I try to remember when the kids are being at their best, because it normally doesn't take very long before best friends have turned into foes and punching has replaced hugs and kisses... ;)
So when they are friends, which honestly they are most of the time, and playing nice I try to take a moment to take it in and right now is one of those moments!
I'm sitting at the computer, in our kitchen - at home, yay!, sorting out some holiday pics and kids are outside... Anton's got pink fairy wings on over his Spiderman t-shirt and Erin's wearing a fairy dress with wellie boots on her feet. :) Anton is pulling her around the lawn in the pulka (a sort of sled)... Just tooo cute and sweet! :D
Sometimes, most of the time, I've got the most beautiful kiddies in the whole wide world! ♥E.
Giants Causeway, not visited this time around. (image from google)
We've had a wonderful two weeks in Northern Ireland with brilliantweather and we've gotten to see the Emerald Isle at its most emerald... Absolutely gorgeous!
With a slight tan and plenty of new freckles we're heading back home tomorrow and even if it'll be a looong day with a long wait in Stanstead between flights we're going back home :) ...and there's truly no place like home...! :) We've loved getting back over here again and I for one hope it'll not be another 4 years before my next visit!
Thank you Carol for making this trip possible! :)
Now I need to head back to the packing, there's a bit more stuff to fit than what we had coming ;) , and hopefully I'll return at the weekend with lots of pics from our holiday! ♥E.
I've just finished the 3rd book of the Twilight Saga and I loved it! Best one of the three I think...though it's hard to say for sure 'cause they've all been SO good!!
Although, I feel a bit torn too because I don't want it to end! :D I envy those who still haven't read the books for the first time and still have all this amazingness left to experience! :)
I'm sure I'll re-read the books but, it'll never be my first time again... ;) :D
AND I worry too about reading ahead as my expectations now are SO high that a poor (or "not right") ending to the saga will just...kill me! I feel like perhaps I should stop now, while it's still REALLY good...?!?
Is there anything more Historical than a Royal Family?
It might be ancient, old fashioned and...even a bit stupid but oh how I love royalty and today we've had a royal wedding. Could not get any better!! :D Our crown princess Victoria got to marry her "man of the people" commoner Mr. Daniel Westling and he got her ♥ and the whole kingdom...! ;) He's now a Prince, a Duke and a Knight...
Just a quick note to let you all know we've arrived safely. :) Father-in-law was surprised into tears. :) Apparently he didn't have the slightest clue as to what it was mother-in-law was going to pick up! ;) Well executed plan! :D
I don't know how many times Stephen has almost let it slip...! :) We've been keeping this surprise since January I think... :D
Happy Birthday Samuel! :)
We've already been about Carrickfergus itself, done some shopping in Larne and visited the far to grown up cousins...! They're "proper" kids now! :D Seems like time flies in Northern Ireland too...! :D
I think we're going for a chill out day today...possibly a visit to the playground. For Saturday there's a BBQ planned. Granny and Granddad bought a paddling pool so I'm guessing there will be plenty of wetness too! :D
Better go! Will see about possibly posting some pics soon! ♥E.
:D The family's going away for a few weeks and I'm not sure if I'll get any leisure time ;) online :) during those weeks... Happy Holidays to us and to you and I'll "see" you soon! ♥
"The family is always the family but during vacations it is an extended family and that is exhausting." - Gertrude Stein ;P
Little ones got the boost to their TBE-vaccine this morning. *ouch!* Erin's wee arm has been a bit sore today - Anton doesn't seem overly bothered by it.
Both thought it was more sore this time though...! :/ Perhaps the memory of the last jag was still fairly fresh in their minds. Poor little ones, I'm sort of hoping (but still NOT!) that they'll get plenty of those nasty ticks for it all to be "worth it"...!
Both got two rub on tattoos to show off how brave they'd been! :)
I always find it interesting to read about Sweden and "Swedish phenomena" from other parts of the world. Here's an interesting article from the New York Times - In Sweden, the Men Can Have It All, about the Swedish model of parental leave and its benefits and possible disadvantages.
It is a subject of much debate here... How much should the government have to say about our parental leave...? What right have they got to meddle about the equality in our own homes...?? etc. and so on.
