A little camping break

 I am so pleased that we managed to get away this year, and with my sisters too. It was a really nice break which involved lots of laughter, walking and eating together.

We went to the Peak District and stayed on a dairy farm in Pomeroy. There was a little shop onsite, a petting zoo with goats and from the part of the field we were pitched in we got to see the dairy cows go out every morning and back in again in the evening. The children were fascinated by this as the cows just wandered through to the correct field.

We had a real mixed bag of weather whilst we were there but still managed some exploring. 

This pub was found wandering along the High Peak trail straight out of the campsite.

This was at a park in Buxton, Pup was most confused by this statue HAHA. Think he thought it was real, he stood staring for a while.

This is walking along the river in Bakewell.

View from the top of the hill at Cavedale in Castleton. I love the rainbow across the water.

It was so nice to go as a group as it meant; company for me, company for teengirl as her cousins of a similar age were there, and the younger cousins had each other too. This meant so few tantrums/silks from all invovled. It was a very relaxing week. I stuck within the budget I had set for the week, and even came home with big change!

Teengirl and I had planned to see if we could stay on for a couple of extra nights as we were enjoying it so much. However, we went out on the Friday for lunch with my sister and her family and when we got back the tent had broken. Several sections of three of the long poles had shattered. It was a very windy week and the poor tent just couldn't stand up anymore.

So instead of a few extra days we ended up driving home that evening and having two less days than we had planned. I was a little disappointed then I realised that actually given the current situation around with Covid-19 we were very lucky to have managed to get away at all. So turned that round and have concentrated on how much fun we have had instead.

Now to start saving for next year as we all want to go again. I also need to find out where I can get my tent poles repaired...

An appreciated present

Remember I said that I had booked Stephanie a block of 6 ice skating lesson for her Christmas present? I am very relieved to say that she has loved them.

I was apprehensive as to how she would take to them- I know from experience that ice hurts when you fall on it!

Her first lesson she was (understandably) nervous, she had never been on the ice before. By the time her half hour lesson finished she was hooked! It turns out that after her half hour she then gets to go on the ice for the public skate session which is several hours long. We have been at the ice rink for around two hours after each lesson whilst she skates with the friends she has made there. I now take a book with me! Oh and several layers of clothes, it's cold as a spectator. I wear my snow coat and still feel a little chilly.

To have the lessons they get given boot covers. I wraped them up and gave them to her on Christmas day, look at her confused face!

During her first lesson

Bruise! from falling over.

There is just one lesson left, she found out today that she has earned a certificate and will receive that during her final lesson next week.

The lessons have been super value at a cost of £60 for 6 it turns out it is cheaper than taking her for a public skate (which she gets included in the price!) To go for a public skate it is £11 including skate hire.So I am now trying to work out if there is anyway I can book her on for another set of 6 lessons. Finances to work out!

We do love...

a beach day!

Whilst we were staying with my sister we went to the beach where I spent a lot of time with the children when I lived there. I love this beach for its simplicity. It is sandy so you can build and dig, when the tide is going out/coming there are plenty of shallow areas for playing in, there are walks if you wish, there are toilets and an ice cream stand oh and a morrisons if you wish! That is it no rides, no arcades- BLISS.

We went fir a family picnic there last week. The tide was out when we got there, way out! So we ate our lunch and went for a walk. We planned on going to the dinosaur island (really called Little eye) but once we got there the children wanted to keep going so we went to the next island (Middle eye). We walked to the end of that island, we had so much fun getting there that we needed to set back before we got to the main island, Hilbre Island as the ticket was about to expire on the parking.

 Sorry for some reason the computer won't allow me to turn this pictures around!

 None of us girls had shoes on, it was interesting to feel the different surfaces under foot, this grass was springy and squishy.

 we walked on sand

Through water wehere there were tiny little fish darting about and tickling our toes!

We used stones as stepping stones across rock pools where we could see crabs darting about

we found and shared treasure along the way

and we made sand angels.

The time went so fast, next time we will get there earlier/ put more money on the parking machine. What a fantastic day. So much to do on a little trip to the beach.

Gone visiting...

Sorry about the radio silence- we have been off visiting. We went on our delayed trip oop norf to stay at my sister's.

I have had hundreds of squishy baby hugs. I have met my newest nephew and newest great nephew. As well as spending time with 3 of my nieces and 4 nephews. Whilst we were away we went to a fairy festival, bowling and to 2 different beaches.

