A day in the life...

I saw another blogger doing this and I thought it was a fun idea, and it got me thinking what a day in our life is like! Plus if I document it then I can make the kids guilty appreciate all the hard work I do on their behalf! I wouldn't have it any other way though, I love to look after them, it makes me their mommy!

My days are tougher these days with Derek away at work during the week, which means that we are one parent down in our house. So it means that I have so much more to do! Our day usually starts the night before, when I iron my uniform and Dylan's uniform for the next day and get homework put away, and make lunches. I have a sandwich, some fruit and some weight watchers soup, sometimes I'll have a diet coke. Dylan usually gets a sandwich and some juice, some cheese dippers and a yogurt tube and a little treat, today he had some smarties!

I get Lauren's bag ready for the next day too. I put her clothes and nappies and snacks in there, as she usually gets her lunch and dinner at her Nanna's house.

Then it's off to bed I go. The next morning my alarm goes off about 7:00 a.m I get the kids breakfast ready, they usually like to eat it while they watch cartoons. I get ready while they are eating and put all the final bits and pieces away. Then it's vitamin time. I take fish oils and a multivitamin supplement, and Dylan and Lauren each take a multivitamin.

Then it's off to school, and Lauren heads to her Nanna's house, where she minds her. She gets ready there. I head to work for 9:00 a.m. I get my lunch usually about 1:00pm. The day is usually really hectic and busy. I'm usually really tired by the end of the day. I leave work at 6:00 p.m and I head straight to pick the kids up from my mums. I usually eat dinner with my parents, this is such a big help as the kids are usually fed, and it is one less job for me to do. With Derek away it would be tough to handle.

Then it's time for our bed time routine, we get into our jammies, and then we have supper time, then we brush our teeth, and the kids each get a story, then they head off to sleep ( Every other night they have their baths)

I like to read them their stories on their own, so they each get some special attention from me and some quality time, and when Derek is home he does it. Lauren loves her stories, I've added a pic of her book 'you're not so scary Sid' she actually runs away when I read it, and doesn't come out until the part where we say 'Sid isn't so scary' and we have to roar back at him. It's hilarious! Dylan usually plays in his room while it's Lauren's story time. and then I convince him to go bed for his story, he loves any story and just loves to help me read it now that he is getting really good at reading. They both have a few minutes looking at their books before lights out.

I try to grab a few minutes of peace, and I'll catch up on some of my favourite shows, then I get everything all ready again for the next day! Some nights if there is a lot to do, I will find that my clock looks like this...

 

This usually makes me panic, and I try not worry about how little sleep I'll get, and I vow to try and get to bed earlier the next night! and usually I still have a basket of wet laundry to get dried and folded, which usually looks like this...

Luckily I only work four days, I work Tuesday - Friday one week and Wednesday- Saturday the next week, which is great because every other week I get four days off in a row, and I always have Monday off which I love. It gives me great quality time with the kids.

Our days are busy, but we make up for it at the weekend, where I try and spend lots of quality time together as a family, and try and take some nice day trips and have lots of fun!

So that's a day in our life.... Being a Mommy is hard work, but I wouldn't have it any other way, because as I always say every day- no matter how busy and hectic and crazy it is- is heaven set!

Dylan and Lauren's Artwork 2010/2011

It's important for me to document Dylan and Lauren's work. Dylan has moved onto a lot of reading focused homework - dictation and sentences, but in term one he focused a lot on artwork, working on forming his letters and shapes. So I've made his artwork into a slide show, and of course some of Lauren's contributions!! Including her first time finger painting, and their handprints! I just love to remember every single thing they do. I know in time the edges will curl and the pages will get lost, memories will fade, and so this is a wonderful way to remember everything!

I love my little babes!

"Art & school Work"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

The tooth fairy (part 2) & other stories

Well the tooth fairy has certainly been busy in our house! Dylan lost his second tooth yesterday. It took some time before it fell out, it was literally hanging side ways in his mouth! I'm so glad it finally fell out! You may remember the first tooth fairy visit At this rate he'll have no teeth left! You can see the tooth that fell out in November is now a 'big boy' tooth!

'Look at my gap!'

Getting ready for the tooth fairy

The next morning.... The tooth fairy came!!

Look at that silly smile! He was delighted with himself! I think it is so magical that they believe in the tooth fairy! He can't wait to lose more teeth!

 Lauren has started doing what I used to do when I was a little girl... walking while reading! It used to drive my parents crazy!! I nearly fell over when I saw her doing it!! She also copies Dylan, he reads in bed every night before lights out ... and now Lauren is doing it too.... so cute!

Dylan's school also runs a 'junior achievement' programme, I copied this from the website, 'Junior Achievement is a non profit organization that brings the real world to students through activities, it bridges the gap between what is being taught in school and how it can be applied in the real world,' Dylan took part in a seven week course called 'Ourselves' he really enjoyed it and told us all about it. Here he is with his certificate that they presented to the boys in school that day. I think it's a great programme. He was delighted with himself! and we were so proud of him! I've added some pictures of him playing football, he plays football every spare minute he gets he really loves it, and he's great at it!

Our Junior Achiever

And our soccer star

And while I was getting ready the other day I thought Lauren seemed very quiet, I went to check on them and found Lauren putting my make-up on and she was delighted with herself! little monkey!! but isn't she cute.... she copies what I do! She's a real little girl.

Look how pretty I am!

So that's all from our house from the last week,  We are busy busy here and today is my day off so I'm going to have to plan some fun activities this afternoon, it's been raining here the last few days, so we've been watching movies, I think if the poor kids watch another DVD their eyes will go square!! We need some sunshine!! The summer will be here soon and I can't wait. Derek has lots of family weekends planned for us, we're hoping to get into camping this summer! Dylan and Lauren will love it... and Daddy too... I'm not so sure about me though, but if it  makes them happy I'll gladly do it!!

