The Rising’s Growing Together Podcast - Valentine’s Day, Love Beyond Gifts & Cherishing Life’s Little Moments @TheRising1111 Ep.3

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

In this episode of Growing Together, Billie and Charlotte explore the true meaning of Valentine’s Day it’s not just about grand gestures or expensive gifts, but about everyday moments of love and connection. They dive deep into the nostalgia of love, reminiscing about heartfelt handwritten letters, family keepsakes, and milestone memories that truly capture the magic of life. From the little moments that matter most, to the importance of cherishing memories, this conversation is a beautiful reminder of what truly counts. What’s Inside This Episode: • Valentine’s Day reflections Is it about the big gestures or the everyday moments? • The magic of handwritten letters and nostalgic keepsakes • How love and appreciation evolve over time • Cherishing childhood memories and family moments • Personal stories on celebrating milestones with loved ones New episodes every Friday! Hosted by Billie & Charlotte best friends, ambitious mums, and career women, bringing real and relatable conversations to your week. Follow us: www.linktr.ee/therising1111 #ValentinesDayPodcast #loveandnostalgia #CherishTheLittleThings #growingtogetherpodcast #handwrittenletters #FamilyKeepsakes #nostalgiclove #podcastforwomen #RealTalkLove #MemoriesThatMatter

So, welcome back, everybody. And today, by the time you guys get to watch this, will be Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's, everybody. Happy love is in the air, or is it? Well, yeah, hopefully. So tell me about Valentine's Day. Do you guys do much for Valentine's Day? Is it a big thing in your house?

Probably not as much now as it was when we were younger. When we live in the first together. Yeah. you know initially it was probably you know get the biggest bunch of flowers you can get yeah like bored we're not afford that's it yeah we was young you know and and things it's probably the bigger the bigger the gesture the better or so you thought you know yeah I think maybe he thought I don't know but I think movies kind of ruined valent times day it kind of is like yeah unless you do something major big gesture extravagant then you don't love your girlfriend or we might even you know we

might have even booked weekends away or, you know, a nice dinner on our own. Just like market in some way. Yeah, yeah. But I think as the years have gone on, don't get me wrong, we still celebrate that it's a day of love. Yeah. But also being realistic that if it's in a weekday, you know, I probably got football to go to. Well, Flamenco's every day. Yeah, life don't stop for Valentine's Day.

So, yeah, we would still celebrate it in our own way. So, I mean, again, it comes back down to what's important one and what it's about. So Mitch would make a dinner, whether it's a three course. He might be made a menu. He might get the kids involved. You might not. You know, and do it that way if we was all at home with the family. Coffee in bed, that's enough.

Don't need little gestures. Exactly. But also what he does as well. is he now, say now, we have a daughter, so for the last eight years or so, he's started to get her involved in Valentine's Day and make something special of her, which I know that, I say it started, I used to see, well, one of a friend of ours who has a daughter and, oh, it was just lovely, he used to make these videos of Valentine's Day, from what I remember there was Valentine's Day.

And, you know, he would either, you know, set up her lovely dinner or... Did he even put an outfit on the bed? Yeah, an outfit on the bed. And then invite her. Exactly that. So, all that was like, oh, my God, that is... That is nice. So sweet.

That is so sweet. And at the time, I didn't have a daughter, I think, when I was started watching, you know, when he came. And his door was a lot older. So I was like, oh, that is, that is gorgeous. And I think it's such a lovely thing for especially a dad to do that for a daughter to show a girl you know how you should be treated you know not say should be treated because it works both ways in a way but i just think yeah i think i just thought it was lovely yeah and um yeah so so mitch does um does involve lexie and valentine's day so he would get her a card or a little gift or

just little rose or you know just something as a little gesture nothing huge but just to make her feel special and just to remind her how loved she is. I mean, we tell them every day and we tell each other every day. Yeah. I mean, even me and Mitch on a phone call after every phone call, we literally love you by. Yeah. You know, and not many of the people do that. But yeah, just a little gesture to show, to show that you're loved. And this is a day of celebrating that. So I'm going to show you, but you don't need to break the bank real stressed about. And I think what you said is right is that you guys do little things every day. Yeah.

So you're already making a good impression for the kids watching. This is what, you know, a relationship is or, you know, what you want to demonstrate to them. But I think what a lot of people do is they use that as the day to make all the effort. Yeah. The one day. Yeah. And sometimes the effort throughout the rest of the years, you know, minimal.

Yeah. Whereas then they do this big thing. And like you say, it is almost like the bigger, the better, the bigger the more you love someone. And yeah, no, I don't give me wrong, like I say, when we was younger, obviously we didn't have loads of money then. But yeah, we made more of an effort for like gifts and stuff there. So I did get, you know, a big me to you bear and like card with loads of writing. And like I say, we keep things like that.

We're good with our little memory. So I do have quite a lot of, and I've actually went through it not long ago. And I found it was just written on a piece of paper. you know sometimes it wasn't always a card yeah um but yeah i feel like we're quite good at you know showing our kids you know most days most weeks like little things i think you should celebrate the day don't be distilled about him blah yeah not not you know we're not boycott and valent yes definitely not definitely at the same time you yeah you want to mark that day but then you do want to show your kids that it's not just that day that you need to show yeah you know the people

that you love and you're often every day yeah you know yeah and you know yeah and not just your partner, but, you know, your family as well. So, yeah, you know, like the little things I love you on the end of a phone call, good night, I love you, have a good day, you know, those kind of things we tried to do. And, yeah, I'd say Liam's not the most romantic, but at the same time, he's very thoughtful. Yeah. So whether it's, you know, he does all the, like, food shop and stuff in our house. So, you know, coming home, like, I saw this, I thought you might like it, something different.