I can see both advantages and the hindrance that governmental meddling can have and I realise too that there isn't an easy 'fix' or answer for these kinds of things... Generally though, I feel that change isn't anything that can or should be forced upon people and that change, especially in terms of equality, in society should initially start from 'the top'. Changing the mindset/attitude about women's influence/place/value/etc. in board rooms and other places of power rather than how ordinary people on "grass root"-level decide to manage their lives in accordance to the narrow-mindedness of the people 'on top'...
We do our best with what we have been given and forcing equality in the home to change the attitudes 'above' is harsh and unfair, for the most part. Yes, there will be certain benefits from people having no choice but to stand up to old worldly traditions but... The fact that men, in 'men trades' generally have full time employment whilst women, in 'female trades', only have part time work or even just temporary employment... To force the man in this "stereotypical" couple to stay at home whilst the woman scrambles to get more hours of work or even work at all will not change the mentality in stiff all male board rooms! ...it'll only means an earlier start at nursery for the child, I feel 12 months is already too early, and parental days gone unused at this early, most essential time for both parents and child...
Well, I'm not going to delve any deeper, than I already have ;), into this specific subject. It's an interesting read and please feel free to give me tips of other articles you may find on "Swedish-ness"! :)
We're just back from nursery. Anton's fallen asleep, its been a long week.I'm going to let him have a wee nap. Erin's at the computer. :) Yep! The computer! :) (I'm on the lap top! ;)) She has recently gotten the hang of the mouse and does marvelously with a Dora the Explorer game we've got. In no time she's learnt how to work the mouse without any trouble. She pick things up, moves them to the right place, matches colours and...is just amazing! ;)
I think it's so cool that the little kiddie winks so easily get the hang of these things! But, I guess being old enough to not have had a shot at a computer until I was a good bit bigger (and older still before I surfed the world wide web) I'm easily amazed. ;) For goodness sake! :D I even did typing in school! On an electrical typewriter (ooooh!) fair enough ;) but still...! Yeah...I'm starting to feel slightly ancient! ;)
Yep, I'm afraid I might have advanced from normal 'sane' walking to 'power walking'! :D Which, exercise wise is good, good, good but I still feel silly, silly, silly swinging my arms about! :) I get an image in my head of Phoebe's running style an worry that perhaps that's what'll I progress to! *lol!* ;)
Power walking has now time wise shortened my route another little bit, even after I added a bit to my 'loop'...might have to extend it even further! :)
Weight not shifting any at the moment but not giving up! ♥E.
:) OK, I knew I wasn't going to have a huge problem with this English course but...come oooon...! Yawn! Read this, listen to this on your CD, do word match and spelling, practise your prepositions!?... *yawn!*
I've got my speech and my novel revision left to do, assignment wise, and the last one shouldn't be too big of an issue... Not feeling to great about the speech though, not because I have trouble with speaking ;) but I just don't like to call a complete stranger and do a speech...! :P
The disposition of the speech has to be in by Friday and I have no idea what to speak about... :I It has to be related to an English speaking country and my options in terms of type is a persuasive or an informative speech or a report...
In 1 ½ weeks I've done week 1-3 and I'm almost finished with my novel... :) Busy enough but booored...! ;)
This blog is "about the everyday on goings in the lives of the H family" and that's mostly what it's been about too... :) that's been my idea all along and that's how I want to keep it.
I've been feeling the urge to write about more 'spiritual' things recently, about my view on Life and it's mysteries... I've wanted to share more 'words of wisdom' that I've come across and that have made a difference in my life...
So rather than mixing/confusing things up too much here, on the 'Family Blog'. I've decided to create another one! :) That space will be bombarded with my thoughts, ideas, quotes, pictures etc and so on...at least that's the idea right now...! ;)
Come on over to Haud Ignota Loquor (Latin for I speak not of unknown things) and have a look
- at me picking my own brain...
Could get scary! ;)
Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I hope to enjoy it! :)
OK I admit, I'm a stubborn antagonist to all things super hyped. I feel that most of the time I'm no worse for it... :) I'll probably come across whatever the object in question is that is talked about everywhere by everyone... I feel no need to be the first in line for movie tickets or for this-that-the other-shop. I manage fine without being 'in the know'. There's plenty of examples where I've just waited and either been prove 'right' (the amazingness of whatever was truly a hype...) or I've enjoyed the experience a bit later than everyone else...
