Half term gone!

Today we had been to church (family time) and then we had lunch in town followed by some play around Bwater and some shopping too. I can not belive what a beautiuful face painting ...for free in ELC today. Look how happy my Reuben is as the lady has managed to do some elephants and a setting of the jungle of his face....he was so happy!I just cant belive Zackie wanted his face done too! Look at them!!!! The best ever photo!! I must print this out!! Its one of those must keep photo!!We had managed swimming yesterday after a huged yummy home made three course meal and having seen our friends Nicholas and Andrei.Yap...we are sad to see the scate park kind a being less popular with the colder weather but we did make it there....too!

Friday, daddy took day off and we all went to the Hornby Factory and Museum...A MUST SEE!!!- it was fun and loads to get our hands busy with...even model spitfire making, painting and....colouring while we were able to try out some trains and such....Need I comment?!:))) It was an exciting day so much so that he did not eat much that day...neither had Zac..Cant believe they got me going tooo!!!:))) watch Zackie;s face too!The highlight however was seeing his first causins from England....Simon 18, Peter 14, Anna 12, we had a really good "noisy and crazy" two days which we LOVED. THANK YOU HARRISONS.On the way to Guildhall Museum a def must see place. We loved the walk in the sunshine and off course the Hulk and the coin rubbing...(bras rubbing:?) it was very interesting...not sure they got it mine two but oh well..Present for not missing one single school day (even he was twice bleeding rather badly (nose) and for bringing many gold stars home)...wonder what his present at the end of TERM will be?! Daddy any ideas?!Wednesday after Harrison;s left was hard to deal with the empty house and off course the sadness of having to say bye to our loved ones. I was eager to go out but it was raining bad rain...so much so that we had to take the car to my friend Elena's house which was only a nice walk away. When we stopped the car (I was rather tired and fed up from all the noise and winges...) we saw this ....floods of tears on mummy's face...we then stopped and chatted and R took a photo. I told Reuben this was God telling us how much he loved us....and that he was never gona hurt us ever again....(in simple words the story of Noah and his ark)....he was so delighted to see God at work...call it early theology I don;t care....my children should know the truth and learn to love God as we do!!These two love their bath times....:))) I won;t comment as pic talks for itself!Reuben and I did a little shopping together and I loved the fact that he choose his own T shirt. When he did...he looked up at me then said..."mummy we must buy one for Nicholas for he loves loves Mario" this is why they both wear the same T shirt. I love that Reuben often asks me to let him give to his friends things and I hope he will always find more joy in giving then keeping things only to himself. I think he is very attentive that way...he knows exactly who loves what and who would like what. He also does not ask for a lot just everything:))))

Thank you Daddy for taking two days off to be with us! For waking up each and every morning to be with your boys while mummy has her beauty sleep! I don;t know anyone else who makes such sacrifices....and for this we will always love you. It has been another highlight to have Daddy around...it was just one of those very nice nice nice almost like being on holiday time...
Reuben loved building with these bricks...slightly away from the idea of the actual game but...who cares seem to make everyone happy:)) I must say here we now have a huge collection of family games...Shopping Trolley (game), Tell the time (game), Charlie the bear (game), Hungry Hippos, puzzles, etc.

THe half term started with Mathew;s bday from school....Reuben got to enjoy a really nice Saturday pm party after having done some more GO Carting at Buckmore park....

Sunday we had gone to Shorne Country Park....with Vasile;s and Iveta...

Monday we spent a day around home and visited our beloved fish (at the secret garden) after which we went to LIbrary saw some friends and gone to Cathedral Tea Rooms to see granny and have chockie cake....then played in the Castle Grounds with Zoli and Harrison...had subway lunch, rested, saw Alfie and Marie, Swam and then crashed....in bed!:)

Tuesday we done a spot of shopping and welcomed Harrisons (first causins)

Wednesday gone to Guildhall Museum with Harrisons and pm saw double rainbow and visited Nicholas and Andrei at their house

Thursday we went to see Rafael and had yummy Macdonalds, slept (yay) then went to Monkey Bizz whith Rafael and family.

Friday we gone to Hornby Museum...and done some more shopping on route.

Saturday we cought up with friends at Cathedral Tea Rooms then slept then went for swimming.

Sunday went to Family Time and church then enjoyed some BLUEWATER FUN!! Yay ...now back to a busy week routine....clocks have changed and we are a bit in the air with timings. Reuben is desperatly ready to see his friends and desperate to start school tomorrow.

END ...beggining of half term....

