Fun on the farm...

...for the very first time.

 A week ago today, Noah and I joined most of the other Mums (and some Grans) from Little Stars (the toddler group at church) for a field trip to the farm. It was the most beautiful day of the year up until that point and was not only Noah's first trip to a farm but probably the first real sun he's experienced. I think he quite liked it! As you can see, he was brushing up on his farm animals - revising them from his book - on our way to the farm. He didn't want to look like he didn't know anything ;)

I think we will be paying more than a few visits to this farm in the coming months. I especially loved the name of the farm: Warren Mill Farm. Nice :)

Sunday Snaps

Sunday involved a morning chat with the cottage's resident chickens (resident outside, not IN the cottage. That would be weird!), a beautiful drive over the mountains, which the adults enjoyed more than the babies (!), a stroll along the seafront at Aberystwyth (a first in all our adult lives) and of course some more playing back at the cottage :) Enjoy the pics... monday ones to follow soon!

Checking out the chickens....from the safety of their Daddys' arms!



Super Dads doing what Super Dads do best

Me and my littlest boy at Aberystwyth seafront

Me and both my boys in Aberystwyth :)

Reays on a gate with a view...and a sheep!

Noah rather enjoying Jude's toys. Thanks Jude!

Determined to sit up like a big boy and impress Jude....and that's just Vianney! ;)



Saturday Snaps

Here are a few photos from our first full day of the long weekend away together. The first two are actually from the Friday evening as us Mitis arrived. We were checking out the stunning view which so far just does not get old! It is beautiful.

Returning to the forest we visited both of the other times we've been to the cottage in Llanidloes, it was blissful not to have to take the wheelchair and stick to the "accessible" path (which, incidentally, was the bumpiest path I've ever travelled along in the wheelchair....well, that's probably not quite true but it was definitely the bumpiest path to ever declare itself to be "accessible!") We loved taking on a whole new route and meandering along the river and through the woods until we came to a little waterfall. It was crazy to think (as Tom pointed out) that the little river we were walking alongside was the Severn, the same river that becomes so wide and powerful further south.

And then later in the afternoon, the boys got down to the real business of holiday: playing! It was gorgeous to see them really interacting with one another and being aware of each other. Noah needs to learn a little more control of his limbs so as not to randomly whack poor Jude but they had fun! It was a particularly special evening given that Noah sat up for the first time that afternoon. The developments are coming faster and faster from him these days! More holiday photos in tomorrow's post... ;)

Noah's first holiday!!

I can absolutely guarantee that I will be boring your socks off with way too many pictures from this weekend in the coming weeks but here are a couple taken on route and on arrival at Noah's first ever holiday destination: Llanidloes, mid Wales. The Reays hadn't even arrived yet but they will be well represented in the coming days' photos ;)

Seeing double....

....trouble!!

One word, three syllables...

DE-LIC-IOUS (ooh surprisingly hard to split into syllables that one!)

This was my lunch today and I share it with you because of the bacon. Oh the bacon! Freshly bought this week from a friendly little butcher in Whitchurch (having previously enjoyed the same meat in a salad at Clare's and struggled to stop dreaming about it!) it was so full of flavour, so succulent. I am so glad I saved enough to have the same lunch tomorrow. Like I said, delicious :)

A new development...!

Cute

Talk about two peas in a pod.

Cookiepeas!!!

Impromptu Family Time

I love flowers, Daddy!

Last night we had some lovely impromptu overnight guests. I got time with my Mum and Dad, Vianney with his in-laws and Noah with his Granny and Grandad! With Mum getting a last minute place on a course nearby it was too perfect an opportunity to miss out on some quality family time. Granny and Grandad got to see Noah enjoying his solid food (which, incidentally, he now can't get enough of!) as well as the tulips on the table (!) and although the little monkey was in a bit of a serious mood, he couldn't resist some smiles and giggles with two of his favourite people.

Granny makes me giggle!

While Grannymum was on her course (and much-missed of course) the rest of us hung out and ate, played in the bouncer, went for a walk...generally did what Sunday afternoons were made for :)

Having another important discussion with Grandad, over a bounce!



We had a lovely, Spring afternoon walk around one of the lakes at Cosmeston. After a battle to even park the car, that is. It turned out that everyone had the same idea as us straight after their sunday dinners!

