Cakesmash!

At last - a spare moment....and a new job!

Many many apologies - it has been so long since I was able to write a post - almost exactly a month in fact.

Since the end of May I have been working on job applications, not because I was desperate to leave my job but I had been in an Acting Principal Teacher role since January and when it came to an end in April it was important for me to try and keep the momentum going.

I worked really hard on my application form and ended up getting two interviews - one of the jobs I didn't get but the second one I managed to get (just found out on Friday).

I am very much torn because I really liked where I was but it is time to move on and the school I am now at will be a very different kettle of fish compared to the last one - but perhaps even more enjoyable!

Anyway - I have a lot to recap from the last month - you already have a lot of the photos so I won't repeat them but life happened like this:

1) Katie surprised me with an amazing trip through to Edinburgh for the day which turned out to actually be an overnight - which was brilliant. Especially as she had told me we were going shopping in Glasgow - which you can imagine I was dreally looking forward to ;o) Well done to Katie for once again pulling the birthday wool over my eyes.

2) We had a fabulous party at our house - the inside of our house was just about ready for a party and the outside had just been finished that morning (well the trees were getting cut down right up to the last minute) We had a good crowd at the party which was kind of for Sophie, Katie and myself but my 40th seemed to overshadow everything else. Sorry girls!

Matt and Donia were in Scotland and joined us for the party - many thanks to them and to Gill for helping out with the barbecue and letting me mingle with partygoers. Thanks also to everyone for coming along and for all the presents.

3) Paul and Nicole made us a fabulous book - we can let you see it next time you visit - it is amazing.

4) Paul also helped my Mum put together a book for my 40th of pictures from my youth - it is also amazing and you can also see that when you visit.

5) Katie went back to work and since then my Mum Irene has been looking after Sophie and doing a wonderful job and then Katie's Mum Hilary was up last week and also did a wonderful job looking after Sophie. We are very lucky to have so many people involved in Sophie's life - especially as Katie resumes work 3 days a week!

6) Well - that's kind of where we are up to now - job interviews and job success - I finish up for my summer holidays next week and we are heading to Cornwall at some point to see Will and Tara who we met in NZ, and also Alan and Pam who moved to middle england this year. Should be a great trip in our brand new big family Qashqai! It's all been happening hasn't it?

So where are the latest photos I hear you ask - well Katie has some good ones on her phone that I will add this week at some stage but here are some of mine from the last week or so, with some videos.

  

Sophie can walk much better than this video suggests - and that's why we weren't exactly racing to help her - we knew she would be fine. She is a brilliant wee girl who continues to amuse us every day. We are very proud parents - can you tell?

Two spare minutes

I don't recall posting about this but perhaps I have - life has been hectic and even now I don't have time to check the blog from my phone before I post this.

Sophie received lots of amazing gifts for her birthday (thanks to you all) but she received a very special gift from uncle Paul and auntie Nicole -  a special one off edition of a book all about her!

I will post more of it at some stage - if the publishers don't get a hold of the franchise first and embargo it.

The storm before the calm

There are only going to be so many posts I can do like this before you start to think I have given up on quality control.

This is the penultimate week of my school year and I have another interview I am preparing for so time is tight and priorities altered.

I do promise however a series of catch up posts dating back to 24th of May. A bumper selection for you all to start the summer. For now just enjoy some more photos of the wee chatterbox.

Life continues to be a blur

Things are still crazy here with job interviews and applications - fortunately either way the end is in sight with summer holidays

Anyway - still getting some time to spend with a very grown up looking wee girl.

More photos - no chat

Sorry folks, this is now officially silly season - I have some job interviews in the next couple of weeks so my attention is elsewhere. Hope you enjoy the photos though.

Sophie continues to be amazing. :o)

More photos

Birthday, birthday and birthday

Sorry but no time to chat tonight either but I have posted some photos for you to see what's been going on. I will get back on as soon as I can to update this post and put some more stuff on.

Sophie is 1 on Wednesday, where did that year go?

Surprise!

No post this week I'm afraid - lots to report but the big news is that Katie whisked me off on a surprise overnight visit to Edinburgh on Sunday.

My Mum looked after Sophie and I think they are now both knackered after having lots of fun together.

Will give a full report and more photos from the week later on this week. :o)

This week wasn't quick enough!

The week started really really badly for me - I was off to work, plenty of time to spare and not a care in the world when the traffic in front of me on the motorway came to a standstill, in the fast lane....I knew what was going to happen next so I left myself enough space that I didn't hit the car in front and waited for the thump - not a goo way to start the week at all - could have been worse though and I am just glad that Sophie wasn't in the car.

The insurance company have very kindly arranged for the humiliation of being in an accident to continue by giving me a champagne pink Peugot 208 - thanks guys!

Meanwhile Katie and Sophie were off to messy monsters - where the kids get to go wild with paint, jelly, flour and cornflakes - making as much mess as they can and eating whatever they like.

The week for me went from bad to worse when on Thursday I lost my Wedding ring during a Long Jump lesson, I was certain I must have lost it in the sand so after a frantic search, asking the pupils to help, and buying a really crap metal detector - I thought, "the only answer here is a seive". I borrowed one from the science department and I went down to the pits again Friday after school.

After about 40 minutes of digging and sifting the ring popped up and i nearly fell over - I couldn't believe it. I am now going to get it surgically attached to my finger - ok, so not really but I will need to think of something.

To round off the craziest of weeks with very little craziness indeed, we were out for a meal for my very young Aunt Christine's birthday (she told me to say that bit ;o). It was lovely to be out and we saw all the family along with David's family too. Sophie was brilliant and wanted to run about the restaurant - we finally got her home at about 8.45 and she slipped back off to sleep almost instantly. A perfect end to a not so perfect week.