Thursday, September 29, 2011

272/365

272/365 by sally_re
272/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Oz made himself devil horns with shampoo but his hair is too short. He then insisted I take pictures of his "devil face". I think he looks adorable rather than demonic....

271/365

271/365 by sally_re
271/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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This is Toby's favourite game in the bath. He puts bubbles all over his eyes and calls them his invisible goggles.

Then he has magical eyes and can see through things and look at lights.

Bonkers I tell thee..

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

270/365

270/365 by sally_re
270/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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It was Toby's first school assembly today. The Reception kids were adorable - all trooped in and sang a few songs (mainly about fruit and sharks) and each got their welcome certificate from the Head Teacher....

Adorable...

269/365

269/365 by sally_re
269/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Still enjoying the novelty of full days to myself - I did a zumba class then decided to do a recce to Westfield Stratford. It looked close on the map but I had to go through the dreaded Blackwall Tunnel....

Still, even with delays, it took 20 minutes! I had a whizz round - heading for the Japan Centre's Umai store to get some sushi - saw loads of fab shops - TONS of delicious food (bad for WW) and had a quick mooch in the enormous Primark.

Will definitely be back! (When I'm not as skint as I am at the moment)

268/365

268/365 by sally_re
268/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Toby loves the water. And even at the end of September when, although it's sunny, the water is freezing - he's straight in there....

He's part fish. Definitely

267/365

267/365 by sally_re
267/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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I was asked to do a birthday party down in Benenden today so I dropped Rob and the boys in Hastings, did the party then met up with them for a paddle in the sea after. This was taken with my camera phone and I haven't done anything to it except put a vignette filter over it and add the text. The colour is just amazing. Oz was chucking stones in the sea!

266/365

266/365 by sally_re
266/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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So this is the other thing I did yesterday - saw the breathtaking Adele at the Royal Albert Hall. We had standing tickets and I wasn't sure where we'd be - thought we'd be up in the Gods but no - we were right by the stage. We got there early and didn't budge so my feet were KILLING me today, the morning after. But she was amazing, awe inspiring, funny and very down to earth.

She had great chats in between each song, kept bringing the lights up so she could see us all - she still seems like a really normal person who can't quite believe what is happening to her - but then she opens her mouth to sing and she's incredible.

Truly wonderful gig.

265/365

265/365 by sally_re
265/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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And so the day I was waiting for arrived! The first full day of Reception! So Clare and I also took advantage of the last day of Yo Sushi's 40% off deal and escaped to Bluewater!

Apart from one missed call from the school which panicked Clare but turned out to be nothing...it was a wonderful way to spend our day of freedom!

264/365

264/365 by sally_re
264/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Another filler and a bit of a cheat in two ways - me on the Jane Eyre poster (sorta) and this photo was taken the day after today - but I had nothing for today!

263/365

263/365 by sally_re
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A filler shot - this is one I took last Sunday - got the hat from the Japan Matsuri for the boys - but it suited my husband more!

262/365

262/365 by sally_re
262/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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So today we trialled school dinners with Toby - the parents go in to help them navigate the dining hall. Toby did well with his tray and stuff....but not with the food! They let him have the vegetarian option which was pizza - the other choice was curry and I knew he wouldn't go for that. But Pizza is one of his favourites...

And he didn't eat any of it. Refused it - said it didn't taste nice (probably because it was homemade and had vegetables all over it). He wouldn't even eat the cake! Because it had yogurt icing on it....he ate 2 pieces of bread and butter!

So...much as I hate it...there's no point paying for school dinners - he won't eat it, will then demand food straight after school, will be low blood sugar and grumpy all day in school. Toby loves packed lunches - he's always eaten them (unlike Oscar). So that's the route we're going...

With Oscar he barely eats during the day due to his ADHD meds. When I switched him to packed lunches, so I could monitor what he was eating, he ate hardly anything. At least with school dinners they make him finish more of it, it's a hot meal and so he'll stay with that option. So only one packed lunch to do each morning.....

Sunday, September 18, 2011

261/365

261/365 by sally_re
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After a stressy Saturday I escaped for a few hours to Japan Matsuri festival on the Southbank. It was heaving and far too many people for my liking but the main reason I went for was for these - Takoyaki - Octopus balls! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takoyaki). I love em! Pearl tried them for the first time and loved them too...nom nom nom

260/365

260/365 by sally_re
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No photo from today - Toby was utterly obnoxious and made such a screaming fuss in the car, that I reversed into another car in the carpark...no damage done (apart from to my nerves)....so here's a photo from yesterday of Oscar's best mate Ramoan (who introduced him to Pokemon) and who came round for tea on Friday!

259/365

259/365 by sally_re
259/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Toby LOVES to swing! Spent a lovely afternoon in the park with Suzanna catching up....She can push Toby higher than anyone!

258/365

258/365 by sally_re
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Book clurb night! And I wore one of my fab swap frocks.....went to Riva for the first time and it's fab....

Book was crap though....

257/365

257/365 by sally_re
257/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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With Toby in Reception this morning I escaped into Lewisham for a Costa and to get our underwater cameras from Turkey developed. Not great pics - these are my favourite!

256/365

256/365 by sally_re
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Now Oscar is in the Juniors there seems to be so much paperwork and stuff to remember every day! So I've bought a whiteboard - a magnetic one - to keep track of things.......it's confusing!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

255/365

255/365 by sally_re
255/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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And so it's Toby's turn to start Reception! He couldn't wait - went bounding in...

