Stay At Home Mamma

The New Normal

2021-09-30T22:26:00.000+01:00

Yes there has been copious amounts of water pass under the bridge since then (my last post upon moving back to NZ from the UK) and now. Life as we knew it has been tilted at an odd and unexpected angle and we can do nothing except embrace the New Normal in our everyday lives.

Our 5-year-plan seems to have completely flown out the window... we're really not sure when or even if it will return. BUT in the meantime we are actually quite happily embracing what is now our New Normal.

And that is living in paradise and homeschooling our boys.

WHAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!!!

Never did I ever think I would be a homeschooling mamma! I mean, aren't they all weird families from crazy-as religious sects with 12 children wearing tie-dyed clothes, using homemade hygiene products and the mum doesn't shave her armpits? Yeah I know right?!

Well that incredibly naïve and Judgey McJudgeyson understanding is (mostly) misguided and untrue (apart from the homeschooling families that are weird and from crazy-as religious sects with 12 children wearing tie-dyed clothes, using homemade hygiene products and the mum doesn't shave her armpits...). Since moving back to Mangakino from Dunedin at the beginning of 2020, I have been introduced to homeschooling families who are actually very normal and FUN! *can I hear a WHOOP WHOOP*

It all happened very organically - we were originally doing Te Kura (NZ Correspondence School) which is all on-line learning, but our internet at the time was crap and the boys actually wanted to learn using real workbooks (!). They said it was too easy to just go on YouTube or Netflix instead of finishing what they were learning about. That's so honest of them to say that huh? Proud Mamma moment. So it was a natural progression to then apply to the Ministry of Education to be allowed to school our kids from home. What I presented to them in my applications was obviously amazing and we are now officially homeschoolers (eek!). A scary and daunting task, but also incredibly exciting and rewarding.

And frustrating and exhausting...

I have absolutely shocked myself by actually enjoying doing learning from home. Maybe because I'm also learning SO MUCH at the same time? But it's seriously very cool indeed.

These photos were from our day yesterday - Maths, Art, Latin, spelling, writing all done individually/one-on-one and at their own pace. For History we always sit down with a hot drink and we read and discuss it together. This is my favourite learning to do with them. Although I do need to keep reminding Beni to only beat-box or sing inside his head while we're reading....

I am enjoying recognising the boys' individual learning styles and working alongside them in the way they learn best. Luca needs structure and a timetable and plan. Beni also likes a timetable and for things to be kept in folders (CUTE! And so like his Mamma). And Massi...... well... Massi is pretty much a free spirit with amazing hair.

My aim is to use this platform to keep regular updates on what we are doing mostly for my benefit. You know, so I can look back in a year's time and say "Oh yeah, my boy did learn something!" haha (kind of jokes...) and also cos I've realised how totally awesome it is to look back on my previous blog posts and treasure these precious times I have with my precious not-so-wee-anymore guys.

So readers and friends, feel free to join me on the journey when you can and (nice) comments when you want to.

