A quick catch up!

Last weekend went by super fast! Ben arrived home Friday evening for the weekend, so I had both children in the house which was lovely.

First thing Saturday found Hugh and me up at Slimming World. I am now on the 'social team' and log everyone in and take their money as they arrive. Hugh runs the 'corner shop' selling recipe books, the magazine and HiFi Bars! We also help set up and put away. I was thrilled to get my 2 stone award - Hugh was 1lb off his!

After lunch Ben had promised to take us out for the afternoon as an early Father's Day treat for Hugh. We went to Tropical Wings in South Woodham Ferrers. Ben, Penny and I had been there before, but it was a first for Hugh. We had a wonderful afternoon, even though it ended up raining! Here are a few photos.

Saturday evening saw us entertaining our friends Gillian and Andrew from Southend. We get together a couple of times a year for a meal and a catch up. I prepared a full Slimming World meal (not going to waste all that effort I've put in!) and thankfully they thoroughly enjoyed it!

Sunday morning we had a relaxed time - Hugh had his presents and cards from Ben and Penny and took it easy. Just before lunch Penny went off to watch one of her wrestling matches. Ben stayed for lunch and then Amy collected him at 3pm to take him back to Reading. Hugh and I then settled down to spend some time on our hobbies. I completed a layout I had started at my crop earlier in the week and did a couple more for my five faves. Here are the two I did at my crop.

I made up a couple of kits from old stash and am quite pleased with the results. The 'rings' of gold on the bottom layout are one of my favourite things, which resulted from a mistake! I was intending to do a light misting of spray and held the container too close! As I liked what I got I repeated it!

Monday and Tuesday I was back to college. It is getting quite heavy going now, like a crash course in GCSE Biology!

And today? Well today is my birthday, so I am taking the day off and Penny and I are going out for lunch. Hugh should be home at a reasonable time, so Penny is cooking me a birthday supper and I shall open my presents and cards then.

I hope that you had a good weekend and that you are having an enjoyable week!

Five Favourites for April

Gosh, it's May already! Where is the year going? Penny's birthday this month, she finishes university, two Bank Holiday weekends and our 28th wedding anniversary.

But for now, here are my five favourite photos from April. Just a reminder that the inspiration for this has come from Jo, over at buckinghamspalace.

This had to be a favourite! Ben and Amy standing outside their new house. So pleased that the purchase went through so smoothly.

Over the Easter weekend, Hugh, Penny and I were all very crafty!

Penny sharing her face mask from Lush with me! It smelt good enough to eat!

Penny all dressed up for an evening out. She has dropped three dress sizes since last September, just through eating healthily. I am so proud of her.

A group selfie with Sue and Wendy on our day out together.

So the next thing on the books is to scrap these! Looks like it will be five layouts this month as each one of these deserves their own page. Need to find some sketches to work with so that they don't all end up looking the same.

Do hop on over to Jo's blog to see her five favourites for April.

What a weekend!

I have had a very stressful couple of weeks, both at home and at work, and missed my monthly get together with the girls for scrapbooking. So the outing we had planned for Saturday was well and truly needed!

Wendy had been on Visit Essex and found Bourne Mill for us to go and visit. So with our packed lunches, raincoats and cameras, off we set!

What a beautiful place! It is in the middle of Colchester, but at the same time in a very rural location! We spent about an hour here, walking the grounds, looking at the mill workings and having a cup of tea.

We were lucky and the threatening rain held off. Jules, the guide, was very chatty and informative and we learned a lot about the mill whilst we were there.

We decided to move on and have our picnic lunch at Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum. There was a lovely outside picnic area and with our coats on and the sun out it was lovely to have our first picnic of 2015. We all meant to take photos whilst we ate, but were too hungry and forgot!

After eating our lunch we set off on our stroll around the grounds.

It was beautiful. The sun came out and there was such beautiful blossom on the trees. It smelt heavenly.

