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The summer holidays have come and gone and while I went back to work the kids got out and about with Sophie   As there were a lot of photos from the 6 weeks, I thought I would cheat and just photo the scrapbook Sophie put together to show what they got up to

Needless to say, I don’t think the kids miss me to much these days as Sophie is more than a adequate day time replacement for me – and something I am very happy about

Ian and I were very brave last weekend when we decided to take our two monkey’s to the movies!

We went and saw Rango and the kids thought this was fab given they got a bag of sweets and their own little booster seats.  I explained to Jonny that the movies was just like watching a really really big TV screen and he preceded to tell me that when the lights go dark we had to be very very quiet and be shhhhhhhh   At one point Charlie was trying to crawl into Ian’s lap because she was a little bit scared of the ‘naughty snake’ when Jonny turned to her with big wide eyes and no fear and told her that ‘it would be okay Charlie’ while patting her leg   Bless my little boy.  He did decide 1/2 way through the movie that he’d seen enough and would like to change the channel now!

All in all it was fun and something we will do again

I put Jonny and Charlie on the naughty step for mucking around during brekkie, while I went to the toilet they decided to make themselves comfortable and went up and got their blankets and pillows!  The timer went off but they were quite happy to sit/lie their for the next 20 minutes

Not sure if I’m brave or stupid but the kids love being the kitchen and at every opportunity they love to ‘help’ me.  Charlie has worked out there are some pretty good perks to sticking around

Time to stretch the legs and get the dog out for a walk .. Charlie once again working it for the camera.

Just a little bit of brother/sister love and of course Charlie has her face painted and looked very pretty

The kids and Ian all ‘flashed up’ at Elise’s christening.

Saturday morning at Forest School with the kids.  Charlie does forest school as part of her local playgroup, but this was the first time Jonny has ever been and it was great for Ian and I to see how what she gets up to and see how Jonny interacts in this type of environment.  They had a ball and Charlie came up with mud everywhere – again.  A little bush see-saw which they enjoyed.

Charlie and I planted potatoes about 3 months ago and this was our harvest .. we all went ‘potato hunting’ and it was great fun.

Jonny in his sisters pink PJ’s, much to his father dislike and of course him again in his Gruffalo PJs.  The sunflower is Jonny’s which we grew from a little iddy biddy seed, it did really well on our window sill.

Got to love kids and ice cream

Ian (feeling slight happy) and his quick erect tent .. it takes about 10 minutes to put up!

Miss and Master grubby with yogurt .. check out Charlies wild hair.

A couple of tired kids who (for a change) were happy to share a sofa and watch a little telly

Once again the time has flown by and its now the end of July and if life keeps going this fast its going to be bloody Christmas before I know it!

So rather then reach for the can of cider, I have settled for a cup of coffee with the aim of getting these photos up so I stop feeling guilty about the blog

Here’s a collection of pics from May, starting with a play date during half term with Austin and Amelia – strangely enough the snow sledge got more use that day then during the snow!  Check out the art work on the brick wall   Followed by a couple of pics at Amelias bowling party, we laughed when we saw the one with Amelia and Charlie as they were sitting on a rubbish bin swigging their ‘juice’ .. fast forward a few years and I’m sure it won’t be juice they will be drinking!  And of course another set of pics with the kids and their play dough creations of butterflies – bless

These are unusual as I have never seen Jonny fall asleep while sitting up – he was one tuckered out little boy

So its back to work I go from tomorrow after being a ’stay at home’ mum for the last 3 years!  I’m I worried – no, am I anxious – no and why not … well its because we have got (insert drum roll)  SOPHIE!  Let me introduce to you the latest member of our wee family, Ms Sophie Frizzell our or I should say the kids Nanny   She’s fab and the kids already prefer her to me .. some would say thats not good, but me, well I’m happy they love her so much!  I don’t feel any Mummy guilt for leaving my children as they are in the best of hands and will receive all the care and attention they need from Sophie.

Its back to NetApp I go and although a slight different role, in a completely different country, I am excited and can’t wait to start.  The last week or so has been frantic with getting everyone and everything organised but I think its pretty well sorted and if not, well I’m sure everyone will muddle through what they need to do.  The next chapter starts in our lives .. now all I need to do is find my brain between now and tomorrow morning

The kids at the park this afternoon with us.

After 20+years of being a huge fan, I finally got to see the boys in concert   Mind you, I had to go to Edinburgh and take my friend Sarah with me, it felt about like the days when Sar and I used to attend concerts together when we were both living in Sydney!  And that was some years ago now

A fab couple of days in Edinburgh and even if it was gray and a bit rainy its still a lovely city and we certainly enjoyed walking around it – particularly Rose Street with the bars!  The hang over I had the morning after was made bearable by the fact I didn’t have children to worry about and that I could go back to bed after brekkie made things much easier

Ian enjoyed his couple of days being Dad and the kids enjoyed having their Dad all to themselves   And I enjoyed my first night away from the kids in 3 years – the sense of freedom was brilliant!

The concert was fab and if Ian didn’t have cricket commitments I think I would be at their Bristol concert tonight .. sigh, maybe next time they play locally

April started with us celebrating Ian’s 40th Birthday   I racked my brain for a long time to come up with something original that he hadn’t already bought for himself and one which meant I didn’t have to give away one of our children to pay for!

