Friday, December 03, 2010

This... and it's only 3rd December!

Outside our house last night... Finally got the light right!!
Off on a snow adventure...
This was just to cute not to include
My absolute favourite photo this month... and this was taken before most of the snow fell!!

Well, it's all about snow... I have never seen as much snow in Ireland in all our 10 years here combined! We're having a blast, but only really since Robin got back from Sweden with proper gloves!...

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Happy Halloween



We had a wonderful Halloween this year - felt like it was lasting memories for the kids. The houses on our street went to town! And Ben had the best last two days of school before midterm break (his first school holiday)... The whole school went in fancy dress on the Thursday - was lovely, an autumn day with crisp sunshine and beautiful colors and all these kids dressed up and then Friday saw them going to a show - The Hungry Catepillar.

Robin and I didn't dress up this year, but I think we are definately going to make an effort next year:) Ben is already planning is outfit, so it's safe to say that he enjoys it too!

Here's the pics:






We had a wonderful Halloween this year - felt like it was lasting memories for the kids. The houses on our street went to town! And Ben had the best last two days of school before midterm break (his first school holiday)... The whole school went in fancy dress on the Thursday - was lovely, an autumn day with crisp sunshine and beautiful colors and all these kids dressed up and then Friday saw them going to a show - The Hungry Catepillar.

Robin and I didn't dress up this year, but I think we are definately going to make an effort next year:) Ben is already planning is outfit, so it's safe to say that he enjoys it too!

Here's the pics:

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Really - Two Months since my last post!??!

Where has the time gone??... It's incredible. The last two months have just flown by... Here's what's been happening:

Parents came to visit
Our Childminder decided to study again
Result is that I resigned and am now a SAHM
We bought a house (the paper work was insane) and moved
Ben Started School (as you know)

Looking at it now it doesn't sound like much, but boy it's been time consuming!!!

And now for the pictures...








Got to photoshop out the runny noses!!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Ben Starts School

Isn't it amazing how fast five years can go! Yesterday Ben started school and it was as amazing to see my son proudly sitting in his class surrounded by the people who are going to shape his life for the next eight years as it was to hold him for the first time. It was a poignant and touching moment...



And I couldn't not add this in - how cute is our little christmas elf?... Early admittedly, but I'm really excited for Halloween now... Check out Woody and Buzz in the background there...



Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Day Ben Learnt to Ride

I have been pushing for a while to have the stabilizers taken off Ben's bike. He's five in October and I thought it was time, Robin didn't. I have to report that HE WAS FANTASTIC!! He took to it within about five minutes. I was jumping around like he broke a record or something. It was amazing - the rest of the day I felt this glow of admiration and pride... Just look...





Of course, Dan then had to try to - and he was good as well, but I think he needs a little more practice...




Monday, August 02, 2010

Laughed til I Cried

This has been one funny weekend... I just have to share.

Robin and I are trying to teach the boys
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika - and since we left SA in and about the time the 11 official languages became official, and considering that we're only fluent in two we don't know all the words. So - Robin often sings (and I mean no disrespect at all with this) "Manu Padayachi is an MNET presenter" instead of "Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo". On Saturday we decided to download the lyrics and teach them the words. Ben listens intently, asks to hear it again and then says "Daddy, why are the singing the wrong words? they're not singing Manu Padayachi!?"

And then there was this... Pictures and a thousand words and all that...





Sunday, July 25, 2010

Party Pictures

I am increasingly frustrated as I can't seem to work out how properly to set the shutter speed on my camera - so most of the photo's I took of the kids at a birthday party are disappointing... but I did get one or two that I could post... We're well into party season here now. Had one yesterday, two today and another in a weeks time. The kids are having a blast...









Sunday, June 20, 2010

It is what it is...


I've had to realise and accept something today - as much as I wish I was, I'm not a prefectionist. I'm a just-make-doist. There are not enough hours to get everything the way I want it - Daniels cake didn't turn out the way I want. In fact I only had time to do one side - so at least the profile looked finished. i just COULDN@T finish it with the kids crawling all over me, and having to finish the food for the party and tidying up after them even though we had prepared the day before, the boys decided to pull all their toys out about an hour before we were due to go. Robin also had to fly to Sweden for business today and so while he was around this morning he wasn't with us for the party or the clean up...

