We have just had a whole week of no Internet access - it nearly drove me crazy (which is a bit of a worry !!) But while we were off-line lots happened to keep us busy. Becca ended up off for a week on two antibiotics and she needed them to clear things up but at least there was no going to hospital which was a result, she did get care at home though and this was her last breakfast in bed.


The rest of us still had to keep going and Caitlin had a party in school - the kids are awarded compliment slips in school mostly for good behaviour in the classroom and to each other and if they get enough the class gets a treat and if they get LOTS they get a party and Cait's class have been very good.


I finally got around to putting pictures into the frame my Mum and Dad brought back from their French holiday - only took 5 months or so to organise but it is up now in the bathroom.

I got some lovely flowers from my lovely hubby to lift my spirits, gorgeous they are too I love tulips :)


Talking of flowers - Our Amaryllis is finally flowering I will take more pictures when it is in full bloom but it is looking good which is a bit of amazing as I have a black thumb usually.

Last weekend Alan and Michelle came up to visit, CJ is Alan's best man so they were discussing plans, well they were meant to be discussing plans but there was alcohol and food and then a raucous game of Abba Singstar which Michelle and I won definitively I would say !!
Michelle also brought me this gorgeous teapot - it is so sweet and the fact she thought of me when she saw it touched me so much, she is a sweetheart.

She also brought divine chocolaty buns - yummy they were too.


Michelle then had to deal with Caitlin which she did with patience and good humour - Alan you definitely had a keeper there.


Sunday Morning Caitlin and I made croissants for breakfast, okay they are from a tin but french pastry is not my forte to be honest but you still feel like it was handmade.

After Al and Michelle had headed home I took Caitlin and her friend to the park to blow of the cobwebs as it was a lovely sunny afternoon.

We stayed their until the sun started to set and it was quiet enough we literally had the place to ourselves.

This is the view from the park - isn't it gorgeous sometimes you catch a view like this and realise what a pretty area we live in.


As for the week to keep busy as I was Rachel less ( her Mammy was off ) I made some Carrot cake - yummy it was too if I do say so myself.

I made a new hat for Rachel as she lost the last one and insisted on a new one


I have also started making Granny squares with a view to make up a blanket, Lucy over at the Attic has gorgeous blankets which could inspire anyone to grab a crochet needle.

It is also quite easy to knock out a few squares a night and seems to be coming along quickly, just a quick break this week to make the hat of course.

Cookie the bunny has been sick - turns out the reason she had no fur when we got her was not attack by another bunny as we were told but she had been removing her own fur as she had mites !! Grrr I am not a happy, bunny mammy she has been through so much in her short bunny life but she is a fighter that is for sure and such a character. So a trip to the vet was needed - he must be fed up of me at this stage but he knows that we love our pets.

This weekend was my turn to bring the cakes as we headed up to Dublin to park at Alan and Michelle's
The reason we were parking and not staying was because my lovely hubby had won tickets to see Ireland V Italy in the opening Six Nations Rugby match and he brought me along as he said watching rugby with anyone else is not the same - I do love me some rugby !!

And great to see Ireland get the win and start their campaign to retain the championship. And Al did treat us to Soup and tea to warm us up after the match.


I leave you this week with a banana cake heart which Caitlin insisted we made in honour of the week that is in it .

Hello long time, no blogging but truth is I haven't been able to type recently as I am officially a danger to myself and managed to burn my right arm the other week with hot oil, it wasn't too serious but it was painful as it affected my wrist quite badly so no typing for me until it healed a bit.
I have not wasted my time however and the last two weeks have been jam packet with stuff to do even if one arm is a bit wonky.
First we went tried out Debbie's Lemon Cake recipe, it is fantastic and will definitely be made over and over again.


We even tried it with cream filling, oh so tasty and very naughty and most probably so full of calories that it will take a week of walking just to work off one slice but I walk everywhere anyway !

By the way this cake cover is one of my sales bargains - I spotted it in a lovely local shop before Christmas and fell in love but waited and waited until the sales started and it was under half price before I could get it, after all justifying a cake cover is a bit hard as it definitely not essential but some times pretty thing make your soul happy and everyone needs that some days especially dark miserable ones in January.


The kids finally returned to school - the ice and snow lasted so long that I was thinking of buying a sledge just to get around and the kids were actually dying to get back in the end, just to get back to friends and back into a routine again and I admit I was glad too. Cabin Fever was well and truly setting in.

I have also noticed in the last couple of weeks we cook a lot and maybe it the cold but baking just seems to take the edge of the cold and the misery of winter.
We the we being Caitlin and I ) made cookies - our now infamous Peanut and Chocolate cookies they always work and go down well with milk.

We also fed others as well as ourselves in the cold and brought a bird feeder which is now hanging from the side of the shed and has quite a few visitors including a Blackbird couple that visit daily.


