Normal Service To Resume....

It's been a while...and many times I've gone to Facebook to post. I think it's time to come back to my little blog and start again...

...keep looking for updates coming soon :)

Summer Holidays 2012

I’ve been very remiss recently with blogging. That’s more to do with Sharon being away and juggling with looking after the kids and work. Anyway, after Sharon’s recent employment in sunnier climes, we went away on our holiday to France. We went to La Croix Du Vieux Pont situated about an hour and a half from Paris.
The site was perfectly set out with 3 large lakes, indoor and outdoor pools and onsite restaurants. The countryside surrounding the site was rolling hills a bit like Fermanagh. We were able to take advantage of some brilliant days out including visiting the breathtaking castle at Chateaux De Pierrefonds and pony trekking around Berny Riviere.
Here are some pictures….

We were blessed with good weather for our 10 days away. The temperature was mostly in the 30’s. One thing we didn’t take advantage of was the closeness of Disneyland. Lucy was too young to make that possible this time round. Perhaps another time…

Springtime 2012

I know I’ve been quiet of late on the blog front……it’s mostly down to returning to work in January (no manpower, more work etc etc), sickness (kids sharing viruses and chickenpox) and preparing Sharon for detachment. Never mind….all is settling down now so back to updates on the rascals.
We went to Emily’s parents evening and, no surprise, she’s doing well. Well mannered yet shy and her reading is great. That's not surprising either considering the amount of stories we read! Her art is fantastic…she loves colours but is a bit of a perfectionist…which has lead to a couple of frustrated tears at times…bless.
Hannah has recovered from a horrible dose of chickenpox and a particularly nasty virus she still hasn’t fully shifted. Nevertheless she’s still a chirpy cheeky chappess full of love.
Lucy’s walking! Heaven help us! She has come on so much in the last month. She isn’t a baby anymore. In someways, it’s a shame as I’ve missed all of her first year and I’m left with this strong willed, loving and giggling kid! She has recovered from chickenpox now as well.
I know I’m going to be missing a chunk of occasions out since the last blog, but I’ve got to restart somewhere. I’ll revisit where I can because we’ve had awesome trips to Wales, Ireland, the North…..and had some wonderful times with friends and family. It would be a shame not to share them…
Oh..I’ve had a few problems with spam being dropped into my comments box, so I’ve put a filter on the comments now. Please still drop comments off tho…….

Beckonscot Model Village–27 March 2011

 

I’m looking at covering where we’ve been since my last pictorial entry prior to my detachment. There have been so many places we’ve been so I’ve limited it to Beckonscot in Beckonsfield in March 2011 in one blog entry, and everywhere else in a second. I’m just glad to be back home now and start blogging again about Sharon and the kids…so without further ado….

We went there on a fantastic sunny spring day. Perfect…couldn’t have asked for a better day before I left so we took advantage of it and had a ball.

Beckonscot is a model village which is quite famous around the south east of England. It has certainly expanded over the last few years and is a roomy and fun day out for the family, regardless of age.

Still here!

I know I've been a bit quiet recently, but I'm out of the country at the moment.  I'll be back in a couple of weeks for a fortnights leave then back properly in November.  It's been a long time away looking back on it.  I got here in April, but the 6 month training was a bit of a pain.  I hardly saw them.  And I have only had a few weeks with little Lucy so a big bonding session is called for when I get back.  Sharon's back at home with the kids and they're are all fine but we've lost Gypsy, our cat. She went downhill quite fast so hopefully she didn't suffer.

Sharon's due to go away in February 2012 for 4 months so we'll have to make the most of our 3 months together.  Expect lots of stories of where we take the kids..

....as usual, my work blog will be updated with pics soon.

Co Donegal, March 2011

We slipped over the border to Co Donegal a couple of times. Rossnowlagh has a lovely beach and its only about 20 minutes drive from Kesh where we’ll be retiring to.

Fermanagh March 2011

A typical day over in Fermanagh…sunny, lots to do and nice people..(only joking – it’s not normally that sunny)…there is so much to do and I genuinely believe it is the most wonderful county in the United Kingdom…

We started out taking the kids to see the new lambs at a family friends farm…

Then we went to Castle Archdale, a country park by Loch Erne. Its staggeringly beautiful with lots to do. First off, we fed the ducks at the moor side

Then to the visitors centre..that has so much history behind it. During WW2, it housed crews of seaplanes that patrolled the North Atlantic to protect the convoys from America. Prior to that it was a stately home of the Archdale family…the grounds and buildings are magnificent.  Although the main house fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1973, the rest of the complex remains and has been restored..

We had a lovely picnic there…and all that good country air completely trashed the kids that night