 The sun reflecting off the water was stunning - I nearly captured it here!

This is a place I will definitely be going back to - I have promised Hugh and Penny we will go there soon for a walk.

This is the 'Screaming Oak' - can you see the face? No? Well here it is in close up.

I took 85 photos in total, but have got rid of some that weren't quite so good! As my Mum posted on my Facebook page:
Gillian Armstrong: Lovely pics, I can see plenty of scrapping material there!

We've got another day booked for June - Beth Chatto Gardens - and I am really looking forward to that!

Weekend catch up

Friday afternoon saw Hugh driving to Cornwall to visit his Mum in hospital, Penny returning home from uni for the holidays and Ben arriving home to spend the weekend with us.

Ben's home! Bag, shoes and clothes dropped in the hall!

Saturday morning first thing was Slimming World. Unfortunately Hugh couldn't be there, but I went along and was thrilled with another 2.5lb loss and to be Slimmer of the Week.

The fruit I won for being Slimmer of the Week

Saturday afternoon Ben, Penny and I watched films together. Penny then went off to a wrestling event and Hugh arrived home. His Mum was a little better, so that was good news.

Sunday morning we rushed around doing jobs and dropping Penny at the station so she could meet friends in London. Hugh, Ben and I then made our way to Hemel to see my parents as it was my Mum's birthday.

After a lovely afternoon with them and my sister and her family, Ben returned to Reading and Hugh and I returned home. A healthy Slimming World tea of homemade soup followed by fruit and yoghurt and then we collapsed to watch some tv!

I hope that you had a lovely weekend - what did you get up to?

And so that was Christmas!

And wishing you a very Happy New Year!

We had a quiet Christmas Day this year, although Christmas Eve afternoon was spent at my sister's. Penny and I worked in the morning and then came home, collected Hugh, Ben and Amy and drove the hour over to Hemel. My Mum and Dad were also over there, and so was Henry's girlfriend, so it was a full house! I didn't manage to get any photos of Del and Pippa, or Henry, so am hoping that my Mum has!

Penny and Emily

Ben and Amy

Penny and Grandma

Grandad and Ben

Olivia and Penny

Mum and Me

Hugh and Dad

We returned home around 8pm and collapsed, watching some tv and looking at our tree.

Christmas morning I was downstairs putting the turkey in the oven at 8am! Santa had visited me and Hugh again, so once Penny woke up, she and Ben came and sat on our bed and we all opened our stocking presents. Lots of silliness ensued!

After breakfast of fresh bread (we always put the breadmaker on to cook bread overnight on Christmas Eve) we showered and dressed and then it was present opening time.

This contained a 'Lush' voucher from Ben!

Whilst I was cooking the dinner I had my Christmas snowball...

and Hugh and I had our dance round the kitchen

Even though I say it myself, Christmas dinner was yummy! (Hugh prepared all the veg - I ought to mention that!)

After dinner, Ben went over to Amy's house for a while and we watched television and let our meal digest!

When Ben returned, he brought Amy with him and Father Christmas turned up too!

Boxing Day was quiet and just the four of us. Ben had an old school friend round for the afternoon and Hugh, Penny and I went for a walk in our local park.

Saturday saw us all (including Amy) travelling to Cornwall to visit Hugh's family. It was the first time we had been down since Hugh's father had passed away, so it was quite strange. Although Hugh and I both felt that he was still there in a way - it just seemed as if he was in another room. His presence there is so strong that it was quite comforting to be there. We had booked into the Premier Inn for the night and after breakfast on Sunday all popped back to see the family before returning Ben and Amy to Reading and us to Wickford.

Today I have my parents coming over to have New Year's Day dinner with us. Dad doesn't like driving in the dark any more, so they will arrive about midday and leave us about 3.30pm to be home before the light goes completely.

We have quite a few plans in place for 2015, which I will share as the year goes on. I hope that you have had a great Christmas and wish all my lovely blog readers a very Happy New Year.