Some people say birthdays aren't as exciting as you get older. Who are these people? They certainly didn't come out of the same mould as me! 

I love birthdays, any birthdays, but it's wonderful when it's yours! A day of being spoilt, less cooking than normal and excuse to eat sweets, cake and chocolate for breakfast.

This year we are in America for my birthday! My birthday itinerary was meant to include a train ride in to New York City, a mooch through Central Park, a visit to the famous toy store FAO Schwarz and a pootle in Fishs Eddy, a store we never made it to in February. 

However, we seem to have brought a typical British summer with us. Queue a forecast with rain clouds and thunderstorms! With the weather for the first part of the week hot and sunny we decided to save a trip around the city for later in the week .

My greatest pleasure for my birthday will be to spend a day around the pool, feeling the sun on my skin, watching the butterflies and the boys bobbing around in their rubber rings and maybe sneak a trip to Christmas Tree Shops in. They don't sell trees, they sell all sorts of "crap" my husband hates and I love!  

My family know me really well but with the wonder of Pinterest you can have a fantasy wish list all year round! Just incase anyone wants an idea! 

Here are a few things I would LOVE. I would be thrilled with any one of them!

From left to right; pretty plates, delicate earrings, rustic crockery, iPhone case, photography backdrops,  sweet tape, a tripod, the sister book to one I have already and wooden charger.

From left to right; colourful napkins, food photography guide book, bronze bowls, magazines, a peppermint chair, more magazines, a wooden filing unit, a sweet book a tray for anything and everything.  

Of course I am not expecting half of these, this list will be going forever!

What's on your wish list?!  

July has been an emotional month. 

An end of an era month. 

I like happy endings, but this month seems to have been full of endings, some not happy at all. 

We lost Richard's Grandma at the grand age of 99 and 4 months. Bless her heart, she told everyone she was 100! I had known Mabel (yes our dog is named after her and actually she loved that) for 14 years. She treated me as one of her grandchildren and I know we made her so happy taking our two boys to visit her often. 

She made a room feel happy. She burst into song for no particular reason, loved old fashioned Christmas family games and had a wicked sense of humour. Some of Rich and my best loved in jokes come from her sayings. 

I felt like I lost a Grandma too.  

It makes you realise the bond you have with those around you. That Rich, as his mother's only child is responsible for her, but that actually I am responsible too. That it will be me doing her hair as she gets older and writing letters to keep in touch, between visits. My mother in law is super fit (she plays tennis several times a week) so old age is a good way off! But honestly, I am quite happy to have two ladies to look after in 20 years and of course my father in law!

My in laws are moving too. Moving from the house they have lived in for 26 years. The house Richard has almost all his childhood memories in. The house where we first kissed when I was 16. When I got my car stuck up their driveway and had to get his parents out of bed to haul my car from a tree.

It feels sad for them to be leaving their house, but it feels like the right time too. They are starting a new chapter in Poole in a glorious house, if they let me blog some photos I will!  

This month has also seen the end of preschool and nursery for both boys. 

Sammy left both his preschools to start at the village school in Banwell in September and Ollie will start at the local Pre School, which means saying goodbye to the nursery the Heath family have been proud to be part of for 3 and a half years.

We had Ollie's last parent's evening at Little Bears Nursery on Monday evening and when I looked across at him, I saw a boy staring back at me, with a goofy smile, hair sweaty from suncream and flying in all directions.  

I was thrilled when I spotted the 'Learn to Dress Ollie Bear' toy in The Early Learning Centre! A perfect gift for his nursery buddies. 

A boy. Not a baby. (Queue an evening of feeling broody and desperate for a baby. But luckily it only lasts for a few hours.) 

We have been so fortunate with the childcare our boys have received. Wonderfully kind people who genuinely love their jobs and love the children they take care of. 

I cannot speak more highly of Hannah Tedder and Little Monkey's Pre School. Hannah goes above and beyond to encourage confidence and happiness in the children she cares for.

Little Owls has provided Sammy with almost, a home from home.