Pheww 6 weeks of school have passed my son who purposely went to school not knowing any of the letters or the spelling of his own name....(yes yes I am not very much into sending kids to school to be bored)...well after only 6 weeks he knows all letters, he writes his name and enjoys school as though he was always there. He loves praying and singing...writing has become a very very exciting and enjoyable task....I am really happy and feel amazingly proud of my Reuben. Who would have thought that he will be so much in his element at school. I have said I should write some of his "golden words and expressions" so I can remember them later....as they are so sweet and thoughtful. The other night we his daddy read him a story and after it finishes Reuben said he wanted to read it himself....well, we were gasping for air when we realised he was memorising nearly every thing we read to him....he slightly rephrased the story but used mostly the same words....wow and that after a long day.

The above photo concludes the 6 weeks in school. It was taken at the Harvest festival at school where I was moved to tears during the serivice and during kid's repertoir. IT was such a heart warming feeling sitting there with Zac hearing them sing.....to God, I was massivley proud that he learns about God, that he has amazing teachers and loving friends. This last week of school before half term we had couple of playdates at the house (very tireing but ....) we are meeting more and more parents and children and again I am really really excited to see what a good class he is in. So now all geared up for half term...some family activities with daddy taking some time off, hopefully enjoying the Harrison's visit on Tuesday and Wednesday (causins Anna, Peter and Simon and aunty Helen and uncle Andrew)...and some swimming and some catching up with friends on Friday.....should be good fun.

brrrrrr

Phew weeks are just passing us bye! Finally feels like FALL or Autumn...and now that I have turned 35 I feel as though another milestone and more content. In my Maria world well, a birthday...with loads of beautiful gifts and presents, flowers, cards...I FEEL LOVED. I also came second at a huge job interview. Yes did not get the job but feel so much more confident and terribly good about having done so well...after 2 years out of work. And well my boys are getting so much better behaved. Reuben has been continueing to be amazing at school At first parents evening we were gulping down our tears of joy and pride as we were told how wonderfull Reuben is. At the same time we love listening to his ALPHABET, numbers and we are even more amazed as he went in not knowing a single letter and here we are 5 weeks since he started school and he can write his name down!!! WOW. On this picture one fine morning him and his brother played beautifully but he keeps having heavy nose bleeds which is why his PJs are stained. He refused to take them off as he wanted to show off how brave he was....:))) We went to drs but they are saying that we just need to keep an eye on it.On a beautiful Saturday am at Jackson;s fields. Hie best mate Nicholas with Zac and Reuben with Andrei, Nicholas's brother....happy 4 I say.As my boys have been such lovley kids I have bought them this lovley table and chairs ....so they can play and write...and just enjoy!! After school activities often include...walks and park however this past week its been somewhat hard to do everything we wanted. So Monday as usual Swimming, Wednesday we had Dispensari's around for a play date. Thursday we went to visit Veres family in Gillingham after the school pick up and before the drs and Friday he went to Ben's house from school...! so busy busy indeed.We love autumn...I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy the amazing colours and the change from a hot and sticky summer to a nice and cool autumn. I am spending time with boys observing things around us....climbing trees...experiencing the dry leafes and the wildlife....so many more birds....still my favourite is the amazing colours of freen, yellow and brown and red....wowowow. Also I love the Harvest time...the time of gathering and making things for the long winter both literally and figurativley. Preparing for winter and cosyness at home....!

I shall try and post reuben's beautiful singing:))) he is loving his Harvest Song and off course his prayer. I am so glad he goes to a Christian school. We had also started going to Sunday School so that he can learn more about God...in a way thats more appropriate to his age. I am loving his little brain.....his questions and the way he argues the answer. he loves HEAVEN cause thats where Grandad is...with all the Angels, God and Jesus....(to think he never really knew his grandad but comprehends him more than God offcourse). He said he would like to take a long journey to haeven cause its very far away up there in the sky.....but it must be so far no one ever came back from there....wow! He is learning fast...I love you Reuben. You never cease to amaze me. You are just perfect....love you dearly.

Summer summer summer time

It really was unbelievable how hot hot hot this last weekend has been!! As on Saturday I (Maria) had to go to a seminar boys took to the seaside with granny in tow...it was a good day and the highlight was seeing the Hornsby exhibition at Margate visitor centre...both boys were just in heaven....and could not stop telling us all about it.Day two also took us to the sea....where else does one manage to rest...enjoy and watch kids do amazingly cool things...?!- well the only downer was that seems everyone else decided to go down to the seaside so we were rather stuck both ways on the motorway however it was incredibly easy as both boys cooperated well. Must have been that eagerness to keep summer staying....

