BIG SHOUT OUT TO CHRISTINE

this is my sister Christine, many of you know her well. Well on Monday she embarked on her mission to Madagascar, via a training centre in America where she will learn french. This was a huge thing for Christine, She had tons of doubts, these where mainly due to this man,

Mr Micheal Laborero! Aka the love of her life!

OK...so maybe this photo doesn't do him justice....how about this.....

there, Christine will like that!

The storey goes (for those who don't know), is that she was supposed to board the plane to go on the 5th of July. But she bottled it at the last minute and decided to stay with Mike.....However afterwards felt gutted and regretted not going to Madagascar. Burdened with the possibility that she may have passed up the opportunity of a life time she then did all she could to get to go again. Well she was blessed, and a month after her original flight date she got to go.

I have to say, I was pretty proud of her, she has persevered with this decision forever it seems,
I have to admit I got quite fed up of her version of the Zuton's song 'you will, you wont, you do, you don't, you say you will, but you know you wont', 'do I go on a mission?' fiasco! She has had every piece of contradicting advice, was tossed to and fro by every ones differing opinions and then had her own heart to contend with which was pulling her in two different directions. I'm really glad she could finally figure out what she wanted, even if it took loosing it first. I think we've all been guilty of that at some point in our life, and I think it is one of life's greatest lessons...in fact I owe my own marriage to that lesson. She was so happy when she had a second chance, so secure in knowing what she wanted. She has shown me super determination and courage in persevering and overcoming her fears.

BRAVO CHRISTINE!

Although ill miss her, She's going to have the time of her life. I cant wait to see how these next 18 months serving others will shape and change her, I cant wait to hear of her experiences. Having served a mission for our church my self I know the experience is priceless.

I also have to admire the perfect decorum of Mike, ever patient and supportive of her despite his desires to have her stay with him. He was stuck in limbo pretty much the whole time she was deliberating over it, and to be honest, I think its him I feel for most. I didn't go the airport but my parents told me it was quite the emotional affair, like somethin off a movie, bless him! We all love mike so we're gunna keep him close to the family while she's away! heha....
So tune in in 18 months to find out what happens on her return!!!

Ooooh I love a bit of real life soap style drama!

And since the family all got together to see her off...once again my dads main prerogative in life (to get a decent family photo), was attempted....and failed again! hehaha





And after she left, in keeping with tradition, we descended upon her room like vultures!
(She had a good wardrobe), Oh and thanks Christine for leaving me your Camera, Mac, and ambitiously SIZE 10 SKINNY JEANS??????

P.S Thanks Krista for introducing me to Mosaics....I'm still totally backwards when it comes to technology! But now I have a mac (swit swoo) I hope to better myself!

Deary me...This summer is rolling by soooooooooooooooo fast!! And the diary is fully booked til September?! ...Got to get a few catch up blogs in before I go away starting with:

A WEE TRIP TO BONNY SCOTLAND
OCH AYE

Took an opportunity to go up to Scotland since I haven't been back in a while, my brother wanted to go too, so I picked him up at a pit stop in Liverpool and we took a wee road trip....however
NOTE TO SELF, never attempt a long road trip with baby and without husband again!!!!
It exhausted me being both the sole carer for William ( An uncle is no substitute for dad!), and sole driver (due to Jon not being insured on my car..seriously, why cant we do it like America and get insured for any car??? darn money robbin insurance companies!)

Anyway I really enjoyed catching up with friends up there, William was as good and happy as ever, and on the way home we took a scenic route to see the real Scotland...and then took a wrong turn so took even more of a scenic route! But although it took much longer, that drive was well worth it. We drove up and down the windy bendy roads, along rivers and streams, past waterfalls and Lochs, through Valleys and sheep(in the road), and have a window screen of splattered insects to show for it, all amongst the back drop of the sun setting behind the mountains...yer I love scotland.

Prison Break. Series 6 Months

This is what he does every time i try to put him down for a nap!

William is 6 months already...i cant believe it?! Time needs to stop...I cant believe you only get a year to enjoy them as baby's!

William proper cracks me up! He's so funny, i know i sound like every other smitten mum but we have our own in jokes sometimes I'm sure of it?! I love his laugh..., His BIG GRIN, his super surprised, eyes WIDE open look, and his 'I'm pushing out a big poo' grunt!....and that's me knowing when to stop..the list goes on and on! I do feel blessed to have the seemingly happiest baby ever....he just doesn't stop smiling, man i love 'im, he's just me little mate!

Some more pics for the grandmas and aunties to enjoy, to mark his 6 month birthday!

So I think he's done with his bouncer chair now?!!!

He is a wriggling, Giggling, Rolling Over, Tummy Sliding, Little Mover!

I Think he'll be crawling in the next couple of months, he's up to pushing his bum in the air!

He is experiencing Solids!! And he loves them!..And i love having a messy kid who makes me look good to my OCD husband!

