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Perfectly planned peace

Izzy and Grace looking too grown up!
As ever half term has passed in a flash and on the one day I took off to be with the family literally no-one was around - perfectly planned or complete fail?! I will freely admit that the idea of a few hours to myself to potter around, safe in the knowledge that the family are all off doing something that makes them happy, is my idea of heaven.

Abi in particular has been nowhere to be seen. She was home to start with last weekend, but then stayed down with Amanda after we went visiting last Sunday, came back on Wednesday before heading out on Thursday to go riding at Angie's, from which she only got home this afternoon. Even on the evening she was at home she slept in her shed! I've had to work most of the week so it didn't really make a huge amount of difference to me but I do miss having her around for a quick huggle every so often.

Izzy on the other hand made the most of being the only child and has been using us more as a pit stop between various visits to friends. She came home on Sunday, went to Grace's for a sleepover on Tuesday evening, back on Wednesday and off to Mia's for a sleepover, back Thursday and pretty much straight off to Amber's Friday, then back home and off with them again on Saturday afternoon for a poolside BBQ. It did mean I have seen a little bit of her at least. She decided she wanted to come to yoga with me on Saturday which I love - the idea that some of this might stick and she might get into yoga at a younger age than me is wonderful. The class on a Saturday now is pretty hardcore - the room is heated to 30 degrees C before we start and gets hotter as we go - 90 mins of sweaty hard yoga with very little lying around hyperventilating (which what most of the men seem to think we do). By the end Izzy was bright red in the face, very tired and more than a bit impressed with what I can now do - result! She came home and stood in the shower trying to cool down for a while before heading out to the sunshine - what a treat to have long light days and some sun again.

Hopefully they are both mentally refreshed as it's straight back into exam week and I'm not sure wither of them are remotely prepared. Abi stated earlier in the week that "it is the teachers job to make sure the information she needs has stuck in her head" and Izzy announced today that she is planning on 'winging it'! I have never wanted to be a pushy parent and firmly believe they need to find it within to work hard for these things,  but statements like that do worry me a bit - I just hope they have been quietly checking their books to be on the safe side. I know Izzy has done a bit and Abi went off to bed this evening muttering something about looking at her science books - oh well, fingers crossed.

It's been really nice having a long weekend (2 in a row!) as I am feeling the effects of my first 3 months in a new job. I'm tired and looking forward to the beginning of July when we go away for a week - I can't wait. I am a bit worried that it's in the UK and so we may not get the weather, but regardless we will have a week of relaxation which will be lovely. I suspect I'm not helping myself by setting physical targets as well as the work ones - i'm on track for 1000 miles of running this year and I love the fact that I'm managing to fit it all in, even if at the moment I'm finding it hard to run a really long run at the weekend,. I've taken to running my 20 miles / week in 4 runs of more equal distance rather than 2 short ones and one long one.  Mentally that's a lot easier but today despite the  weather being beautiful I found it really hard work so I knocked it on the head after 6 miles.  I've still done my 20 miles target this week so I don't need to beat myself up about it. Between this and the yoga I'm feeling good even if my brain is mashed from all it's taken in over the last few months.

So 5 weeks left of school and work and then a week off. Abi has informed us that she plans on working at Angie's Monday to Friday in the summer holidays so we should make the most of her while we can. The thing about Abi is she is always very clear about what she wants and generally then goes after it in a laser like fashion, bulldozing anyone who gets in her way. I suspect this will serve her well in life, exam results or not.

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