The Decade in Review....................2007

The year started off as a very busy one. We lived in a 3 bedroom house but with the new arrival coming very soon we decided to get the loft converted which was a great thing to do. It allowed us much more space than we could have ever imagined and essentially made it into a 4 bedroomed house which was spot on for having guests but also having my office up there with PC etc. The worked start with Keith in the early January and the turnaround was alot quicker than we thought in just 5 weeks, all completed.

Unfortunately that wasnt it for the decorating although i wish it had been after all the glossing!

We had to prepare the new arrivals room. We decided not to find out what sex so did the decorating in quite neutral colours. Daddy to be below with more paint on his arms than on the walls!

Mummy with only 8 weeks or so to go painting the new room.......

Wetting the babies head is a must and we decided to do it before little legs was born and on St Patricks Day. What a blast we had at the local drinking Guiness and seeing how many badges we could fit onto our bodies.......

Two days before little legs was born we went to Monk Fryston with my Grandma and Grandad to celebrate their 57th Wedding Anniversary. We had a bit of lunch and a lovely walk around the grounds as usual............

Then 2 days later.................

Nyah Nicola May

born on the 8th April 2007

The picture was taken seconds after Nyah was born. Nikki was fantastic, not just through the labour but all the way through her been pregnant. Nikkis labour lastest around 42hours with the contractions gradually getting worse and worse. Having seen Nikki go through that pain was pretty hard. My respect for women who have had kids is just endless.

August 2007 also saw my best buddy Ben get married with me been best man. They tied the knot down at Warrick and it was one of the hottest days of the day and certainly a day to remember.

IOM 2007, Our 5th year at the IOM TT.

The Decade in Review....................2006

This was a milestone of a year for Nikki. She had been in sales for Inital for a couple of years and previous to that had worked all over the country in particular London where she was a Visual Merchandising Manager. Nikki had been doing this for some time and wanted to refocus her time and energy into her real passion which was Holistic and Beauty Therapy. She took time out to work part time and went back to college to study to get her qualifications in order for her to start up her own business in which she has done.

Another reason for Nikki pursuing this line of career was due to the two mis carriages she had had. Not dwelling on it but these well serious reality checks in that the stero typical view of you fall pregnant and have the baby 9 months later couldnt be further from the truth, It can be alot more complicated than that.

This picture was taken just before Nikki went for her graduation. Nikki was also recognised as the student of the year which she was over the moon with and well deserved.

http://nikkimayholistic.co.uk/

Me and Nikki also visited the North West 200 road event in Northern Island. We got the plane over then camped near to the circuit. The visit wouldnt have been the same without a trip to my hero's local bar...............

We celebrated my Grandma and Grandads 54th Wedding Anniversary this year, awesome! We celebrated by going to Crofters as a family and having some good food and few drinks. They really are remarkable for their age and really are people to look up to.

2006 also saw me get promoted from a CDDR to AE Grocery covering Bradford. This was a really enjoyable time been an AE covering the big 4 in bradford and allowed exposure to some serious volume accounts.

This picture was taken in December 2006, 3.5 months before Nikki was due to give birth. At this stage and on reflection she was quite big with still alot growing ahead of her!!!

TT 2006

We went this year with Dave and Jimmy. Me and my dad on the bikes, Dave and Jimmy in the car carrying the beers.

Morecambe’s John McGuinness won his ninth TT, blitzing the six-lap Superbike TT, winning for the second year in succession.

Riding the 1000cc HM Plant Honda Fireblade, he broke his own outright lap record from a standing start, went even quicker on the second lap and carried on to register the fastest-ever six lap average speed, winning by 39 seconds. Ian Lougher (Stobart Honda) trailed Ian Hutchinson (McAdoo Kawasaki) to begin with, but gradually reeled in the 10 seconds starting interval and maintained second to the end.

Flying Kiwi Bruce Anstey narrowly fought off the close attention of Yorkshire’s Ian Hutchinson to win his second successive Superstock TT and make it five wins in five years. The pair were rarely more than seconds apart as the four-lap race was slugged out after an hour’s delay for mist. Welshman Jason Griffiths made it three different marques in the top three placings.

At an astounding record average speed of 122.264mph and a record lap at 123.975mph John McGuinness won the Supersport TT, with Superstock race winner, Bruce Anstey second, after Ian Hutchinson was disqualified for a machine infringement. Third place was awarded to Jason Griffiths.

John McGuinness again set a blistering pace in the Senior TT race taking the outright lap record to 129.451mph on the second lap of the ‘blue-riband’ TT, and take his number of wins to 11. Australian Cameron Donald finished in runner-up place, in his second year at the TT, with fellow Antipodean Kiwi Bruce Anstey third.

2007 was going to be a massive year, new baby, new job and i guess everything that comes with that, a total new way of life............