The Penguin King

Posted on October 25, 2012 by admin

THE SPECTACULAR FAMILY FEATURE
THE PENGUIN KING 3D

NARRATED BY
SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

“With 3D you can convey the reality of what’s in front of the camera in a much more powerful way than ever before”
– Sir David Attenborough

In Cinemas on 24th October 2012

This magical film is a must see for any family.

One of the perks of my blogging is the reviews I get to do and as one of our family favourite things to do is curling up on the sofa together and watching DVD’s.

So when we were offered a copy of the film “The Penguin King”we were all rather excited and one no more so than my 11 year old Brodie. Penguins are one of the things she shared with her late sister Livvy so can you can imagine they are dear to her sweet heart.

But to be honest “The penguin king” was rather a surprise to my Brodie as she didn’t expect it to be a film with real life footage. But that didn’t stop her enjoying it as it was very interesting and the imagery was truly stunning, but let me hand you over to my beautiful daughter who offered to write the review herself and in her own words.

Penguin King

The Penguin King is a nature film about the life cycle of a male penguin. It starts with a male penguin who falls in love with a female penguin. So he waddles over and starts beginning to try to win her over as he stretches high and then bows and the female penguin bowed back which is the sign to show that she wants to start a family with him. So next they find a settled spot to nest and lay their egg. Next is where they start to peck each over. Then when the egg is laid the male father stays where he was and sits on the egg to keep it warm. When the female penguin goes out to collect fish to feed thier chick when he hatches. Eventually the male and female are needed to find fish However, whilst they were out fishing a kind of killing bird came over and started to head over to the chick, just in time the male penguin comes waddling over to protect his baby thankfully was saved his chick. But sadly when the female penguin was fishing, she was being chased by a killer whale. The female penguin suddenly stopped to look for shore but immediately a killer whale took the chance a gulped up the female penguin.Later on the male and chick where wondering when the mother penguin was returning the male penguin thought how will he raise a chick all by himself. Sadly the female penguin never returned. This is what I reviewed from the Penguin King and I learned many new things about nature thank you for sending me the film.

Brodie

* We were send a copy of the ” The Penguin King” to review, but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Becoming who you really are

Posted on September 4, 2012 by admin

How true is the above quote, to stand up for what you believe. To grow into the person you wish to be.

To avoid the influence from the outside and to just listen to your inside.

To allow the ticking of your heart to be the beat that you walk your life too.

I struggle so much with who
I am. This tends from my childhood this I know.

So I want so much to make sure my children know who they are.

Have the freedom to be who they wish to be.

I want them to be able to write the script of their own hearts.

It will take courage, it will take
strength but I promise to be by their sides.

My daughters, my heart.

Happy birthday to my rebel

Posted on September 1, 2012 by admin

My friend once told me that you are guaranteed one child who will drive you insane, this beautiful girl is mine.

Meet my second daughter Eden.
Today she celebrates her 15 birthday

We affectionately call her the rogue, affectionate but so true.

From her early years she has challenged and exhausted but I love her spirit and determination.

She has a wicked sense of humour and a way of seeing the world that is engaging and different.

We joke that she is born to be a lawyer as she could talk her way out of everything.

Her heart is so passionate, she is the one who supports me in my advocacy for compassion and while she isn’t sure what she is going to do when she is older she knows it will involve missionary work in some way or form.

Did I mention how proud I am of her?

Besides driving her teachers insane she loves to learn just in her own unique way, school reports mention a lot of frustration ha ha yet her grades are rather impressive.

This young lady, inspires me, frustrates me and loves me with the passion she shows everything in life.

She has my heart, my respect and my pride.

I hope that life never changes her spirit.

Happy Birthday to my rebel.

I love you honey Xxxx

I couldn’t do it.

Posted on August 9, 2012 by admin

Ok after my brave post yesterday talking about finding the courage to have a complete family photo taken.

I have to confess today that I chickened out.

My big speech about Livvy being in our hearts so actually in the photo couldn’t hold me.

As the time drew near for our photography session my courage failed.

I have some stunning photos of my girls and my foster child together but Alan and I just couldn’t join in for the complete family shot.

Our family isn’t complete.

