I saw this idea thanks to the wonderful Jenny in Neverland and I loved the concept (And her, she’s definitely one of my blog idols! Here is The A to Z of me.
As my blog is now reaching a wider audience I thought it might be fun to do in a bid to get to know people better.
A – Adventure
I am not talking about jumping out of planes or backpacking round the world but I do love the idea of an adventure. There are so many wonderful places around here to explore as a family. I love packing a picnic and disappearing off for a day of fun.
I also can’t wait for the day where our adventures take us further afield and I get to see the world and all it has to offer.
B – Blog
I have dabbled in the world of blogging before but this time I really wanted to start something that I would keep up with. I wanted to enjoy writing and connect with people who love the same things I do. I just hope that I can continue to develop my content and grow my blog to be something special.
C – Concerts
I am a huge music fan. I went to my first concert at 12. I went to see Boyzone. It was from then this love of live music began.
There is nothing quite like hearing your favourite song being sung by a bad you love in a relatively small space with thousands of other people who are here to enjoy it as much as you do. I have seen Boyzone 4 times (Once recently!), The Script 4 times, Take That twice (The 3rd one is upcoming!) Michael Buble twice, Blue twice, Jamiroquai, Elbow, Jessie J, Labrinth, Rihanna, James Morrison and I went to V festival and saw no end of amazing people.
I am aware all I have done here is revealed my appalling taste in music 😉
D – Disney
Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a huge Disney fan. I always have been but what really cemented this to me was my first visit to Disneyland Paris.
I can still remember how mesmerising seeing the castle for the first time was. Brilliant blue skies offered the perfect backdrop to the castle. And meeting characters just blew me away. I am not a fan of people wearing costumes, they are always a little naff looking and a bit scary. But being up close to the REAL Mickey mouse could not be more wonderful.
I love the films and I think I will enjoy these forever. I couldn’t ever pick a favourite but Beauty and the Beast has certainly got to be up there. And it may be an unpopular view but the new real life versions are fast becoming my all-time favourite films ever
E- E
My youngest step-daughter, referred to as E. She is 5 and an absolute firecracker. Full of life and spirit.
I know that is normally code for ‘Pain in the arse’ but that’s honestly not the case, a little Sass from time to time but she is hilarious with it.
She will often break in to dance when she is not sure what else to say during a conversation. She is a little film fan and will sit and watch most films with me which I love. She is everything I wish it was acceptable to be at my age, but apparently it’s not cute at 35!
F- F
And now it’s F’s turn. For just over 9 years he was the only man in my life- Other than my Dad of course! He is ace. Always a funny little character and bright as a button too. He always keeps me on my toes with his many, many questions and he will be outsmarting me for many years to come.
Since I met Rob, he has adapted so well to not being the man of the house. Hopefully he is safe in the knowledge that I will love him unconditionally regardless of how life has changed for us.
He makes me so proud, he is sensitive but strong minded with the most active mind I’ve ever witnessed in an 11 year old. The only negative…. His inability to sleep past 6am and his obsession with electronics, but then show me an 11 year old that doesn’t!
G – Grieving
I have found myself riding the storm that is grief. It is cruel and relentless. Even when you’re feeling OK it is there waiting for the moment to hit you hard.
It can be enough to knock you for days, or just a moment. The difficulty is knowing what will trigger it as it can honestly be anything.
A song on the radio, a photograph, a memory, a kind word or an angry one. What will set you off one day will not the next. It is an unknown. But one I will continue to live with. It is a part of me now.
H – Happy days
Since January 2014 I have taken part in the #happydays movement on social media.
As a generally positive person, I thought it would be easy to complete. I was right to an extent, but there were days where I’d really have to take time to find those moments of happiness. But taking that time to reflect really did make me a happier person.
I gave up on it while Mum was ill and started again after her funeral. This did mean though that I always knew exactly how many days since we’d said goodbye to her, this was not good for my mental health. I started again on the 1st January 2019 and I feel like it is something that is now part of my daily routine that I can’t turn my back on. Almost as important as brushing my teeth or taking my make up off!
I – Interests
My interests are pretty well covered in this blog and all the others. Adventure, crafting, Christmas, Disney, reading, writing, family and weddings! I love that all these things that we enjoy are the elements that shape who we are.
J- Journal
I used to keep a diary when I was younger, I felt it made me really grown up. But I was always rubbish at keeping up with it. I’d end up summarising a year at a time because I’d be so far behind. Then when I began the 100happydays (See above) I found that printing the pictures off was like keeping a visual diary. I also began to keep a note of each day in a diary, each day I would write whatever I’d put on my happydays and it was like a snapshot of a day summarised in a few words. Very low key, minimal commitment, perfect!
I was really interested to find out that my Late Grandmother would do the same and my Aunties have been going through her diaries and some of the entries are so brilliant. They have no relevance to any of us but leave us wanting more. For example ‘Incident in Marks and Spencers’ WHAT???? We need more than this! And I have to say I find the thought of the children going through all my diaries thinking WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!?!
