Innocence

At the age of eight my lovely, innocent little boy is on the verge of discovering what 'sexing' is.
There are already whispers in the playground.
Giggles behind hands at the sight of a Calvin Klein advert. Sniggering whenever a couple kiss on the TV. Cat calls and 'whit woos' whenever hubby do as much as hold hands.
We know we are on the cusp of THAT conversation.

In the middle of watching The Three Musketeers recently - all heaving bosoms, innuendo and 'wenching' - Dan announced all matter of fact that "my willy goes dead dead straight when they kiss".
Oh god.

I told him recently: "I'm a lover not a fighter" and he nearly hyperventilated from a fits of giggles. Maybe should wait until he's 10 for sayings like that . . .

Hubby and I have been invited to the wedding of a very dear friend at the end of August
Dan: "But they're already married aren't they?"
Me: "No."
Dan: "So did they split up and get back together again?"
Me: "No. They've always been together."
Dan: "But they've got a little girl."
My brain starts to function properly and I can see EXACTLY where this is heading.

Dan (eyes wide in realisation): "They've got a little girl! Mummy, that means they *whispers* did it before they got married."
He can't quite believe what he's discovered and his eyes are as wide as saucers and there is a huge, dirty grin on his face.
Then the face drops. Falls to the floor.

"You and daddy didn't do it before you were married did you?" he asks with the most serious expression on his face.
"No, no son," I say tactfully. "You were born after we were married."

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Scrabble Art

Linda at CopperDot sent me this beautifully framed picture using vintage Scrabble tiles.
And anyone who follows me on Twitter will know, I'm just a little bit of a Scrabble nerd. Or Words with Friend on the iPhone to be more precise.
This minimalist picture couldn't be more up my street.

The quality is exemplary (even down to the little felt pads on the reverse of the frame to ensure it sits 'just so' when hung). And it just looks, well, gorgeous.
I absolutely love it.

You likey too?
Want to get your hands on one?
Well, in a couple of weeks time it will be Father's Day here in the UK, so how about something to give that special man in your life?
I have a Very Special Daddy framed Scrabble Art (RRP £69) to be won right here.

All you have to do for a chance of winning is answer this simple question:
What's your favourite word?
There are no right or wrong answers it's just a bit of fun.
The winner will be chosen by my glamours 5 year old helper who will be asked to choose a number between 1 and the number of entries.
Simple as that.

THIS COMPETITION HAS CLOSED
WINNER: Sandy Calico

And while you're waiting for me to judge, you can also have a little play of your own: Copperdot has a page where you can have a go at designing your own. Have fun!

The boring rules n stuff.
The competition is open to residents of the UK only (sorry rest of the world).
No cash alternative offered.
To enter, leave a comment on this blog.
Make sure your contact details are available.
The winner will be drawn at random from all entries after the closing date.
The competition closes at 08:00 on Monday, June 6, 2011.
The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode. Please allow 14 days for delivery.
If a prizewinner does not provide a full UK postal address within a week of being contacted, the prize will be re-drawn and a new winner will be contacted.


Prizefinder: UK competitions

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This is what happens when Lego is delivered to our house

Thanks so much Lego.
We bloody love you x

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The Gallery: Week 61

Hello and welcome to week 61 of The Gallery.

Today my lovely friend Chris is on the verge of a huge adventure.
In her own words in an email to be this week, she is "trying to pack, blog and be a mum and wife" in the midst of tearing her hair out. Because on Monday Chris is going on an amazing journey to Mozambique with Save the Children.
She has been invited along as part of their campaign to make a lot of noise ahead of the Global Vaccination Summit on June 13. The aim is to encourage the world's leaders plug the vaccination funding gap.
They want a fair deal for children the world over.
All YOU have to do is sign their petition.

At the moment 1 in 5 children don't receive any vaccinations whatsoever and millions are dying of preventable diseases as a result.
Chris's journey is about trying to raise awareness of that.
On her travels, she will also be meeting mothers whose children have died of pneumonia, and as she has an asthmatic child who has had the pneumonia vaccine herself, this will be a very personal journey for her.

