Daily Photo Challenge - 25.01.14

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#250114

I went for a rare night out with a friend – I had the opportunity to be me for the evening instead of wife or mummy. I took this selfie at the start of the evening as I was quite impressed with how well my make up went!  

Daily Photo Challenge - 24.01.14

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#240114

After a very frosty and foggy night last night, this morning was strangely spectacular with the most amazing spider webs strewn around everywhere.

Daily Photo Challenge - 23.01.14

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#230114

We were all up very early this morning! I was quite glad we were though, or I’d have missed a spectacular sunrise. I took a few photos but this one is definitely my favourite - taken at 08:05am.

Daily Photo Challenge - 22.01.14

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#220114

I popped into town this morning first thing after dropping J off at nursery. It was very peaceful and though I was in a rush I made sure to stop on the bridge leading over the river toward the town centre to have a couple of moments enjoying the scene. This area is full of natural beauty spots and I do try to appreciate them as often as I can. This photo was taken looking away from the town centre as I stood there enjoying the view and remembering that this quiet, idyllic scene is one of the reasons we moved to this area almost seven years ago.

Daily Photo Challenge - 21.01.14

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#210114

Twenty one days into the project and my favourite photo from today is one taken late in the evening. We’d settled down and were watching TV and normally both dogs will just curl up next to us to doze, but tonight they were both very playful and all over Daddy P for a good fuss and some fun. As much of a headache as they can be, times like this reminds me why I adore having dogs and why our home wouldn't be a home without them.

Daily Photo Challenge - 20.01.14

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#200114

After having last week off because he was so poorly, J went back to nursery today. He had a great day and enjoyed catching up with his friends, but he was really tired afterward. When he got home, he curled up with Daddy P to watch Thomas. I love this photo because it shows the close bond between Daddy P and J, reminds me what a great dad he is and how lucky I am to be his wife.

Daily Photo Challenge - 19.01.14

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#190114

Still feeling very unwell, this was the only photo I took today.

Daily Photo Challenge - 18.01.14

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#180114

Despite still being unwell, J was in a good mood and posed happily for a set of photos for me when I asked. My favourite has got to be this close up of him. The cheeky smile, the big blue eyes, the long eyelashes, the blonde curls – my gorgeous boy, this is pure J.

Daily Photo Challenge - 17.01.14

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#170114

I was swamped with work today so I didn’t get to take any other photos!

Daily Photo Challenge - 16.01.14

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#160114

Our boy dog Buddy has always had a soft spot for ice cream. As it isn’t a particularly healthy dietary addition for a dog, we don’t let him over indulge, but tonight we cuddled up and watched a film and enjoyed some ice cream. Once we’d finished the pot, we let Buddy clean the pot. I love the expression on his face in this photo as he looks so pleased to be enjoying this treat!

Daily Photo Challenge - 15.01.14

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#150114

I was really unwell myself today and the only photo I took was my daily image in the back garden. 

Daily Photo Challenge - 14.01.14

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#140114

Since J was so good at nursery last week, and earned himself an award sticker from nursery every day, we decided we’d treat him. When we were at Grandma & Grandad Parker’s house over the weekend we were talking to them about it and Grandad was kind enough to give J a boost to his pocket money to put toward his treat. In town, J chose a Thomas the Tank Engine Take N Play set called Lion Canyon to add to his existing track. As soon as possible, it was out of the box and set up in the front room, connected up with the rest of the track. This addition has been a firm favourite since! Top marks to the Take N Play set! My favourite photo of the day has to be this one of him playing in the front room - he was so happy and entertained for hours!

Daily Photo Challenge - 13.01.14

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#130114

Sunday night was pretty miserable for J – he was coughing, snotty and over tired. He kept waking up throughout the night and was feeling very sorry for himself.

He didn’t go to nursery, but after I persuaded him to have a bite to eat I gave him some Calpol to help make him feel better.  It quickly perked him up, and we brought the Thomas Take N Play set down from his room to play with it in the front room. As you can see, he may have been unwell but he was happy enough!

Daily Photo Challenge - 12.01.14

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#120114

We went to visit Daddy P’s mum and dad today. It was a very chilly and windy afternoon, and J was starting to cough a lot and hadn’t slept well the night before. To get there, we had to go in the car, and I’m very conscious about ensuring the carseat harness is tensioned properly – well, it is my job! So J never wears thick, padded winter coats or snowsuits in the carseat as it means you can’t tension the harness fully against the child. Since it was so chilly today, and he wasn’t feeling well, I wanted to keep him cosy in the car on the way to see Grandma & Grandad.

Some time ago a friend gave me a Thomas the Tank Engine Snunkie to use with J in the pushchairs when he got too big for the footmuffs. The Snunkie not only has a snuggly fleece lining but has Velcro tabs to hold it in place on the pushchair chassis. So instead of fixing it to the pushchair chassis, I fixed it onto the harness hooks on the carset – et voila! Another use for the Snunkie. They really are handy! So I could tension the harness of the carseat correctly against J but he was kept warm enough by using the Snunkie over the top.

We completed his cosy clothing with a grey onesie from Tesco F&F range and a knitted Spiderman hat (handmade by Grandma Parker) and he was a very comfy little boy!

Daily Photo Challenge - 11.01.14

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#110114

Tonight was very cold, and the ice was thick. Sparkling on the roof of the shed, it looked particularly pretty in the moonlight, and when I stood to try and get a photo the pale dusky pink roses were between me and the shed roof. Since I wasn’t using a really good camera the photo isn’t brilliant, but even so I like the contrast between the pink roses which remind me of warm days, and the sparkling frosty shed roof and glow of the moon in the night sky. 

