Little Miss Busy

You would think that now that the summer holidays have begun, and the kids have finished school, life might slow down a little. I know that I was secretly hoping to have a wee bit of time to read, and to blog, and to sip lattes, and who knows maybe I will....but it won't be this week!
 Now, don't get me wrong, there's a lot to love about this week, with plans afoot with friends and family, but right here, right now, it just seems as though I've an awful lot of hoops to jump through first. You know when you feel really overwhelmed, and there's so much to do, that you don't actually know where to start? Yeah, that...which is why I'm stalling and writing a blog post instead!
 But I thought that maybe if I wrote it all down, I'd get a better handle on things, so here it is in no particular order.

•  Prepare and host a meal for friends-About 24 adults and kids in all, but I'm keeping it real and doing a chilli. (thanks Roisin!) 
• Go to Argos to return stuff and buy more stuff for the caravilla. 
• Go to Ikea to return stuff and buy more stuff for the caravilla. 
•  Make short videos of the kids and upload them for Mad Blog Awards website. 
• Write a blog post or maybe even two.
•  Meet a good friend with our collective 9 offspring for a day in the park.
•  Organise haircuts for the 4 boys. 
•  Have a night out with a few really good friends that I haven't seen in a while ...(and don't drink too much wine because I don't have time for a hangover.)
• Get my eyebrows waxed and eyelashes tinted. (otherwise I look odd). 
• Go shopping with my mum for a 'mother of the bride' outfit- (However, as this is only Wedding Shopping Phase One, it goes without saying that no decisions or purchases will be made at the time.)
•  Prepare and host our girl's 13th birthday party - it will be afternoon tea at ours with my talented beautician cousin Olivia Mc Loughlin coming to do her nails and those of her pals. (And obviously, yours truly's as well- in fact, leopard print is being sourced AS WE SPEAK!.) Unsurprisingly, on getting wind of the cake eating and beautifying going on that day, my mum, sister in law and sister have now cleared their diaries to be here too. (Note to self- buy more scones- yes I KNOW I should make them but I DONT HAVE THE TIME!)
• Buy groceries (and wine!) for a week at the caravilla.
•  Pack vittles and clothes for seven for a week at the caravilla. 
•  Arrive at the caravilla and collapse....then drink wine, read, sip lattes and blog. 
• So there you go- my week ahead in a nutshell . How about yours? Are you hitting the ground running this week or taking a chill pill? Make me jealous- go on!

Friday Quick Takes

Seems like only yesterday...

• Today is Jude's last day at primary school EVER and to celebrate there's a prayer service and a concert. Having been through this last year with Anna, this time I'm going prepared. That means waterproof mascara and plenty of tissues, because it's a very emotional 'one door closing my baby's growing up so quickly and I'm crying again' sort of morning. Yes, I know it's the start of a whole new exciting stage for him, and one that I know that he's ready for.....but I remember his very first day at school, and it REALLY doesn't seem that long ago. Now, he's leaving the security of his wonderful, nurturing primary school here in the country, and joining his sister at a big grammar school in the city. It's a huge milestone and of course, he doesn't even realize it and I just really, really hope that he'll be okay....But thankfully, first there's the summer holidays to enjoy!

•  Speaking of which, we're going to take the children up to see the new caravilla this weekend for the first time. No doubt, there'll be great excitement and they'll stampede through it, slamming doors, claiming beds and finding spaces. I so hope we'll be happy there. I so hope it's the right move for us. And I so, so hope it doesn't rain ALL the time. 

• Speaking of which, (how great am I getting at these links!?), I went to Ikea during the week to stock up on 'stuff' for the aforementioned caravilla. The problem is, no matter how well prepared I think I am with my lists and measurements, when I get there, I ALWAYS get flustered, bedazzled and carried away with the bright colours, the funky prints, and the wonderfully innovative storage solutions. But mostly, I think its just the sheer, fabulous Swedishness of it all. So just like every other time, I departed with a minivan filled to the brim with stuff I didn't know we needed, and £300+ poorer.                                                                                                                     
• I'll leave you now with this little picture of a cheeky Luke, who was all too quiet yesterday morning, and when I went to find him, there he was happily ripping my cotton wool pads into tiny shreds all over the floor. As you do...when you're two!