September 2016 - A Little Lyrical

20Sep 2016

Blog On Link Up – My answers

by Lyric ⋅ 4 Comments

This Sunday I’m off to my second Blogon conference at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. I went to my first one earlier this year. It was a fantastic event, unfortunately I wasn’t feeling great on the day so don’t think I really made the most of it. This time I will try to be more social and will be feeling great on the day. Blog On take 2!

Heres my answers to the Blog On Ice breaker Linky:

1. Share a recent photo of you (or a doodle!)

This is me! I’m pretty tall (6ft1) some might say as tall as Buzz Lightyear!

2. Describe yourself in five words or less

Adventurous, ambitious, happy, grateful
3. How long have you been blogging, and why did you start?

Two years, and I was inspired to start by my good friend Jenny from Lets Talk Mommy
4. What are you hoping to get out of Blog On?

More skills to enhance my blog and my posts – meet new friends
5. Name a few of your favourite blogs.

So difficult to say as I like so many different kinds, I really like Attic 24 as I’ve followed it for a long time.
6. What’s your favourite social media platform(s)… and what’s your username?

I really like instagram and pinterest as I’m a very visual person and love seeing pictures and getting new ideas

Instagram – Lyrical_mum

Pinterest -Lyricalcraft (A Little Lyrical)
7. Share a fact about you no-one would guess.
8. What’s your favourite bit of tech?

I am very lucky to have the new iPhone 7 and I actually love it, I’ve never been so impressed with a new phone before but Apple have got it very right for me this time!
9. If you won the lottery, how would you spend your winnings?

I’d pay off my mortgage first and foremost for my children’s future, then I’d think about how to help others. There would be treats for us along the way but I really would like to thank a fair few people who have helped me and our family throughout the years.
10. If you could host a talk show, who would be your first guest?

I think I’d choose Michelle Obama, I’d love to hear more about her life in the Whitehouse and what it’s really like to be the first lady.
11. Share a funny (or favourite) memory from your life.

I do have lots of funny things happen to me but they are often hard to describe in words (you sort of have to be there moments) so my favourite memory from life so far has got to be the day I got married to my best friend – yes soppy I know!!
12. What is your favourite book (or film if you’re not a big reader) and why?

I really like factual books about things I love, so I’m currently enjoying a book about Walt Disney World and how it came to be from a concept.
13. What picture is on your phone/tablet lock screen?

My two boys, because when I’m at work it reminds me why I’m there, for them.
14. If you had an hour of time all to yourself, how would you spend it?

Swimming in a pool with a swim up cocktail bar, where I could sit and chat with new people. I love hearing people’s stories.
15. What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever been given

Don’t make any decisions in the nighttime, things ALWAYS seem better in the morning! (This has helped me through so much, I’ll always remember who told me this!)

Looking forward to a read through everyone else’s answers, I hope I can put names to faces on Sunday!

19Sep 2016

Walt Disney World – The most magical place in the world!

by Lyric ⋅ 2 Comments

Walt Disney World – just the sheer mention of this magical place makes my heart happy. My first trip to Walt Disney World was in 2004 (only 12 years ago) but since then I’ve become addicted!

Me back in 2004 on my first trip with my brother

As a child my mum and dad didn’t have the money to take us to Disney so it’s something I’d always dreamed of doing, and something that always reminds me how lucky I am to be able to go and take my own children. In 2005 the opportunity came up to go with a large group of people as part of a singing group. So I jumped at the chance, the person I was supposed to be going with unfortunately dropped out so my brother stepped in. On that trip we stayed at a Walt Disney World resort called Caribbean Beach, it was from there my love of Disney started. We only had 5 day tickets on that trip so we didn’t get to see much and we were complete novices, I didn’t know that it was best to plan your day. I thought you could just rock up and wing it! All first timers have been there!

Walt Disney World – What’s there?