So after a moment of inspiration, I had these made for Ian with the finger print of each of the kid’s right index fingers   They are lovely and are made of pure silver, Ian was very touched and surprised and lucky for us he likes them and wears them often

Ian is an avid fan of the artwork by kozyndan, many of you would have seen the one which used to hang in our family room in Derry Hill of the Japanese men in school girl uniforms!  We have a number of their pictures and given we haven’t bought any new art since being in the UK, I thought I would splash out on a new piece for him.

Its called ‘Puzzling out..’

No birthday is quite the same without a ‘happy birthday ..’!  Charlie was in her element and as you will see she couldn’t wait for Ian to hurry up and cut the cake so she could have some   The cake was a Chocolate Orange Mud Cake and it was devine, and so easy to make so if any of you want the recipe – just yell out.

Before we new it Easter was here and once again the kids were off school/playgroups and all other kiddy activities for two weeks – crikey thats a long time to try and entertain my mob.  So I packed them up and we went into Stratford Upon Avon for a walk along the river with a picnic and then a play in the great kids park there.  Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great and hence why the kids are dressed in their winter coats   There are swans in the Avon river and it was the first time Charlie had seen one, I had to explain what they were when she said ‘mummy those ducks are really really big!’  Bless.

The kids little friend Austin had his 1st birthday and we were honoured tobe invited to his birthday and this time the weather was much nicer – however I was being alittle optimistic by putting on shorts and a halterneck top!  The sight of my very very lilly white legs was certainly a sight and not necessarily a good one!  As you can see Jonny is enjoying that cake and infact he went around and finished off any which was left on the other kids plates   Not a shy boy.

I’m trying to teach Jonny the finer points of ‘pass the parcel’ not something he was that good at.  And a photo of Charlie with Amelia who is Austin’s big sister.

Before we new it we were heading down to Padstow to house and dog sit for Anna and Rups (Ian’s sister) for the Easter long weekend.  Our friends Simon and Rachael joined us for the weekend- I know brave people!

Unfortunately on the expectation the weather would be really good down there, we packed all the necessary beach and sunny stuff only to be disappointed as the weather was not great.  Ian and Simon had their hearts set on a spot of fishing, only to book a trip, get up early and to have it cancelled because the boats propeller got rope tangled around it from one of the other leisure boats.  Talk about bummed out, they were not happy, mind you neither was the Captain of the boat!

However, we could still swim everyday as Aunty Anna has a big indoor heated (to bath temperature) pool and it saw quite a bit of us while we were there   We also managed an adults night out at Rick Stein’s Cafe with Simon and Rachael and one night the boys cooked us girls fresh crab and crayfish – it was all very yum yum.

We had a couple of attempts at taking the kids to the beach, one had to be abandoned after an hour as it was just to cold but we did give it another try a day later better prepared with wet suits!

We did find time to explore one of the finer establishments in Padstow and stop for the odd cold one with Rachael and Simon

And another lovely shot of Jonny and Ian.

The kids made bunny ears at Busy Bees Nursery and for some reason they felt the need to expose their tummy’s while I was trying to capture their master pieces!

It had been a long time coming but we finally put Charlie into a normal single bed which she was absolutely thrilled about and we gave her cot bed to Jonny.  This is how Charlies room looks after I’ve tidied up!

Charlie had her face painted as  tiger when we went to the library during the holidays, unfortunately when I asked Jonny if he would like it done I got told ‘I NO like it Mummy!’

Ian organised a group of  local motorbikers to attend the Prescott Hill Climb and thus at 9am on Sunday morning we had 9 bikes roaring down our little quiet cul-de-sac   We provided the much needed sausage sannies with tea/coffee before everyone headed off.  Photo is of Ian’s Street Tripe and his Uncle Ian’s Sprint.

There is the odd photo and video I’m missing from here which I will try and post in the next day or two.

Charlie has been dry off and on over a number of nights but last night I heard her door open at 2.30am and in my sleepy state I thought it was Megan going to the toilet until I realised Megan wasn’t with us!  And so, it must have been Charlie   I get up to find her going for a wee all on her own, she tells me she woke up because she needed a weeeeeeee

Maybe we have turned a corner on having to wear nappies at night – time will tell

And I know I am two months behind on the blog .. I’ve got all the photos loaded I now just need to wrap the words around the pics!

The kids have really got into singing alot and its something they enjoy doing togeter .. not always in tune, but cute none the less

Our really first day of great sun .. summer is on the way and the kids started singing on the trampoline

The kids are growing quickly and are now at the stage where they play nicely together and listening to them chatting away is really sweet   Jonny at just two can now count to 10 easily and will repeat EVERYTHING he hears as I have found out on more than one occasion!   Both kids love technology and Charlie still asks Ian if he will buy her a ‘DS, just like Meggy’s’ as she is very fond of hers.  They are beginning to learn how to share Ian’s iPad as they have learnt that arguments just mean Daddy will put it away!  I’ve attached a brief clip of Jonny playing on the iPad without the ‘assistance’ of Charlie .. bless he can get around the thing better than I can these days

Jonny got sent home from nursery the other week as he was poorly, I went back to pick Charlie up a bit later and she produced this lovely cup cake they had made during the morning.  Once I explained to her Jonny was already at home as he was poorly she promptly says that she will give her cup cake to her ‘little brother’ as that will make him feel better   So we drive home and I think she forgot she said she would give the cup cake to Jonny as it was all gone by the time we got home!  When I asked her about it she told me it was ‘okay, because we can make Boo Boo a cup cake!’ and promptly goes and puts on her apron and hat   So thats what the below picture is all about – we make mini banana cup cakes