Now the Summer is Over

At the beginning of July I joined in the listography hosted by The Reluctant House Dad, 5 Things I want to do this summer. I thought that now that the summer was over  I would look back at what I had wanted to do and see what I managed to achieve.

1. Enjoy my first camping holiday with the children.

Yes I managed this, we had a great holiday in Norfolk, and NJ has agreed to go again. The children enjoyed themselves and I think it’s the most relaxed NJ has been for a long time.

2. Enjoy spending time with all 3 children

Hmm, not sure how much I achieved this one, I spent sometime with FJ baking some bread and making meals. Unfortunately in reality I didn’t really do that much with them. I think they had a good summer holiday but I didn’t manage to ‘do’ lots with them.

3. Start working again.

Well this didn’t happen, I realised having got very stressed in the two weeks leading up to our camping holiday that I really wasn’t ready for making the actual step of working. I discussed it with NJ and he agreed. I have now decided to not worry about it until after Christmas, at which time I may be ready to think about what I actually want to do career wise.

4. Meet up with old school friends

Yes I manged to meet up with 3 of my old school friends, it was lovely to see them and their children and it never once felt uncomfortable. In some ways it would be nice if we all lived closer, but I think then we would perhaps still not see that much of each other as we all have our own friends and lives to life. I think we will manage to meet up a little more often that once every 3 years though!

5. Celebrate NJ’s 40th Birthday

Yes we celebrated NJ’s 40th, not as we had originally planned, but instead in a much more relaxed way at a 5* hotel away from any hustle and bustle.

So I achieved 3 out of the 5 things I planned and with all things considered with my dodgy mental health I think I did okay.

Things I did this Summer – Listography

I’m joining in with the listography from Kate Takes 5 all about what you did this summer – I hope you enjoy the read.

1. Survived our first family camping trip!

We all had a great time in Norfolk, and for a changed seemed to have the best 2 weeks weather wise. I intend to blog all about it soon!

2. Shopped for school uniform for our baby boy!

I can’t believe that he has started school. It doesn’t seem 5 minutes since he started at playgroup. When I took him shopping he insisted on going in the changing rooms to try on trousers – I think it made him feel grown up.

3. Caught up with old school friends who I hadn’t seen for over 3 years.

It was lovely to meet up with friends that I hadn’t seen for so long. Life had got in the way, house moves, babies and illness all seemed to prevent us from managing to meet up. When we did finally meet it was as if we had seen each other last week, its great that strong friendships can survive such a gap.

4. Said goodbye to my ‘little girl’ 

as she has embarked on the next stage of life to become a tween, and in doing so has started going round to friends and playing out all day. Having conversations on the phone and having a far better social life than me. I am no longer needed in the general day-to-day happenings.

5. Celebrated NJ’s 40th birthday, in a very nice 5* hotel!

Following the riots in London we changed our plans of going to London and went for a more genteel type of break. It was a lovely hotel and the food was even better, I’ve never eaten in a 5* restaurant before, and think it will be sometime before we are able to do it again. I think NJ had a good time, and we continued with the birthday theme the whole week, including FJ and I making NJ a birthday cake and managing to get 40 candles on it!

So that’s some of my summer highlights – what have you done? Why not pop over to Kate Takes 5 and see what she and other have done.

5 Things I Want To Do This Summer

I am joining in with the listography this week, that has been hosted by The reluctant house dad. 5 Things I want to do this summer.

1. Enjoy my first camping holiday with the children.

We are going camping, in a tent, for the first time in just a few weeks time. We are traveling over to Cromer in Norfolk, somewhere I’ve never been. It has taken me several year to grind NJ down to agree to camping, I just hope that we all enjoy it!

2. Enjoy spending time with all 3 children

Last year the summer holidays were very difficult, it was when I realised I had PND, so in reality after lots of ideas of what to do with AJ & FJ nothing ever really happened. This year I want to enjoy their company, do things, like playing in the garden, baking cakes, sticking and just generally having fun. Alongside not getting cross with them and making sure WW3 doesn’t break out!

3. Start working again.

I have made plans to start working for Usborne Books, they sell books for 0-12 year olds, using the good old fashion party plan. I am hoping that this will be good for my recovery, and maybe bring us in a few more pennies to spend on ‘stuff’!

4. Meet up with old school friends

When I was at school I was in a group of 6 girls that remained friends after we left, however as the years have gone on and we’ve got married and had children I have not managed to visit them for a couple of years. I have been in touch with some of them and am hoping that this summer I will manage to see a couple of them at least. It’s strange to think that 2 of them have had children (who are now at least 2) that I have not yet met. I hope that I will then continue to keep in touch.

5. Celebrate NJ’s 40th Birthday

NJ (hubby) will be 40 mid August and he does not want a party, instead we are going down to London for the night, child free (thanks to my sister who has agreed to have all 3 children!). NJ wants to go on the London Eye, and we are not sure what else. But I really hope that I manage to make this a great birthday for him. Just need to get myself organised and book a hotel.

So that’s my list, I hope when I look back at this in September I will have achieved some of it, if not all.