Welcome to week two of my new guest post series Other Bloggers Family Lives. After the success of last weeks post featuring the lovely Sam from North East Family Fun I am delighted to introduce another blog that I enjoy reading which is Wonderfully Average. I only discovered this blog written by Helen a few months ago but I love reading about her little boy T and all about her pregnancy with baby number two.
1.) Tell me a bit about yourself and your family ?
I'm Helen and I'm 29 years old (although fast approaching the big 3-0). I'm married to S, we've been together since I was 17 and met in a DIY shop of all places! We have a gorgeous little boy T, who will be 2 in April (that thought scares me more than me turning 30 to be honest!) and we are expecting baby number two in July.
2.) Where do you live ?
We've lived in a tiny terraced house on a new build estate on the outskirts of a small town in Oxfordshire for the last 3 years. I really like my little town. It used to have a reputation for being a bit rough and I would never have imagined living here 10 years ago, but it's had a lot of investment and redevelopment in recent years. There are still certain pubs that you don't go in, but on the whole, it's a nice place to live. My only complaint is that my commute isn't great but I think wherever you live there's always going to be some compromise.
3.) What is your favourite thing to do as a family where you live ?
As little T is so it's often the simplest of things that he enjoys the most. So trips to the park and feeding the ducks is high up the list. There's gorgeous countryside practically on our doorstep too, so as he gets older I think family walks and bike rides are going to be weekend/holiday staples. We love to go on days out too, there are several farm parks and zoos near us, and the railway museum in our town has regular Thomas themed days.
4.) Did you grow up close to where you live now and what are your favourite childhood memories of where you grew up?
I grew up in Oxford which is about 20 minutes away from where I live now. My favourite childhood memories all surround my childhood home, where my parents still live. I remember long summer days playing with my brothers in the garden or on the megadrive, making Christmas pudding with my mum and staying up late into the night putting the world to rights with my dad.
5.) If you could live anywhere where would you?
I'm going to be really boring and say that I would probably still live in the town I live in now! I would love a bigger house, but I don't think I'd move away. Like I said before, my parents are close by and I grew up in the area so I feel a strong connection to Oxfordshire. I love that T has such an amazing relationship with his grandparents as he sees them so regularly. I also think my town itself is great and amazingly for someone as introverted as me, I have actually made friends since moving here. Why would I want to leave? (If you asked my husband this same question you would get a very different answer, Ha ha )
6.) Have you got any exciting plans for the year ahead ?
All being well, I'll be popping out another kid in the summer so that's going to be a pretty defining moment of the year! We're also hoping to have one last family holiday with just the three of us in June which we're combing with travelling to the wedding of one of my oldest friends, where I'll be a whale sized bridesmaid.
7.) What is your favourite thing about family life ?
Watching little T as he grows up to be such a bright, funny, gentle little boy. Seeing the man I love taking on the role of daddy, teaching our son, playing with him, caring for him. Just spending time together and enjoying each others company. You don't need fancy days out to be happy (although they're nice too), all you need is the people you love........ sorry that was a bit soppy, in my defence I am a bit hormonal and my husband is on the other side of the world at the moment.
Thank you Helen, I loved reading your answers and finding out a bit more about you and your family. Most of my own childhood memories revolve around my childhood home too, my dad still lives there and it feels like home whenever I step through the door. I totally agree that you don't need fancy days out to be happy and just spending time with people you love is the best thing ever.
You can find out more about Helen on her blog
You can also follow on social media
Facebook - Wonderfully Average
Twitter @average_wonder
Instagram Wonderfully_average
Pinterest Wonderfully Average
If you would like to take part in Other Bloggers Family Lives then please do e-mail me at Newcastlefamilylife@gmail.com and I can send the questions over to you. You don't need to be a parent to take part as the questions can be easily adapted.
Thanks for introducing a lovely new blog :) Wishing all the best to Helen for healthy and safe pregnancy :)
ReplyDeleteThank you I am glad that you enjoyed her blog, I love reading her pregnancy posts. xx
DeleteThanks for featuring me, Lindsay. Looking forward to the rest of the series! Xx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking part, I have loved finding out more about you and your family xx
DeleteWhat a great insight into another blogger's life. I'm always fascinated about how couples meet.
ReplyDeleteMe too as some people meet in such unusual places, I met my own partner at a special needs disco when we were both working. xx
DeleteI love discovering new blogs and reading about people behind them:) Will pop over to hers, since I haven't had the chance to read any of her posts yet.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy her blog as much as I do as Helen is so lovely. xx
Deleteaww congrats on baby no. 2! I am so nosy :p I love getting to delve a little deeper into new blogs and the people behind them :p thanks for featuring new bloggers!
ReplyDeleteI am so nosy too and love finding out more about people as everyone life is so different xx
DeleteI love that you met in a DIY shop! I'm sure you won't look like a whale - a beautifully blooming bridesmaid, maybe :) x
ReplyDeleteI know it such an unusual place to meet, I love finding out where people met. I totally agree that I bet she looks beautiful as a bridesmaid xx
DeleteWhat a lovely guest series, I love reading about other bloggers it's always refreshing to see the people behind some of the blogs we read.
ReplyDeleteAnosa
Thank you Miranda I am glad that you like it. I totally agree as even though we read their blogs sometimes we find out new things in series like these xx
DeleteGood luck for your new summer addition. You should buy make sure you buy them a megadrive to play with when they're older ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha she really should do shouldn't she that would be lots of fun x
DeleteI really like getting to know more about fellow bloggers and enjoy reading this series. Hope your pregnancy is going well and look forward to following your journey.
ReplyDeleteThank you I am glad you like it as I put off starting it for ages as I was unsure if anyone would like it or not xx
DeleteAw good luck hope the birth goes smoothly and the rest of your pregnancy goes well hun xx
ReplyDeleteHopefully she will see this lovely comment that you have left her Ana xx
DeleteNot heard of her blog before, now popping over to have a look
ReplyDeleteOh you should she is so lovely and has a lovely blog full of her pregnancy and her little boy xx
DeleteAlways lovely to meet another local blogger - I'm now trying to guess which town Helen lives in! Helen, if you're not already joined up, look up the Oxfordshire bloggers FB/twitter.
ReplyDeleteI hope that she see's this and joins up if she has not already. I love it when I find local bloggers too xx
DeleteI am wishing all the best to Helen for healthy and safe pregnancy x
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely of you, I read her weekly updates and find it so interesting reading about her pregnancy as it is so different to my own xx
DeleteAww congrats on baby number two. I am hoping for a summer baby too, 2017 hopefully
ReplyDeleteBaby news is always lovely isn't it, oh good luck I hope that your wish comes true for next summer I have a summer 2014 baby xx
DeleteIt's so interesting to have a little glimpse of a fellow blogger's life.
ReplyDeleteIt really is isn't it as everyone does things so differently xx
DeleteNice to read about other bloggers. Will pop across and follow :-) x
ReplyDeleteI like reading about other bloggers too as I am so nosy lol xx
DeleteReally like these type of posts. It's lovely to actually meet the bloggers who are behind some fantastic blogs
ReplyDeleteThank you Candace, I know I really enjoy finding out more about them too xx
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