We have had a great time. Before we left I blitzed the house. I am so pleased I did it was great  to get home late last night and look and marvel in the order and tidiness. Before I went to bed I unpacked the suitcases put them back in the attic, put all the things from the car away and started the washing machine. All I have to organise is a couple of loads of washing. I can live with that. the children are awake but still in bed. I'm thinking we might have a pyjama day as it's a bit wet and wild outside.

Food.......

My little lady came back from Brownie camp today. Excited, but shattered!

I needed to pop to town to get some cash out and pay for a couple of coach trips we have planned. In a nearby town a lovely youth worker organises trips for families every summer. We are always invited along to join in, all for the princely sum of £5 each. We have one trip which is to an air show and the other to a nearby seaside town. Well actually they are both coastal seaside towns. The first one is an hour and 40 minute drive away the other is 1 hour and 20 minute drive away. Both towns have parking costs over £10 for the day for little car like mine. So these trips work out much better value when you think they don't cost me in petrol or wear and tear on my car etc. Also I like to go out with other grown ups too! LOL

I have also pottered in the garden and collected these;

Stephanie gobbled the peas quickly and had a very sad face when I said that there would not be many more this eyar. Next year I need to plant a variety of pea plants so we get a longer cropping season as they are a favourite here.

We had half these carrot thinnings with our dinner, the others in the fridge for tomorrows lunch.

We had half the green beans with our dinner, the others I have frozen for another time as I get this many almost everytime I go hunting in the bean bed at the moment. I am the only one who really likes them, Stephanie will eat a few and Dylan won't touch them at all.

I also spent a little time crafting with my girl in the garden;

 

Before we both decided it was time to sit with our feet up!

Another item off the bucket list

Today I faced one of my fears. I was very nervous but determined to do it. I have a problem with water have done since an incident involving water with 2 of my sisters involving water as an early teen. It is this that has pushed me into ensuring that my children could swim, they were in the swimming pool as soon as they had had their first lot of booster injections at 3 months old and were taken regularly so that they were water confident, once they started to be able to look like they were ready to swim they were into swimming lessons. They are both good swimmers now and I would be confident to let them swim without me in the pool.

On our bucket list is to go canoeing/kayaking. I was very excited to see that Lee Valley white water centre centre had canoe sessions suitable for beginners all through the summer holidays. And the best bit it is just £5 per person for one hour everything you need is included (canoe, buoyancy aid and safety helmet). What a bargain. So I booked the three of us  in before I could change my mind. I knew the children would love it even if I wasn't so sure.


I am not going to lie I woke up this morning full of nerves. It says it is on a lake. That sounded like a lot of scary water to me! I had promised, there was no backing out. Once we got to the centre I was immediately reassured. I could see the bottom of the lake, it didn't look that deep. Come on you can do this! I got us signed in, filled in the permission forms for the children and waited for our turn. Watching children happily paddling/rowing (I'm not sure which you call it for canoeing) around the lake. My two were very excited, as were the group of 5 youngsters we were going to be sharing the lake with. They seemed fearless. If they can do this so can I! We got our safety gear on and it was our turn. Stephanie decided just as we were about to get in the lake that she would rather have a canoe to herself, she had said all morning that she wanted to go in together. I was put in first. Deep breath and I pushed off.

I paddled around the beginning a little watched both of my children get in a move around. Stephanie immediately declared it hard! LOL Not sure what she expected but soon she was moving herself more confidently around the lake. She stopped for a little while, content to watch the rest of us moving around. One of the lads in the group was chatting to her, giving her tips and encouraging her to keep trying. She did, and with more confidence. She seemed happier to stick near to this confident group than to move around with her poor mum! Never mind, I had discovered the ;ake is only around waist height for me, she is a good swimmer I was happy to let her some independence. I started to race Dylan a little around the lake. It was fab to find something that the teenager is happy to do with me still!!

All to soon we had our ten minute warning. It was almost time to get out. Stephanie decided that she was quite far from the entrance/ exit so started to make her way over slowly. Dylan and I played a little in the slalom poles, not sure if that's what they are but it's how we used them. Then it was time to get out. Where did the hour go??



(Stock photo from the Lee valley website, no pictures of us as all cameras were safely in a locker)

We already have plans to go back in a couple of weeks, we are going to try and get my sister to come with her boys when they are down for a visit.

I also have the idea for booking proper canoe lessons for the children as their Christmas present this year- Shh don't tell them!

memories

Whilst sorting and tidying yesterday I came across these old videos. Look how tiny and cute! my babies were. I sat for a ages watching the snippets of our days and the old school plays that were in the camera.