The new bird population in the back garden might explain the reason that Pixel wants to be outside now, he is still having injections so is not allowed out yet but he is the most curious of cats, he is into EVERYTHING and I do mean everything, the dishwasher, the washing machine, my drawer, the laundry basket, the Christmas tree and almost any container he thinks he can fit in - like my new mixing bowl which he broke numerous rules (including the no going on the table rule) to do. Good job he is cute is all I can say !!


Becca is off sick at the moment, her ear started playing up on Friday, which was the day she was meant to be going to a concert with her friend.
It was a concert we made her jump through numerous hoops to go to and in the end she was the one that said no by her own admission that her health would suffer if she went, she realised that it was not a thing to be ignored, she knows only too well what ignoring her health would do, we all learned that lesson the hard way with two long stays in the hospital.


So on Friday morning we ran to the Dr's and like a nutty, overprotective mother and I demanded she was seen and thankfully we got seen quickly and the doctor thought I wasn't over re-acting as she had seen Becca's condition once before and knew herself how dangerous it can be. So Becca is now on two very strong antibiotics and we are hoping our quick actions have put off another month in the hospital and I am proud of my daughter for being sensible and brave.
She can't open her jaw very much because of the pain she is in, so lots of soft food has been on the menu for her, I got her a treat of cheesecake to ease the pain and make her smile.



They are from the local bakery which I can not praise highly enough it is lovely.
While unable to type my own blog I have been looking around at other blogs to see what is out there usually I blog hop to my friends but thanks to Jen's recommendation I found a blog called Attic 24 - it is just lovely.It is like a warm welcoming friend's house and I adore her brightly coloured crochet and it inspired me to try it again.
I hadn't picked up a needle for well over 15 years ( since I had the kids basically ) and went to the local shop picked up a needle and a couple of balls of wool and tried my hand at a hat. It- worked out well and like riding a bike it all came back to me pretty quickly once I started, the first hat took me two days and is mine.


Although the kids keep taking turns to rob it and wear it which is a good sign.

Caitlin wanted her own so this was hat number two - one day this one took in the end and I even had to throw in a crochet lesson for Caitlin as she was fasinated.



Then Rachel wanted a pink one which she wanted her Mum to make - but that wasn't going to happen so she let me make her one - I used this pattern here I had to alter it by adding a rim as I only had double knitting wool and a no. 4 hook but it worked out well.

She loves her butterfly hat and now Becca wants one in black of course !!


As Caitlin likes to crochet we are going to have a go at a blanket made up of squares together once we get hold of the wool , it will be a fun little project together and it is nice to re-visit an old hobby I used to enjoy.

BRRRR It has been a cold one hasn't it ? I have been keeping up with my 365 project taking the camera out everyday capturing everything actually it is hard to pick out the best of them, which sounds pompous but isn't meant to what I mean is I take lots of okay ones but which ones are stand out pictures ?? Are there any stand out pictures ? I really want to improve at it and learn.
Anyway the holly was snow spattered on the 5th so I took that.

The 6th of course was Little Christmas or Epiphany whatever you call it and I took down the tree
much to the disgust of the cat he took up residence in it while I was removing the decorations and he actually cried when it was down, he sat where it used to stand and howled. I took his toy away.

On the 7th we made Debbie's lovely recipe and very tasty it is too, I made muffins out of it as I wanted the hubby to be able to bring some in for work. And as they lasted all of one day I would say that was a success.

Thanks to the icy conditions there has been lot of icy stuff to take pictures of , it is a bit scary slipping around with camera in hand but worth it to get pictures of icy trees. I also took Caitlin out for a walk - many because we were all going stir crazy with no school and secondly we needed food from the shops.

It was white enough on the way down and if we had skis getting about might have been easier, we decided to check out the lake on the way and were astounded by not only how frozen it now is but also by the amount of people walking about on it !!


This is Caitlin at the edge of the lake about where the girls would paddle for tadpoles in summer
which was as brave as I was about lake walking !! Here you could pick up the ice and reveal the floor of the lake, it was crazy.

I took the lake as the sun was setting - it really is a stunning sight to behold a totally frozen lake. We came home with shopping and made blueberry pancakes for dessert, they were gorgeous and served with strawberries and maple syrup they are just divine.


The next day we woke up to snow - really flakes of snow up as up until now it has been ice on top of ice. Caitlin was thrilled, Becca not so much as she is missing her friends being stuck in.


Today we went back down to the lake with Jennie and Rachel - now the lake is solid and covered in snow.

Everyone in town seem to have the same idea as it was really busy - I was shocked at the amount of people just wandering around the lake I am still very wary



We walked around the edges watching all the mad ones taking off for a walk across the lake.