We were enjoying the fabulous company of the Veres family, Vasile family, Sally- Dan and kids family and so there was much much digging and chatting and nice picknick and loads of swimming in the sea which I did not do this year....so better late than never!In total we must have had about 4 days of heat heat heat.....the pool came out in the garden and Zackie spent time there playing....while after school we did some picknicks at local gardens and off course we had enjoyed seeing some of our friends that we seemed to have lost touch with. Its always nice to have a full on week except mummy had to work a bit harder intelectually as well as she is undergoing interview phase 2 for a job locally. So fingers crossed next time you hear from us mummy will be working mummy?!:)) just another challange.

Ta;lking about challanges....school is fantastic for Reuben, I could not be happier about it. He scoots to school (on his scooter) once at the gate (although I walk into his classroom with Zackie in toe) he just dissapears straight into the class greeting all his friends. This week we had heard how helpful he is how mannered (ups no evidence of it at home though) and how cheerful he seems to be. He is saying his prayer beautifully and he loves bringing home books for him and granny to read....he always gives a massive cuddle to his brother when we pick him up and that just says it all to me. On Mondays we do swimming and he is really good considering he has only started two terms ago. Also he has been accepted in the Tuesday French club so watch out for some Frenching:)))if only I was a better mum and thought him hungarian and romanian too....but ...thats another thing one day I will write about when time is right. For now he is loving school, we are loving him and he is a very happy boy indeed. In the video below you can get a glimpse of this Mr. Adventure. My beautiful boy always at the ready to try something new.

school 3-4

I am so pleased that Reuben keeps loving his school! He tells me he is in the green group and enjoys all his activities. Just as well as we had made sure we treat him to some nice things before back to school this week. Here at my favourite place Romney Sands trying a new sport!Reuben and daddy were enjoying a peaceful moment...yes a moment as he really does not often sit for more than that! I am loving his relationship with daddy. He loves listening to daddy and is able to converse sometimes just like an adult:)) He is growing up so fast!!Who says autumn will keep us indoors?! Beautiful sunny day but yes we needed the coats. the kids loved the sea and the beautiful sand....and so did we!Enjoying sand and pretending its snow....hence snow angels!daddy time yay!! Yeah I was there too infact that is my carving however someone had to take the photo...and they just look so cute the three boys of my life. the most important people in my life!hmmmmm love this one. It was a real learning curve when R walked into some horrid mud and was sinking. I had to teach him about danger and explain that sometimes things look safe but they really are not safe. He experienced the same thing I did around same age....when I sank to my knees in the back garden of a "milk lady"'s house. It was frightening also an experience I will never forget. Wish someone would have taken a bit of empathy towards me then....I was shocked. Well i made sure R understood the process that Mud throws at one...and that it was all natural while supporting him in his frightening experience reassuring him of my love!got tired of making a dome so was time to sleep or pretend....(if only)ha ha:))) playing trains with daddy at one of his favourite train station parks (Romney Marsh)He loves his trains and this museum is amazing love to go there myslef and now Zac is all happy there too so will be visiting again soon. I am loving to see Reuben play trains....he reinacts a lot of the stories from "Thomas the Tank Engine" he is using words, expressions such as "buff my buffers"....very well and love that he can vent that way. He has been a joy to be with after school always enthusiastic in going saying "we are gona be late mummy" scoots up there on his scooter, waves bye to granny saying "bye bye granny....see you later aligator - crocodile" and then off through the gates....knocks on miss G (our neighbour)'s door and then chatters and scoots and scoots and chatters all the way to school. We often bump into Noah, Sam and Felix (the twins) and some of the other kids he knows and he is greeting them with a big smile. He has taken liking to all his teachers and when asked which one is his favourite he recites all their names.....I do like that. I asked him who is his best friend and occasionally get different answers but they tend to be the kids he has known pre school. I am terribly proud of Reuben and both his daddy and I are keeping him well motivated during the week with surprise treats at weekend. Today a day early aunty Cheryl surprised him at the end of school day then with Zac and Jonathan in tow they went to park then home and I had got him Toby and Percy which he loved to open and play with....this weekend we hope to have some play with some of his other non school friends then Sunday revisit Leeds castle which we have not seen for a while.

week 1-2 school?!

Friday pm after a long and drainy week we had played out in the courtyard and its been just so nice to enjoy Reuben;s cheeky happy funny self! Its been such an emotional week. Three massivly good days at school and two not so happy partings but happy cheerful get together after.Granny has been very helpful this week in the evening she read to Reuben which he loves....Zac has developped a huge interest in books (somtimes reads down upside down...:)) but whats nice is that I get to do things while granny soothes boys to sleepy mode....After a hard week at school a lot of TLC was needed and this happened Sunday am cought in the act was Zac and Reuben......need I say more?!Much to some neighbours dismay we had decided to enjoy a the courtyard....after all one cant always just be out and about....I decided it was so nice weather so off we went...playing with Henry from our neighbourhood....while they played I tided both gardens out and had some fun with boys too!!!What a week we had been through?! Gosh.....if anyone would have said its gona be so hard I would have not believed them. First of all he was amazing at embracing school he was straight in playing....while me and Zac tried to embrace the new routine without Reuben...(and discovered Zac had tonsilitis so R;s first day at school went by with me taking Z to drs). ..