So, this week's theme is: I'm Grateful For . . .
You will read a lot of posts about this event over the coming weeks, be asked to pass on the news, support their work.
And it's really really easy to have your eyes glaze over, click 'close' and move on.
Don't do that.
Support Chris and the rest of the team who are only doing all of this to help children.
I've just been over and signed now . . .  it only takes a few seconds.
And then go give Chris a virtual hug: She is the most lovely and talent blogger and this will be a HUGE for her.
(You could then also go and give her some travel advice as she hasn't flown for 15 YEARS!)
Good luck Chris x

Come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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Moustachioed: The results

Dearest Tara

I am supposed to be packing for an overnight stay tonight. Instead I am sat eating cake and drinking tea. I need sustenance. It has taken me two and a half hours to whittle the Moustachioed Gallery entries down to 7 ... from 69.

Never have I seen such an impressive array of tashes. All that could make this experience complete would be to have Tom Selleck assisting me in said judging.

I have managed to pick a winner based, in main, on the fact that it supports the encouragement of moustache wearing on the next generation ... and because the subjects are wearing their face furniture with a certain sense of pride. The winner is ChiBibi 

Because I was so impressed with the quality of entries I have also awarded runners up prizes (a little moustache-based surprise) to the following people (in no particular order):

SAHMLovingIt and Modern Mummy: You can't beat a bit of wonky eyebrow and drunken eyes alongside your moustache. I speak from experience.
Spudballoo: Everytime I look at that photo I feel mildly disconcerted. The same way I feel when watching Psychoville.
Mother's Always Right: Can't beat the sighting of your first moustache.
Doing It All For Aleyna: This made me chuckle, those Turkish photoshoppers!
Slimlens: A lovely story and well done that Husband!

So there you have it. My work here is done. I can go back to thinking about stroking Tom Selleck's tash and add 'Moustache Judge' to my CV.

Much love

Laurachora
Judger of Facial Hair

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10 things which mean I'm better than you

1. I look hot even when sporting a face mask.
2. I have a goodie cupboard. I stock it with Iced Gems, chocolate Hob Nobs, bars chocolate and cheesy puffs crisps. It's not for the children.
3. I regularly Tweet with John Cusack. He never Tweets back.
4. I am the crown Queen of list making. Writing this post makes me go all flushed.
5. I make the Best Cup of Tea.
6. At a recent quiz night I managed to salvage my team's dismal performance by acing the final round: Naming all the James Bond films, the actors who starred in them and the years they were released. My movie nerdom finally did me proud.
7. I own a Japanese Acer that's worth about £400. 
8. I have have been taught how to 'taste' chocolate properly by Mr Chocolate himself at Green & Black's head office.
9. I do not have a party trick. Not a one.
10. I have met Simon Le Bon. He doesn't remember me.

What do you mean they're all lame? Go on then, tell me what makes you betterer than me?

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The Gallery: My Backyard

Our house is currently on the market after deciding to up sticks to be nearer the children's school. And I must confess, after nearly 10 years here, the one thing I will be the most upset to leave behind is our back garden.
Our garden where every year I do battle with an army of snails.
Our garden where the apple tree thrives, bought as a moving in present by my dear grandpa who died five years ago.
Our garden where we play football, and tig, and rugby and badminton and a game where you basically roll around and wrestle on the grass. Invented by the hubby.
Our garden with the lovely ferns, the Solomon's Seal, the stunning white-stemmed Silver Birch tree and the little log pile which is home to the insects.
Our garden with the amazing Japanese Acer. The Acer I bought during my lunch hour at work six years ago while kicking around Coventry. I paid about £5 for this sad-looking, slightly wonky stalk which is now a show-stopping canopy of deep red leaves which marks the gateway to our back garden. And which, when I visited a garden centre recently, realised is probably worth about £400. Sob.

Our south-facing, flourishing, green and pleasant garden.

