Family photos

Our new family portrait, taken by a friend at the park.  We had a fun day, walking in a nearby village:  visiting the local play parks, meeting pigs and horses, picking cherries, and wearing hats. Both Partner and I have lost weight since last summer's portrait--he's still losing it, too. 

Franklin has grown a lot over the summer, and is so heavy now!  He's always been chunky, but his wide chest and shoulders are really obvious now--not like the skinny boys on my side of the family.  He'll be starting nursery school in September, five days a week, three hours a day--if I can let him go, that is!  He's three and a half now, and is very excited about going to school, and likes to play out front on the street with the neighborhood kids.  Three of them were out yesterday, and Franklin saw them, turned to me and said, "My friends!"

 My parents visited us this month for two weeks, and did some decorating and home repairs, as well as a small amount of sightseeing.  Franklin was very comfortable with them this time, and everyone was sad to see them go. 

I plan on redecorating the entire house by the end of September (mostly this involves painting and decluttering).  I hope I can do it--I'm also working five days a week at my job, instead of the usual two, and my first week into it has left me completely exhausted.  It's not even double the hours I normally work--but waking early, running around after a toddler and taking care of chores during the day and then working a busy five hour shift on my feet in the evening is tough.  I console myself with the reminder that it's only for six weeks.  And then it's back to university I go...