Other summer greatness

I cannot believe it is nearly hallowen and I still have got the rest of our holiday to write up about. I am so glad I take so many photos to remind of the things we got to do together.

The day after we returned from our holiday we had a get together as Uncle Richard and Aunty Ashley were over. We went to Riccall Park, the kids played, we hung out, Joseph got stung by a wasp, Nathan bought ice lollies then we went back to ours and had Mr C's fish and chips.

We the  had a spontaneous visit for a few days from Lynne and Charlie - some of our faves!! Late nights chats, a visit to Beth in Huddersfield, a thoroughly cleaned kitchen!! You know you must be great pals when your friend comes and you sit there, as she jifs your sink and wipes down your tile,s without being offended one bit!

We also got to have a catch up with Craig, Frances and the gang who were over for the summer from their first year in China!. 

I love this photo. Baby bro wants to do whatever big bro and biggest bro do. He is the cutest thing on legs and a total liability! He finds scissors and knives fascinating,  he loves to play with dis guarded

 jars in the recycling bin, climbs on everything, walks up the slide in the garden, climbs onto the windowsill and tries the window handles to make sure they're locked - they're locked! 

I love to see year on year how these boys of mine are growing up. Ben and Joseph both enjoyed jumping onto and slide down the fireman's pole at the Wistow lane Park.

Seth loved the rope swing! This photo prompted me to attempt to chop his hair - what a faff. A case of grab some hair and snip before he turns away.

I had a lovely day at the temple with these lovely sisters.

Pizza in the woods with the added bonus of mud heaps as they do some revamping of the access.

We took the boys to the Dinosaur expo at the Royal Armouries. We went late in the day, so it was pleasantly quiet and we could take our time looking at the life like robotic models and find the answers to the quiz. 

Hold an owl or two.

Time for some 'extreme reading'

Frustration - the type that comes in a box

                                     

Our neighbours at la Rosalie!

In the evenings we made time for 'Frustration', the game. We/I taught Joseph how to play properly and he has become a beast haha! Before every roll he asks himself -

'Now what do I need to roll to send you back home?..1,2,3,4,5,6, I need a 6 then 2 or if I move this counter I need etc! 

The first three times we played, I won and He (Joseph not Nathan!) cried loudly and dramatically. Life was not fair, why did I always have to win??? Later the second night, I heard giggling from the hall, he was playing by himself taking turns for Nathan and I. There were cheers of delight when guess what - he won!!

The following night he actually won for real! A victory cheer, head flung back in pure delight, reminiscent of the victorious male gymnasts Nathan and I had watched compete in the Commonwealth Games that afternoon. (We watched all of the all round competition it was chillaxing at it's best!)

    'I won!! Yes! Yes! I won' with joyful giggling - it was cute!

Over the course of the holiday we played most evenings, Ben wasn't that interested but one night he did ask to play. Joseph then quizzed him  in motheresque style, about how he would react when he (Joseph) won! 

Ben said; If you win... I'll just cheer for you!

Cue parent's hearts melt,  the mother tears up - we're not doing so badly after all, there is hope!!!!

A few more nights into the holiday and the score stood Mummy 4 Joseph 3 Daddy 0. Daddy started to get a bit grouchy!! We gave him tips on how to win! It worked! The final holiday score was Daddy 2, Joseph 4 Mummy 5!!!!!!!!!  Play it cool, celebrate inside haha!

Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel the Disney Castle for real!

Mum makes everyone have a photoshoot in the shade of the walled garden.

Best part of the holiday is spending it with him.

Catalogue poses!

Ben in carbonite like Han!

Family selfie minus one runaway!

View over the bay from the abbey cloisters.

Let me be free or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll scream this abbey down!

 (Love how he runs with such determination and a waddle!)

Our French Adventure part 1

An 'Extreme read' on the ferry to France.

Over the Pont d' Normande 

Our home for the week, La Rosalie in Saint Cyr de Bailleul, nr Domfront.

Plums straight from the tree.

Self made obstacle course around the castle gardens in medieval Domfront.

Snuggle selfies in the park.

Statues!

Tree climbing/slipping in the Foret des Andaines at the spa town of Bagnoles de L'Orne!

 Pushchair derby races, culminating in..

 
being dumped in the sand pit!

Getting caught out without our coats in a huge thunderstorm, like HUGE thunderstorm! Taking cover under the pushchair cover under the trees and still getting drenched.

Some more than others!

Back to school 2014

Back to school.

There is a slight chill in the air. 

The sun has set by 8.

I am wistful about the end of summer for another year but at the same time ready for the autumn.

School runs take a little longer as we have to allow for Blackberry picking along the path and this year Seth has his hand outstretched for his share. 

We had a lovely summer holiday. A nice balance of doing and chilling and now we're ready to be back into the school routine.

Our theme for the year is -

 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb. 

(the scripture goes on)

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones

Psalm 16:24

This an area we want to work on as a family, using kind words and speaking in a nice way to one another and those around us.   

The type of post that happens when you don't blog frequently...

Back in May, that's right in May!! We had a nice trip to Brimham Rocks. It's amazing and we haven't been for about 14 years. The boys loved it, rocks to climb and lots of them. As a mum it is a bit of a nightmare in truth; stunningly beautiful but the rocks provide plenty of opportunities for possible injuries and it was really busy too so plenty of opportunities for losing a child too. Best to take lost of adult chaperones, fortunately we had plenty oblige!

I've taken the boys to a number of events organised by the Mud Kitchen. Two local ladies who organise fab activities around nature and the outdoors. We have been to an outdoor mud kitchen playgroup, a bear hunt, bubbleology (pictured below) and the big harvest where we went and picked veg and strawberries at a local farm.

Traditions start somewhere and this year we begun our fortune cookie one. Baking Nigella's best cookies to take to the youth doing exams this year. This year it included Courtney, who is one of our faves. She is such a help to me on Sunday helping with the boys and they love her.

We've had a couple of trips to Skipwith ( my fave). The boys loved the huge puddles.

A Sunday evening walk by the river at Tadcaster. A photo with two of my boys both looking at the camera - bonus!

Tuesday is PE day. You can always tell because both Joseph and Ben will come out with something on the wrong way round, inside out or both. on this day we had the full whammy - top wrong way round, trousers wrong way round, vest inside out, shoes on wrong feet! Love my boy, he was not bothered one bit! 

Here's a couple of selfies of me that's why their called selfies and I quite like them so why not preserve?