A matter of choice

Can you believe that today is the 1st September?
It really doesn't feel like it!
Apparently it should cool down by a degree or two from tomorrow, and as much as I love the summer we are so ready for a little respite. 
It's been a great summer but I'm looking forward to the routine and the gradual winding down of summer.  We have one week left of the holidays before school starts and 8 weeks left of the summer season. 
I'm sure it will start to really feel like September soon enough

Dear Louka,

Happy birthday little dude!



So now you are 7 years old, and we should probably stop calling you the 'little one' but as Dad says, he's in his 40s now and is still the little'un according to Auntie Bek so you're going to be stuck with it too.


You've had a great year,  started big school and you have enjoyed it so much more than your little school.  You like going to school with Leo for the first time, and now even walking together without me.   I hope you enjoy 2nd class just as much and do even better this coming school year.

What else can I say about you,  you are a contradiction - very loud and crazy and very quiet, such extreme opposites!



We are proud how you talk to many more people these days, even if you don't really want to it makes such a difference when you answer questions and acknowledge the fact that you are being spoken to.

Your swimming is amazing, you have definitely nailed that now, jumped straight in at the start of summer and …

Just before we celebrate Loukas 7th birthday I thought I'd better share some photos from last years. 
The themes have never come as easily as they do for Leo's birthdays, I think because Louka generally is not one for being really into something.  Leo's a bit like me in the way that if we like it we LOVE it and everything to do with it,  we will read the book, watch the film and know all there is to know about it.  So when it comes to parties we love the little details. 
As Louka approached his 6th birthday however it became clear that a Minecraft party would go down very well.  
Louka only had one special request for the party which was a pinata,  whatever else happened was not a concern of his!.
As usual I jumped onto Pinterest for inspiration, and roped in Aaron for some crafty bits and Leo who is also our resident Minecraft expert.

The Food

I love food labels!
As well as egg sandwiches - a staple of all our birthday parties and a long running joke between us,  and quic…

It's been a while but here I am again, as we approach the next birthday and my thoughts return to the traditional birthday blog posts.  I'm not sure why I  always feel the need to explain my lack of blogging, or who I think might care but here come the explanations (excuses!)

I started work this season, part time,  it's officially 2 days a week but summer is busy and that tends to spill over to 3 or 4 quite often (in addition of course to our  website and photo booth).  I work with a great team of ladies during the summer season here, covering the east coast of Cyprus cleaning and steaming wedding dresses.  I'm enjoying it and it's been a great year so far but it does make a big difference to the amount of time I have and while it's been relatively easy to adjust, it's still a change that we've all had to get used to.

I'd say the main reason for my lack of posts is the age of the boys now,  and the fact that I feel like I should or I want to share …

Ten years of birthday letters, blog posts about parties, and birthday interviews!

Our Leo is now in double digits!


No birthday blog letter this year, I've still written one but I've printed it off along with all the previous years and will be giving them all to him when he gets home from school today.

Not too old for the themed party though - it was Pokemon this year (at the time of writing it is still in planning )   Going on last years birthday blog fail, I may or may not write about it!   I realised I'd missed the post party blog only last week and wrote a very belated birthday post.

It's fine, May is crazy month and with work, kids and businesses it's amazing I've even written this!

Happy birthday to my (not so) little Leo!

Next week is Leo's 10th birthday and as I started to write my usual birthday letter I have just realised that I broke the habit of a (blog) lifetime last year and didn't write about his party!
After so many epic themes (Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Spiderman, Lego, and Thomas the Tank Engine)  it was always going to be tricky to beat,  it was entirely Leo's choice (unlike a couple of the others where I may have gently planted the idea!) 
So we had a Marvel party, complete with fancy dress - adults included! 


With a 'Hulk Smash' Cake, Thor's Hammer marshmallows among other yummy treats. 
As well as the traditional pass the parcel we had a couple of super hero training games 'minute to win it' style. 





It was full fancy dress too, well until much of it was abandoned due to the heat!



It was a great afternoon /evening for us adults as well as the kids!