Family Update 2/05/11 & Old photos

This is my 101st post! wow can't believe I've been blogging for nearly a year! I was just thinking I must do a family update, so I can remember what the kids are doing at the moment!

Dylan

He's been on his Eater Holidays for the past two weeks, and he seems to have really enjoyed himself, he did lots of fun things! He goes back to school bright and early in the morning. He has been playing soccer on his team now for the past month and he is getting really really good at it. He scores at least three goals at every match, and sometimes up to four goals in the one game! His coach says that no matter who they put against him, he still beats them! I am so proud of him. He is so good at all sports he's tried so far. He was playing basketball in the park last week and he just kept getting basket after basket! I think he will be very good at sports. He watches football now with Derek, and he plays Fi.fa soccer on the X.box! which he's really good at! And when he isn't playing soccer video games, he's out playing soccer with his friends outside!!

We did a little school work today for when he goes back to school, ease him in slowly! His addition and letters are coming on really well.
He is also becoming very protective towards Lauren, he takes such good care of her, although they fight sometimes too! I think he's settling into his new school, it's hard to tell as they don't tell you everything, but he seems to be making friends and his teacher hasn't had any issues with him. I'll probably talk to her tomorrow to make sure he's doing well!

Lauren

Lauren has a little cold at the moment, but she's slept ok so far and seems happy enough in spite of it! Her speech is coming on alarmingly fast, she is holding a full conversation with us now. I can't believe how fast she's learning! She is playing a bit better with Dylan these days. She's growing bigger every day. She loves her books at bedtime, she goes for the same two every night.... 'the three little pigs' and 'Goldilocks and the three bears' she says them along with me. She is still really easy to put to bed. 
I'll be putting her name down to start in the same Montessori as Dylan this week, and I hope to start her there after Christmas next year when she's two and a half. I am going to start potty training her in the next few months, maybe towards the end of the summer and we'll be transferring her into her toddler bed around the same time. She is getting so adorable and so clever, she counts and is starting to sing her abc, it is so cute to watch her grow. I especially love how she and Dylan play together now, they get out all the dinosaurs or the Lego bricks and actually play together! Lauren has also really started to love Dora the explorer on TV she sits and answers all the questions asked! It's adorable, she also likes Peppa pig!

Mom and Dad

We're both really busy with work, Derek has been off since Thursday and it was lovely having him around, He is heading back up to work this evening so I'm dreading that. It is so unbelievably hard having your husband work away from home. I really pray to God that he will get a job down here soon, something that will benefit his career. I guess you can just wait and hope. I'm feeling so much better after my surgery and having stitches out, and my dry socket dressed. I was worried at first as there seemed to be an open wound in my mouth, and I was thinking that this was the same problem that caused me to get the tooth out in the first place, my wiadom toothe was coming up and leaving a wound in my mouth. So I called my surgeon and she said that this is all ok and that the gum will heal from the bottom up! something I never knew about. A development I had though which isn't so pleasant, is the numbness in my lower lip. It started about a week after the surgery and is still there now, also asked the surgeon about that and she said it can take up three months for this to heal. When my gum was dressed it may have bruised my nerve! so I just hope it goes back to normal eventually. I am just so glad it's behind me now.

Photo Catch Up

Since we got our new laptop I've been transferring old photos, I found a few that I would like to remember since I wasn't blogging then, so I've added some of my favourite photos from 2009. When I look back I can't believe how much they've grown, my heart just bursts with love for my two little angels, they are so special and amazing, I am so lucky to be their mum. I love to look back and see them look so different.

I'm such a lucky mummy!

Easter 2009
(Lauren's  first Easter)

Family Holiday in Kerry 2009
(Lauren's First Holiday)

 Lauren from newborn, Dylan from 4 years old

I can't believe how fast the time goes. I remember how much I really enjoyed that time. In every photo of them together you can see how much they love each other, Dylan has literally adored his baby sister since the minute he met her, and she looks up to him and adores him right back! I love every minute with my precious children. I love to look back at my parent's with them, like in the photos with Lauren and Dylan above! Children really complete a household. You don't know they are missing until they are here, and now I can't imagine my world without them...

Derek's 30th Birthday

This weekend was brilliant! We celebrated Derek's 30th birthday. I can't believe my husband is 30! I remember when he was 18!! It was quite emotional, I am so lucky to have such a special husband, and I am so happy that we celebrated this special birthday together. It is amazing how fast time goes by.

 We had a party in The Oden bar in Dublin, and our closest friends and family were able to join us. We had cocktails and some dancing, and of course..... a great night! Here's the photos...

My Husband and I

Last ones standing.... this was Very late in the evening

Derek with friends Rachel and Neil

Derek with his sister Orla and her boyfriend Darren

Derek's sisters Orla and Elaine, with a friend Jennifer and finally his SIL Pearl

 

Derek with friends Colm and Kieran

Naylla, Rachel and I

Cocktails... yum!

Dear friends Kieran & Naylla

With my friend of 22 years Honor

  Derek with Honor

Derek and Kieran

And finally us again....

We had a really great night, my photos aren't perfect! but not too bad after a few cocktails! We really enjoyed the night, I will always remember how much fun we had. I look forward to the next thirty years with my darling husband, and hopefully many more beyond that.

The kids also enjoyed spending some extra time with their Daddy. They made him some really special cards, I must add some pictures from Derek's birthday with the kids...

Happy 30th Birthday Derek

We love you...