I know you can recreate what you once had, but really, there are so many good times wrapped up in those leaves, so many memories, so many favourites, that I think I really will shed a tear when I have to shut the door on her one last time.

This post is for Week 60 of The Gallery: My Backyard.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too (try to ignore the 'copyright' warning just this once!)

Now go forth and show some big blog love. This virtual gallery of photographs is about enjoying each other's work, so go make someone's day.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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Win a black Wii console and Zumba Party Game

Last week I was asked to embarrass myself in public and test out the new Zumba Fitness Party game for the Wii.
I snapped their hand off right up to the elbow.
I've heard so much about Zumba that curiosity meant I very nearly took up a friends' offer to don Lycra go to an actual class one Sunday night.
But then I remembered that it's Sunday night. And you know, Desperate Housewives is on. And there is a sofa indentation with my name on. And a cup of tea in waiting. So I didn't.
But Zumba at home? I'm so there.

The music is totally infectious, I feel like the sexiest woman on the planet because in my head my moves are exactly the same as the instructor on the screen and I have dreams of looking like the bronzed goddess with the Abs on the box's front cover.
A girl can dream.

Anyway, you can catch up on my progress on the Zumba Facebook page, but in the meantime I'm giving you the chance to join me in this fitness adventure.
So if you've clicked on that link above and laughed at my endeavours, well, think again buster. For I have a Wii console and a Zumba Party Game to give away.
A WII CONSOLE AND GAME to give away. A black Wii console with Motion Plus no less.
So you too can be shaking your thang in the privacy of your own home. You just need to send me your video footage . . . Ok, Ok, that bit's a lie.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

So, how to enter.
All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog and answer me this:
What's your favourite way to keep fit.
It really is as simple as that. And it goes without saying that you need to keep it clean *ahem*

There is no right or wrong answer, it's all a bit of fun and I'll be picking a winner at random after the closing date. Or I'll be giving the 8 year old the crushingly important task of choosing a number at random from the number of entries. Yeah, it's that technical.
You can enter as many times as you like and bribing won't work but you can try anyway.

The boring rules n stuff.
The competition is open to residents of the UK only (sorry rest of the world).
No cash alternative offered.
To enter, leave a comment on this blog.
Make sure your contact details are available.
The winner will be drawn at random from all entries after the closing date.
The competition closes at 23:59 on Friday, June 17, 2011.
The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode. Please allow 14 days for delivery.
The prize is a Wii console and Zumba Party Game.
If a prizewinner does not provide a full UK postal address within a week of being contacted, the prize will be re-drawn and a new winner will be contacted.

Ready, set, Zumba! You've got to be in it to win it . . . 


Prizefinder: UK competitions

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Zumba? Zumba? What the heck is Zumba?

Before I had children I was a serious gym bunny.
I loved high energy aerobics classes and ones with scary names like Boxercise, Triple Challenge and Super Step.
But then had babies and I fell out of love with Lycra and leaping around a gym and in love with being at home with them.
Of course, the price I paid is weight gain.

However, I never lost the love of doing something energetic (I became a bit of a power walker) I just didn't want to travel to a gym or school hall to do it.
I wanted something that fits in with my life. And that life revolves around two school-age children and a husband who doesn't come home from work until 7pm.

So, I have been asked to trial the new interactive Zumba Dance Party for the Wii (SCREAM!) for the next month to see what I think of it and how I get on.
I have heard SO much about Zumba from friends, on Facebook and on Twitter that I'm quite excited/scared/daunted by the prospect (*I'll delete as appropriate when I can give a more informed view).
Also I need to try and keep the kids off it. It's a mummy thing you guys, go play Mario or Just Dance or something.

You can follow my progress/laugh/poke fun at me on the Zumba Facebook page.
And then tell me what you think of Zumba.
Zumba, zumba, zumba. Sounds funny when you say it over and over and over.

Oh and also, I have a VERY EXCITING COMPETITION for you all next week, so watch this space . . .

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The Gallery: Week 60

Hello and welcome to week 60 of The Gallery.