Like, I think that's the thing. That is the things, because you're thinking of me on a daily base. There's no reason for you to, you know, someone hasn't told you today's Valentine's Day go out and buy a gift, like you've done it off your own back. You know me. It shows that you know me. Mitch is a lot more than I am. Yeah. Definitely. Well, again, let's just go back. So I would think about doing it, but I probably wouldn't do it. Right. No, there's other than he every day or, yeah, there's something where he's. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So like I say, I wouldn't, I wouldn't describe Liam as romantic, but yeah, he's, he does loads of little things like that. And, and, yeah,

just the way he compliments me and in front of Casey and it's probably something I didn't realize until Casey started complimenting me as well that I'm like oh you know obviously we're showing that because you know he'll say I really like that outfit or that hair or something and it's like it sounds so grown up because they get it but he's seeing that so yeah now I think yeah you should show appreciation for the people that you love more often than Valentine's Day but it is nice to to market a little bit do you remember when you were younger at school though with Valentine's Day. Oh, with like a card.

It was all a mystery of real life, you know? Yeah. And it'd be like, you can get the most cards. You know, that's what, it wasn't about that. But as the key, you know, burnt out. Two boys got us stuff. Yeah. Who got the lighter?

Was that me? Was that you? I can't remember. It might have been both of us. It might have been you. For the candle. Yeah, obviously for a candle. Obviously, we only had candles at that age.

But yeah, no, it's funny in school, isn't it? because it's like it's a popularity thing more than anything but um yeah no like i say i've got some nice valentine's gifts over the years i'm sure um you know probably jewelry and bits and bob yeah my flowers and stuff like the normal things um but like say once you get all your jewelry you've got your jury you've been together for 20 valentine's days now pretty much so it's like it becomes the thing of like you think you should celebrate it because it's important but at the same time don't get sucked into yeah we don't i wouldn't say we really do gifts and stuff anymore for Valentine's but last year I did I think for a couple of years now I've got like

casing a card and stuff and actually growing up my mum and dad did used to get me a card and like a little gift for Valentine's Day against I can't remember if mine did if you did I'm sorry I don't remember it's probably something that I wouldn't say was that popular back then now I think people think a bit more about the kids whereas I think when we were growing up affect me when we were growing up think it was more about your partner and it was more of an adult so it wasn't really or like a like a kid thing at school yeah yeah exactly no my mom and dad did they used to get us cards and like I remember one year getting like a little snow globe you know we just shaking it right those things in it and one that holds like a little photo in it so yeah we got like little things like that

um so yeah we we did do little things for valentine's day and for a few years I've done like cards and stuff for case and but last year I did do him a little valentine's box it was quite last minute I'd like just rush it out to the shops you know these things creep up on you like say you have the thought and then it's like oh making sure you actually get the time to do it so yeah I did rush out yeah I did um I do love a little evening shop I must admit I'd about tell them a 11th but again it was nothing too special I think I wrote my little card I got him you know that little tiger shop that has owned things for like a couple of euros so I think I've got him a little medal that says you are my favourite or something, some rainbow socks because he loves

radios and so I think a love heart lolly and yeah, it was, it must have cost me 10, 15 euros whatever to put this little basket thing together. But yeah, that was cute. So we're pre-recording this episode because obviously we're going to release it on Valentine's Day, which is why we're talking about it, but we're going to be away Valentine's Day. So I'll probably wait and not doing anything to be honest but as I'm saying you're not singing her thinking oh it's Valentine's Day so we need it's hard enough to pack let alone if like Valentine's Day to fall on while we're there so yeah if we're there somewhere and I can get a little something for them maybe but I'm not going to be organised enough to brush out to the shops and and pack something to take with us but yeah no I wouldn't say I'd say gift wise the longer you're together the less you put thing on gifts anyway yeah having said that I do know some couples that are still quite thing about getting presents. I mean, you still do like birthday presents like always, don't you? Yeah, but no, I think we've just got a bit more realistic in what you want.

Yeah. Just tell me and then I'll get it. Yeah. But at the same time, again, we're very, if we just want something, then we'll get it or, you know, save to get it or whatever, you know. So, but I do think you should still make a fuss of someone on their birthday. But like you say, Christmas, Christmas is a funny one because Mitch has to us. You're definitely not getting presents now. We'll definitely get him ready.

Because he thinks I'm going to throw a present out. Yeah, Liam gets annoyed at me because I'll say it, say and say it. And then as I'm shopping, I'll do. There's a few years where I've got it. And I've just a little something. He's really annoyed at me. And I'm like, yeah, but I don't want anything.

