Summer Holidays: Week 1: Part 4

:: Just found this languishing in my drafts pile::

On Friday we visited another friend and the bears went wild in her garden for a few hours. In the evening W joined us and the next morning we went out on the Broad on a boat trip- another thing I've been meaning to do for 14 years.

 A bit of duck and swan feeding followed- always a hair-raising experience with four, particularly near deep water. We had to line them up and make them take turns as I refused to leap in and rescue anyone.

That night W and I went out for dinner. What a complete treat that was! We don't often take advantage of babysitting offers because we have so many children we just tend to feel guilty, but once in a while it is soooo lovely to spend a bit of time together without anybody small and sticky joining us.

(Me after a bit too much wine!)

We went to a village pub near Papa and Toot's house and had the most marvellous meal, a little too much wine and a wander around Suffolk in the dark while W insisted we could walk to the train station.

We couldn't, we gave up, we got a lift.

x

Summer Holidays: Week 1: Part 3

On Thursday we went to meet a friend and her little boy at a railway park. It did not start well- Custard fell in a pond within 10 minutes of our arrival. Luckily the weather was unexpectedly lovely so he dried out fairly swiftly and Toot made us a cracking picnic. We sat in the sun and the kids climbed on the old engines:

What does he look like?!

Then we had a few goes on the Merry-go-round:

And a ride on each of the steam trains:

It was a lovely day out and just right for smallish kids.

I had made one mistake however: All the kids have grown, so I bought them all a pile of new clothes. New clothes and a day climbing on steam trains and eating lollies do not mix. Toot spent most of the evening Vanishing all their T-shirts. She's brill.

They messed around at bedtime again quite spectacularly. Shocker. Toot and I went out to Tescos to escape- Wooo!

*****

Since being back home my children have been even wilder, if it is possible. I feel like that old Fast Show character, "Can any of you actually hear me?" Frustrating.

We have been out and about meeting friends and running around the park, but the time does seem to be passing quite slowly. The house seems to be FULL of noise and movement, not to mention Stuff and Grot and the kids are all bad tempered because when we are at home there is nowhere to go and be Alone. They don't seem to be old enough to understand the beauty of going upstairs and closing your bedroom door.

And I guess it is the same for me. Our downstairs is pretty open plan, so wherever I am I can see or hear what they are up to, and frankly, even if I did shut my bedroom door someone would fling it open with a bang and a shriek within about ten seconds.

Anyway, it is good to be at home and have no list of stuff to do. (that's not true. There is a list. I'm ignoring it). No time constraints. To be at leisure.

I wish they would do it a bit more quietly, that's all.
x

Summer Hols: Week 1: Part 2

On Wednesday we decided to have a day on the beach. I have spent 14 years visiting Papa and Toot's neck-of-the-woods and I have never once had a sunny day to enjoy their beautiful sandy beaches. It is beyond a joke. Anyway, we thought that whatever the weather, we'd do it.

It was not promising. Toot and FHB did some kite flying, while the rest of us hunkered down behind the wind break. Custard did a lot of rolling around and digging.

After a few hours of Needing-a-jumper-weather, the sun came out. Finally! 14 years! Of course we had no swimmies with us, but one of the brilliant things about being very young is the ability to strip down to your pants and run into the sea.

FHB built a city:

And I enjoyed the view of the North Sea and the sand between my toes. Our beach at home is fab, but soft sand is extra special.

The only thing that could be said to have marred the day was the inability of my children to go to sleep that night. Gosh they messed about for a long time. Even Toot shouted at them, and that is unheard of.

x

Summer Holidays: Week 1: Part 1

The last week or so of term is always hideous- that I was prepared for. What I had forgotten is the hideousness of the first few days off. My children are always vile. They have been WILD this week, bad tempered, tired-beyond-tired, more inclined towards violence than normal, excessively shouty and always slightly sweaty. They all have purple eyes and look as if they need more vegetables. I am sure they save this for when they see their grandparents.

Anyway...the day school finished we headed down to the beach for a fish'n'chippy tea. W told me off for being grumpy. Custard sat in the ketchup.

Going well.

The weekend was a quiet one, because this week following has been FULL.

On Tuesday we went to the Science Museum. Oh. My. Goodness.

I see, looking at the photos that it looks as if we had a nice time. I am sure the kids did. I sort of didn't really. They were literally climbing the walls (I kid you not. They were panelled and proved too much of a temptation for my boys).
With four children there is usually at least one having a good day. Not so on Tuesday. It started with FHB and Custard having a full blown punch-up in the back of Papa and Toot's car and degenerated from there. I shall not dwell on it any more as I can feel my stomach clenching and the stress returning.

Look, there were steam engines:

And the Apollo command capsule. My dad was Very Excited by this. So was FHB. My dad suggested buying him a one way ticket for the next flight. A Good Idea, I thought.

