mixed emotions...

Today would have been my dad's 69th birthday..

We had some fun holidays, camping when we were young, then when my kids were small we bought a caravan and used to holiday with mum and dad and my sister and family in their caravans...

Then in 2000, we started holidaying aboard, starting with a big family holiday in Orlando, in 2003 when Sam left school we went for a 3 week holiday to Orlando (swam with dolphins and did a helicopter ride), then we flew onto San Francisco, as I wanted to see and go across the Golden Gate Bridge and hubby and dad wanted to see Alcatraz... from there we flew onto Hawaii, where we we did a few split up's.... while we visited Pearl Harbour, (where Sam wanted to visit), mum and dad looked after Steven as we felt Pearl Harbour was not a place for him.... then another day mum, dad and hubby did the whole Island tour, but we felt it was little too long for the children (it was over 9 hours) so we did a little 4 hour one... Oh yes and saw the beach where Elvis filmed 'Blue Hawaii' one of my favourite films....

As that day was my dad's birthday, we thought we would surprise him with a birthday cake when they got back, but would you believe it, they don't do cakes in Hawaii.... so for a joke we put candles (good job I remember to pack them) in a pineapple as it was one of the places dad had wanted to visit, which he did as the dole pineapple plantation was on the 9 hour tour....

Thought I would share the photo I took of my dad, blowing out the candles, that just wouldn't go out (nearly set off the smoke detector)...



It still brings a big smile to my face remembering him blowing and blowing, and wondering why they just kept relighting, in between fits of laughter, I eventually told him they were trick ones and the only way they would go out was being submerged in water, lol..

oh yes..... and here's a photo of Steven looking at the pineapple afterwards and wondering how you on earth you eat this type of cake, lol...




On the upside, today was Steven's sports day and he was in the yellow team, (just in case you didn't get the hint, as wearing a yellow t/shirt, lol)...

Anyway I'm proud to say he won 1st place in the matching the coloured beanbags to the matching coloured hoops, so well done Steven.....




also I gave my 37th pint of blood today, wasn't going to do it, as I'd forgot to make an appointment the last time I gave it back in March, and as I've said before had always given it with my dad... Which I'm very proud to say had given 109 pints before he had to stop, and that wasn't counting the ones he gave while in the Army at 18, he never missed a donation....

So I thought I had better not either, so I went along to the session after seeing Steven at he's sports day, on the off chance they could fit me in, and they did....

... and this time I remembered to make another appointment, so my 38th is due on the 10th November, so could someone please remind me nearer the time, lol...