May

May is always a bit of a funny month, I think.
We have it in our heads that it is going to be a lovely warm month, gently getting us used to the sunny summer that is just around the corner. In reality, it is often cold and wet, but with just enough warm sunny days to keep that hope of summer alive!
This May hasn't been so bad weather-wise, but has still been nothing like the kind of weather I always imagine May will bring.
Still, although I am way behind where I would like to be with planting things in the garden, it has been great to spend a large part of this month enjoying the outdoors again after a disappointing spring.
David (10) and Ally (6) have planted their sunflower seeds and are having a competition to see who can grow the tallest one.

Champion sunflowers are still a long way off though, as the little seedlings are only just popping their heads through the soil.

I haven't managed to plant my courgette, spinach or salad seeds yet, but I have planted out some beautiful bargain plants I got at Aldi.

I especially love this purple Clematis.

My mum bought Fraser (2) his own little gardening set so that he can help out too!

We have had lovely sunny, eat ice cream in the garden days...

...and we have had play in the muddy puddles in between the torrential rain shower days.

We have enjoyed our walks in the woods beside the house, where we looked for signs of Spring.

Calum (13) has been keeping up with his wildlife photography.

He has a folder full of photos that he is trying to narrow down to just a few to enter into the local show when we go home to my parents' in the summer!

May is also the month of Monday holidays, this May there were three Monday holidays from school - as well as a Tuesday holiday and a Thursday off for the Scottish election!

On one of those Monday holidays we headed out with the boys' cousins, my sister in law and my mum, to enjoy a walk and a picnic in a country park nearby.

Fraser and his little cousin managed to play around in the middle of their big brothers playing a game of football, without getting stood on or tripped over!

May saw us enjoying outdoor drinks at the garden centre. Outdoors, and warm too!

Finally, May is also the month of exams, and this year James (16) has been sitting his first major ones. He is sitting his National 5s, which are the new name for Standard Grades, and the equivalent to GCSEs in England and Wales.

He has been off on study leave for the whole month while he prepares for his 8 subjects. 5 are done, 3 to go.

Fraser has loved having his biggest brother at home throughout the day.

He enjoyed having him come along to do the food shopping with us on one of his breaks, and the wee trip to the coffee shop there.

But one of the best things about having his biggest brother home, is the amazing train tracks he can build for him!

He has one more week of study leave left and then it's back to school again. After that it's only around 4 more weeks and the summer holidays are here!

How has everyone else's May been? Are you counting down the days to the summer holidays yet? We haven't started counting down the days yet, but I can't believe they are just around the corner. Roll on those lazy days!