His first Strawberries - akaBlood bath
Look at that mess (against those white walls) ....I'm so proud of Him!
And then He Sleeps so well!! And So Angelic!

Just Perfection, fat bangles n' all! xxx

Clare and Arther's to cool for school Wedding!

Congrats Clare and Arther!... (bitterly)............

.......because I had serious wedding ENVY at your wedding!

This wedding was GORGEOUS!! set in an English(beautifully landscaped) country garden in Kent, It was just perfection! Clare and Arther are Mr and Mrs Vintage, and as such Vintage/retro was stamped all over their wedding!

I especially LOVED Clare's dress made by miss Sarah Loch, out of...wait for it......Her 80 somethin Granny's Net Curtains....Now picture what you think a dress made out of Curtains would look like....................................





.......................OK.............................................................





.......................................................... and then check this Beaut out!!!!


Its not the best pic of the dress, but you have to admit, those curtains have certainly been transformed beautifully! Makes me wanna learn some dress makin' skills!!!!

We sat on hay bales, blew bubbles, ate lots of strawberries (and the rest!), did some chillin, chattin' and swing dancin' and had a thoroughly marvelous night! Cheers To The Anderson's!


Now i haven't worked out how to do those photo montages...haven't got the app...so here's a long line of photos: The Groom with William
(also one of Williams fave baby sitters while they've been living upstairs!)

I kept telling Anthony to get a decent hair cut...it really does make the difference!
(sorry just a side thought while looking at above photo....its just he always goes down and gets a cheap cut but it does him no favours!)

A half decent family photo for once!!

The good 'ol classic coca cola

Just bring the chairs and lamp out!

A bit of Swing! I love Swing dancin'...i like to think that if i learnt properly i could be good at it!...mind you i day dream i could be good at a lot of things! Definitely love the era of swing dancin though.
Heha there where two photos of us dancing...i picked the one that i look better in...let Anthony take one for the team! .....y' know you'd do the same! Its just its always dangerous someone takin a photo of you dancin...you always think you look cool, but in the frozen image, the photograph captures all the nasties and none of that cool rhythm we all think we have in that moment!!.................... well except for Clare and Arther who completely disproves that point!

Our Christine has been sofa surfing at mine this week, escaping from making life's big decisions....... well we picked up some super retro/80's flash 'ah-ahhhhhh' Gordon Swim Shorts from Primarny and embraced this fact by rockin up to Richmond out door pool wearing them together!! ...i usually laugh at people that do this...but we both wanted to wear them so let my prejudice go!

More June Adventures

Anthony's First Fathers Day.............He made a point of reminding me to make sure i got him somethin! like i didn't know! Id been at a baby shower a couple of days earlier and after the party they where handing out boxes of Marks and Spencer's goodies (like rocky roads etc) that hadn't been used, so i took a box wrapped them up and had a very pleased husband come Sunday! unless he actually takes the time to read this (which he wont as he only looks at pictures) He'l never know!




Birthday Surprise!

Anthony did exceptionally well this year surprising me with a two day trip to Bournemouth on exceptionally HOT days, to 'Travel Lodge' it up and chill out at the Beach...and thanks to our Friends Zac and Sue, we got to use their membership card to a holiday park with indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, golf, saunas, Jacuzzis......we tried to squeeze as much as possible in including an England game and eating out (using our tesco vouchers...) Jammy or what?! Thank goodness for a baby who got us up and out in the morning other wise squeezing it all in woulda bin tough.
I loved it! William Loved the waves... I loved seeing him so excited and laughing, and Anthony Loved it too....triple bonus!

Thanks Anthony, I felt like I was on Holiday!



The day England actually won somethin this world cup!!!!
(...and don't get me started on that saga!!! grrrrrrr)


And Everyone come chill out at the Dixon's.................
So I don't know why, but for some reason we always seem to be the hosts.....and what always starts off as an invite to a couple of friends always seems to escalate to an invite to everyone we know within the M25....and beyond actually (the m25 is no deterrent, for some reason our friends are willing to brave it! cheers friends!). I love it though.......what ever your reasons are keep coming!

Some June Adventures.......

by some fluke or miracle of miracles all the original Kenny's spent a night at the original Kenny home with out any in laws or boyfs etc (well except babies William and Reuben)....Danny, Jon, Jo Ann, Me and Christine, Mum n Dad! It felt like 1992....or when ever the last time this happened was! (i have adopted 1992 as my long time ago date and it is now used generically when ever i refer to a long time ago).

Anyway, it happened by accident as we'd planned to have a bit of family time and go to the Temple (that pretty white building us Mormons hang out at!), but Tom had to work, Anthony was sick, Liz had the kids etc....and all the originals ended up back at the house to sleep........

However trying to get a family photo to mark the occasion with two tiring babies proved a wee bit difficult..........