Back Garden Capers

Saturday Paul had to work in the morning, so me and the kids went off to Cleveleys to help decorate the Queens float, but when we got back after all our errands and shopping had been done, we decided to sit in the garden as it was such a lovely day. We decided to give our new camping stove a whirl to make sure it worked as we have been toying with the idea of a few little last minute camping trips at the weekends over the summer, should we have some good weather, so we have been buying all the bits and bobs we need.

We just made sausages and had them like hot dogs, then i made some cheesy nachos, i really really love these

Ice cream for afters

and a cup of tea for us.

I finally got to use some of my le crueset things like this kettle  as they work better on gas and we have an electric stove, so probably we will have the most expensive camping kettle on the site!

Ewan declared they were the tastiest sausages he had ever ever had and even the next morning asked if they could do it again. Its amazing how much they enjoyed the evening considering that really we were just cooking on a gas stove in the garden, just shows that you really don't need to spend much money to have fun with kids. Now we just need to look for a bigger tent as ours is just a 4 person tent which we got the kids to play in.

Hope the weather stays x

Haggerston Castle Part 2

 Sunday was Pauls before I went to bed the night before I put up banners and laid out his pressies just like we do for the kids, and in the morning I put out his cake, I had to buy one instead of make it this year as we were away. Part of his present was a go on a segway, he really really enjoyed it, i watched him whizzing past and the instructor-. took him round the park. The first thing he said when he finished was we have to get one of these! It would be great and would make the school run super easy! After this we did Archery, me, Paul and the older two, Molly was excited to be able to have a go this year, they got out one of the mini crossbows for Fred. After dinner it was all about Ewan as Molly wasn’t old enough for those activity's  yet, which is a shame, I had intended to take her to the kids club but she started to sulk, then claimed she wasn’t feeling well, she did develop a temperature and I thought on no she could be ill for days, so Paul stayed in with her and the littleys. Ewan did Climbing wall and High ropes, while i catch up on a little crochet, Then we  popped back and i made tea and headed out for Pool kayaking, which was only him so he got a private lesson. With Molly feeling ill, we didn’t go out and to be honest it was nice to stay in, cuddle up and watch a film.

After Pauls adventure on the segway, I fancied a go so booked in on Monday morning and he was right, it was great, we really should get one!, she even let Ewan have a quick go.

 Molly had woke up feeling absolutely fine, so thinking that perhaps it was a little bit of jealousy. So today we decided to have a look at what is outside the park. We have our English heritage pass, so we looked in the book and found Etal Castle so off we went. The kids enjoyed having a look round and it was quite interesting for Ewan looking at the weapons displays. We had a picnic in the carpark and then on to the next place Berwick garrison, which housed a military Museam, a Berwick museum and an English heritage museum. After all that we headed back to the park for a swim, tea and out for the evening.

Ewan got picked to go up on stage in one of the competitions

The park was quite quiet after the weekend rush, because of course people get fined for taking there kids out of school in term time. Whilst I can understand why they have put fines in place for people who don’t take there kids to school just because they can‘t be bothered ,I think  its actually badly affecting all those familys whom do take there kids to school and are on time, but just want to go away on holiday for a week. Being on holiday makes you realize just how important it is to be together as a family away from the routine of work and school, hobbies and activity's. It gives you time to reconnect and notice things that you might not see in ordinary life, such as sitting back and just watching the kids play and dance and get involved with things, where normally I would grab the opportunity of them being occupied to cook or tidy or sort out some task that needs doing, but its good to watch them grow and learn. Even for couples its nice to get away from the grind of daily life and spend quality time together with out all the pressures and time concentrates and in a world where over 50% of marriages break down surly that’s important. I really would like to know exactly what it is the schools think the kids are missing out on by not going to school. On the way here we pointed out things that might interest them and they have learnt about motorways and signs etc, but if you are flying on holiday, kids usually ask about the planes and airports, important things they need to know about, On a cruise a few years ago Ewan was asked up to the bridges and the captain explained about how the ships operate. All types of important information that is much more likely to stay with them than if thy read it or watch a program about it. Travel in any form can provide learning opportunities even if you aren’t really trying to impart knowledge. On our holiday they kids have tried lots of sports and activities, fencing, archery, climbing, swimming to name  a few also we have visited local places for interest, abroad they might learn a few words in another language and see how other cultures live and try different types of food. Well you can do all of that in the summer holidays I hear you say!! But for many families the cost is just to high. For example the holiday we took was £244 for 7 nights in a prestige caravan, the exact same holiday in a few weeks time during half term was over £900 which is more than we spent in total on food, activities , petrol and spends. For many this is just not affordable and so if they are not able to take holidays in the cheaper term time, miss out on all that I have mentioned but above all, they miss out on important relaxing family time which could make all the different to their lives in so many ways. The teachers say its disruptive to them  but in my sons class this year he has had three teachers is that not disruptive, also they have booked a school away trip to waterpark in the lakes doing out door pursuits for a week, similar to what we have done this week, but the cost is more than this holiday and if he went he would miss a week of school, why is it any different. I think the government should find other ways to penalize parents who kids have poor attendance, without removing important family time.

