Hanging on to Summer

Days spent exploring new Cornish coves, splashing in the sea, rock-pooling, and finding our first ever starfish. 

Evenings spent cooking outdoors, staying up late and watching the sun set.

Its been a good summer, and one we're all going to miss. Though as school beckons and the countdown really begins (boys go back to school on Friday, yes a 'Friday'), there is no denying that Autumn is here. It shows itself in the cooler mornings, the darker evenings and the hedgerows full of blackberries. Like many children I use to yearn for the summer, the longer days, endless sunshine but as I've got older I have begun to really enjoy the changing seasons, Spring full of expectations and Autumn full of colour, glorious light and the slowing down. So as we begin to wave a sad goodbye to what has been a very 'sunny' summer, there is already a part of me that is ready to embrace the next period of the year.

End of Summer

Back from an incredible two weeks spent camping in Cornwall. I really felt like I was ready to come home, to be honest I really missed my sewing machine, crazy as it may sound, though I feel ok about this as I know my OH really missed his greenhouses! But as I sit now looking through the many holiday photos that I took (yes sorry many more to follow!) I feel a large tinge of sadness pass over me that it's all over, for another year. There's no doubt we will sneak in more visits to the seaside and yes hopefully have a break in October but as the nights draw in, and blimey haven't they, it really feels like putting the tent away is a sign that summer is passing and Autumn is just around the corner. It's been a good one and one that I could quite handle carrying on for that little bit longer!

Long Summer Days

Sat uploading these photos listening to the persistent rain that has not stopped since Saturday night and has kept us hauled up in the house, its hard to believe that we spent such a lovely long day on the beach on Saturday. It wasn't the warmest of summers days but it was bright and dry, and we made the most of it as unlike the heat and the weeks without rain that we experienced in July, August so far is proving unpredictable so days like Saturday have got to be made the most of.
And the Sea Holly on the sand dunes is just amazing, obviously a plant that is enjoying our Summer weather so far!

An Epic Day

The last few weeks have been all about birthdays and party's! Our oldest turned 8!
I still can't get use to the idea. The more I look at him, and see him playing with his friends the older he seems, though his emotions are never far from the surface and there are many occasions, often daily when I still want to wrap my arms around him and protect him from the tribulations of growing up. I have a feeling that this strong urge will never leave me.
We wanted to celebrate his birthday with a party, but trying to think of something that would entertain a group of 8-9 year olds mainly boys was difficult. We finally settled on a party in the woods, complete with bows and arrows, war paint, the making of head dresses, hot dogs, the toasting of marshmallows, a good old fashioned game of piñata all wrapped up with a water fight! The preparation for all of this started a good couple of weeks prior to the party and began to occupy any spare time we had, but all the work and the added stress of having to borrow cars to get to the woods as our car broke down three days before the party and then on the journey to the woods coming to a standstill on the road due to an accident and having to turn around when they closed the road and find an alternative route across the moors, only to eventually reach the woods an hour after setting out, and watching the excitement drain from our birthday boys face when we explained to him that there was a chance that his friends may not be able to reach the party, and then the joy when eventually 40 minutes after the party 'officially' started his first friends turning up, and the thankfulness that came flooding over me at the sheer determination of his friends parents to get their kids to the party was all worth it when he friends described the party as 'Epic'!
Yes indeed I think it was Epic, a day full of emotions and a day full of memories that won't be forgotten in a long while.

An all too brief getaway!

We spent the bank holiday weekend at my sisters house. Only an hour away in the Devon countryside, and yet that hours drive made the kids feel like they had been away on a short holiday, and for my self and my OH being away from our house and garden meant we had a chance to relax without feeling guilty that we weren't attending the many jobs that we need to do! We spent an afternoon in a field playing with bows and arrows which has become the latest favourite with the boys and a lovely Sunday rediscovering Rosemoor.  An amazing 65 acre garden that we last visited at least 6 years ago and has grown and been improved especailly with regard to children.
We had such a lovely time at 'Aunty Suzie's' it was just such a shame it was all too brief.

I must now point out that we have three most gorgeous children and not just the beautiful daughter pictured above!!! These pictures are a reminded that my children are growing up fast and that I need to make the most of being able to photograph them whilst young, especially when they smile, giggle and explore as unfortunately as they grow up they get faster and faster and spend less time standing still and become less tolerant of being constantly photographed! I failed this time to get a nice picture of my boys but I won't be put off!
Oh no this has just made me realise that I need to get more cunning with my camera!

{First 8 photos taken on phone via Instagram}

Birthdays come and go

It wasn't my intention to leave it so late after my birthday to blog about it, in fact I ended up having such a lovely meal out that I felt really excited about sharing it with you - but this is the thing my birthday seems to just come and go! It's no surprise that it's often under celebrated as it comes exactly a week after my oldest child's birthday. He's due date was my birthday, I was never keen on that idea and settled happily for him being born 7 days before, but I should have realised that even having 7 days between it would mean that my birthday has no run up, very little excitement and we are often 'still' celebrating my son's birthday, but oh well, I guess that is often the case as we grow older, birthdays just aren't what they use to be!!

 

 

So my birth 'day' was pretty awful, to be honest we were still full of the fact that our oldest had just turned 7, still feeling pretty shaken by the fact that we had recently lost my Gran (that's another story) and busy with the fact that #2 was leaving pre-school to start school in September, and that #1 was finishing key-stage 1 to start key-stage 2 again in September, so my day was spent doing well 'parent' things. So it went pretty much uncelebrated. But sometimes this just isn't good enough and we well to be fair needed a treat so at the weekend we went to the River Cottage Canteen at Royal William's Yard, as you can see from the photo someone wasn't so impressed with the place, but my what a place. Royal William's Yard is a former Victualling Yard I'll admit I had to look up the history of the place when I got home and really wish I had done it before we went, it is an amazing place and the River Cottage Canteen fits in so well. 

We had a lovely lunch even with #3 stamping here feet and having a tantrum. The food was gorgeous, locally produced and in season, our waitress was brilliant with the kids which makes such a difference I think when you decide to dine out with kids. We felt welcomed, and the boys loved it.

We felt so at home that it made me question why we don't venture out more often with the kids for food, but then I remembered that this is England and we don't often manage to combine good food and child friendly atmosphere! It is one of the things that I miss from living in France. It was lovely for us all to be able to relax and still be able to eat such gorgeous food. 

 

 

Yes #3 mangaed to even sit back down and cheer up once her food arrived!

And for once even I had my photograph taken, well it was my birthday!

 

 

River Cottage Canteen is situated in the old Brewhouse building. The whole 'Royal Yard ' makes for a good wander and explore. We had a really special day out, one that we will all remember for quite a while and at a place we can't wait to go back to. And for me it was a real special birthday as I really felt like I relaxed - so for once I can't wait for the next one!