Continue to stay safe and love upon your family and friends every moment you get xx

~~~

Hello from the other side

2016-09-15T03:31:00.000+01:00

It is done.
We have transitioned to the other side of the world and I am Aotearoa-based once more. And it all happened quite smoothly and surprisingly hassle-free.
Although I have left rather large quantities of my heart in London (including my husband who is joining us here mid-October), it is mending nicely thanks to the healing balm of family and nature. And did I mention family?
Currently we are staying with my parents who live on the edge of Lake Maraetai and in the few weeks since we have arrived we have had lots of wonderful visits from family.
Uncles, Aunties, nieces, nephews, Grandparents, sisters, brother-in-law and soon-to-be-sister-in-law - it's all right here. And I'm loving it.

The days have been filled almost too easily with runs along river trails with a 'dog on loan' who is fast becoming a firm friend, digging gardens (me, not the dog), feeding baby goats (also on loan for the boys' pleasure), school runs, general pottering around the house, all the while taking moments to stop and sigh at the beautiful view of the lake on our doorstep. Why did we stay away for so long??

New friendships are being formed, pies are being heartily consumed by 3 boys who have never experienced the pure joy a good mince & cheese pie brings, and my bone-tiredness is slowly subsiding.

Living under the Heathrow flight-path has been replaced with...quietness. Actual silence.
The beautifully sunny English summer we were experiencing has been replaced with frosty mornings and the winter's warm sun. Flip-flops have been replaced with Ugg boots.
My tan has now officially washed off and I am pale/translucent and freckly once more (I used to be tanned and freckly...).

We are Dunedin-bound just after Christmas where all our possessions from London will be waiting for us in a shipping container.
I'm not too sure how I will feel about having Christmas in the summertime once again -
Santa Claus in his sunglasses and flip-flops always seemed a bit strange...
It always somehow felt so right to be cold outside on Christmas Day while you are inside drinking mulled wine.

But it definitely feels so right to be back in New Zealand once more. 14 years is a long time to be away from family and country. And I am glad to be home.

Oh this Mamma's heart of mine

2016-04-17T22:17:00.000+01:00

It is crucial that when our children look into our eyes, regardless of the circumstances they are facing,
what they see is somebody that believes in them

~Lovingonpurpose.com~

Sometimes being a mamma and loving your children just hurts.

There are days I want to wrap them in my mother-hen arms and protect them from experiences of the world - from dealing with friendships at school to the spelling tests and maths equations that are just that little bit too hard, thus creating in them a feeling of failure.

There are days I want to keep them home and snuggle under a duvet with them on the couch and watch children's movies all day.
To protect them in my 'safe' bubble, so hurt cannot reach them.

My Mamma Heart hurts when others choose not to see that same amazing potential and uniqueness, that same clever and special brain in my child that I do.

It hurts when there is seemingly no effort made to understand or see the reasons behind my child's reactions.

It is a hard thing to see past all this and 'not care' what others think.
I keep thinking "If only they knew" and "They have no idea what is really happening here" - what is actually going on behind this display of emotion from my seemingly out-of-control child.

So I am slowly learning to 'not care' and just 'carry on'.
I am learning not to be the one to judge other parents when I witness similar displays of emotion from their child.
I don't know their circumstances.
I don't know their reasons behind the reactions.

The past year and a bit has been.... interesting.
With more challenges than I generally like in order to feel comfortable.

Struggles with behavioural issues from Luca have led us to seek professional advice and, as a result, he has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder).

ADHD is a very common neurological condition and so there is very helpful information aplenty. But the more I learn about it, the more I feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day of this condition.

And what breaks my heart the most is seeing the pain, fear and confusion in Luca's eyes when he's reacting to situations he feels overwhelmed by, resulting in him feeling out-of-control.
The whole 'thinking before you act' scenario does not apply with ADHD. And the consequences of these 'impulsive reactions' are rarely pleasant.

It's usually after school when he's tired and hungry (cos he's a boy, and boys are always hungry!) that the impulsive reactions come out to play, often putting on quite a display for the general public.

My mamma friends who are aware of our situation are always super supportive and help with my other 2 boys where they can in amongst their own kids, but so often I end up feeling like I am 'that mother' whose child is naughty and clearly out-of-control. Tutt-Tutt.
And there have been days when I want to drop everything and run crying to the school office and let all the office ladies know that I can't handle this anymore and would somebody please do something with my children!

More often than not it's Austin who gets that phone call at work with a distraught wife on the other end of the phone saying she can't handle it anymore and "would you please do something with your children!".... Poor Austin.

At the end of school on Friday, Luca came speed walking towards me and buried his face in my chest and cried his little heart out.

And my heart broke into a thousand pieces for the millionth time since having kids.

There in the middle of the playground he sobbed and sobbed, smearing my top with his tears, snot and saliva. So I just held him. For moments that turned into minutes, I just let him cry - and inside I was sobbing too and wanting so desperately to fix his world.
He didn't talk about it until later that evening around the dinner table when, chin quivering, he said he felt lonely all day because nobody wanted to play with him.
Well, the urge to round up his school friends and give them a good ol' talking-to was nearly overwhelming.
But that wouldn't have solved any problems.
But I wanted so desperately to fix him and make it all better.

The best thing for Luca was for us to listen, to comfort, to hug and to kiss.
We ended up having a wonderful time of cuddles, kisses, talking, listening with all the boys around the dinner table that night.
As it stands, I don't know how to fix him, only love him and believe in him. Because I see the potential, the uniqueness, the strength, the sweet and kindhearted boy that he is, with a super clever brain.
I know the reasons behind his reactions and this just makes me love him more.

He's such a dear and precious wee soul.

Austin and I get so frustrated and need a lot of grace with him on a daily basis, but we just need to take that chill-pill, a deep breath and a glass of wine, and remember that tomorrow is a new day...

There's nothing quite like going into the boy's room at night when lights are out and they're all softly snuffling away. It is then I can reflect properly - not on the day just been and all it's bumps and falls, battles lost and won, but on the precious lives in that one room with it's floor scattered with lego, toy cars and dirty socks.

Our journey with Luca and ADHD is only just beginning, but I'm confidently praying that time will make us stronger and wiser, that we will be drawn closer together as a family, and that my Mamma Heart will remain forever soft and mushy :)

Come and lie in the sun with me Mamma...

2014-11-03T13:42:00.001+00:00

Hearing his dear little voice call down the hallway, how could I resist?

I walked into his bedroom and found him cuddling up to the autumn sun rays on the carpet.

