Happy Easter

It has been another great Easter. It feels like the children have really entered into the rhythm of Lent, Holy Week and Easter this year. They decided to give up their puddings and sweets and popcorn on film night Fridays through lent – and they seemed to have more stamina than the grown ups! It was very beautiful to watch.

Easter morning

During Holy week, we watched different videos on the lives of the saints and it always seems leave a big impact on them, especially when a lot of the saints were just a bit older than they are. A new favourite of theirs is St Philomena who was only 13 when she died. She refused to marry the Emperor, so he tried to kill her with bows and arrows and failed, then tying her to an anchor to drown her, which still failed, and eventually only succeeded after 40 days by beheading her.

A new tradition since Lockdown is the washing of the feet for Maundy Thursday. We take it in turns to pick a name out of a cup and wash each others feet – it’s a very moving experience, especially to see Clara washing Daddy’s feet.

Washing of the feet on Maundy Thursday

Good Friday at Aylesford

Holy Saturday on the beach

Easter Candles

Easter Gardens

Easter Egg hunt at Gran’s house

Cops and Robbers Country Walk

We went for a great local walk last week along the river Medway. It’s been nicknamed by Benedict, ‘The Dead Man Walk,’ as sadly 37 men drowned there in a tragic accident a hundred years ago. Despite the tragedy, the area is beautiful and surrounded by fields and orchards.

We hadn’t gone far before we started to hear cries of “I’m hungry”… Then, before we knew it we were transported into a Cops and Robbers chase race. Suddenly, we heard police sirens and realised the police were actually after us as we’d stolen a bag of (chocolate) coins! Rose kept watch of the sky to see if the police helicopter was following us – she’d tell us every time we needed to hide in a hedge; Benedict kept an eye over at the trees in the distance, making sure the police weren’t spying on us, ready to pounce.

Every so often we looked back and saw the Boys in Blue (Daddy and Jacob) getting nearer and the sirens getting louder (on Eoin’s phone). Mostly, we managed to keep our distance and even sneak in a taste of the chocolate coins! Although sometimes the police got scarily close, looking for three blond children between the ages of 4 and 8.

As the sun started to go down (and we nervously got a little lost), we eventually made it across the country’s border into safety where a car was waiting for us. What an adventure.

Christmas Time

A week before Christmas we were lucky enough to see the Wintershall Nativity play near Guildford, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. With real farm animals in a real stable, and a real baby, it truly brought the Nativity story to life. The children absolutely loved it, despite the bitter cold!

On Christmas Eve, we did our Christmas visit to Aylesford Friary to see the Crib and walk the Rosary Way. We managed to have a wintery picnic and play some games near the duck pond. Benedict also came across a perfectly preserved dead pigeon (I think it had sadly just died.) It provided a lot of fascinating curiosity.

Aylesford Friary

Jacob 1 and a half, Clara 4, Rose 6, Benedict 8

In the evening, we went to Christmas Eve Mass where Eoin sang for the first time at Corpus Christi. It was such a beautiful Mass and a perfect start to Christmas.

Christmas Morning

Lighting the 5th Advent Candle

Aunty Hannah and Benedict

Aunty Hannah and Clara

Christmas cracker fun

The Christmas cake

And Boxing Day

Most of us!

Christmas week outings

And a holiday wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the beach. On New Year’s Eve we picked Aunty Jude up from the station and made our way to Samphire Hoe. It was surprisingly mild, but very windy. It was the best place to exert some excited Christmas energy.

Samphire Hoe is known for great rock pools

Incredible. Our littleness against the magnitude of creation.

Finally, we celebrated New Year’s Eve with a cocktails and games night with Jude, Alex and Madi; a lot of laughs and a lot of fun, and a great way to end the year.

Those summer days

The beginning of summer always comes with a mix of excitement as school finishes up and a sense of anxious anticipation wondering how this big empty space of six weeks is going to be filled. But the end of the summer is always the same too; it’s gone so fast and none of us are ready for the start of school.