And then, but then he feels really bad. And I genuinely, I don't. And I genuinely, I'm one feeling. I was just going. I don't get it. Yeah, we're quite like that. I mean, like I say, Liam's very good at getting me little things whenever he sees something or if he's very good at some literally it could be like a random day

and I'd be like oh re fancy a particular food or drink or whatever and then like a week later he'll come back and he'll have got it or like the next day and I've forgotten I've even said it so like you say he gets me things all throughout or like I say my necklace broke for ages I didn't have a necklace so he went out and he got your necklace yeah so yeah he's very good at when he knows of something he'll get it but he hates buying it things for the sake of it. Yeah, that's what is it, that I, I'd rather you not go over and yeah, especially you spend some stuff, or spend money on something that actually I'd be happy with a martin bar. Cup of tea in a bar and I'm happy. Yeah. Well, like you say,

a little coffee in bed, sometimes it's the gesture, not the price tag of like feeling special. Like, yeah, I think might have been my first mother's daily and went out and got me like a mug with a picture of like me and casing on it and stuff. And like, yeah, it doesn't have to be big. It's just the thought that someone's thinking of you or seen something that reminds them of you. Some people want, want it and enjoy it and whatever. And that's great. It's just for me, I think, I get more pissed off thinking how much it would have just cost you to do it, I think. Yeah. I sound really tight in these last two episodes, actually, I mean. No, I think it's just being realistic. I think I agree with you. If now I treat myself,

if there's something that I want and it's pricey, if I want it, then I'll get it, same as you. you like you know yeah you get the things that you want but you're not buying things expensive things for the sake of it and especially something that you haven't said that you wanted why should the boys go out and spend 100 quid 200 quid on something and it's like oh it's pretty it's nice thank you but it's not something that you want yeah I'll have a smink go on thank you and so really quiet thanks for just blowing that to me um yeah so yeah I I uh yeah it's the same though Valentine's, Christmas, birthdays, anniversary. And sometimes we can go apart, like Liam's birthday was literally like two weeks ago.

There's nothing in particular that he wanted. We're going on holiday next week. I know there's going to be things that we're going to be spending money on holiday. So he's probably going to treat himself to maybe some new clothes, you know, shoes, whatever. And pre-going away, we bought some stuff. Holiday stuff. holiday stuff so there wasn't really anything in particular he wanted or needed previous me would have probably gone out and just got something for the sake of it yeah yeah

yeah um but yeah now nowadays it's like yeah we'll just stick to i don't want to be like oh no we've been to hear that long we don't do anything i said yeah we definitely still like you say there's a different between ignoring it and acknowledging it but not spend the loads money unnecessarily but at the same time i'm lucky that he might my coffee every morning for me. Yeah. You know, that kind of I think. Yeah, exactly.

Liam makes me a tea every morning. Yeah. Yeah. I'd rather that. Because like I say, when there is something that I want, I'd rather pick it myself. Don't get everyone one year. We might go out away for the weekend on an anniversary.

And Monday we might just be at home and... I think it depends on what's happening in the time. If you've been really busy for a couple of months and you really need that time together, then yeah, make that extra special time to market. it and go away. Yeah, it's just about me and more. But it's the unnecessarily buying expensive things. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Whatever the occasion, it doesn't have to be Valentine's Day, but, yeah, I don't think you have to spend a lot of money to be thoughtful. There's lots of things you can do, nice gestures, like I say. And sometimes, yeah, do it. Do, like a gift. Yeah, extravagant. Mm. Don't know what.

That's it. as well. I mean, was it Valentine's day or was it his birthday? Because Lee's birthday in the first of February, so it's quite close to Valentine's Day. I can't remember if it was a Valentine's Day or for his birthday. I imagine birthday because they're close together. But when we went to Dubai, I bought our tickets to Dubai. So that year, I spent a grand.

Yeah, that's big. But it was because we wanted to go on a holiday that year. We needed it to be booked at some point. We'd already had the conversation that we wanted to go there. so yeah the surprise was I booked it for them and then made it a Valentine's thing exactly I kind of lined it up with that

and here surprise is booked but we'd had the conversation and then I remember another time did that then make you feel pressure for the next year that you had to no okay do you get well of me like no because it's like say it's season so sometimes when you need something

or you've got something that you're roughly planning I'm not holding that don't expect that every year no like it's not that kind of thing but yeah if you're if that kind of was coming up and that was the time that I could line it up and be like yeah it's booked now and I remember Liam did the same to me I vividly remember being at work in in one of our offices and he texts me that it booked the holiday that we've been talking about so yeah he took a one himself to book and go surprise we spoke about it we knew where we wanted to go and stuff and that we surprised each other with actually booking it it and getting it done sometimes. Not always. Most of our holidays, like I say, we plan it, we sit down and then we plan it together.

But sometimes we've done that where we've got something going on or like I said, if there's somewhere that you want to go, that the surprise is, well, I've booked it, we're going. Yeah. Something like that. Yeah. Or when we flew back to Manchester and we watched Kevin Hart, I think that might have been a gift because, again, it just happened that he was performing. That was Christmas gift.

Was it Christmas? So I was going to do the same, right. oh right okay yeah so it just how usually that's like you say yeah it's not always that something's going on someone's performing or whatever

or there's something that you that you want to be but when there is you think oh I could use that for that yeah exactly so sometimes we spent a lot sometimes we spend on everything it depends on what's going on sometimes I got shit we've anise this they're looking why I keep nearly forgetting my anniversary

our wedding anniversary because we got married on the third, no, fourth of September. I get confused because my due date for Kaysen was the third of September and I'm thinking, oh, it's like one day apart from our wedding anniversary. And then he was born on the 31st of August. So all my focus goes on to his birthday that I forget, oh, it's a wedding anniversary a few days later.

Yeah. Nearly every year I forget. He's the reason that we are the really easy. Yeah, exactly. But it's because my nan gives me cards still and she'll give me like a card for Kaysen's birthday and she'll give me like our wedding anniversary card. and then that's what normally spurs me to remember. Oh crap, I went on the first.