It's only half days until the 22nd September which is a pain but it'll go quick I hope...

I picked him up at 11.30 and he didn't want to leave. Said he wanted to go EVERY day.....

Think he likes it!

254/365

254/365 by sally_re
254/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Seems a sombre fitting image for a sombre day - the 10th anniversary of the Twin Towers. The moon was beautiful and full and I tried desperately to capture it - through my lens it looked amazing but I'm still too amateurish to know how to change the settings to stop the glare....

I've bought a groupon for photography lessons!

253/365

253/365 by sally_re
253/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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Went to an AMAZING event today - a big fat swap shop - plus size women bringing clothes they no longer wore to swap! I came away with a HUGE haul as you can see....

252/365

252/365 by sally_re
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My favourite crisps when I was a kid were Roast Beef Monster Munch.....

Oz is developing a taste for em!

251/365

251/365 by sally_re
251/365, a photo by sally_re on Flickr.

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I just managed to capture this - even though the annoying lampost was in the way - before it faded..... My first ever rainbow photo!

250/365

250/365 by sally_re
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So after a day to recover....Oscar started school! His first day in the Junior school - plus he has his first ever wobbly tooth! My little boy is getting bigger!

249/365

249/365 by sally_re
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We arrived home at 2am....I'm exhausted...and it's grey and miserable and cold....all I want is to be back here!

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

248/365

248/365 by sally_re
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Often, by the end of a holiday, I'm quite looking forward to getting home. Not this time.

I didn't want to leave! I had the most AMAZING holiday of a lifetime in such a perfect place - couldn't have wished for any more and wouldn't have changed a thing.

Thank you Mum and Dad for the best time ever.

247/365

247/365 by sally_re
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One of the reasons my folks decided to send us to Club Med was the Mini Club. The fact that the kids could be off having a ball from 8.45 - 5pm and then again from 7-9pm included in the holiday meant Rob and I could have some quality time together.

We both relaxed, went snorkelling together, drank quite a few cheeky cocktails, lay on the beach, just had time to be us and not Mummy and Daddy for a while.

And I'm utterly grateful for it....

246/365

246/365 by sally_re
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Toby LOVES the water and spent most of his time in it - especially snorkelling in the sea. With armbands on he has no fear and jumped into the deepest water.

He discovered "fingerlings" - small fish in giant schools in the sea, and was enchanted.

He also had a ball at mini club - especially enjoying the shows where he danced like a pro, and even ended up on stage, being kidnapped by a pirate! Somehow I think he's inherited my performing gene! I loved dancing with him to Ponga - a mad French song about a kung fu penguin!

He ate a LOT of pizza - and a bit of fish....but he'll mostly remember the sea and the pool as that was his favourite thing.....

My little fish!

245/365

245/365 by sally_re
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Oz had a blast. He loved Mini Club and made good friends with the GO's there....he loved playing his DS everywhere - under a towel by the pool, on the beach....he loved the pool though he wasn't keen on swimming in the sea!

He's much more adventurous than Toby when it comes to food and ate really well - his favourite was the ice cream!

He's sociable and loved posing for photos. And he got even more freckles.....

244/365

244/365 by sally_re
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Club Med is famous for it's food and by golly it didn't disappoint. There were at least six different stations at every meal, each serving two or three different foods. There were tables with every kind of vegetable or potato or rice you could wish for, a different theme each night from traditional Turkish, to Asian, to Italian....the decoration was amazing - intricately carved watermelons, entire bouquets made purely of vegetables, and then there was the bar....cocktails included...snack time (pancake o clock as I called it), unlimited everything.

I have NO idea how much damage I did to my diet! Bloody worth it though....

243/365

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And then we worked out the best routine for us - which we stuck to everyday...get up...have breakfast (omelette, pancakes, fresh OJ and croissants), put the kids in Mini Club in time for Oz to swim at 10am....then go have an iced coffee at the bar, then to the beach and relax in the sun, swim in the sea, chill out...have lunch, go back to the flat for some airconditioned siesta, back to the beach....Bar at 4pm for pancake o clock then pick up the kids at 5.30.

Dinner, the kids show, some dancing and cocktails and then bed...

BLISS I TELL YOU!

242/365

242/365 by sally_re
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And so our holiday properly began. First the morning ritual of getting dressed in a swimming costume and applying factor 50! First day we just looked around all morning, swam in the pool, registered the kids for mini club and ate some yummy food!

241/365

241/365 by sally_re
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Last time Oscar flew he was two...Toby has never flown. We were nervous about the prospect of flying with a seven year old and a four year old but actually they were fine! We brought loads of snacks with us, they loved take off and landing....and thanks to the DS and some good books, even though we were delayed by an hour, they both did brilliantly.

We arrived late at Club Med and had a bit of a mad rush to get some food and try and settle in.....

240/365

240/365 by sally_re
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And so it's finally here...the holiday we booked back in December 2010....tomorrow we're off to Palmiye Club Med in Turkey!! Wahooo!

239/365

239/365 by sally_re
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And a final filler - some lavender taken in Manor Park....all in bloom at the end of the summer....

238/365

238/365 by sally_re
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It's another filler as I have been rubbish towards the end of this month! Here is a lovely photo of Anne and Baby Alice smiling despite the yucky rain!

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Us..... at OneTrueMedia.com

I'm behind with my photo a day - this is why. I've been in paradise for a week. Will catch up soon. In the meantime I made this to say thank you to my parents for sending us to club med in palmiye for a trip of a lifetime.