Spain 2016 - Day 1

Our family holiday this year was to Malaga in the Costa Del Sol, to a little town in the south of Spain called Benalmadena. It was amazing and we had a fantastic time!

Day one was mostly spent by the pool, as we were travelling late into the night, and then we were waiting to get out hotel room. The kids were fantastic on the fight over, they watched a movie on the ipad and were so well behaved in the airport, check in and baggage claim, it was all so easy.

Here's my little people before we boarded our plane- our flight was late afternoon, so we were in the airport early to check in etc.

Ready to go!

So when we arrived we took a taxi and after the flight we were exhausted and we all landed quite quickly in our beds! The next day the weather was as expected, glorious! we were all so tired we decided to explore and get ourselves settled into our room- our room was on the fifth floor. The hotel was stunning, with fab marble staircases and an amazing pool! it was heaven.

Lauren and Mommy chilling out by the pool!

This is the beautiful view of our pool, it was stunning. There was a bar and table service.

 

After lunch it was getting very hot at the pool, so we decided to take a stroll along the promenade to explore the area a bit, and find somewhere nice to go back and eat in later on that evening.

It was so hot we actually escaped into an air conditioned macdonalds to get ice-cream as we were literally melting! Then it was back to the hotel to get ready for our dinner.

All ready, myself and Lauren had great fun taking a few pictures!

My lovely pair all ready for their night out, we found a lovely little Italian restaurant, it was very good and the kids were so hungry from all the excitement!

Lauren showing off her beautiful hand made bows from a local 'bowtique' she loved them and we had a few colours!

Of course after dinner it was time for more ice-cream!

My handsome boy!

We were able to take our time walking back to the hotel that evening as it was so much cooler than during the day, and we were able to snap some lovely photos of the area. What a view....

   

We were so tired the first night, that we all literally crashed! What a great first day!

" Sunday Sundaes "

We are back from our holidays with a real bang, we had an amazing time, but we are easing back into the real world though! we had a little shopping to do in Dundrum, and we took the kids for ice-cream and we sat and enjoyed the sunshine, not quite as hot as Sunny Spain...... but it was with my favourite people!

All the holiday posts are coming up! Have so many things I want to get on the blog to remember forever!

Growing up!

 I love that Facebook has the memory sharing now, but this one really did a number on me today! Dylan when he was only 5! I had his hair cut today and it struck me how grown up he is after getting it cut shorter for his holidays. He isn't my tiny boy anymore, but almost a teenager. I need to value all the hugs and love I get now as I know teenagers are quite sparse with the hugs and love for their mommas! I hope this isn't the case with my little boy.

It also makes me realise that this little ole blog will eventually be making some changes, as the kids are getting older I won't have the freedom to document everything, as what they decide they want to remember will ultimately be their decisions. I hope to record their childhood here for them to look back on one day, and hope to print it out for them to see...

But for right now, I can look at my itty bitty Dylan and remember how teeny he was, and be grateful that right now he still loves me like he did then! He is the best son that you could ask for. He is kind, caring and I am blessed to call him my son!

Holiday Ready!

So we are almost all set for our holidays this week, Lauren got some new hair bows!

I got my hair done and I got a fringe, and I got my lashes done!

I got my nails all ready in 'chili heatwave'

And then we will be off at the weekend to the Sunset Beach club in Benalmadena and we are so excited! We can't wait for an amazing holiday!

This is the beautiful view of our hotel and pool that I saw online! isn't it gorgeous!!!

The countdown is on!

River Fest 2016

Today we took the kids into the Dublin Port River Fest, this is our second year going. This year we focused more on viewing the ships as the kids were bigger and they could appreciate them more, they really enjoyed the day out!

 

 

 

 

It was a lovely day and the weather was beautiful, and they really loved touring all of the ships, we finished the day off with dinner in Derek's parents house! Was a really lovely day!

Summer reading list 2016

So I made myself a summer reading list of some of the books I've wanted to read. I just finished Jojo Moyles 'Me before you,' and I'm currently reading the sequel 'After you,' the rest of my list is below! I'm being really optimistic and hoping that I will get through these books before the summer, but I would say with the amount of time I get to read, it will be more like Halloween! Oh well, I'm still going to relish every page!

 

 

I can hardly wait, I just need me a little 'she shed now!

Lauren's grade one ballet exam

Today Lauren had her ballet exams! she has been practicing and practicing and she was so excited for her exam, we are so so proud of her and how dedicated she is. She is an incredibly talented ballerina for her age, and it's not by accident, it's the sheer hard work and practice that she puts into it. Her teacher is incredible and I'm just so happy that she is part of this school.

Receiving their beautiful roses after there exams from Ms. Clodagh, look at Lauren's face!

 

 

Trying to sneak a peak at the other students, Lauren's teacher waited through every single exam.

 

My precious little ballerina, she is the most amazing and wonderful little girl and we is just couldn't  love her any more than we do!

 

 

My precious girl with me, I have no idea why I am making this face lol! I guess I was very happy and excited!

 

Before the exams Lauren had her hair done in this amazing little ballerina hairdo!

 

 

Lauren with her friends after her exam, she was so delighted with herself. I was so surprised by her conifidence and poise. She really is a remarkable person, I admire her dedication to her ballet and the passion she puts in to it.

 

 

Regardless of the outcome of this exam, I am proud of her for taking part in an official exam. I can't imagine it is easy for a little girl to get up in front of an examiner and be judged on something she has put so much work into. I am so glad that it makes her so happy. I guess she's almost a grade 2 student now! She will be having classes twice weekly from now on, needless to say she is very excited

 

Very well done Lauren!