Even the boats were frozen in their moorings and the ice was in great big slabs at the edges where people were lifting it to see how thick it was - yes it was thick alright some pieces were at least 4 inches thick.


Not thick enough for me to want to be tempted like others to cross it with the dog in tow but I am naturally a chicken. There have even been people down there with skates I pray that it doesn't crack with anyone on it.

Looking forward to a new year, it is like a clean white sheet of paper just waiting to be filled or more apt at the moment a field of snow that no one has stepped on just waiting to be discovered.

People have been starting things off including the lovely Debbie - she is one amazing lady, she is talented beyond belief and always full of ideas.
Not only that she is a domestic goddess ( she will deny it though ) and fantastic mum to 4 sweet boys and expecting with number 5 and does that stop her ? Nope not at all she is running a recipe a week idea and inviting people to join in - I am cheating and placing mine into this box which I made for my recipes from a circle journal I did with the lovely Debbie and others many moons ago - it is still in my kitchen.


I can't wait to get started and start using one of my new pressies I got this fab cake stand from my secret Santa, I have been after one for ages now and the fact it is red and white dots just makes me smile on the inside.


I was very spoilt with presents the girls got me a gorilla pod for my camera it attaches to trees and rocks and the like so you don't need a tripod and a flat floor in the woods - and the kids like making shapes with it too.


Talking of being spoilt, my lovely cousin Claire came up to visit and came baring gifts - she knows my adoration of Lush products and brought up a box of goodies, the smell alone from the box was divine as for the stuff inside it heavenly is the word. I like that they pack stuff in popcorn too it is so cute.


Jen and Claire stayed for awhile here and had a go at the Singstar Abba and had a chat and a giggle until I finally had to send a very tired Caitlin to bed.

Rebecca has started the New Year with a new colour in her hair she decided she wanted it redder and I like to help mainly to be sure she is not doing too much damage to it and does it properly.


She also has some different coloured extensions, which is a much easier and less invasive way of colouring her hair and bribery was used to get these pictures although I think she didn't mind showing the terrible child labour I force her to take part in - look a vacuum cleaner she is being made to move - I am an evil mother !!

Another challenge I am attempting is to take at least one picture a day for the year, I have been quite successful as I already take quite a few pictures for this and to keep my hand in so to speak Luckily for my Caitlin takes less bribing than her sister, she also vacs without moaning.

I also decided to try my hand at a new technique and having read about custom Bokeh over at Kevin and Amanda's blog - Bokeh as I said is the lovely dappled light effect in photographs and I do like it so I decided to try it out for myself.

I went for hearts as that is the first punch I found in the draw, I made my cover for my little 50mm lens and started snapping away as you can see the first plain dappled light and the second one - heart shapes

Fun little technique to get me started on my year of photography.

That was the year that was - Happy New Year to you all hope it treats us all well and brings lots more happy memories to share xxx

Okay buckle up it is going to be a long post !! So a disclaimer to start - the spelling might ( will) be off , the grammer will be all over the place and it is very picture heavy, so go no further if any of that puts you off.
Caitlin and Becca's last day was the 22nd and there were parties and carol services and the like to attend and thoughout it all Caitlin wore her new hat brought while Christmas shopping.

On the Wednesday Caitlin got up early to talk to her friend Lauren in Australia thanks to the wonders of Skype - she was so happy to get the chance and they talked utter nonsense for over an hour.

Christmas Eve and wee Rachel came over for her hot chocolate in the morning while her Mum was on a mission to round up bunnies from the pet shop ( more on that saga later !!)

I spent the days prepping veg and sorting out tables and wrapping the final presents and the girls and I decided to gild pears like Kirsty Allsop had done for the table , now I had already got gold leaf in my craft cupboard ,which was sent to me ages ago to do a project with so I wasn't spending the fortune Kirsty did before you all think I am flush ( 50 quid to gold leaf pears is so not me !! )

The girls got covered in it ( good job it wasn't expensive !!) and we finally got twelve pears covered after lots of giggling and messing.

In the evening we made hot chocolate and set about the hanging of the stockings with major amounts of messing - most probably all that sugar they had just consumed !!

I had got the girls and myself new Christmas Pj's which we also put on as you do.

And Caitlin got Santa and the reindeer their treats to place by the fireplace and we read the "Night before Christmas" as usual - it is tradition don't you know.

The girls headed to bed and it is about then that the bunny saga started - Caitlin had asked for a bunny from us as Santa doesn't bring pets to this house and had picked out a gorgeous little brown bunny and had already called it Cookie. So we had reserved Cookie at the pet shop to be picked up with her hutch and stuff.
Jennie went to the pet shop Christmas Eve morning and a very young fella packed up the bunnies and sent her on her way. I went over at about ten to pick up Cookie only to find that the young lad at the pet shop had given Jennie the wrong rabbit which is about the time I started to panic !!
Caitlin had already got very attached to Cookie - visiting her every day in the shop and I knew that another bunny may not cut it.
I was right Christmas morning I had to break the news and tears started flowing but I explained that the bunny could stay with us for a few days then when the pet shop opened we would go sort out the mess.