Now I have a journal that I use just to write to my Mum, I was using each day but now I just use it when I feel I have something special to tell her or to tell her that we are ok but missing her. I also have a writing journal which I use writing prompts to fill in each day…. I may be a little behind in this, But I love dedicating an hour every so often to catch up.
K –Kindness
Above any other quality in a person, Kindness to me is the key to it all. It is the key to our own happiness and wellbeing as well as those around us. As Cinderella tells us ‘Have Courage and Be Kind’ this could not be more accurate.
I believe it can take courage to be kind to others, especially those we don’t know. We can feel exposed, silly even. But if you can find it in you to say something nice to someone, help a stranger, reach out to a friend then the feeling you will be left with knowing that you did good is wonderful. And you’ll never know what it meant to the other person.
I’ve been shown great kindness in all forms and it has made such a huge impact in that moment. Be brave, be kind and embrace the kindness you receive.
L – Lists
Please tell me I am not alone in finding any excuse to write a list.
- I write a list to give me focus
- As a to do list
- Shopping lists
- Wedding guest lists
- Blogs to write list
- Wedding planning list
- Things I love lists
- Christmas gift list
- The list could go on and on
- A list of all the things I’d like to list – Seriously I do that!
See what I did there!
M – Mum
This one didn’t take much thought. M would always be Mum. Even though she is not here she remains one of the most important people in my life.
But I am also a Mum and it is the best job in the world. Hard work but so rewarding in so many magical ways.
N- National Trust
I remember when my parents would visit these old houses and look around gardens, I just did not get it! Why would you want to waste your weekend doing things like that.
Fast forward to being almost a grown up and I totally get it! We joined National Trust last year and have had some wonderful days out. Each place has a story to tell, so full of history and beauty. We’ve cancelled the membership, thinking a year off would be good as we have done so many of their properties (and saved a shed load on admissions!) this year that we don’t want to overdo it.
I would recommend an annual pass to anyone though. For families the value is exceptional and we have saved about £600. It makes you get out knowing that all it will cost you is a picnic and maybe an ice cream.
O – Ohana
Means family and also means I am getting inventive! Family is the most important thing in the world to me. My friends are my family as well so that covers them as well.
P – Pinks
This is my soon-to-be surname!!! This is so exciting. To think that I’ll have a whole different name seems like such an odd concept but I honestly cannot wait to be Mrs Pinks. It’s very appropriate as I was known as ‘Pink Claire’ at my last job! Marrying in to a wonderful family of Pinks and an opportunity to master a new signature that my son can’t copy is a very exciting prospect.
Q- Queen
As in The Queen and not the band. I would describe her as my idol if I am honest. She is such a powerhouse, who has lived the most wonderful life. From her time as a mechanic in the second world war to becoming the queen at such a young age. She has served this country and been fabulous while doing it. She always looks so good and the fact that she is still the lead of this country at almost 93 years old shows such dedication.
I would like to see her before she passes away, it is top of my Bucket list to be in London for a Royal occasion.
R – Rob
An A-Z of me would not be complete without the other half of me, Rob. He is absolutely my Best friend. The person I didn’t know was missing until I found him. And although in a lot of respects we have different interests it works so well and I think we complement each other perfectly. I love him and cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together.
S – S
S is my oldest step daughter at 8 years old. She is sweet and sensitive and kind. She is a real thinker and she really makes me laugh. I’ve watched her confidence grow and grow since I met her and I love how accepting she was of me. Her loving nature is infectious and she will always make you smile. She is such a great big sister to E, so caring and nurturing. Sometimes I think she is wise beyond her years, other times she thinks that films are being played out in real time just for her viewing pleasure which I think is adorable!
T – Thrones
As in Game of… I was a reluctant watcher. I had zero interest in the series. It seemed to be everything I didn’t like in a tv show. Graphic, bloody and incestuous. Not my thing. And my parents had tried to watch it but gave up after the first episode and that was usually enough for me.
When Rob and I met he asked if I fancied watching it, so I said I’d give it a go but I was not hopeful that I’d get through the first episode. Well, I could not have been more wrong. It is by far one of the greatest TV shows I have ever watched. We are currently watching again in preparation for the last series airing and I am still excited about each episode. I will put it out there though…. If Daenerys is sitting on the Iron throne at the end I will be highly disappointed!
U – United Kingdom
I am not as well travelled as I’d like to be, both internationally and at home. There is so much of the UK I’d love to see yet. In fact I might have to make a list of places to visit, because you know how much I love one of those. I have a serious case of wanderlust and there is no place better than Home to start.
V – Vacuum
Now this is a total Mum thing I think but I honestly love to hoover! There is something so satisfying about seeing some dirt or dust just disappear and the difference a quick hoover makes the appearance of the house seem instantly a million times better.
W – World wide web
I am of an age where I remember what life was like without the internet. There are times I miss the simplicity of life before we held the world in our hand. But there are other times where I wonder at the marvel of technology and just how far we have come in a relatively short space of time.
