Sebastian is 6!

Sebastian turned 6 a couple of weekends ago.  It tricky having 2 of our children with birthdays either side of Christmas.  Seb wants EVERYTHING! and pretty much plays with anything.  Him and Isaac play so beautifully together.  He loves Hot Wheels, so he got a play set for that

He has a thing for Buckaroo, as he has been playing it at school.  So that was in his pile also

He had to go to school on his birthday, which he was ok with.  He was a bit upset the week before, as he knew his birthday was on a thursday.  He got a little confused, thinking it was the week before.... He got very upset.  And consequently VERY excited when it was finally his birthday! 

His cake was a plain chocolate one from Tesco, which was absolutely delicious

For his birthday treat he really wanted to go to a race track, or a Formula one company.  These are not the easiest things to do in January in England, so we managed to persuade him to go to the zoo instead.

The saturday after his birthday we traipsed off to Marwell Zoological Park.  We have been  there before, for Oliver's 3rd birthday, when Isaac was still a babe in arms.  It was freezing the day we went, but the sun was shining so it did warm up

Marwell has not really changed that much to be honest.  All the animals were pretty active, think the cold must have made them move around more!

Quite a few big cats, but with good enriched enclosures 

We walked the whole zoo.  We could have taken a tractor ride, but we walked it.  It was gloriously quiet, a great way to have some family time.  They are building a new Hot House at the Zoo, opening next year, so it was a bit confusing going round at times, but lovely all the same.

Sebastian really wanted to see the ostriches.  Something to do with them being fast.....

Typically we did the zoo in about 2 hours.  Marwell is good, and certainly worth a visit.  We toyed with getting a yearly pass.  But they don't do family passes, only adult and child.  It would be over 200 pounds for us...... Not worth it unfortunately.

From Marwell, it was on to the outskirts of Southampton for everyones treat....... Five Guys!  So yummy, just like stateside.  Loved it.

Oh my word, I have a 10 year old

So the little baby in the picture turned 10 last week.

10. Double digits.  3 years away from teenage angst.  

Loved majorly by his brothers.  They adore him so much, even if he can me a meanie with very little compassion.  This boy finds it hard to say sorry......  Doesn't stop us from loving him.

As kids get older, their presents get smaller and more expensive.  Oliver got lots of Lego, mainly the Lego Speed Racers.  And a 2x2 Rubix cube (thanks Jen, it was his most coveted present.)

As his birthday treat on the day, he chose to go to Frankie's Fun Park to play mini golf.  This should have been fun.  Unfortunately mean mummy has started keeping score.  When someone was not doing well, yet the 7 year old was, we had major paddy.  Sometimes I wonder if he is turing 10..... We then had dinner at Johnny Rockets before coming home for cake.  Oliver ummmeddd and aadddded for so long over what kind of cake he wanted, mummy took things into her own hands.

(Don't ask why Alfa Romeo is his favorite manufacturer of cars.  I blame Jeremy Clarkson.  We can't always guide our children in the right direction.  Sometimes we have to accept their bad choices and move on as graciously as possible)

Oliver got a special birthday treat from Nanny and Granddad.  They paid for him to get his license at a local Karting track, Le Mans Karting.

Needless to say he loved this.  It led to discussions about taking up karting when we return to the UK (Our bank balance has been wincing ever since).  Oliver loves racing, as does Seb, so we are seriously considering it.  If anyone had any advice hints or tips about karting in the south of England let me know.  I love insider knowledge.

My boys love a good podium!

Can't believe he is 10.  Where is the time going?  He has always been a good boy, a hard worker.  Academically he is flying, doing awesome in reading and math.  He can be conscientious (when he thinks no one is looking).  He loves his family and his brothers.  He likes to be the best, he likes to win.  But understands it is not always possible.  He tries.  And we love him.  He is our first attempt, and I think we are doing pretty well so far! 

February so far....

Woo hoo!!! 2 weeks in to february and I am doing a blog.  Admittedly, i have had to tear myself ways from my crafting......

It was my birthday last week, 21 again!!! Paul took the kids out to get my presents, and they all did well.  They all get really excited over birthdays, particularly Sebastian, especially now he understands what is happening! 

