Joshua Passes His Driving Theory

Second time lucky and Joshua passes his Driving Theory Exam, this time with 45 out of 50 on the multiple choice and 49 out of 75 on the hazard perception. No it is the 20 week wait to try and get the actual driving test date given that the government has made no progress in clearing the backlog since Covid which is likely to take until summer 2026 now! Amazing that with some revision he can actually pass - if only he had done this first time around. Hopefully a lesson learnt for his forthcoming English re-sit!

Easter Weekend 2025

And just like that Easter weekend is virtually over and we are all preparing to go back to school/work/college. For us the weekend has been a lot of Easter baking and trying to get out and about as much as we can as cheaply as possible.

For the baking side of things Holly made some delicious cornflake chocolate cakes with Cadbury mini eggs on top. Then she helped me to make our annual half Easter egg cheese cakes deserts with strawberry and mango yoke (just amazing and worth every calorie). For our Sunday roast Tina made a traditional roast but with a rather nice joint of pork and crackling and some absolutely blinding seasoned roast tatties.

To get out and about we have been to Southend seafront for a walk along the coast and then a few arcades and of course chips. We have also been out for a few walks, me and H went swimming yesterday through the day and then today we went over to Hadleigh Olympic Park for a cycle around (and in Holly's case - yes more chips!).

Anyway here are a few pics from our Easter weekend.

She may have been having fun, but her driving needed a lot to be improved.

Joshua was helping her with the boost as she could only just reach the pedals and steering wheel.

Gone are the days of killing time on 2p machines. They all wanted to play arcades this time which gets very expensive, very quickly.

Even Brandon came out with us, but with his "current" girlfriends Maia.

Holly's chocolate cornflake Easter cakes which she made all on her own.

Then she helped me with the Easter egg cheesecake deserts. Not easy to split modern day Easter eggs without cracking them! Starting off with the biscuit base.

Holly whipped up the double cream whilst I mixed the icing sugar, vanilla extract and cream cheese.

Next job to fill the eggs.

Then finally in goes the strawberry and mango yoke.

It may look a bit messy, but my god this was worth every single calorie Just delicious.

Of course Easter wouldn't be Easter without an egg hunt. We had twenty little chocolate eggs plus some larger bunnies and ended up doing one hunt in the garden and then a second in the house as the kids said the garden was too easy!

To get out today we headed to Hadleigh Olympic Park for some cycling (trying our best to avoid the rain showers!).

Despite being much more confident cycling, Holly seems to have lost her nerve and primarily stuck to the one track.

But she had fun and got some exercise. Shame we couldn't talk the boys in to going, therefore I was cycling around with her.

End of Joshua's Rugby Season Concussion

Our weekends are now completely ours to do as we want. Not only is there no more football for Brandon or Holly, but Joshua had he last rugby game of the 2024/25 season against Harlow today. The game wasn't great as Billericay ended up losing 3 tri's to 1 and in the process Joshua got dumped on his head in the first half failing the concussion test and ending up sitting out the rest of the game!!! 

End of 2024/25 season team photo.

Easter Paddle Boarding

Friday was absolutely stunning weather with temperatures hitting 22-23 degrees and thus I decided to take a day off of work to make a long weekend for my birthday and to take the kids to Papermill Lock for our first SUP of 2025. Unfortunately we couldn't talk Joshua in to coming so it was just me, Tina, Holly and B. Tina walked along the bank as usual and me, Holly and B all took to the water.

For the first time Holly went all the way from Boreham to Papermill Lock and back without any help and on an adult size paddle board. She did manage to fall in the water 3 times but that is all part of the fun. Obviously we stopped off at the Tea Room for a strawberry cream scone and a coffee.

But what a glorious day out on the river and hardly any other paddle boarders or boats out as you can see from the pictures.

Off we go, me, Holly and B all on adult size paddle boards.

Holly went steaming off in to the distance on the way out.

Nice 22-23 degree weather meant shirt off time.

Brandon very chilled and relaxed on the water, just soaking in the tranquility.

Absolutely effortless on the SUB with pretty much zero wind and zero current.

Beautiful blue skies.

The 3 Amigos.

Off we go after stopping off for cream scones to fill our bellies.

Holly soaking up some rays and getting her Vitamin D in.

I love days out like this.

As you can see not many people out on the river at all.

Love this picture.

Brandon was commenting how beautiful the British landscape is and enjoying the yellow farm fields etc.

Joshua should have come with us, I am sure he would have enjoyed getting out for a bit.

We haven't done much this Easter holiday so I was really pleased we got the chance to get out on the SUP's.

Mothers Day 2025

Better late than never. Really struggling as of late to keep on top of the blog. Anyway not many pictures from Mothers Day a few weeks ago, however we did go out for a nice family roast at the Toby Carvery to save Tina having to cook. Me, Josh and Tina made the mistake of going large and came out of there completely bloated, but no regrets as it was such a good roast. Unfortunately Brandon was a little off and not his usual self due to girlie problems again....... when will that boy learn!

Mothers Day Sunday roast at the Toby Carvery. Joshua hiding from the camera and Brandon not smiling due to having girlie issues causing him personal problems!

Holly's School Cushion Project

Holly has recently designed and sewn her own "H" cushion at school as part of her Year 6 DT project. She is extremely proud of the new sewing skills she has learnt and conveniently keeps getting little holes in it so that she can bring it home and repair it!!!! Her class are also rumoured to be planning a end of year pillow fight to celebrate finishing Juniors (I sense this might also finish off a few cushions!). I don't think Holly wants to ruin her pillow so I might have to buy her a cheap one for the pillow fight.

Holly is extremely proud of her DT project pillow.

