Summer hols

We have been out and about this past week since Jamie has been on holiday and I finished on Friday for 6 weeks. Yes, 6 whole weeks. We are busy planning what to do; so far we are going to London to see friends, Dublin to see a friend and Belfast to see family. Emily wants to go on a roller coaster and to the seaside so we need to get organised on that idea. Joel's cardiology appointment will be the first week of September so we can plan our summer without fear of change and appointments. We went to Redhouse Farm to the wild west maize maze on Thursday. We had a lot of fun, although we did not make it the full way round. We had a ride on the barrel train towed by a tractor through the corn fields, pedalled our way on the go karts, climbed the haystacks and had a fun day out dodging the rain showers. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by cool places to go within 30 mins of where we live.

Are we lost?

Pedal faster, daddy!

very sweet holding hands!

Not very comfortable and very muddy

We have a list of jobs to do, including mending guttering and attaching the toilet to the floor, (Jamie tried to do that today but in true our house style - they glued the bathroom cabinets which house the toilet cistern.) Looks like we need a plumber and or a chisel! We will be busy.

We are hoping that the rain stays away, it has been too frequent this past week and we are running out of popcorn seeds as Emily has been having DVD time waiting til the garden dries out and isn't as waterlogged.

Off to bed as 6.30 comes early with the cry of, "Mummy, Daddy, can I wake up now?" As if she responds well to, "no!"

Cute.

We're on the move.

Eleven months and one day and he crawls. Our little Joel is crawling.

Cue stairgates, drawer locks, plug covers and the phrase "ahh ah Joel!" How great.

One and a half days left for me!

There is music in the house

In order to make sure there is enough practice for Sunday services Jamie now plays after bath time, Emily dances - burinig off lots of energy before bed!

Now that Jamie is on his school holidays he has lots of time on his hands. He has been busy uploading his 'albums' of music to his music links on the side bar. There is a third one on the way but for now you can enjoy the first two of his creations.

Joel started crawling on Saturday and also got his second tooth. I am still struggling to upload the footage, but will try again another time.

Only 2 full days and half day Friday before my summer hols!

The new bike in action

Emily got a new bike for her birthday. She has been trying to learn to pedal it and is getting there slowly. This weekend we went away with our church for a great time of fun together. (T.V. time with her friends from church)

It was also a cool place to learn to ride a bike as the huge sports halls provided opportunities for her to fall over, pedal, learn to brake and just have fun.

On the Joel front we have some ups and downs. He stopped growing in every way for about 6 weeks but now he seems to be moving again. We saw his Dr last week and overall she is pleased with him. We are being referred to speech and language to check that all is well after the tube being there for such a long time and he is now on chocolate flavoured milk; - do you know any 10 month olds who get chocolate milk? Emily is jealous that she can't have it! Developmentally his gross motor skills are not too good but his fine skills are ok. He still has one tooth and is up on his knees a little bit more but no signs of crawling.

Jamie has 4 days left at school and finishes on Friday for 7 weeks. I have 5 days left and finish a week on Wednesday. We are well, just on the count down for some down time.

Emily is Three.

It was Emily's Third birthday today. The sun shone, the food was good, the friends were fun and the day was great. We had an Old McDonald theme, with egg and spoon races, sack races (jumping bag race in Emily's world!), throwing the welly and pass the parcel. A lovely day in the sun.

As she went to bed she asked, "Mummy - this was such a beautiful day, will it be a very long time until my next birthday?"

Tonight Jamie and I are tired, but the past three years have just been so, so, so sweet.

Loving my brother

She has a minx like streak - wonder where that comes from?

In her shop ( a wooden house that Jamie built for her complete with a balcony!)

The jumping bag race (She won)

With her new bike

Miss Piggy

Puppet Theatre with 3 little pigs.
Launching the rocket - one is on our neighbour's garage roof!

On a final note a very happy birthday to our sweet niece. Ellie-May... happy third birthday for tomorrow.