Friday Quicktakes

1. First week of term down and its been a busy one. This year, it's two at the 'big' school , two at primary school, and the wee man's starting Nursery. Did you pick up on that last milestone I just casually dropped in there? The nursery part? Yes indeed, its a biggie alright but I'm just about managing to hold it together... in a 'lovely quiet house with freshly brewed coffee and uninterrupted trips to the loo' kinda way!

 Heres the thing, he's SO ready for it, I'm SO ready for it and let's face it, thus far it's only been a frickin' hour a day anyway, (building up to the grand total of two and a half hours the week after next-Yay!)

It's certainly breaking us both in gently, before the more significant leap to P1 next year, and truthfully, in my typically thran way, I was both delighted and somewhat miffed at how well he's settled. My Psychology training tells me that his skipping off happily illustrates a secure and happy child, but the contrary mammy in me would definitely have appreciated the odd trembling lip or clinging hug , thank you very much.

It's funny how things change though- four years ago when Rory went to nursery, I would have been weeping at the nursery door on a daily basis if I hadn't been pregnant again with Luke, and I remember pondering how I'd know when I was ready to move on...and now, for the first time in over fourteen years, I know that you just do... so this is all kinda new and exciting, and scary and liberating for me, all at the same time.Wish me luck Dudettes!

2. We're having a party this weekend, and no, its nothing whatsoever to do with the last point- it's a 'We're NOT moving house after all (for now anyway) Party' but really, it's just an excuse to have good friends and family over to eat, drink and be merry! As a treat, we've even booked caterers to come and make savoury and sweet crepes for everyone-it'll be just like the continental market without the hats and gloves- and even though I DO feel a teensy bit guilty cos it feels a bit like cheating, I'm also thinking 'Feck it! I'll just have to be queen of the bubbly and playlists instead!

3. Speaking of which, jsut in the nick of time, we've (sort of)  finished our sitting room, which until a few months ago, had bare walls, a concrete floor and a hole for a fireplace. Yep, only eight years here and we've finally done it - 80% anyway- and I'm chuffed to bits! Here's a little peek...and special mention must go to  Gumtree and Annie Sloane paint for keeping the costs down!

Whatya think?

4 Just for old times sake, I felt the urge to sneak in a little 'Boogie in the Car Seat' today, just cos its Friday and that alone makes me wanna dance. This week's is, quite aptly, a little bit country... AND it always reminds me of  Loverboy!  Have a good one, my lovelies xxx

Quicktakes

1. I don't know about you but I'm kinda over the whole summer holiday gig now...which really means that the kids are doing my head in and I can't wait to get them back to school.
 The continuous  bickering  in the minivan, the constant snack requests, the wails of  'There's nothing to do!', the late nights, the cranky mornings-seriously, at this point, I'm  considering putting a few of them on eBay. 
And this week, the icing on the cake has been the delightful outings to procure new school shoes and pencil cases and lunch boxes, which seems to bring out the best in ALL of us.
 'Stand still and let me feel your toe. Wiggle it. No, you can't have a treat- sure aren't you getting new shoes! Stay there and don't you even THINK about moving again. That's it! Out to the car- NOW!'
Yes indeed, it would seem that the transformation into my mother is now complete.

2. Speaking of which, (I DO love it when a link comes together) tomorrow we're off en masse on a family weekend to a hotel near Dublin. The entire crew will be there- the 'rents, my three brothers, two sisters and all their respective spouses. Chuck in the seventeen grandchildren (+2 on the way) and we're a bona fide pop-up village! Most importantly, there's a pool and a playground and best of all no cooking for three whole days!
Breakfast alone, we'll get our money's worth- the last time we stayed in a hotel, the waitress actually came up and congratulated me afterwards, on how much grub my boys had managed to put away. I'm  paraphrasing only slightly as she basically said 'Well done on having SUCH greedy children...and so many of them too!' Now, what could one reply except with a gracious thank you?

3. You will not believe the massive prat I made of myself earlier on...('Au contraire!' I hear you say).
The phone rang and because we no longer have caller ID, (we moved providers- what  a bummer- picking up the phone is like Russian roulette), so I made the rash decision to answer it.
The timing wasn't good- Luke was on the loo and had just produced the major goods so was duly awaiting my wiping expertise, and I'd briefly nipped into the kitchen for wet wipes when the phone rang and I picked it up.
That was my first mistake- in retrospect, I SHOULD have let it ring ....but what if it was important ....which indeed it was, because on the other end, was the assistant bank manager to discuss mortgage details. Now, she's really friendly but STILL our bank manager and very definitely NOT my friend, but that didn't stop my motor mouth working overtime.
We'd chatted briefly, but I was distracted and very much aware of my task in hand so to speak, so I said to her,  'I'm sorry M but I'll just put D on to you- I'm actually right in the middle of wiping a bum.'
Oh God. ....Cue stunned silence.... and then to make matters worse, I followed up by hastily reassuring her that of course it wasn't mine.
It was awful and I instantly knew that there was no way back from that, so I  wordlessly passed the phone to Loverboy, who was understandably open mouthed with a  'WTF!' expression on his face. It was, in the words of son #1, an "Epic Fail'.... ....but wine will help.
Have a great last weekend of the summer, my lovelies xx

List for Life

Here's last Monday morning's to do list. Basically a lot of 'beginning of term end of summer impending wedding type' stuff.  And lots of it. Clearly, September has started as it means to go on-full on super busy. Which may possibly explain, or at least partially excuse no 10 on the list? Or perhaps not. (Actually, it wasn't me for me....really!!)