It's always fun when Grandma comes

The boy's love it when any of their Grandparents come. They are pretty much their favourite people. Bonus for me that one this occasion my Grandma came too, she is one of my favourite people.

Lots of chat,

nice lunch,

some felt cutting,

cooing at the babe's looks and character,

more chat,

playing in the garden, loving all the plants

listening to school tales,

more chat.

Football Tournament numero uno

Joseph has been going to football training for a year now, a team coached by Coach Liam and Coach Nathan!! The under-6's went to their very first tournament and played their very first matches against other teams back in early June. Cue rain, the fine stuff which gets you drenched!! The boys did well, won their first two, drew one and then lost their last two. It felt like a bit like a rite of passage for  a mum of boys and I wonder how many ofootball tournaments and matches we'll get to go and see over the years for each of the boys. Ben at this moment has no interest in going to football training on a saturday - 'Is Joseph going to football in the morning?' 'Yes' 'And I'm staying at Home??' 'Yes' 'Yippee, I love staying at home!' 'Do you want to go to football, because you can if you like? ' No, I hate football!' This is probably as he gets to have a lazy, choose what I want to watch type of morning 

We're off!

GOOOOAAALLL! 

We won!

Chilling out between matches with lego figures of course!

My big brother plays football so that's what I do too!

I also go and make friends with the other teams and get/take sweets from them too!

Ben turns 5

How we love our 5 year old!

This boy is, to use a Gemma Adamson phrase - handsome as heck! 

He is also really easy to please which melts me. Today Nathan said 'Ben do you want to go on a bike ride?' He squealed 'Yes Daddy!' then ran to get his shoes on turned round and ran back up to Nathan ' Thank-you Daddy!' He was so excited. Nathan made some adjustments to his seat and pumped his tyres. Ben was at his side spanner in hand 'I'll help you Daddy....OLLIE, I'm helping my dad mend my bike!' he bellowed over the fence. Off he went down the lane to school. Apparently he did really well, trying hard to keep his hands still so he could ride straight. Unfortunately on the leg home he fell off into a bed of nettles :( so when he came in he yelped 'Mummy, I don't want to go on a bike ride again!'

As it was his 5th birthday, it was all actions go to organise a special birthday party. He wanted a superhero theme. So we had a superhero treasure hunt to open proceedings - find 6 superhero symbols then come and get a clue where your treasure lies.

Their treasure was their superhero mask. 

Superheros unite!

Time for musical chairs.

It's my party and I'll hover over the chairs if I want to!

Super Locke takes flight!

Pin the star on Captain America's shield.

Cake time! 

Grandma's super pass the parcel with forfeits and choose a prize from Grandma's super shop - premium pass the parcel!

Finally the piece de resistance - the Daddy designed obstacle course. Throw a ball through a hoop, weave through the charirs, smash cones like Hulk, under the tunnel, through the net, grab a water bomb and hit the baddie! Uncle Tom was a great sport! The kids loved it and went again and again!

Aunty Alice gets in on the act.

Super baby shows off his super strength (Can some one tell this boy he is only 17 months old???) 

Everyone seemed to have a good time even the birthday boy who actually didn't fully partcipate in any of the organised activities as he was too happy to be Captain America in his own little world. Grateful that the weather turned out good in the end as in the morning it had thrown it down. Grateful for  families who help out. So many jobs were involved in the running of the day and we could not have done it without them.

After party chez nous - water fight!

Great day!

Le Tour De Yorkshire

Last Saturday whilst Nathan and Joseph were away at Waddington air show ( cue music -'It's the most wonderful time of the year' for Nathan), Ben, Seth and I went on a little adventure to find le Tour. We travelled with grandma and Aunty Alice to collect Aunty Hope from 'Sleepy Saltaire' at 7:50am. Caught the 8:11 train to Shipley meeting a hoard of other eager traveller. By the skin of our teeth we were able to squeeze onto the train towards Ilkey. At Baildon, Menston and Guisley there were crowds of people waiting on the platforms and somehow a few on each managed to find a small space on the train but the majority had to wait for the next train - it was travelling sardine style. Rather than travel to Ilkley we took the less popular choice and departed at Ben Ryhdding, where Grandma works. Ben and Jack had a joyful reunion on the platform which was really sweet. We could not believe our luck finding ample space to sit on a wall in front of 'The original factory shop' perfect for buying some new sunglasses as I had forgotten mine and for a toilet ( these things matter when you're  a mum!) Also next door to a Tesco Express perfect for Costa hot choc, chocolate croissants, ice - cream,

stones to play with and a corner which in fact was the actual Bat-cave!!!

Not the most picturesque venue of the day but totally practical and if you looked carefully the cow and calf at Ilkley was in our backdrop! 

(Seth not sure what all the fuss is about!)

We arrived at 9:15 ish an hour or so later the beginning of le tour caravan began to come by in drips and drabs - different sponsers which their themed cars - fruit shoots, mcann chips ( not sure how they promote cycling but hey!) a boy next to us caught a freebie of yorkshire tea. The atmosphere was cheerful and  friendly. 

Ben and Jack played really well together and it made the wait so much easier that they had each other, Seth napped. It could have been a nightmare but it wasn't at all. Then finally at 1224 they came. 