Zac was ill Monday so it was a lot of stress anyway, Tuesday Zac was just not happy with home without Reuben. He kept picking up toys calling out to Reuben then throwing them on the floor again....it was just not my happy boy. Wednesday was really intense....seeig mums and kids crying and trying to still embrace the "what do we do now and how" without my lovley bubble Reuben. Thursday he was anbsolutley against staying at school. I stayed as long as I could then disappeared but I hated to leave him unhappy. Friday was just awful...he was in and happy but I stayed some as I needed to speak to the teacher....when he noticed I was going he cried. I cuddled then explained I had to go. I ran but my heart stayed. Reuben has pushed his little face against the window and just set there. From another window I looked for a while to see what happens. I could see he just stared out in to the courtyard for some time. I finally left and just braced myslef it will be ok....it was both Thursday and Friday I have picked up a very happy boy with the immediate "I am not going school tomorrow" ....Oh dear! I predicted well my son who throws himself at new opportunities.....yet gets overwhelmed at a later date same with his mummy. I am always incredibly touched and anxious seeing how much this boy is like I am....he is surley my son!!!

I had been trying to think this schooling busniess over and over. My observations so far are that 4years of age is way to soon for a child to start school...."as a mother is heartbreaking to have to leave your child somewhere where they vehemently don;t want to be- the school system makes us so powerless and cruel at times..."but unless we can home school we can only pray and hope kids will settle and will take these knocks of life as they should be as little strenghtening and empowering experiences. My thoughts are that although we can not forever hold their hands perhaps we could hold their hands and hearts for a little longer....seems to me there is a terrible rush to school kids here. I mean don;t get me wrong yes they need education and to assimilate as much as they can but how much is too much. Surley 5 days (long days 9-3) is a long time to start for a 4 year old....still nothing taht we can do. This is the time that we can encourage, engage, support, hug, voice our kids emotional and mental health and well being. It is very much our call mums and dads how we handle the little dissapointments and how we show what we go through personally then how we take how our kids go trough.....never need to forget they are looking at us for examples. I told Reuben I did fear school too....I thought my whole world went away but I assured him all his toys were resting while he was a school and they all were ready to greet him when he was back. I said this is gona be an amazing time he will learn to do things that only big boys do, read write and so much more. He will make great life long friendships and he will maybe meet his first ever love!!! (ups). Anyway, hope this week comming will be a better one....as my heart melts and breaks....I am so so excited at how things have been and are and will be! God is good. I am praying he will bless my boys and my family!!! - and all those mummies and kiddies who are having the same journey at the moment.

Schoooollllll hooooorraaaaay!

Hi there! We had our first day at school! I have to admit I wasnt as emotional as I imagined I would be. Reuben helped a lot by being so good during the weekend and I was so chilled. Both boys went down early on the eve of the big day which meant I could sit and try and think of things that I would like to remember about the 4 years before school and my hopes and prayers for school. I will never understand why would people choose home schooling and why would anyone deprive kids of these very precious years, emotional and social skills that going to skill means but not only. I can say I am not a stay at home mum and I would hate trying to keep them at home for any longer than they need to be. In the photo above Reuben was most delighted to walk to school with Georgia....our friend and neighbour.At school gate huge HUG from Livy who is one of our other friends currently started her year 3 in the same school. he also met Nicholas who also is in year 2 at the same school.Delighted to be able to carry on his love of trains even at big school!Here doing some art with Georgia ...making a beach!...oh that brought back some nice memories!As he was helping to clear the art up:))) Mrs Old (nursery teacher) was telling Reuben that she saw him on Saturday in the highstreet. this lady is amazing. She only met Reuben once....she remembered him by name and also me....I was so touched. he loved chatting to her....and already so grown up mirroring similar body language....which I know means he has amazing communication skills. The picture could be interpreted as though she is telling him off but she was just laughing and joking with him....and he loved it...responding and being very polite...

After picking him up from school he told me he had a lot of fun....he also said he must drink water when he is hot and that Ms Webster is one of the lovliest teachers....(she is not actually his teacher) his teacher is Mrs. Salsburry...and that his new friends Sam, Felix, Noah, Georgia....and the list went on ...must all come to our house soon!!! OK then note taken! He has spent the hour after school at home loving and cuddling his brother who has tonsilitis and wtaching some Tv while eating like a horse. 5pm we went swimming and then home dinner and sleep...was rather nice. Lets all fall into bed now....as we are all tired. NIte nite!