oooh that was a bit of a rant but sometimes its just good to say what you feel.

Final holiday snaps next, and a ta-dah moment for the Glamor Kaftan x

Haggerston Castle Part One

By the time you read this we will have just got back from a 7 night holiday at Haggerston Castle Haven near Berwick. We booked it last year after we got back from our last one. I know I have said this before , but I get so so stressed before I go away as I need to make sure everything is just right, this year was worse, in fact properly the worse timing ever as Gala day is only weeks away and a few nights before we went I spotted an e-mail about some paper work that the council required and would have to be done before we left. I had already done this paperwork but the council needed it done in another format as they have changed some of the regulations this year. But I stayed up late and got it done and I think (HOPE) everything is on schedule. I know when I get back things will be manic and all Gala, Gala, Gala, so I am going o make the most of this holiday.

So we had decided to leave early on Friday Morning so that we could pack the car the night before and just get up and walk out, and I had spent all week, packing and cleaning, then on Thursday at about 6pm Paul calls from work to say that the job, the car had been booked in for on Tuesday but kept getting postponed could not be done till 8.30am on Friday morning!!! To say I was not happy was an understatement, but with no other options it had to be done, and really it spoilt the night before and as I suspected on Friday morning the 4 overexcited children woke up super early and just charged round the house, pulling stuff out and generally ruining all the hard work I had put into cleaning and making sure the house would look nice to come back to. By the time Paul had collected the car and we had crammed it to bursting point with all our stuff my stress levels were very high!

Half an hour into the journey I had started to relax and unwind and I started a new crochet project as the ones I had on the go were a bit to challenging or large for the car. When I am travelling I need something repetitive so I don’t need to read the instructions all the time and I can just get on with it. I chose a Glamour Kaftan that I got via Ravelry from the Redheart website, I am sure you will see it when its done. It was nice though to sit back and look at the senery later on in the journey.

I love driving through the country and to keep the kids entertained i had printed some sheets out from the crayola website, i spy games, and travel bingo which they loved (more about that another time)

After about an hour the kids were hungry and wanted to stop, we pushed it out a bit and managed to get to Worchester Services, which if you have not been is definatly worth a stop. Paul had seen it on a program and new I would like it, so had been looking out for it. Its privately owed and it sells all local produces and they have what is called a lifestyle shop. We bought some cheese and onion focatta bread and some creamy Lancashire cheese and ate it on the rest of the journey, it was delicious. The services were amazing i wouldn't mind taking a trip just to shop there.They had a gougous little play area for kids and it wasn't the usual soft play, you could see it had been designed specifically for the place. We stopped on the way back as well and stayed over a hour, the views were breathtaking and the meals were out of this world and quite reasonably priced for a service station.

Little tables!

Even little toilets in the family room! cute

Fred was not enjoying the journey, Fred is very set in his ways and I like his routine, anything different can really upset him and our last few holidays have been a challenge as he has not slept and has cried for home and his own bed, he had enjoyed the activities, but underneath he has always been unsettled, despite everything we have tried. So this year we again worried how he would react to it all and as predicted the minute the case’s were packed and he knew something was going on, and when we set off his face accompanied by don’t like it want to go home said it all and he was very very quiet for the journey he was just so unsettled and he had horrid nappies, we both felt really sad for him. But then when we got in the caravan his face lit up and after we had unpacked and we popped out to get the shopping (nearest Aldi & a quick nonalds which happened to be next to it) and he saw it again he pointed and said home now and that first night he slept thought and woke up one happy bunny. Thank god.

