I was very flattered to be recently nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by Katy at What Katy Said – thank you lovely lady and as requested I will be sharing seven facts about myself in this post. Katy has also tagged me in the Christmas tag as has Jessica at JessicaEliot.com and so I will also answer the Christmassy questions as part of this too! Thank you to you both for tagging me.
One Lovely Blog Award – Facts about me
- I was a surprise baby – my mum didn’t know she was expecting twins until my sister was born and then the midwife said “hang on, there’s another one!” – which was me! My mum has always said that that was one of the best moments of her life!
- I am the youngest of nine – although part of a blended family – my dad had three children and my mum had four children with previous spouses and then they married each other and had me and my twin.
- My husband and I met through the university ballroom society and got together through competing separately in acrobatic rock n roll (our dance partners also ended up marrying each other).
- I am a huge fan of musical theatre and used to perform in am-dram shows before I had my children. My favourite role was that of Laurey in Oklahoma.
- I play the piano and a little bit of flute and guitar
- I spent the best part of a year having driving lessons (without taking my test) after turning 17 and the driving instructor eventually told me I would never learn to drive. It took me seven years to finally get the confidence to try again with driving lessons and I ended up passing first time (although can only drive an automatic).
- There is a 15 inch height difference between me and hubby. I am 5 feet tall and he is 6 feet 3.
The Christmas tag
1. What is your favourite Christmas movie?
Given that I’m a huge fan of musicals, White Christmas and Holiday Inn are definitely on my list of favourites but I also love Miracle on 34th Street, particularly the original version.
2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
We actually do the main present opening on Christmas Day in the afternoon after we’ve been to church and had dinner although we do open one or two first thing in the morning and of course the children have their stocking presents then too.
3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
The first Christmas after Jessica was born was a very special one – her prognosis had been quite pessimistic during my pregnancy with her and she had her second major open-heart surgery eleven days before Christmas and was on the intensive care unit until Christmas Eve. There were many times in the run-up to Christmas that we hardly dared hope we’d have Christmas together and so it was a huge blessing to celebrate Christmas as a family despite being in hospital. Jessica gave us her first smile since her surgery on Christmas morning which was the best present ever and there was also the very funny memory of flashing Santa!
4. Favourite festive food?
I love roast turkey with all the trimmings.
5. Favourite Christmas gift?
My favourite Christmas present as a child was a talking Teddy Ruxpin and Grubby. These days it’s always lovely to get treated to some new clothes as I hardly ever buy anything for myself when out clothes shopping – I’m always buying for the girls instead.
6. Favourite Christmas scent?
Love the smell of mulled wine.
7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
I used to go to the midnight service before we had children but now once the children go to bed, that’s when we put the presents under the tree (and probably wrap them too if we’re particularly disorganised!), get the stockings ready and hung next to the children’s beds before we head off to bed. This year we’ll be putting out a mince pie for Santa and sprinkling magic reindeer food in the garden.
8. What tops your tree?
Nothing at the moment as the tree has to stand on a table to be out of reach of small people which makes it too tall to put anything on the top but we had a star on top when we used to stand the tree on the floor.
9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
My parents always bought the most amazing presents – I don’t really remember ever really wanting something that I didn’t get – we never really asked for lots of presents though that I can remember.
10. What’s the best part about Christmas for you?
Spending quality time with family and playing games together in the evening – Mah Jongg is a big favourite of ours.
The rules for the One Lovely Blog Award are as follows:
- Thank the person who nominated you for the award and link back to them in your post.
- Share 7 facts about yourself.
- Nominate 15 other bloggers that you admire to do the same and let them know.
My One Lovely Blog Award nominations are as follows:
- Le Coin de Mel
- Mummy M’s Memories
- Heart Mammi
- Sounding Like My Mother
- Mum Turned Mom
- And Then The Fun Began
- Zena’s Suitcase
- Discovering Dribbles & Giggles
- Life at 139a
- Baby Chaos
- Keeping Strong and Moving Forward
- Sophie Is…
- Mummy Tries
- Melted Blueberries
- Geraldine Clark Hellery
Consider yourself also tagged in the Christmas tag if you wish to join in this one too!
Thank you for the tag. Will continue later tonight. That is a huge height difference for you and hubby, love the photo. I love that you and hubby weren’t actually dance partners to each other but still married. 🙂
You’re welcome – look forward to you joining in! I love that photo too – one of my favourites although it is quite an old one. It was through our dance partners being a couple that hubby and I got to know each other better as we had our dance lessons back-to-back 🙂
This is lovely!
My cousins are twins and my aunt didn’t know she was having two either!! Their heartbeats had always been in time! Never heard of it happening to anyone else 🙂
Great facts and I am loving the pic of u two- such a difference!!
