Thursday, 24 May 2012
Perfect Day - York City play-off final 2012
What a couple of weeks for our local football club, York City - first a trip to Wembley to win the FA Trophy, then a week later back to Wembley for the play-off finals, and a 2-1 win over Luton Town means they're back in the Football league!
We went to Wembley for the play-off final, and what a fantastic day we had - it was a chilly overcast day, but the atmosphere was great, and the result even better. Luton scored in the first couple of minutes, but we weren't giving up, and a couple of (slightly off-side...) goals later, York were celebrating in style!
Here's a video of our day out - one version to music, and another with the boys narrating....
Friday, 11 May 2012
Stronger | Seattle Childrens Hospital
My older son is learning this song - "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson - with his band at the moment. We came across this video on youtube - a poignant, inspirational and uplifting lipsync version by the children in the haematology / oncology unit at Seattle Children's Hospital.
As my son said "it makes me think how lucky I am that I don't have cancer, but they show how you can have fun even when things seem bad"
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Wembley here we come!
So our local football club, York City, is at Wembley twice in 2 weeks! This weekend it's the FA Trophy final against Newport, and on 20th May it's the play-off final, against Luton.
We're going to the play-off final, and the kids can't wait - we went 3 years ago when they lost to Stevenage and the atmosphere was fantastic despite being on the losing side. Hopefully we'll win this year, I think we're due some luck - having been the losing side against Oxford too last year. The only problem for me will be that if York are promoted into the Football League then my annual chance to Cambridge United (my team) locally will have gone. So our tickets and train tickets are booked - a great end to the season. Of course the kids still have some football to play too - an all day tournament this Saturday and another in a few weeks. My older son's team (U10s) came runners up in their league - so no doubt we'll be at the award ceremony for that - and he got "Manager's Player of the Year" award too, so a good season all round! sometimes I think that the "close season" is but a myth however!
We're going to the play-off final, and the kids can't wait - we went 3 years ago when they lost to Stevenage and the atmosphere was fantastic despite being on the losing side. Hopefully we'll win this year, I think we're due some luck - having been the losing side against Oxford too last year. The only problem for me will be that if York are promoted into the Football League then my annual chance to Cambridge United (my team) locally will have gone. So our tickets and train tickets are booked - a great end to the season. Of course the kids still have some football to play too - an all day tournament this Saturday and another in a few weeks. My older son's team (U10s) came runners up in their league - so no doubt we'll be at the award ceremony for that - and he got "Manager's Player of the Year" award too, so a good season all round! sometimes I think that the "close season" is but a myth however!
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Chilly Powder Skiing
Happy Easter! We've just returned from our favourite holiday place!
http://www.chillypowder.com/
A really lovely place to stay in Morzine, in the French Alps. We started by visiting in the Summer, after a random internet search. The kids were 5 and 3 at the time, so we needed to stay somewhere which would be suitable for them. This chalet suited perfectly - fantastic food, great facilities (hot tub, garden, kids play room with toys and games, adults library with pool table, free wifi, onsite childcare available if you want it)
The owners Paul and Franscesca live next door with their 3 children, and immendiately we felt at home - the children played together, they offered advice about things to do and we felt as if we were joining a house party rather than staying in a hotel. The hospitality was warm but not intrusive.
5 years later and we're regular visitors, both in the Summer and the Winter. The ski area is massive, and many families appreciate the excellent childcare available in the chalet - though we no longer need this as the kids ski with us after lessons. Our older son was involved in the local weekly ESF ski race and was delighted to get his bronze badge on his first attempt - though Eloise, the owners' daughter and 4 days younger than him, is on the cusp of her gold badge, and ski races at a National level! The " private group" ski lessons arranged by Chilly Powder (if that makes sense - Chilly Powder hire instuctors for the week and arrange the children into group lessons) are ideal for most children, our younger son had a group of 2 children last week!
Excellent food is one of the main selling points too, with the children eating together earlier than the adults, and restaurant quality food for all, not to mention free flowing good quality wine at dinner for the adults.
