Sunday 27th November 2011

We have been having the most incredible Autumn this year (the driest since 1976 apparently) and have only had one morning of frost so far. Nick, Elizabeth and I have been able to carry on enjoying our days out at Wakehurst with friends and have been making a habit of walking too and from Church on a Sunday morning. Temps have been averaging a very balmy 12 - 14 degrees during the day and considering we have less than a month to the longest night it is incredible that we have only needed our heating on a few occasions.

All the children have continued to thrive this term and Meg's has had the most amazing report with the equivalent to B's across the board. Phill has attended an able writers seminar and taken part in a Math's competition as part of the Able, Gifted and Talented Children's program at school. Nick is loving his school and talks the hind leg of a donkey and Baby Bee is growing like a little weed and has started saying "da da da da" to anyone who will look at her.

I have been busy busy with the Alpha course in the evenings for the last couple of months and we really feel like we have found a church and minister we can relate to and are enjoying becoming part of the community at The Point. I have also been working hard on launching a positive communication program for parents called "Tuned into Talk" and this Saturday was our debut workshop (thanks to the support of my wonderful friend Kerry).

Parenting is something I feel so so strongly about and I am so grateful for the hints and tips that I have picked up over the years. I feel like this is a real calling for me and with 4 kids I am trusting that I am as qualified as anyone to lead workshops. As many of you know I launched a photography business not long after moving to the UK and while it was great fun and I have had a brilliant learning curve through it I have decided to let it go and return to photography as my passion where there is no judgement and I can continue to take photos from my soul and record this incredible journey we are on as a family.

As we approach our 4th Christmas here, our tennis bracelet of life is filling up with some amazing diamond moments and I am grateful everyday for the people who share this adventure with us both in the UK and from afar.

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Our little time waster is now 5 months old and is the sweetest little girl imaginable...she is patient and cheerful and loves nothing more than watching her older siblings going about their business.


Some may remember a post I did about a year ago in which I described my children in colours, Megs was purple, Phill yellow and Nick Nick blue, well the more time I spend with our little treasure the more I see her in tones of pink.

I know pink seems a bit cliched for a girl, but it is because she is sweet and friendly, her eyes light up with excitement every time the people she knows and love come near her and she is as delicious as candy floss and strawberry ice cream :0). As tiny as she is she already has an ability to draw people to her, and like her older brother, Nick Nick she is a firm favourite with all who come into contact with her.

Catching Up

The last few weeks have been exceptionally busy and filled with lots of the stuff that make the days hectic but add very little value to the life experience....the end seems at hand now and I am hoping to be able to settle down to a more normal pace again, since living in England I have become positively "rush phobic" and am looking forward to a little peace in my life once more.

Some of the highlights however do include:

Phillip's 11th Birthday Party - Delta Force: Crawley (23rd October 2011)

Phill hasn't really had a party in the last couple of years and finally this year he felt in the right space to get out there with some special mates and celebrate. We booked 18 spaces at our local paintball centre and 12 boys and 6 Dads spent the day running around various themed arenas doing what boys like to do best....shoot the hell out of anything that moved lol.

It was lovely to watch Phill with his friends and see what a confident young man he has become, the party really rocked and seems to have set the tone for the remaining parties this year as we have already had an invite to another party at the same venue because "it was so so cool".

Tom's Naming Day Ceremony - Whitley Bay (30th October 20110
Now that we are living in the same country, Tanya and I are once again in each other's daily lives (even if we actually only see each other in person a few times a year) and I was thrilled when she asked me to be God Mother to her youngest Son Tom.

On Saturday 29th Beth and I jumped on the train to New Castle and once again I simply can't rate this method of transport highly enough. In hours it took me almost exactly the same time door to door as it would have to drive (6 hours) but instead of the stressed wreck I would have been had I driven, I was able to sleep, read and feed Beth during the trip and arrived relaxed and looking forward to a weekend of celebration and time spent with Tanya's boys.

The naming ceremony was lovely and filled with words of strength and affirmation that I know Tom will cherish when he is old enough to look back on them with understanding. It was stunning to spend time with Aunty Gail (Tanya's mom) and to finally put faces to the names of many of Tanya's closest friends. The remainder of the weekend was spent chatting and walking and playing and eating...some of my most favourite things....I so cherish time with my oldest and dearest friend.

Aside from the above two lovely distractions, school hunting for Nick has been the order of the day and I am really relieved that all the schools in our area have me feeling positive especially considering the council gets to decide which one he will attend.