Daily Photo Challenge - 10.01.14

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#100114

I’ve chosen a photo of me having a cuddle with our boy dog, Buddy. He can be a bit grumpy but he’s soft as anything and we’ve had him since he was a young puppy. He quite enjoys a cuddle at times, and today was one of those days where he was very affectionate.

Daily Photo Challenge - 09.01.14

Back to work today after my "weekend" days off. The launch of 2014 Collections has prompted an influx of questions from customers. Where can I buy ... Which retailer will have ... What is RRP ...

Added to that a relatively new concept for the UK of Extended Rear Facing (ERF) and the new iSize standard and you have the recipe for lots of customers asking lots of questions. Thursdays always are my busiest day, but today was even crazier than normal.

I choose this as my photo of today as though it wasn't taken today it is one I used today when explaining how an older / taller child could be comfortable ERF. J's cheeky grin and look of comfort has already received several "Likes" - he's a mini celebrity!

Daily Photo Challenge - 08.01.14

Every morning since the start of this year I have taken a photo from the same spot in my back garden at approximately the same time. I aim to take a photo a day this way so that by the end of the year I can create a slideshow demonstrating for J how subtle changes each day in our garden make for big changes over time and how the seasons lead into one another.

So far this is what I have. I think it’s coming together nicely.

Daily Photo Challenge - 07.01.14

I am very partial to a cup of tea or coffee. Until my pregnancy with J, it would always be tea for me (strong, white, two sugars / sweeteners) but after my pregnancy I would merrily accept a coffee as a good alternative (weak, white, two sugars / sweeteners) More recently I have been drinking more coffee than tea, but it’s still a standing joke amongst my friends that I am “The Teapot”

Knowing this, one of my mates found me a brilliant mug. Holding a vast 1.5 pints, this “World’s Worst Hangover” mug does me a cup of tea that’ll last over an hour! Though the hangover bit I have only suffered from once since having J (and vowed, as it was such an awful experience, never to do that again!) the size of this mug is fabulous and I think it’s great!

Daily Photo Challenge - 06.01.14

Our girlie dog, Holly, we rescued on 23^rd December 2007. At the time, she was estimated to be approximately 6 months old due to the fact that she appeared to be a Border Collie and around the age of a 6 month old pup due to her size.

As time went on, it became increasingly obvious that she isn’t a pedigree Border Collie and she is clearly mixed with a smaller breed dog – possibly a spaniel, because she has quite curly, thick fur and little triangle ears with corkscrew curls on them. It doesn’t matter to me – she’s a crazy, smelly, pain in the bum but she’s an affectionate little fatty and she’s always so happy to see you and always so grateful for cuddles, she’s one in a million.

Despite the fact we’ve had her for 6 years now she’s not got a lot taller, she’s certainly become plumper (she’s a greedy little madam!) but in comparison to Buddy she’s a lot smaller. I took this photo before going to work for the day – she comes and sits next to me while I have a coffee and listen to the birdsong and generally try and wake up and prepare for my day. She doesn’t breathe very well – she snuffles a lot, we think she had a collapsed lung or something left untreated before we adopted her – and she’s completely nuts, but she’s a loving little addition to our household.

Daily Photo Challenge - 05.01.14

It was a rainy day today so after a late, lazy breakfast I asked J what he wanted to do … I wasn’t surprised when he announced he wanted to play trains. And so, at the age of 32 and two thirds, I found myself in my PJs cross-legged on the floor in his room putting on a funny voice to sound like the Fat Controller, singing the “Thomas and his friends” song and having conversations about which version  of Thomas to use to pull Annie and Clarabelle (we have normal Thomas, Ltd Ed Metallic Thomas and Party Thomas!) It was a very lazy but very nice and happy way to while away the hours with my boy.

Daily Photo Challenge - Project365 - 04.01.14

Daily Photo Challenge – 04.01.14

Our boy dog, Buddy, is 8 and a half. A lot of the time he acts like a right old grump, even though he’s soft as putty, but every so often he has a real puppy moment. Tonight he was like that, and after ages of playing rough and tumble with Daddy P he jumped up on the sofa for a cuddle & an ear rub. I caught this snapshot on my phone and it makes me smile as it looks like Buddy is grinning.

Daily Photo Challenge 03.01.14

So, for todays #Project365 I have chosen this panoramic landscape image of the sky earlier today. Moments before this photo was taken the sky was bright, the pale winter sun was out after a beautiful sunrise this morning and though it was crisp and gusty it was a nice morning. In a short space of time it went dark, thunder rumbled like a huge bass drum and hail the size of golf balls fell for about ten minutes. After the hail let up the rain continued. This image reminds me of the awesomeness of nature and how quickly things turn.

Daily Photo Challenge 02.01.14

Day 2 of Project 365 - 02.01.14
Since its been raining for the last two days, today being brighter (though cold and windy) J and I got out of the house for a bit to visit some friends. This is J ready to leave, apparently giving a Vulcan "Live long and prosper" salute. Combined with the half mad - half organised hair do and the slightly crazed look in his eyes and I captured his mood for the day (being a tinker!) perfectly in that one snap.

Daily Photo Challenge 01.01.14

Well, here we are in January 2014 and I managed a whole nine days of the Brit Mums Daily Photo Challenge for December.

When I started the project late I was keen and enthused, but unfortunately the normal commitments of life added to the chaos of December lead to me running out of time to be able to continue with that project to completion. I was disappointed in myself, and looking for a new project to kick off the new year.

#Project365 is a photo a day project, no explanation required, just a single photo out of every day of 2014 that you select and upload with the hashtag #Project365. I've already uploaded my 01.01.14 image: