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...

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...

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...

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...

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... ;)

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

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 -

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

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...

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!

Happy St Patrick's Day

I took the kids up to Drogheda today - and it was a bit of an eye opener! But the kids had a good time and I must say I did to. It's nice to see them enjoying themselves so much. Look :)

Ben wanted to be a flag


boys having a chat waiting for the parade


Lovely Rachel


Serious parade watching

The Irish dancers looked really good - their hair was amazing

Cheeky smiles

Happy Smothers Day and the Big Day Out

What a lovely day today - the kids could not stop wishing me a happy smothers day. Got spoilt to as a lie in is worth its weight in gold, AND I got a day at the spa down the road to look forward to. We had already agreed to meet up with a friend of mine and her children in town this afternoon for the start of the St Patrick's day festivities. They turn one of the greens into a big playground and the kids love it. We were even luckier today as the sun decided to join us, and you can't beat a bit of sun after a long bleek winter. We got a table, right next to a little hill and the boys spent all their time there rolling down the hill having the time of their lives. Rachel took it upon herself to charm most of the people around us, literally strolling from table to table smiling and raking in the compliments (I was playing the part of the proud mommy and loving it too, so I can't say it was all her)... The boys rode the mechanical sheep (yes, it's Ireland!)... Ben was all gunho until he actually got up there and he was no sooner sitting on the sheep than he hopped off and wouldn't go back on, I think it was higher than he had thought it would be... then the boys got to drum with the group on the street, just about the time that the local TV cameraman was passing and they were shot - first the Leinster website, and now TV - we are working hard to increase their media profile :)... Oh, and the boys were dressing Rachel up this morning in their swimming gear, was very funny... Have a peek at our day -

Mechanical Sheep

Daniel's Shamrock

Having Fun

Ben smiles when he thinks of rugby