"Come and lie with me Mamma - it's so warm!"

And so I did.

And yes it was so warm.

Darling Beni - he just loves life and is contented with simplicity. He would bask in that sunshine all day if he could. Content to just 'be' in the warm sun, enjoying the feel of it kissing his skin, all the while singing happy songs about anything that comes to mind.

I love my Beni-Boo.

He helps me keep it real.

He reminds me to stop every once in a while and enjoy the sun rays streaming through the window.

He reminds me to keep a happy song on my heart, because life is good.

:::

I've just discovered the fastest way to clean my kitchen...

2014-06-09T15:44:00.000+01:00

...and possibly the grossest way to discover it.

I've just found a hoard of maggots having a party in our scrap-food bin along with a few daredevils who were having a gathering around the back of the bin.

*queue dry retching and lots of gagging*

It has been lovely hot weather here and I have forgotten the unpleasantness of blowflies that come with the warmer weather and their love for all things meat-related to lay their eggs on.

Just so disgusting I'm grossing myself out just writing about this...

So anyway, I was in a panic and completely ready to burn everything to rid me and my family from maggot infestation. I grabbed the closest thing available that I thought would destroy and wipe them out completely - in this case a bottle of bleach was all but emptied onto those suckers.

And they died.

Well and truly.

After I had scooped the cheeky little (and now very dead) escapee's into the bin, I turned my back to get a wet rag so I could completely wipe the floor down with bleach - and that of course was the very moment Max decided to visit me in the kitchen and of course he stepped in the puddle of bleach and slid over, drenching himself and his clothes with thick bleach. Awesome.

Another panic and I scooped him up - holding him at arm's length - and ran into the bathroom where he was completely stripped off, soaped up and rinsed off. Poor little guy, he didn't know what was happening!

And then I attacked the kitchen - scrubbing and cleaning and blasting anything that moved with disinfectant spray.

There wasn't actually anything else that moved but I was armed and ready for them!

Kitchen done, I went to check on Max and found him just outside the kitchen door like this...

No I haven't killed him - he's sleeping.

Dear wee little guy.

So he's now slumbering in his bed while his brother's play a rowdy game of lego around him in their bedroom.

Oh yeah and while all that was happening with Max, Beni decided it would be a good idea to roll a glass cup down the stairs - I guess to see what happened.

And yes it crashed onto the sides of the stairwell on the way down and shattered into 1,000,000 tiny fragments which I now have to also clean up.

So much for actually getting anything else done today...

Oh but I have written a blog post so I guess that counts for something!

Happy days to you, friends.

B x

Edited to add: The maggots must be of the 'undead' variety..... After posting this I went back into the kitchen to make a coffee and heard a "...plop...plop...plop..." behind me. Yes those blasted maggots seemed to have doubled in size and were escaping out of the scrap-food bin and creeping towards me ARGHHHHHH!!!

Out came the steel spatula and those freaking horrible devil's spawn were squished and chopped into tiny pieces.

The scrap-bucket is now outside and I'm thinking about becoming a vegetarian....

:::

Rosso Furioso is THREE

2014-05-29T11:21:00.001+01:00

It is always with lots of nostalgia and bucket loads of love and thankfulness that I write these posts celebrating the birthdays of our boys.

And I cannot quite believe that my dear little Massi (Max, Maxi-moodle, Rosso Furioso, little Ginger Monkey, Ginger Biscuit) has turned THREE!

Of course this is also a time to remember his entry into the world - how I spent nearly 3 weeks in hospital because he decided to lie sideways in the womb meaning if I went into labour they would have to get him out quick smart. Little monkey.

You can read about that time here, here, here and here. (don't worry, no graphic birthing details).

He's pretty darn cute. And now he's three! Wowsers.

With his ginger curls and hilarious personality we spend ALOT of our time laughing at him and cuddling and kissing him. He always smells so delicious.

He is such a little boy who just loves to get dirty and be noisy. Awesome.

He loves his older brothers with a passion and loves all things (especially food) made popular during the 70's - i.e. gherkins, olives, smoked salmon, fish sticks, pineapple, cheese rolls, sausage rolls, pretty much anything you can "dip-dip" into a sauce.

He's a very determined and strong-willed young chap (I can't think where he gets that from........).
It took him approximately 2 days to potty train (unlike one of his brothers who is still a bit hit-and-miss after 2 years!)...

He loves tickles and "get-you's" - his most repeated line every day is "Mamma, you be the tiger. I hide." Then he runs off squealing. How could one resist? Especially when it's a perfectly plump undies-clad bottom running away from me.

Yes he was another SURPRISE baby!... but what a purely delightful 'surprise' he is. I can't imagine our life without Massi in it.
I thank God daily (usually when they are asleep and look all innocent and aren't talking back to me...) for the beautiful boys he has given us.
Three beautiful boys with three very large and individual personalities.
They bring lots of colour to our home.
And here in particular we are celebrating our Rosso Furioso (Furious Red) child.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET LITTLE MASSI
LOVE YOU BIG TIME XX

:::

Boys + mess issues...

2014-05-09T10:17:00.000+01:00

WARNING: if you suffer from OCD this post will disturb you...

I have issues.

Namely, BOYS and MESS.

Oh and BOYS WHO DON'T LISTEN

...and NOISY BOYS

...and BOYS WHO WAKE TOO EARLY

But mainly it's the BOYS and MESS issues that are bugging me right now.

I spend a good amount of my time making their room look really cool and fun and interesting.

They spend a good amount of their time making their room look like a herd of dinosaurs had a party and vomited everywhere.

And this pretty much makes me want to weep. Uncontrollably.

Sometimes it does make me weep uncontrollably.

Especially if there's poo involved.

And then I'm the one vomiting...

A couple of days ago I was making dinner in the kitchen and the boys were playing quietly in their bedroom.........

There's where you went very wrong Brigitte!!!

EVERY parent knows that if their children (especially if they are boys) have suddenly gone quiet they are either:

a) asleep

b) dead

c) doing something really naughty that they know will make you very cross and want to start weeping uncontrollably.

I was first alerted to their antics when Luca came into the kitchen and proudly declared "Mamma we're making a POTION! And I'm gonna need this" (reaching for the jar of brown sugar).

My skin started tingling and my mouth went dry as my sleep-deprived mind finally clicked on to why they had been playing so quietly... DUH!

In this instance they had decided it was a good idea to get out all their paints and mix them together along with containers of talcum powder, Vaseline, Vics Vapour Rub and Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo.

Awesome.

Oh and two containers of glitter (which were thrown over themselves and around the room first).

And then they must have thought it would be a like really totally freaking awesome idea if they painted the 'potion' onto their bedroom windows...

As I started to hyperventilate a concerned Luca looked at me and said "Oh no Mamma, are you gonna cry?"

"No" I said, taking many deep calming breaths. "But I am going to get the camera so Papa can see what a mess you've made."

Grrrrrrrrrrr.....

These are the kinds non-joys of motherhood that I'm obviously not enjoying.
There's a lot of "Why do I bother?" moments.
