Very freeing!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Day out in London...
I had such a fabulous day out yesterday with my friends Louise and Rachel! We met up at lunch time and had a good wander around played with cameras, took photos and chatted! Absolutely ideal and just what the doctor ordered! It felt so fantastic to just take pictures for me again:
Very freeing!
Very freeing!
Thursday, 26 August 2010
What to do with a weekend to myself....
Paul is taking the girls to his parents for Saturday night so I have almost 24 hrs to myself. I love them all dearly but I really can't describe how much I am looking forward to being On My Own for a while!
I have a photography day out planned with friends on Saturday. I am going to help them get to know their cameras a bit better and give some ideas on cool shots etc. Should be good fun, and it will be the first time I have gone out with camera for fun in quite some time. Bonus trip to John Lewis with them too... and the haberdashery dept to look at buying the fabric so I can make my dress for my wee sisters wedding.
Then I am coming home to an empty house, and I plan on doing a spot of decluttering and toy box pruning. A license to throw things away... yay! Perhaps a spot of sewing on the Sunday too... I have a project that needs completing by the end of next week so I will make a start on that!
I am really looking forward to it, I haven't had any proper down time since the start of the holiday so it will be nice to just please myself for 24hrs!
I have a photography day out planned with friends on Saturday. I am going to help them get to know their cameras a bit better and give some ideas on cool shots etc. Should be good fun, and it will be the first time I have gone out with camera for fun in quite some time. Bonus trip to John Lewis with them too... and the haberdashery dept to look at buying the fabric so I can make my dress for my wee sisters wedding.
Then I am coming home to an empty house, and I plan on doing a spot of decluttering and toy box pruning. A license to throw things away... yay! Perhaps a spot of sewing on the Sunday too... I have a project that needs completing by the end of next week so I will make a start on that!
I am really looking forward to it, I haven't had any proper down time since the start of the holiday so it will be nice to just please myself for 24hrs!
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
The Big Three....
Ok I have a confession... I delayed Clara's birthday this year! Her birthday is actually on the 20th August... we were going to Disney Land on the 21st and under threes are free [meaningful look].
It was very odd on the eve of her real birthday as 3 years before, myself and 3 people had been sat in a living room, brownies baking in the oven and 3 years later it was almost the same. Three main differences were a, I wasn't giving birth 2nd time and b, my Independent Midwife Kerry Taylor had been replaced by Mike in the 2nd cast and c, we were in France not South London! It was very odd not celebrating her birthday on the 20th, didn't feel quite right really!
We actually celebrated on the Sunday 22nd, we had taken a few presents with us. Her Great Aunt and Uncle had left her a pair of Disney PJs in France for her, Grannie had left a fairy dress and Aunty Liz had bought a Disney Princess dress to take with us for her to potentially wear to Disney Land (it was too hot alas!). So she had lots and lots to open there and everything else was waiting for her at home. Thanks to the fantastic boulangerie down the road we bought a pink pastry for her (we decided on an individual one as Lexi couldn't eat it, Rowan wouldn't eat it so there didn't seem much point in a big one). We even managed to get a candle for her to blow out!
In true Clara fashion she insisted on wearing the fairy dress all the way home. Fine, although she did get some funny looks on the ferry all dolled up to the nines! She is such a funny precocious little girl, beyond her years in her social graces. Jane describes her as Princess Margaret Reincarnated... always ready for a party! It is very true too... Clara is always happiest in a party dress and does love a good social occasion to talk to people. She is very complimentary and will always find something to compliment about you. She loves telling people they are her best friend (ok so this is usually based on proximity and is approximately a half hour ticket!). But, if you piss her off... beware the kid can hold a grudge!
Houston, we are GO for Threenager.... again!
It was very odd on the eve of her real birthday as 3 years before, myself and 3 people had been sat in a living room, brownies baking in the oven and 3 years later it was almost the same. Three main differences were a, I wasn't giving birth 2nd time and b, my Independent Midwife Kerry Taylor had been replaced by Mike in the 2nd cast and c, we were in France not South London! It was very odd not celebrating her birthday on the 20th, didn't feel quite right really!
We actually celebrated on the Sunday 22nd, we had taken a few presents with us. Her Great Aunt and Uncle had left her a pair of Disney PJs in France for her, Grannie had left a fairy dress and Aunty Liz had bought a Disney Princess dress to take with us for her to potentially wear to Disney Land (it was too hot alas!). So she had lots and lots to open there and everything else was waiting for her at home. Thanks to the fantastic boulangerie down the road we bought a pink pastry for her (we decided on an individual one as Lexi couldn't eat it, Rowan wouldn't eat it so there didn't seem much point in a big one). We even managed to get a candle for her to blow out!
In true Clara fashion she insisted on wearing the fairy dress all the way home. Fine, although she did get some funny looks on the ferry all dolled up to the nines! She is such a funny precocious little girl, beyond her years in her social graces. Jane describes her as Princess Margaret Reincarnated... always ready for a party! It is very true too... Clara is always happiest in a party dress and does love a good social occasion to talk to people. She is very complimentary and will always find something to compliment about you. She loves telling people they are her best friend (ok so this is usually based on proximity and is approximately a half hour ticket!). But, if you piss her off... beware the kid can hold a grudge!