I thought it was time we give our Gallery a bit of colour. A bit of oomph. I thought it was time we got out into the fresh air and enjoyed the spring sunshine (well, certainly here in the UK) and take in lungfuls of fresh air.
And I thought it was time we showed the world just how beautiful the simplest of things can be.

Who needs lots of fancy when you can step into your back garden and discover ladybirds, the most gorgeous blooms, vibrant trees and all manner of adventures?

So, this week's theme is: My Backyard.
It can be literally or metaphorically.

Don't forget, you've still got until Tuesday to enter last week's Gallery: Moustachioed to be in with the chance of winning a Panasonic HM-TA1 High Definition Mobile Camera.

Come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The day Tom Hanks made me love children's beauty pageants

I've ranted on this blog before about the clothes available to little girls these days.
TOO DAMN GROWN UP. And yes I'm shouting because I don't want my 5 year old to look like a teenager. I want my little girl to look like a little girl, not run around in joggers with 'foxy' scrawled across her bottom.

And don't even get me started on beauty pageants. You know the ones, where girls who should be climbing trees or rolling down a grassy hill or baking with their mum, are caked in theatrical-style make up and outrageous outfits and taught to dance to hugely inappropriate songs while sporting a fake tan, fake eyelashes and a wig.
Urgh.

But then I stumbled on a fabulous video at a blog called Happy Child which says it all for me.
This is the wonderful Tom Hanks' take on the subject matter. I think he's got it spot on and I love him just a little bit more after watching it.
Watch out for the water sprayer (I CRIED with laughter) and the surprise 'guest' at the very end.
Watch it and weep with laughter.

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The Gallery: Mustachioed

We take our Lego building VERY seriously in this house.
So when a set of the new Pirates of the Caribbean Lego was sent to us to tinker with and review we got down to the business of getting into character.
Because, you know, it aids with the building process.

So here you go. Three slightly dodgy Captain Jack Sparrows.
Mean eh? Well, except the terminally bored looking one in the middle (the the?)!

We're building The London Escape set and all fighting over the mini Cpt Jack who has a tiny compass in his hand and we all want him to sit on our bedside cabinet . . .
Thank you so so much Lego for sponsoring me to go to this year's Cybermummy conference. I can safely say we love your work with the heat of a thousand suns.

This post is for Week 59 of The Gallery: Mustachioed.
And don't forget, one person is in with a chance of winning a Panasonic HM-TA1 High Definition Mobile Camera, courtesy of mustache-obsessed Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? who will be judging her favourite from all your entries.
Cannot wait.

If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too (try to ignore the 'copyright' warning just this once!)

Now go forth and show some big blog love. This virtual gallery of photographs is about enjoying each other's work, so go make someone's day.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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The Blogger Year Book

It's taken me aaages to pull together and I've sworn and thrown my toys out of the pram and shouted at the computer for not doing exactly what I wanted it to do.
But. Finally, here it is. The Blogger Year Book.
A slideshow of a whole host of bloggers in their school years.



It's looong, let me warn you now. But oh man, we were a fine looking bunch eh?
Hope you enjoy - see if you can spot your favourite bloggers before their name is revealed and see if you can tease them mercilessly about it afterwards . . . There are some shockers in there.
Many thanks to Mumra for the fantastic idea and to Mocha Beanie Mummy for all her help editing it.

Enjoy x

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This photo has guilt written all over it

My daughter wants a dog. D E S P E R A T E L Y wants a dog.
Last year our one and only 'proper' pet (fish don't count apparently) died. Lily, our ancient cat, fell asleep in the spare room one night and didn't get up the next morning.
Hubby and I cried (she was my gift to him in our very first home together).
Mia tried to fein sorrow but her 'ah, poor Lily' was immediately followed with an eager "can we have a dog now?" complete with saucer-sized eyes.

I don't know why we don't have a dog.
I grew up surrounded by dogs (my mum shows and breeds them) but we've always worked full time and it seemed unfair to have one.
Now I work from home . . .

