Keeping sane this Summer

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We survived the first week of summer hols… only 7 more to go!!!

We got the weather so that helped but I’ll be glad of the feet up with glass of wine tomorrow after what felt like a verrry long week.

Anyway every summer we do make a bucket list and this year is no different. Some are re visiting places we have been years before, others that we didn’t quite make it to and then there are some new ones that have made it to the list.

It’s not always about the grand plans/big adventures but I do find getting out mid morning helps structure the day better and then an easy evening with some neighbourhood cycling/scooting tires them out in time for bed.

I am sharing my list below and will highlight our adventures through the summer on instagram too. Sharing info/places to go and things to do can only help in keeping us all sane this summer!


Days Out: For days out, I usually like to combine a little coffee pit stop for us weary parentals so all suggestions below.

  • Skerries-Blue Bar for Lunch-Storm in a Tea Cup for Ice Cream-Goat in a Boat for Coffee
  • Howth by Dart-Chipper lunch on the pier-The Grind Howth
  • Japanese Gardens/Burtown House
  • Ballymoney Beach with local fairy spot-The Duck
  • Brittas Beach on a sunny day-Bay Café

Walks:

  • Lough Tay
  • Ticknock
  • Sugar Loaf

Special days out: Before the return to school

  • Tayto Park
  • Viking Splash
  • Aviva Stadium Tour

Short Jaunts:

  • Fruit picking-Lamberts Fruit Farm
  • Botanic Gardens-
  • War memorial Gardens-Riggers Cafe
  • Marley tapas and train-at the weekend


Great Playgrounds: *all with great coffee spots nearby

  • Milltown-Thru the Green
  • Merrion Square-Camerino
  • Deerpark-Union
  • Herbert Park-Lolly & Cooks
  • *New Playground* Sandymount/Ringsend coming soon…

 

This is our list but there are plenty of things to do and keep you occupied-keep an eye on local events, the libraries have great things on too. You can spend a lot or a little but it is just about having fun!

For great indoor ideas check out:

–Busy toddler

–Life with tiny humans

For events check out:

–Dublin City Mum

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Schools Out for Summer Camps

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Ready set SUMMER

 Our first official summer holiday from school so making lots of plans to keep us busy, relax a little and fill in the gaps while I am working with camps and juggling holiday time/half days etc.

We are lucky that I work part time so we only have to think about a few of the days a week. In August our childminder also takes the month off so the gaps become larger to fill-this is where camps come in.

Last year  I tested the water trying out a few camps that took 4 year olds to see how he liked them. Still at the age of 5 some are limited and the fact we only look for a couple of days in the week this can be a limitation too.

I wanted to share a list of camps we have explored/done and plan to do this coming 8 weeks… and camps we’ve looked at and like the look of.

Last year we loved:-age massively restricted us last year

Me & the Moon Camps-adored this camp, their method and approach is just fab. Only reason we are not returning this year is distance logistics.

DLR Sports Camps-one we return to time and time again despite Josh having had a bit of a bad experience with one of the kids, he loves the one he goes to as it includes swimming.

This year we are booked into:-

Park Tennis-so far seems excellent-amazing price and teaching. Available until the end of July

Playball Camp-through school so great for familiar faces

Giddy Studios-signed up with their flash deal and Josh always enjoys his time there so I have no doubt it will be a success.

DLR camp-handy cause you can do the odd day to fill in the gaps.

Ones we liked the look of:-

Airfield camp-I always think these look lovely but we never need a full week.

Starcamp-one that came up when in the hunt but had booked a few in by the time we came across it.

Leinster Rugby Camp-location was handy and another string to his bow but had to be 6 to take part

FAI Camps-again age and a bit of a logistics issue meant this wasn’t a runner this year but one is look into again next year with a massive footy fan on my hands.

Deuce Point-this camp came up when I was looking up the tennis camp Josh is currently attending. They are based in Terenure and Castleknock so not ideal for us but check them out if you are close.

Finally Stepaside Golf Camp-on the list for next year due to age.

By the looks of things, next year the options will be endless but for this year we are all set. Hopefully if you are not then this will help a little….

Just January

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So we have finally come to a close on the first month of the year and I must admit it certainly hasn’t been the worst I’ve had. Long yes, bad no. Nothing amazing has happened, we did paint our living and dining room and I started to ‘Marie Kondo’ my drawers but that’s about as whizzy as it got. BUT and a big but was I didn’t expect much from it and that was the key and something I probably had never done before… It was always going to be better that that of 2018 which was a bit of a shit show for a number or reasons but even in spite of that I’ve certainly come out standing tall, so to speak.

I think the pressure of January can upend many and really what I’ve learnt is if you are just a bit kinder with your goals and expectations then in fact February may well be a month where more will get achieved.

Next month food and fitness are the focus in our family for February-all the ‘F’s. Moving my body is something I never regret as much as I mostly dread it. Food is a focus for the boys..Max is a much better eater than Josh but is not without some of his older brothers bad habits. I plan to bounce them of each other, snack less-try some new things, even if it’s a tiny bite and work towards a better overall eating plan for them both. For us it’s moving more and making it consistent, it can so easily fall off the weekly routine when busy or tired so trying to make sure we fit it in is key.

