Trip to Fenor Nature Reserve

This weekend we took the kids to Fenor which is a nature reserve in Waterford. They have also built a lovely playground there, there is also a huge Football pitch there. Dylan had a great time playing hurling with his Daddy. I took Lauren to play while they had some Daddy and Dylan time! I brought her on the slide and had great fun. Then Dylan came to play..... Of course all the photos are of Dylan running around, because I can't get him to stand still for pictures anymore!

Here's the trip in pictures...

Look how adorable these little people are. How lucky are they to have each other! I love these photos, watching Dylan leading his baby sister to the slides. It makes my heart melt.

 Then we walked around the new boardwalk on the bog. It is absolutely beautiful there...

 I love how Derek is explaining the insects and birds that live in the bog to Dylan. He loves to learn new things!

 We spent the weekend relaxing and enjoying our time together. I love when we are all together and having fun. The weather was so nice which was a welcome change from the rain we've had all week. So a busy week is ahead if us now, and some big decisions are getting made around here! all good ones.... which will be shared soon...

I'm a happy, lucky Mommy...

Picnics & Pigtails

Today was the final day of our holiday weekend, it went by so fast. This morning when we got up, we were planning on taking the kids for a picnic, sadly it rained just as we were about to get out of the car. The weather completely changed and it got really dull and cloudy. We had what is famously known in our family as the 'inside picnic,' or the 'car picnic,' This is a regular fixture in Ireland, just when you plan something fun to do in the nice weather, it changes and starts to rain! it didn't matter to us though, because we were all together and all happy!

Today was another first for Lauren, I finally managed to get her hair into pigtails! sadly Lauren doesn't have a lot of hair, a little like me at her age.... but here she is!

Lauren's First Pigtails

Isn't she adorable! of course we had to add the final grumpy face picture, which Lauren is currently specialising in! I love this little outfit she had on today, it is beyond cute on her!!

Of course I can't forget this little guy...

 Before we left Dylan was playing his Xbox, he loves to play Fifa on it.... He looks so grown up playing his video games...

Then we went and had our 'car picnic,' and I got some photos of the beautiful views, unfortunately it was cloudy and rainy... I think it makes the views more rugged and beautiful though..

Views from Annestown

I took these photos through the car window, so they aren't too bad! Then it was home and time to get our baths and get ready for bed!

It is so much easier when Derek is here to help me. I can get the chores done while Derek is bathing the kids. It's beyond wonderful to have us all together, and under the same roof. I can't wait for the day when it will be permanent again...

"Happy June Bank Holiday Weekend,"

June bank holiday weekend

This weekend was our bank holiday weekend. I had to work on the Saturday, which turned out to be a big day for Dylan. He got his medal for completing the football season, and they had a little party. They had a great time and then Dylan was asked to play in his very first real football match. I am so upset that I had to miss it. I asked Derek to get photos, but he said you couldn't get any pictures from where he was sitting... so I'm really really sad about that. The good news is Dylan got to play and he played really well, his team even won the match. I am so amazingly proud of him...

Here's Dylan receiving his medal

The weather was so beautiful here the last two days, and I was working, then when I got up this morning it was dull and cloudy. I was disappointed, but I still made the most of my day with the family. We took the kids for a walk on the prom at the beach. Dylan went on his roller skates, and Lauren took her doll and pram. I got some photos of them on my iphone. Dylan is getting better on his roller skates, and Lauren was delighted walking with her doll. It was pretty windy though!

Lauren with her doll and pram

Dylan on his skates

The beautiful view of the beach on the cloudy day...

I was messing about with my new iphone! I'm so happy with it, and I got some really lovely shots with a new app I downloaded. I was watching the kids playing football in the garden, and these are what I got. Lauren loves to sit up and cheer Dylan on. She is so adorable sitting on her chair clapping her big brother, she is so loving. She's a great baby sister... and well Dylan loves the attention!

before football

In the garden

We still have another day of the weekend, and I'm really hoping the weather is better tomorrow and we can do something fun! I really love having extra time with my family. They are growing so fast that these memories are more and more precious....

Love you guys..

   

Dylan's new glasses

 We had Dylan's follow up eye appointment in the eye hospital yesterday. He got to go on the train all on his own with me yesterday. He was delighted! He loves the train, it's always an adventure for him. He did really well in his appointment. His consultant was really happy with him, it would appear that his sight has not gotten any worse over the last six months. When they took off his glasses to read the letters, he could read them all without the glasses on. The last time we were there he could barely read the first line without them. His consultant was delighted with his progress. He said that if he were to stop wearing his glasses, within six months his eyesight would have deteriorated again, so we have to keep going the way we are. It is testament to how well  he wears his glasses. This is great as his eye sight seems to have stabilised now, which is promising, hopefully it won't get worse. This means he won't have to wear his glasses as much when he is older. I am so delighted with this news!

After his appointment, I took him for a treat for being so good. He got himself a nice new football. So he couldn't have been happier. Then we headed to his optician to get a new pair of frames. He needed to move up to the next size of glasses. He also got a pair without an arch bridge, they have single pads on each side of his nose, but they still have a good side on them, they wrap all around his ears. They were expensive, but he'll get the year out of these too. They are similar in style, but they're different! I'm happy with them, I think they look cute on him. He seems to like them, which is excellent! If he likes them then he is more inclined to wear them!

Here he is in his new glasses... looking all cute.... Love this little guy!

We missed Lauren though, she had to stay behind with Nana, as the journey would have been too difficult with both of them. She would have been irritable at Dylan's appointment! So Dylan and Mummy got to have a special day with just us.... It was good to spend some quality time together!

I'm a happy Mummy after our good news...