I had a pretty good haul.  The tool check is awesome for my crafting bits / beads. Only the toblerone remains of the food.  I have not built Wall-E yet, but I will.....

Paul took the day off on my birthday, and we went for a nice breakfast at Stax Omega up in Greenville.  It was yummy.  We then headed to the mall to do some shopping.  And I got some glasses.....

I knew they were coming from my diabetic eye exam.  All is fine regarding retinopathy, but my long distance vision is going, so I need to wear glasses most of the time.  These are nice, and you can probably guess how much I wear them. 

We have had a fair amount of rubbish weather.  2 ice storms, and a couple of delayed school starts.  Takes a lot to halt Sebastians school, here he is in the ice / snow.  This all melted away a couple hours later....

The weather has not been all bad.  We have been out to a couple of parks with bikes and scooters when we can.  We have also spent quite a few weekends completely at home.  We are trying to avoid spending too much money before we go on holiday next month (more on that next time)

The weather is supposed to start getting a bit warmer soon, so the kids will start playing out side a bit more.  It will be good for them.  We have recently removed the TV from the play room. They were getting a bit DVR happy.  Recording the same thing and watching it over, and over again (TOP GEAR). Now they watch Tv in the main living room.  On school days they are only allowed to watch between 5-6.30.  At the weekends the TV is of between 10-2pm.  It is going ok.  We are adjusting to them being in our space a lot more.  If no one is watching anything the tv goes off. It is a bit trial and error but we are getting there.  When we move back to the UK it is unlikely they will have a playroom, so we need to get used to coexisting again.... It is working ok, so far......

I am also in the middle of doing a Teaching English as a Foreign Language course Coursera with Arizona State University.  I am just starting my 3rd module of a 4 module course.  It is going well.  I am hoping to maybe be able to use it when we return to England.  I also have a Zumba Toning training this weaken, which I am super excited about!!!!  I have certainly been pushing myself since living here regarding my professional development.  Lets hope I am able to do something with all these courses and experience...

And not forgetting my beading and crafting.  I feel like I have found my passion.  I love beading.  I love repurposing things.  I could bore you to tears with beads.  Luckily I have a good local shop for beads, so I talk to them instead...... 

No more waffling, chat later.....

Isaac is 7, in Key West!

Isaac had his birthday in key west. Nothing like spending your birthday, in November, in shorts and t shirt! I had planned for this well, and made sure all his presents were here. 

He had a great time opening them.  Isaac likes to not wear a top to bed A LOT of the time.  It's often like a bad audition for Twilight around here......

This is Isaac, so he typically loved everything.

We went for our usual breakfast in the Southernmost cafe.  After we went for a walk.  Right by the hotel is the marker for the Southern Most point in the continental USA.  This has huge queues next to it every time we went past it.  But not at 8.30am on a Wednesday morning.  A kind couple took some photos for us.

As it was Isaacs birthday, he got to decide what we would do.  Mini golf.  Amazingly, there is only one mini golf course in the whole of the keys!  We had to drive about 30 minutes to get to Boondocks.

But it was worth it.  The course is good, and they have a pub/restaurant next door where we had lunch.

We drove back to the hotel.  I picked up the cake from reception, and we returned to the hotel to find a gift for Isaac in the room for the hotel, with balloons and everything! 

We chilled at the hotel for an hour or so swore going of on our next adventure: Key Wests butterfly conservatory.  This place was busy! And not cheap either

But Isaac loves insects, and butterfly's fall into that category.  Oliver does not feel the same way

But the butterfly's liked him! 

And Paul.

There were many butterfly's here.  This place is quite small, and a little expensive.  If you didn't have loud impatient kids, you could probably spend more time in there.

We rounded off the day with a couple of games of fooseball and some cake.  I ordered the cake from Amazing Cakes and Creations.  We communicated completely by email.  I gave them ideas of what I wanted, they did the rest.  They did an awesome job.  The design was great, and it tasted even better than it looks!

I think Isaac enjoyed his birthday on the beach.  Not sure he will ever be able to do it again as a child.  With nearly all of us having winter birthdays, it was nice to be somewhere warm in November. 

My birthday and other musings

Hey!