For anyone who’s not been Walt Disney World consists of 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, a shopping and dining area called Disney Springs and 25 resort hotels on site. The land at Walt Disney World covers an area the size of Greater Manchester in the UK so it’s pretty vast!

If you haven’t been before it’s hard to explain why it’s so fantastic without actually experiencing it but I’m going to try! I’m sure there are lots of blog posts around that try to explain the magic of Disney and I realise this is yet another one but I feel like I need to put it in my own words too.

From the moment you get on the magical express (the free Disney coach service provided by Disney from Orlando international airport) you feel welcome and can truly relax.

The employees of Walt Disney World (or cast members as they are known) really are second to none. Disney expects a high standard for their employees and it really shows. I always feel welcome at Disney, the cast members are always friendly and helpful with a smile on their faces. The rooms, parks, resorts and even toilets are always spotless and this is something that is important to me. I only just realised how spotless the toilets are on this recent trip as we visited other attractions and shopping areas in the Orlando area and it really highlighted how much care Disney takes in attention to detail with cleanliness.

From the moment you enter any of the parks you are transported into a magical world of happiness and fun. Don’t get me wrong we do have our fallings out and grumpy moments as a family but on the whole it’s hard to be sad in a Disney park.

If you go with children you start seeing the magic through their eyes, we have been 3 times with children and it’s magical, it truly is. They believe the characters are real, they giggle and laugh on the rides, they have wide eyes at the shows and parades and marvel at the fireworks (while mummy cries with joy!)

If you go without children like we did many times it’s still magical, it’s as if you are instantly transported back to your own childhood. The worries of everyday life are gone. There’s no thinking about work, or bills or the usual home stresses, just magic, and it happens all around.

Honeymoon trip 2008 – Pre-children magic

The place itself is magical but the cast members really make it wonderful and create the memories. This past trip we met some many lovely cast members who made our trip magical, they spoke with the children, they gave them stickers, they had a smile and a wave and a well wish. It truly was wonderful and I miss it already.

I realise how lucky we are to be able to go. Yes Walt Disney World is expensive but you truly get what you pay for, an escape from reality for the time you are there, immersed in the magic. I would rather just go to Walt Disney World every 3 or 4 or 5 years and save up to pay for it than take a holiday every year to somewhere else.

I’m hoping to get time to write about more of our adventures in Walt Disney World so that the boys can read them back and remember the memories we created.

So next time someone says to me “You’re going there AGAIN?” I will just smile and say “Of course it’s the most magical place in the world” and it truly is.

18Sep 2016

My Sunday Photo – Skydiving at Airkix

by Lyric ⋅ 16 Comments

I haven’t joined in with my Sunday photo for a while now so thought I’d jump back on board this week with a photo taken yesterday. This is my 5 year old son at Airkix indoor skydiving. He’s been asking to do this since he was 3 years old! The minimum age is 4 years old but I still didn’t think he was ready so for his 5th birthday we bought him a voucher. We used the voucher yesterday and this was the result. He was excited yet nervous to go in but I’m so proud that he did it and loved it! Could this be the start of a new hobby!?

13Sep 2016

Another month has gone by!

by Lyric ⋅ Leave a Comment

It’s been a massively busy time for us over the past month, at the start of the summer holidays my cousin from the states came to stay with us for a while so we were busy showing her the sights including the big smoke (London). While she was here we celebrated my eldest 5th birthday but on the same day received some tragic news which I don’t want to discuss in such a public place. Then a few days later we were lucky enough to fly off on a three week holiday to Walt Disney World. Upon our return school started within a day and since then it’s bee a whirlwind of homework, school uniforms and getting back to work.

I hate that the blog has a huge gap in it but time just hasn’t allowed me to sit down and put fingers to keys. I have however promised myself I will try to blog more and continue with recording the boys growing up so they have something to look back on when they grow up.

For now though it’s teatime and the boys are hungry, off to do tea, bed, bath etc etc!