On my 18th Wedding Anniversary - 18 Things I Love About You

• I love you for giving me so many good things in my life. My wonderful children and a home filled with love, laughter, music and fun. And for the relationship we share.
• I love you for making me want to be the best version of myself that I can be. You really do make me a better person. I only found myself through looking through your eyes.
• I love you for the way you make me feel. You make me feel beautiful, valued and cherished. When I'm in your arms I feel young again. 
• I love that you know you don't have to buy me expensive gifts or lavish me with material things. You know that I value a homemade card more than a designer handbag, or a day spent together more than any amount of fancy jewellery.
• I love that we are a team, facing every challenge together with our family's best interests at heart. In that we are unswerving.
• I love that even after 18 years I still miss you when we are apart and treasure the time we spend together. We like the same things so spending time together is just so easy.
• I love that our relationship is built on solid foundations of friendship, similar values and absolute trust. You truly are my soul mate. We have no secrets. 
• I love that we have overcome obstacles and struggles, but have stuck together throughout everything, emerging stronger and more united. 
• I love you because you are a wonderful human being. You are a hands on dad who puts me and the kids first. You cook, you do housework, you do DIY. You are loving, giving, caring and affectionate. You are the kindest, most thoughtful person I know. You are literally the most amazing human being I have ever met.
• I love you because I know that life without you would only be half a life. You complete me.
• I love that you are an excellent role model for my sons, and an example to my daughters of how a man should be. Through you they know unconditional love, a calm, reasoned approach  and total respect.
• I love that I am still massively physically attracted to you. You tick all my boxes. And you indulge me when I tell you about my latest cougar crush on a Hemsworth brother. We can laugh together and cry together.
• I love you because you never give up on me. You hold your hands up when you have done something wrong, and never judge me for my mistakes. 
• I love the way your beard is turning grey and the fact that you have laughter lines around your eyes and that you need glasses for reading. The passing of time reminds me of how long you have been a part of my life and that we are indeed growing old together, which is something you always promised me.
• I love that I am proud to be your wife and to share your name. I am honoured to be a part of this marriage that we have shared for 18 years.
• I love you, because even though you have seen me at my very worst, your love has never wavered. I can't believe how lucky I am to have a man like you loving me in the way that you do. I would do anything you asked of me without question, as I know you would for me.
• I love you because you support everything I do, giving me the courage and the confidence to be myself.
• I love you because I know you...everything about you...and there is nothing I'd want to change. I can't imagine being with anyone else. I can't imagine what I would have become without you. Yet you think you are the lucky one.

Fifteen Years Ago Today

I've Been Married For 15 Years!

Fifteen years ago today I married my best friend, my soul mate and the love of my life.  We had a registrar's office ceremony followed by a reception in a lovely local hotel. 

 We did it all our way.  I wore DMs.  Our decor was burgundy, black and cream.  The children shared the top table with us.  Megan was just six and had a broken arm in a cast.  She held up a drawing of us that she had done (thankfully completed before breaking her arm!).  My niece sang "Beauty and the Beast".  Our son Joe, at age 9, was Ian's best man and delivered a moving best man's speech.  Ella was just a year old and a very cute little bridesmaid.  She shared the bridal suite four poster bed with us on our wedding night.   Attachment parenting trumps romance in our household!  We even went on honeymoon to the Alton Towers Hotel ...with the kids in tow!!

Newly Wed

When We Were Still A Family Of Five

Fifteen years on, I love Ian more than ever and we've added two more gorgeous children to our family. Whatever life throws at us, we always have each other.  I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Next month we will be having a second honeymoon at the Gilpin Hotel in the Lake District which I won in a competition.  The prize includes all the five star luxuries that we could never afford for ourselves...five course meal with matched wines, spa access, afternoon tea and Full English breakfast.  We're staying in an amazing suite overlooking a lake.  It will be our first kid-free break in years...I'm so nervous, but very excited!

 Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband!

What Does Friendship Mean To You?

What does friendship mean to you?  Build-a Bear-Workshop have been making furry friends for 15 years.  They asked me what friendship meant to me, and this was my response.

Hallmark Cards for Every Ocassion

Leading greeting cards company Hallmark has just introduced more choice to their already extensive card range.

Bellissima is a beautiful collection of exquisitely handcrafted cards, perfect for those looking to express simple yet meaningful messages to loved ones.

Consisting of 39 sophisticated designs adorned with intricate, unique and delicately applied attachments, they are complemented by pearl envelopes for the perfect finishing touch.  They are perfect for when you want to send something extra special including designs for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, engagements and for messages of thanks.

The range is available from £2.99 RRP from selected Hallmark stores, card shops and supermarkets.

An exclusive Vintage range, inspired by Britain's rich design history, has been launched in conjunction with Wayne Hemingway founder of the Red and Dead brand.  The twelve designs pay homage to glamorous past eras from the 50's to the 70's, following the trend for all things vintage in fashion and design.  This range proves that the past is not passé and makes this part of Britain's cultural heritage accessible to a whole new generation who will love the Rock 'n' Roll Fifties and  the Swinging Sixties imagery, with the range's cool retro graphics.

The Vintage Range is available from Tesco stores nationwide priced from £1.69 RRP.

I was sent a selection of Hallmark's cards from the new ranges.  They are all of the highest quality and the designs are diverse making sure that there will be a choice to suit everyone.  The Bellissima cards are beautifully crafted and uniquely designed with added jewels and gems to make them look really special.  The Vintage designs are really cool and funky.  The retro images are brought perfectly up to date with quirky slogans, making them the perfect card for sending to fashion conscious friends.  My family will be spoilt with their Hallmark cards this year!

Check out www.hallmark.co.uk to discover thousands of card designs covering all occasions, including a range of personalised cards.

Zombie Wedding

No special occasion can go by without being honoured by a Zombie related drawing courtesy of my husband.  Our anniversary was no exception.  I share with you my hand made 'Zombie Wedding' anniversary card.

I love it, and I love that my husband knows me so well.  He wrote something really lovely inside about being the luckiest man in the world, and in keeping with his good fortune popped in a Euromillions Lottery ticket.  It turned out to be true about my husband's luck because the ticket was a winner!!!  OK, we didn't scoop the jackpot but we won a whopping £2.60!  Hehe!!  Can't win 'em all, but that'll buy something yummy!  Good times all round!!