In the meantime she has one pink stuffed cat called Little Dude and one animatronic dog called Biscuit for company.
Like I said, every time I look at this photo I feel the great weight of guilt baring down on me!

(And yes, she is STILL wearing the damn Ben 10 jacket!)

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The Gallery: Week 59

Hello and welcome to week 59 of The Gallery.

This week there is no talent required what so ever to enter. All you need is a sense of humour.
And for your troubles you could win a Panasonic HM-TA1 High Definition Mobile Camera. How cool!

So, enough of the suspense, this week's theme is: Mustachioed.
My good friend Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? is everso slightly obsessed with the things: and not necessarily on men.
On a recent blogger trip to Ireland she made us all wear moustaches. I mean physically held us down and MADE us apply dodgy 1970s-eque taches.
Did we take photos of them? Well, of course we did . . . Thanks English Mum.

So photos of moustaches. Real ones, fake ones, ones on your kids, your cats, your grandma.
Have a giggle dressing your top lip up and the one Laura likes the most wins the camera. Simples.
And the prize is coming courtesy of Laura: Honestly, she'll do anything to flood the interwebs with moustaches, THAT is how obsessed she is with the things.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The Gallery: Chilled Out

This is my idea of perfection.
Cup of tea. Outside in the sunshine, in the shade of a beautiful deep red tree.
Just looking at this photo makes me feel chilled out.
(I should stress that the tea has to be 'builders' tea', the mug has to be fine and the sun has to be on my back and not on my face. THEN I'll be chilled out . . . *ahem*)

This post is for Week 58 of The Gallery: Chilled Out.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too (try to ignore the 'copyright' warning just this once!)

Now go forth and show some big blog love. This virtual gallery of photographs is about enjoying each other's work, so go make someone's day.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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She likes to chill out in her room by listening to ABBA

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The Family Cool. And a competition

The sun didn't seem to stop shining for the whole of April here in the UK and where we would normally still be sporting gloves and a bad mood there was a distinct whiff of suntan cream in the air and a smile around everyone's lips.
So it was with glee we opened a box that Polaroid kindly sent us with these babies inside, and asked us to test them out.
Proper sunglasses. Ones that actually protect your eyes.
Not £3.99 sunglasses from Tesco which is where we may or may not buy them usually.

These babies are also very easy to wear indoors, so I've embarrassed myself constantly by looking like some kind of George Michael wannabe as people give me a "there's no bloody sun indoors, you know" look.
Anyway, they're fabulous and all joking aside, one big bonus has been that Dan will wear his All The Time which has proved a big help in his fight against the dreaded hayfever.

Dan wears: Dynamite
Mia wears: Hot
Me: Take Off (Pah, I wish!)

Like them? Fancy getting your hands on some too?
Well, I have a set to give away to one lucky reader.
Polaroid are offering a pair of grown up and a pair of children's glasses of your choice: See the Polaroid range of women's glasses, men's glasses and kids' glasses for ideas.

And all you have to do for a chance of winning a set is answer me this question: What's the best thing about summer?
There is no right or wrong answer, I'm just nosy.
The winner will be chosen at random after the closing date.

COMPETITION CLOSED.
The winner was: Nellie Dean

Rules n stuff:
The competition is open to residents of the UK only (sorry rest of the world).
No cash alternative offered.
To enter, leave a comment on this blog.
Make sure your contact details are available.
The winner will be drawn at random from all entries after the closing date.
The competition closes at 23:59 on Monday, May 16, 2011.
The winner will be asked to provide a full UK postal address with postcode. Please allow 14 days for delivery.
If a prizewinner does not provide a full UK postal address within a week of being contacted, the prize will be re-drawn and a new winner will be contacted.

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The Gallery: Week 58

Hello and welcome to week 58 of The Gallery.

I think it's been a rather hectic time for us all just lately so I'm quite literally asking you to slow it riiiiight down and take it easy.

This week's theme is: Chilled Out.
The idea comes courtesy of ReluctantHouseDad if you hate it. I was, of course, the inspiration if you love it.

