A Risky Business

I'm taking a bit of a risk writing this post.

Some of you may have seen that my activity on my blog (and Twitter and Instagram) has been almost non-existent over the past 2-3 weeks. Once again, I apologise.

Well, you remember back in early Spring, Matt was searching for a new job?

Yes?

It was a search that took him off to America when I was heavily pregnant. A search that eventually ended up with him starting a new job in early June.

For a while everything was rosy.

But then a few weeks ago, just after a weeks break in Tenby, it all turned pretty sour.

I won't go into details because I don't want to be accused of bad-mouthing the company...just in case. Although I've never divulged the name of the company on my blog. You can't be too careful though, you never know who's reading!

The upshot of all this is that Matt quit his job just over 2 weeks ago.

For a family of 4, with me earning a very limited salary from a small bit of freelance work, this was a pretty scary decision but one I backed Matt on fully. No great salary or fancy car was worth that. Thankfully we are financially secure enough for him to afford to do it for a while.

We both went through a fair few nights of very little sleep because of the fall-out from his resignation.
It turned a bit nasty. I won't say anymore than that.

Thankfully things are on the up.

Matt had managed to secure an interview within 48 hours of his resignation. He had an interview today, has another one on Thursday and one next week. He's also been headhunted by a direct competitor who heard he'd left and say they want to talk to him about joining them.

I haven't been able to blog about it because we still haven't told Matt's parents yet - Matt wants to tell them in person. Although they don't know about my blog so they wouldn't find out I just felt a bit strange writing about it without them knowing. They were supposed to come up this weekend but they cancelled so it drags on another week. If they do eventually discover my blog and read this then I apologise!

I have been itching to blog about it. Blogging can be a great therapy sometimes. Plus, I really wanted to share it with you guys so you understood why I'd been a little quiet of late.

That should change now.

I'm eager to get back to blogging and reading the blogs I love and I'm also looking forward to attending Blog Camp in a couple of weeks. I was unsure if I'd make it as Tiny Ched has a penchant for boob but the other day, for the first time, he actually took a whole bottle of milk!

This was after a great week of finding out I'd been chosen to be a Cosatto Brand Buddy (I love this brand so SO much) and then scooping the Best Baby Blog Award at The MAD Blog Awards on Friday.

Yes things are definitely on the up!*

My world

*I say this but Mini Cheddar has had some awful sickness bug the past 2 days. Can't win 'um all ;)

A New Job For Matt And New Menus For Frankie & Benny's!

As my regular readers will know, Matt has been dreadfully unhappy in his work recently and I haven't exposed this on the blog before but the threat of redundancy has hung over us for a while now. He's now been told he's safe but, like any job, for how long? His recent trip to America for a job interview wasn't something we were entirely happy about but we went with it for his sanity. He's had a few job interviews recently and had a couple of loose offers on the table but these have all required him working a certain amount of time each week down South. Something neither of us want.

Anyway, we had some great news last week. He has been given a superb job offer from someone - and he didn't even have to interview for it. Yes, he was headhunted!

This job will mean a lot more money and he won't have to spend a great deal of time away from home.

MC enjoying a milkshake and a jigsaw

To say we are both happy is an understatement.

So, what did we do as a mini celebration?

We went out for our first proper family meal together as a foursome and we were treated to it thanks to Frankie & Benny's to test out their 4 brand new menus.

I had to laugh when I was contacted with the offer to review the new menus. The morning I received the email we had already decided to pop there for lunch. We practically live in Frankie & Benny's. In fact, I'm the mayor of our local one on FourSquare! True fact.

You can't beat Frankie & Benny's for a relaxed atmosphere, speedy service and good value food. Mini Cheddar loves it there - she ALWAYS has the tomato penne pasta on the kids menu and laps it up. Plus, the kid's activity packs and balloons always help.

Frankie & Benny's have 4 exciting new menus they have just launched - breakfast, lunch, specials and desserts.

Starters - mmmm Amazing Skins!

Hard at work

I have to say, what I love about Frankie & Benny's is the choice. Their menus are very extensive so everyone is sure to find something they love. I obviously opted straight for the Amazing Skins with crispy bacon and melted cheddar. Delicious!

