salsa involved too.

Sunday - A roast chicken dinner!

It seems ages since I made a proper roast dinner, so it's time to have one. Roast chicken, roast potatoes and parsnips, stuffing, carrots, broccoli, peas, gravy and of course, Yorkshire puddings!

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 30th Aug - 5th Sept! Week 36 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend. We're having a good weekend. The girls were out yesterday with their people and I had a quiet day at home, which was quite nice and just what I needed! I have had a busy week and that shows by my photos. I always take photos of food when I am busy. lol Yesterday I spent the day doing housework, of course, doing some blogging and catching up on the two months of EastEnders that I had to watch. I am still not caught up.

Since September started, it has felt very Autumnal here. As much as the temperature has been hovering around 20C, it has felt chillier since the start of the month. I have actually found myself reaching for a jumper to wear and my blanket to put over my legs. I'm back to not knowing whether to wear a light jacket when I go out. Sometimes it looks grey and gloomy and is actually quite warm and other times it looks sunny and rain will appear.

Now for a photo every day!

242/365 30th August

We've had a week or so of rain and it has really helped the grass in my back garden. It is so much more green compared to a few weeks ago when it was all burned and yellow!

243365 31st August

Official photos are the worst! I needed photos for a provisional driving licence and as much as I know, they're only little passport-style photos. I always find having my picture taken for something official a bit awkward when you are not allowed to smile. I did think about using one of those photo booth things in the shopping centre but they looked like so much could go wrong. So I went to a shop instead where a lovely lady took them and printed them out for me. Much easier!

244/365 1st September

Becky had a day at the beach and brought me a tub of candyfloss back. It was probably about a year ago when she last went and brought me some home. It was a nice little treat. Candyfloss always reminds me of days out and the seaside.

245/365 2nd September

The start of the Carrot & Coriander soup when it was bubbling away in the pan! I usually buy normal carrots, peel and chop them myself but there were none in the shop, so I had to buy the carrot batons instead. It didn't really make any difference apart from cutting out the peeling and chopping. I now feel like I have accidentally found a little shortcut!

246/365 3rd September

I was out shopping and stopped off for lunch. I had an all-day breakfast! It did make me happy that the tomatoes and baked beans were in little metal tubs so I could put them where I wanted. I did like that idea. I don't like my tomatoes touching the egg or making the hash brown go soggy!

247/365 4th September

I was all set to catch up on commenting on blogs on Friday and I couldn't. I thought it was just me until I went on the Blogger Support forum thingy and lots of people were saying no comments were going through on any Blogger blogs. So if you tried to comment and you couldn't, it wasn't my fault. From what I can see, it's all fixed now! Phew!

248/365 5th September

Last week it was the new Gilmore Girls PJs. This week it's a mug! I couldn't leave it in the shop. It was the last one on the shelf and a bargain price of £2.99. I don't think Stu has noticed it, he hasn't said anything but a few months ago put me on a mug ban until I got rid of some of the older ones. Oops. It came from Home Bargains, in case you were wondering.

This week my Word of the Week is: Autumnal!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

September has arrived and it is definitely starting to feel a little autumnal around here with the cooler weather which I am quite enjoying. I do love summer and always feel a little sad when it starts to get darker earlier and the sun is shining less but I am also excited for Autumn. The kids have all gone back to school and college around here. I was in town the day the college went back and it was so cute hearing all the new starters chatting about their timetables and how different it is from school. Bless them!

Ellie had her birthday last weekend, which I wrote about in my Friday Favourites post and during the week we went out shopping to pick a few extra things up for Becky. She wanted all the sensible things like socks, some jeans and new slippers. It's all practical things that she would have bought herself but now I've saved her the money. Birthdays definitely change as the kids get older. When they were little, there was always so much excitement, presents, birthday cake and all the things that go with them. Now it's more about spending time together, getting them things they actually want and making sure they have a nice day!

