Be Thankful

What to be thankful for? Here are at least a few things...

• ·        Be thankful that you have clothes... are they the newest, most fashionable, most well-known brand named items... No! But who cares, I’ve been rocking a £5 pair of dungarees and they are one of my best buys in a while – Money doesn’t buy quality. It’s the way you dress it that makes it work. P.S. A great site that most people don’t know about is https://www.everything5pounds.com/
• ·         Be thankful that you have good health
• ·         Be thankful that you have a roof over your head; a place you can call home
• ·         Be thankful that you have people around you that you love (forget about those haters J)
• ·         Be thankful for the simple things in life, for example, having an education. It is a benefit when you have nice, good (looking ;)) teachers
• ·         Also, us ladies need to be thankful for makeup. Who ever invented foundation and concealer surely deserves an Oscar
• ·         Be thankful that  you have at least someone that believes in you... it goes a long way – no matter what
• ·         Be thankful for words; that help us to communicate with those familiar and even non-familiar
• ·         Be thankful for FOOD! I am always eating. On the occasion I will join in with Mum and Laura on the healthy (rabbit) food ;)
• ·         Be thankful for Family
• ·         Be thankful for Life
• ·         Be thankful for love – it comes in all different forms. Love makes the world go round.
• ·         Be thankful for music – it can bring back a million memories, and sometimes music can even be the starting point of their existence. It is also a great way of communicating
• ·         Be thankful for English weather. Yes it’s crap BUT - as Nana Roberts would say at least there’s a limited chance of there being a Tersami... (She means to say a Tsunami J)
• ·         Having a sense of humour goes a long way. Making people laugh can change a person’s entire perspective on life.
• ·         Be thankful for fluffy socks...let’s face it...who doesn’t own a pair!?
• ·         Be thankful for people that fight to keep us safe. Our love and prayers always go out to their families
• ·         Be thankful for whatever you are good at. Go where your heart tells you, not always where your head may point to
• ·         You have the chance to achieve your dreams if you really push yourself and ‘make it happen’...for example I dream of marrying Richard Gere and I will make that happen ;)
• ·         Be thankful for memories. For instance, old photographs may be very embarrassing but they are something you should be so thankful somebody took the time to take
• ·         Be thankful for basic necessities like food and water
• ·         Be thankful for what is right in front of you – too many people focus on all the things they want and not what they have

Maybe make a list of all the things you are thankful for!

Love,

Amy x 

Bad Day

Are you having a bad day? Have you ever had a bad day?

We are guessing yes, because who hasn’t had a bad day! Well we’ve got a few ideas to help you turn that frown upside down ;)

Since losing Dad, we certainly have our fair share of bad days. Here are just a few songs to listen to and movies to watch that might cheer you up a little when you’re having a bit of a teary kind of day.

First points of call though: 

...phone or see a friend or family and have a good chat! 

...eat chocolate 

...have a cup of tea 

...bubble bath 

For the music, pull out your headphones…or cassette players…or record players if you’re a lil' bit behind with the times…and listen to a few of these upbeat, feel-good (and maybe cheesy) tracks.

Reach For the Stars - S Club 7 (you can do the actions too, get those hands up in the air…wave ‘em like you just don’t care)

Dancing in the Moonlight  - Toploader

When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade - The Boy Least Likely To 

C'Est La Vie - B*Witched (some people say I look like me Dad!!!!) 

Happy - C2C feat. D.Martin  

King Of Wishful Thinking - Go West 

Let It Go - Frozen 

Bad Day - Daniel Powter 

Beauty In The World - Macy Gray (saw this on A Little Bit Of Heaven, don't watch that movie without tissues!!!) 

Hard Knock Life - Jay Z 

Many The Miles - Sara Bareilles 

Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner 

MMMBop - Hanson 

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations 

Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris (because we all tried to make things move by pointing at them like Matilda did!) 

Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves 

Wannabe - Spice Girls (to Spice up your life!) 

Respect - Aretha Franklin 

Jump For My Love - Pointer Sisters (and yes the video has Hugh Grant wiggling his booty!!! Come on all you men...join in!) 

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners 

Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield 

Undiscovered - James Morrison 

Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds 

Cups (When I'm Gone) - Anna Kendrick (grab a cup and learn how to do the cup song!) 

So Young - The Corrs 

On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons (you might not be feeling it now, but you will after hearing this lovely song) 

Some movies...