Thanks Katy – I love the fact I was a surprise baby. My mum and auntie are also twins although I don’t think my mum (who is the younger twin) was a surprise. I love that photo too – it really does show our height difference so well! 🙂
Wow, that’s quite a height difference! Thanks for joining in the Christmas Tag, love reading about people’s traditions and memories. I’m intrigued by magic reindeer food?! Jess x
Thank you for tagging me – was fun to join in. It is quite a height difference although I’m used to it now! Magic reindeer food is just breadcrumbs with glitter in it so that it leaves a sparkly lawn once the birds have eaten the breadcrumbs x
That is such a lovely post. Wow, youngest of nine, that’s amazing… and even more amazing is your birth story. Definitely a great one to use as an ice breaker when you meet people, ha ha! I love the fact your dance partner and your hubby’s ended up marrying each other. Your flashing Santa post is epic! I saved it in my funny board on Pinterest. Just thinking about it makes me giggle again! I won’t write a post as I’m trying to update my ‘about me’ and it will all be in there I think. Let me try to think of 7 facts now… no pressure!
1- I am scared of fish (touching them, that is – eating is fine!)
2- I got sick during the first dance at my wedding. I was sick for a week after that.
3- I have a scar on my forehead after showing off how well I could walk when I was under a year old.
4- I sucked my thumb until I was 12…
5- I have been writing a diary since I was nine years old.
6- I dream in English.
7- I swear in French!
Thank you Mel – glad you liked my flashing Santa post, the memory of that still makes me giggle. Looking forward to reading your updated ‘about me’ page. Love your facts – although so sorry you were sick during your first dance and for a week afterwards – that’s not a nice ending to your wedding day! I’ve had a diary since I was 8 so a similar age to when you started yours and I love the fact that you dream in English – every time we go to France, I end up dreaming in French within a couple of days of our arrival and you’re the first person I’ve come across that also dreams in a language that isn’t their first language! I swear in English though! 🙂
This is so lovely. It is so nice to learn more about the person behind the blog. That pic of you and your husband is adorable. I also love your favourite Christmas memory. Seeing Jessica’s smile on Christmas Day must have filled you with hope. Hugs Mrs H xxxx
Thank you – I love that photo, I don’t tend to notice the height difference so much day to day but when I see that photo, it really does make me realise just how tall hubby is! That smile on Christmas morning was definitely one of the best Christmas presents ever 🙂
Louise that’s an amazing story about you being a twin! I’m also a twin by my Mum was very much aware there were two of us! I am gobsmacked your Mum didn’t realise, I guess twenty odd (?) years ago technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now. Still – cool story 🙂 Being a twin is amazing though, a ready made best friend (we also fight like cat and dog!) I enjoyed reading these little facts about you, super strong Mama xXx
Ah it is wonderful being a twin – I love it – and how lovely that you are a twin too! I am flattered by the timescale you suggested – it was 35 years ago and scans were definitely not routine the way they are now which why it wasn’t picked up x
Another Xmas tag. Here’s mine from last week. http://www.janineslittleworld.com/christmas-tag/ #TheList
Thank you – will pop over and have a read, love the Christmas tags 🙂
This is so lovely 🙂 thank you. I hope to get time to do this post in the next week. Things have been a bit hectic here! Though I am really struggling to think of enough interesting facts!
Hehe some really interesting facts! Love the height difference photo 🙂 And it still has me in stitches that you flashed Santa 😀 so awesome!
You’re welcome – I shall look forward to reading it if/when you get a chance to post it. I love the height difference photo too – it’s quite an old one but really does show our height difference so beautifully and I still smile at the memory of flashing Santa too – definitely helped make that first Christmas with Jessica a memorable one! 🙂
Love the idea of the Christmas tag! Great reading it.
Thank you 🙂
I loved reading this. Great to learn more about you. Wow what a shock your poor mum must have had! Thanks for linking up to #TheList x
Thanks Aby – lovely to link up to #TheList again 🙂
Such a magical post! And I LOVE that you were a surprise baby. Goodness me, how incredible and what a story!
Thanks so much for linking up to #AllAboutYou! x
Thank you – I love that I was a surprise baby too! Lovely to link up to #AllAboutYou 🙂
Love this, the fact that you were a surprise is quite amazing! And, the height difference photo made me chuckle, it’s not quite so bad with my husband and I, but I’m 5’1 and he’s 6’1 🙂 I haven’t forgotten about the tag, I will do it!
And of course, thank you for tagging me 🙂
I love the fact I was a surprise too! Sounds like you and your hubby have quite a height difference too. Look forward to your tag response if/when you get a moment to join in 🙂
Loved reading this and finding out more about you hon. Still can’t believe that women didn’t know they were having twins back then until they were giving birth! What a gorgeous thing for your mum to say
Thank you – I love the fact I was a surprise baby and am so glad that my mum thought it was the best surprise ever! 🙂
Loved reading this and finding out more about you hon. Still can’t believe that women didn’t know they were having twins back then until they were giving birth! What a gorgeous thing for your mum to say
This is a much much longer comment lovely but WordPress is cutting me off
Oops – WordPress can be funny like that sometimes x
Oh wow!! I Would have loved to have twins so a surprise one would have been amazing!! I can’t quite believe the height difference!! I love that photo of you both!!
Thank you – I love that photo too, it’s a great way of showing our height difference! 🙂