TLFG: 27 June - 3 July 2016

It's only been five weeks since TLFG broke for the summer but here we are back again.

One of the main reasons being that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink brought his QPR side back for pre-season a week ago and he's throwing them straight back into action.

With very little on, I've taken the bold move of including QPR's first friendly at Aldershot Town even though it's outside London. It's only a 45-minute train ride from Waterloo and the ground is just metres from the station. Tickets are £10 and are available on the gate.

There's just over two months to go

The following day, a QPR XI of youngsters and reserves will travel to Ruislip to take on National League South club Wealdstone which should attract a reasonable crowd to Grosvenor Vale.

So what else has been going on over the last month?

For the first time in 20 years I've missed out on going to a European Championship as the timing hasn't been good for me. I did, however, warm-up for it by going to the England C v Slovakia U21 game at Sutton United.

It was the first time I'd been to see England's non-league XI in action and they produced a seven-goal thriller which they sadly lost to a hotly disputed 97th minute free-kick.

The following day I announced that this year's Non-League Day will take place on Saturday 3 September so a hectic couple of months of build-up now ensues.

The controversial rebrand of the Football League to become the EFL has now taken effect and the fixtures for it and the Premier League have now all been published for the season ahead.

A number of new clubs have joined at Step 6 so there will be some unfamiliar names on the match map over the coming months. 

As mentioned above, there's not a lot on over the next few days but things start to pick up next week and get into full swing the week after that.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only nine matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season gradually gets underway.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 28 June

Debden Sports v Ilford @7pm  - one for hardcore football junkies who simply can't wait to see a live game as a Step 10 side host an Ilford side made up of trialists

Wednesday 29 June

Millwall Lionesses v London Bees @745pm - a London derby in the FA Women's Super League taking place on Sutton United's increasingly popular 3G pitch

Friday 1 July
Aldershot Town v Queens Park Rangers @745pm - the first friendly of the season involving a London pro-club's first XI. It's not in London but only just outside and very close to Aldershot station so easy to get to.

Saturday 2 July
Wealdstone v Queens Park Rangers U21 @3pm - the R's youngsters and reserves are in action the following day at west London's top non-league club
FA Women's Super League Cup doubleheader from 2pm - the Hive, home of Barnet, plays host to back-to-back games in this competition. London Bees play Chelsea at 2pm while Arsenal take on Reading at 5pm - one ticket, priced at £4, gets you in for both.

Sunday 3 July
AFC Wimbledon promotion parade @11am - the Dons will be taking over Wimbledon town centre as they celebrate their play-off win which saw them move up to League One

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Ocean Nursery

After my sister asked to see some pictures of the completed nursery this week, I realized I never got around to posting about it! Again, the whole he-was-born-3-weeks-early thing really threw me off ;) I think I'm going to be trying to play catch up for the rest of my life.

So not only did I not post about it, but his nursery still feels a little unfinished to me. A few things we'd ordered last minute or hadn't gotten around to still aren't totally done- but his nursery is still my favorite room in our house. We ordered some decals for above his bed that we ended up hating, so I still need to come up with something to hang there- but otherwise I love it! The ocean themed colors and decor just make me so happy when I walk in there.

 Crib // Whale sheets // Brody the Octopus

Printables from this Etsy shop. Highly recommend! :)

I love the bright colors as opposed to the neutrals that seem to be so popular in kids rooms right now. It's cheerful and happy and just what Jared and I hoped it would be like. I hope T will love it as he gets older :) 

A Normal Weekend

This weekend was the most "normal" weekend Jared and I have had in awhile. The past few have been a total blur but this weekend we got back to a few normal things we typically do and it felt great! It definitely made me feel a little more sane and like maybe we can actually raise a tiny human while still participating in everyday life too ;) It was nothing too eventful, but it was good all the same. 

I actually popped into my office at work for about an hour and a half Friday morning. Trust me- they won't be seeing me again for weeks BUT because I left in such a hurry, I knew there were a dozen unresolved things left on my desk. I don't think I've mentioned it yet since I haven't written an actual birth story or anything, but I left work on May 25th for a normal, afternoon visit to the doctor and found out they wanted to induce me that night- so I never made it back to the office. And my boss was on vacation when this all went down. Anyway, I didn't want to worry about work for the rest of my leave so a quick meeting with my boss was just what I needed to do. 

Saturday we finally had NO plans, NO visitors and NO WHERE to be. Can I get an amen for that?! Jared snuck out early and surprised me with some doughnuts from our favorite bakery but after that we lazied around all morning and took our time getting up for the day.

Once we were up and at 'em Jared and I took care of some much needed to-do's around the house. While he mowed the lawn and took care of some yardwork, I caught up on the laundry and finally gave my kitchen the cleaning that it needed. We also started another donation box and added some new things to get rid of- which you all know by now is one of my favorite things to do. That night? We started possibly the most difficult puzzle I've ever seen, put some Frank Sinatra on the record player and just enjoyed each other's company while T snoozed away. 

Like I said, it felt good to feel "normal" and to be doing things we did before life got so crazy. Taking care of ourselves, our home and our marriage are all important things that I know will seem routine again one day- but for right now we have to remind ourselves to tend to them! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and CHEERS to the first day of summer!