Maybe I need to take baby steps and just get a snap taken of us all together not one that will be turned into a canvas.

Maybe I just don’t know.

Some of you may think I’m a wimp but I’m hoping most of you will understand.

It’s hard, this grief journey is one of ups and downs and many twists and turns.

Sometimes I find my way.

Today I got lost.

Written in the sand.

Posted on July 26, 2012 by admin

Sometimes I find myself wondering if the world has moved too far forward.

If Livvy is a part of the past that is being forgotten.

Will she become one of the distant memories that only hang on in the edge of your mind.

I watch my girls living life and wonder if they remember their mischevious little sister and how life was when she was with us.

Today was one of those moments as I sat on the beach watching the world go by, just wondering.

Then my daughter called me over and showed me this.

How foolish am I?

Livvy will never be forgotten while there is breathe left in ones that love her.

Time passes,

Memories fade

but love is eternal

End of an Era

Posted on July 19, 2012 by admin

I watched my daughters school play today, it was based on the Olympics and was really good and very humorous. My husband, I and my mom had a great time.

Yet as I was sitting there watching the stage full of year 6 I was struck by the fact that this week brings an end to an era for us known as primary education.

This week I have watched my last primary school play, will attend my last leavers service and will soon be doing my final school run.

All my babies are actually now fully fledged senior school children. How in the world did that happen?

It only feels like yesterday I was crying on the school playground as I watched my daughter enter the classroom for her first day at school, 7 years on, here I am.

Now I’m going to say this all loosely because as you all know I dream of adoption so if my dreams become reality one day I will be doing this all again, though of course a little different as I will hopefully one day adopt a special needs child.

But I’m regressing again in the here and now this is a big thing for me, no more school runs, no more school playground politics this it.

I will be waving all four off at the door in September.

What shall I do with the time?

Will I use the time saved by not having to do the school run to stay on top of the housework?

Yeah like thats going to happen.

Maybe I will get my paperwork in order and blog posts out on time.

Errrrmmm, we will see.

I haven’t a clue, to be honest the time will probably get lost in the norm.

The real thing I have to get my head around is that my baby is no longer a baby.

She is off to senior school.

Not sure I like the idea of her being in that big place surrounded by those evil beings we call teenagers.

No seriously ,I’m not that worried she has had plenty of practice with her sisters.

Senior school is going to be a great thing for Brodie, her desire to learn is great so hopefully this will encouraged and nurtured.

As for me I will be a brave mommy and wont cry as I stand on that playground for the last time. Wont blubber all the way through the leaving service even when she sings her solo.

I will be a brave mommy who looks forward to the freedom of no school runs and the opportunity to stay in my pjs all morning and catch an extra hour in bed.

Ok maybe thats a big fib, I will be sobbing and refusing to accept my baby is growing up, but isn’t that a mothers right?

Always my baby

I have the Blues

Posted on July 18, 2012 by admin

I think I have a bit of the post conference blues.

At the Brit mums weekend I was Sara and I loved it.

As much as I cherish being mom sometimes I lose my identity under the piles of dirty washing and endless tantrums.

My job also doesn’t really give me a place to be Sara as a foster carer parenting is my job, which yes I love but hey where am I?

Maybe it just a case of the blues, that will soon pass over, or maybe its the inner me shouting a little louder than normal.

While we all love our roles of mother, wife etc we still need to remember that we are ourselves too.

To indulge in our passions be in it books, nights out, nights in.

Whatever we desire, need.

I need to take this on board more.

I need to not wait for those once a year weekends to embrace the woman inside.

This doesn’t detract from the roles I play it enhances them.

A happy mom makes for happy children.

A contented wife has a contented husband

So I’m make a new resolution (no its not new year) I’m going to celebrate me a little more, indulge me a little more, embrace me a little more.

I’m going to step out of the roles that have been defining me and learn more about the woman within.

I’m sure she is still there somewhere?

Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale of all. Hans Christian Anderson

Forgotten

Posted on July 11, 2012 by admin

OH my dear beautiful girl I have forgotten….

What you taught us on those endless hospital nights, when the wards seemed empty and all I could hear was the infernal beeping of those annoying but lifesaving machines and the gentle beating of your precious heart.