On Tuesday evening we drove up to Papa and Toot's house. To be continued...x

Busy times

Hello! I have a load of photos sitting in my email, but I can't download them for some reason, so a little substitution will henceforth occur:

It is the first Monday of the summer holidays. We have mislaid one of the Wii remotes, FHB and the Mouse have been fighting like mortal enemies for three days, the house is a filth pit from the depths of Hades, there are a lot of Hama beads underfoot making life a little uncomfortable without shoes and it is not quite pay day. Good start.

So today will herald a ferocious clean-up and the arrival of Papa and Toot this afternoon. Hallelujiah! Tomorrow we are all going to meet my Dad at the Science Museum to see the Apollo rocket. FHB is very excited.

In the mean time...

:: I apologise for writing crappy short phone blogs- I don't know where my time has gone, but the phone seems to be the way to continue blogging through busy times.

:: I have started three new crochet projects and finally finished all the large grannies needed for my blanket. Just 123 4-round squares to go. A crochet catch-up will follow at some point.

:: We have had some lovely afternoons on the beach- impromptu times, in school uniform, no towels, no way of drying off dingbat boys who insist in going in up tot heir shoulder fully clothed.

:: Fish n chips have also been consumed on the beach. W is working on the far side of London at the moment, which makes for a long commute and little time with the kids on week days. Whenhe can get away a little early we meet up on the shore for a picnicky tea and a run around in the fresh air. Last time, Custard sat in the ketchup.

:: My yarn habit is persisting. I have about 200 new balls of the stuff. Most of it is already earmarked and I am wondering if I could get away with going back for a third time.

:: FHB seems unable to sit down. Small boys should come fitted with restraining bolts like R2-D2.

:: The bears have discovered Home Alone. I am subjected to re-enactments of the aftershave scene about twenty times a day. It is very noisy.

:: I am tired already. You can't rest and regroup when you have four children- they need to go out every day and run around like puppies. I need a week somewhere sunny, flopped by a pool with a book, a hook and my husband only.

:: Then perhaps another week with the kids too.

x

Ups and downs with Miss T

When my youngest child is not being deeply naughty she is tremendously good fun. Yesterday I was quite out of temper with her due to the flooding of my hallway with the entire contents of a LARGE bucket of dirty mop water, a trip to Tesco which would have been easier to have done with a load of baboons, and the need to clean the downstairs cloakroom (the whole thing- not just the toilet- the walls, the floor, the door too) not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES due to her pig-headedness in refusing to ask for assistance when she needs a poo.

Hmm.

Anyway, I was sitting here feeling Extremely Irritated, looking at my photos from the last week and suddenly I realised I was not cross anymore. Because you know what? Being at home with my children is good fun most of the time, and who wouldn't rather be doing this:

or admiring this:

than working?

x

Feeding the birds

Yesterday. Chocolate fingers and shortbread. Outside my LYS.
SQUAWK!
X

Beachiness and bad barbecues

Hello! It has been a busy busy week for us, and I have only just had time to sit down and write about last weekend.

We had some friends over with their scrummy baby and took a Sunday trip to the beach. Let's have a barbie, we said, the weather's been great, we said, let's eat up the last of the wagyu beef on the beach, we said.

Well, we had an hour on the beach. The four of us adults spent half that time wrestling with an oversize wind break, which we eventually realised we could not use because it would not stand up in the soft sand. The bears climbed the rocks, underneath the big sign saying 'DANGER, DO NOT CLIMB ROCKS'. The adults sat on the blankets and drank coffee. The kids dug sand near the blankets. The sand ended up in the coffee. The coffee crunched.

We stoically ordered W to light the barbie. A beach warden poked his head over the sea wall and said we could not have the barbie on the beach, we had to go up onto the grass above. Which proved useful because that way W (down to his last match) met the Polish man with the parafin who lit the barbie for us while nearly losing his eyebrows. (Don't try this at home folks!)

With both our husbands being important with a barbecue, My friend and I were left with:

4 children on foot
1 baby in a large buggy
4 blankets
2 bags of clothes
1 enormous bag of buckets and spades
1 bag of shoes
1 cool bag full of posh beef
2 picnic bags
1 VERY large hamper

-to carry back up to the picnic area. We managed it- needs must, and the weather had started to turn and we were hungry.

Sometime later W slapped several chunks of wagyu beef down infront of us. Mmmmm. Really good. The treatiest of beef. We savoured it. For about three minutes. Then it got Windy. The baby started crying. Custard cut himself with a butter knife. Miss T started a mantra of 'Me freeeeezing'. We wrapped her in a blanket. Then the plates blew away. Then W said: Ooh, if you look over there you can see the rain. It'll be here in about eight minutes.

It was there in seven.

W and our friends scooped up all five kids and ran for the cars. I played donkey and carried the luggage. I got wet.

Do you know, we had A Great Day! Loads of fun, truly unforgettable...for whatever reasons!

Hope you had a great weekend too, whatever you were doing...x

A big weekend for bears

Hello! Hope you had a lovely weekend. We did!