Utilizing Naptime

Hey, Happy Wednesday everyone! I guess I'm sorta' recapping a weekend today.. but more like just recapping the past handful of days. Life is totally a blur and I honestly have to check what day of the week it is about 25 times a day. I just cannot keep track of time or dates to save my life.

Yesterday was officially my due date, which brought all kinds of emotions to the forefront. Even though you know due dates are just an educated guess, it's still the date you keep in mind for 9 long months while you're growing a baby and dreaming about what he/she will be like. Not to mention the half dozen emails from various baby subscriptions congratulating me on being at my due date--- while I stared at my almost 3 week old little man. Just such a mix of feelings yesterday. I'm happy to say I survived ;)

This was the final bump picture at 37 weeks, 2 days as we checked into the hospital that night!

Visitors to the house have been such a blessing to Jared and I. Even though it sometimes feel stressful trying to time up feedings and naps the best we can, it's always so sweet to have visitors and see/feel their excitement over meeting our son. The meals we've received, the diapers that have been dropped off and even goodies like flowers and chocolates for this momma have meant the world. It is so nice to feel loved and know that your baby is loved, too. I can't even begin to thank everyone enough!

Other than that? I wipe booty, feed a mouth and stare at this little cutie all day long. I'm still in awe that Jared and I made such a cute, perfect human. Obviously we are biased, first-time parents but I can't believe he's ours. Amazing and terrifying to know we are responsible for this tiny person!

I hope you all are doing well! I haven't read blogs in almost 3 weeks but I hope to catch up with you all and your blogs in the near future. Life is slowly becoming "normal" so we'll see if I can utilize naptime to catch up soon ;)

Five Years

May 28th was Jared and I's fifth wedding anniversary! Sadly- we spent it cooped up in the hospital, BEGGING for them to discharge us that day, but they made us wait until the following afternoon. Even though I was in pain, Jared was stuck on a tiny pullout couch and we were trying to figure out how in the world we'd become parents- it was still a special day. My parents sent us some beautiful flowers which brightened up the cramped, sterile hospital room. Jared even crawled into my hospital bed to be with me that night since I wasn't up and moving around a ton at that point. Even though we should have been sleeping we stayed up late for a couple of hours staring at our baby and talking about life. It was definitely an anniversary I'll never forget.

Jared has been my rock through everything. When I was scared of being induced, and then completely petrified about going into surgery Jared was my comfort and my strength. He was scared too but never showed it- he kept it together and encouraged me constantly. Not just during labor and delivery, but he has encouraged me through an entire pregnancy, through job struggles, financial worries, personal doubts; Jared is truly the glue that keeps me put together in any situation.

So although our official anniversary came and went without a big celebration, no fancy dinner dates, heck- we didn't even get a family photo on that day- I couldn't let it go by unnoticed. Five years is no small feat and it's incredible all we've done, seen, shared and experience in those years together. While we enter into a world of diapers, spit-up and sleepless nights I had to let my man know just how much I love him. It's impossible to put into words, but I did my best. Happy (belated) anniversary, Jared!! 

10 Things I've Learned in 10 Days

Hey blog friends. Me again, still alive and still existing in this whirlwind of newborn-land. The past 10 days have been the craziest of my life, there is no other way to describe it. You always hear other people talk about this phase of life and imagine how it'll be for you, but until you're in the thick of it there's just no way to fully understand what it will be like. Jared and I are having so much fun figuring out this parenthood thing and I know every day will be a new adventure, a new challenge and a new chance to fall in love with our little guy.

I've learned a lot already in the past 10 days and I just figured I'd share what those things are:

1. Bodily fluids are no longer disgusting when they are your own child's.

2. I can somehow exist sleeping only 2 hours at a time for multiple days in a row.

3. If someone offers to bring you a meal or to run an errand for you- LET THEM.

4. C-sections suck and I would never wish them upon anyone.

5. I'm a terrible patient and hate hospitals. I also have a lot of strong opinions about the medical world, inductions and childbirth now. One day I might be able to post about it all.

6. Life can change overnight and it messes with your mind. Just hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

7. Parenting with Jared is already my favorite thing in the entire world. I have fallen more in love with him every day since T got here.

8. Post-baby body is super weird/fascinating. I lost 20+ pounds the first 10 days (woo!) but everything else looks TOTALLY different.

9. Even though the only things he really does involve sleeping, eating and dirtying up diapers- he is totally our #1 source of entertainment right now.

10. My son is the cutest and I say that about 1,000 times a day. I can't believe he's ours!!

Happy Monday!! :)

Meet our Son

Oh, hello world, hello June! And hello, I have a one week old baby today! In case you missed the news on Instagram, our little man made his debut into the world 19 days before his due date, on 5/26/16 at 6:45 PM. World, meet our son.

His arrival was nothing like I'd ever hoped or planned for and to be honest, Jared and I are still trying to process everything that has happened in the past week. After five looong days in the hospital, we are just so thrilled to be home with this little sweetie and we're so thankful for his health and for mine as well.

Thank you EVERYONE for all the well wishes and prayers- they have meant everything to us! Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery for me (I don't care what anyone says- having a csection is rough) I'll be back at some point with more details and updates, I'm sure ;) Right now I'm enjoying every second with my new family of three!