starting school, Benny's first day

Somehow my beautiful, long, exciting summer holiday has drawn to an end and this morning I woke to school starting up for us again. But this time...

 There were 2 lunch boxes to fill

 and 2 school bags packed with new books and pencil cases waiting, because dear Benny started school today.

 He told it me it was his 'best most proud day' and he was so excited and happy to get dressed in his school uniform. Doesn't he look so grown up and so smart!!

 The morning was slightly more challenging for and with Rebe. Pretty much everything was wrong and awful for her. She is so incredibly sensitive to change and anxieties and requires much more patience than either of the boys do (patience I found it had to muster this morning I have to say!).

Never the less we got off on time and went to collect Andy from his house to walk the 2 minutes to school together so that he could be there to see Benny in on his first day.

 I think this photo pretty much sums up how they were both feeling being there!

 After we dropped them off, Benny impatient to be getting on with the business of being a school boy, Andy and I had a good chance for a chat while Joa played. Things seem to be progressing a little better between us and he now feels ready to engage in a mediation process to formalise our separation. This is great news for all of us giving us more security, we are also now talking of him having the children over night on a regular basis, which will also be good for all of us.

Joa and I returned home to a very quiet house and baked some rolls and made some soup.

 I did a bit of work in the green house and picked some of the cucumbers that are ripe ready for pickling.

We picked up both the kids (at separate times) both tired out and fairly grumpy, so we had a snack and they watched a dvd while Joa napped then we all went and did Benny's home work which was to play outside.

 We took a pot of soup and some rolls to the green at the top of our street

 and played until bedtime.

I asked Benny what his overall impression of school was like, he said it was great fun but he had to do 'a lot of sitting down'... well yes, but I hope all of his school days will be happy for him :-)

turty-tree

Yesterday was my 33rd Birthday. I have had such a wonderful weekend, filled with everything I could have wished for and more! 

my 33 year old self

birthday breakfast

presents

 We headed off in the morning to my dear friend Lucy's house to spend time together and to celebrate

my amazingly gorgeous chocolate cake, thanks Lucy

 After lunch and cake we headed over to Ballymaloe House to see an art exhibition and for a stroll in their grounds.

 We took a scavenger hunt list with us

 and although we lost the list somewhere in the 'weird woods' I think we found everything on it and more.

Joa and his 'favourite girl' watching a caterpillar

 We found tigers too, and climbed trees,

 and just as we were coming home a whole load of super cars arrived as part of a charity event so we enjoyed watching them and their drivers clad in fancy dress mill around.

We ate dinner and chatted into the evening over a gin and tonic or two.

This morning after a very slow and lazy start we headed over to Lucy's father's pottery where the kids made me birthday presents on the spot.

our final pieces ~ mine is the one on the right!

 After yet more food, we said our goodbyes and headed home to find that a very special someone had left Birthday and un-Birthday presents in the green house for us to find.

 In need of worms for bait the kids headed to the garden and then armed with brand new (real) fishing rods we hit the beach

We didn't catch anything in real life, but as we were heading for home we met a couple of fishermen who on hearing how unproductive our fishing trip had been gave us some of the mackerel they had caught.

It was a truly special weekend, that I will remember and treasure forever, and I have a feeling that this 33rd year of mine is going to be nothing less than awesome!

Rebe is 8!

On Friday dear Rebe turned 8!

 She had a really wonderful day filled with lots of fun and laughter.

 She played with her presents in the early morning

 and then we had a wee party for her and a few of her friends.

In the afternoon her dad collected her and took her to buy her a child sized guitar. She had a perfect Birthday and I'm so glad and proud to have been part of it :-)

Love you Rebe x x

sometimes...

...when it's raining hard and you've been dragged around the supermarket all morning and are cranky from watching too long a movie and eating too many smarties from the top of tomorrow's cake and you're so excited about turning 8 tomorrow it's making you frantic.... the only the thing to do is put on your wellies and coat, grab a rod you made from bamboo, wool and a bead.... and go fishing....

the ewe experience 2013

One of our most favourite place in the world to visit is the Ewe experience, a sculpture garden in west Cork. It's becoming a summer tradition. Last year we went in the pouring rain, this year it was glorious and there were lots of new things to discover and enjoy. Joa was too little to remember any of it from before so it was all new to him. So special to watch the magic work through him seeing it all for the first time.