Happy 9th Birthday Holly

Yesterday was Holly's 9th birthday which unfortunately for her fell on a school day. Even more unfortunate is that we have a really bad cold / flu going around our house and me, Tina, Josh and Brandon were all stuck at home in bed for her special day. We actually had a restaurant booked for dinner but as none of us fancied eating we had to cancel. Instead Holly had a cheeky McDonalds for her birthday treat and we have promised to go out for her birthday meal as soon as we are all well again.

This year is appeared that Holly hardly had any presents as she really wanted a Nintendo Switch which was actually quite expensive meaning, she couldn't get much else. We did get her a couple of games for the switch, a Stich watch and some of her unicorn teddy things as well. What was funny is that I took and old light switch and coloured it like a Nintendo Switch and then wrapped it as her main present - she was not impressed when she opened that one!

Holly is relly enjoying her Nintendo though even if her birthday was a bit low key this year. Fingers crossed we can make it up to her at the weekend and celebrate some more.

For the first time ever Holly's present pile looks a bit small.

As you can see she was not impressed with joke Nintendo Switch.

She was over the moon with her Unicorn teddy /putty things that she loves.

And the Stitch watch with built in camera, games, pedometer was a winner.

That face says it all.

They are only small, but she loves them.

The best reaction we had from her was when she opened her real Nintendo Switch.

Some nice bath bombs and hair scrunchies etc.

When did she get so big, where have those 9 years gone?

There may not have been many presents, but she was happy with what she got.

A nice Malteser birthday cake for her 9th.

Simple Tesco shop cake, but very tasty.

Joshua Joins Billericay Rugby Club

Joshua has been threatening to join a Rugby club for many years now and I am pleased to finally say that he has now signed for the Billericay Bees under 15's team and seems to be really enjoying it. Due to bad weather this past weekend, Holly and Brandon's football were both cancelled which gave me a rare opportunity to go and watch Joshua training and I have to say it was really interesting and enlightening. So different to footy training.

The Bee's kit is very distinguishable and smothered in sponsors. Certainly no need for an "away" kit as I doubt anyone will have a coloured shirt quite like this one. Fingers crossed Josh is playing in his first game this weekend but as it is in Goresbrook it is unlikely I can attend as I'll probably be chauffeuring the other two to their respective football batches!

Joshua finally joins a rugby team - Billericay RFC.

His new rugby kit all ready for his first match with the team.

The Bee's logo.

Not sure I agree with this patch on the back of his rugby shirt!!!

Look Who Made the Abacus School Newsletter

Holly bottom left made the school newsletter for a show and tell of her first football match medal.

 

Remembrance Sunday Football

So, I thought my weekends were going to get easier now that I am no longer coaching Brandon's football team, how wrong could I be. With Holly now joining the Wickford Town U9 Lionesses I have to juggle getting both of them to training and games. Tina is working nights so sleeps Sunday morning leaving me with 3 kids and 1 car to get them all sorted and at their respective games on time. Today's games for Remembrance Sunday couldn't have been more challenging really with Brandon having a 10am kickoff in Shotgate and the Holly an 11am kickoff in Great Wakering!!!!

As if that isn't bad enough, Joshua has now finally decided to join Billericay U15's Rugby club so I now need to throw that into the equation for my Sunday chauffeuring duties and his away games are often 45-60 mins away!!!! Even if he is at home it is still 20 mins in the opposite direction to where Brandon and Holly will typically be playing. It is a good job fuel prices are nice and high at the moment!!!

Holly's Under 9 Wickford Town Lionesses with their Remembrance Sunday poppies.

Brandon's U14 Academy Soccer team honouring 2 mins silence on a foggy Sunday morning.

Bonoween 2022

A little bit late with this blog but one week ago today we held our annual Bonoween event which as usual was full of good fun and shenanigans. This year we had lots of new games to play such as sticking the eye on the Zombie, throwing the spider at the target, Halloween bingo, throwing inflatable rings on to the spider hat etc.etc.

However probably the most memorable part of this year's Bonoween was the quality of pumpkin recipes. You would think after all these years people would be running out of ideas, but this year there was some really scrumptious dishes from Zoe's cakes, Lisa's scones and Nicky's Mummy hotdogs. W=I won't mention Tina's soup and Matthew's cake which were on the lower end of the scale (to put it nicely).

Not much in the way of fancy dress this year, not really sure why. So, this year the trophy went to Nick who was pretty much the only one who bothered dressing up this year. Pumpkin carving award went to Lisa this year for her painted and bejazzled spider pumpkin but beat my Pumpkin Iron kettlebell which I was quite proud of.

Plenty of food already for Bonoween, amazing given that our oven broke the day earlier!

Lisa's rather delicious pumpkin scones.

First new game for this year was throwing the rings on to the spider hat.

Deep concentration as Lisa throws inflatable rings at my head.

Holly counting scores.

Rory not quite getting the idea of the game and giving people a moving target.

The Rory's turn to throw them at Uncle Michael.

Scary Lea.

Tina trying to pin the nose on the witch.

Blindfolded and spun around so as to make it more challenging.

David pinning a nose on an eye.

Where is the door?

Nicky lobbing a spider at the target.

David thinking he is on the pro darts tour rather than lobbing a jelly spider.

Only 10 points I am afraid. It was much harder than it looked to get the 100-point center.

Holly was being score master.

The winning fancy dress for 2022.

Matt trying some super spicy McCoys.

Rory enjoying licking chunks of butter off of his French stick.

My Pumpkin Iron kettlebell pumpkin carving.

Lisa's winning spider pumpkin.

Mine and Holly's pumpkins for this year.

No fireworks this year, but sparkler fun still.

Holly braving the cold evening in shorts and t-shirt.

But then giving in and getting her thick coat.

Holly getting some training from Matt on how to use his spinning glow balls.

Lisa making patterns with sparklers.

Nice to see Rory having a play with some sparklers this year.

The twisted fire starter.

The boy has skills.

More sparkler fun.

Nick helping Rory with the sparklers and keeping him safe.

David plying with sparklers and dinning a Xmas jumper for Halloween!

No chance of getting this one to dress up anymore, too busy trying to look cool.

Until the camera comes out and then he hides his face.