Summer fun

My entry for this months I heart faces competition. 

http://iheartfaces.com

Enjoying some time in the paddling pool.

iheartfaces.com

London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

On Saturday 16th June we were able to see the Olympic Torch. It spent last weekend travelling around the North East and after studying the route I picked out an easy spot for us to stand and see it.  So we packed up our umbrellas and waterproofs, stuck on our wellies and headed down to Stocksfield a small village outside of Newcastle.   It was a little wait before the vehicles started to arrive.  I gave the kids lollipops to keep them happy while we waited.    It made Benjis day when the Police cars and bikes started passing,  their sirens and lights were all go and he thought it was great.  Eventually we spotted the flame on its way.  Another watcher said that the guy carrying the torch was afraid that no one would be supporting him as he was on the last leg of the run through the village. He was worried that no one would bother to come down to the end of the village.  I'm guessing by the smiles on his face that he was pleased to see the crowds cheering him on.

Enjoying The lollipops Grandad  brought back from France.

Waving our flags

Proof that Luke was also there, he slept through the whole thing.

The start of the relay cars, and Wenlock the Olympic Mascot

Benjamins favourite site of the day, they just kept on coming along the road giving high fives to everyone.

It was a once in a life time opportunity that we couldn't miss out on. I don't expect to be able to see an Olympic torch being carried around the UK again.

Mothers Day

Today being Mothers day here in England I thought it appropriate to restart my blogging with a post about my Mum. 

I have trawled my computer and can find very few recent photographs of my Mum or even any older ones to be honest.  This is a picture taken at my wedding of My Mum and my Grandma (her mum). She always hate being in the photo and would shy away from the camera, I am just the same and would rather be holding the camera than getting in the picture.  So that's a lesson to me to let others take pictures with me in them and to sacrifice having the perfect picture for having pictures showing moments with my family.

I'm not very good at expressing feelings and also hate that blogs are open for everyone to read so rather than make this too personal I want to share a quote that has touched me these last few weeks.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny new sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station waggon that has mud on the wheels from taking the kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt form making sandwiches for a sick neighbours children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someones garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheek and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I do not doubt that my Mum 'really lived', she loved life and loved helping others and especially her children and grandchildren. In her owns words she said that if she could pass anything on to her grandchildren that it would be the love that she had and was given by her grandmother. She said

"Memories are wonderful things to have when the people you love have gone ahead"

I have the wonderful memories and hope that I can keep those memories alive for my children.

Thanks for teaching me how to make the best carrot cake and cheese and potato pie, for showing me how to knit and love crafts, for scrubbing my floor when I didn't have the energy, for caring for my children while I had to work, for growing courgettes in the greenhouse every year so we could have them in our garden (even though we don't like eating them), for being patient with me while I complained, for being excited for our next child to arrive, for being 'hand on', for sharing your testimony of the gospel and for showing me the things that matter most.

Thanks for making me the person I am today and being the best mother and grandmother a girl could wish for.