That ever gives you, the way you just said that though, that your nun gives you, I love cards. Yeah. Like, you know what I'm like, I know, I'm a bit of people, stuff like that. But, you know, that's, people don't do that as much now, do they? Cards. I mean, I know it's not very Spanish. No, Liam thinks it's a complete waste of money. And I partly agree, but partly don't.

I mean, it's getting harder. I've got a lot of cards in my memory box. If you're just going to write two so-and-so, happy birthday thing, you know, whatever. then it's lovely and if it's like a first birthday or something like that then I will keep it but it's hard because yeah a lot of cards do I can't keep every card no so I do have to throw a lot of cards away it's still a nice gesture yeah I like them but a card where you're writing a long messaging then I'll definitely keep that yeah and I just like even Christmas cards I like sticking them all up yeah I just like that you know yeah we we

We do get, like, a lot of Christmas cards still. I don't get much anymore. More so from, like, my nans and grandkids and stuff. And we put the card, actually, on the tree. Yeah, I'd just, like, stick it around on my thing on the wall. You know, I don't get that anymore. No. Even, three from Lexi.

But even Kaysen, I've said a few times, because he's come playing with one or two Christmas cards from school. And I'm like, oh, I remember I loved picking. like the set do you remember like being at school you'd pick the set and then you'd sit and you'd write a Christmas card for everyone in your class and she didn't get any back this thing usually yeah I think she doesn't have as many English people in a class I think I think that's a copy English thing yeah because Kaysen come home with one from an English kid and then ask him who he wanted to do it he's like no no I'm right I was like oh I would

quite like to take you to pick it and then sit down and write yeah she so she writes the list of a class and then she just starts writing around As nice as she does that Yeah Yeah Even if she doesn't get it back She does it because she loves it mate Yeah you should

Yeah I think that's a nice little lesson I just wouldn't like it to deceive That feeling You know when you get home Yeah To get it back Yeah that little Yeah

But like you say it's nice that you teach them It doesn't matter You're not doing it to get something No no no You're doing it because Yeah That's what you want to do And that's how you want to be

Yeah And that memory of sitting down Write your list Yeah And copying things out Yeah, yeah. In a big pile. Than handed them out of the school.

Yeah. Always take an extra one blank in case you forget someone. Yeah, that's the worry. Yeah, because, yeah, there's a lot of people in the class and that's always someone. By accident, you forget. It's probably the one you play with every day. That's true. Yeah.

But, yeah, I think, yeah, it's just when you said that about giving cards for birthdays or whatever, just maybe things. Not many people that give cards anymore, is it? I know we live there. Spain and it's not a very Spanish thing. No. But it's getting less than that. I think just the generational thing as well.

Yeah. Like digital. Yeah. Well, some people are doing digital wedding invitations now, saving themselves money on that. Are they? Yeah. Oh, I'll just let everyone know on here.

No, they are. Yeah, it is. I think it's because I just like my pen and my paper. Like you with your pen and your paper, you know. I think I just like to have. have an invite. You know, I like to receive it. I know it sounds a bit sad.

And I just like when it comes in the post and, you know, that kind of thing. I think that. And also because you keep these walls, it's probably like memory keepsake, isn't it? Like the wedding invitations that I've been to, I've kept. Yeah, I've still got wedding invitations that people have divorced and remarried. As the memory, you know, seriously, I have. You don't think about that when you send out your wedding invitation. Yeah, I still got it all if you need them.

No, just because it was still a memory. Yeah, I'm in a memory. So yeah, I, but I keep a lot of stuff. You do. I like my scrapbooks. I like it. They are keepers. I'm trying to get casing into the habit of a memory box.

So I've got him a box. I've got Hayden a box now. Because, I mean, I end up with about three or four. I'm trying to get like bigger boxes and put them in. Mine are all muddled. Yeah. And part of what I wanted to do on maternity, which I never got around to do.

I think you're going to have time to do all these things you really don't was to go through and like start separating and put it and like just get a bit of organisation because sometimes I've put something in there and actually looking back at it I don't know what it's for yeah well so I'm trying to write things or at least you know I've got one child's memory box my other two don't even have a baby book let alone a memory book well a baby book as well like I keep I keep card the stuff crystalline things but not like I don't think Hayden's got a baby book that yeah see i'm trying to get kersen into the habit of it so that he can start keeping things um so i bought him um from that tiger shop they've got like a scrapbook kit yeah got it um yeah

so i've been trying to get him to do things and start putting things aside yeah that's good um because it is really not i mean it's not often i actually go back but from like when we was kids until i was probably 20 went like the first like few years of minor leans relationship i've got a lot in there. I've got notes we used to write in class, like Billy, four, Liam and stuff. We've even got like the, have I got it? I've got it, I think. I don't think. I've got a, um, a serviette from when we got trapped in like the Priory on a rainy day. And we're scribbling on the things of who we like. Because back then it was a Spanish thing to put four. Do you remember the X? Four. Yeah. That means like four. Yeah. And we're. Yeah. And we're. doing that. It's the same people. It's all right, everyone. But yeah, yeah, that's what I mean.

