You are who you are...

I have finally recovered from the flu and right now my 6 year old, who was the first to be ill, is off school again with yet another temperature. *Rolls eyes* Seriously? 

The germs are in cahoots with each other 

They are messing with us

And they are totally winning...

There was one rare maybe even magical day in the last month when we were all healthy. And it literally only lasted a day. So treading lightly to not to give the germs any ideas we went to one of our favourite spots, Himley Hall. I was keen to photograph parts of it that I haven't captured before. 

Because there is always something new to find in the familiar...

I don't know if it was the fresh air mixed with serious cabin fever but I was thoughtful on this walk. Hubby asked what was wrong. I started to talk about how I wished I wasn't so erratic, more focused, more consistently organised, more this, less that, should, should, should blah blah. The list is endless...

You know how it goes...

'I just wish I was different' I said finally.

Then out of the blue Isaac who I didn't think was listening said 'You are who you are Mummy.' And he smiled knowingly. I literally almost fell over. Tim burst out laughing and said 'he's right!'

Um question: when did my kid get smarter than me?

You are who you are

Good god he is so right.

I spend so much energy focusing on what I wish to be different I ignore all that there is already. The familiar. The unique. The me.

There has to be a balance between self improvement while at the same time embracing who you really are. Kids, they do it easily every single day without a second thought...

They learn, they grow but they are always unashamedly who they really are.

And I remember when I did it with ease too...

You are who you are...

Why fight it?

Well alright then x

I got me some flu...

So I have completely and utterly been wiped out with flu. We have all been ill again but for some reason everyone else recovered and I did not. I of course handled it like a real trooper never complaining or moaning I'm lying...

Good god I'm tired of being tired. And I'm not getting better quick enough for my liking. I have so much I want to do and am excited about starting. It's so frustrating.

I think I must be the most impatient person on the planet btw.

Like I should get a certificate or something...

Anyway I will be back fighting fit soon... I hope...

And you get to work on that certificate thingy...

x

6 years old

Just before Christmas my first born turned 6. 

Which is unbelievable.

To mark 6 years I thought I'd write 6 things I love about Isaac...

1. His ever expanding imagination
2. His creative spirit always building, creating and drawing. Covering every spare space of floor and piece of paper in the house. And I mean every single piece
3. How much he loves his brother
4. His sense of fun and jokes that don't make sense
5. His wild energy despite what I sometimes say

And about a million other things...

He woke to balloons as is our new birthday tradition...

The dinosaurs awaited him with his gifts...

Instead of a party this year we decided to go on a trip. Isaac wanted to go on a dinosaur safari but he also wanted to be a caveman. This was a tricky ask but we found the perfect place which combined both things.

Wookey Hole

Need I say more...?

I will say more though...

The boys went nuts for the models...

And this is something your eyes did not need to see...

Sorry about that...

Man boobs aside, the best bit for me was the caves...

They were spectacular and decked out with festive lights...

Can you see the famous witch silhouette in the rock? 

I also enjoyed some of the small things in the surrounding greenery...

(I can't tell you how much I wanted to be a mermaid when I was little)

There was small old school amusement park style attractions. We genuinely got lost in the mirror maze...

We also got to see Santa there.

When Santa found out it was also Isaac's birthday. He gave him two presents, one for Christmas and one for his birthday. I thought that was a nice touch.

It was a great day...

Again let me say...

Sorry about the man boobs.

Belated Christmas Pics

The boys were poorly over Christmas and consequently so was I over New Year. That is why this post is belated and not as many photos were taken. Strangely it didn't deflate my Christmas magic at all. Just like in 'The Grinch' Christmas came anyway. We enjoyed the time together with lots of cuddles and laughter despite high temperatures, buckets of snot and persistent coughing. The boys loved their gifts and somehow Santa just knew exactly what they wanted.

So in the words of Julie Andrews: these are a few of my favourite things...

How the light shined through my orange slices. It made me feel festive every time I entered the kitchen. *sigh* little things...

Making snow flakes. Same feeling (see above)...

Paper chains...

A new tradition that started this year suggested by a friend of mine. 

The Christmas Eve Box: Containing essential items to bring out the Christmas magic...

They loved it...

Including 'The Christmas story for bedtime. Festive PJ's that I was WAY too excited about. Candy Canes. A Magic Santa Key because Isaac was concerned about our lack of Chimney and how it must be extremely difficult for Santa to break into our house every year. Bedroom sign. Paper chains. Santa Claus the movie. Magic Reindeer food (ingredients oats and glitter) and torches to aid the distribution of the reindeer food outside...

Distributing the Reindeer food...

This moment...
I was outside photographing the very quick throwing of magic Reindeer food because Lucas was struggling and needed to go to bed early. I stopped for a minute and looked into our window. And I saw Christmas.

Even though the very poorly boys spent most of the day laying on the sofa watching movies.

And even though we couldn't do our usual Christmas Mass/Village Christmas lights tour.

Even though, even though...

Christmas had come anyway.
Don't worry we remembered to put the key outside otherwise Santa would have been beyond frustrated... 

Christmas Morning was just just as special...

I imagine Santa gets way too excited about wrapping too...

Hubby's delicious turkey, which even with my parents eating, was way too big and will feed us for the rest of the month...

Please note awesome Christmas Jumper bought by me!

I hope you all had a magical Christmas too. xxx