Ski Deep

The first week the kids are due back at school is when we have our annual ski holiday. In the 7 years that OH and I have been together this is only the third season I have skied. Having babies puts a stop to my skiing. However Olivia has not yet missed a season and it shows!! The first season I skied was great but then I had a five-year gap and last season was awful. I was getting panic attacks at the top of the slope and had no confidence at all. Much to the annoyance of OH. He had to carry me back to the chalet on his birthday I was that ill!! However since then I have started horse riding again, which has given, loads of confidence. I said that I would not do ski school this year and would just get out on the slopes. OH did not share my enthusiasm and thought that I would chicken out! I proved him wrong. I was sooo chuffed with myself.

Olivia was absolutely amazing. She makes it look so easy. This was also the holiday that we wanted Amber to start skiing. We put her in ski school last season, which was a complete disaster so this year we decided to pay for some private lessons. It worked a treat. She can now ski. The instructor is an English lady who has the most amazing way about her and gets reluctant skiers skiing without realising it! I am sooo proud of Amber. The trip for Luca was just about having fun in the snow. I really enjoyed just going off with Olivia and skiing together. We also skied with OH a few times and as always he would be showing off and messing around. The last run we did together he fell over showing off. He is still suffering for it and has a nice bruise to remember it!

We stay at the same place every year www.skideep.net . OH has been going with this particular company for about the past 13 years. The only difference with this trip was that we drove instead of flying. We could not face the airport with three children so we went by Eurotunel. What a fantastic experience it was going by train in the car. It is soooo easy. Why people use ferries I will never know. The only pain was the 700 miles each way. Having said that the kids were amazing considering the time they had to spend in the car. We did it in one day, which we were not planning on doing. We had planned to stop off over night in France but we were keen to get to resort on the way and keen to be sleeping in our beds that night on the way back!

What made me laugh when we got back and watched the recordings of us skiing is that we only seem to use the recorder when we go skiing because last seasons was right before this seasons footage!! Another new years resolution, use the recorder more often!!

PS Vasco is not arriving this Saturday but that is another story.......

Belated Greetings

Mid January 2008 and I am only just posting about Christmas (mental note, must try harder to update blog this year). Anyway we all had a fantastic time and were lucky enough to get some fantastic presents. I did not dislike any of my presents this year, which is a first. I got a great grooming kit for Vasco from OH, he also got me a gorgeous Radley handbag, some Agent Provocateur perfume to name a few. The kids got loads as always. Olivia has finally reached an age where she really appreciates what she gets. As a surprise we got her a pair of skis, which she adores. It took Luca about a week to open all his presents. He would open a few and then get distracted with playing with them.

Christmas lunch nearly turned into a disaster. OH parents were 10 mins late but his sister and brother-in-law was 45 mins late! The annoying thing is that they had also come from OH parents house so no excuse really. OH was livid and told them that he would not be cooking Christmas lunch for them again (his sister and brother-in-law that is).

Will update again soon with the rest of my news………

Azlan

He has finally arrived. I went on Monday morning to the Isle of Wight to collect him. We arrived in plenty of time to catch the hovercraft but as we were about to board I realised that I had left the breeders details in the car! We decided to board anyway and call somebody the other end to look up the details. It was the first time that I had been on a hovercraft, what a strange sensation. It feels like being in an aeroplane in fairly heavy turbulence.
The breeder lets the cats have the run of most of the house. They were everywhere. It was really lovely to see. OH adores him and had no idea that I was getting him. Azlan is so affectionate. He and Bella are not seeing eye to eye at the mo. Hopefully that will change in time.