So I am now a 33 year old. I got nicely spoilt with lots of cool presents.  We went for a very adult breakfast once we had taken the kids to school.  It was delicious

First time I Have had eggs Benedict, it was delicious.  From there we went to the fabric shop, the perfect place for me on my birthday! Then to the mall for a bit of retail therapy, before picking the small one up from School.  I was even able to get some peace and quiet while paul took Seb on the school run. 

I may have gone a bit nuts at the children on occasion for more silly pointless arguing on my birthday, how dare they!  This seems a constant thing in out house at the moment (more on that another time).  

We had arranged for the babysitter, and paul had booked us a table at Rick Erwin's West End Grille.  My word the place was heaving for a Thursday night.  I completely understand why.  The food was out of this world.  The service was exquisite.  Well worth the amount of money it cost....  

Two days later, paul left for Europe.  Luckily I have great friends.  We went to the Barton's on Sunday evening for dinner, with plenty of other families, and lots of children.  And all the children actually ate their pizza dinner.  

Monday was a usual day.  To be honest, it's been a fairly quiet week.  Oliver has had basketball twice.  I took all the children once, the second time the babysitter looked after Seb and Isaac.  Just makes it easier.  Here is Seb at basketball. He was most insistent on the ear defenders, but he behaved, so I was fine with it.

Oliver has a knockout tournament starting Monday.  His team have only won a quarter of their games, so I don't think they will advance very far.  Bit of a shame, but he has really enjoyed it, and wants to play again.

Isaac has been doing well. Not getting so many emails about his behavior, about once every 2 weeks now.  His teachers think he is learning to control his emotions better, which is great.  His reading and writing are going from strength to strength.  So proud of him, on many levels.

Sebastian is turning into a righ chatter box, and a general pain in the butt.  Ok, still no proper words, but we can make out what he is saying.  And the frequency is ridiculous! Honestly, think he is going to be more of a chatter box than Oliver, help us! Please some one, help us.......

January, where did you go???

Gonna try and make this short and sweet.  

So Seb had his birthday, loved all his presents.  He is coming on leaps and bounds.  Still not talking properly, but the effort is definitely there.  He has a word for me, and constantly shouts for me at home.  This is a good and bad thing!  At least he is really trying now, makes me less worried about him when we go out anywhere.  He is still really laid back, and will only try talking if something is not going his own way and he doesn't like it.

We went to Frankie's fun park for his birthday. They all played a round of mini golf, and went on the go karts.  They love it there!

Thanks Aunty Jen for his Paw Patrol stuff.  He isn't really into coloring yet, but I am sure the time will come!

Every January Monster Jam comes to Greenville.  We thought we would try it out this year.  Tickets were reasonable, hardly anything is cheap when there are 5 of you!  After the initial noise, Seb got used to it.

Thank goodness for ear defenders.  They have been a priceless purchase!  Monster Jam is good, the Bon Secours Wellness Arena is good.  The two together, not so good.  The arena is just too small, the trucks kept breaking down, it seemed to take a good while to set the courses ready for the next race.... I could go on.  I re kong in a bigger arena, like Atlanta or Charlotte, it is probably awesome.  Not so much so in Greenville.

But we have seen it now, and the kids seemed to love it!

Oliver's basketball season is slowly drawing to a close.  So far they have won one game.  Big change from baseball!

But he has really enjoyed it, and has improved so much.  He even scored tonight.  Okay, it was from a free throw, but he is even fouling without realising it, and that's a good thing, right?!?

Seb and I got busy last week, and made these.  My first time making rice crispy treats.  The choc chips are a nice added touch.

The boys do after school clubs on a Wednesday afternoon now, so paul collects them, meaning I get extra time with Seb.  We tend to hit the library and a dollar store of some description.

There is a new gappy Gosling in the house! Isaac lost his first tooth on Sunday night.  I had noticed they have been slightly wobbly for a while.  All of a sudden on Sunday morning he is complaining of it being really wobbly, take a look, and you can see the adult tooth coming in underneath it!

The tooth fairy visited, and left a dollar.  She wrapped it in the same kitchen roll the tooth was in, so someone thought she hadn't been! She only wrapped it, as the tooth fairy bank was out of notes, and only had quarters.......