It just, sometimes you just really forget those things. I mean, I've got cutouts of like Liam bin in like the newspaper and the magazines and stuff for football in England and, you know, little cinema things of when we used to first go to the cinema and that's exactly, is that in it. It's lovely. And you do it, you do get, because things are so digital now. Yeah. Which is a good thing about at the same time I still love going in my mum's box of photos and going through all and different things she's kept of us and school work she's kept that my brother's is fantastic and mine's good effort. You know, that kind of a thing.

But yeah, it's nice. It's nice to go through and I don't think you can make them things up, you know? My mum was really good with photos growing up. I mean, in the sense that she kept a lot and she's got a lot for like the family I mean she was bad that she a lot she cut herself out of them and she regrets it now obviously and she's got a lot better as she's got older from just being in photos for the memory but yeah a lot of my family hate being in photos but yeah she's got she's got a lot better so yeah there's a few that she's so cut around who's that but there's a lot of us growing up

and she's got videos of me can't order yeah trying to talk in America Yeah, proper drama queen. But yeah, it's really nice. And even like having the boys, she goes through and she's like sending me photos of us as baby. And then you get to like really see and compare it. Oh, she looks like me or someone else. So yeah, I'm thankful that she's done that.

Yeah. Well, my mom's literally changing all her takes into DVD. Yeah. So something obviously that we can actually watch it on. But I think my mom is. and my brother and whoever else has watched it. I haven't yet. I've had a laugh, but different stuff.

Well, how nice was it not long ago that we found the DVD of our school production of Greece? I mean, we really couldn't get it to play. It was so scratched. We got, like... We got bits. It was enough to really, like, think about it. Yeah, that was...

Exactly, things like that, having to go back on. That was great. But, yeah, the cards and stuff. Yeah, don't get me wrong, you go. It gets a bit, if you keep everything, it's a bit too much. You've just got to be a lot more. I've just been keeping things of something that I don't want to forget. And like I say, when it is like birthdays or Christmases,

it's whatever a card has a really nice message in or something like that that will keep, not every single thing. And we've cut to a lot from like our little holidays, like, you know, wristbands from somewhere or little things that you want to remember or go to or tickets to something. Yeah. We've tried to. So, yeah, I really want to get it in the habit of doing that

and not be so digital that he is actually keeping things because it's really nice to go back. Yeah. And, yeah, just, I don't know, it's just nostalgia, isn't it? It is. I like that. I like that stuff. Although, if I start going on my phone, for example, you know, like a memory would come

out and I went to show Mitt and then you'd delve into something, wouldn't you? Yeah, yeah. And I went to show Mitch, he hates seeing the kids when they're younger, not hates it, as in hates it, he just, he can't, because obviously they're just growing up way too quick. Yeah, they're just like, oh my God, I don't want to see it, you know? Because as much as you love it, it also makes you want to cry. Yeah, it's like their birthday, isn't it? Because it's like you're celebrating them getting older.

But then it's like you can't help with them think about being pregnant and like their first birthday and they're so small. And then, yeah, when you, yeah, that's one thing I love about Facebook, the memories. And especially like when it's like a friend's one and stuff. But yeah, when you, when it comes up like seeing Kaysen, I think one came up the other day and he was singing itsy bitsy spider. But he could barely speak and he had the proper. strong list. I forgot how strong his list was. He's still got a little bit of it now, but he had a proper, itsy, bitsy, five. He had a proper strong list. I mean, you could barely understand it. I understood every word. But yeah. Do you remember the one where he sat on

the bench? And I said, Kason, what are you doing? He said, I'm waiting for my friends for come. It was his birthday. And I'd put like the stuff on the table, like the table cover, like the day before and he sat there thinking it was that day and he's like, I'm waiting for my friends. So cute. But yeah, his list, but again, I completely forgot about the list because he barely has it anymore and then you're watching, you're like, oh my God, and what I want to actually get into doing, which is like a new thing, again, for memories, I saw Kim Kardashian does this, is the, like the day before their birthday or whatever, whenever she does it, she writes them a letter.

for like basically summing up their year of like so you're five and your best friends are these and this is what you're into. We've been this place and this place this year and like you're this kind of person and this is what you love to do. Because it's, I mean, I really want to have those memories but you can't remember everything and even when you think, oh, never forget when you said that, you do forget. So I think having their birthday is a really good trigger to sit down and yeah, write them a letter. And actually I saw a couple on TikTok

They do one each So the husband will write one or the dad will write one And then the mum writes one Because you see in different ways of how So from what I understand I think she covers like memories But I don't know She might do other stuff

Don't just say it's a happy birthday, love you Have a good one Or she might even write You know advice to them or something But I think she says she's keep Or I don't even know if it's true If I'm making this up To keep them and then give them like 18 years

worth on their birthday or sagging like that so i don't think the kids actually get it i think she keeps it and eventually she'll she'll gift them it because the kids aren't going to keep it and appreciate it and obviously now i'm like kicking myself like oh i've missed six years of doing that but yeah i think i'm going to try and get into doing that i think that's a really good way to like remind you of memory so when you read it back like oh yeah do you remember when you had that friend yeah yeah yeah or when you used to love doing that yeah yeah because everything changes by the week usually with kids yeah so a year yeah yeah that's a good idea i mean i'm way out of that now i'm not going back that's a bit longer this time that's a lot of my written sentence let alone a letter

but then like you say it's even if you done it for like big birthdays yeah yeah you know or even if you're stuck i know yeah next one's 18 right no 18 18 that's a big one he's an adult that's crazy because i remember thinking how grown up i feel or felt at 18 yeah i felt like now i still I mean, he doesn't look like a child. I look at him like he's a young man, but I still think of him as a child. But then I think the thoughts he must think of how grown up he feels. Yeah.

