Friday Focus 18/07/2025 – Eventful

This week has been a very eventful one with all the various end-of-term activities that have been taking place.

 

 

We had the annual Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades awards evening on Friday where Sophie and Thomas received their badges from the last year. Both Sophie and Thomas also came away with a special trophy – Sophie with a Golden Jubilee trophy that is awarded to one girl in each section who they feel is particularly deserving of recognition, and Thomas with the Cliff Bosley Shield for receiving the most marks over the year. He also won the church and church parade attendance award for his section. Jessica is also very much a part of the awards evening and I got to present her memorial trophy to two very deserving girls in Sophie’s section.

 

 

It was also our 16th wedding anniversary on Friday. We didn’t do anything in particular to celebrate as it was a busy day but my husband has promised to take me out to a nice café for a breakfast date again at some point!

 

 

Sophie ended the term at her dance school with a milestone moment – being told that she’s ready to start pointe work in September. We had a lovely social afternoon with some of the other dance families on Saturday and then I headed out that evening to my friends’ fancy dress party. They host a themed party every two years and this year the theme was children’s TV. There were some fabulous costumes and it was a really fun evening. I went as Red from Fraggle Rock and came first in the fancy dress costume which I was really pleased with.

 

 

Sophie had her end of year performance with BYT on Sunday, performing in a short sketch called The Adventures of Bin Man which was quite funny.

 

 

Thomas has had a couple of performances at school this week. He had his Year 2 end of term celebration on Tuesday and Thursday sharing some of the highlights of things they’ve learned about over the last year and singing some songs. Thomas was in the section talking about things they’ve learned in maths (perfect for him!) and got to wear his Numberblock Six costume from World Book Day. Thankfully he’s not yet turned seven – otherwise I’d have had to make Numberblock Seven for him! He also had his Rocksteady concert on Wednesday, playing keyboard in a rock band with some of his classmates.

 

The next few days will continue to be eventful with end-of-term parties, leavers’ events and Sophie and I both taking part in performances at the weekend. I think it’s also going to be a very emotional few days with the end of the school year so I’m trying to slow down where I can in spite of the busyness and enjoy the little moments, like these last few days of walking Sophie to school and enjoying some quieter family time in the evenings making the most of not having after-school activities to get to.

 

 

What I’ve been grateful for this week:

 

  

• Day 192 – I am grateful for a lovely end to the Brigade year for Sophie and Thomas at the awards evening. As well as being awarded their badges for the year, Sophie was awarded the Golden Jubilee cup and was promoted to the Senior section and Thomas was awarded the Cliff Bosley Shield for having the highest marks this year in Anchors and won the award for highest church and church parade attendance. So proud of them both.

 

• Day 193 – I am grateful for a fun evening at my friends’ children’s TV-themed fancy dress party and 1st place for my Red Fraggle costume.

 

• Day 194 – I am grateful for a lovely parade service and getting to hear Thomas do a reading for the first time.

 

• Day 195 – I am grateful for an afternoon at home enjoying some time in the paddling pool.

 

• Day 196 – I am grateful for seeing Thomas taking part in his Year 2 celebration performance.

 

• Day 197 – I am grateful for a fun evening taking the kids bowling.

 

• Day 198 – I am grateful for sitting and watching Thomas playing in the garden.

 

 

Other things that have made me smile this week:

• Thomas decorating his red T-shirt to make it a “Colorball T-shirt”.

 

 

• Being told by the premises manager at Thomas’s school that Jessica’s memorial butterfly plaque will be going on a new piece of playground equipment so that she will continue to be remembered at the school. The original piece of playground equipment with her memorial butterfly plaque on is falling apart and is about to be scrapped. It’s nice to know that Jessica will continue to be remembered.

 

• Starting to set scenes for Calendar Girls.

 

 

Joining in with Raisie Bay for Word of the Week.