Like Father...

...like daughter!

Warrens will be Warrens! Even when they're Mitis!

Noah's first time in the garden :)

Soooooooo good!

Tiredness is...

...well, this! :)

Today I share with you a couple of pics of the beautiful moment we realised that the baby bean we all knew was quite tired had fallen asleep chewing on his godmother's finger!! It was like he just ran out of battery suddenly and without the warning tone to alert us! Very sweet.

Today was a wonderful day spent with two special people. Highlights included (and you will notice a culinary theme, as with many a good day in our lives!) All you can eat at Cosmo, breathing fresh sea air at Penarth tops, lots of tea, farmers with a satnav, White English muffins (racists!), Noah cuddles, our first ever krispy kreme donuts (erm, YUM), accents galore and a brilliant jamming worship session once the littlest man was in bed for a bit!! Very nice Friday indeed. More pics tomorrow...

Ironic sleep

This is not the clearest of all photos but the yellow section represents Sleep. I think I can safely say that the pie chart is being very generous in that particular area! ;) He's wearing green for Saint Patrick's day - coincidentally as opposed to deliberately but hey! There's definite irony in his sleepy state for the photo!

Spring beckons

A lovely pic from a lovely walk along the River Taff with lovely friends! Aside from the cute, snuggled up babies, check out those daffodils. Spring really is on its way, my friends...hang on in there! :)

Too tired to play...

Now that is true tiredness, believe you me. You will rarely see such exhaustion! ;)

Cobwebs: gone!

Yesterday (Sunday) was a beautiful day in South Wales and we jumped on the opportunity to breathe in some fresh, sea air having had a difficult few days with a teething and poorly little Noah. It was ridiculously windy but it blew the cobwebs away! Noah started off all snuggled up to Daddy in his sling...

Then we decided to venture a little further along the cliff path and figured the pram would have better protection for our little bean...

Happy to watch us from the safety of his very own little windbreaker

This is a fun trip out now!

And then we got him out for cuddles and photos of his first trip to Ogmore anyway! ;)

A kind stranger took this for us on the cliff path. Thank you kind stranger :)

First of many I reckon. We love it there!

Boys will be boys!

Noah having a lesson to store up for future use no doubt....and finding it pretty entertaining! He enjoyed watching Seb and Marcus play-fight yesterday - from the safety of the cuddling arms of Auntie Cheryl :)

By your side

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face,
Just don't turn away.

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you searching as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go, child?
Tell me where will you run?

To where will you run?

Cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you.

My hands are holding you.

~ "By your side" by Tenth Avenue North

A Warren-derful time with family....

(terrible attempt at a witty title, I know!)


Loving time with Grandad and his amazing fishtank



Special playtime with Granny and her mesmerising finger!

Cheeky monkey on a greatly-recover Great Granny's lap. Wonderful!

Up to mischief with Uncle Andy again!

Fairy godmothers

I know I'm cheating because none of the photos I will post in the next two or three days will have been taken on those days but we are having a pretty rough time right now so I thought I'd just share some lovely ones from our time with friends and family in Kent last week. Here's Noah having a great time with two of his godmothers. Cuddles and playtime are among their greatest skills - and they have many! :)

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and self-discipline (in some translations, "self-discipline" is replaced with "a sound mind").

I'm thanking Jesus right now - yes, at this very hour - that this is true. It's true whether or not it feels true and it's true whatever we are faced with. There is nothing stronger than His name, and His spirit. And there are some big things going on out there in our world, in our community, all of which have not insignificant power and influence but ultimately none of them are more powerful than the name and spirit of Jesus. And it's because of that fact that we need not have a spirit of fear; there is nothing left to fear if you can let go and leave it all in His hands. They're the "hands that flung stars into space" as the song goes - I'm pretty sure they're qualified to deal with whatever you and I decide to fling their way!

This one's for you, bean!

Bouncing baby!

We tried out Noah's door bouncer tonight for the first time. He's certainly strong enough for it but not quite long enough bless him! We had to make a little bouncing platform for him to allow him to bounce at all. Very cute and I think that, in small bursts at first, he'll have fun using those tiny little legs!