One Week in Paradise

People may mock our not so pristine 2005 Dodge Caravan. But it managed to tote 6 people, 6 bikes, 4 buggy boards and a weeks worth of food from Fort Mill to Edisto Island, in relative comfort I might add!














With England not being such a large country; family holidays for me usually meant an hours drive, with at least 3 stops on the way to eat the sandwiches mum had made for the journey. So by the time we had traveled a whole 3 hours, we were all pretty wasted. So my first port of call was the hammock. I actually lay there for over an hour before I was discovered. I don't know if I have ever felt so relaxed. Of course, once the kids found out my little secret, I didn't get a smell in.













This was the view from the hammock as I lay looking over my feet. But then I looked up and about 2 feet above my head was a black and white spider the size of my hand. Unfortunately, I wasn't about to hang around for a photo shoot with the little fellow.













Not a lot to report, quite honestly. The pictures speak for themselves. We have spent hours each day being beach bums. Perhaps that's why I am loving this holiday so much.

My First Project!

I'm not the most creative of people, but I figured I would like to try my hand at making a very basic blanket for my niece when her daughter was born in May.

It's not good to look at the detail of my handy-work, but I thoroughly enjoyed the process, found it very relaxing and loved the end result. (I am very easily pleased). But I loved the feel of the blanket and liked the colours.

Here's the finished product.



I shipped it off to England at a cost of $40 just to get it over there and told my mum to expect it at the beginning of May.

It never arrived. :o{

I tried very hard not to care. Told myself that the process of making it had been a blessing and I should just let it go. But at the back of my mind - I was disappointed my niece hadn't been able to give this to her baby, Katelyn.

Anyway - I had lost all hope of ever seeing the blanket again - when on Saturday 1st August a package arrived for me. My blanket had been returned.

I'm over the moon. :o}

Yet Another Summer Birthday Party

Joseph's birthday is officially 29th October - but asked if this year he could have a summer birthday party, as he really wanted to have it at the pool. I couldn't see any reason why not - so I said 'yes'.

For those of you who know Joseph - he is often described as a proper English gentleman. Quiet and refined.

Honestly - you don't know him ;o). And when he gets with his friends - he really lets lose. AND I LOVE IT!!














Is Joseph actually getting bitten?

Whatever - he still has a smile on his face.






I think here - Joseph's friend is going in for a head lock.


Emily's friend Madison I think is fighting for her life, as her brother looks on.








This one definitely looks like a punch to the head.



And for the grand finale ......









Joseph said it was the best birthday party he's ever had!!!!

3 down - 1 to go!!

Back to the Lazy 5 Ranch

We took Fanny, our Chinese exchange student, and Cassie, Emily's good friend who are both staying with us until the end of July, to the Lazy 5 Ranch.

This is a day out we always look forward to.













Some of the animals get a little over friendly in their excitement to get food.













I don't know if I'm going to have a visit from social services for endangering my children's lives - but we thoroughly enjoyed getting upclose to the animals.
















And the things you see.

Em's First Decree

Emily's first decree after becoming a teenager, was that we needed to paint her room.

Not a job I particularly looked forward to without Oliver being here to help - but all my other little helpers were so excited, that we decided to get it done anyway.

Oliver hasn't seen it yet and perhaps on seeing this blog, and seeing the kiddies help, he may at this moment be having a heart attack.

But fear not - memories were made, we had a blast, and we have a very happy teenager in the house. AND WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.


















Having had her room painted - Emily has decided to turn her room into a bit of a project. She is going to paint her skirting boards, sand down her bed side table and paint it, and take some pictures of her own to put on her walls. I'm very excited to see her take control like this. She even wants to spend some of the money she has earned babysitting, on new bedding.

Looking forward to posting the end result!

Happy Unbirthday to You

I've never really seen the need to rush things. Take your time - nice and slow gets the job done properly.

Soooooo - little Oliver's (OJ's) 9th birthday was in March.

We had his birthday party this week.

But - it was a great success!!

Sadly, dad Oliver is out of town and has missed both OJ's and Emily's birthday parties. So here I am recording what I can.















The kids made marshmallow guns out of cut up pipes and joints. They were a great success and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time!














It wouldn't be a party without delicious chocolate cake. Home made by Harris Teeter!!













Then off to the pool to relax!













We do love you OJ!!!!

There's a Teenager in the House!!

Emily turned 13 today. AM I REALLY OLD ENOUGH FOR A TEENAGER?

Well I guess I'm old enough - but not sure I'm ready.
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Ever since Emily came out of the womb, she has been begging to get her ears pierced. I had always said she could get them done when she turned 13 - thinking 13 would never come.....


Nothing like having good friends over to share in your special day!














Fun and games in the basement.


Nothing like shoving your face in some lovely moist chocolate cake! Home made by Harris Teeter!!














Is this enough suncream mum?















What a great way to end the day!

Getting to Know You

Took us a little while to decide whether or not to have an Exchange Student from china. But we took the plunge when Oliver came back from a business trip to China and we thought it might be a good experience.

The kids particularly have been really looking forward to our 'student' coming. I wasn't sure if having her for the whole 3 weeks would be a good idea. We did have the chance to just have her for a week and a half. Anyway - we found out that Oliver would be away for the 3 weeks the student would be here - so we decided to have her for the whole time.

Well, the time was here before we knew it and Fanny arrived on Tuesday of this week.













I love Fanny. I feel like I have known her all my life. Emily was the most excited to have her in our home. Here they are together working on an assignment that Fanny had been given from school.













Then Cassie, Emily's very good friend from church, joined us on Friday. She will also be staying with us until the end of July. As you can imagine - Emily is having a blast.














I think life's going to seem way too quiet when Fanny and Cassie leave at the end of the month.













Perhaps we should try for a couple of more kids when you get back Oliver.

I Love Lucy

When our family were living in NZ - we had just had our 3rd child, OJ. I remember one evening, not long after OJ was born, discussing whether or not we would have a fourth child. I was thinking there was probably another one waiting; Oliver wasn't so sure. Anyway, the decision was kind of taken out of our hands, because as we were having this discussion, I, all of a sudden felt nauseous, ran upstairs and threw up. I was already pregnant with Lucy.

Lucy has been a character ever since she came out! She has really made her mark on our family and we love her to bits. But talk about a girl with her own mind.














Anyway, today was 'get your flippin bedrooms tidy, day'. Emily, 12 and already a working woman, wasn't around as she was babysitting a neighbours children. Joseph had his room done in about an hour and a half. OJ wasn't too far behind - he was done in about 2 hours. Lucy was painfully slow. I was so tempted to go in and do it for her. But I figured she would never learn to pick up after herself if I did. So I left her to it.

She would flit around the house, get drinks, chat with her brothers, tease her brothers, complain she was hungry - even fold the towels and laundry for me, as a 'surprise', which was wonderful. But getting her to do her room was almost impossible. Anyway, after about 5 hours - she had done a fairly decent job, so I went in and we finished up together.













Lucy and OJ decided to sleep in OJ's room tonight so they could play Uno. So I went in to her bedroom to put a toy in her drawer under her bed. And there I discovered her little secret.

If you're going to be sneaky enough to shove everything under your bed and in your bedside cabinet - why let it take 5 hours?