Sometimes I feel sad at how we live our lives through the internet, worry about the impact it has on our children as they grow up with such easy access to the whole world but then I’m reminded just how special that actually is.
X –
It’s no good I can think of NOTHING! So I’ll give you some facts and you can decide which is the lie….
- I have lost over 7 stone
- I failed my GCSE’s
- I have only ever had one serious relationship
You decide!?!
Y- Yellow
Mum would always say she didn’t like the colour yellow as she couldn’t wear it because it washed her out to much. But now, whenever I see the colour yellow I think of Mum and it makes me smile.
Z – ZZZZZZZ
I absolutely love my sleep, bed is just one of my favourite places to be. I don’t sleep excessively and in fact seem to spend very little time in it but I still love bedtime! Rob is always amazed by my ability to fall asleep so quickly. What can I say…. It’s a gift!
This is such a cool way to learn more about you!!! I can imagine that some of those letters are harder to find things than others 😂.
It was so hard! I found myself googling all sorts of odd things. It was quite entertaining 😂
I absolutely love this idea and will think about doing it on my blog. Your step daughters sound like very smart kids and I wish you a very beautiful future with Rob!
Awwww I love this post and getting to know you, what a great idea x
I love this idea. What a fablous way of getting to know you
This is a great idea! My husband keeps telling me to watch Game of Thrones but I found the first episode to brutal. I’m sure I’d love it if I kept on with it though, although I may have left it too late now.
If you dedicate the next month, all day every day you might catch up in time for the last series😂
I highly recommend though x
I’m also working through Game of Thrones (finally) after putting it off for years. Now I’m hooked, and trying to finish off the last couple of seasons in time for next month!
We are just watching again and I’m feeling the pressure to get in finished for the last series. I cannot risk any spoilers!
Awesome idea! My son is obsessed with alphabet so he constantly does different books and drawing that are alphabet based – so when I saw this blog I had to read it! What a fun way to get to know you!
My son actually helped me do this. He’d keep shouting random words at me 😂
Oh… great idea! Yours is very entertaining 🙂
I want to do one now! 🙂
You should, it was a lot of fun!
I love this list. I also need to travel more around the UK and it’s my goal for this summer ♥️ x
Such a neat idea, love this! Learned so much about you. : )
I love this idea. How fun and well thought out. Nice to get to know you!
Thank you Jenny x
This is a cool idea! Your youngest step daughter sounds a lot like my 4 year old little firecracker and she also busts out the dance moves during conversations as well! Too cute:)
It is the cutest thing! I’ve decided life is too short and I’ve been busting some moves mid conversation as well. It’s very liberating 😂
Hahaha!! We do little dance parties with our little Evelyn with glow sticks and Taylor swift lol kids bring out our inner child 🙂
Awww my little E is Evelyn as well 🥰
No freaking way?! What a coincidence!
Okay, I’m totally doing this! Thanks to you and Jenny…really a fun and genius idea. ♥️This!
Enjoy x x
What a great post! I don’t think I could come up with 26 for each letter for the alphabet. CONGRATS on the engagement! Love how you put that of course everyone couldn’t look at the camera at the same time. That happens to me too!
Ashley @Irishtwinsmomma.com
I swear that’s the reason I have to spend so long deleting pictures!
I’m a list lover too. I find they help in most situations!
Wow interesting blog posts, a complete A to z.
I absolutely love this idea and will think about doing it on my blog. I do enjoy writing lists. Congratulations on the engagement by the way. 🙂
Lovely to hear more about you. Weirdly I find hoovering strangely satisfying too.
Oh I really love it. I am now looking forward to going home, doing the school run, the food shop and a workout… just so I can get the hoover out!
What a fab way for us all to get to know you a bit better. Congrats on your good news too 🙂
Thank you so much x x
Oh I love this idea, such a lovely post! Your surname to be is just brilliant!! Good luck with the wedding plans, we are supposed to be getting married but arranging it is just too overwhelming for me right now. So sorry about your mum she looks like a really lovely lady. xx
Thank you so much Sonia! I have to agree that my soon to be name is AWESOME!! I too am finding the wedding planning a little overwhelming, I have promised on my blog though that this is the month I really get moving on it!
Thank you, My Mum really was the best x x
Great idea! You have a lovely little family, congratulations on the engagement.
Thank you so much Zoe xx
Lovely way of getting to know you and your family better! Congrats on the engagement exciting times.
Thank you so much x x
What a lovely way to learn more about you. Beauty and the beast is up there as one of my top Disney films too.
Oh I just love it. If this weather continues I think a Disney movie day is in order x. X
Oh wow, that was really cute. Such a fun way of getting to know you better. Can’t wait to hear you calling MRS. PINKS 🙂
Lovely post finding out more about you and your wonderful talents so good with words and great photos Your Mum would be so proud!
Thank you so much Pam. I hope you and the family are well x x