And actually, in this instance, I didn't bother. I pre-warned Austin of the mess before he came home and as soon as he walked in the door I exited and went for a run.
My husband's awesome like that.

But now, two days later, I still have to hoover up the glitter from the carpet which has now been trampled through the whole house.
It's not like I had anything else to do today.
Fun times on a Friday!....

Well I hope you at least have a fun Friday Fun Day.
And remember, if your children have gone very suspiciously quiet in another part of the house, RUN!!! RUN and save your house from that herd of partying and vomiting dinosaurs!

Happy Weekend friends.

x B

:::

Oh hi, remember me?

2014-03-25T16:00:00.000+00:00

When your best friend gives you a harsh telling-off for nearly going one month without blogging it's best you sit up and take notice.

And darnnit, as always, she's right.

One month to the day.

So there's been heaps happening in my neck of the woods - not to mention the craziness and busy-ness of life with three young boys and a husband who keeps getting a nasty reoccurring ear infection which in the weekend landed him in A&E.

And yet I get told off for not blogging?

Fair enough.

I do have 20 million wonderful photos taken over the last few months to share with you, but where to start?

I haven't yet told you about our adventures back home in Aotearoa in early January - actually, due to the extortionate prices of airline tickets it was only Massi, my sister and I who went to New Zealand while my amazing husband stayed back in London with the older two boys.

This is some of what they got up to:

*I would like to take the glory but photo credit goes to my amazing husband. Oh but I edited them!...*

Yes. Winter and coldness.

And this is some of what we got up to:

Yes. Beautiful New Zealand summerness and swimming and most importantly our youngest sister getting married to one of the coolest guys I know.
Welcome to the family Cody (Mwah-ha-ha-haaaaa! Sucker).

But here's the most coolest guy I know (who is currently sleeping sleeping sleeping as he recovers from the ear infection that has completely wiped him out. Never have I seen him so sick before...poor guy).

There was obviously so much more cool stuff to share with you from our holiday in NZ, but that's worthy of at least one post of it's own. SO MUCH COOL STUFF! All family-centred and just what the doctor ordered for this homesick family-deprived soul.

Well it's snack time for the boys again (isn't it always snack time for boys?) so I best pull together something nutritiously wonderful for them before they discover the chocolate cake hidden in the cupboard...

Let's talk again soon ok?
B x

:::

Living with a Superhero

2014-02-26T12:13:00.000+00:00

You may not have been aware but we have Superheroes living in our household.

There is Spiderman, Superman (numerous), Batman, the Incredible Hulk - but the one who really seems to have taken over one of our little boys is that of Captain America.

Apparently there are moments even Captain America needs to pick his nose...

...and go to the toilet.

Dear little Beni-Boo is completely captivated by Captain America. He watched the movie with wide eyes of awe and, whilst seeing me get dressed one morning, declared:

"Look Mamma! You've got boobies just like Captain America!"....

I'm pretty sure that was a compliment for me because, let's admit it, Captain America's pecks are rather impressive... *wipes drool from corners of her mouth*

I think I'm convinced Beni is the one to watch when it comes to all things theatrical.

He. Is. Hilarious.

Without even meaning to be.

Just a funny boy who loves life and thinks everywhere is a stage...

Maybe he's preparing himself years in advance for the inevitable remake of the Captain America movie.
I'm fine with that.
Especially if he buys us a Ferrari from the earnings of his blockbuster movie.

Yep - the future looks bright for this little chap (and his Ferrari-driving parents).

:::

DIY: old chest of drawers to a play kitchen

2014-02-13T10:48:00.001+00:00

Ever since my wonderfully generous in-laws purchased a power drill for us last September we have been DIY-ing all over the place!
Pictures are hung on the walls, shelves are installed in the kitchen, castor wheels put on that wooden pallet and is now our coffee table in the lounge.
All very excellent.

And soon enough our 'handmade Christmas' came rolling around and it was a case of what the heck to make?! This happens every year a couple of weeks in from Christmas Day which really leaves hardly any time to make things... *sigh*

Anyhoo, we have been observing our wee red headed child loving being Mr. Hospitality to us and his brothers - always offering them snacks and serving us endless cups of pretend coffee.
"Sugar? Milk? ...*slurp*... Another one coffee?"
Dear wee fellow.

Whenever we go to a playgroup he's right there hanging out at the play kitchens banging pots around and serving up food. I had been looking online for a play kitchen and they were beyond our budget. Of course. Especially when the budget is pretty much ZERO.

So the wheels in my head got a-turnin' and a-thinkin' - we had an old chest of drawers not really serving a purpose - well, holding my fabrics - but a little bit of shuffling things around resulted in this set of drawers just crying out to be dismantled and made into something new.

I'm sure there's a sermon in that...

And so the creation of a play kitchen began.
Now unfortunately I didn't get a 'before' shot..... yeah I know. My husband and his little Beni-Boo helper were too eager so I missed my moment, but here's the process...

We dismantled it and reconstructed it using only the pieces from the chest of drawers.
I bought the red paint, hinges and a handle for the oven door, tiles for the splashback and plastic knobs.
Curtains were made out of fabric from my newly-relocated fabric stash, the elements are blackboard paint and my sister had some silver spray paint for the oven window. Done.

Thanks to presents from Uncle and Aunties the kitchen was equipped with plastic food; pots, pans and utensils; and a wooden Gaggia espresso machine (which was originally baby pink... but Gretchen painted it blue and stylised it into a Gaggia machine. Cool huh?)

And the wee red head? Well, he was super-duper excited and thoroughly pleased with his new cooking space and immediately started serving up coffees and cooking up a storm.

All the while wearing his Incredible Hulk costume. As you do.

He's a happy (but sometimes angry) wee chappy.

:::

Beni-boo-amino

2013-11-22T11:25:00.000+00:00

I can't believe this delightful little boy is FOUR today!
It definitely doesn't feel like it was four years ago that our Beni-Boo-Amino (as he likes to introduce himself) literally slipped on out and fell on the floor. A bit of a dramatic arrival! Poor wee guy...

And ever since then his whole life has been dramatic.
Not in a bad way, just in the way he lives each day.
With a lot of drama and 'bigness'.

He's a funny wee boy.
Gosh we laugh A LOT at him and with him.

If any of our boys were to run into the only tree in the middle of a large field, it would be Beni.
Probably cos he runs with his head down, watching how fast his feet are going.

If any of our boy are going to be a popstar, it would be Beni.
Singing, dancing, acting, sensitive, creative with a sponge-like memory for movie quotes and song lyrics. And looking good while doing all of these.

When I kiss him goodnight or goodbye or just a general 'I love you' kiss, Beni makes it into a movie-worthy moment. Arms around my neck, head tilted and a slow-motion, lingering kiss ensues.
It's all I can do to keep a straight face and not burst out laughing.
Oh no, it's very important to pull back slowly after the kiss and look tenderly into his eyes and confess your undying love for him.
HE'S HILARIOUS!

And cuddly.
And sensitive.
And clever.
And particular.
And confident.
And friendly.
And independant.
And fun.
And creative.
And kind.
And handsome.

We love our Beni-Boo.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you darling boy!

Gosh I am so thankful you are my son!