I always sit in awe at the chefs at our local restaurant on how they cook such great meals so quickly in full view of hungry diners.


Their new menus are fabulous and such superb value for money. Look what's on offer:

Breakfasts are just £5 each and you can have unlimited refills of tea or coffee for an additional £1.50

Lunch (Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm) you can enjoy 1 course (£5.95), 2 courses (£8.25) or 3 courses (£9.25) with unlimited soft drink choices when you buy a regular drink

Specials can be enjoyed all day Sun-Fri for £10.95 for 2 courses or 3 courses for an additional £2.25

Mains - yummy!

Desserts - even yummier!

As for the desserts...wow! I had the sticky toffee pudding and it was amazing. In fact, Matt actually tricked me by saying "Look at that photo!" over my shoulder. I turned around to see nothing, turned back to see Matt digging into the toffee sauce. He did share his marshmallows from his amazing sundae with MC though.

Yes, it has to be said that we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Frankie & Benny's but, then again, we ALWAYS do. I think it's a great family restaurant and we will continue to eat there - after all, I have my Foursquare mayorship to keep up now don't I?

Frankie & Benny's gets the thumbs up!

We received a £50 voucher to spend at Frankie & Benny's 

but all photographs, words, views and opinions are my own.

Daddy's Home!

Yes, he came home last week but this post is really to let you all know that thankfully unfortunately, we found out yesterday, he didn't get the job.

I think I mentioned in my post last week that we were even surprised he got a first interview, nevermind a second, third and forth (in America!). The job specification asked for at least two languages and Matt only speaks one. Apparently that's the only reason they decided against him.

They have said though that there may be something else in the future if the UK business really takes off.

Still, their loss is our gain! Plus he got a free trip to America and also got to see some of our relatives which was a nice bonus.

Yes it would have been a good opportunity but, as I mentioned previously, Matt came back from America full of doubt about whether he would take it even if it was offered to him. They said they would want him over in the States at least 4 times a year as well as spending a couple of days in London each week (we live in North Wales). It wasn't something he felt comfortable about.

Neither did I.

Having 'Daddy' away from home for so long had a bigger impact on Mini Cheddar than I thought it would. She missed him terribly and for the first few days after his return she would get anxious if he went out anywhere without us and would say "I just want Daddy to come home".

She was SO excited the day he was due home. I had told her that his plane had landed in London but he needed to make his way back on the train. Then I got a text to say he was getting into the station a couple of hours earlier than we'd first thought. When I picked her up from play school and told her she was beside herself.

Yes, there was one good thing about Matt going away to America.

Him coming home again.

Who needs a fancy new job when you have a gorgeous daughter who loves you more than anything?

Decisions, Decisions...

Matt's interview in America went well - he did his best. Now all we can do is wait.

As I spoke to him last night the uncertainty of even going to the US for this interview has spilled over into what will be if he does get the job.

He's not happy with his work at the moment, he hasn't been for a while. However, his current work allows him to work from home in 'the den' so I'm lucky in respect that, most of the time, he's on hand to help me out. In the early days after MC was born this was a complete Godsend.

He applied for this new job never really thinking he would even get a first interview. To be honest, neither did I. The job looked very high profile (not that he's not, of course) and also more than one language. Being from Derby, Matt even struggles with the English language sometimes!*

So when he got a first telephone interview we were both taken aback. Then he got a second interview. Wow. Then a third one down in London. I thought maybe that would be the end of the line but no. He was due to give a presentation to the head office in Virginia over Skype. Next thing we know - they want to see him. They said they'd fly him out to spend the day with them. He could do the presentation in person and then would have 7 (yes 7!) one-on-ones with various people in the business.

So now here we are awaiting the result which should hopefully come by the end of the week.

He loved the company, loved the people (although he wouldn't be working directly with them) but he said to me last night "If they offer it to me and IF I take it".

"Er? Hold on! 'IF' you take it. What do you mean 'IF'?" I said to him.

MC on Skype with Daddy and Cousin Nick on Sunday.
This may be a more regular occurrence!

