Summertime

It's always hard in the holidays when you run your own business to make sure that you get to spend quality time with the kiddos.  Nathan and I both work at the shop full time so it is hard for us to spend time as a family and last year was super busy at work during the summer.  We worked so hard but felt so guilty that we weren't with the children.  This year we are going to make plans early to make the most of the time they are off school.  This is such an important time for them, especially the boys, Ben will be going up to senior school in September and Jacob will be going into the fifth year (year 11 as he keeps reminding me).  Their childhood goes so fast and I don't want to miss any of it, Daisy has now been in school for a whole year and it has just flown by.  It really doesn't seem like 12 months ago that I was a blubbering mess saying goodbye to her Kindergarten teacher who actually started crying too which really didn't help.
The run up to the holidays involves lots of school events, Ben has Sports Day, the end of year production and his leaving party.  Daisy will have Sports Day, her school trip, Presentation Day and a teddy bears picnic.  I am sure Jay will have things too but as he never brings the letters home I only usually find out about them from another mum who will say 'Did Jacob enjoy the disco?' or 'How did Parents Evening go?'.  I am actually quite good at making out that I know what they are talking about. Thankfully, Jacob has not gone through the stage of not wanting to spend time with us, he loves the feeling of being with the family and I hope Ben feels the same.  Because of the age gap between them it's really hard to find things that they all enjoy doing, 14, 11 and 5.  If we go to the cinema the boys do not want to be watching a film like Tangled or The Princess and The Frog so Nathan takes them to see something and I get to take Daisy and have a little nap at the same time.  If we go to an amusement park I can't go on the rides with the boys and they do not want to be seen on the Peppa Pig ride etc etc...
We have just booked a weeks holiday in Cornwall for a week in August at a house we stayed in a while ago, its a big bungalow with a lovely big garden and is a five minute walk from the beach.  You really see a different side to the children when they are out of their normal surrounding, I can't wait to have this time with them!  Ben is going to South Africa for a couple of weeks to see his best bud Eric... I am very excited for him but oh my goodness, my boy is going to another country without his mama!

(little Daisy is the one in the grey cardigan!)