God blessed us indeed in giving you to us to look after

and raise to be a confident, loving, kind and wise man.

I love you to the moon and back 20 billion trillion times.

With a big lingering kiss,

Mamma X

Mamma:Massi Mornings

2013-11-21T14:12:00.000+00:00

I love this little guy.

Our red fro boy.

Our Rosso Furioso.

We've been having lots of Mamma:Massi mornings and oh how I love it!

He's a funny wee man.

Just look at that cheeky face!

Our usual haunt is a coffee/hot chocolate date, usually after a morning run.

The two older boys get dropped off at school and then Max and I head off for a run along the Thames river path.

SO BEAUTIFUL no matter the weather or time of year.

Cold and clear Autumn days are particularly breathtaking.

This morning after Max decided to step in a massive dog poo we decided to head to the park to rid his wellies of the foul matter.

So there was lots of stomping in puddles and running through the grass and leaves.

Perfect.

A bit of climbing and sliding and swinging in the playground, saying hi to the trains as they rumbled past and chasing after dogs.

That's pretty much what we get up to in our mornings together before we pick up Beni from nursery in time for lunch.

It's only a few hours, but it's Mamma and Massi time and I love it.

In ten short months it will be his turn to head off to nursery while Beni moves on to full days at school.

So I'm making the most of these moments with my youngest, asking time to please slow down just a little...

:::

Run a marathon - DONE!

2013-10-08T10:38:00.004+01:00

It's been just over one week since I ran my first marathon and I'm still buzzing!

I think I chose the best possible marathon to run as my first - the Lochness Marathon in Inverness, Scotland.

Around 70 coaches transported 3,500 competitors to the start of the race which was in the high ground between Fort Augustus and Whitebridge.

And fortunately the porta-loos were plenty.

Porta-loos with a magnificent view of the highlands and the last of the summer heather.

Go Team Jacobsen!

What a privilege it was to do the 16 week training programme and to run the marathon with my sister.

She definitely helped keep the boredom of the long miles at bay and distracted me from the pain in my body...

No it definitely wasn't all plain-sailing to get to that hillside last Sunday, but WE DID IT!

Such a great race atmosphere - many of the runners were marathon virgins like us so there was a vast mixture of nerves, excitement, anticipation and yes even fear.

But the sun was shining, the pipers were piping, the race MC guy was telling us how awesome we were. All this helped to create an unbelievable buzz in the air.

And also the possibility of spotting the Lochness Monster, of course...

source

Can you spot who was likely to win the race?

And check out the scenery we had to put up with. Hideous.

Yeah it was really difficult, as these runners below are so clearly showing.

source

We pretty much didn't see any civilisation until the last 3 miles. SO AWESOME!

My sister decided to blast on ahead at mile 18 as my energy took a sudden dive... with only 8 more miles to go I knew I could do it. That was, after all, an easy run around Richmond Park which I had done a million times. But oh my goodness it was definitely a battle of the mind.

The sub-4 marathon went out the window for me as I tried (but failed) to tell the mile-long hill at mile 19 who was boss.

Through mile 24 and 25 I could hear my boys' voices in my head "Come on Mamma! You can do it!" - their usual chant they do up the tough hills when I take them out running in the buggy.

And also in the forefront of my mind - the reason I was running for the Charity 'Motor Neurone Disease, Scotland' - in the memory of our Aunty Pip who died of MND.

But even through the pain in my body and the memories of my sweet Aunty Pip I was still able to raise a smile at those on the sidelines cheering us on, especially when I saw my sister waiting just across the finish line for me.

WE DID IT!!
Gretchen: 4 hrs, 00 mins - if she hadn't waited 10 minutes for me at mile 22 she would have got her sub-four marathon.... naughty! I gave her a smack on her tight little bottom when I found that out (she deserved that smack Dad...)
Brigitte: 4 hrs, 15 mins

Across the line we were given very cool (and heavy) medals, a Lochness Marathon technical t-shirt and other goodies in a wee bag. I love goodie bags!
And the MND Scotland charity we were running for had massage tables set up for a post-race massage. WOW. Amazeballs. So blimmin' good! And they also handed us snicker bars, bananas, juice and sodas, lollipops, cereal bars, LOTS of yummy goodness. I was in heaven.

All race competitors were given some soup and a hot meal in a big marquee where we sat and listened to some local musicians. Very cool.

After a deep sleep that night we caught our flight back to London the following day where Austin, the boys and his parents were waiting for us outside our front door. My inlaws had just flown in from New Zealand so it was a wonderful reunion of jet-lagged parents and marathon-sore runners.

I've got another post coming about our adventures in and around Inverness in the days leading up to the marathon but I didn't want to ram it all into one loooooong post.

I know there are many people who unashamedly say they will never do that again after running their first marathon - but I'm on the other extreme of that.
You may call me cray-cray and that's fine, but I'm all about when I can do my next one!

:::

If you would like to donate money towards our marathon ran for MND Scotland in loving memory of our beautiful Aunty Pip, please follow this link here.

Thank you! Your generosity makes the world of difference (it actually really does) for the MND sufferers in Scotland.

Going the distance... with a sore butt

2013-09-23T11:14:00.000+01:00

I am currently sitting on a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.

Not by choice (that would just be weird) but because - as a result of running 21 miles (33.8 km) last weekend - I seem to have strained my bum muscle...

But aside from the pain in the ass I am experiencing (oh ho ho ho! Terrible pun sorry...) oh my goodness it was a beautifully scenic run.

It was an organised trail-race along the canals from Bath to a little town called Devizes. All the houses and canal boats along the way were very quaint and cute and, well, English.

This was the only but very cruel hill that occurred at approximately mile 19.26 (31 km).

Yeah sure these locks are a remarkable feat of engineering, but putting a hill like that at the very end of a very long run? Cruel. Sadistic even.

Our very awesome support crew.

Luca the Physio had some good stretches for us. As always.

Matt the Coach helped us with our game-plan... (?)

And Austin the Manager... well, I don't really know what he did... apart from drink lots of espresso.

Funny story: we got 2nd and 3rd lady. Hahahaaaa!

Need I mention there were only 15 people in the race and a total of 4 ladies? No, I didn't think so...

A wee country pub where we very much enjoyed a large beer and burger after the race.

And upon our arrival home...

Uncle Toddy had just returned from Southern France working 49 days in a row so he does have a lot of sleep to catch up on! We did have a wee laugh though and thought it was photo-worthy to find the babysitter snoozing.

So this weekend (Sept 29th) is THE MARATHON! It seems to have approached rapidly over the last month...
Gretchen and I fly up to Inverness, Scotland on Thursday, tour of the Highlands on Friday, registration and hanging out in Inverness on Saturday, and the big race on Sunday!

My only apprehension is my strained butt muscle... First visit to the physio two days after the 21 mile run I was told no running until the marathon day (!), but upon visiting a sports masseuse on Friday I was told my bum looks good (Thanks!... no she didn't actually say that.... although it does look good...)
...she said it's healing well and I can now do gentle running leading up to the big day. Phew!