To be fair though the caravan is lovely. We booked an upgrade this year to a prestige Caravan, which is a lot newer and has central heating which is the major reason we upgraded in the first place, as we are usually so cold and it been a bit of a killer really, even last September when it was really good weather. It seems our caravan is privately owned as there is a guest book in the kitchen from the owner. It has decking round it with chair and table and patio door leading out on to it, it really is spacious and has everything we need., even two toilets which are in rooms next to each other (bit of a waste of space really) but I think this is they way to go in the future.

Day 1

The kids were up super early so I got up with them at 6am and our first activity was for Fred really but Molly and Ewan were allowed to have a go, was Mini archery, Fred loved this they had special little bows and rubber darts and at the end they kids had to put their faces through the target and the parents got to try and shoot them!!!

 Molly & Ewam then did mini Fencing, fred didn’t want to join in till the end when they were packing up. Off to the kids club for welcome meeting, mini zumba and arts and crafts, quite handy that  all the activities we had pencilled in today were indoors and it rained all morning. After dinner though the sun came out and we had a nice stroll to the swimming pool, and for all Freds talk of Swimming underwater, he clung to his swim ring with his armbands on and whinged for the hour he was in the pool. Alex loved it and was laughing and happy, We laughed at Ewan who forces Molly to go on the slide first and you could see he was scared by the look on his face as he came down.
After tea we go ready for what Ewan & Molly had been waiting for since the last holiday GO Live. This is the night time kids entertainment where they play games and have dancing competitions and they have teams. Fred  and ali fell asleep and Ewan was up at the front joining in. We left just after 9pm when the entertainment came on as we had seen a Freddie mercury impersonator walking round earlier and had hoped that was the evening entertainment (when we got married we had a Freddie impersonator on our wedding night and we were sat watching him in our wedding dress and suit, it was amazing specially as Paul is such a massive fan!), but it wasn't, it was a band and by that time the kids were really tired.

A chance to wear some of my new collectif dresses yay

Bye for now xx

Whats up Moms

On my facebook page last weekend i found this https://www.youtube.com/watchv=NPG0Ob4dO8E 
its a youtube page called Whats up moms and this link is a parody of Taylor Swifts Shake it off and its all about pintrest, i can see myself a bit apart from i do venture out into the world. Its so funny. take a look. When i had some time later in the week i looked at they others including late for pre-school and livin for the share, I am a little bit addicted now, they sum up motherhood really well. I did come across one called in memory of Connie, it seems that they had another founding member who died in childbirth, its so strange that i had spent a couple of hours watching videos about her and the pregnancy, and then that happened, it really made me cry, you forget that things like that still happen and they shouldn't.

Better get back to the kids its Hama Time!

Bye x

Sun Shine stay!

Yesterday was  lovely sunny day and it got me thinking at as well as loving sunny weather it also has loads of benefits, the kids are happy to play out which means the house is tidier for longer, the washing can be dried outside so it barely if at all needs ironing and you can do loads, yesterday i did three loads! (i know, the excitement!), you use less, gas and electric so saving money and if like me you tan easy you, can look great at the end of the day! Plus outside you can do loads of crafts that would make one big mess inside. I have a list as long as my arm for this summer, after the gala, as i don't think i will have all that much time between now and then.

Another benefit is Car booting, i love looking for bargains but so far they have been full of tat really, i suppose if you have something decent now you put it on e-bay. Also as it was really nice weather last weekend, it took nearly an hour to leave

Wish i had taken my knitting as it was lovely and warm sat in the car.

When we finally made it back, Paul taught Molly to ride without stabilizers, she is big enough for Ewans old bike now, but she just cried all the time, she didn't even fall off, so it wasn't as if she had hurt herself, she says she doesn't like bikes. she is just very stubborn and once she has made up her mind she will stick to it no matter what, i definitely know who she takes after with that!!(and its not us). Paul has loads of patience so i am sure she will learn on day and she did do really well, she just needs to decide she wants to learn.

The worst thing about last week was getting tooth ache on Monday, i had to go to the emergency dentist, who says i need root canal, so now i am on really strong antibiotics and have felt really lethargic and lazy this week, despite it being really quite busy.

Well today is spring cleaning day so i need to motivate myself, we are going to go through everything sorting and cleaning, no stone will be left un turned today!

bye xx