Dear Jay

Dear Jay,

I miss sharing things with you, especially our birthday. Miss your face and love your guts xxx

He Rides!

Dear Jay,

It is rather sad that by the age of 7 Noah still hadn't learnt to ride a bike. My excuses were that our garden isn't big enough, we don't take the bikes to the park often, there is the busy road through the village in front of our house and a full car park around the back, Noah didn't have a bike the right size.... and so on.  Well, 'Enough of the excuses!' I declared and we dug Rosie's old pink bike out of the pile in the shed and spent this week having Noah practise on it in the strangely empty car park:

After three days of  nervous 'Don't let me go mummy!' comments, Noah completed his first solo ride by himself, I didn't even need to help him start off. Check him out in this video:

Noah was so proud of himself and wanted to tell Ben straight away that he could finally do it. Now that he's got the knack, he wants to spend every spare minute outside...and I can finally let him ride the bigger black bike that is much better for a boy of seven to be seen on!

 

Love you,

Naomi xxx

It's That Time Again

Dear Jay,

Happy birthday to us! As always, I missed you lots today. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to having a birthday just for one. Today the sun came out and the blue skies went on forever, it was so hot and a wonderful pick-me-up.  I spent the morning helping out at school by walking the year 5 & 6 children to the local pool.  I sat poolside for two hours and it was bliss! Can you spot Rosie at the bottom centre of this photo?

I went to lunch with Lucy and Claire at the House of Marbles and we picked a spot outside by the old furnaces:

After a rather delicious roasted vegetable nicoise salad I had the most glorious orange and elderflower drizzle cake. If I could have posted it to you I would, it was divine.

What's a birthday without flowers?

Rosie insisted James go out and buy me a birthday cake as I always make one for everyone else! Love that girl. Want a slice?

I hope you enjoy your day too!

Lots of love,

Nae x

Dear Jay

Each year as I unwrap my man-size Easter egg I think of you and feel a teeny bit sad you can't partake of such deliciousness. Then I enjoy every last bite! Happy Easter from us (and Cadbury!) xxx

Dear Jay

Dear Jay,

I get to see you in exactly ONE WEEK!  To celebrate this I have unearthed some early '90's mug shots.  Aren't they fabulous?

 

See you soon,

Love Nae x

Dear Jay

Dear Jay,

Look what I found in the attic at Mum's:

How sweet were we?  See you in EIGHTEEN DAYS!

Love your guts,
Nae xxx

P.S.  For some reason blogger hasn't published a few of my January posts, I've fixed it now but you'll get some out of date posts in your inbox!

Happy New Year!

Dear Jay,

Last night we spent New Year's Eve at Leah's house with family and the Cockram's.  Amy wore her rather funny Christmas gift from Ian:

Mum led us through the art and skill of darts...I hit the wall to the right of the board more times than I care to admit:

Jason, Jamie and James got down to some Michael Jackson Just Dance on the Wii.  It was comedy gold:

Ben managed to do an entire routine without moving anything but his arm.  He came second out of three!:

The girls rocked a routine:

And that is where my photo taking ends, I forgot to detail the board games and the over-tired children and the midnight singing...but know that we all missed you and wished we could celebrate with you.  See you soon!
Love Naomi xxx

Early Christmas Present

Dear Jay,

I did it:

I AM COMING TO SEE YOU...in exactly twelve weeks!  I'm not quite sure how I'll contain my excitement for that long but I shall try.  James is already planning which mountains to climb.  I am so excited to see a grown up Olivia and finally meet miss Maisey.  Also, don't have baby number three until I get there!

Love Naomi xxx

Chocolate And Sparklers

Dear Jay,

Bonfire Night arrived with the appropriate foggy conditions.  We decended upon Leah and Jason's house for the festivities and I brought along chocolate cake with a Lego Guy Fawkes.  (Of course.)  Unfortunately the orange peel 'flames' disappeared en route:

Mum cooked up a feast, and the men enjoyed setting things alight.  The little cousins all covered their ears during the loud bangs:

And the big kids enjoyed their sparklers:

Noah insisted I take a photo to send to Auntie Jay:

I hope you managed to celebrate appropriately!

