What a week!!

 Taking photos of us in our Grandma jumpers to go in the coffin for Jean's funeral.  Sad, sad times, but family supported each other fantastically, and my brother came down to look after the children, which was a huge weight off my mind.  Family and friends came from all over the country to pay their final respects to her,and many good times were remembered. We visited a local woodland burial place, and I think we are all but decided that this should be the final resting place for her ashes, so peaceful, and full of wildlife, she would have loved it.

And as life has a habit of doing, it carries on, whether we want it to or not.  I have been kept busy with accomodating visitors and ensuring everyone has some food.  Such wonderful business, lovely to see so much family again, I just wish the circumstances were happier.

Lego rock band kept young and old alike entertained, and Ethan drew a lovely picture of it all.

 Stuart found some printouts to make model buildings, so many buldings were made, and no doubt more will be when more ink cartridges arrive!

 Alec and Ethan came racing in very excited the other evening, and insisted I went to watch them.  They had sussed out how to do front flips on the trampoline!

 Luke is definitely in model making mode.  Take a guess what this ruin started out as... go on, bet you can't guess!

 An Abel and Cole box of course!  Sophie saw it and said "oh no, castle broken, dragon blow down castle...huff...puff!"

 And then just to curb any thoughts of a physical summer holidays, Alec managed to take a knock to his little finger on Sunday night, whilst playing football.  By Monday morning it was very swollen and bruised, so a trip to A&E confirmed he had a chipped bone in his little finger.  He now has to wear this for a week, and to take things easy for a further 3 weeks.  He's gutted!!

I too have had to undergo a minor op to remove a mole.  There are at least 20 stitches on the wound!  Which makes me feel squeamish each time I think about it!

I do count my blessings, all that we have been through recently could have been worse, but you know, I would like it very much if things bad things could stop happening now, and let us get back on our feet.

A rollercoaster of a week

The week started off on Monday with Stuart going to his uncle's funeral. He has been diagnosed with throat cancer earlier in the year, and had spent the rest of his time back and forth between hospital/hospice and home. Unable to speak, he spent his time writing, much of which was used at his funeral, for what was a very moving service.

On a far happier note, Tuesday was Sophie's birthday. I always think first birthdays are so special, with the events around the birth still relatively fresh in your mind. To celebrate a year of discovery and growing, we went to the Monkey Forest near Stoke. Sophie loves all kinds of animals, so we thought this would be a lovely trip out. Somewhere where we haven't been before, therefore all our memories of the place are linked to her birthday. I think the rest of us had a great time there too, looking at free ranging family groups of Barbary Macaques acting as naturally as possible with groups of people looking at them.

We returned home in time for a tea party. Friends and family arrived (with my Dad and his wife seeing Sophie for the first time!) She wore her birthday crown with a heart appliqued to the front of it. I explained to the boys that each year I would add another, Alec pointed out we could fit 21 hearts onto it, not sure that Sophie would be happy wearing it for that long though! For gifts, we bought her a whirlygig bee. Again the boys have had their fair share of playong with it, trying to make it drift around corners! The boys got her some maracas, sleigh bells, and tambourine, which she loves. She also got a toy phone (in a vain attempt at getting to speak to people on the phone without her grabbing it off you!) and some wooden blocks which the boys build up into elaborate constructions, until Sophie smashes it down! Great fun!

She got beads on a wire from Grandma and Grandad, and some lovely mini IQ books and clothes from Nanny. And with the money she has been given, I can feel a trip to Myriad coming on!

It took Sophie a good couple of days to recover from her birthday, but she had a great time, and made lots of wonderful memories for us all. Happy Birthday Sophie Grace.

As the week moves on we start to focus on Stuart's impending hernia repait operation. Never going under a general anaesthetic before was a great cause for anxiety. Wills were written, just in case. And lots of questions were going around in our heads. Stuart took it all very much in his stride, remaining positive throughout. When it came to it, the procedure was straightforward, admitted at 1pm, discharged at 8pm! The waiting inbetween though was tough. However, he is home now, recouperating. The hardest part is gently stopping Sophie from clambering over him. You don't realise how often she wants picking up until you are not allowed to!

Thoughts are now turning to the return to school (on Luke's birthday of all days - he's gutted!) A week of quiet family time will be much appreciated!