In the last month...

What a busy month I have had, I have a new nephew, got my first swimming certificate, I completed my first year working at the school, enjoyed a lovely 2 week holiday in Cornwall, I turned 32 and started my IVF injections.

Firstly my sister had a baby on the 29th June, he is called Edward and is a cutey. I am working on a crocheted blanket for him.

A few months ago I decided to go to swimming lessons to help build up my confidence in deep water I could swim 25 metres but only next to the side of the pool and I was very nervous in deep water, but since doing the lessons my confidence and stamina has come on in leaps and bounds and I did my 800metres and got a badge and certificate! I was so proud of myself even if the certificate is a children's one if someone had told me last year that I could swim 800 metres I would not have believed them.

My achievement

I finished school for summer after completing my first year as a teaching assistant there and I have to say this year has gone so fast and I have enjoyed every minute of work this year. It was sad saying goodbye to the year 2 children, but I look forward to the next lot of children in September.

On the 13th July we went on our holiday to St Ives and despite the weather not being too good recently we didn't have it too bad, we had more sunny days than not. On the first weekend Matthew and I went for a walk 6 miles along the coastal path to Zennor when we set out it was cloudy so I didn't have suncream on by the time we got to Zennor it was glorious sunshine and my face and shoulders were bright red - not a mistake I will make again - it was so painful!

On the coastal path - before the sunburn!

 I also went swimming in the sea with my new confidence of the water and we rented wet suits and body boards on the recommendation of my swimming tutor and I loved it!

On my birthday which was on the middle Sunday of the holiday, we went to Wadebridge and hired bicycles and rode 6 miles to Padstow. We had a lovely day there, a picnic, a paddle, some geocaching and cycled back again, I really enjoyed cycling I felt like I reclaimed part of my youth when I was overtaking Matthew and riding so fast with the wind in my hair!

Padstow on my birthday!

Cycling the camel trail.

Matthew got me a Kobo e-reader for my birthday with a book that I really wanted to read 'Home to Roost' by Tessa Hainsworth, the 3rd book of a true story about moving to Cornwall. Which I read within a day and Matthew being Matthew and a little bit cheeky also put on '50 shades of grey' a book which I was determined not to read, because of the hype around it. I did and although at first I thought it was a bit annoying I stuck with it and it does draw you in. Its perhaps not the best book I have ever read, but its not the worst and I will get the next two books to find out what happens next.
I love my Kobo though it is so easy to read with it and easy to take it anywhere and obviously it saves you from being embarrassed at reading '50 shades' in public!

And last but not least on the day I went on holiday I started my IVF injections, I had to take an injection at the same time everyday I chose 7pm and if we went out for the day I took it with me. There were sometimes I had to take it discreetly in a car park but apart from that everything has gone smoothly because I was on holiday I wasn't spending all day dreading it and thinking about it.On Monday I went to the hospital to have a scan to check the drugs were working then I had to start on the second lot of injections as well so now its 2 injections a day. I look a bit like a pin cushion and the side effects, like the hot flushes and generally feeling bloated and sick and achy is starting to get me down. But it is a step in the right direction so I have to be positive.

Cool camping!

And when I say cool I mean it in both senses of the word. At May Day bank holiday we went to Anglesey, North Wales, in what was our first camping trip in 2 years. We went to Bagnol caravan park on a recommendation that Matthew had got and it didn't disappoint. We met up with my sister Christiana and her boyfriend Matt there and they stayed in our tent along with their dog Max.

 The campsite was very close by to Trearddur Bay just 5 mins walk, we hadn't been to this part of Anglesey before and it was lovely and peaceful and the campsite itself was really nice.

Bagnol Caravan Park

Trearddur Bay

 Unfortunately the first night temperatures were below freezing so we all ended up sleeping in our clothes and hats. The next day we set out to explore Trearddur Bay in our coats and hats but soon the sun came out and by the end of the day I had a sunburned face. Talk about one extreme to another!

Our view from the tent

This last weekend, 'Jubilee weekend' we went for our second camping adventure of the year this time on our own, we stayed at a campsite called 'Middlewood Farm' which was ideally located for Robin Hoods Bay which I had heard about a lot but never visited before. 

The campsite was good, the only down point was that because we were on a field that they'd opened up for the bank holiday, we were 3 mins walk from the facilities and if you've got a bladder the size of a pea like me this is a difficulty! 

 The campsite was on a real working farm so from the tent we could see horses in one field, cows in another and sheep too. I have also never seen (or heard) so many different types of songbirds! 

The walk to the bay from the campsite was great, first through along a path at the side field of beautiful big eyed cows, then through an enchanted woodland before opening out to a lovely quaint town with cottages huddled together then out to the beach. 

Walk from campsite to Robin Hoods Bay

We had a fantastic weekend even though it was a bit cold at times and cloudy but it was definitely fun filled.We had walks along the beach and rocks. We did some rock balancing sculptures on the beach and when one fell and smashed we discovered some fossils,took pics to go on instagram (abbiefh) we went for a walk and did some geocaching (matt_n_abbie) which lead us to this beautiful little National Trust cove called Boggle Hole, We went to Whitby stood under the whale bone then climbed all the steps up to Whitby Abbey. We ate fish and chips (or Whitby scampi and chips as I had) on the seafront, ate '99' ice creams, had fresh crab sandwiches and barbecue food and had lots to drink. I loved it!

Our last night in Robin Hoods Bay

Dreaming of St. Ives

You probably won't believe me but this was taken on the 1st January 2010...Beautiful!

St Ives has got to be my favourite place in the whole world and it is very special to me, my husband and his family have been on holiday here every year since before he was born. I decided to go with them in 2003 the year after we met and fell completely in love with everything about it. We got married here in 2006 and we continue to go every year, twice a year - 2 weeks in July and 1 week over new year.

And guess what...we go next Friday!!!