Love Naomi x

Feeling French

Dear Jay

Rosie and I were dress shopping and came home with two lovely dresses.  She then insisted I take pictures of her in them so you could see:

Aren't they yummy?!

Love Naomi xxx

It's That Time Again

Dear Jay,

Happy birthday to us!

Love Naomi xxx

Oops

Dear Jay,

It turns out that when someone at church gives me a photo that they took of you two weeks ago, it makes me cry. Love your guts,

Naomi xxx

Internet Has Returned

Dear Jay,
I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to update you with our shenanigans during this heatwave of a holiday, but we finally have broadband back and I can upload my pretty terrible phone pictures!  Let's start with 9am last Tuesday morning shall we?  Here are my minions 'helping' me put together the new trampoline (Noah is hiding somewhere holding a box of bolts):

By 10:30am all the children were jumping like lunatics which left me free to finish painting the mile long fence around our garden.  I know I'm exaggerating, but it really did feel like a mile long in 24 degree heat.  Mr Miyagi would be proud of my brush strokes.  I also spent the next two days painting the decking with a 1 1/2 inch paintbrush because I'm too tight to spend money on a bigger brush.  I have a wicked farmer tan.

Where was James while I was doing all this manual labour?  On Dartmoor for two days and nights doing a manly walk and camp out.  Do you like the hat?:

'Tis beautiful:

The newlyweds graced us with their presence for the Easter weekend so on Friday we met up with the family for a supersized picnic.  We missed you and the girls, we always do when we get together and you're not there.  We took a walk in the woods...

 ...and stumbled across a witch and Shrek!:

Bank holiday Monday was spent larking about at Spitchwick with some friends.  Ben took Noah out on the dinghy, they had such fun:

 You wouldn't believe how hot it is for spring, Noah stripped off to his swim shorts!:

 I managed to get a picture of Ben by pretending I was texting:

 I needed no such tricks with Rosie:

Today the children all were back at school, it was eerily quiet again.  Not for long though, we have two more bank holidays so it's another four day weekend!  I wish you were here to share it with us.  Miss you,
Love Naomi xxx

Shrove Tuesday

Dear Jay,
It's pancake day! We made our pancakes tonight and ate them with lemon juice and sugar. The children think I rock, I managed to toss every single one and none of them hit the ceiling or fell on the floor (as mum's often would). Rosie wants to know if you celebrate it even though you're in America. I hope you're not letting the side down!

Love Naomi xxx

Al Farid

Dear Jay,

We missed you last night for Amy's pre-wedding girls night out (her third might I add!).  We went to a Moroccan restaurant in Exeter opposite the cathedral.  We ate more mezes that was necessary but they were delicious!  I thought of you when I ate the Tzatziki.  Hannah and Jaime were there with Amy:

 As well as me and Leah:

See you soon I hope!
Love Naomi xxx

Environmental Art

Dear Auntie Jay,

I have been doing environmental art at school and I make pictures from things I find outdoors.  Today we drew chalk pictures in the playground:

 I wanted to show you my symmetrical art:

Love Rosie xxx

It's True

Dear Jay,

I did promise I'd post a photo of me in a frock.  Can't say that I love this photo (when do I ever like pictures of me?!) but it's the only one that was taken at the wedding.  Here is the evidence that I found a dress to cover my excessive features:

Can't wait until I see you at Amy's wedding, roll on next year!  Miss you,

Love Naomi xxx

Baptism

Dear Jay,

Today was Rosie's baptism.  She looked beautiful in the dress mum made her:

Rosie decided exactly what she wanted for her service and it was lovely.  We went to Dartmoor after the baptism for a picnic, the weather was sunny and perfect for dipping toes in the stream:

We missed you as always.

Love Naomi x