August visits. 2013

It's been a busy busy week! Started off by meeting Dave and Sheila, Jon's mum and dad, for lunch on Monday. They were in London to go to the Royal Mews and Buckingham Palace. We met them in Paddington, never been there before. Very nice ! 

We had arranged to visit Joyce and  Colin for a few days before visiting Jo for the Bank Holiday. We had a few bits and pieces for Jo and had hoped to stay over on the way up to Yorkshire to drop things off.However, Andy's dad was staying so as we didn't want to intrude we agreed to go straight to Colin's on Tuesday. Just  as we were leaving the pub, Jo phoned to say Andy's dad had decided to leave early so we could stay. Quick turnaround and we were on our way to Jo's a day earlier than expected. Bonus !

 It was lovely to see Joyce and Colin. They  always make us welcome and we inevitably eat and drink far too much. However a long walk helped limit some of the damage

                             

                           

  

 Joyce had mentioned a bridge on this walk that she thought I wouldn't like. She also threatened

 Malcolm and Colin with a fairly drastic surgical procedure if they mucked about and shook it while we were crossing it.

She was right. I didn't like it. 

It was very wibbly wobbly and moved far more than I was expecting. Joyce didnt like it anymore than I did.               

               Hanging on for dear life!

Bridge crossed, we headed off for lunch. This was the view from our table. Not bad eh?

The walk followed the river for a long way. It is very shallow in places and there were lots of people messing about with boats and lilo's.

Nearly at the tea time stop.

The old school house tea rooms.

               

This used to be a school but is now a very busy tea room. We all had a cream tea, watched over by a 

                             

 ( He wasn't actually that close!)

After a lovely few days we headed down to Desborough.

Jo and Andy had invited a golf buddy of Malcolm and Andy to stay. Madelyn was very taken with Malcolm B. He got to play finger puppets for ages.

    

We went to Foxton Locks on Friday afternoon. No yum yum for the ducks but they came over anyway.

While the blokes played golf we went shopping

Madelyn enjoyed herself in Rymans. This little chair was just right.

Just standing here looking beautiful.

Avril bought Madelyn these super cute Peppa Pig Pjs.

She looked lovely in them

                        

          

        

          In the garden                                       

    She played for ages in her little house. The stones are from Jo's water feature. Just goes to prove that expensive toys are not really necessary.

So that Jo could get some work done we took gorgeous chops out for a couple of days. We went to a  country park in Corby. It was soooo hot. This is what Madelyn was wearing when we went out.

This is what she was wearing when we came back

                                       ⬇

   One of her favourite pass times is feeding the ducks with some yum yum.

She breaks the bread off a few crumbs at a time and it takes ages .

 But she loves it!

Fish fed it was time to share a drink and an ice cream

     

                        

The next day we went to Wickstead Park. It has lots of big rides for older kids but there is a superb selection of things for little ones. She went up and down the slides about a hundred times. This was one of 3 all getting progressively higher.

   

This was a train that wobbled if you shook it hard enough. Grandad is just out of sight wobbling for all he was worth. Madelyn wobbled too but she was just not heavy enough to make it move at all.

Super cute in Peppa Pig !

                                               Look at me !!    

                             

One day she is going to work out how to turn it on

                                Say cheese.

                   

    

And finally. This photo isn't particularly clear, but I like it. A bit moody don't you think.

    

Death in the afternoon August 2013.

 

Bit grim this, but it's a good picture.

I was in the kitchen and heard something hit the window in the other room. It's usually pigeons that fly into the windows, they lay in the garden looking a bit dazed then fly off. However, this time it wasn't a pigeon but a huge sparrow hawk.

 It had caught a starling and I'm not sure which one hit the window. Both I think.

 I'm pleased to say the hawk flew off with its kill and didn't rip it apart on the lawn. It looks bad enough as it is without bird parts all over it !

Joseph's First Birthday. August 2013

 So little Joseph turns one this week. The year has gone really fast and he has changed a lot since we first saw him. Julie and Russell invited us to a  BBQ to help celebrate his birthday. The weather was lovely and we all had a great time in the sunshine.

Where's my dinner?

Dad busy with the BBQ. 

Joseph busy with his brothers.

 Gonna do some mighty fine cooking on this !!

Joseph's birthday is on Friday but Julie let him have one of his presents today.

 Wonder what it is?

Mummy made a brilliant cake, in fact mummy did a brilliant job all round . It was a lovely afternoon and we all enjoyed it very much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSEPH.XX

The kids come to stay July/ August 2013

Day 4.

Today was blisteringly hot and the general consensus was to get the pool out and just chill in the garden. It takes ages to fill so the girls wandered off to make a film. Surprisingly, William was invited to join in. He scampered off at great speed overjoyed at being allowed to be part of the action.

Perhaps if he knew what he would have to wear, he might not have been so keen.

     This is the photo I sent you all. The owner of the bra remains a mystery. The 'padding' is a pair of dad's socks.The 'skirt' is actually a boob tube from the days when I had boobs that fitted in a tube as opposed to today when a large bucket would probably be more appropriate !

The girls came down wearing a selection of Previously Loved items and William got to change into a snazzy little one piece.

The pool finally got filled and dressing up clothes were swapped for .......no clothes at all.

Abigail just wanted a bit of peace and quiet to read her kindle.!!

 Day 5

On Friday, their last day here, we took the to the cinema. It's years since we've been to a kids movie and I have to say we really enjoyed it.

We had a truly fabulous week and I was more than a little bit sad when Emma and Nick came to take them home. Wonderful kids,a joy to be with. Hope they enjoyed the week as much as we did.

The kids come to stay July/ August 2013

Day 2 

It was hammering down today so we decided to go swimming along with every other family in the South East. Before we went the girls played dressing up, Vic do you recognise these clothes? The 'skirt' is going to turn up again later in the blog.

                  

 One thing they always ask is if they can do craft

They did some painting and colouring, no glitter this time though.

The kids come to stay. July/ August 2013

Day 1

The first week of the holidays and we had a full house. We had already arranged to have the children to stay, then Roy and Sheila changed their plans and came to stay as well so we had a busy week. 

I had bought the girls a 'make your own dolly' it looked easy enough so they settled down to make them and dad took William off to golf

  The dolly making became a bit of a mission. Although the material looked like felt it was in fact,Kevlar! The stupid little needle bent if you blew on it and the cotton was as thick as rope! Phoebe managed very well but Abigail needed a lot of help. However, after a few hours they had both finished( hours spread over a week that is)