August round-up

A lot seems to have happened in August – I wrote 20 blog posts, when 6 was my average from Jan to July this year!  I think I got on the blog bandwagon and started joining in with things, like ‘What I Ate Wednesday’.  I am hoping to participate in a 'Foodie Penpal' blog-a-long in Sept - watch this space!  Plus I am taking part in 'Get fit, feel epic' during Sept.  Also, I've found that once you get in the swing, the more you blog the more you seem to find to say!?  Suddenly everything is blog-able!

I seem to be finding inspiration everywhere at the moment, the drive to push myself is limitless.  Not least from watching the Paralympics.  Seriously amazing.  So far I have been blown away and made speechless by the swimming and the cycling.  Men with no legs and only one arm make my swimming efforts look like child’s play.  I just can’t explain the effect it’s had on me, and how truly amazing they are.  One particular lady, Martine Wright brought tears to my eyes with her story of triumph over extreme adversity.  What an outlook on life.  Wow.  I’ll stop gushing now.

Ok, one last gush coupled with a big old 'squeee' to Rebecca at Weight Wars.  I read your blog via email and I was laid in bed this morning, attempting to convince the Kidlets that it wasn't time to get up and failing miserably, when I started reading your post for today 'End of August Happiness'.  I was so excited to see that you have found a blog that gets you excited about triathlon, so I happily clicked on the link - its only bloomin' me!!  My little old blog!!  Well, I can't tell you the amount of times I have clicked on that link to see if my diary still indeed pops up.  Lol!  Thank you!

The biglets had their first swimming lessons at their new times yesterday.  The leisure centre were great and found them both spaces on a new day at 4pm, so they both go in the pool and have their separate lessons at the same time.  Ideal!  This new found swimming ability really seems to have made an impression on Bebe and she has found some pride in herself maybe - its hard to explain.  There is such a small age gap between the big two that they are always treated as equals and lumped together as 'the biglets'.  I guess I have learnt that actually they aren't the same and they do have different abilities and needs and recognising this with swimming has helped Bebe find a sense of herself maybe.  Pretty deep for a 4yo, but I really think there is a positive change since the crash course.

Posing in their goggles in the bath last night

This time next week Paul will have gone to Lands End and be preparing to start the ride of his life the following morning.  I feel like I am in a kind of limbo.  It has taken the children and me 5 weeks to settle into our summer holiday mode and now next week school starts again.  The next two weeks feel momentous. Lochie starts Y1 on Tuesday, Paul goes for 10 days next Friday and then the following Monday Bebe starts YR.  So it'll just be Niamh and I for a while.  Melodramatic I know!!  But it feels 'big', not end of the world 'big', granted, but Christie 'big'.  A lot of firsts and I am kind of the anchor smoothing everything together..  Which is difficult when I don't feel too smooth!  I will think on it and try and write a succinct post.  Or not!

With the start of school comes the clothing labels.  I can't bear iron on labels.  Its a pet hate.  Finding somewhere long enough to iron the whole name, melting the synthetic fabric of a school jumper.. and just because I like a nice woven label!  Last year I hand sewed all of Lochies into EVERYTHING.  This year, with two sets of everything to label, I have cheated slightly by using rivets.  Nice woven label, 2 seconds worth of job, no needle and thread. Win win!

As we hit 'The Bers' (SeptemBER..  OctoBER..) its time to start prepping for Autumn and Christmas.  We normally start with a big apple harvest, from our 3 trees in the back garden, and with my new big freezer I can really go to town this year.  I am hosting a 'Mincemeat making party' whilst Paul is away.  I am a bit late with my mincemeat this year, but it won't be a disaster.  I also need to get cracking with some sewing projects..  And I have a triathlon at the end of Sept..

So, today has been a difficult day in the land of Christie.  The kidlets and I have not seen eye to eye on anything, and they are probably feeling as frustrated as I am!  Time to fix that before the afternoon is over.  And because Paul and I are super cool, we are going on a date tonight.  To the gym.  Uh huh!

Happy end of August weekend Clanettes x x