We love it, and have already booked for next ski season, with the children pressing us to come in the Summer this year too!
The home run to the chalet - deserted!
Always time for some football in the back garden...
...or a dip in the hot tub after a hard days skiing!
A really lovely place to stay in Morzine, in the French Alps. We started by visiting in the Summer, after a random internet search. The kids were 5 and 3 at the time, so we needed to stay somewhere which would be suitable for them. This chalet suited perfectly - fantastic food, great facilities (hot tub, garden, kids play room with toys and games, adults library with pool table, free wifi, onsite childcare available if you want it)
The owners Paul and Franscesca live next door with their 3 children, and immendiately we felt at home - the children played together, they offered advice about things to do and we felt as if we were joining a house party rather than staying in a hotel. The hospitality was warm but not intrusive.
5 years later and we're regular visitors, both in the Summer and the Winter. The ski area is massive, and many families appreciate the excellent childcare available in the chalet - though we no longer need this as the kids ski with us after lessons. Our older son was involved in the local weekly ESF ski race and was delighted to get his bronze badge on his first attempt - though Eloise, the owners' daughter and 4 days younger than him, is on the cusp of her gold badge, and ski races at a National level! The " private group" ski lessons arranged by Chilly Powder (if that makes sense - Chilly Powder hire instuctors for the week and arrange the children into group lessons) are ideal for most children, our younger son had a group of 2 children last week!
Excellent food is one of the main selling points too, with the children eating together earlier than the adults, and restaurant quality food for all, not to mention free flowing good quality wine at dinner for the adults.
We love it, and have already booked for next ski season, with the children pressing us to come in the Summer this year too!
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Saving for a rainy day.....
Just thought I'd share a great idea for saving without pain - not a huge amount, maybe, but enough for a special treat at the end of the year - possibly even enough for a family weekend away!
This is something my neighbours told me about - they've been doing it for years, so I though we'd have a go too. It's really straightforward - just save all the £2 coins you get throughout the year in a jar, then take them to the bank and exchange them for notes!
Every time a £2 coin appears in your change, don't spend it - save it! Easy and relatively painless. £2 coins aren't that common, so you don't have to sift through your change every day, and even a relatively small number of them can soon add up to a nice little nest egg. As loose change goes, they're nice to get, and even nicer to save....
This is something my neighbours told me about - they've been doing it for years, so I though we'd have a go too. It's really straightforward - just save all the £2 coins you get throughout the year in a jar, then take them to the bank and exchange them for notes!
Every time a £2 coin appears in your change, don't spend it - save it! Easy and relatively painless. £2 coins aren't that common, so you don't have to sift through your change every day, and even a relatively small number of them can soon add up to a nice little nest egg. As loose change goes, they're nice to get, and even nicer to save....
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Football....
Both of our chidren love playing football for the local junior team and though I do like football, it can sometimes seem all a bit much during the football season - no lie ins as they train at 9am on Saturdays, then matches happen almost every Sunday - often with them playing in different places, so we have to take a child each!
On top of this my husband is a Stoke City fan with a season ticket, so every other week he travels a 230 mile round trip to see them play! Oh yes, and not forgetting the afternoons we go to watch York City - sometimes with one of the children acting as a ballboy...
Watching junior football in all weathers can be less than pleasant - but I do remind myself regularly that we are so lucky that our kids are healthy, enjoy sport, and have the opportunity to get involved in team sports - not everyone has the chance. I can't say that the end of the season will be a disappointment though, however they've just started cricket practice!
On top of this my husband is a Stoke City fan with a season ticket, so every other week he travels a 230 mile round trip to see them play! Oh yes, and not forgetting the afternoons we go to watch York City - sometimes with one of the children acting as a ballboy...
Watching junior football in all weathers can be less than pleasant - but I do remind myself regularly that we are so lucky that our kids are healthy, enjoy sport, and have the opportunity to get involved in team sports - not everyone has the chance. I can't say that the end of the season will be a disappointment though, however they've just started cricket practice!
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