Horsing Around…

I am still in shock with a silly grin on my face! OH is buying me a horse. It all started just over a week ago when my riding instructor called me to say that he had found me a horse that would be suitable for both OH and I. We were not even looking for one. He is from Belgium and had been over there looking for horses for other clients but just happened to find one that he thought that we would like. Vasco is a Belgium Warm Blood and about 16 hands high, I think. Anyway I said that I needed to talk to OH and would let him know. I contacted him on the Sunday with the view to looking at the yard he is going to rent and talk livery charges. I went to the yard on the Monday, which is fab and discussed livery. Vasco would be on a working livery for £300 per month, which inc a lesson a week for me. OH and I were due to ride the following Thursday (Thursday just gone. I am still walking funny lol) so I said that we would let him know then. It was only that morning that OH said that I could have him. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am. He is due to arrive early next year. As soon as I have a pic of him I will post it on here. I have not even seen him yet!!

Shopping!

Oh boy, have we shopped today. OH needed to replace his skis and ski boots, so we decided to go to a fantastic shop Snow and Rock. Thankfully MIL called at 8am to see if we wanted to leave the kids with her. Good job we did, we ended up being at the shop for THREE HOURS!!!!! As well as choosing the boots and skis he wanted, they had to be set up/fitted correctly. Anyway I cannot complain because I have got my very first pair of skis!! OH also treated me to a new jacket, which is gorgeous. Check out the fluffy pair of pink slippers!! Skiing is OH sport and horse riding is mine. As OH has taken up horse riding, I feel obliged that I should make more of an effort with “his” sport. We also brought Olivia her first pair of skis for Christmas; she is going to be so chuffed.

Vroom! Vroom!

On Wednesday OH had his works do at Palmer Sport and I was invited along (wooooo, hooooo!). Palmer Sport has four road car circuits and one off-road circuit. I had the most fantastic time.







Our team drew the short straw because we had the FPA cars first thing. The track was wet in places. I did not enjoy that very much. We then drove the Land Rovers on the off road circuit. That was great fun. What a fantastic car. The Jaguar JP1 was next. 370 bhp!! That was very scary and I suffered a little from motion sickness so came in a few laps early! We then had lunch but unfortunately my stomach could only take vegetables, so I missed out on the lovely pud. We then could drive the Caterham 7 Superlight but I sat that one out because I wanted to save myself for the Porsche and Clio Cup. We then moved onto the Porsche and Clio. I went out in the Clio first. It took me a couple of laps to warm up and get the hang of it all. What a fantastic little car. I just wish I had longer in it. The Porsche was next. I want one. It has paddle shift to go up and down the gearbox. So when you are accelerating you do not have to lift your foot off the accelerator, just pull the paddle to go up a gear or two! I was really buzzing after driving those two cars. Lastly we had the Jaguar XKR, which OH fell in love with. Motion sickness caught up with me again and I had to end my stint a little early. All in all a really fantastic day to remember. Everybody had a great time and wants to go back. Some of the other teams had been 12-18 times before!!!!

My results are as follows (75 people in total)-
Porsche 911 JP3 40th Which I was very pleased with. OH came 34th.
Palmer Jaguar JP1 45th Not to bad considering I nearly wet my knickers!
Renault Clio Cup 54th I am sure I could have improved with a couple more laps.
Jaguar XKR 67th Must try harder next time! OH came 14th!
Caterham 7 Sat that one out. Will have a go next time.
Land Rover 42nd I was pleased with that.
Karts 70th I hang my head in shame. I was not giving it my all.

Overall I came 70th, which at least is not last I suppose. However OH came 8th, what a boy!

Remembrance Day

A day to remember those who lost their lives in war. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of the most bitter and devastating fighting, The Great War was finally over. The Armistice was signed at 5am in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918. Six hours later, at 11am, the war ended. That is why on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month we observe a 2-minute silence.

Olivia takes part in a Remembrance Day march every year with the Badgers and Cadets from St John Ambulance. I stayed and watched this year. We arrived at 10 am along with hundreds of other cadets from various organizations, British Legion etc. It was lovely turnout. The march was scheduled to leave at 10.30. At 10.30 the heavens opened, sods law! Thankfully it only lasted about half an hour but it was long enough for some of the children to be soaked through. We then had a service at the war memorial where Olivia and another Badger laid the St John poppy wreath, which was a very touching moment.