So January is done, as is my dryathon.  Thank you so much. To everyone who sponsored me.  With gift aid I raised well over 100 pounds for Cancer Research UK.  So proud of myself, and I know my mum would have been too.  I have had a few beers since though......

But with the giving up drinking, I also gave up smoking.  Didn't know I smoked?  Only in the evenings since September, not around the kids.  Had been a smoker for 16 years.  Much worse when younger.  I have now been smoke free since 1st January.  This is such an achievement for me, I am so proud of myself for making this life style decision, and I feel so much better for it health wise.

Mental health wise?  Some days are a real struggle at the moment.  Things get to me very easily.  Anything bad will out rule the good.  Today was a prime example of that.  Cemented some good things for the summer, then something came through the post to make me doubt something and bam!  In tears for an hour.....my moods seem all over the place.  So contradictory in the space of one day. Trying to take a day at a time, a morning at a time.  I have so much in my head, I need a list everyday to remember what I am doing!  Some days better that other, weekend seems harder.  Think it's the pressure of trying to please everyone.  But I know no one is perfect, and it doesn't matter if things go wrong.  But when they do, I feel so awful....

Sorry to end on a sour note.  If you have got this far, you have done well!  I will make more of an effort to post more often, especially if I have things on my mind.  Might be time to say what I really think about certain things......

Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh😗

Whoops

I know, its been a while.  Sorry.

Here are some shots of what we have been up to.  Sebastian had a party at school for Thanksgiving, which I was able to take him to.  He enjoyed it, even though he didn't eat anything.  It was nice to see him in his school surroundings.

Then it was Isaacs birthday.  I can't believe he is 6.  I did him a special blog post (find it here).  He did well, better than he thought he would.

He particularly loved his presents from Nanny and Granddad Gosling, and the Battle Rover that Granddad Lee got him.

We went out to eat at Carolina Ale House on the Woodruff.  Darn convenient for us, as his birthday was a tuesday, and thats the night kids eat for 99 cents.  We have been eating out in the week for about a month, to take advantage of discounted kids prices. For example, we went to Zaxby's last night, and the five of us had meals for $15 (thats about 10 quid!).

Isaac was most insistent that he wore his explorers gear out for dinner on his birthday.   It looked awesome with his beige school uniform trousers.

I made his cake, with the help of a cake topper I purchased on Amazon.  The spongebob figures and candles we picked up cheap in Walmart about 6 months ago.  I love a good rummage through the clearance sections!

He loved it!

For his birthday treat, he chose Frankies Fun Park.  Unfortunately they have changed the single go-karts so you have to be taller to ride them.  Isaac was most upset about this, but we managed to bring him round.  Then on for a game of mini golf.

We have also been to the zoo a couple of time.  Not sure we are going to renew our membership.  Admittedly the kids loved it, but we were not so keen.  We will see how we feel when it comes up for renewal. 

Here is evidence that the posed pictures of the boys take a lot of direction.

We have been in to Greenville a few times, and decided to check out the World of Miniature train display.  It was nice, very pretty, but a little pricey for 30-or-so minutes entertainment

Of course, now it is December, an elf has appeared.  Meet Emmet.  The boys are not too taken with him.  Apparently, he doesn't do enough (bad mummy and daddy).  Will have to rectify that this weekend.  He did bring them a new advent calendar, and new pajamas.  

And with Christmas comes crafting.  I have done a lot, none of which I can mention yet, as it is for various people here, as Christmas presents.  I did try out my new glue gun though, and made this delightful Christmas tree.  I was well pleased with myself.  Most of the decorations on it I have picked up in various craft stores clearance sections.  Or the dollar tree.

The boys have also got in on the crafts.  Seb and I made some cinnamon dough.  Should I say, I made it, as Seb gagged at the smell.  I cut out various Christmas shapes, using cookie cutters, and left them to dry out.  The boys decorated them last week end.  They were lucky enough to get to use my new acrylic paints.  I wanted to see how they looked, and the boys were willing participants. 

I have since coated them with Modge Podge, to give them a nice shine, and the idea is the boys will use them on tags for the gifts for their teachers (also home made by moi).  Its like I have too much time on my hands (HA!)

We have decorated outside.  We are hoping to go and get our tree this weekend, but we want to go to a pick your own place, but one where they chop it for you.  I shall be making enquiries tomorrow.