With birthdays, holidays, sports camps, home days, play dates and inevitable ups and downs, we’ve got some great memories, personal triumphs and new skills to be proud of. These are a few worth remembering:

Our summer started with a Nerf battle – Benedict turned 8 and we had a lot of fun turning the garden into a battle ground.

Aunty Catriona having a go with Benedict’s new archery set

A few days later we were off to Wales with my side of the family. It was a good six hour drive (or a day’s drive with stops), but it was totally worth it.

Saturday – A group of us went wild swimming in a lake surrounded by hills; it was breath taking.

Sunday – We enjoyed the holiday home and going to Mass in a different church. And in the afternoon a group of us went kayaking.

The holiday home

The Kayaking crew

Monday – Beach day

And of course, you have to bring your saw to the beach to cut the sand!

Tuesday – Mount Snowdon for the older children and a petting farm for the younger ones. Mount Snowdon proved to be a real triumph with Benedict and Rose reaching the top (and with no aching legs the next day!). Rose was described as a ‘mountain goat’ jumping from rock to rock all the way up to the top.

The summit of Mount Snowdon

Clara at the petting farm

Clara riding a horse for the first time.

Wednesday – Our car broke down! The beginning of a nightmare journey.

Thursday – Eoin and I had a blissful lunch date together.

Eoin’s yummyness.

My yummyness

Friday – Leaving day… and waiting for our car to be fixed…

(Jacob got his ice cream in the end)

Saturday – We should have been home but the car wasn’t ready… It ended up having to be towed from North Wales to Kent in a 12 hour epic journey the children will never forget…!

Extra holiday for the children!

In one of the tow trucks home…

Waiting for the next tow truck…

Sunday – Home just in time for Rose’s 6th birthday.

Pizza Express lunch party

Finally, a couple of days later we celebrated Eoin’s birthday!

Espresso martinis are now a regular occurrence 😀

Say Hello to Cinderella, Olivia, Jasmine and Belle

We finally took the plunge – we are now very proud owners of four beautiful chickens. We have:

Two Suffolk Blacktail (the brown ones): the lighter brown is Rose’s and is called Jasmine. The darker brown is Clara’s called Belle.

Belle

Jasmine (the boss)

One Mendlesham Amber (the white one): This is Benedict’s called Olivia (we thought Snow White would be a great name, but I think Olivia has stuck.)

Olivia

One Fenning Cou Cou (the black one): This is Jacob’s called Cinderella.

Cinderella

It has brought about a lot more joy than I had anticipated – I knew it would be fun, but I didn’t know it would be this fun. I also hadn’t realised how ‘routine’ chickens are – every night at the same time (8.30pm), they gradually take it in turns to settle into the coop (they do it in the same order every night – Cinderella, Olivia, Belle and then Jasmine). Jasmine (the leader of the pack) will go round the coop ‘hollering’ and checking if it’s safe to go in. It’s fascinating!

We decided a while back to go ahead with the chicken idea, so in true Eoin fashion he set his mind on building the coop and run from scratch. It has been another one of our labours of love at the weekends, but it has totally paid off, in more ways than we could have imagined. Benedict (and Jacob) in particular would be at Eoin’s side, rain or shine, helping with the sawing, hammering, drilling. It has been a great and rewarding project – especially seeing the chickens enjoying their new home. And, for now at least, it has proved to be predator tight.

Last alterations before the chickens arrived

Rose and Benedict sitting on a piece of metal to keep it in place for Eoin to saw.

Our first egg

Inside the coop

Jacob in particular has absolutely no fear whatsoever of the chickens – he learnt very quickly that if he puts his finger near their mouths they will peck it! But he charges round the run in total glee chasing after them, it’s quite a sight.

This face says it all.

Jacob Turns One

I can’t believe it has been a whole year since Jacob was born – the first week of lockdown and Covid was still very new to us. It’s strange to think he entered the world in lockdown and his first birthday is also in lockdown. But, wow, what a total gift he has been to us! Jacob is the most cheeky, fun-loving, boisterous boy with the most infectious laugh. He also manages to bring chaos and joy simultaneously!