I felt like I was like, well, like an adult then. Yeah, I think I'd definitely write something more. Like, right, yeah. Yeah. I did think I said that to Mitcher. They don't want to say it more of keepsake that, you know, even right now, like, was it, might not see you now, me, but I'm sure years to come. Well, even like my dad's speech for my wedding, I'm sure I had them that day.

And I remember saying, like, I need to keep these. I'll put this somewhere safe. And I'm sure I did for a little bit. And then they've got misplaced and I'm really annoyed. Luckily, we do have a video of his speech for you. But like you say, I would have liked to have had it because he actually voted. That's the original. That's the original.

And his hand writing and everything. So I would have loved to have had that kept safe. Yeah. So, yeah, anyone that's got to. Things like that. Keep love. But yeah, I think, yeah, writing letters is a great way to have it. And I really like the idea of getting a tattoo with someone's handwriting.

Do you know what? I think I see something like that the other day where, oh, I don't know if it's someone we know now. If it is someone we know, it's you I've seen it for. It's from like a card. Yeah. And then it says, like, I love mother, dad or proud of you or something. Or why. Yeah, yeah, that is, I mean, I've got those cards and I've got those hand-running

and day and stuff. So if you ever wanted to do that later down the line, then, yeah. And I've still got the letters from when I first moved here from my nan and my friends because that's how we communicated when we first moved here. We wrote letters. Yeah. You know, so, and I've still got all them letters. That's nice.

You know, even the friends that were, you know, we don't talk every day now, but I'm sure you're all on my face, but somewhere. Yeah. Yeah, I've got them and my na, which is obviously... Priceless now, yeah, exactly. My granddad would just draw like a little... You know, he couldn't really do much, just like a little pop-eye in the corner. Something random, you know.

Love random. My granddad's got really good writing. He's... He's... I don't know what the word is. Is it a calligraphal? Yeah, calligraphal. Yeah, like he's got really nice writing.

But yeah, I think they're things that you're thankful for later to look back on. definitely so yeah as much as the big extravagant gifts and stuff is brilliant and lovely yeah um them little things like they're definitely the ones that last yeah I suppose isn't it yeah and it's funny because even like say talk about the little gestures I've got so many random notes in mind that's like Liam's put um just nipped out or something and you know like love you We used to do that as well. We'd write a little note. I mean, it's funny because actually Mason still does that now.

Does it? Yeah. And we do sometimes write a note and leave it on the table rather than just message each other. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's nice. That's the thing, isn't it? The little note. Yeah.

I know, like, take the dog out. I love you. No, it is nice. And yeah, I'm want to continue. I've not been as good the last few years of doing it as I was when I was a teenager. Like, there's so much from the early stages of our relationship in my memory boxes, but not much thereafter. But then it's like I've said about having your first child has got like everything stored and saved and, you know, documented and perfectly. And poor second children don't have anything but in my box and, yeah, it looks like I only have one child.

No, it's true. It's really hard. It's really hard. But, yeah. no it's nice I love going back through it and it just gives you all them feels again from like the early stages of a relationship and how you found out. Yeah I love it I love looking through stuff that's what I'm saying so like you say when you go into your bits

I mean I couldn't tell you the last time I've actually gone into that stuff but when you do you know what I mean it's like oh yeah oh yeah when you just said about a cutting of something it reminded me that Mason had won some competition I mean fair of mind Mason was like four months old it was obviously me or the grandparents or someone who had entered the competition and he won and he won't only won a teddy bear and we had to go and take a picture and we was in the new paper you know like things like that yeah you'll never

remember that no but when you just said that then i thought i think i've got cut cut out of something yeah and even like i've got like the box with my ring that you proposed in yeah me things like that yeah yeah it's cute yeah is it just us then is it just us or does anyone else keep sake i don't know i don't know i don't know because i know me and you do it yeah do you know But I don't know anyone else in our friendship group does what I mean. Yeah, that's what I mean. I don't think my sister. I don't think my sisters do. Maybe the odd thing, but we're quite avid memory keepers.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't want things that's just not going to be able to. And like I say, if it was up to Liam, we'd have nothing. Yeah. To store. Not very good at keeping or remembering or thinking like. No, neither is Mitch.

Mitch will throw something out in the fridge so that it makes room. for whatever else is going in, so it's right. Yeah, the date's not, the date's fine on it, but because that doesn't go inside and what he needs to put in the fridge, that's just gone a bit. That can just go in a bit. Do you know what I mean, doesn't it? Yeah.

No, I think it's definitely me. So if he had a choice to throw in all my boxes away, I think I'll just say a funny bone. Ah! I try to sign it out and it freaks other. It's not funny, all right? Funny bone. What do I call her funny?

It's not funny. It's proper... on my bone. I think I'm going to hot now. Oh, here we go. That happens in my house, right? Because I don't clean my windows regularly. When I clean the windows, right?

People walk in. Yeah, they walk into them. And even my dog does it. Like, literally, you'll just say, do-loom, and then you're looking, but then you're looking, but I don't... I remember once, Liam's sister, we were in Derby, and it was snowing, and she slicked as we were walking and landed on her ass. So Liam's burst out laughing and then I'm like trying to help her before laughing.

