5 metres

Joy has been trying hard for at least the last year to learn to swim. Initially it was hard to convince her to even get in the pool! But we got past that and she then had a real battle to lift her feet off the bottom.

It's only been in the last little while that I have been pretty certain she can swim, and this week in school she achieved her 5 metres certificate. I am very proud of her as she's worked so hard, and has not only got that certificate but a new love for playing in the water.

Elias also has taken ages to coax into the water, he is now gaining more water confidence with each trip to the pool, today he even got as far as briefly bobbing around in armbands! Thankfully he really enjoys splashing around and playing in the water so this afternoon we all had a great time.

We're going to be swimming a lot this Easter holiday!

I had a birthday

It happened on Tuesday, I began life in a new decade - and am now 30.

We spent a lovely low-key day going out for coffee, enjoying a Turkish meal for lunch and generally doing things at a much slower pace than usual. I did not cook a meal for a whole day - can you believe it???!

Robin bought me a fab new blender

And we are getting close to having a house of our own to put it in! (see Robin's blog for a pic) So, unbelievably I got everything that I could have wanted.... and more! I did want to add pictures of a couple more notable presents but am experiencing tech problems so you'll have to wait on that!

It's been a busy week!

I've noticed that I have not got to the computer long enough to blog at all in what seems like ages! If you read my previous post you may have an inkling why - Robin has been away (in fact, he's stuck on the M25 right now, battling his way home)

So it's been just me and the kids. And by the end of each day I have been pretty frazzed. I must just mention that they have been remarkably well behaved, and Elias in particular has been earning many stickers for his chart. It's just that when there's one person doing everything it's pretty wearing!

I have managed to get some really good cleaning done, a bit of filing and that sort of thing. Plus I've been on top of the washing all week - something that normally is impossible! Oh, and 4 trips to the gym as well.

It looks to be a busy weekend too, don't forget Mother's Day y'all!

Hubby's working away

You may (or may not!) know that Robin recently started working in a new job. To this point he has had his head down getting to know products, doing a bit on site and generally making himself indispensable to his colleagues - but things shift up a gear tomorrow when he goes on site properly for the first time.

Sadly that means for Joy, Elias and I that we'll be not seeing him as much as we'd like, probably for the next few weeks. And he'll be adjusting to a period without home comforts (such as his wife, and meals cooked when needed etc!) I think it will be hard on us all, but my plan is to use the time as well as I can and plod on with the normal everyday things. We'll be making the bedtime calls no doubt, and all looking forwards to weekends.

Any tips on whiling away the hours, and not missing him too much???

At the end of the month - the end of my 20's!

We're in March (already??!!!) and it has really hit me that I am enjoying my final days of being in my twenties. You know how when you're small you don't even think of being any older than 20 as you're OLD after that - well, I've realised I had not thought too much about changing decades..... Until now!

I am really pleased/thrilled/smug that I have achieved so much before the grand age of 30, I know of many people who would love to be married, and have kids. And I've accomplished those big things, indeed, I have a happy nine year old marriage, and two kids who grow more independent by the day - plus, the icing on the cake has got to be that I have a boy and a girl! Now that's not bad for the last decade. (and because of the nature of gaining a husband and the two kids - there has been little time to dwell on it!)

My one aim had been to be in our own home, and although that has been a source of great pain for us until now, it looks like it is going to happen whilst I am 30. I could not ask for a better 'gift' for my birthday.

Thing is, I got a LOT done in this decade - I'm more than a little curious to see what my thirties have in store!