Tiny Sparks of Autumn Joy

Two important birthdays, lots of family fun and some lovely moments.

New ballet shoes for my new 10 week term of ballet. I. Love. Being. Back. At. Ballet. It’s become an important part of my mental healthcare.

Sending stuff we don’t want or need anymore out into the world, mostly to people we know who’ll use it. Goodbye Bugaboo Donkey. For ten years you were an important part of our family transport system. I think the umbrella stroller will be moving on soon too.

A little day out to Ikea with the Mini Orchids. Meatballs and chips, storage solutions and skipping the cursed gingerbread houses. Lesson learned.

A new to her backpack for a cousin. And feeling happy we’ve kept the right things so they can be pulled out when necessary.

Never did I ever think I’d be spending a third holiday in Longford, but we’re officially completely converted to the Centerparcs experience. Cycling around the lake with the kids early on the most beautiful Saturday morning in September with the mist lifting was bliss.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

All the Lego. We managed to consolidate it recently so at least its all in the same place.

Bailey’s coffee on a Saturday afternoon after all the jobs and running around is done.

The new world of antigen tests we live in now. And not seeing two lines on any of them.

Christmas adverts on television.

A white A4 page that’s so full of stickers and happiness it makes me smile every time.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Lazy weekend breakfasts, complete with our favourite coffee.

A trip to IKEA where I bought only what was on my list and not a thing more, and also resisted the allure of a Christmas gingerbread house kit. The need to make memories is secondary to my need to remain relatively calm over the festive period.

A tiny bag of jellies with my contact lens order. It came in extremely handy when ensuring Mini Orchid kept his mask on and his hands sanitised.

A ‘skeleton cake’ for a very special boy. He. Is. Obsessed. My cake decorating skills are middling at best, but he loved which is the most important thing. My baby is three. I am happy/sad about this. Mostly happy.

Tiny Sparks of Weekend Joy

We had a busy weekend of birthdays, food, cycling (having no car thanks to a breakdown has its upsides). Middle Orchid is eight, and we were able to have an outdoor party with friends under glorious sunny skies in the local park. Then we were able to enjoy an impromptu picnic afterwards thanks to the food trucks that have reappeared.

There was also the usual tidying and catching up on jobs. The playroom, despite my regular State of the Union addresses to the Mini Orchids, cajoling, rants and decluttering all too regularly descends into chaos so that, once again, had to be put to rights.

Tiny Sparks of Holiday Joy

We had a glorious two weeks off work. A night away just for us in Brooklodge, complete with a delicious meal in the Strawberry Tree restaurant. The hot tub outside was also a big highlight.

We then had five days en famille in Galway. There was a lot of ice cream, swimming, paddling in the sea under very sunny skies, mini projects from the Mini Orchids and dinners outside. We had been wavering over whether we should go on a holiday and booked a last minute break. It was 100% worth it and we don’t regret spending the money for a second. I don’t think we realised how much we needed to get away until our first dip in the pool the morning after we arrived. It. Was. Bliss.

Now back to the grindstone. The pit of doom that the playroom has descended into is today’s Big Job.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

More art from Eldest Orchid, made from anything and everything.

A battered but beautiful street sign on my daily walk, reattached and useful despite the cracks.

New bedlinen. Bliss.

A chocolate cake because we didn’t have enough chocolate on Easter Sunday.

Drinks outside on our new garden table on the sunniest Saturday of March. A much needed treat after a busy week.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Trying some new recipes to use up what we have and stretch out the time between visits to Lidl or Aldi.

Evening walks alone after dinner. I put my headphones in, listen to a podcast and enjoy the time and exercise.

Doing weights every morning. I only manage about 20 minutes but I’ve realised it makes the whole day so much better.

Back to our normal date night menu after a couple of weeks of indulgence. Yum.

Art, art and more art. I’ve become much better at ignoring the mess and dreading the tidying up, because the creation is the important bit.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Enjoying some cava and red wine after Dry January. Amarone from The Corkscrew was a particular joy.

Dinner from Uno Mas. Everything was delicious and the process was just as enjoyable as the food.

Sleeping in two days in a row. I haven’t done that for two years.

The random things I find on the Tweet machine.

Afternoon tea at home. The Mini Orchids have been asking to do this again for a while and this weekend I caved. It was worth it, both for the baking that filled a morning and the fun we had over the afternoon.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Sticking to dry January. I’m not sure it should feel as good as it does to be able to tick one accomplishment (if that’s what I can call it) off the list on the last day of one of the gloomiest months ever, but I’ll take my joys where I can find them.

Home cooking, and using up a lot of our freezer and store cupboard stash.

Reading childhood favourites. Over and over again. I remember my heart leaping one Saturday in the library when a longed for copy of Drina Goes On Tour appeared. I was able to get my hands on a very precious first edition.

A lovely meal to look forward to. And the fact it will be delivered to us. And that we have a nice bottle of Amarone to go with it all.

Little videos made by the Little Orchids. Always fun to see them so involved in them and watching them afterwards.

Tiny Sparks of Joy

Getting organised with exercise. I’ve really missed the gym.

Trying new recipes and really enjoying them.

Good coffee, delivered quickly.

The end and the beginning. History not repeating but rhyming, etc.