Stu went back to work after his week off and he said the week has really dragged on. He did not want to get up when his alarm went off and hit snooze a couple of times, which was very annoying for me, who didn't have to be up that early. Becky, on the other hand, has been loving life and has this and most of the next week off for her birthday. She went for a trip to the beach. It wasn't the warmest of days and everything seemed to have shut for the season, another sign that summer is almost over but she still had fun and brought me some candy floss back. hehehe

I had my first pumpkin spice drink of the year from Starbucks this week and it was perfect! I did think about getting one from Greggs but wanted my first one of the season to be done properly, so Starbucks it was. I chose a pumpkin spice Frappuccino instead of a hot drink as it was still quite warm outside. Give it a few weeks when it has got colder and I will move on to the pumpkin spice lattes. hehehe Some people think pumpkin spice season starts far too early but I don't care. If it's on the menu, I'm having one! I also got one of the Greggs Bonfire Toffee Muffin! It is a toffee flavoured muffin with toffee pieces and a burnt toffee-flavoured filling, topped with a chocolate and salted caramel flavoured icing and toffee butter crunch. It was very sweet but very nice!

In other news, I did something this week that I've been meaning to do for a long while. I applied for my provisional driving licence. Before anybody thinks this means I'm about to start learning to drive, it doesn't. I'm not saying I am booking lessons now but it is something I am thinking about. Getting my provisional licence is the first step in the right direction, it's a baby step and if nothing else, at least I will have some proper photo ID.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 36. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you've all had a good week. We have had a fantastic week and all of my favourites this week are about my youngest girl's birthday. Ellie turned 19 over the weekend and we had such a good time celebrating with her. I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share what I loved about her birthday.

The right gifts!

The older my girls have got, the harder I have found it to buy gifts for them. If they want something, they just buy it themselves. I am happy to say that Ellie was very happy with her gifts. There were some things she needed, like new headphones and a hairbrush, then other things that she mentioned she had seen in town, like a Nightmare Before Christmas hoodie and a couple of T-shirts and then a couple of surprises. I still overbought for her. I always tell myself I won't buy too much and then I see something and think ooh, she'd like that and something else and so on. Oops.

Paralives!

One of Becky's presents to Ellie was a game for her PC called Paralives. I have been watching Ellie play it all week and now I want to buy it for myself. It looks a lot like The Sims 4 game, which I love to play, where you build homes, create characters and then control them in everyday life and so far, you pay a one-off price, around £34 and everything is included instead of paying for every new pack of things that is released. I can see another game purchase happening in my future.

McDonald's Breakfast!

We never get breakfast from McDonald's! If we're ever near one, it's usually after 11am when breakfast has finished, so it was quite exciting to have one delivered at home. It was Stu who came up with the idea of ordering from Uber Eats. Ellie said it really must have been her birthday because he never likes to order food. lol I thought this was a fab idea because it meant none of us had to get dressed or leave the house. Stu and Becky got breakfast wraps and Ellie and I went for pancakes. Everything was good but the best thing for me was the hash browns. I forgot how much I love them!

Some quiet time!

After opening presents and having breakfast, we had a good few hours when everyone just did their own thing. I really enjoyed this part of the day. There was no rushing around, we were all just at home pottering around. I did a bit of blogging, Ellie was playing her new game, Stu was playing on his PC and Becky was messing about on social media. It doesn't sound very exciting but those are the little moments I enjoy. Having everyone home!

A family meal +1!

To celebrate Ellie's birthday, we all got dressed up and went out for a meal at one of our favourite places to eat. We had a +1 with us, Ellie's special friend. hehehe It was the first time we had spent a good chunk of time with him. He's a lovely lad and it was nice seeing Ellie so happy. The food was of course lovely but I am a bad blogger. I didn't take any photos. Oops!

A night out!

After we'd eaten, we decided to head into town and carry on the birthday celebrations. We had such a good night. There were alcoholic beverages drunk, we sang along to pretty much every song that was played and we danced to a fair few too. My little legs were aching by the end of the night. I am totally blaming the Cha Cha Slide and The Macarena! I don't know what it is about those songs but when they come on, you have to join in. The cheesy songs are always the best ones.

Friends!

It seems like everyone decided to go out on Saturday night. All our favourite people and some people we hadn't seen in years. There were Becky's friends, Ellie's friends and even people Stu and I knew out and there was a lot of catching up and gossiping! I found myself with Ellie standing outside talking to one of her friends when someone I knew appeared and we had a chatter. There were plenty of "I haven't seen you in ages" and "what have you been up to" going on!