• Mamma Mia! (Abba sing-a-long) 
• Pretty Woman (Richard Gere) 
• Love Actually (Hugh Grant) 
• Bridesmaids (very funny) 
• Frozen (sing-a-long...sometimes the bad guy is a prince in disguise) 
• Dirty Dancing (Patrick Swayze, we'd say Ghost too but you definitely need tissues for that) 
• About Time (really cute story line, a must watch) 
• Mean Girls (that's sooo fetch) 
• 17 Again (Zac Efron) 
• Hairspray (Mr Efron again!) 
• Bridget Jones 
• Notting Hill 
• American Pie (never gets old) 
• Pitch Perfect 
• The Rebound 
• The Holiday (Jude Law) 
• Sister Act 
• Meet The Fockers 
• Did You Hear About The Morgans 
• When In Rome 
• Life As We Know It 
• The Notebook (Ryan Gosling and such a sweet movie) 
• High School Musical (cheesy but if you don't know every song, well, you should) 
• Fool's Gold (Matthew McConaughey) 
• How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days (McConaughey and yes we Google spell-checked that name!!!) 
• Over Her Dead Body 
• Monster In-Law 
• The Back-Up Plan 
• Step Up 
• Stardust 
• Safe Haven 
• The Sapphires 
• Crazy Stupid Love (Ryan Gosling) 
• The Proposal 
• The Bodyguard 
• Rainman 
• Grease
• Footloose 
• Marley & Me (tissues for this one, a whole box in our case...) 
• White Chicks (we're watching this again tonight... 'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton will never be the same!!!) 
• She's Out Of My League 
• Just Friends 
• Happy Feet 
• Finding Nemo 
• Death At A Funeral 
• An Officer and A Gentleman 
• Killers 
• Norbit 

Sometimes we all need a pick-me-up. We may have our bad days but it's important to remember that there is a lot to smile about in this world.

Three pieces of advice from Dad: 

1) Have a 'positive mental attitude' 

2) Don't make a mountain out of a molehill 

3) Sometimes it may feel like it's the end of the world, but remember that the world is round and it may just be the beginning. 

Hope we made you smile. 

Love, 

Laura and Amy x 

What To Do When You've Got The Flu!

In the past couple of weeks, the yearly common flu has hit the Ware household! With Mummy Ware suffering the terrible flu the previous two weeks, ickle Amsie has now also been struck. This called for a blog post on what to do when you’ve got the flu! And that rhymes. PS. None of this is claimed to be professional medical advice…just what we tend to do if we’re poorly. 

• First point of call. Drink LOTS of fluids. Your body will probably be incredibly dehydrated and you’ll probably feel like you have little, if any, energy. Seeing as the body is approximately 60% water, make sure you drink up to two litres of water per day. That can seem like a huge amount, so the way we see it, even one bottle of water is better than none. An old herbal remedy is to add honey and lemon to hot water, which doesn’t actually taste too bad. Plus, if you have a sore throat, an ice lolly can help ease the soreness. Oh, and don’t forget your vitamin C, through fresh orange juice etc. 
• Get some rest!!! When you’ve got an awful cough or you’re full of cold, you often don’t sleep all too well. Therefore, when you wake up, you probably aren’t going to feel full of energy. You need to save what little energy you have left to help your body get back to full health. Put your feet up and take a break. Watch your favourite movie or read your favourite book and just chill. 
• Also when you’re full of the sneezes (this one’s for the older ladies reading this post) have your Tena Lady strapped into your bloomers…don’t risk it! 
• Steam. Either a proper steamer or literally putting your head over a bowl of hot water. Sometimes it helps to add a few drops of Olbas oil to the water. If the steam burns your face then, you know, pull back and breathe in a little more slowly. 
• Stay warm! If you’ve got a temperature, your body may vary and go from hot to cold. Keep a blanket nearby if you feel yourself shivering. Or if you’re boiling hot, a cold compress to the forehead may be of benefit. 
• Take your temperature regularly (and check the thermometer you’re using is for your mouth!!!) and take medicines to help speed up the recovery process. You can go to the doctors for a prescription (especially if you continue to get worse), get over the counter flu meds or buy them from a shop such as your local supermarket. Beechams seem to be the best brand for us. 
• Get some fresh air – even if you’re just sitting outside for a few minutes. There’s something about breathing in clean fresh air that feels good. Unless in our case you live near a canal and fields because then the fresh air can sometimes be a little bit pongy!!! Then again, if you’ve got a cold…you probably won’t be able to smell that much anyway. Also, if the sun’s out, get a bit of good old vitamin D!

There’s the Ware’s top flu-alleviating tips.

And if all else fails, ask Mum!!!! 

Hopefully the flu leaves the Ware household soon!!! 

Laura and Amy x 

Article About 'Daddy'

Since writing ‘Daddy’ the reviews we have received have been unbelievably touching. So many who have read our book have been “moved” and “inspired”. Several articles have been written in various newspapers, each of which have been heart-warming to read.

