This is the view out the french doors and over the deck.  How's the serenity?!  I had planned to put a couple more photos up, but the internet connection is sllloooowwww so I can't be bothered!
The hill in the distance is over the other side of the river, not far from where I grew up.  It is lovely and quiet here - apart from the odd car on the highway most of the time the only sounds are natural.
It is starting to get colder here now, especially at night when crawling into a big bed between two warm little bodies has definite advantages!  Wind and rain and wearing scarves to the park :)
Now that we are out of quarantine we are getting into a rhythm of social activities and outings.  Planned things on Mondays and every other Tuesdays and a couple of other things that happen on various days every week. We are in the process of organising a big group trip down to Hastings to use the pool in a few weeks with some other families which should be fun.  In the mean time we make stuff, jump on the new trampoline (beebee if you are Anouke), run around and wander through our days in a pretty mellow kind of way.  It is pretty safe to say that I am happier now than I have been in a long time :)

Phew!

Wow - its been a while and a lot has happened.  Within a couple of days of moving out of the old house and into Mum and Dad's spare room I was accepted for a place in Cradoc.  More specifically, a one bedroom unit built on to the back of the old community hall.  It has a LOVELY kitchen with lots of bench space, a huge back yard and the community hall for the small people to play in if outside isn't suitable.
It feels like coming home.  This is a much better size house for us.  Our beds are all in the one room squished together for optimal snuggling during the cold nights - by the time I go to bed Ianto and Anouke are usually already asleep and I crawl into a warm, milky nest and snuggle in with a book listening to their snuffles.  Bliss.  The Hall is the ultimate playroom and we will be hosting playgroup meetings there soon.  Sadly just after moving in Anouke got chicken pox, so we have been in quarantine for a while waiting for  that to pass which ends now so we can be back socialising again.
We have started transitioning to the GaPS diet too - slowly using up all the non allowed foods and replacing them with stuff that is allowed.  I can already see a difference in Ianto and feel better myself.

Ianto has started to develop writing and it is really interesting to watch it change and grow.  If he is doing it independently it is lines of 'o' and 'l' but he can copy letters and words, as evidenced by the double labels on a lot of the boxes we brought with us!
Anouke is starting to talk more and more. Mama actually refers to me now!  She is developing preferences for things (like her gumboots) and likes to chose her own clothes which has resulted in some fun combinations.  She is starting to grow up too and already reaches Ianto's shoulder!

Sadly I left my camera at Mum and Dad's house over the weekend, but when I get it back I will be uploading some photos of our little idyll in the country :)