Hogmanay

Hogmanay was spent with Granny & Grandad Rooney at Fuente Alamo. We had a lovely New Years Eve dinner cooked by Sue and Kevin before heading up to the village's Spanish bar for the party - which never started until 12.30am! Adam tried his best but was crying after 5 minutes and headed back home with his Granny. Not so for Grandad Rooney who found the energy to dance and party on until 6am...

Adam's 7th birthday

The long-awaited "real" toolbox and tools.

Birthday battenburg cake at the top of Peña Rubia.

Adam checking out the view of Cehegín

Birthday cake with candles this time!

Adam and his best friend Massimo.

12 days of Christmas

Christmas Day

Third Christmas in Spain - in a different house each year!

Adam still loving Gormiti.

Infinity kisses, cuddles and love!

Bucks fizz on the terrace after Christmas dinner.

Weekends out and about

T-shirts in November.

"Ice"-skating

This was hilarious (for me) watching Bambi Snr & Jnr skiting all over the rink! Steven says it is much harder than skating on ice as opposed to this plastic stuff but I declined to test that theory out.

Supernanny

My American friend asked me if I would look after her children while she and her husband went on a long overdue child-free vacation as her previously arranged babysitter could no longer do it. Luckily for her we are good friends because this involved 6 kids for 10 nights/11 days/32 mealtimes - and I would not have actually volunteered! We all had a laugh though - there are many differences between the American English and Scottish English. Hahaha. I also saw it as a good reason to have a 10 day alcohol detox. Adam and Steven only lasted a weekend before returning to our apartment - clearly life with the Castos was far too hectic for the Rooney boys.

Adam with 4 of the 5 brothers

Steven taught them to play conkers.

Sunday morning walk by the river

Around town.

Under the pool table during hide and seek.

Making a fort!

Fiesta

As usual, the return to school is delayed a week here in Cehegin so the whole town can enjoy a week long party from the 8th til the 14th September (like they really need another week off after the 13 they've just had!) A week of shows, kids activities and 24 hour partying. Adam missed the finale fireworks cos they started at 1am and the first day of school was the following morning (and I am a mean mum).

Residencia

We finally got around to getting the paperwork to show we are resident in Spain - not sure yet what benefit (if any) will follow. Took a trip to Murcia, paid the fee, handed over the mountain of paperwork they needed and got given our A4 sheets of paper to say we live in Spain. Adam's photo was the best of 3! He was too smiley in one and grimacing in another!

Work

Steven decided not to renew his contract for a full-time teaching job in Murcia city. The 13 hour days were not working out well for any of us! Instead he decided to take part-time work teaching English locally and (hopefully) build those hours up to full-time by the end of the year. At the moment he is working part-time in Caravaca (the next town over) and I have found myself helping out a few hours a week at an academy here in town! Adam comes with me and does his homework or joins in with whatever I am doing with the Spanish students - although he finds it very hard to remember to speak to the kids in English! Fingers crossed Steven will pick up more classes and we will be able to stay...

Edimburgo

Adam was really excited to be heading to Edinburgh to visit friends and family although he was a bit sad that his dad had to stay in Spain to teach English at summer school. He only had one thing on his list of things he wanted to do which was visit East Links family park - obviously it rained during our visit - often!

The poor piper was rained off for ages...

The piper was loud - not particularly bad.

The obligatory "Princes Street with Castle" photo.

Adam reminded me there was a good park in the gardens.

East Links family park - thankfully the rain stopped.

Adam and his cousin Sarah on the new fort.

Visiting with friends - a week living like gypsies!

Happy to be back in Granny's garden.

Horrific! But funny...