Summer summer summer time

 Fun packed summer?! Indeed! We had so much fun and beaching and being with friends and family was truly a blessing. I love to talk to Reuben and he has been my source of joy as per usual. I love his arguments his dialogs and he always wins me over with his gorgeous funny and witty personality but God I hate his stubbornness and insistence....something I am to blame for as surely that's part of me in him...:))

 A new swimming place for us to enjoy was Cascades....! We had managed to see Ashley a few times this summer holiday and its worked out really well. I was conscious of making this summer as good as possible so although did not want to purposefully forget school friends we just took it easy and were spending time at home and visiting new places at times perfectly naturally we caught up with some of Reuben's fav friends....Ashley, Ben, Noah and twice we made it to the weekly get together with the red class.

 We also managed to get together with Romanian kiddie winks and mums and that is always a treat. I am so pleased there is a nice Romanian community around me. Some of these girls I have only met 2-3 years ago but it feels as they and I belong. Its strange as most of them come from the south and I am from East and a completely different cup of tea if you want. I also am aware I am Hungarian nationality which if you want in Romania makes you totally strange. Well, put it this way I was here for 13 years and people still cant understand how I am both Hungarian and Romanian. I always lived in Romania and my closest and dearest friends are Romanian...I love them. I never been made to feel unusual when I grew up. We got along just fine with our Romanian neighbours we shared recipes and enjoyed jokes and bunters...however, politically I must say we were meant to never get along...something Ceausescu the ex dictator tried to do is mix us up so well that Hungarians will disappear and he certainly did something to spread Hungarians out however it was all in his head and in politicians heads....nationalists but us the people were making good progress in establishing good friendships and I have never experienced any kind of bullying or such like some of my "nationalist" acquaintances say they did.
My upbringing was never about drumming national identity in me...THANK GOD FOR THAT although my dad fought and laboured hard to teach us our native language Hungarian and allow a school to learn he also allowed us to choose where and in what language should we be educated. This is how I ended up doing primary school in Hungarian and secondary and A levels in Romanian ...followed by Further Education in English:)) Yap so back too the start...I am privileged to belong to a nest of great Romanian girls who have accepted me just as I am and my children who don't speak neither Hungarian or Romanian.....and further more one very lovely girl Elena has become recently the guardian of my kids...her and her husband Alex. I feel blessed....and so proud that against all prejudice, national challenges or such once again good prevailed and our relationship is even more special. Kids speak three languages together and often try and teach my kids some slang too!!! my little corner of heaven...this photo talks about much more.....than I can express in words here.

 Rochester Airport fun day! Yay boys were fascinated with all planes and such.

 Boys also had a few sleepovers at our house and Reuben especially liked having Nicholas here....and yes we had sandwiches in the bath tub...no don't want to tell you how that bath ended up being

 Scooting and bikeing was also part of summer as well as tree climbing!!

 Climbing trees, playing in the bushes and making dino house!

 Having a pet has been a lot on the agenda these days:))) However, we live in a conservation area and not allowed pets so I guess that's my excuse...I know for sure the kind of pets I would want wouldn't be accommodated here neither by the current home or neighbourhood. Labrador that is.

 So as for pets we had compromised a little...we have fish and we see often friends who have dogs....this Izzy is one of them....but we have also spent some good times with Ollie who is Jim and Hester's dog (they are Zac's godparents) so all in all good contact with house animals:)

 An absolutely gorgeous day at Eynsford.....fishing....boys were so excited and so was I. its hard to be a parent sometimes....this place is a place where you feel the need to be a kid again...I had great company that day and kids loved the attention.

 We also visited Reculver Castle and it was such a treat to have my childhood friend Ioana with us. It was amazing to swim with her in the sea and the kids have also loved having her attention. She was called ANNA the whole time and that was just cause they took to her so much and even made a name up for her:))

 Reuben loved being a monkey around these rocks...much to my anxiety levels which were rocketing and my heart was beating ever so fast:)) Kids make you die a million deaths:)

 Anna (aka Ioana) and Reuben stopped for a pose!:)

 We took Ioana back to her county of residence....beautiful Buckinghamshire where we stopped at the great Outlook Centre which was fascinating....I nearly bargained myself a stay there overnight however the place shut at 9pm and although we did not get home til 10pm we did exit in time...no we did not get locked in the park. This is a fab place everyone should visit....so much there scientific stuff and also fun playarea and all.

 Reuben got to be an architect for a few hours while at the outlook centre. Also we got to build some walls and windows after designing them. To my total amazement there were about 1o kids there and they all were building together and given jobs by one older kid. The Kid was off course the site manager and he informed everyone they got to work really hard of they can pack up and leave. Also he said as the site manager he has to just walk around and give instructions:) I wonder where he heard all that but I was well entertained and enjoyed how my kids really were not bothered by this all important self appointed kid and carried on playing along while doing their own things....:)))

 Action - at the building site!

 We also seen Cheyne this summer a bit here we are at Tyland Barn enjoying the exploration of the fossils....

A tender moment....Reuben was trying to encourage Olivia to play along....bless! All in all what a great summer we had! Its been a lot of challenges and a lot of wonderful memories I hope and pray all goes well now school started....that Reuben keeps growing and learning about life and family will become stronger and stronger....! I am incredibly proud I myself managed summer after illness, work and personal challenges. I know in some things I have failed only to learn how strong I was and that when I am weak indeed I am strong. Life goes on....we must persevere....soldier on...hopefully we will be rewarded some day for our efforts...and partly we are already rewarded....and I am loving that.