So I'm praying for a complete recovery still.

And keeping the mixed veggies frozen...

:::

You have to laugh. Right?

2013-09-13T21:22:00.002+01:00

“When kids hit 1 year old, it's like hanging out with a miniature drunk. You have to hold onto them. They bump into things. They laugh and cry. They urinate. They vomit.”
― Johnny Depp

Yep. I'm with you on this one Jonny.
(they also poo... a lot).

I think I need to accept the fact that - no matter how much I try - I will never be able to present my children to the public with clean faces, fingernails, clothing and bottoms.

Maybe if my little hatchlings were girls this may be possible.
But the fact is I have a household of boys - and boys like all things involving dirt, slime, bogies and noise.

I just need to accept this fact and move on. Embrace it even. No matter what the general public opinion is on this subject.

On a bus ride once I had an elderly ~~gentleman~~ man tell off Luca for making too much noise, saying "Children should be seen and not heard".
Well. I laughed. Possible even guffawed at this preposterous belief.
I won't be inviting him to ours for a cup of tea any time soon as the likelihood of him dropping dead from the noise level produced by my off-spring is very high.

Boys. They're a funny species.
"Funny" being both strange and hilarious. And stinky.

I'm saying this because I had an incident today where I'm sure my mothering ability and nose were in question by the public of West London.

Beni, Max and I were out this morning at a toy library/playgroup that our church runs every Friday at the church office venue. On our way home a drawing pin lodged itself in the wheel of the buggy which rapidly flattened the tyre and made it near impossible to push and I still had a 20 minute walk home. So I headed back to the high street where I located a bike store to repair the puncture. While we were waiting for the tyre to be fixed Beni gets a look of panic on his face, grabs his crotch and says "I have to do wees mamma!". Fortunately the church office are located just off the high street so we hightailed it back to the office to use their facilities.... but didn't make it in time. And I didn't have a change of clothes for him because he was already dressed in the spares I brought for the day.
Yeah toilet training is still going awesome...

I thought I caught a whiff of something decidedly rotten on our way back out the door but figured it was just a stinky bottom-burp from one of the boys.
On our way back up the high street to collect the buggy we were stopped by a group of people doing a non-smoking promotion thing. They had a big digital touch-screen thingie where you could put in your name and write a wee sentence then it prints it out onto a sticker.
So the promotion peeps were all like "Hi! Come on over here boys and try out this thing and you can get a sticker!". Beni weesie-pants-boy heads over and a guy lifts him up so he can type on the touch screen. And yeah, his face was pretty much inline with Beni's weesie-pants which must have smelt like a urinal...
Inside I was dying a little from embarrassment.
And then of course Max wants a turn and as he whips past me to be lifted up by the guy I realised where that decidedly rotten smell was emanating from...
And yeah, the poor guy's face was once again pretty much inline with Max's heavy nappy that smelt like death...
Inside my pride died a grim, painful, stinky death.

I could see the promotional people trying not to look at each other, nor be the one to mention the smells that eminated from my children.
Needless to say they looked relieved when we departed...

I could have explained the odours and that this isn't normal for them to be smelling of wees and poos, but actually that would be lying... and it would have only been in a vain attempt to mend my broken pride.
So I kind of had a wee giggle while I walked away. You have to laugh. Right?

And you know what? This is just how it's going to be for a while longer - life with young boys is stinky, dirty, loud and messy.

But Oh. My. Goodness. it's also a whole lot of fun.
Loud stinky fun, that is.

:::

Back into the swing of things

2013-09-12T17:17:00.000+01:00

The holidays are over and it's back-to-school routines and timeframes.

I always enjoy getting routine back in my life again - although getting out of bed in the morning is still a constant struggle...
I used to be so good at it when I was juggling being a working mother - waking just after 5am to be out of the house just after 6am with a toddler bundled up in the pushchair.
I guess it just had to be done and there was no other option at that stage.

But now that I'm a stay-at-home-mamma I must say I do enjoy my cup of coffee brought to me in bed in the mornings by my husband. Gosh darn he's amazing!

It's been over three years and counting since I last had unbroken sleep. And it's this as well as the fact I'm training for a marathon that I seem to be in a constant state of sleep-deprivation.
Not cool man, not cool.

And hand-in-hand with sleep-deprivation is lack of motivation.... Meh.

But it's a good thing we've got exciting times ahead with Granny & Pop (Austin's parents) who are coming to stay at the end of September - WHOOP! It's nice of them to arrive the day after I've run the marathon because I won't be moving anywhere very fast, let alone chasing energetic boys around the house and playground. Hope you're feeling fit Granny & Pop! *insert evil laugh*

Yesterday after school I had a meltdown from a 6 year old on my hands.
And I'm talking a complete meltdown of said six year old's nuclear reactor core.
All because I said he couldn't have an icecream.
Mean I know...
Of course it was in the middle of the street where every adult and child from school was walking past.
Of course they all looked at Luca like he was the naughtiest boy ever.
Of course they all looked at me like I was the meanest mother ever.
Just awesome.
Fortunately I was very aware he was super tired after his big day at school. And I wasn't going to waste my breath trying to explain this to our captive audience.
Needless to say lots of cuddles and kisses and understanding was administered once we were home. Although I really did want to admonish him for his behaviour, that wasn't the answer in this situation. And we both felt better after we'd had our wee chat.

I wish this was my reaction every time a meltdown from one of my boys occurs, but unfortunately it's not. I'm a work in progress (aren't we all?) and still learning on this parenting journey.
Not quite sure if I'll ever get my head around it!...

But as for right now, I'm trying to motivate myself to get off the couch after just eating some chocolate (for energy of course...) and go for a 7 mile run.
My sister and I are doing a 21 mile run along the canal starting in Bath on Saturday and the thought of that makes me want to eat lots of chocolate and cake and/or then vomit. (no, not eat vomit if that's what you were thinking... ewwww that would just be gross! Let me clarify - the thought of running 21 miles makes me want to vomit. Ok? Good we cleared that up).
It's our last 'long' run before the marathon (26.2 miles) which is now only 2 weeks away....!

Ok, I'm procrastinating - 7 miles here I come.

And then chocolate and cake (for recovery of course...)

:::

Massimiliano

2013-09-10T20:03:00.000+01:00

This curly little redhead is a funny wee boy.

Look at that face. Just look at it!
Cuteness.
And cheekiness.

I think the crazy curls give away his fun side.
You can't be boring with hair like that.
I don't ever want to cut it. But I have had to cut out a few dread-locks from the back.
And the amount of conditioning spray we go through to keep his locks tamed is getting rather ridiculous...

Like his hair he can be on the fiery side (Rosso Furioso)... but the rest of the time he is super-duper sweet and so very affectionate.
He loves the language of touch and will often sit with me and stroke my arm or put his arms around my neck for a cuddle and stroke the back of my neck.
(Yes this makes me weak at the knees)...