So photos of chilling out: Your kids sleeping, relaxing (is that even possible with kids?), your bottle of wine/beer/cocktail, sunbathing in the park, reading a good book with the sun on your face: What does chilling out mean to you?

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday to add your link when The Gallery post goes up. Then visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with.

Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

Appreciate the wonderful words and photos that are opening themselves up to you.

The link stays open until the following Tuesday, so don't worry if you don't manage to post your photo on Wednesday.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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Like a scene out of Narnia

Doesn't this photograph make you want to run like Phoebe in an episode of Friends, all wild and free and child-like?
Does it make you want to disappear down that path into the magical forest?
Discover what strange creatures lurk behind the ivy-clad tree trunks?
Tumble in the lush grass, run the tall plants through your fingers, hug a slender tree trunk and spin yourself right round?
No?
Just me then?

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Lovely Lego winners

I have a huge box full of Lego sitting under my desk just waiting to be sent out to a whole bunch of you lucky so and sos.
Nearly £125 worth of goodies.
So without further ado, here are the winners of said Lego competition, as judged by my slightly Lego obsessed 8 year old.
(He doesn't know said Lego is sat under my desk by the way, so shhhh or he's likely to nab it when I'm not looking).

Here are the winners:
First prize: Pharaoh's Quest: Rise of the Sphinx (£40.99)
Winner: LJB (you said the magic word apparently: "laser")

Second prize: Hero Factory: Fire Lord (£17.99) and Hero Factory: Stormer 2.0 (£7.99)
Winner: Wit Wit Woo

Third prize: Harry Potter: Quidditch Match (£20.99)
Winner: Clairey W

Fourth prizes:
New Lego games: Frog Rush, Sunblock, Banana Balance, Ramses Return (£9.99 and £7.99 each)
Winners: Mirka Moore, Joanne Mallon, Pants With Names, Dan.


Congratulations all. I will be in touch.

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The Gallery: April

We had no intention of watching the Royal Wedding.
We had every intention of taking advantage of the fact that huge swathes of the UK would be glued to their TVs and so pretty much anywhere we went for a day out would be crowd free.

But then a strange thing happened.
While getting dressed to go out, we left the children watching the TV on our bed. Lay out on their tummies, chins in hands, utterly glued.
So we sat and watched for a little while; the whole family cuddled up on our bed.
Then before we know it, it's time for the service to start so we stay to see the 'princess's dress'.
And then Prince William mouths something like 'I love you' or 'you look beautiful' and my 8 year old says "that must mean they really love each other" and before you know it we've watched the whole thing and I'm on the verge of tears.

Whatever you feel about the Royal family, or the spectacle, or the expense of a Royal wedding I just love the effect it had on us that day.
It made me feel proud to be British. It made me feel warm and wonderful and patriotic and joyous.
And given the shocking events which marked the first day of May, that's something I will hold onto as my over-riding memory of April 2011.

The day we curled up on the bed together to watch a couple in love say 'I do' and then partied with strangers at a local street party.

This post is for Week 57 of The Gallery: April.
If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too (try to ignore the 'copyright' warning just this once!)

Now go forth and show some big blog love.
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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How much do your children know about 9/11?

The news is awash with the story today that Osama Bin Laden has been killed by American forces and his rein of terror is at an end.
But as the world's media and politicians rejoice, I confess I feel a great deal of discomfort over a world cheering over a person's death.
Yes he's a man who has helped cause great heartache, committed great evil and continued to preach that evil.
But should we 'celebrate' his death?

My children know about the horrors of 9/11 because my husband and I have a personal story wrapped up in those events.
We've explained to my 8 year old what happened, tried to tell him why it happened and tried to explain what 'terrorism' is (not an easy concept for a child to understand).
But now do I tell him we should cheer because the man behind these acts is dead?
That a man has been hunted down and killed and so we should wave flags and laugh and clap?
Or should I tell him that we should be quietly grateful he can no longer cause harm and move on with our lives?

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