September, October and November

Steffen went to Germany in October to see his mother Irma and also to go to his sisters birthday.



This is Heike and Gerhart at the party.They will visit us soon in December for a german cookie making session. We look forward to it.

Elke got a new hat handknitted by Dana from Germany.



Axels first birthday celebrations...!!

Jonas and Thorben wearing hats from Dana with glow in the dark thread in them.



Cutting the birthday cake, a rice krispie ONE

The birthday boy with his banner. (made by Ines a year ago and recycled for every birthday since)

Elke with the last of the polytunnel produce.

A trip to Dublin in the October school break, we all had the week off to spend time with the kids. We had a great week. A trip to the cinema to see Monsters University. We went to the zoo and also to the dead zoo shown above. The stuffed animals are always a hit with the boys.....We went to the national art musem too.

Myself and Jonas went to a GIY meeting with a friend Mark. It was held in Carrig Dulra, owned by Suzie and Mike. Their chciken house above and composting toilet behind it.

A friend Adrienne came for dinner one Sunday. She is an old friend who knew myself and Steffen before we met each other, over 18 years old now.She brought her dog Twiggy too who is a sweet dog.

We made pasta for a sunday dinner with the folks, it was tasty a big success.The pasta maker was a present for my birthday from Steffen.

We visited our friends Eileen and Dave in Cloughjordan. Look at their beautiful house handmade by them from cob.....It is a dream house. I am really attracted to the community living of Cloughjordan. Are we living the dream?

These days we

We picked blackberries yesterday evening and made two jars of jam..

I have wanted to raise our own chicken for a long time, finally we got 15 broiler chicks....

The kids taking it easy under a tree in the Japanese gardens. Steffen took a day off work and we had a day out.

Hollywood Fair and Storytime with the folks

 Hollywood Fair is a 1950s fair that takes place in our local village.

 The kids rolling down the big hill.

 Talking to one of our neighbours at the fair.

 Steffens collegue Alex was exhibiting spinning and knitting.

The eviction enactment after the latin mass.

 



 Dave aka cloughjordan came to stay with us for a week, he did some great book reading and weeding and mowing. We enjoyed having him stay.

 



A wonderful week away at the Sea

 We had a great week away in Ardmore, County Waterford. We rented a large house with the grandparents and my sister Rebecca. The weather was so great, sun most of the week. The beach there is large and lovely. The kids enjoyed the sea so much...all we needed were buckets and spades most days we spent on the beach in the morning, home for lunch and downtime of sleeping for little ones and story reading time for the older two ...The famous five....then back to the beach again. I even swam four times and it was so refreshing,...even Granny got in for three swims.

 The tide coming in

 

 Jonas lost his first tooth.

 We went on a hike with Grandad on the cliff walk.

 Taking a break on the walk at Father Donnells well.

 The beautiful view.

The boys enjoyed the shipwreck on the coast, a crane ship that was being towed in the 1980s and got stuck on the rocks.

 Endless sandcastles and all the time in the world to enjoy them....

 The cliff house hotel in the background, where myself and steffen got away for a meal together. It was a lovely meal we havent been out together to hold hands over the table since last April 2012.

 Tayto on the beach.

It was great to get away with our family and for the kids it was great to have the folks there and Aunty Becca too.

The house we rented.

Axel is getting bigger, ten months old now.....