I love watching him stick up for himself and hold his own with his brothers.
He joins in their play confidently and imaginatively. They are hilarious playing together actually. A lot of pretend crying and asking for their Mamma... should I be concerned?

We are so pleased and blessed this dear little red-haired parcel was given to us.
He makes our family even more colourful!

:::

For the love of blackberry picking

2013-08-27T11:55:00.000+01:00

As is our tradition on Monday of the August Bank Holiday here in the UK, we go blackberry picking.

With the end reward being blackberry and apple pie for dessert and numerous jars of blackberry jam stocked in our cupboards.

This is our family tradition we began about 4 years ago and it's always such a fun, memorable and messy time.

What made it even better was the fact the sun was bright and shining all day after a weekend of rain.

We hitched up the bike trailer for the two youngest boys, the rest of us on our bikes and headed into Gunnersbury Park - our new local go-to for running, playground and blackberries.

We battled with fierce blackberry bushes and feisty stinging nettle but that's all part of the adventure. Although the boys didn't seem to appreciate this side of things... We raise 'em tough around here.

I went to the corner shop when we got home and only then realised my legs were covered in blackberry juice and blood. I'm so hardcore. Yep.

My legs and arms are still smarting from the scratches and stings...

Apparently it's important to still have your cycle helmet on when blackberry picking...

Max was doing 'quality control' - but I beg to differ. Everytime I turned around to put more blackberries in the container there was always less than before... it's a mystery...

We collected 3 large containers of blackberries before heading to the playground for the boys to use up the last of their energy.

On our way home we found a BMX track at the edge of the park that had lots of jumps for us to practice our bike riding skills on (or lack thereof).

And of course I took the boys in the bike trailer over them too ('cos I'm hardcore remember..)

They were egging me on and gave out cries of disapproval whenever I missed a hump.

I only fell off and bruised my ankle once.

Austin called me 'Crazy Mamma' which is pretty accurate...

At least we lived to tell the tale!

And the blackberry & apple pie? Well. It was so unbelievably good I didn't get time to take a picture of it before we devoured it. Super tasty.

Blackberry jam is now going to be flowing out our ears (which may be rather uncomfortable and sticky...)

I think food you've foraged for yourself always tastes better huh?

Happy days!

B x

:::

Ahhhh these summer nights...

2013-08-20T18:59:00.003+01:00

We have been enjoying the looooong summer evenings and the comfortable temperatures they bring very much at the moment.

There's nothing quite like packing up the family and a picnic, getting on our bikes and heading into Richmond Park for the evening.

On this particular evening we headed to a playground that has a small pool. But being a Sunday evening the pool was rather dirty and probably contained more urine than water..... ewwwww.
(ok so that's exaggerating slightly but you get my drift...)

But the slightly murky water didn't stop our boys. They were pants off and in the water before I told them they could actually leave their undies on... *sigh*

While the boys were otherwise occupied I left them in Austin's capable hands and went for a 7 mile run around Richmond Park with my sister (marathon training buddy).
When we got back Beni was still in the nude (of course) while the other two boys were dressed and playing cricket with some children they had befriended.

One of the funniest moments was when Beni - in all his naked glory - ran down the hill we were on having our picnic to join some other children on a big round communal swing that has ropes for sitting on. They had to stop the swing to let nudie boy on. The ropes must have been very uncomfortable for sitting on with a bare bottom...

And then he decided to try out some of the exercise machines on the edge of the playground...
He's a bit of an exhibitionist and a free and easy young spirit. Provides much entertainment!

We haven't been able to get away at all during these school holidays - but that hasn't bothered me. It's been lovely just being at home and making the most of the local activities on offer. I've been super impressed with how many friends the boys have met at the local playgrounds - and all playing together so nicely. We like this!

These long and warm summer evenings are set to continue for a while longer which I'm thrilled about.

Because - unlike the school holidays - I'm not quite ready see the end of them yet.

:::

...and then he was SIX!

2013-08-13T17:51:00.000+01:00

This week our biggest boy turned six years old!

Sheesh. (yeah you know what's coming)... The time goes so quickly!

A Superhero party was organised for him - this was lots of fun for all involved.

Kryptonite cupcakes, super-power juice bottles, energy bites in the form of grapes and pineapple, carrot sticks were labeled as super night vision (noone really ate those except me...strange). Fun stuff like that.

Held in our local recreational ground which is right next door to where we live meant set-up and clean-up was super easy and very hassle free. I like!

And it also meant that, even though we had organised games, the party guests entertained themselves most of the time in the playground. Nice.

I loved it that all the children got dressed up as their favourite superhero.
There were about 6 spidermen and 1 spiderwoman (breasts included!), batmen, supermen, a catwoman and Little Bow Peep (cute!).

A lot of party guests were Luca's school friends and - because Luca only started at his school in May - it was a great chance to get to meet his friends and their parents outside the school grounds. Such a great bunch of kids and families.

And as for our now 6 year old? Well he's a bundle of intelligent, fun-loving, cheeky, sweet, crafty, frustrating energy wrapped up in a blue-eyed, blond haired, long legged package.
He drives me to the brink and back again most days... but nothing a good ~~bottle~~ glass of wine can't fix!

I consider myself super blessed to be the mamma of such a beautiful six year old boy.

Happy Birthday Luca Cheeky Chops! I love you to the moon and back again 20 billion times.

Yeah I know. He's pretty special ;)

:::

Miles and Boys

2013-08-08T23:02:00.000+01:00

Oh (mostly) happy day!
Probably one of the better ones since the school summer holidays started two weeks ago.
A day spent outdoors in the great wide open expanse that is Richmond Park - our local "go to" when we are feeling the need for country air, nature and space.

I know I've talked about Richmond Park on here a lot and it's where I do most of my running, but it really is fabulous! More often than not we spot the Queen's deer grazing nearby as we run or cycle past - always feels a little bit special seeing them and their rather intimidating antlers.

Today - according to my marathon training schedule - I needed to do 8 miles. But I had a problem in that I couldn't run in the evening (like I have been during the holidays) because both my husband and sister were going to be out which means the only time I could do it was during the day when I was looking after the three boys... Meh.

I majorly doubted that Luca would be able to handle cycling 8 miles on the dirt tracks plus the 6 miles to get to the park and back home again. So I formed a plan that consisted of snacks, snacks and more snacks (food is always the best form of bribery for our boys...).

So laden down with snacks and water bottles we cycled to the park where I locked up my bike and turned the bike trailer into a jogger/stroller and then hit the dirt tracks running while Luca continued to cycle beside me. A nice and easy cycle ride for him as I was in no way going at any quick pace pushing two boys in the buggy who I'm sure had rocks for breakfast...

