Orange, Orange Everywhere

Autumn! Halloween! Fireworks! Cosy evenings in! Christmas preparations! It can be stressful but I love this time of year - the chilly, smokey smell in the air, golden leaves whipping around your ankles, mince pies appear on the shelves and best of all, Starbucks bring out their Christmas drinks!!

Halloween first and I had a lovely day at work reading to the kids: Winnie's Amazing Pumpkin and Room on the Broom. And most seemed amused by my make-shift cauldron (aka Le Creuset casserole pot) containing green slime draped over sweetie treats, severed fingers and big black spiders! Coby made a surprise visit dressed in his vampire attire, and wellington boots - super!

In the evening we tricked and treated our neighbours, including Robbie and Daniel across the road - their house was in full Halloween party swing and the smell of jacket potatoes wafted pleasantly out of their door as the boys greeted us in the skeleton costumes. We carved two pumpkins, lit them and placed them on the doorstep ready for the onslaught of ghosts and ghouls.....

Mummy pumpkin & daddy pumpkin

Daddy pumpkin all a glow

And mummy too

Scream!!

Treats, treats, treats....

Award winning carving?

What treats await?

Daniel & Robbie & friend

Twas Two Months before Christmas

This morning Coby and I had a lovely breakfast in bed consisting of pop tarts, buttered brioche and raspberries washed down with apple juice for Coby and a 'wake up cup' of tea for mummy. I then took Coby on a trip to a surprise location - The Magic of Christmas has just opened in Walkern, near Stevenage and currently has 25% off everything! Its still a little early, but I thought it would be fun to go and check it out. We've decided that each year Coby will buy a special single bauble to hang on the tree to celebrate each of his childhood years. There were too many to choose from, but we selected one and are keeping it stored safely until the tree goes up.

Is this the right place?

Get ready!

Wow!

Only 58 sleeps till the big day!

Even More Cobyisms

"Get ready to feel the thunder" (as heard in Kung Fu Panda)

"Made you look, made you stare, I can see your underwear" (thanks Al!!)

"Look into my eyes, sign the 'fession' who ate all the fried eggs" (Haribo advert)

Buddies Forever

Unfortunately, because we all work full time these days, Coby doesn't get much opportunity to see his NCT gang: Lola, Louis, Alicia, Oliver and Jasmine. However, we are all meeting up for a lovely birthday dinner in November to celebrate the kids all turning 4 years old. Coby squeezed in a couple of hours in the park recently with Lola and Olly though and as the birthday month approaches, he has a hoard of party invites starting with Louis on Sunday....

Is it Halloween Yet?

Coby was convinced it was Halloween today and was ready to go trick or treating within five minutes of returning home from the shop with Halloween goodies...

Patiently waiting half an hour later and
reluctant to put down his goodie bag!

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Day 9 - Galway Bay

Last day!! We drove to Galway and spent most of the afternoon looking across the bay, observing the fishermen and scuba divers and generally people watching. We rounded the day with an evening meal at the award winning McDonagh's Seafood Restaurant on Quay Street - a super end to a super holiday - love you Ireland!

Scuba divers preparing

Day 8 - Carrigaholt

Carrigaholt (Carriag an Chabhaltaigh, meaning "Rock of the Fleet") was our destination on Thursday to see........DOPLHINS! This fishing village lies about 15km from the Loop Head Peninsular and about 10km from the town of Kilkee. In Carrigaholt, the Moyarta River flows into the Shannon Estuary and out there in the sea, dolphins and a variety of seals and seabirds can be found. The dolphins didn't let us down and we shared the experience with two lovely ladies from Chicago, Dee and Diana...

Al has a 'Titanic' moment

Coby explains Scooby Doo to Dee & Diana

Blink and you'll miss them!

Day 7 - Lough Derg

Today was the warmest, sunniest day of our holiday and we spent it driving idly around Lough Derg (Loch Deirgeirt meaning "loch of the red eye"), the third largest lake in Ireland. It has shores in three counties, Tipperary, Galway and Clare, we stopped off in Mountshannon and Portumna.

The lake at Mountshannon

Portumna Priory



Portumna Castle