A few of his favourite things:

Sleeping with his muslin, pushing a car along the floor, being outside, food, putting things into his mouth, cuddles, gentle tickles, horsey-horsey, chasing string, making loud noises, baths, splashing, climbing, dancing to music, playing peek-a-boo, satsumas, chatting.

The craziest things he’s done:

Getting into our food-waste and smothering himself in ground coffee, teabags and leftover food. I’ve also found him playing with his pooey nappy…

Opening presents with Rose

Jacob’s 1st Birthday cake

Cake and birthday breakfast

Cheeky happy chappy

With Nanna at 4 months

With Eoin at 10 months

Lent 2021

This Lent, I thought I’d get the children more familiar with the lives of the saints. Every lunchtime, they take it in turns to choose a saint and then we read about them and pray with them.

It has been hugely rewarding seeing their excitement to hear about the lives of these people that have lived totally for Jesus – seeing Rose’s eyes light up when she learnt that St Joan of Arc, a peasant girl, led a whole army of soldiers to victory, but then was burnt alive at the stake! And Benedict’s fascination when he learnt about St Maximilian Kolbe taking the place of another man to die a slow and painful death through starvation, but doing it joyfully and willingly.

It’s led them to wonder what their life will look like following Jesus. However, before bed one night recently, we were joking that Rose’s heaven would be filled with sticker books (she would spend all day every day dressing up paper dolls if she could). Then Benedict said, “When Rose dies and a statue is made of her, she’ll be holding a sticker book!” But Rose looked at me with a huge grin on her face and whispered: “I think I’ll be holding a TV!” The idea that a statue of (a hopefully Saint) Rose, two hundred years from now, will be standing proudly in an old church somewhere, surrounded by all the other great saints of the Church, and she’s clutching hold of a television…..!!! I think it’s safe to say, we better keep up our book of saints and prayer time a bit longer!

When Clara’s dinner ended up in her lap…

It was the end of the day, I was tired and had reached the end of what I had left to give when Clara’s dinner fell into her lap and on to the floor. No-one said anything – it was silent. Then Benedict said: “Shall I get a saucepan to clean it up?” We all burst out laughing! It was so funny – of course we knew what he meant!

Eventually, we got the ‘dustpan and brush’ after Benedict and Rose had shared hilarious stories about Mr Bean sweeping the floor with his teddy – or even worse – cleaning the toilet!!

How amazing children are; to be able to change a situation so effortlessly – what a gift!

Activities in Lockdown #3

Back to homeschooling and we’re trying to keep up with the online Seesaw tasks. English straight after breakfast at 7am has become our new routine – catching them while they’re still at the table!

Zoom lessons and “supermover” videos with rapping grannies teaching punctuation. Clara frantically holding her books in the air trying to keep them away from Jacob. And ‘Tornado Jacob’ earning his name by the trail of destruction he’s left behind!

Early morning visits to the garden to catch the frost, and blocks of ice too irresistible not to smash. Icy football. Scooter walks to the furthest shop you can find.

Imaginary play to pass the time; dogs and vets, teachers and children, ice cream shops with golden retrievers. Shrinkies and beads to make necklaces for lucky aunties (and daddies!). Surprise parcels from devoted grandparents.

3.30pm and it’s time to dance.

Then, train tracks, lego, dolls houses and battles up the stairs. Reading classics like Heidi, Narnia, Garden of Verses and the Wizard of Oz.

Meal time, snack time, meal time, sleep, repeat…

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Clara turns 3!

Clara age 3

Clara turned three in December and what a little treasure she is growing up to be. She is our little bookworm who loves sitting with a pile of Alfie books on the sofa, covered up with a blanket… she is also queen of ‘cosy’! She will sit for ages at a time undisturbed (this has been a total blessing in our homeschooling days!).

Clara with her books

We had a lovely day celebrating. We took some Christmas hot chocolates to a new Country Park we’d found which had some breathtaking views of the Kent countryside. Clara loved the horses and pigs we spotted across the river, although I think it’s one of muddiest walks we’ve been on…

“I’d like a birthday cake with unicorns and rainbows on it.” Clara