Bartle Hall

For the last two day I have been lucky enough to have been attending an amazing course about how to make Powerful Presentations. It really has been an eye opener as to things that I do when I am giving presentations such as saying umm and err quite a lot! The first morning they recorded our presentations. We had been told to prepare a 5 minute presentation in advance. I did mine on the gala feeling sure as it's a subject I know a lot about I could easily fill the time. Which I did, But with lots of err and ummm. Watching the video back was a bit cringeworthy but once we had done the presentations again at the end of the second day I felt much more confident in my abilitys.

One of the big pluses was getting to spend  a couple of days at such a beautiful venue. Bartle Hall is a lovely place and the food was amazing! I did think umm not so great for my diet but honestly how often do I get to eat out like that!

They also had the most amazing tea, it was like loose tea in a chfion style material, Proper teabags they call them. I had to order some for at home and they turned up wrapped like a present. I love it when company's go the extra mile. It's nice having a nice (but quite expensive) cup of tea every  now and then.

Brock Bottom

A couple of weekends ago now we went to Brock Bottom which is a beautiful walk with a pebble stream running through it. We had been meaning to go for ages

The kids took there wellies and loved having a paddle, even Ewan who was complaining all the way there that he would rather be with his friends (he's at that age now where we are just boring!) But climbing trees is his thing so he soon came round once we got there and was glad we had packed his wellies!

We took a picnic and got a nice table overlooking the stream. Although it was sunny there was a sharp nip in the air and you could feel the weather changing.

The kids all slept in the car on the way home so that's always a sight they enjoyed it x

Hambleton, St Annes, Bispham Gala & Normoss with Staining Gala

The next round of last round of Galas we visited this summer was Hambleton Gala, which is one of our favorite galas, its a good size parade and then the crowning is quite short, the little kids can get very restless after sitting in the float then watching a crowning.

Molly and the gang won Best Float!

Next was St Annes Gala, it was the first time we had been to this one, but it won't be the last, we had a really great day, to start off we won Best Queens Float!

The prince Charming was unable to make it so Jake stepped in and was fantastic at it!

It was just a really nice sunny day, we had a dixie jazz band behind us on the parade, which is my kinda thing so it was just a really, really great day, i can't say that enough, i think it was the best gala day we had this season.

Little Alex was exhausted!

I might have been treated to a Prosecco!

Don't they look so cute!

The next week, was a very rainy Bispham Gala

and another First Prize for Best Queen on a Float!

We were followed in the parade by a horse and carriage which had Lytham Rose Queen in. Fred & Alex were mesmerized by the horse.

Later on in the parade one of the Riders? Drivers? not sure what they are called, was walking with the horse and i kept looking at her as i really recognized her...then i got it, She was the St Andrews Rose Queen, when i was a child and i was in her retinue! must have been about 1989, she is the older sister of one of the friends i had at school and Sunday School. It was nice speaking to her and i told the kids she was my Queen.

After a heavy down pour Ali was a bit fed up so went in the truck with Daddy

They were troopers though!

Ewan made an appearance again, he had spent alot of the galas at Nanas house as he is at that age where he doesn't want to go, but that said when he got there he enjoyed it and one of the retinue had a big brother the same age who was also walking with the parents so they would go a ahead together

The rain did stop for the crowning though thankfully

Finally was Normoss with Staining Gala

This made us laugh, Alex found a golf cart that had some people in watching the crowning, and he went and sat on the back and at one point started to fall to sleep! good job we kept an eye on him.

A few rides afterwards before we had to go and take the float apart and store it for the winter

Overall we had a great gala season, this is what its all about for us, the kids! 

Everyone on our float had fun and that's the main thing, it was sad to pack it all away and just today, Alex has asked me when we can go to a gala again x