Throwback Thursday | Sisters Graduation

Hola Sparkly1s

One of my favourite photos of my Dad and Mini Greenoid

Thursday only means one thing here on Gemzicle Sprinkles... #Throwback Thursday. I say it every week but I love looking through old photos.

This weeks #TBT is more recent, just over 3 years ago.  

My younger sister Lara got the super brains in the family and went to Oxford University.  I didn't know this but, apparently, you can choose when to graduate? Have you been to uni? Could choose when you graduate? When I went to uni I just graduated as soon as I finished my course but she delayed hers as she wanted Mini Greenoid to attend.  When we found out my Dad was sick she booked her graduation as quick as possible so our Dad could attend.

I don't know if you've ever been to a graduation ceremony but they're not the most exciting of things but this one, jeez, this one took the biscuit! It was in Latin! Yeap. Latin. Hours and hours of someone speaking something about something I couldn't understand.

It was a fun day overall though.  We watched the ceremony, then went to the celebration lunch.

Link your #TBT in the comments. I love seeing them.

Benefits Of Being A Single Mum

Hola Sparkly1s

Being a single mum is hard. No doubt about it. I admire anyone who is going about this whole parenting thing single handedly.  I've been a single mum to Mini Greenoid since he was around 1. He's now nearly 10 and I've had one serious (3 year) relationship in that time.  There's been many a time when it's been a real struggle and there's no doubt that its financially difficult, but there are also loads of benefits of being a single parent.

 

No one to undermine my authority.

I've always been a confident parent despite being young (22 when I gave birth).  I knew how I wanted to raise my child.  I also have strong opinions on what is right and wrong in terms of parenting.  In fact I can get quite argumentative about it.  It would drive me insane if when I said 'bedtime' someone said 'aw let him stay up a bit longer.'  It's a huge responsibility knowing that you make all the decisions but I like it and honestly, don't know if I could cope any other way.

I get Sundays to myself.

This one is dependant on if Dad turns up but in general I have a whole day 10am - 5pm to do with as I choose.  Some mums get whole weekends to themselves, I only get a day but that's fine.  I enjoy that I can nip out shopping or meet friends for lunch or play computer games without feeling guilty that I should be entertaining Mini Greenoid. 

No more fighting about who does what.
Theoretically, in terms of workload, it should undoubtedly be harder to raise a child on your own.  Half the adult input so double the adult responsibility.  But that's so not the case in my experience.  The energy and effort I've put in trying to figure out how chores can be split so each partner is happy is much harder than just doing the tasks myself.  If I do have a partner I expect him to do his share but invariably he doesn't, so I nag and moan and build up a lot of resentment.  Trust me, it's so much easier when you just know from the offset it's your responsibility to do it.

Independent role model.
One of the best gifts I'm able to give my son is the knowledge and understanding that he can make it on his own.  It's far better to 'want' to be in a relationship than to 'need' to be in one.  I will teach him that he needs to be able to cook, iron, wash his clothes etc because it will make him a better, more rounded person.  Children imitate what they see, good and bad, so if your child sees you as an independent, complete person they will imitate this behaviour.

 

Unexpected Fun in York

Yesterday we decided to go to York for the day.  The reasoning behind the trip was that Mini Greenoid has a project to do for school and has decided to do it on Vikings.  I'm all for a bit of hands on experience when it comes to kids learning about things so I thought a trip to Jorvik Viking Centre would be the ideal thing to do. 

 

 

 

York's an hour and 45 minute drive away for us so its a fair way.  We had a fantastic day though and I thought I'd share some of my snaps and experiences.

 

Jorvik was good but not at all what I expected.  I've been before as a kid but couldn't remember it at all.  It's right in the centre of York (the entrance is in a shopping centre next to TopShop and JaneNorman I think) and it's a reconstruction of Viking Age streets 1000 years ago.  There's also a range of exhibitions in a museum style setting. 

 

 

 

After our visit to Jorvik Viking Centre we decided to take a stroll around the streets and I'm so glad we did.  There were street entertainers and mini festivals around every corner.  We watched RobRoy who is an amazing escapologist, some very talented people doing Capoeira, singers and dancers and Samba bands.  We strolled through the farmers market, smelled all the fabulous street food on sale from Indonesian to Italian and bought ice cream down by the river.

 

 

 

It was a wonderful, unexpected day of so much fun.  As we were leaving Mini Greenoid said 'I'm glad we came to York, can we come again?'  and that, in my book counts as a success.

 

I would definitely recommend a trip to York for any age and I think we're going to go back soon.  I just so love exploring new places. 

 

Do you know any good places to visit for a day / weekend? 

 

Hasta Luego Sparkly1s

Gemzicle Sprinkles

xoxo

 

Throwback Thursday | Baby Greenoid

It's been nearly 9 and a half years since I had Mini Greenoid & I just had to do my first #tbt post on when he was born.  He arrived on 28th December 2004 early in the morning after a very quick, 3 hour labor.  I know, I know, I was extremely lucky with that!

These pictures were taken when he was between 5-8 weeks old. He was so tiny. He only weighed 5lb14oz when he was born and nothing fitted him.  I didn't find out what I was having so a little, baby boy was a complete surprise.  I remember being pregnant & going through stages of really wanting a boy one week then the next really wanting a girl.  I suppose I didn't really mind either way. 

 

It made me quite sad looking through the photo albums (yeah, that's right - I said photo albums, 10 years ago I still had films that I had to take to the shop to be developed, so these are all actual physical photos.) I've always been the photo taker as opposed to the photo subject and there are hardly any photos of me and Baby Greenoid.  I love this one though as we're both smiling.  Well I'm smiling, he's probably got wind.

I hope you enjoyed my first Throwback Thursday.  If you do #TBT on your blog let me know down in the comments.  I love a little story behind the #TBT & not just the picture.

Hasta Luego Sparkly1s

Gemzicle Sprinkles

xoxo