This week we were approached by Joe Haynes, a nineteen year old Stoke City fan who aspires to become a Sports Journalist, asking if he could write an article about ‘Daddy’. He was extremely touched by the book and as he is due to study Journalism at university this September, Joe felt it was a good chance to write a piece of work from the heart.

Of course, we were delighted as reading such lovely articles about the book and Dad are incredible. Joe certainly writes from his heart and we wanted to share his article for you all to read. We are certain he will thrive in his chosen career. Thank you, Joe, for such a lovely article. You’re a credit to the wonderful team you support. The line: "When in a difficult position I think to myself, ‘How would the Ware’s deal with it?’ or ‘What would they be telling me if they saw me in this situation?'" in particular stands out to us, as this is part of the reason for starting our blog. It is amazing to know how much of an impact our book and story has had on people. Please read the full article below. 

FAMILY REACH OUT TO MANY WITH INSPIRATIONAL READ

A story with many meanings and messages.

The family of ex Stoke City footballer Paul Ware have with great courage pulled together to write a book about their experiences and how their life changed having to battle with an illness.

‘Daddy’ was written by Paul’s daughters Amy and Laura with contributions from wife Tracey, taking us through their story. Paul himself, who played for Stoke from 1987-1994, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour and despite an operation in 2012, passed away in April last year.

Many will know him for his fantastic contribution for the Potters, and in particular that goal against Peterborough sending Stoke to Wembley. However, the book shows us that he had just as much of a positive impact off the pitch as he did on it at home with his family. He was a courageous man and a Dad that two daughters were extremely proud of.

The inspirational book tells what the family have endured over the years and the difficulty of trying to live a normal life, and teaches readers plenty about heart, togetherness and a true family.

Readers are sure to go through every emotion whilst reading the book; from the laughs on family holidays to the difficulty of dealing with the condition and Paul’s down days. A few tears are guaranteed to be shed whilst going from chapter to chapter. Some will be cries of happiness, others not so positive, but all will leave its mark on you.

Teenagers Laura (19), and Amy (16), display a great sister relationship throughout and show us how important it is that siblings look out for each other. They also speak of how they are learning to live a normal life again with Mum Tracey.

After just finishing reading the book, I can personally wax lyrical over the quality of it, as the four members of the family alternate in telling tales of their personal experiences through the journey. I myself have started many books, but before ‘Daddy’ had never finished one, and the fact I couldn’t put this one down shows you the personal influence it had on me. When in a difficult position I think to myself, ‘How would the Ware’s deal with it?’ or ‘What would they be telling me if they saw me in this situation?’

The three girls deserve an enormous amount of credit for dealing with their tough experiences so fantastically and talking so openly about what they have been through. With Laura and Amy working hard in their studies, it’s now their aim to every day make Paul proud.

The book, which was only published on the 6^th March, is already only one of 392 books out of 1.6 million on lulu.com to have a five star rating. Unsurprisingly, my opinion is shared by plenty of others.

I highly recommend you purchase the book, and after reading it, it’s one you along with me certainly won’t forget.

‘Daddy’ can be brought from the link below, and a pound of the £9.99 book price will go to the Brain Tumour Charity.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/laura-and-amy-ware/daddy/paperback/product-21482394.html

Please follow Joe on Twitter @haynes_17 and read more lovely reviews on the link provided in the article above.

Thanks for everyone’s continuous support. It truly means the world to us.

Love,

Laura and Amy x 

Our First Blog Post

Hello! Welcome to our blog.

We are two sisters aged 19 (Laura) and 16 (Amy), based in Cheshire, England. We have both wanted to start a blog for a while now, and felt that now was the perfect time. After self-publishing our book, "Daddy" about our father's brave battle with an incredibly rare brain cancer, we were amazed by the heartwarming reviews. Currently, "Daddy" is 392 out of 1.6 million books on Lulu.com with a 5* rating - incredible. We are so thankful and hope that Dad is smiling down on us from up there!

Despite being an incredibly positive family, nothing could prepare us for the loss of our Dad. The past year has been an incredibly difficult one, though we have tried to find reasons to smile each day as that's definitely what Dad would have wanted. Through the journey of Dad's cancer and his passing, we know how important it is to treasure your loved ones and enjoy the life that you live. Our Mum has been our rock and we know that Dad would be incredibly proud of her too.

In this blog, we intend to write about a variety of topics: grief, cancer, music, happiness, health issues, relationships, fashion, football, maybe even the odd recipe! Basically, anything we can write about, we will write about. Therefore we hope to reach a wide audience, from family, friends, strangers - both male and female, drawn from a range of age groups.

We hope that you enjoy our posts. Please feel free to leave comments; we'll certainly answer!

Love,

Laura and Amy Ware x

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(contact email at the bottom of our blog)