We had a great day today – a wee trip to Belfast/Bangor/Holywood to see family.  As ever it was a whirlwind and the boys and I were quite tired on the way home, but I love my family, and I love seeing how happy the (great)grandparents, cousins etc are spending time with the boys.  The feeling is definitely mutual; the dude had been looking forward to today all week and cried when we left Granny’s house.

When we moved up to the north coast I joked that the only downside was the lack of a cinema and M&S.  Those 2 things have now been provided, but I realise the real downside is being 60 miles from our families…all the more reason to enjoy the time we do spend together.

Anyway, here are some of the highlights:

• Lunch and getting a few bits and pieces in Ikea – the dude particularly enjoyed seeing 2 planes.
• A trip to nursery school!  My mum had some admin to do after picking up my wee sister from school and the mini dude needed fed, so while we did that the dude had the time of his life in an empty classroom full of toys, sand trays, frogspawn, and also got to see his cousin’s ‘cubby’.  As you can imagine he was in heaven and didn’t want to leave.
• The cousins and my wee sis playing at mum’s house while my sister went for a run (unlike me she actually can run and is doing the whole marathon next month) and I nipped up to Bloomfields (which has doubled in size since I left Bangor – it’s huge!)
• Getting more Chalet school books, and realising what a freak I was as a child – lots of them have my Newtownards address (we moved in P5) written in my childish writing, and my mum reminded me how my friend Joanne and I would stand and read them outside our P4 classroom at break time.  On the upside I must have been a bit of a genius at reading, just a shame that didn’t transfer to other subjects!
• Seeing my Granny (who’s quite weak after 3 heart attacks) and Granda being really cheered up by a 20 minute visit from the boys.  My Granda showed me his birthday list – 3 children (and 3 in-laws), 13 grandchildren, 2 foster grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.  They’re really proud of us all, and it made me hope I get have a big family too.