The season of taking luncheon and bracing walks...

In order to combat the post Christmas blues the Hammonds have set about a programme of lunches out and bracing walks in the winter Norfolk sunshine. Yesterday  enjoying the fantastic hospitality of the Chamberlain family in front of their warming fire and delicious Gammon. Today, taking in the delights of the 'Three pigs' in Edgefield and a walk in Holt country park with the Ertan clan. Great to see everybody! I think these days were needed as the girls continue to wind down from the Christmas excitement and blow out the cobwebs and slightly fraying tempers! Well worth mentioning the today is our wedding anniversary and Amy and I celebrate twelve years together as a married couple. We have our difficult times, but we stick together and try to work hard as a team in the minefield of modern life and being parents to the two highest maintenance children on the planet! Mental note Bob - it is twelve years not thirteen as I thought earlier today. At least I got the date right I suppose. Happy Anniversary Mrs Hammond x

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Today has been the most wonderful of days. I went into this morning with higher levels of excitement than the girls! We have feasted, had Nerf gun battles at the beach, received so many gifts and spent the day with dear family and friends. Lucy started the day off extremely early at around 5.15am in opening her stocking presents and that kicked things off very well indeed. Oh my god, the presents are everywhere! Amy and I had discussed and decided that this year we should have an austerity Christmas, but as usual we spoilt them rotten. I am delighted to announce that I excelled myself with my chosen presents for Mrs Hammond and they went down a storm. I bought them weeks ago and have been slightly nervous (alright - very nervous!) in the hope she would like them! On a final note - Amy, Ben, Libby and Big Lucy have excelled themselves with the amazing food today. I am stuffed, full and ready for a sleep on the couch. Merry Christmas xx

They made it to the end of term!

I am so proud of my girls this week. Despite clearly being extremely tired at the end of term they have kept going and going and always put the effort in. One of the downsides of the run in to Christmas is the constant events such as plays, parties and fundraising days at school, that put real pressure on any family at an already busy time. You have to tackle it like a military operation just to survive! Add to this the high expectations we have that they continue to go to club, swimming, brownies, Gymnastics and football - they do so with barely a whimper or complaint. Really noteworthy is Lucy's 100% attendance at school again for the whole of this term and achieving her 400 metres swimming certificate. When I was her age I could barely swim a length, but that is another story. I also had the opportunity to go and see Anna's school Christmas production and it was a privilege. I smiled my way all the way through it! It is the first time I have been able to see Anna in any of her Christmas plays or concerts since she was born. A colleague who lost her son several years ago and I were talking this week, if anybody is qualified to tell me this, it is her. She told me to 'enjoy every minute of my girls as you never know when it could end.' I will think of her this Christmas Day as I enjoy my family and give thanks for all I have.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Nothing warms my cockles than the yearly sight of the Hammond living room ready for Christmas with the tree up and a roaring fire going. We put it in the same place every year, but it never fails to have a profound emotional impact on me and really gets me in the mood for the upcoming festivities. Christmas is a family time (except on Boxing Day when the footy is on) and the arrival of the tree reinforces this. Needless to say the girls have now moved up another level on the excitement ladder. Eleven sleeps to go until the man in red makes his annual appearance! 

Coughing, spluttering and crawling our way towards Christmas...

Repeat after me - 'I am a bad dad! I am a bad dad!' Anna has been developing and homing her skills in the art of hypochondria this week - or so I thought. Having pushed, gently cajoled and nudged her to go to school every day whilst counselling her to be positive even if she is not feeling that bright. It turns out I could not have been more wrong as her face swelled today, due to an infection in her mouth. Off we go to see the bionic nurse Ruth, a prescription for antibiotics handed over and Anna politely giving me a 'I told you so'. I am feeling more than a bit guilty! There is a lesson for Anna here though, something about the 'boy who cried Wolf'? Amy has a stinking cold in her first week of her new job, Lucy has a dodgy ankle and a barking cough; so all in all the ladies of the Hammond house are not faring very well in the run up to Christmas. Amy and I were talking, I think Anna is slightly struggling with Amy teaching at her school and this has brought the need for her mothers attention through 'being unwell'. Only problem is, she became quite poorly for real.  I, on the other hand am fighting fit for a change and very excited with Christmas around the corner and a secret trip to the Harry Potter Studio's for the girls to enjoy (and me!) I am sorry Wiggle. Get well soon x