In this case I'm talking about the movie "Avatar". The enormousness of this movie made me immidately object to the whole phenomenon...! :D "No way that it can be that awesomely brilliant!" "Yeah, yeah...Avatar blah blah blah... James Cameron has a knack for making himself and his movies over-hyped. I'm not saying he's not done good movies but...come oooon...!" "Nah, it can never be that good."
I was wrong...wrong, wrong, wrong! :) Stephen and I got the movie through a monthly movie rental thing and we finished watching it last night and...it isamazing! I'm truly in awe of how it is even possible to make a movie like this... it look SO real! :) Is SO well done and it is SO beautiful...!
(image from www.allposters.com)
The story in itself is perhaps not new - there's the 'chance' happenings, the conflict between technology and nature/invaders and natives, there's misunderstanding, learning, developement, understanding and finally looove... ♥ Ending in a final show of power and strenght... Still, nothing felt predictable I was enthralled from the first few minutes 'til the End...!! :)
WOW! :D I loooove this movie! I love the interwineness that the Na'vi have with all living things on Pandora and how the power of 'Eywa', Mother Earth, is always present for the Na'vi. The physical pain they feel when the balance in Nature is desturbed...you feel it too...it's... :) I'm at loss for words! :D
A look at the world of Pandora, clip from youtube.
I am probably the last person on earth that hadn't seen "Avatar" *lol!* BUT if you, like me, haven't seen it just because it's over hyped...forget about it and SEE THIS MOVIE!!
♥E.
p.s. Spell checker's not working, apologies for stupid mistakes!
Summer has now undoubtedly arrived with beaming sunshine for well over a week and need for plenty of sunscreen on bare arms and legs! :)
We've been up to the lake with the kiddies a few times too, cooling off after long hot days at nursery. It's still waaay to cold for a swim, although Erin had a little stumble and got wet up to her arm pits on Thursday and on Friday we did see a good hand full of youngsters (yep! I'm old enough to say youngsters! ;)) swimming for quite a while.
Today's been brilliant... too! ;) Anton went to a friend early this morning to play and we filled the paddle pool for the first time for the season and Erin splashed about for aaages. I was reading my novel for English (Doris Lessingers - The Cleft) in the sunshine and Stephen was organizing stuff in the garage. At lunchtime Anton joined in the bathing and we came inside for dinner...I don't want us to get fried in the sun! ;) Straight after the kiddies were outside again (not complaining but a little bit concerned about them being sun burnt). At least they had clothes on now... :D
Now that the wind has started blowing a bit cooler I've gotten them back inside and now starts the "struggle" (not jumping to conclusions yet) of keeping them awake 'til a sensible time for bed. Last "night" they were both down before 6.30!?! :I Poor tired little mites...! :) If they stay awake 'til 7 I'm certain they'll sleep all night, last night Anton woke about midnight not seeming to interested in going back to sleep, but did eventually... Erin too came to our bed, about 3.30, and fell asleep quickly enough but could as well have decided she's had enough sleep! :)
So...after a looong day of fun in the sun I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep them up for another hour but...then again...I'm not going to fight about it either... :) They've deserved an early night!
The lovely tops I got on Sunday were a bit roomy (yay!) so I went to the shop yesterday to see about getting them in a smaller size not daring to truly believe I could fit into the next size down... I can't even remember when I last wore that size! :D
I know it's more about the fit/model of the item rather than the size that determines what one fits into and the fashion at the moment is very loose fitting and wide so things are in my "favour"... Except for the fact that I'm not too keen this wide/loose fashion as I feel it just makes a big girl like me look even bigger...
Feeling brave I grabbed an arm full of "surely too small" tops and headed for the changing rooms, and... :D :D :D I found two similar tops ('cause I did really liked the ones I got) of a slimmer fit, in the next size down!! :D :D :D I was/amchuffed to bits!
I had a slight smile stuck to my face all day...! :) Well pleased...! :) ;) :)
♥E.
p.s. English course is going well so far too...on day 3 of a 5 week course I'm as good as done with week 1 & 2! :D Two assignments are already done and I'm hoping to finish the obligatory novel next week... Hope I can keep this good flow going...! *fingers crossed!*
I try to remember when the kids are being at their best, because it normally doesn't take very long before best friends have turned into foes and punching has replaced hugs and kisses... ;)
