May was one of those months that was over almost as soon as it started - it flew by!
I was recently reading some old posts on my blog and loved reading about all the things that we had been up to, and seeing all the pictures, and so have resolved to get back to setting aside time to blog more regularly like I used to do. After all, this blog is as much for me to remember life as it is now as anything else.
So I'll start off my resolution by a round up of some of what was happening in our house in May.
May started off with Ally (7) suffering from chickenpox. He had quite a bad dose of it and spent several days feeling rather miserable. He had so many sore spots that he couldn't lie comfortably for a couple of days. His back was sore, his sides were too, and his legs were completely covered from top to toe.
After about 4 or 5 days he began to feel better. We were still housebound as he was still contagious, and so that he didn't get too bored with cabin fever I had bought him a colour in your own castle that kept him busy for a little while.
May was a great month weather-wise, and once Ally was on the mend even more he ventured out into the garden to enjoy the sunshine. Here he is with his collage he made of Shelley the tortoise from Blue Peter.
The lovely May weather had us outside in the garden lots, which also meant a few trips to the garden centre. Fraser (3) likes this little tractor ride there. And it's only 20p for a go on it too!
All of this being outdoors in the sunshine helped raise my daily step counts a fair bit.
Ally's chickenpox was finally no longer contagious just in time for us to host our first BBQ of the year on the first weekend in May, and the weather was just perfect for it.
We had a BBQ the following day as well. Ice cream and oysters in the sunshine.
May is the month of Scottish exams, and James has been off school all month on study leave while he sits his Highers. He had his Music and English exams in the first two weeks of May, and then no exams for nearly three weeks until this week when he had his Art exam and finally his Gaelic exam tomorrow. This was him reading a story to his littlest brother and littlest cousin a couple of weeks ago.
Fraser and I had spent a lovely afternoon at the museum one day. He was so excited to see the animals, and especially to see his favourite animal, a giraffe. Can you see how adoringly he is looking up at it?
We went up to the next level so that he could see the giraffe's tongue sticking out properly!
We also found out that Fraser weighs the same as a Koala.
David (11) and the rest of his class had their photo in the local newspaper last week, in the supplement containing the photos of all of the Primary 7 classes across the city.
James sometimes took a break from his studies to accompany Fraser and I to Sainsbury's, much to Fraser's delight.
Last week David and his class were away for 4 days at Primary 7 camp. He absolutely loved the chance to do some canoeing, mountain biking, forest walking and gorge walking. He says that he didn't miss us too much, but that on the last night he was beginning to miss us. He came back from camp last Friday and the first thing he did was give Ally and Fraser the little teddies he had bought them with his pocket money. He might be the most strong willed of all the boys, but he has a heart of gold.
May saw me testing out a crochet pattern for someone, and making this adorable little fox for Ally, who loves foxes.
The lovely weather hit a peak at the end of last week, with the temperatures here almost reaching 30C! I do hope that this wasn't the best of our summer over already!
Such hot weather meant the paddling pool had to come out.
There was a spot of crocodile wrestling going on in there!
And it got so hot that by Friday afternoon I joined them in the pool to cool down. There is no photographic evidence of that though, but it was such good fun!
I absolutely love a sunny weekend morning when I can enjoy a leisurely breakfast outside on the patio. Porridge and berries is my breakfast of choice these days. Along with a cup of hot water - I haven't touched tea since I went off it when I was expecting Fraser!
May was the month when Ally ~FINALLY~ cracked cycling a bike without stabilisers. His older brothers had all mastered it by around the age of 5, but he is a much more cautious and anxious child than any of them are.
Still, he's learned it now and there's no stopping him.
He wanted to go for his first proper cycle at the weekend - up until then he had only cycled around the garden - and so I went along with them for a cycle through the village.
I made sure we chose a route that was flat, with no big hills to put him off, and that we didn't go too far. He thought that 4k sounded impressive enough!
We stopped off by the playing fields for a run around/sit down amongst the daisies.
And finally, May ended with Calum's S3 parent's evening, which went very well. It took place after shinty training and so David was able to go along and join in with the high school boys. He's looking forward to being able to go along to high school shinty every week after the summer when he joins the older two boys at high school.
He, Calum and dad were put in a team together and ran rings around everybody else. At least that's what they told me anyway! I was too busy watching Fraser and Ally pretend that the picnic bench we were sitting on was a spaceship to notice all the goals that were allegedly scored.
Here's hoping for an equally warm, dry and active June.