So that’s it.. again no big goals just a re focus for February. Spring is here so brighter evenings are something to look forward too!

Anxiety is an asshole

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I’ve written about this on here before but as this year comes to a close and I reflect on the last year, previous posts and all that has happened one overriding feeling unfortunately was anxiety.

This year for numerous reasons has not been our best. I don’t say this lightly as I detest negativity and I prefer to have a positive outlook but for me this year old habits have crept in and I feel there was a method of survival taking place.

My ‘safe place’ is that old feeling of fear and yet when I’m in it I feel very far from safe. The worst part of the pattern of behaviour creeping back in is that in a small way, despite me thinking I’m hiding it from him I think Josh has picked up on my ill feeling and I suspected this before-kids are clever and resilient but this is not something I feel he should need to feel/see or experience on any level. He’s already sensitive and very in tune and it’s my belief that it could be, even in a small way affecting him so for this and for me I have to get out of these habits-make positive changes and make these feelings keep at bay at a less regular occurrence than they have be in the year that has been 2018. It’s for me, my husband and both my boys.

Routine, exercise, fresh air works well for me and consistency. I’m lucky in so many ways so I get annoyed at the way I feel at times but I know regardless of what I have or don’t have true anxiety is not based on this. With kids you can not always predict a day or a week sometimes with sleep/moods or just general #parentlife stuff.

Changing habits will be key for me I feel in the first part of the year so that may mean stopping or slowing down things I enjoy… eating celebrations for example-lols. No seriously , one thing that’s a daily habit that I do enjoy for both personal and blog purposes is social media but for me and so many it’s such a habit forming behaviour. So for January, just to break the ‘habit’ there will be no daily stories, only very grid worthy sharing and some highlights dotted throughout the month… I enjoy Instagram but spend far too much time scrolling so if this habit break makes me meditate, read or even sleep more then it’s a habit worth breaking. Bye bye big WhatsApp groups too as looking at my overall screen time with such apps nearly gave me heart failure in itself!

So no new year new me, just back to ‘me’ for now will do!

Happy New Year and thanks as always for reading my ramblings.

Christmas Traditions with Dealz

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I was working with Dealz again this Christmas which if you watch my stories regularly, you will see is a no brainier for me. I’m already a regular shopper and got so many questions about the elf light that I shared earlier this month and we still love. I’ve been picking up lots of lovely bits late November and early December with décor and gift wrapping starting at only 1.50.

 

Anyway some of the products I’ll be showing you is around traditions and as a mum, building traditions wimy boys is very important to me and never more so than at Christmas time. As the get older some of those are changing, this year writing the santa letter, the toy show and selection boxes were a big deal. 

 

We love to go into town and see the live crib and the gingerbread houses/train in the Shelbourne. There is the annual Santa visit and Christmas Eve in town.. All these things add to the excitement and special time of year that it is.

 

This year is the first year of Josh in school at Christmas so we have had Christmas shows and carol services. We have teacher to consider too so we made a card and a kitty’s was added to to thank her for settling Junior Infants in so well this first term. 

 

We’ve done a Christmas Eve box the last few years and with shops like Dealz it’s made even easier now-I just add new jammies to wear Christmas, a little toy/game and a treat along with a book to read Christmas Eve night. Now with Pep & Co in lots of the Dealz stores nationwide you can get all you need under one roof which makes it super handy too!


Today was busy, with work, shows, some final jobs and shopping to be done but it’s now time to kick back-enjoy the weekend with family and friends and look forward to the peak excitement that will arrive on Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day too. 


Have a happy Christmas and looking forward to seeing what 2019 brings!

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Mid Term with the Monkeys

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It is our first mid term which means a bit of jiggling with days off and camps etc but after after the last couple of months settling into school and not doing very much in the afternoons we have an action packed week ahead.

First up we kicked off our weekend with the yummy Halloween themed offbeat donuts.. no better way to start a weekend I say.

 

Then today we were very excited to head to Lugwoods Halloween Adventure-we loved the Easter event so we were really looking forward to this. I think there are tickets still on sale and it runs until next Sunday. See my stories for more!

Tomorrow we are going to go up to the Halloween House of Horrors which is in aid of the charity Debra.

Then Monday we are off to our fav Scalpwood Pumpkins Patch-this has gotten bigger over the years but we love the simplicity of it and it is a bonus that we can get our pumkin carved there too. There is still some availability for the weekend and early next week here too.

 

Tuesday I am off to a cute Halloween Biscuit Decoration Class in Arboretum Kilquade with Josh-I think this might be booked up but worth calling them for later in the week if it sounds like something you would like to do. We are then off to Airfield’s Halloween.

 

Wednesday is the ‘big day’ so Max has a party in playschool and Josh is with his granny so they will make colcannon for dinner and later we will get dressed up for a fun trick or treat around our estate and the excitement of seeing the trick or treaters arrive to our door. Where we live is full of kids so there is always a lot of fun to be had and the houses are brilliantly decorated each year.

On Thursday my husband is off with the boys so is bringing them to a spooky storytelling in Dundrum Library to finish off a fun filled week!