New Years Eve

Well, I've done it. 366 photos. One taken every day for the last year. Its not been as easy as I thought, making the effort to find something to capture. Not every picture is perfect (very few of them are if I'm honest) But there is one for every day of 2012. I've learnt a bit more about taking photos, bought a new camera and tried some new techniques and ideas. For the last photo of the project I've chosen my family. My wonderful wife who puts up with me through thick and thin, humours me, hugs me and keeps me sane and my gorgeous daughter who is my world and has provided so many of the views this year.

Christmas preparations

With a couple of days to go, Kim has been busy getting food and drink in the house. Today she was busy cooking up treats. Lily was on hand as chief stirrer for the Rocky Road.

Busy bees

When I got in from work today, the two ladies in my life were busy on the sofa catching up on emails, facebook and washing cars on a game!

Another party

During the week it was my big brothers 40th birthday. Today he organised a big get together for family and friends at a nearby pub. As the man would be late for his own funeral I thought I was safe arriving half an hour early to put some balloons up, but no, he was already there!

Hairdresser

Lily had her first haircut this week and for the first time she was happy for Kim to tie her hair up and put some slides in. Looking super cute she then helped Kim with her hair!

Those Magnificent Women In their Flying Machines

After missing out on Lily time most of yesterday because of motorsport, I wanted to make up for it today. We had an early morning walk to the shop and then into the playground. The little kiddies one has loads for Lily to get her teeth into and her trousers soaked (autumn dew) including this old plane. She was happy to pilot the machine before bailing out down the slide at the back!

Little park with added toys

At the start of the month we cleared an area in the corner of the garden ready for a little bark play area for Lily. Fast forward and her birthday is tomorrow so the Little Tiles house we bought her needs building and setting up. I decided to take a day off work to do this and tidy up. The weather had other ideas and its been lashing it down since last night. Undeterred I put my work boots and a coat on and ventured outside. An hour of heaving plastic panels about and slotting things together and its finished. I hope she likes it and gets hours of fun just mucking about in the garden.

Little park

We decided to buy Lily a Little Tikes play house for her birthday in a few weeks time. The problem with kids garden toys is they get left on the lawn and its soon dead underneath. What she needed was her own area that the house and some other bigt toys could be put. A 3m length of timber, some weed matting and 1600 litres of bark chips later and we turned this corner of the garden into a Lily park. Even with nothing in it she was running round and leaping off the decking into it. It makes the aching muscles the morning after all worthwhile!

Swapping roles

We decided to have a BBQ for a couple of friends yesterday. Normally the men are to be found gathered round the coals speaking in hushed tones about meat. But as the BTCC and MotoGP were on at the same time the ladies were on meat flipping duties while the bloke drank beer!

Feeding time

Animals can be scary things for toddlers. Lily is that keen on dogs when they get close up but is happy to watch from afar so a farm park is the perfect place to get her close up to some new animals. Wellington Country Park has a petting farm at the end of it and we spent an hour wandering round meeting all the animals. Donkeys, pigs, sheep, loads of chickens and some goats. She wasn't happy feeding them, but would load up Kims hand with feed for her to do it whilst she watched.

Putting your best foot forward

What better thing to do on a sunny and warm Sunday than a walk to the shop for an ice cream and a a go on the swings. Lily is now happy to walk most of the way there and back again which eases the strain on the back and knees!

Rare sunny morning

With the British GP on this afternoon we again decided to make the most of a rare break in the weather, the downpours were replaced with a bit of blue sky and sunshine (but only for an hour or two) So we drove out to Bracknell and The Lookout. Set in acres of forest land its got MTB trails and walks as well as a coffee shop and playgrounds. With her all in one waterproofs and wellies on, Lily ran around and had a ball.

Making the most of it

With an unexpected free weekend we decided to try and fill it with some fun stuff. We headed over with our Camperjam convoy buddies , Malcolm and family to Jungle Mania. A massive soft play area nearby and had a couple of hours running around like mad things and swinging and sliding around the place.

Belated presents

I'm never sure what to get Kim as an anniversary present each year. Sometimes I stick to the traditional ideas, but wool wasn't inspiring me much. However she did mention about some new charms out for 2012 to celebrate the jubilee and Olympics. So the first chance to be in the office and able to nip into town, saw me heading to Pandora to pick up the Union Flag styled version.

Happy Anniversary

Seven years ago today we tied the knot. We've done so much since that day, bought some old Dubs, moved house, started a family and generally just enjoyed life together. We have our ups and downs. But we love each other.

Happy Campers

This picture is slightly cheating, but we've done nothing today apart from break camp and come home to lay on the sofa watching TV. So I'm using this brilliant group shot of all our friends that made this little campout so much fun, it was taken on saturday evening after the mammoth BBQ.

Towel girl

This was the sight that confronted me when I got in from work. Lily in just a nappy with her swimming towel over her running round the house. Turns out as it was so warm outside she had decided to drain the contents of our barrel pond over herself to cool off!

Daddy and daughter

Today is Fathers Day, its only my second one, but I had so much fun. Being a dad is amazing, I know to Lily its just another day, but to me its special. We started off with breakfast and a couple of handmade cards and pressies before heading over to watch some historic commercial vehicles set of on the Ridgeway Run, fed the ducks on the Thames. Sat and had a drink and a cake, lazied round the house before playing like mad things in the garden and finished off with a trip to see my dad. We don't really go in for the back slapping father & son routine, but I hope he realises what he means to me. We took a card and a railway magazine over which he loved and was soon picking snippets of information out of before sunday dinner. Now I'm home with Lily tucked up in bed and a big smile on my face.

Pottery painting

Not to be out done by the weather we decided to get out and do stuff instead of moping round the house. So we all drover over to my brothers girlfriend, Janets shop. Kim had a voucher to use up for a pottery painting session. The place was heaving with kids all enjoying some craft time, luckily there was a table for us so Kim set too decorating this cupcake pot. When Lily finally woke up she had a go to with a heart plate and some running around like a mad thing.

Lazy days

With a few more days holiday tacked on the end of the Jubilee weekend we have a rare couple of days. Lily went off to Kims parents as normal for a wednesday and we had the house to ourselves. Kim quilted, I sorted some stuff on the PC and then fired the Wii up for a few games. The stair gates were left wide open and food and drink was abandoned on the table with phone and iPods scattered around. No little fingers swiping any of it. Of course we missed her and when she was dropped back home she was soon into everything. Discovering the Wii Motes for the first time.