So Tinsel as the Christmas bunny became know joined us for Christmas Day - he/she is a funny little bunny full of personality and very friendly and quickly won over Caitlin and settled her tears.


And the fact that Santa had brought the much desired Pink zen she was after helped too.


Becca was very happy with her new phone to replace her brick of a phone she has had to live with since her friend lost her phone in the summer, needless to say she won't be letting anyone touch the new one.


CJ and I had our own stockings to open and I know CJ was happy with his Lions stuff.

I was a very lucky girl and got a gorgeous dressing gown and comfy slippers and this beautiful bracelet picked out by the hubby and the girls.

After a breakfast of yummy croissant and then all at once the chaos started that is Christmas day, Mam and Dad came over with Jennie, John and Rachel and Mark and Dave and Finn arrived from Louth just as the snow started - it was a white Christmas in Cavan.

I let David loose with the camera while Mum and I got on with the task of providing Christmas dinner and all the trimmings for 12.

Jennie and Becca compared phones as they got the same one , they have been adding music and all sorts to them !!

Dad loved this peach stuff Finn brought with her and requested a reference photo

He even got me - I should have re-thought giving him the camera I think, we had a lovely dinner Three starters might have been a bit excessive and we had a goose and two turkey crowns and a ham but it all went down well as did Mum's fantastic trifle and pavlova and the gorgeous pudding from the local bakery.
After Dinner and before dessert we went and did the present exchanging - we had done a Christ cringle again which seems to work out well.

Rachel loved her new fairy dress and has been wearing it everyday since.

Both of the girls got toy kitchens from Granny and Grandpop and we were all spoilt with stuff. In the evening we played Charades again - I really shouldn't be allowed play anymore every time I do I manage to make an almighty fool of myself !! I am glad there is no photos of it or video footage. There was also a rousing game of Singstar Abba all I can say about that is that the girls won hands down and I am glad the neighbours were out !!


Steven's day morning was a lazy one after all the chaos of the night before and after the world's most fantastic mince pies from the local bakery (they really are amazingly good and I hate mince pies) Some of us headed out for walk with Ruby to try and walk off some of that HUGE dinner.


Caitlin got doggy walking duties and we all wrapped up as it was still freezing we literally slid down to the lakeside.

It was nearly sunset by the time we reached the lake which I had wanted to see as it was totally frozen.

It was the most amazing site - I have never seen a frozen lake before, let alone one as big as ours - all those dots on it are rocks and things people threw on it to see if it really was frozen.

On the Monday following Christmas I headed down to the pet shop to sort out the whole bunny mess but as you can imagine Caitlin had gotten attached to Tinsel by this stage so was kind of upset to have to return him while still wanting to pick up Cookie

Lucky for her she didn't have to choose the pet shop owner realising their mistake gave us Cookie so we are now a two bunny family - I have to get the vet to check out what they are before we are a 20 bunny family !!


Well that is all for now - Hope you had a lovely Christmas and have a Very Happy New Year xxx

Only 4 more sleeps until Santa arrives and Christmas is finally coming together, my cold has all but gone (yipeee!!) the Christmas table has arrived and is assembled and this week we had Christmas parties and nativities to attend.
First was Rachel's - about 25 little ones and all their parental types squeezed into the classroom it was like sardines and there was off course the missed lines, the kids squabbling at the back, at least 3 crying for Mammy, just a typical playschool play and in the middle of it all was our Rachel in full lamb costume.



She did not cry and just sang her heart out and did all the actions, she had a ball in fact and was a wonderful sheep

Next up was Caitlin, she wasn't in the actual nativity as she had done that in second class, she is in the school choir and was singing for this year's second classes nativity play it was a lovely evening.



Over the weekend we completed the Christmas shopping which wasn't too stressful thank goodness and on Sunday we woke up to snow overnight a couple of inches had fallen and I was grateful we didn't have too much more to do.


The kids were thrilled and headed out to throw snowballs and make snow angels even Becca ventured outside.
I sensibly remained indoors - mainly to avoid snow in my camera as the kids were aiming at me most of the time.



The girls came in for hot chocolate and chocolate cookies Becca had made - yummy the are too.


CJ picked up an early Christmas present - as you know we are Rugby fans and he found this little bear in a shop.

CJ claimed he was Tommy bear - which I thought was nice as our favourite player goes by the same name.
I thought it was the official name of the bear-nope it was just my hubby being silly he even has a number 14 on the back which is a certain Mr Bowe's position when he plays - the kids thinks the bear is cute though.

I will try for one more update on Christmas Eve .