Right now.

Sunset in Huishinish, Isle of Harris, back in April

Well, right now, it's 8.04pm. The small people are settling down (silent is as good as asleep) and I'm just stealing a few minutes with a cup of tea before I sort the house out a bit and get packing. We're headed for a little escape to the Harris hills this weekend. Some much, much needed time together, as a family and hopefully this will include a bit of sun (I'm optimistic), some exploring, some resting and not a lot else. We're actually staying in a very little and quite dated caravan and I'm not the least bit embarrassed to say how excited I am about it. So, I hope to whoever may be reading this, that you have a little sun, exploring and rest in your future, this weekend, too. Bye!

garden green and tasty (...and swampy and weedy too)

Our lovely scruffy garden is definitely a work in progress but the children couldn't care less. Knee high weeds are a jungle to them and I'm certain they preferred it when I hadn't yet planted up the veg patch, they had a mud garden to squelch about in. It's a joy to pull the odd gnarley treat from the ground, though. I'm day dreaming of having a croft and a few animals one day. A donkey and a goat, top of the list. Donkeys are my favourite.

sunday at home.

Play dough warm from the pan feels good on small tummies and chasing kittens is endless fun. Matilda and George obviously have each chosen their favourite kitten friend already. George slows down for gentle cuddles (between trying to carry his Rumpus around by her head/tail/ears) with clumsily careful holding hands. Bouncing on the bed and eating tasty treats. I loved slowing down with my two today.

along the sea wall.

Do you like Matilda's running face here? Makes me chuckle looking at this photo. I've been told that Matilda and I even run exactly the same and well... It's not too hard to believe, even with that face on. There are many some aspects of me that can be likened to a magnified toddler. I suppose. (According to Tom.)
It's been quietly busy here lately, as life mostly is with littles. Round about 137% of my available attention is required by both of my children and it's been more consuming than usual just recently. I find myself feeling the 'PHEW' a bit more post-bedtime. Getting anything above the absolute necessary done in the home is a bonus but indulging in the outdoors is still my reliable cure-all (and favourite thing to do, any excuse welcome), especially when no-nap, teething grumbles are with us and I'm holding onto that before the everlasting Hebridean winter hits again.

Our camera finally gave up on us last week, hence missing a week of the 52 project. But... hooray hooray we bought a new one. Our first DSLR. We went for a Canon in the end and so far it is brilliant.

I hope your weeks are treating you well and that you get to run around in the long grass, too.

LITTLE THINGS

Scots flag up high/Gathering clumps of cut grass/Lews Castle/Roses cut with Matilda one warm morning/We took your hilarious headgear a wandering/Playing together/Floatings boatings

Linking up with Emily at The Beetleshack and the 'Stills'.

52

Matilda: Up, up, up the hill we go... Leading the way and just making sure your head gear is in order. You'll go barefoot whenever the chance is there.

George: I gave you a haircut last weekend. It seems you are an actual boy now.

Thanks to Jodi for sharing these portraits of my two last week.

Joining in with Jodi's lovely 52 project.

summer rain, come again.

Yesterday found me tired and tense and on my best 'Un-Fun-Mummy' form. A long hot day that started just before 5am with much too much (for me) of Turbo-George's stuntman antics, a lot of playing 'I Smell A Naughty Kitten Poo, Now, Where The Hell Is It?!' and poor tired Matilda, the 5am wakee. By late morning I was definitely not in the mood yet quietly holding it together but come afternoon I'd had enough. Tea time I was on the verge and when bedtime finally rolled around I was well and truly over it, not winning any parenting points at that moment in time I can assure you. Still, I managed to cajole a kicking, sobbing Lady Small to sleep and settle George then I completely collapsed into the quiet of the evening. Just as if they knew, those dense and muggy summer skies opened up and down fell the warm rain. Soothing and clearing the air and my temper with it. I pushed every window as wide as they would go and let that clean air in. A nice Guiness (all I could get my mitts on) and a bit of lazy behaviour put me back together again.

N.B. Photo above... Just because she's scrumptious.

summer wanderings: lews castle grounds

Summer days are sweet but few, here. They could be snatched away before long, so a wandering we go whenever chance shows itself. 20 minutes stroll to 'The Grounds' (with my luggage laden phil & teds) turned into almost an hour with my lady small who must converse with every passing bug and speck of fluff... No hurry. We spent a lovely few hours taking summer in... Peeking through pretty gates, paddling in the shallows of the slipway, watching the ferry get smaller and smaller as it sails away, climbing dusty hills (barefoot, of course) and shouting really loudly from the top. Ice cream from The Woodlands Centre and we even almost made it home in time to avoid any no-nap-for-George-meltdowns, almost. Not a bad way to spend a beautiful day.