Bedtime!

We hadn't planned to stay out as late as we did, no one was watching the clock and I am glad we didn't as I would have panicked with how late it was. We didn't get back home until coming on for 5am in the morning. Eek! It was straight to bed for us all but amazingly, Stu was up just after 9am and I got up just after 11am. The girls didn't get up until midday. Eek!

What have you loved this week?

365 Days Of Gratitude. In August I was grateful for...

I have seen many people on social media list something every day that they are grateful for and thought I would join in. I have done this for the whole of the last few of years and it has really made me realise that even on bad days I have something to be grateful for.

August went by in a flash! It is always a busy month for us with Stu's and Ellie's birthday but this year seemed extra busy. We've had days out, a week where we were full of cold, the bathroom was decorated, plenty of sport to watch and lots of family time which always makes me happy. It was a good month!

In August I was grateful for:

Day 212 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful the drains were unblocked again! The pipes and sewers are damaged. The water board knows and it's going to be fixed sometime soon but they said that back in April too.

Day 213 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for tissues and cold and flu tablets. Stu has given me his cold! Ugh!

Day 214 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a little lie in this morning! It means I can stay up a little later and watch a bit of WWE's SummerSlam!

Day 215 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for cough medicine and that I am not suffering alone with my cold, Becky has it too.

Day 216 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice lunch with Becky, it has been a while since we got Costa delivered.

Day 217 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I am just about over the cold that I've had. I can breath through my nose again and I'm not coughing as much! Yay!

Day 218 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for jacket potatoes for tea! Nice and easy!

Day 219 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to spend time with my dad! Been to his today, helped him with a few computer things and had lunch! Perfect!

Day 220 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful the shower isn't broken! We thought it was as the water was coming out of the bottom. Turns out the shower head was blocked with limescale! Of course it was, the limescale is terrible here!

Day 221 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a lazy Sunday! I've done nothing productive at all and enjoyed every moment!

Day 222 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu has got half the bathroom decorated. He will be doing the rest at the end of the week.

Day 223 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie has another 2 job interviews lined up!

Day 224 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I saw the eclipse tonight. It wasn't that amazing but I saw it. lol

Day 225 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I could stay inside today where it was cool!

Day 226 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for lunch at my dads. Bacon, black pudding and tomato sandwiches! Yum!

Day 227 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a fun day out celebrating Stu's birthday a day early.

Day 228 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a quiet day at home, Stu had a nice birthday and takeaway pizza for tea!

Day 229 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for The Freeman Hospital and their amazing surgeons, doctors and nurses which mean my girls are still here today! Today is 17 years since Becky had open heart surgery to fix a hole in her heart and tomorrow is 17 years since Ellie had her surgery. They both had the same issues with their hearts. Those days were some of the hardest of my life. I never thought we were going to get through the day, the week or even the month at the time. There were so many worries and so many things going through my head but here we are 17 years later and they are both fit and healthy.

Day 230 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for BBQ pulled pork in buns for tea! It was so good and I gutted there are no leftovers for tomorrow.

Day 231 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for more rain and not having to go out and water the garden!

Day 232 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie was OK with not getting a pass on her English GCSE resit. She did better than last year so it's not all bad and is booked on an intensive course to get something that counts as the English GCSE.

Day 233 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for an evening at the pub! Hour and half of a singer singing 90's tunes, football and a bottle of prosecco!

Day 234 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for football on the TV and that Hull beat Man United!!

Day 235 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice afternoon watching sport. F1 and then the football. I can't believe that Erling Haaland has cut his hair and the tribute to Kevin Keegan was something special!

Day 236 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu cooked tea! It was nice to have a night off during the week!

Day 237 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I could go into town and pick up a few extra presents for Ellie's birthday.

Day 238 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful to get a few jobs done around the house!

Day 239 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I didn't have to go out this afternoon, that rain was awful!

Day 240 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Ellie had a good night out with her friends!

Day 241 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful Ellie had the best birthday! We had a meal out and a fab night out, my legs are aching from all the dancing I did. lol

Day 242 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day of doing nothing!

Day 243 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day at home getting some little jobs done.

What were you grateful for in August?