Easter Holidays

The Easter holidays are over and the kids started back to school today. I had hoped to be up bright and early to make a new start, but instead I woke up feeling as if I'd spent the night swallowing razor blades. I seem to have caught the sore throat and cough that Badger had. Ho hum.

It was nice to have the kids at home for a week or so (2 weeks for Barney!) Little Rosie enjoyed all the extra company and attention. They all ate a criminal amount of chocolate at Easter (even Rosie had a lick of a Double Decker!)

The best day of the holidays, for me, has to be the day we all went to Tollymore Forest Park to enjoy a family day out in the sunshine. None of the kids wanted to go. Barney thought it was going to be boring, and the big kids would rather spend hours slobbing around in their bedrooms than spending time with us old folk. But we dragged them all along and ended up having a fab day. It was like being back in America again. A wholesome, happy, fresh air filled day out with each other for company.

Barney said he didn't realise it was going to be so much fun, and the big kids had a great time. Rosie enjoyed the outdoors and loved staring at the trees from her buggy. We started the day with a picnic in the car park. Barney ate a full punnet of raspberries all by himself, whilst Badger and Marty played football. Tarja enjoyed playing Mummy to Rosie. And I just sat watching my lovely family.

After our picnic we did the shorter walk first as we weren't sure how long it would take and whether it was buggy friendly. Badger and Tarja climbed every tree that was climbable, whilst Barney led the way, stopping every 30 seconds to examine a new plant, tree or flower. Then we did part of the longer walk. Not much of it, as Rosie needed a feed. So I sat and fed her in the sunshine whilst the others found their way to the other side of the river to wave at us.

I really enjoyed getting out as a family. It's the first time we have really been out all together since our trip, as I was so ill and pregnant when we got home from America, and then I was run down after the C section. We will certainly have to get out a lot more now that the weather is nicer. Taking days out walking is one of the few things all four of our kids can enjoy together.

Here are some photos...