I’ve forgotten what I saw in those doctors eyes when the words they spoke were taking away all our tomorrows.

I’ve forgotten

I close my eyes and try to remember, to just hear those sweet infectious giggles once again.

But I’ve forgotten.

Dad and I are tumbling head first into the world of forgetfulness, losing hold of the life that you taught us to live.

Forgetting to search for the gift that each day brings, the moment when that forever memory can be made.

I’ve forgotten

We’ve forgotten

Letting ourselves fall into the endless bog of circumstance and reality.

Forgetting to dance under the rainbows and search for leprechauns with a pots of gold.

Forgotten.

Those days of random dances in the middle of a store because the song we loved was playing over the radio.

To smile at people in the street as you chuckled away from your wheelchair.

To hug each other so tight until we cannot breathe anymore.

We’ve forgotten

When was the last time I laid back and watched the clouds

When was the last time I tickled your sisters until they cried.

My baby, my precious baby, I’ve forgotten.

I’ve let the anger of loss slowly eat away at my heart.

Getting colder and colder until the icicles formed.

Ive forgotten

To let the tears just fall and let the heart wrenching sobs escape my soul.

I need to breathe again

I need to trust again.

But I’ve forgotten

We knew we didn’t have forever but we had today and that was enough, but now yesterday seems so far away and this moment isn’t enough.

I want to dance in the rain again

Catch fairies as they fly through the air

I want to breathe so deep and not feel the ache thats buried there

I haven’t forgotten

How can things be the same?

How can the world keep on turning and why wont it stop and let me off?

The newspapers keep on printing and the radio keeps on playing.

You taught us all so much and in those nine precious years you gave a lifetime full of love.

Joy was a gift that was available to us, all we just had to do was unwrap this present they call life.

Whose knows what tomorrow may bring, I certainly don’t

But I can live for today.

I can tell everyone I meet how special they are

How wonderful it is that I’ve met them

That they are not forgotten

Just by being in your presence people felt love, your smile could make someone’s day.

I want to tell people to embrace the moment, not in a morbid you may die tomorrow way, but in a hey today is so beautiful way.

Our motto for you was Never say never

You defied the odds until our luck ran out

But you are the gift that keeps on giving

You are the heart that now beats in others.

Your love lives on in me, you dad, your sisters and anyone who knew and loved you.

I miss my old life so desperately

But I will not forget what you taught me

Each day is a gift a new beginning

So I’m going to start unwrapping the presents that I’ve been given

Stop wishing the days away

Stop holding on to the past

I’ve not forgotten

How can I forget,

You are right here in my heart reminding me.

In my heart.

My Sleeping Gifts

Posted on July 4, 2012 by admin

Do you remember the moment you first lay your newborn down to sleep?

Did you stand there and watch the gentle rising of her chest?

Just wallowing in the wonder of parenthood.

That beautiful precious child is yours.

A gift from God

I still wallow in this gift.

I stand and watch my girls sleep and revel in the innocence of the land of dreams.

No stress of exams or SATs of boys and friendships.

Just peace.

I love checking in on my girls and night and seeing them like this.

My babies, my world, my gifts.

** I did check with my girls before posting these photos.

Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen

Posted on June 20, 2012 by admin

Sixteen years ago I became a mom for the first time. After an eventful labour I was presented with a beautiful baby girl.

You were so cute, so chunky and looked like a boxer, it was easy to see in your spirit that you were going to take on the world.

Sixteen years later you are a beautiful young lady, so determined and strong. You see what you want and you go for it so whole heartily.

This year especially has been one where you have really grown both in height (finally) and strength.

You have made me so proud the way you have studied hard for your GCSE’s preparing yourself, devising your own study timetable and canceling nights out. So grown up, so incredible. Whatever the results I am so proud of you.

Watching you change and find your own personality has been a blessing for me.

Your voice is amazing and every time I hear you sing I get goosepumps, never stop using your voice it a gift that needs to be shared.

Sometimes I miss the days when you were little you were my shadow and I loved it. I’m slowly learning to let go a little at a time. Hey I’m even getting used to the fact you have a boyfriend!