About time!

So, we've been a bit busy since I last posted! I was looking at the calendar one day (probably counting the sleeps until Gemma's birthday), and since the last post, the weekend of May 7th/8th, all three of us weren't home for an entire weekend until July 23rd/24th!  And, we moved house in June also (more on that later), so no wonder I feel as if life has been a bit hectic lately! Here's a brief rundown of what we've been up to:

A trip to the circus in Lucan on May 28th while Paul was in London for the weekend

Blowing bubbles on May 31st

Fun at Ikea on June 3rd

Gemma at Carrowmore beach in Louisburgh on June 4th (the June Bank Holiday weekend). 

Unfortunately we had to move out of our last place (where we had lived for almost 7 years!), because even though we were paying the rent, the landlord wasn't paying the mortgage, so the property went into receivership (like foreclosure). We had 6 month's notice, but there is an EXTREME shortage of rental properties here at the moment, so it was kind of stressful. Luckily in the end we found a great house with a backyard, that totally coincidentally is right next door to one of Gemma's best buddies from creche! Unfortunately we didn't know for sure when we would be moving, so we had nothing packed. Once we found a place, we had to pack everything and move in about two weeks. Paul and Gemma went to Mayo the first weekend in June so I could start packing, and Gemma spent a week in Mayo 'on her holidays' while Paul and I got everything moved, unpacked, and settled. Paul and I spent the first night in the new house on June 16th, then we went to Mayo for the weekend, collected Gemma, and all 3 of us spent our first night together in the new house on June 19th. We are really enjoying our new place now. 

Our last family pic in the old house on June 10th

Celebrating my birthday on June 23rd

Another weekend in Mayo- Paul and I climbed Croagh Patrick with friends on July 2nd

Amusements at Westport House on July 3rd

Happy 4th of July!

Cheering on Mayo at a Gaelic Football match in Castlebar, County Mayo on July 9th

Making funny faces by the River Liffey in Lucan on July 14th

The Louisburgh Horse Show on July 17th

Fun in the pool in the back yard (and an ice cream break!) on July 18th

A day exploring Dublin (The Natural History Museum, St. Stephen's Green, and Grafton Street) on July 22nd

The Bray Air Show on July 24th

An art project at home on July 31st

A walk on Howth Pier August 1st

In the midst of all the craziness of moving, we've been having a lot of fun this summer too!  I'll write another post soon about Gemma's 4th birthday!