All in all, the day went really well. Daniel LOVED the bowling, and the weather was fantastic and I got to catch up with people I care about...

Here's the Day


It was so hot, the kids had their party under the trampoline

The boys bowling

Connor and Daniel

My Best Effort - but it's not going to win any awards... ;)

Friday, June 18, 2010

I'm 3!!!


We have had such a great day with the kids. We went into the Street Performers World Championship in Merrion Square and had a blast. The kids ran and played and rolled down hills. Daniel got a new bike for his birthday and he's loving it!... It's a bit of a surprise, but Ben is getting a new one tomorrow. We will have one happy boy on our hands as he was very jealous of Daniel's present.

Isn't this a great shot - Ben caught in motion


Daniel and Rachel - drawing at the park

My New Bike

Rolling down the hill

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Still House Hunting

We are STILL house hunting. Each weekend off we trek, looking for our perfect little spot (it's been over a year now). The kids are bored, and to be honest, I'm tired of thinking this is the one. But yesterday, I think I found my forever house. It's beautiful and has such potential - but it'll take a load of work (it's a victorian villa built in 18760) and commitment and money! Bob likes it to, but doesn't like the work and money bit. It got me thinking though - we always take the easier option, but I think from this perspective that working more for something will make it mean that much more to you. I'm heartbroken cause I won't be the one to let this little house realise it's potential! Here are some pics of the kids from yesterday -






Sunday, May 23, 2010

Meet Starsky


So this is the newest and final addition to our family :) He's just a bundle of cuteness!! Seriously.

What a fantastic weekend! The sun shone, and it was HOT! I feel like we had a four day weekend we did so much stuff - and BBQ'ed both days. A visit to the Zoo, a picnic at the beach, a view house viewings (which is very usual for us at the moment) and time spent with friends. Lovely!


Look at all my teeth

The brothers Co-operating

A little bit of attitude

Coy smiles

Monday, May 17, 2010

Meet HoppityHop


Me and Rachie and Lisa's Birthday


Rachie waiting for her pancake...

Okay, I know that it's not the most origional of names! But there was no swaying Daniel. Our bunny whether we liked it or not was going to be called hoppityhop. She's quite cute, a little traumatised already and the kids are crazy about her.... so here she is...

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Monkeys, Skeeto's and Volcanic Ash


Rachel "dancing" on the table

Ben riding Jimmy

Just about the best picture ever

Daniel getting ready to hold the chamelion

Rachie and her daddy

The title is obscure, I will give you that - but it's been literally AGES since I've been able to blog and as it is it's 11pm here and I know that Rachel will wake up in a few hours. We've been and come back from SA and what an exciting trip. The main focus this time was on family and for Robin work to and that made it really difficult to catch up with old friends I am ashamed to say. The kids had a fantastic time though, and as usual I learned a lot - this time about letting go. There is a big difference between raising kids in Ireland and kids in South Africa... Seeing children play, having fun and experiencing freedom from parents hovering around came as a shock - I thought Europe had one up on Africa but in that respect I was wrong. We are to overprotective of our kids here - making sure they don't fall, or run in the road, watching out for some other disaster to happen - helicopter parenting ... we forget that kids need to live a little!


Okay, I'm going to stop lecturing - and explain the heading, then let the pictures do the talking... Daniel thought it would be fun to chase a troop of monkeys (cute little things really) all was fine until the monkey's stood their ground and mock-charged our little gut - let me tell you that by all accounts he turned tail and ran so fast that he covered 70 mtrs in about 2 seconds! And the wonderful caring parents we are fell about the place laughing at the fright he got.


Skeeto's - (n) aka Mosquitoes. as in "The skeeto's thought I was breakfast but I amn't". Again - Daniel attracting the wild life in africa got completely covered in mosquitoe bites, while the rest of us got off with hardly any


And then the dramatic turn that our holiday took - 6 extra days due to the Icelandic Volcanoe... Thanks Chaps!