5/1/2012 – Football Trio

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365, bath, childhood, children, family, football, home, love, photoaday, photography, postaday, UK

Three boys had fun at football today…

 

1. Sx scored a goal – one of the few moments of joy for the team in a match where they were resoundingly beaten.

2. Dx was reassured he is STILL team mascot and was so proud to be included in the post-match team talk and he was allowed to give out the “man of the match medal”.

3. Gx won man of the match for another week of supreme effort!

Later the little two had a bath together for the first time in ages. Lots of laughter with some bubble bath beards…

 

21/10/2012 – Catching up

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2012, 365, childhood, children, family, home, love, lunch, photoaday, photography, postaday, relatives, weekend

365 Photo a Day Project photo
“Catching up with Auntie”

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The rambling bit….

A frantic morning involving some tidying, cooking, wrapping of presents, writing of cards and dropping Gx to a party (while Matt had already taken Sx to today’s rugby tournament leaving me to cope single handed)

After all that activity the day became more relaxed as Barry and Janet (my brother and his wife who live in Holland) and their children and other halves came over for lunch and to spend the afternoon.

Wine was drunk, nails were painted, ToysRUs was visited (by Gx and his godfather Dan) and the resulting skylander characters were played with. And there was a lot of talking too!. It was lovely to see them all and to catch up on their news.

19/10/2012 – The World Through a Child’s Eyes

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2012, 365, boys, childhood, children, daughter, family, home, love, photoaday, photography, postaday, weekend

365 Photo a Day Project Photo

“And Then There Were Three…”
(Last day with only three children before their older brother comes home!)

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The rambling part…

Dx has been learning about flags at school and came home the other day proud he knew Wales was part of the United Kingdom. On the way to school I asked him if her remembered what 4 countries were in the United Kingdom…

Dx:Wales…..and England…and…Canada?

(there was then a bit of clue giving and he managed to remember Scotland)

Me: And whats the last one? Can you remember? It’s across the sea…..

Dx: Ooh I know! I remember!!… Is it Bracknell?

It has been interesting this week to see the dynamics change between the children with their “leader” away. The space in the playroom has helped too – meaning Gx and Dx are able to play in there. I think Gx still enjoys his “pretend play” but shies away from it when his older brother is home in case it seems childish – he has played so nicely in there with little brother Dx this week though.

And tonight Gx amazed me with a times-table game he made for Lx on Powerpoint (I didn’t even know he knew how to use it – and I certainly couldn’t have done what he did!). What amazed me most though was how kind he was creating a game to help her with her schoolwork. He has always been a really kind and generous boy but this term (hormones?) he has been more moody and grumpy than usual. it has been lovely to see the “old” Gx return this week.

There was a lot of love between them all this evening 😀

17/10/2012 – My Ever Changing Boy

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2012, 365, boys, childhood, children, cute, family, heart, home, love, photoaday, photography, postaday, school, son

The 365 Photo a Day Project Photo

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The rambling bit

Dx is a bit fed up with school at the moment. After the fun of Foundation, he is finding the routine and work of Year 1 more challenging and far less fun.

“The teachers don’t do ANY work” he said. “They get US to do all the work and they just wander round talking to people. And then they tell us to STOP doing work and go and read. And then we don’t have time to do the work. ”

His other bugbear is getting changed for PE. “We get changed…and then we have to get changed back again”. So much in life is a trial for Dx!!

I don’t know why he complains – he is really good at getting changed – and often wins the “fastest changed” sticker!

Meanwhile the hunt for hearts to give me still goes on. Such a sweet boy 😀

15/10/2012 – How do I miss thee?

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2012, 365, children, family, home, love, photoaday, photography, postaday, rugby, school, son

…let me count the ways. (OK so not QUITE the right quote but never mind 🙂 )

I have to say the Monday morning get ready for school chaos was remarkably peaceful this morning without my little whirlwind son.  All was quiet and calm.

But I was surprised to miss Sx at unexpected times today. First of all I came across his school shoes. Sitting all alone on the shelf after the others pairs had all gone to school…

Gx had to empty the dishwasher today as that is normally one of Sx’s morning chores…

At lunchtime I went to have a jam tart…and found Sx is the only one who likes the ones which are left – the apricot jam ones.

Then I got the swimming bags together and of course his was the first towel, hat and trunks that came to hand..

I was ok with him being away – it’s the not being able to talk to him and know what he is up to which is odd. its like when he started at pre-school and suddenly he was doing things and I didn’t know WHAT. Given how much Sx can talk at the best of times…he is going to need to talk a LOT to have us catch up on a week’s worth of news!!