Stephanie has since discovered the camera and is making more up to date movies with it! lol

More summer fun.

This afternoon I had my nephew for the afternoon while my sister went to do some birthday shopping. He's gong to be 4 next week. I have never had him on his own before, only ever with my niece as well (his big sister). However she is away at brownie camp this week. So just a day with the boy. We had lots of fun, playing water guns, bubbles and making a rad mat for the car he brought with him.

It was lovely, so nice to have just him. He found it hard for the first 5 minutes, he is a mummies boy and doesn't like to separate bless him. Once I got the water gun out we were best pals!!

drawing the car mat, then playing and deciding that there were details missing.

 

He loved this so much that it went home with him, we added some more when we went back to his house later in the afternoon. It is now in his living room. We drew it on some old carpet underlay paper I had in the cupboard- nice a strong and takes a lot to tear it, so perfect for this kind of project.

 

It's a lot more fun to pop bubbles with a  water gun- brilliant for hand eye coordination, it takes a lot of skill.


I am loving the weather at the moment, I always enjoy the warmer weather but this year is the nicest summer for a while. Please let it continue, we have booked our camping holiday to Devon and Cornwall for a couple of weeks time.

how are you spending the days through the summer?

 

 

playful fun- the beetle game

On Friday evening Stephanie asked if we could play a game. She had an idea for a new game for us to play. I said ok what do we need, we collected the bits and pieces she wanted us to use.


Then she disappeared. Very strange, I thought she had gone to the toilet and started to potter around doing some household jobs whilst I waited for her. When she came back she brought this with her;

It is the instructions for the game. I tis not very clear but it says
1. head
2. body
3. antennae
4. eyes
5. wings
6. legs

We had to roll the dice and we got the corresponding body part. The only requirements were that you had to get the body first. You couldn't get the antenna and eyes until you had a head.

At the end of the game you end up with these;

 

What a fun way to create a Friday night treat!

 

 

RIP faithful friend!

Today we went to a country park with my sister and her family. We organised lunch between us based on the foods we both had. Part of the bargain was that I brought a flask of hot chocolate! There is a café on site which my sister and her family would normally have used. I think I have converted them to bringing their own and saving around £7 per outing in hot drinks.

We did discover that one of my old faithful's is past its best. The hot chocolate in here was only just warm today, which suited everybody else but fussy hot drink person that I am I like mine just out of the kettle.

This one has worn out, I have had my flasks for around 7 years they have done a great job of warming us up, especially after a day like this;

Yep that's just a little of the mud we all got covered in. We are not bothered by the time of year, with adequate clothing there is no such thing as too cold in our family. I'm so pleased I have converted my sister to this way of thinking too as the children love to be out and running around.

 

I still have one 1 litre flask left and my tiny flask which holds enough soup for Stephanie and me (Dylan doesn't eat soup). So I'm not in a hurry for a replacement yet. But I'm thinking if one has gone will the others be long?

 

 

I also popped to the supermarket today for food and fuel. I needed to put the full budgeted £30 in today- I went slightly over at £30.02 silly nozzles! however my grocery shop was under the £20.00 budget so that accounted for the extra 2p! LOL My groceries came to £14.49  I had a 38p voucher so cost me £14.11 add the 2p for fuel totals £14.13. Our trip out cost £2 in parking, but I found 70p as we walked so really only £1.30. take this out of the left over grocery budget and that is £4.59 left over. this is transferred to the squirrel account for our emergency fund. Which means I am now 14% of the way towards the £500 target.

Bucket list item number 30

Last night we decided to have a campout in our living room, this is item number 30 on my  bucket list.
My niece and nephew also came to stay so this was great fun for the children. The littlest is only 3 and managed to stay awake until just before 9, The girls went to sleep shortly after 10. Dylan decided it was uncomfortable and went up to bed once my nephew had fallen asleep!

we watched the Disney film brave and had home made popcorn in bed before we went off to sleep. I shared the pictures with my sister on Facebook and now have envy from my other nieces and nephews that didn't come. Apparently we will be doing this more now. I'm pleased as it is fun and the children loved it. I was a little worried that they would be uncomfortable and wake up in the night demanding beds- in fact they didn't wake until 8 am! Result!

|So items on the bucket list are happening, which is fantastic I like that we are being able to have different experiences. Stephanie has added an item of her own- she wants to go to the play park in the dark. The weather has been rather wet to enjoy a play park with out getting soaked at the moment, however, it is dry today- who knows what we will do this evening especially if the weather stays dry :-)