No updating for 2 weeks but the computer was out of commission - that is my story and I am sticking with it.
School has ended for both Rachel and Caitlin for the summer.

Caitlin had the big school play and luckily her arm was much better and she was able to perform with no problems, she remembered all her lines and sang beautifully - it was great and everything went perfectly thank goodness.


Rachel then had her graduation party at playschool on Wednesday, it was so cute they were singing and dancing and Rachel was right at the front giving it her all. They then were presented with their diploma's and pictures to bring home.


Caitlin finished her last day of school on Friday and is thrilled as she has her old teacher next year who she adores, unfortunately though her best friend is also leaving to emigrate to Australia so it was a bittersweet day for her.


With the weather been fantastic for a change we have taking full advantage of the lake - the girls and I went down after school finished - the weather has been so good that the lake is teeming with fish and the girls thought it was great to be able to just put their hands in and pick up baby fish.

They paddled and played with the local dog that is always down there. It was a good day.


The weather has been so good that ice-cream is a staple food for the kids, I have managed to get sunburned at Rachel's graduation and the cat is baffled by it all and seems to be more crazy than usual.

On Saturday the girls went riding with CJ while I stocked up on goodies so we could settle down and watch the rugby at 2 o'clock.

You see watching the Lions Team have taken over our lives for the last few weeks so much so even the kids could give you all the stats on the players if you ask and we were so excited about the match as they needed the win to tie the series.
Everyone gathered at our house to watch the most heartbreaking match I have ever seen it was so close and yet so far and so many of our players were injured but we are so proud of the guys they played their hearts out.


Afterward to literally drown their sorrows after the match Jennie took the kids swimming in the lake while we organised a barbie and then that evening we went to the local for a party to say goodbye to Lauren's family.
Today was another gorgeous day with a wonderful visit from an old friend - it was a great way to finish the weekend.

Happy birthday to you - Happy birthday to you - Happy birthday dear daddy - Happy birthday to you :)
It is this lovely man's birthday today and I did chat with him on the phone today but you know a mention on the blog is deserved too.

It has been a mightily quiet week this week with one big exception - On Thursday Caitlin had a run in with a go cart - the go cart won and Caitlin ended up in A and E with a dislocated bone in her wrist.
She is now wearing a very fetching sling and will be for at least a week until the swelling in her arm goes down and the bone moves back into place.

Typically it had to be the arm she writes with !!
Anyway it could be worse she could have broken it which is what they thought at the hospital because she was having problems feeling her fingers. She was very brave about it all no tears or anything it was funny though nearly every kid in the waiting room was waiting on an x ray for a broken arm - the nurse said it was the season for it.

I am still unable to work the printer is still on the fritz and I am now getting slightly miffed waiting but what can you do hey
So I thought I would share this - it is a project I did for a magazine and it has a story too it they wanted a block for a 40 year old - I am in my thirties and don't know many 40 year olds that I have lots of pictures of so I had to improvise and I used pictures of myself and aged myself prematurely just check out those fetching pictures of me in 70's clothing and my Mum in her very cool glasses . I am unfortunately feeling like a ninety year old at the moment as I pulled my back lifting Rachel yesterday that will teach me won't it.

What a week of summery weather we have had and long overdue it was too and to make life even more interesting we have had three days off school, two bbq's and one birthday to add to the mix.


The hose has never seen so much use and the kids took delight in playing with it and running around the back garden, we bar-be-cued everything we could - food tastes so much better outside in the sun.

Bank holiday Monday we had a bar-be-Que at Jennie and John's and Rachel was loving the sunshine and spraying anyone she could with the hose - she even made herself a rainbow.


The was lots of messing going on - first Becca soaked her Uncle Mark so he then wrestles the hose of her and soaked her and then decided to soak Jennie too leading to much hilarity, the sun obviously had gone to their heads !!


On Thursday Mum and Dad came up to visit and luckily the weather held out and they brought up another new member of the family, another rescue doggy called Ruby.

She is such a dote, well behaved, quiet and good with people and other animals too even though I know she is not the prettiest of pooches she more that makes up for it personality.


The weather held out even though we were warned it would break but in our little part of Ireland the temperature again rose to a gorgeous 25 degrees and we decided on another BBQ dinner but not before we took Ruby on a walk down to the lake to stretch her legs.


Turns out Ruby loves the water nearly as much as the kiddies do and even Rachel went in for a paddle with Caitlin.



We came back for our dinner but as the sun went down the temperature went too but we persevered even if we had to resort to blankets and jumpers to keep warm and even if we looked slightly mad to the neighbours.


The Friday was CJ's birthday but in the morning Rebecca had a hair appointment to get the fringe cut back in - I think she looks so grown up with it.


We also had to vote of course which meant Caitlin had another day off school although with the voting it was kind of like picking the best of a bad lot really.


After CJ got lots of Rugby related goodies including the Grand Slam top I had promised him we gave him his cake - lovely it was too.


Mum and Dad had to go home unfortunately but David came up to say Happy Birthday too finally we rounded the week up with horse riding and rugby which seems to be a feature of my Saturday's at the moment.


Oh and the only crafting I did at all this week was a birthday card I had to quickly throw together because in the middle of all the chaos Caitlin had a birthday party to attend thank goodness for Basic Grey Archaic line - lots of dinosaurs perfect for small boys.