Meanwhile in the letter posted this morning to him this morning with today’s “news”…JK Rowling having finished the Harry Potter series has written a new series of books to be made into films about a lego loving, football hating boy and wanted Gx to star. He was given an advance this afternoon and bought a house on the way home which has only a bed, a TV and a selection of Argos catalogues in it. Dx is happily training with the England rugby team and has met the Queen. “Apart from that there is not much happening here – quite a boring week. Hope it is more exciting where you are”

13/10/2012 – Pizzas and Peace

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2012, 365, boys, childhood, children, family, home, love, meal, photoaday, photography, postaday, son, weekend

It was my turn to watch Gx at football this morning while Matt stayed home with the others. We left early and the mist was all floating over the fields as a beautiful sunny day began. I had to focus on the football and try not to think about how beautiful photos would be of the mist, the dew, the horses in the next field in that light…!

However watching Gx was great today as he was a man of action – if you saw last Sunday’s post (rugby, rugby, rugby) you will appreciate the difference in these photos!

When we got back, I gave Sx a quick haircut – his hair looks like a carpet when it gets too long it is so thick  – and he looked so gorgeous when he came down from showering I had to take a photo. He is the hardest of the children to get a good picture of but I really like this one.

Of course then I HAD to take a photo of Gx too…

As we got in the car to go out,  the rain began but that was ok as we only needed to walk from the car park to the restaurant as we took the two boys out for a meal to their favourite restaurant – making the most of not having the two little fussy eaters with us (they are at their grandparents today) and also to spend some time with Sx before he goes off on his week long trip with school tomorrow.

9/10/2012 – Autumn colours

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2012, 365, autumn, childhood, children, family, heart, home, love, photoaday, photography, postaday

365 Photo a Day Project Photo
“Saville Garden – Windsor Great Park”

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The rambling part…

I spent today at Saville Garden part of Windsor Great Park in the shadow of Windsor Castle. (Well – the Great Park starts in the shadow of the castle, but at 1000 acres were too far away to hear the Queen calling us in for lunch). The trees are starting to change colour but it will look even more amazing in a couple of weeks.

Matt worked from home today as he too is still feeling bad with this virus we have shared – so he was able to pick the kids up from school. Just as well as after my reserves of energy are still low and after all today’s walking – I was back in my usual position – reclining on the sofa.

Luckily Dx found another heart for me – and gave me some of his special “get well cuddles”. He does a whole range of cuddles from sparkly ones and striped ones, through patting and squeeezy cuddles to the newest line – Exciting cuddles! (We have to go “Wow! Wahaaay! Yippee” during those!)

26/9/2012 – If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain…

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2012, 365, children, family, home, love, photography, postaday, son, wii

Unfortunately today had a distinct lack of pina coladas.

But we did get caught in the rain coming back from Dx’s class trip to the local church. He was ok but several of the children didn’t have coats so I did my good deed for the day and donated my umbrella to the two in my group as they would have got soaked otherwise.

The older boys managed a quick game on the Wii between dinner and cubs – when they left it meant Dx could take charge of the remote control. Not something he often experiences as the youngest in the family!!

Meanwhile with my domestic-goddess-wannabee apron on (not really!) I conjured up a healthy quorn chicken casserole which is currently bubbling away in the oven (thought it best to post before we taste it in case it all goes wrong at that point!)

PS so proud of my little girl today. She did times-tables tests two weeks ago at school and just sat and looked at the paper and didnt even attempt them. When we did them at home that evening she ran off in tears.

Her 1-1 helper at school decided perhaps she needed to do something more simple when the rest of the class did their weekly test so she didn’t sit it last week. But two weeks on and a lot of work (at home) later not only did she sit the test…but she got 10/13!! (AND she got 10/10 in a spelling test yesterday) I love that she never lets things beat her for long!

22/9/2012 – Lunch with my boy

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365, family, heart, love, photography, sons

Took Dx to town feeling very grown up in clothes Sx deemed “cool” today for a cinema party for his best friend Olivia (and a quick look round the shops as we were early – where he found another heart for me!)

Gx came with me as he needed some new clothes and we fancied having lunch together. After a successful whip round the shops getting tops and trousers for him, tops for the other children and some other bits and pieces (including a bargain pair of reading glasses and watch for me) we headed to Nandos and sat outside in the sunshine – even if the waitress thought we were mad and we were the only ones at the oudoor tables.

After 3 helpings of “bottomless” frozen yogurt Gx did begin to think she had a point though and we were glad to go over to the other (sunny) side of the canal to McDs to pick Dx up to go home.

 

19/9/2012 – Love is…

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365, cute, Dx, heart, love

My littlest monkey loves to find hearts and show them/give them to me to show me he loves me. He is a real sweetie and the cuddliest of them all (although Gx comes a close 2nd)

Today in the middle of getting ready for school he came to show me he had made a heart out of his toy snake

aahhhhh. Couldn’t you just eat him up?!

(although he drives me POTTY at bedtime as he runs around annoying the others and generally refusing to go to bed. When he was younger he used to go into their rooms and switch the lights on and off…now he has discovered the boxes of baby toys on the landing and gos through them every night rediscovering toys he has long grown out of but which have a new appeal at 9pm…!)

Gx came home today proud as can be with his badge for being school council. I think it is going to be wonderful for his confidence! (PS These photos were taken in manual – my new “to-do” – learn to use manual mode!!)