First stop was a playground (and snacks), then the icecream shop and then the climbing trees. Unfortunately while at the climbing trees I had to deal with two lots of poos - one in nappies and one in undies (not mine...). Awesome. No time for sitting down reading a magazine or having a wee snooze in the shade of an Old English Oak tree like a lot of other people seemed to be doing today. That's just not possible with three active boys nipping at my heels. And pooing in their undies...

But it was well worth the effort. The boys had a great time and love climbing on Nature's Playground. Their confidence in climbing is nearly getting to the 'fearless' stage... might need to reign that in a little!...

And now - sleeeeeeeep to recharge for another busy day tomorrow.

Life is busy and a bit craycray at the moment - but I'm thankful for health, strength and fun times together as a family.

Happy Friday y'all!

:::

A bit of Crochet Excitement...

2013-07-23T09:56:00.000+01:00

I've finished a blanket I started nearly two years ago!!

Now that's what I call Crochet Excitement.

And she's a wee beauty.
Well, not very 'wee' actually - it's the size of a double bed.

There's always a possibility when I take so long to make something that my tastes would change in that time.... (they are ever evolving...), but not in this instance.
I have Blanket Love.

In this crazy (but wonderful!) heatwave we are experiencing I can't think of anything worse than having my knees warmed under a woollen blanket, but come the long cold days of the northern hemisphere winter this not-so-wee beauty will be given much love and appreciation. (And no doubt have porridge/sandwich/spaghetti/hot chocolate faces and hands rubbed into the lovingly crafted stitches....*sigh*)

I still have to tie in all the loose threads on the underside - which will probably take me another two years, but hey - am I bovered? Nope.

I do love this feeling of achievement upon completion of a project. It's quite addictive...

:::

Surrey Badger Half Marathon - a race recap... of sorts

2013-07-15T12:01:00.002+01:00

Wowsers.
If I had've known that the hilly half marathon we were scheduled to run on July 14 would be on the hottest day of the year, I definitely would have thought twice (maybe even thrice) about registering us for it...
But actually, in all honesty I'm so pleased I did.
It was a tough challenge, but an incredibly rewarding one!

And it was the first race I have run with my sister (her first ever race) - so it was an honour to be running with her. I'm so proud of her!

The Surrey Badger Half Marathon was described as a multi-terrain hilly race and though there was lots of bush and shade, there was also lots of open spaces in the exposed sun. The air in the bush/forrest sections was close and humid and only a tiny bit cooler than out in the open heat of the sun. I'm sure I drank about 30 litres of water (no kidding) and didn't need to go to the toilet until 2 hours after I'd finished running... CRAZY!

The race didn't start until 10am and it was already one million degrees by then, sweating while waiting at the start line... not cool man.

I wouldn't call myself a 'seasoned' half-marathon runner or anything - I don't even think I've reached double-digits yet, but this was definitely the hardest race I've done! And I don't think it helps that I'm still carrying an extra UNWANTED 8 post-pregnancy kilos...
Darn that heavenly taste of an ice-cold post-run berry cider...

But although there was lots of complaining about the heat and the hills {and I'm not even going to mention about my sister needing to duck into the bushes twice because of 'digestion issues' from the gel shots we were using...}, this was also one of the most beautiful races I've done. Because there was lots of climbing up hills, the views at the top were stunning!

And that's what I'm all about - running for the purpose of getting outdoors and exercising in beautiful natural environments with great scenery. 'Discovering' this beautiful country of Great Britain we live in.

Mile 4

The seven water stations along the way that also provided jelly babies and sponges with ice cold water were from the Lord! Ice cold water on the face and down the back were seriously sooooo gooooood.

Mile 11

(Mum and Dad - I thought you'd appreciate some photos of your beautifully sweaty daughters running together...)

About 3 seconds away from crossing the finish line!

It was great to do an organised race during our marathon training - the atmosphere, friendly runners, encouraging marshals along the way and the water hose at the end offering an ice cold hose-down made it very much worth while.

But the thought of having to do that all again in order to run a FULL marathon almost brings me to tears... here's hoping Lochness at the end of September won't be experiencing a freak heat-wave!....

Transition into Big-Boyhood

2013-06-11T17:06:00.001+01:00

Beni loves his dummy (soother/pacifier - depending on which continent you're on)

Beni loves Superman.

Beni thinks he's Superman.

Last weekend a major milestone in Beni's lifetime happened: he said goodbye to his dummy.

When offered the opportunity for his dummy to be replaced with a really cool Superman outfit, there was only a moment's hesitation before he ran to the rubbish bin, put his dummy in and waved goodbye.

And oh there was JOY!

And posing. Lots of posing.

I'm not going to get into why it's taken so long for Beni to not have his dummy anymore.
He's a totally different personality to Luca - who easily said goodbye to his dummy in favour of a new truck from the 'Dummy Fairy' and never looked back.

But now it's done. And I'm not going to lie - it was traumatic.

There was very little sleep on that first night.
Thankfully coffee is a dear friend of ours and the next night was 76 times better... so not heaps better but at least he didn't SOB himself to sleep while I cuddled him.
I was quite traumatised by this as well. Let's not forget my feelings here?...

And then the next night? Well, not even a peep from the dear wee boy. He actually happily went to sleep without his dummy.
Amazeballs.

Superman. You is AWESOME!

:::

It's Summertime! (finally)

2013-06-05T13:00:00.001+01:00

Shall I apologise again for the large gaps between posts at the moment...? Sorry.
I'm finding it a bit difficult getting the time to sit down and sort, edit and upload photos. Let alone write something!...

Yeah life is busy. And tiring. A bit crazy. Okay, a LOT crazy (I think it will always be a bit craycray with three young boys...). But it's a good life.

The sun is shining!
The birds are singing!
The boys are sleeping (AWESOME!)
I'm blogging (can I hear an AMEN?)
Thanks.

So yeah the sun is shining and it is SO VERY welcome! Last week was the school holidays and of course it rained for 4 out of 5 days.
And it even snowed in Scotland. In the summertime.
Bet they were loving that!.... not really.

With the sunny warm weather comes my desire to wear my running gear and get out there!
Which is a good thing seeing as my sister and I are running the Lochness Marathon in a few short months...
Flights are booked.
Hotel is booked (my sister gets to share a double bed with me - lucky her!... Although she begs to differ...
A Day Tour around the Highlands (which includes visiting a Whiskey Distillery) is booked.
We are flying up to Inverness on the Thursday before the Sunday race day so we can take in the sights. It would be silly not to!
I know our Scottish blood will be tingling and high-fiving itself for being back on Scottish soil - especially when some of that Scottish whiskey hits the blood stream - WHOOP!

And the day after the marathon our bonnie wee family is in for a real treat because Granny & Pop (Austin's m&d) are flying into London from New Zealand to stay with us for FIVE WHOLE WEEKS!
We are so excited to see them and to have family staying with us. Such a treat!

I aim to be back with another post in the next day or so because I've got a rather lengthy backlog of photos and stories that must be shared with y'all. (but don't hate me if I'm not...)

Hope you are having a great week!

B x