Mud run...hanging out on the beach with the best kids ever...W and Lulu coming back to shore, wet and muddy...Adventure Island...FHB in the Best Place For Him...rollercoasters...old skool fun...new fountain on the seafront providing much entertainment for all...also-two birthday cakes; an evening with great friends and many margheritas whilst watching the Eurovision Song Contest; fish n chips; a slap up curry...aah- good times...x

Dinner date

On the guest list:

W, FHB, Mouse and myself.

Venue:

The beach.

Time:

6pm til bedtime-for-bears.

Menu:

Homemade pizza with parma ham and olives
Strawberries
Jelly

With orange juice or fruit smoothie to drink.

I LOVE living by the sea! 

x

Avoidance strategy

Last Friday, Royal Wedding day, at my parents'. Two small boys, not much interested in Princes and Princesses:

:: In sixteen years living in that house, it NEVER occurred to me to climb the willow tree. I feel ashamed.

:: Me: Be careful boys. Don't fall out of the tree, I don't want to drive to A&E.
  Boys: studiously ignore their mother.
  -Some time later...
  Me: You look a bit ruffled Custard. Are you alright.
  Custard (really pleased with himself): Oh yeah. I just fell out of the tree.

:: Only one injury incurred- a monster stomach scrape for one FHB who obviously found it harder than Custard to get out of the tree.  

:: Why have they got a golf caddy up the tree? Answers on a postcard...x

Quick camping

Doesn't the week fly by when you're doing a proper job? Sunday night already- I can't believe it! I've been filling my few quiet moments with crochet. A bit of one WiP here, a bit of another there. I need another big project to sink my hook into so sometime this week I will probably start my Summer Breeze cardi. I've been looking forward to it for so long!

The bears have been away at Papa and Toot's for the last few days, so W and I have caught up on sleep and relaxed a bit, whilst seriously missing them. The house feels far too big and quiet without my noisy, sticky children haring around.

Anyway, they got back yesterday and have just been pinging off the walls ever since. Today was beautiful and sunshiney, but W and I had quite a few jobs to do, so it was a housey day. I decided the bears should be outside, so I made them a tent.

For ages I have had grand plans of sewing them a lovely lined tent or teepee, all very complicated and unlikely. Today I seized the moment and grabbed an old duvet cover (W's sister's college one, it turns out), split the long seams and hung it over the washing line. Job done and a quiet afternoon followed during which all of my kids and then all of my sister-in-laws kids too, played and picniced merrily in the tent.

Splendid!

Hope you had a fab weekend too...x

Three days...

Hello! A quick coffee and a ginger snap for me before Miss T and myself return to our marathon clean-up. I have been cleaning my house for three days so far and I have not finished yet. Three days! Horror!

I should say here that this is more in the nature of a Spring Clean, rather than the weekly (fortnightly!) flapping of a duster, but even so. I am Astounded at the amount of broken, unused grot we have knocking around. And the dust... goodness, all I can say is that I am glad Toot has just given me a decent hoover!

Anyway, today has been devoted entirely to the boy's room, because frankly, by yesterday afternoon I just couldn't face tackling it, so I cleared all the 'easy' jobs instead. I have sorted everything into boxes- cars, action figures, hats, marbles, Top Trumps, explorer stuff, dressing up, weaponry (I have tried to hide that box), remote control toys, Playmobil, Lego, Meccano, magnets, drawing, pants, socks etc.

It will last precisely four minutes once they are home from school. In the meantime I intend to revel in a tidy room.

While I was sorting FHB's bookshelf of doom, I found a little ID card that he had filled all his details in on.

Aah, I thought.

Then I turned it over...

Translation: To Mummy   I'm a beast   I should be punished

Me: Small sob

Am now wondering whether we are the most horrid parents ever, or whether the FHB is one seriously clever boy.

Have a lovely day...x

In which we realise that six is quite grown-up

Well hello! It is a pleasant and peaceful Sunday here in the house of bears. W and FHB went out this morning for a bike ride so I did a little baking:

And a little crocheting:

There is a lamby stew in the slow cooker, a child friendly film on the telly, and a living room full of small children doing (as Mouse put it) different things, together:

FHB (age 6 1/2) was found playing a Star Wars game on the laptop.

Me: Oh, I didn't know we had a Star Wars game on the laptop.

FHB: I downloaded it.

Me and W (together): You did what? How?

FHB (smugly): Oh, I just went onto Bing and typed Star Wars Clone Wars into the search bar and up it came.

Me (part horrified, part impressed): Well, guess we'd better sort out some parental filters then.

Apart from the thick patina of dirt that I now need to deal with following the excavation of two small dinosaurs, the world is my oyster today.

Look I have even had time to finally take some photos of my lovely magnolia:

And to enjoy the fruits of my earliers labours, with a cup of weasel poo coffee in one of my brand new charity shop cups (that Papa and Toot treated me to yesterday- thank you!)

To cap it all off, Miss T has just done a wee in her potty! Yay!

Happy days...x