As Sammy has spent most of the last 2 years primarily at Little Owls I wanted to show them just how much we appreciated his time there. 

So instead of chocolates, wine and flowers I did something a little more permanent. Well for a year at least. 

I placed an advert in the local Post Office window. What better advertisement for a Pre School could there be than a parent's recommendation?!

My sister came to stay for a couple of days this week too. To make the most of the last month of her maternity leave. She will be back to work full time in September and Yasmin lu will be 4 months old. It's hard when everyday life means you need to go back to work earlier than you'd like, but I know they will make the most of every second they have as a family. Appreciate it maybe more than we do. 

I have adored Natty being on maternity leave. Some days we speak up to 5 times a day, even if it's just for a minute. We always have something to say and I love our Skype calls, where we carry on with our daily routine but have the laptops open. It has meant that my darling niece has got to know my voice, got to know my face - albeit 3 dimensionally! But she recognises me when I see her and that melts my heart.

Roll on the last week of August as the Broadleys and the Heaths are off to Southbourne for a whole week. 

We have arrived in New Jersey in America, Sammy and I had to literally run through the airport to get the last 2 seats on the first flight, we were given our staff standby tickets with just 8 minutes to get through security, leaving Rich and Ollie behind, but luckily there was space on the next flight, and at almost midnight we were all reunited. We are here to visit my brother and sister in law and see their new house for the first time. The house they will raise a family in and be our home in America. 

They are coming back to England for a week at Christmas, a week! Woo hoo!

And we are already planning my Mum's 60th celebrations.

Florida summer 2015 here we come! A family extravaganza!

Endings I have realised, don't have to be sad. They are often the start of a new opportunity. Patrick moving to America has been the most incredible opportunity for him, Sammy is ready for a new challenge at primary school and Ollie will thrive at Pre School surrounded by children slightly older than him.

Both our boys became more than a twinkle when my Granny passed away and when we lost Richard's Little Nan. 

I like to think they were making room for two new members of the family. 

Sad endings for happy new beginnings.

There are lots of new chapters starting in September, some I haven't shared yet, so watch this space. But it's not a baby, incase you were getting excited!

July. The month my baby seemed to stop being a baby. A month of holidays (too many we are feeling far too spoilt) and a month of family photos. 

I didn't have to set up a photo for July, for the Me and Mine Project. No special effort was involved like the past months. There was no shoot, no "come on we need to take a photo for Me and Mine" and no disappointment that one of us wasn't looking the right way!  

July has been a month of family. Family times, with all four of us. 

And it's made me realise there needs to be more like this month and less like the others.

When you go to friend's houses what are the photos you are most likely to see on the walls? Is it family snap shots or perfectly "naturally" posed family portraits on a white screen? 

Don't get me wrong (we had a family photo shoot - you can see the pictures HERE) there is nothing at all bad with posed family pictures (I've taken lots of lovely families and hopefully some more to come) but capturing family life should be more than just that! The photos around our homes don't have to be perfect, perfectly lit, and perfectly edited. 

Our house is full of photos. They are not perfect but they capture a moment. And I adore them. 

I know I am guilty of always wanting the perfect picture, taking 5 selfies of Rich and I until I like one (and the double chins are less obvious), but I need to embrace what we are, chins and all.

This was our month... 

We are a family. A little unit. 4 Heaths against the world! 

Watch out world we're coming to get you. 

Time to link up your wonderful family photos! Don't worry about light, angles or backgrounds. Just snap away and link it up with all of us.  

You've seen me and mine, now show me you and yours!

There are lots of lovely families who link up with this project including a very happy family of four over on Katie's blog Mummy Daddy Me.  Go and have a look at an award winning family blog. She's the best in the country! I promise you will love it!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.dearbeautifulboy.com/p/our-beautiful-family-life.html" title="dear beautiful" target="_blank"><img src="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll320/looby_boo/meampmine-button_zpscc9f6437.jpg" alt="dear beautiful" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Here's the months you might have missed of our family portrait project! 

June

March

May

February

April

January