A big decision to make..

Hi everyone!

I'm still here. It's been such a long time since I last posted on here so before I wrote a proper blog I just wanted to update you on what we've been up to lately.

The kids have just broke up from school for the summer which is fantastic to have them home more. Spending quality time with them and just generally enjoying being a family. 

Ha! Who am I kidding? Did you believe me for a second? Don't get me wrong I love having them home for the summer but I still have to work, as does my husband and so trying to juggle taking some time off but not eating too much into my annual leave is hard and so getting someone to take care of them all whilst we're at work is not easy! To be fair I'm very lucky. Although my mum is no longer with us, my older sister has taken on the role of aunty/nana and so she has been having them the majority of the time. They will also be spending time at their grandparents (Andy's mum and dad) at some point, but as they live 40 minutes away, they tend to spend a few days to a week there at any one time and so I don't really get to see them much when this happens. But you do what you have to do and if it works, great!! So far... it's working. I've have decided to take one or two days off per week and on those days we tend to go out and make memories and do something really fun so hopefully we're in for a really fabulous summer!!

We're off to Blackpool next week. Just for the day but we've arranged to take the kids to see the Sooty Birthday Show which is on at the North Pier. Now we've seen Sooty before but it was before Ash was born and so I thought it would be a nice treat to go and see him again. No matter how old you are, everyone loves Sooty! I'll let you know how we get on. 

I've had to make a really big decision this summer. Now my little girl is 9 years old. Sometimes though it's as if she's a fully grown teenager with some of the things she comes out with. She's way too mature for her age. She has this best friend, who just so happens to have the same name as her. They've been friends for years and if she's not having a sleepover at her house, her friend is at ours. It's been this way for ages. I've know her mum and dad since they were in the first year of school. Now about 6 weeks ago her mum came to me and asked how I would feel letting my Evie go on holiday with them, for 10 nights to Portugal. PROTUGAL!! This might not seem a big deal to some people but we're a family who don't really have a lot of money and so a family holiday abroad is a luxury we have yet to have. We've been away for a few nights in a caravan but it's not quite the same. Now the battle going on in my head is immense! On one hand I want her to have an amazing life! Experience as much of the world as she can and live her best life. And yet on the other hand I'm thinking it should be me taking her on her first holiday. Especially as it's abroad. The only reasons I could think to keep her at home were completely selfish ones and so after long discussions with her father, we decided to let her go. Letting her go comes with a huge amount of pain and guilt. I'm going to be without her for 10 whole nights. Plus there's the guilt that I can't give her siblings the same experience! The only consolation I can offer is bloody Sooty!! But she's beyond happy and I don't think I've ever seen her this excited, so it's nice to see. It's just going to be so bloody hard. 

It was Nana to the rescue though so Sam wouldn't feel left out. He's off to spend a few days with his Nana and Grandad whilst Evie is away and so he's more than happy he get's them all to himself. And Ash is too young to notice any different to be fair.  

Anyway, that's it from me for now. I just wanted to say a quick hello. I'll hopefully be back in a couple of days with another blog and so until then, enjoy the summer.

Take care

xx