At this point this is where Ben was - he wanted to go to the Bat cave and was not impressed with Mum making him watch some bike go by!! lol!

(  Team Sky at the front of this picture - could be Chris Froome??)

The crowds cheered waved their freebie flags, clapped and cheered some more as all 200 cyclists rode by. It was a great sight. Over in a matter of seconds really but definitely worth the wait to say we had been there to see, been there to partake and add to the atmosphere. A day to celebrate being Yorkshire.

Watching the TV footage of the thousands, no hundreds of thousands of people that had lined the streets was really something special. Seeing the thousands of people who had hiked to the heights of the Butter Tubs, literally in the middle of nowhere, was moving. A great day. 

Vive la Yorkshire!

Back on the bike

I have obviously got out of the habit of writing my blog. I feel a bit sad about the small things that have happened over the past months which as I didn't record are buried somewhere deep in my cluttered mind. They are there but so much harder to retrieve than flitting through old blog posts. Time to get back into regular recording.

Currently I am enjoying -

1. Discovering the different plants in our new garden. Almost daily there is something new coming into bloom or dying off. We have a purple magnolia bush, a gorgeous bush with thick pink blossoms, daffodils, bluebells, forget-me-nots, a honeysuckle about to bloom and loads more of which I have no clue what they are called! The other Monday morning I awoke and determined that that day I would dig out some bushes to make space for a veg plot. Something we'd been getting round to doing for weeks. A couple of hours and I'd cleared the spot. Perhaps half an hour later dear Kath rang and said that Dennis wondered if he could come round and plant us some potatoes - what are the chances?! So by the time Nathan came home from work we had a veg bed already planted with potatoes and onions and peas planted too! Blessing of being part of a ward family too. I am also trying to create a herb bed and grow some salad leaves in a tub on the patio. 

For me watering the plants and hanging washing on the line are two of life's simple pleasures which add to a sense of inner well being.

We have the garden furniture up and have eaten out a number of times already. Being so close to the kitchen it is just so easy!

Our new garden is such a blessing. The boys now play out so much more. Seth loves to be outside at any opportunity - digging/eating mud, digging in the sand, splashing in the water which gathers on top of the recycling bins, sliding down the slides, pushing and riding his car. He gets through a good number of clothes changes a day but I love the freedom to explore safely out garden permits. 

Hearing Joseph read. It's like the light bulb moment has happened and the boy can read. How does it happen I have no real idea but I have loved seeing it happen over the past few months. He seems to really enjoy it too!!  He will sit by himself and work through pages of comics that he enjoys sounding out and reading aloud all because he wants to. Long may this continue - please!!! It;s lovely that he is able now to read the first part of the Book of Mormon reader chapter before bed. Some of the funny moments when you realise your boy's world has opened up is when he starts giving Nathan advise when driving 'Dad, is says SLOW on the road!'  

He also has memorised three articles of faith which Sister Stephenson has taught them in their primary class. It kind of catches me off guard the things a six year old can do and I love it that we can learn from his experienced primary teacher.

Ben continues to become more and more chatty and confident. He has become so loving towards Seth and finds him hilarious. Ben is showing that he has a real funny sense of humour. He picks up on catch phrases from movies and then repeats them with an imitation voice at unexpected moments which crack us up!

Seth creates fans wherever he goes. Wide eyed and huge smile, he babbles, claps, points and makes conversation with all. He walks with purpose his bum waddling and both arms moving side to side. He is in love with dancing ; shaking his head side to side then spinning round bobbing up and down twisting his wrists and look at them intently is his style!

Peas

Everyone always says our boys are three peas in a pod but when I look at photos like this one, I see how uniquely gorgeous they are.

(This post was drafted in February and posted today!)

Seth

It's true that no one rewards a mum with adoration quite like a baby. You make it wonderfully obvious that I am your favourite person in the world and whilst it lasts I will basque in it! I think perhaps I am still Ben's favourite too and perhaps Joseph's, when he's in need, but neither's face light up when I just walk in a room like yours does.
 Seth if there were such things as baby A-levels you would have aced the cute, aced the smiley, aced the cheeky but failed the sleeping through! You are really sociable - someone gives you some attention and you reward with a smile and some of your lovely babble. You have been on the move for months (Oct the 15th was the day you started to walk) and yet still people gawp in awe at how stable you are and remark how you look too small to be walking! Most of the time now you don't walk you almost run!! You can also walk backwards and when there is music to be heard you can bop too! Though you are definitely active, you have a cuddly side too which is lovely.

You just love to be outside, any time the back door is open you take your chance. Of course like your brothers you love small stones and just like them you think they're tasty!? You also like to scare me to death with your love of lego. You have no interest whatsoever in age appropriate toys, far too safe for your attention! You'd rather play with cutlery, the piles of bits that dad sweeps up from the kitchen floor, the fire tools, kitchen sponges and have I mentioned lego?!!

You are going to be a chatterbox. Granne thinks in a year's time you'll be arguing with me the way you're going lol! You say 'Dada' 'Hiya' 'Yeh' and 'Maaaa' you pat your high chair if you want more food. You point your finger at us and wag it with purpose. The other day, Ben was having a tantrum and you went and wagged your finger at him!!! 

Seth you are a joy! As no one adores a mum like her baby no one adores the baby quite like their mum and you'll always be mine.