Joshua's Driving Theory Update

So is it the same rule with the theory driving test as it is with the practical - i.e. all good drivers pass second time? I hope that is the case as Joshua failed his theory last Monday. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I asked him time and time again if he was doing enough practice and if he needed any help, however as usual I think he underestimated it and went in complacent thinking he had it in the bag. Amazingly it is the multiple choice bit that let him down scoring 35 out of 50 with a required pass mark of 43. In the more difficult hazard perception he passed with 48 out of 75, pass mark is 48. 

End of the Football Era

For over 10 years most of my weekends and some week nights have been completely blocked out in support of the kids football. Come rain, shine, snow, sun, I have supported them all the way as a coach, a manager and a parent. The coaching and management finished for me a few years ago now and I have to say I have enjoyed being just a parent on the side lines. Now it looks as though all this is coming to an end.

For various reasons Holly's team folded sometime ago and she hasn't shown too much interest in getting back in to another team. Brandon's interest in playing football has been waning as the year has progressed and I think in his mind he had already decided that this year would be his last. However the decision to finish earlier has been made for him as with the pressures of GSCE's and the managers new work commitments the team has also come to an abrupt end and folded with their last training session taking place at the Len Forge last night.

It is a bit of a shame as we have had some absolutely fantastic and memorable moments with Academy. From the Belgium summer tour last year, to the managers pool party/BBQ, not to mention the year of the double winning the Cup and the League. So despite there only being about 8 lads at training last night it was a bit emotional for all as we all had to come to the realisation that this was the end. The boys went out on a high though and had a really fun friendly match against an Academy team 2 years older than them, and they held their own.

But all good things come to an end, and for me - I have a bit more of my weekends back!!!!

A cold, frosty March evening at the Len Forge for Brandon's Academy Team's final training session and farewell.

A bit emotional as the Manager rounds them up at the end for a final team hug and some words of encouragement for whatever the future now holds for them.

Great memories and no regrets with Academy. Brandon improved no end and I can honestly say the Manager Coach is the best I have seen at this level and was a credit to the boys/team working tirelessly for nearly 7 years.

Candy Floss Maker

Well unlike Tina's bread maker, which as a standing joke in our house is called her dust collector, Holly frequently users her Candy Floss machine that she bought with some of her birthday money. She has even been experimenting with just using normal sugar and realised the results re probably better an the taste is just as good. Suits me as it saves keep ordering expensive flavoured sugars from Amazon!

Holly frequently users her candy floss machine to make her pudding.

This was her very successful experiment using normal sugar.

Holly is Going to Beauchamps in September '25

Some great news received this week that Holly got her first choice of secondary school and will be going to Beauchamps school starting September. And what a lucky girl she will be having her middle brother in 6th Form to look out for her as she settles in to the "big school". From a parenting perspective it is weird for me and Tina to think that we are in our last 6 months of Abacus Junior school which has been such an integral part of our life for over 11 years. I guess we have been fortunate that all 3 of our kids stuck with one Junior school and now looking like one senior school as well.

Brandon's 16th Birthday Formula-E Karting

Last year for Brandon's 15th birthday we went to the Formula 1 Simulators in London and whilst there we found out they had opened a new E-karting track at Tottenham Stadium. So for his 16th birthday we planned a day out for him in Tottenham for some racing and for once I was actually going to join in rather than enviously watch on the sidelines whilst the boys race in order to reduce the cost as it is so expensive. Holly also joined the racing for the first time, albeit she did a different race to me and Brandon in slightly lower powered karts. As it was for Brandon's birthday it was supposed to be a family day out, but Joshua was too lazy to get out of bed in the morning!

As usual whenever we seem to plan anything in London of a weekend it seems there is works going on on the Wickford train line and thus we ended up taking a really convoluted route via Basildon to Barking, Barking to South Tottenham, South Tottenham walk to Seven Sisters, then Seven Sisters up t White Hart Lane. Oh I love our transport system. The train from Seven Sisters to White Hart Lane then ended up not running so we had a bit of a rushed walk to Tottenham stadium to make it in time for Holly's racing which started an hour before me and Brandon was on.

Anyway the E-karting is an amazing set-up. The karts are incredible and include DRS and boosts from regenerative braking. The steering wheels have LCD screens which show track position, lap times, overall position and constantly talk to you to remind you when you are in the DRS zone, when you are on it and hitting PB's etc. The actual track is pretty cool and is circa 500m long with 20+ corners or something and the whole feel of the E-karting with the LED lighting etc makes it feel different from normal karting.

Holly did amazing for her first time and at one point got up to 4th place, but then ended up finishing 8th in both her races. But no crashes and a big grin on her face. Brandon beat me in both our races and finished 3rd both times, I was 6th in the first race and 5th in the second. In our second race I was only 1.5 seconds slower than Brandon's best lap which personally I think is pretty good given I am virtually 4 stone heavier (that's my excuse for losing).

Overall we had a great day out (apart from the trains) and would highly recommend the E-karting. During the walk back to Seven Sisters we also found a German Donor place which Brandon loves and thus had some nice food afterwards as well. Shame Josh didn't join us. 

Formula-E Karting at the Tottenham Stadium.

Holly got kitted up first as she was racing before me and Brandon hit the track.

She was so excited for the karting as she has wanted to try it for years having been dragged out many times to watch the boys.

Garage area where the karts are repaired and serviced.

Me, H and Brandon ready for some E-karting.

In the pit lane and ready to hit the track.

Off we go, this is about the only time I was in front of Brandon.

Holly meandering around a bendy section of the track.

Another action shot of Holly's first karting experience.

Holly speeding across the finish line.

8th place overall for Holly.

H on the podium and thoroughly enjoying herself at the E-karting.

Mine and Brandon's first race result, 6th and 3rd respectively.

Me, Brandon and Holly at the end of a really good couple of hours at the E-karting.