She smashed a jar of sauce as well. I sort of like she might have been bleeding but he was laughing his head off. But yeah. Oh yeah, no. I is. I'd do this. Are you okay? Yeah, no, yeah.

Then I'm going to carry on a lot. Yeah, sort of. Depending who it is. If you're like, I probably just wouldn't be answered that long. I don't really have much video footage or evidence. Fuck. Oh, God. Yeah.

Thank God. We were so behaved. But I mean, you know, if we had it on camera, then. Yeah. It's a memory, isn't it? What do I say now? Yeah, in a way of that's captured, but in another way it would have been out. Saying before I was stacked it once in Boulevard, being a donut going up the escalators

and I was doing fine, running, running and then right at the top, literally stacked it. Ooh, stacked it, turned around the metal spares. Sister and brother-in-law, absolutely crying at me. No help. What? I did it how work that just give me. a flashback, I was at work so even worse because I was trying

to be all right now and I had heels on and I was walking down the stairs of a notary and I had clients with me and I think even maybe a lawyer or an agent or someone and I missed the last step completely missed it dropped to the floor, bounce straight back up

oh my God I acted like he didn't hurt like carried on right I can't see you later too good we're around the corner oh my God I think I cried I was so much trying But it's funny how the embarrassment takes over and you jump straight back up and act like, nothing, everything's fine

and I could just the way I'm just, oh, whoop, hey, so embarrassing, yeah, it's just an embarrassing thing in there that it just happens to everybody. See, I think, like you said, back then I would have jumped up and made so that now I'd just lie on the floor. Do you know what I mean? Like, I fell over, I ain't getting up very quick,

you're all going to see it. Oh, no, don't. I still jumps up and like, oh, I'm fine. I'm hurting inside. Oh dear, memories, but no, I do love the memory box. Maybe we'll bring us our memory boxes to one of an episode and we'll dive through it and share with people what we find. Yeah, you're rubbing my first. That's quite an interesting one with how times were like no eyebrows, for example, you know, like the fashion of no...

You can just tell how old you are, it's on the fashion. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah, that eyebrows thing. really did have to grow our eyebrows back and the micro blade mine back in and school was well we spoke with the um one leg up one leg down yeah tracky tracks with bond we thought we'd look so cool having one we did it the other day and we were like why do we think this is cool we don't like twats but no you can the the memories you can tell that age you were because of how things were like even just like the hair but i'm glad we did do it because we didn't have

we don't have anything else yeah do you know what i mean we're not Now I'm trying to find a space because I've got no many. Yeah. Thingy? You got name in Philadelphia? Just pay for bloody. I'm not paying anymore. I am tight.

You know, it's like an extra-dempty-9. And you don't have to clear every WhatsApp. And message everyone. What time is it again? Where is it again? I have to clear my chats, alright, because I've got no memory. Okay? Oh, it's so frustrated.

Oh, yeah. I never had a problem. Just print it out and put it e-book. No. Go back to the... We'll do that. We'll bring you guys some memories. Yeah.

One day soon. We'll make that an episode. Does I mean, there's a lot of eveliniums. I might have to ask permission. Yeah, we might have to just share the stuff that we... So I'll cover you at. We'll just show her. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, because one of my books has got like all our old lot in it. Yeah. That's what I mean. English, like, our Spanish lot. Yeah. Oh, Spanish lot. That's where we started.

Yeah. That's what I started. Yeah. I got a message the other day from one, one of them, like, are you on YouTube? I was like, yeah, we're on YouTube. Chana, Mafia. Chana means, like...

Well, it's actually, isn't it, like an offensive term? I just... Well, maybe. I think they say chana like to be a bit rude, no? Yeah, Giddy's more like that, isn't it? Giddy, yeah, that's probably more word. So chana, yeah, and then we took it out. I mean, they call me pika, and I was like, yeah, Pika.

That was horrible, isn't it? Like, you're like, it's like, like, ah, no, like a... like stuck up, I think. Oh, is that even better? One of the two. Either one's not nice. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

But no, yeah, we called ourselves the Channel Mafia. It just goes to show, didn't it? Who we thought we were. With our headbands and our fared jeans and our... That's coming back. It's all back. Yeah, no, it is. Yeah.

I don't know about headband, but the Y2K. Exactly. Even my niece is messaging me, like, have you got any like 2,000 clothes? And I'm like, oh my God, is it? Are we coming back? in fact, are we that old, that we're coming back in fashion? That's all I haven't bought clothes in ages, so I should be sweet.

I did love that when I did that party and we redress. Oh, that was good. That was your anniversary? It was my anniversary slash birthday, really? Oh, yeah, you go, yeah. I think we, was that, we've been together 15 years and whatever year. There's what I mean, one year, we're not, one year, we're not doing nothing. And then next year, yeah, we're doing a big, well, I thought, because it's been, we always get together for birthdays, but it's been a long time.

Like, you did a masquerade ball, yeah. for your 25th. My 30th was all in COVID, so we didn't do anything. And then this was actually coming the back off COVID, so we were allowed out, but it was like limited numbers. So it wasn't a big thing. I'm glad I did something. We all dressed up like we were teenagers again,

so you had like Diamond E's on your Velour track suit. And it's all come back. I had air max trainers on and combat trousers. I had pink sunglasses and whatever that. No class. Choker thing is, yeah. So that was, that was great. I think we should do like, wow, we're all turning 35 this year. I think it's about time we do.

