I'm getting married!

My partner and i decided on thursday night that we were going to set a date for the wedding. We have been putting it off mainly because of money, the modern wedding is very expensive so we were planning to save up. Life gets in the way of these things though there is so many things we want to do so saving for the wedding had kind of taken a back seat really. We are doing some building work at the moment and our new kitchen is being fitted in a few weeks, we want to replace the bathroom suite, which like the kitchen we inherited with the house and has needed changing since we moved in. Then of course there are the girls, and children certainly dont come cheap. Then there is the 101 other things that need doing so the big wedding thing was never going to happen.
I always thought i would get married in Scotland but it just wasnt going to be feasible so we decided to wait no longer and plan a wedding for down here. Neither of us are religious so we opted for a registry office, i called the registrar on Friday morning and within a few minutes i had a wedding date for the 20th October this year (9 weeks away). I cant believe its happening so quickly, i've gone into planning mode, with lots of panic thrown in. I'm doing not to bad the reception is booked and the catering sorted, as is the cake. I'm going to view wedding cars tonight and i've got quotes from photographers. I've chosen the florist and what flowers i want i just need to go and speak to her about how i want them arranged. I'm going for roses because sean is english and thistles because i'm scottish.
Sean has chosen his best man although i dont think either of them are keen on the fact i want them to wear kilts. They have fittings on saturday for them. I love a man in a kilt i'm sure they will be happier once the see them on (i hope). I'm going wedding dress shopping on friday, i'm very excited but also really nervous for some reason. I have also ordered dresses for Jessica and Ruby, they are going to look so cute! I just need to organise a kilt for my nephew and a dress for my neice, this is a little more difficult as they live in Alness which is near Inverness, but i'm sure i'll sort something.
Purkul is doing a fantastic job helping me make the invites, we thought it would be cheaper and nicer to make our own. It has been pretty hard work but they are looking really good i think. I couldnt have done it all without her help though, she is a star!
I better get back to it now, still lots to do and children to look after.

take care.
x

Mull of Galloway

We got back on saturday from our week away in the Mull of Galloway, the most southernly point of Scotland. It is a beautiful part of the country and i would recommend it to anyone who wants some peace and quiet, quality time to themselves with beautiful views and who doesnt mind having cows as their nearest neighbours. It was really remote but as long as you have a car you're in travelling distance to a lot of lovely little villages and towns.

It took us five hours to get there but that did include a stop for feeding, nappy change and a stretch of the legs. Ruby slept most of the way only waking for her feed so that was good but gone are the days when our oldest slept all the way. So there were a couple of arguments over the straps on her car seat (we are going through a phase of trying to escape the restraints of her car seat) but we all made it in one piece.

Jessica loved spending time with my niece (12) and nephew (5). We were staying in the old lighthouse keepers cottage now owned by the National Trust. The garden was very secure so the kids could run around without an adult with them constantly and then there were plenty of places to walk outside the cottage. The view out the rooms at the back of the cottage looked straight out onto the sea, definately a lovely way to wake up in the mornings.

We went to Port Logan and Port Patrick both lovely little towns with small beaches. Jessica insisted that the beach was made of snow, (poor child doesnt get to see much sand in Stoke-on-Trent). We visited a victorian fish larder, basically a big pond full of fish but the kids got to hold star fish and other such creatures so they loved it. And of course we climbed to the top of the lighthouse (115 steps) amongst other various trips. But the best trip was probably on the HSS Stena to Belfast. The ferry was lovely inside and there was plenty of things to do on board including a cinema. When we got to Belfast we took a coach trip to the zoo. Had to climb lots of steep hills in the zoo so the kids were all ready for bed by the time we got back to the cottage that night.

I've always been a fan of my mobile phone but it was a rare occasion when one of us got reception, but it was kinda nice having the feeling of being away from it all. But sadly its back to normality now, although i do feel my batteries have been recharged some what.