So he goes on to explain that he was told that he'd have to go over the the US once a quarter. Plus he'd have to spend some time in London and he doesn't know whether he can cope with that as he'd have to leave me and MC (and the new arrival) again. Thankfully we have relatives that live a stones throw from the US office (Matt spent most of his time over the weekend with them) and they've said that he can stay with them and they'd also love to have me and the kids come out too.

He also said that he never thought he'd get this far and now he has, he's apprehensive. So I asked him why he'd even gone out to the US if he wasn't sure about it. He said he needed to prove to himself he could do it.

So, here we are playing the waiting game. This isn't great when we have a baby due in just less than 5 weeks! If he does get it then last thing I want is him disappearing down to London or even worse, America when there's a new baby on the block!

I'm in two minds about what I want the result to be. I'd be thrilled if he was offered it as it's an amazing opportunity but at the same time I think I may be secretly thrilled if he doesn't get it and I think, from speaking to him last night, that he feels the same. At least then there will be no decision to make and I'll have a husband at home.

All we can do now is wait.





*Obviously a joke before anyone from Derby takes offence ;-)

Absence Really Does Make The Heart Grow Fonder

According to Elton John, 'sorry' seems to be the hardest word.

I'd like to challenge Mr. John (or should I say Mr. Dwight?) over that song. For me 'goodbye' seems to be the hardest word.

As those of you who read my Pregnancy Patter post last Monday will know, Matt had to go away for a short while.  He's still away now, as I write this, and I can honestly say it's been really hard.

It sounds so silly being so upset about him going away for what works out to be not even 5 days but he works from home so I'm used to having him here. Of course, he goes away on business a bit but he usually only goes for one night and the most he's ever been away in the past 8 years has been 2 nights. Also, the furthest he's ever been is Holland.

This time he's over 3,500 miles away.

In America.

We all had a last dinner out together before we
took Daddy to the station - this was just before
we left the restaurant to catch his train

Saying goodbye to him at the end of last week was really difficult. I hate the thought of him being so far away from us. Being 35 weeks pregnant is really making this so hard. I miss him terribly and every time I think about it I get all blubbery and snotty. It doesn't help that Mini Cheddar keeps cuddling me, stroking my hair and saying "It will be okay Mummy. Daddy will be home soon".  I feel like MC is looking after me at the moment! Thankfully yesterday we had 2 video calls with him on Skype which helped a lot.

It's really made me appreciate everything I have. Really made me realise just how much I love my husband. I've always loved him, right from when we first met, but this ache in my heart is horrible. I don't know if it's pregnancy hormones heightening everything (I think it is) but the distance and the different time zone that's between us right now is something I can't get my head around. It's also been hard that it's completely taken away our 'family time' at the weekend. Having inlaws in Nottingham means one day every other weekend is spent seeing them so it reduces our weekends together enough as it is.

All I could do last week when we parted was think about how it must feel for people (especially those with children) to be separated for long periods of time. I have a friend who's husband is in the US Army and they went for 15 months without seeing each other - they have 3 children. I just don't know how you get through that. I have a new found appreciation for all the people who spend long periods of time away from their families. Especially those in the forces who can't guarantee that their loved one will return home to them.

A final kiss for Daddy at the train station

I know Matt is finding it equally hard. He was fighting back tears (as was I) as he kissed us goodbye at the train station to get his train down to Heathrow. Before I'd even returned to the car he'd sent me a text saying "I just want to get off this train and come home with you". A couple of days before he was due to leave he started questioning whether he should go or not. He just kept saying "I don't think I can leave you both". The thing is, this is a great opportunity for him - if he gets the job. He's not happy doing what he's doing at the moment and I can see how much it's frustrating him. Problem is, if he does get this job it will eventually mean more travel as the role covers Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Thankfully his immediate focus will be in the U.K. but my mind keeps thinking about the possibility of being separated from him again in the future...and we will have two children by then.

I'm guessing what will be, will be. He has to get the job first.

For now I'm just concentrating on getting through the next couple of days until he's home safe with us again. I can't wait to pick him up from the station on Tuesday afternoon.

It's true what they say - absence does make the heart grow fonder. I didn't think it was possible to love my husband any more but I do.

I miss him so much it hurts.