Well, we didn't celebrate our 30th, but I do think we need to make more of an effort and doing stuff for us as much as children is everything and family's everything and couples of everything. I think you agree with friends as well. Just girls, in couples, as a family thing. I've said it for ages now, haven't I? Yeah. We don't like kind of do. We don't like a couple of, yeah.

Yeah, we went away. But then since then, obviously, we've been pregnant, had a baby. So that kind of, we got into the habit of doing it a little bit. And then it got. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do. I think it's nice. I think it's important that you celebrate stuff. Yeah. Full memories. Yeah. That's what I mean. Yeah. Exactly. We've done birthday dinners, but when was the last time we did like a big birthday celebration? And I know it's cheesy sometimes, but I think every now and then it has to be fancy dress. Yeah. It has to be like a theme. Yeah. I agree. I'm completely agree like mine wasn't fancy dressing the like the cheesy fancy or it was cheesy but I mean

it was normal clothes but it was like dated clothes yeah it was like turning up with Mario and Luigi yeah exactly yeah it was so yeah whether it is fancy dress because sometimes that's just as fun

like a theme we haven't done that in a long time I think it's kind of like fizzled out it's like I did it loads it you need because that's not a fashion

I just feel like yeah you know like in the last however many years it's like People start... Stop doing it. Or if you said it to someone, they were on...

Yeah, but I think that's why I stopped doing it because I quite like it. I love it. I think you're either someone who loves it or you don't. And miserable and boring. At uni, I did it loads. We used to do... It was like student night on a Wednesday night

and every week it was fancy dress for whatever theme was going on. So I did it loads of random things. And then when we went away, we did like a sports tour and all the sports teams went. was fancy dress every day. Yeah.

We did like a neon night. We did like a, even rag dolls and, you know, like loads of... And as much as sometimes it can be annoying, it's the, like, the memories and the... I think, I think, we definitely need to be... Not every celebration needs to be fancy dress. No, it does get too much and it does get a bit... But especially with she now, where you can buy such cheap costume,

it's not costing you 50 quid an hour for it. Yeah, it's really good, like, we need to plan. Yeah, we do. My sister-in-laws had a few, actually. She had, I think was it at 21st. That was, that was good. That was, you know, would like say, I think I had Mason, to be fair. But, you know, like pre-childreny kind of a thing.

Yeah. And then she had another one not long ago, a couple years ago ever. And obviously he dressed the children up as well as like a family thing, you know, as a family fancy dress. You know? So that was a different experience. And it is fun. It's fun to do it as on your own. I've got time to plan it and you've got time and places you can get costumes and stuff.

It is a fun experience. I think it's only when it's like last minute or a difficult theme. Like make it easy and give people time and yeah. I think, right, I think we need to do one this year. One of us needs to do. What are we? 35 just today this year. We're 35 this year.

So that's technically a big birthday. I didn't have a round of the 25th. But everyone was like, why are you even a party? It was like, because it's my birth date. And we missed out on our 30th celebrations. let's be think so I think yeah at least one of us needs to do something so yeah

share with us your fancy dress or theme night ones that you've enjoyed dressing up and ones to think of flumps and ones to avoid it's probably handy so not pick those ones yeah

a Valentine's fancy dress imagine if I turned up to dinner a fancy dress at half well I think what I like what some girls do is like Galentines don't they and they get like the girls together and then like PJs or...

That's nice. Yeah, that's cute. Yeah. Yeah, I like that idea. See, I have all... We have great ideas. You just need to... I'm pretty good at organising, though, aren't I?

I'm like the group. Yeah, but I like to do them. I just don't want to organise it. Please don't let me organise it. You're very out for it. Yeah. For all of it, but... I don't want to do anything.

You're not tend to be the person. I mean, you're good at organiser because you've done my hand. You know, you're good at it when you're... When you've been designated. the job to do it, but if it's like a generalised, everyone wants to do it. Yeah, don't give me that job to do it because it ain't going to get planner. Just give

someone else there and I'll help and I'll be there. Yeah. Yeah, no, I'm... But get to... I'm the group planner generally out of everyone, I think. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I'd say so. And Charl, if she's on it, she'd like that, get it done. Whereas I'm going to get mine done in about two or three years if you want it done with someone going have you done it yet have you done it yet I just thought of the idea as well I don't do it give me time yeah I like I definitely like yeah I definitely not doing everything I'm just not the best that you just yeah well that works because I can you saw it and then I'll turn up yeah well like even like saying want to do more holidays and we want to do more things get the kids together I'm like straight

where I was like, right, Skyscanner, these places are cheap, Thursdays. Yeah, exactly that. We was at the airport, won't we? Yeah, I think I was actually looking bad. Yeah, no, I'm on it. Like, especially if I can make the decision and I can put, like, ideas and people are on it, then I'm like, right, let's get it booked in.

Yeah, I'm an action doer once the decision's been made. Yeah, yeah, yeah, once the decision, one's made. Yeah, it's giving you the decision. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we've got plenty of time to plan, because your birthday's August.

This month of November. So we've got plenty of time to plan. So we'll keep you guys update on the fancy dress theme nights. Oh, we're excited. Seed has been planted. Yes, and if we managed to get a family thing booked in holiday. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, we'll let you know what we, whatever happens to us on valentines. Yeah. We are. Next time we'll come back. We'll recap if we got anything done. What we did this year. Yeah. Perfect.

Right. Well, take care, guys. We'll see you again next week for another. episode and happy valentines