Houston, we are GO for Threenager.... again!
Disney Land Paris...
We sat, we thought, we decided we couldn't drive through France without going with 4 Disney fluent children! So, we got in the car on Friday afternoon after tidying up that morning (ok, Guilt ridden here wasn't able to do much in the way of tidying on account of the back spasms from Hell!) and we drove to Mike's Aunt Meg's house near Paris. Somehow we managed to end up driving all but through Paris so there was much excitement in the car when we saw The Eiffel Tower, we attempted to point this sighting out to the children but they were oblivious to the excitement (curse you in car DVD players!). We arrived at Meg's house and it was glorious... un-finished but a totally beautiful collection of taste and style! She had some fabulous smoked trout, cheeses and a gorgeous apple tart waiting for us once we had poured the children into bed!
The next morning we got up early and finally revealed to the children what "The Big Treat" was... well you don't think we actually TOLD them in advance did you?! It was brilliant:
Worth it a thousand times over for their faces!
Then we piled into the car and drove around Paris to find the park itself. Once again we were able to see The Eiffel Tower, this time we were more successful at pointing it out to the kids, possibly it had something to do with the addition of "from Ratatouille" into the description of it! Ah well... it was a Disney day!
It was a bit of an arse to find, we aren't quite sure how it was but it was! And a hell of a trek from the carpark but we made it! Took a while getting into the park too... note to self, book tickets online next time! Once we made it in it was like a different world! We happened to get there just in time for a mini parade and a car with some of the new characters came out (Clara has just run up to tell me for the millionth time about "the biggest Wall.e in the world on the car!"). There was much cheering and waving from the kids. Then we got them to do the traditional line in front of the castle:
After that I think it is better to go into What We Learned That Day:
Rides with a ! next to them are scary (Pinnochio and Snow White and the 7 dwarves, great for 7 yr old boys, will scare shit out of the average 5 and under girl... oops). The Carousel and Teacups were much more preferred by the girlies, even if the music near the tea cups nearly sent the parents round the bend! Oh and and I haven't lost my fishwifely abilities after I lost it on our second go (later in the day I should add) when an adult pushed in front of Rowan on the ride meaning we had to get off as there were no more seats for us all. Thank heavens for Lexi's fast pass meaning we didn't have to queue up again, oh and the staff were suddenly very helpful to me getting 4 children seated together on the carousel!
The Parade will keep all 4 children spell bound (and cripple the mothers!) There is a bad guy float... Lexi was thrilled, his favourite disney character is Chernabog (the Devil at the end of Fantasia), the girls were less than thrilled and there was a lot of covering of eyes!
Captain Hook does a very good line in girly wussing when you shout TICK TOCK at him!
The Princess float was much admired by the girls, Cinders waved at Clara... she was thrilled. Cinders is her favourite Princess!
The Mummies may have started welling up upon seeing how thrilled their children were to see their heros and heroines!
We invented rules on purchases. We told the kids that it was the rule there that as soon as you bought a teddy then you had to leave. And they believed it too!
And finally... even Mummies can get lost! Jane and I went on a (noble) search for either DVDs or something with Chernabog on it for Lexi and then we (by which I mean all 4 adults...) got muddled as to where we were reconvening. Meaning Paul, Mike and the kids were in one location and Jane and I were in another... without a phone! The payphones wouldn't take the money we had and declined the credit cards (no idea why!) and in the end I had to ask a soldier (btw, why on earth are there armed guards at EuroDisney?! Stop the characters getting out?!) if we could borrow his phone to quickly call the other half of our party to let them know where we were. Oops!
Still it was a fabulous day and I think Lexi's last words before passing out in bed sum it up nicely
"I went to Disneyland today.... it was the best day EVER!"
The next morning we got up early and finally revealed to the children what "The Big Treat" was... well you don't think we actually TOLD them in advance did you?! It was brilliant:
Worth it a thousand times over for their faces!
Then we piled into the car and drove around Paris to find the park itself. Once again we were able to see The Eiffel Tower, this time we were more successful at pointing it out to the kids, possibly it had something to do with the addition of "from Ratatouille" into the description of it! Ah well... it was a Disney day!
It was a bit of an arse to find, we aren't quite sure how it was but it was! And a hell of a trek from the carpark but we made it! Took a while getting into the park too... note to self, book tickets online next time! Once we made it in it was like a different world! We happened to get there just in time for a mini parade and a car with some of the new characters came out (Clara has just run up to tell me for the millionth time about "the biggest Wall.e in the world on the car!"). There was much cheering and waving from the kids. Then we got them to do the traditional line in front of the castle:
After that I think it is better to go into What We Learned That Day:
Rides with a ! next to them are scary (Pinnochio and Snow White and the 7 dwarves, great for 7 yr old boys, will scare shit out of the average 5 and under girl... oops). The Carousel and Teacups were much more preferred by the girlies, even if the music near the tea cups nearly sent the parents round the bend! Oh and and I haven't lost my fishwifely abilities after I lost it on our second go (later in the day I should add) when an adult pushed in front of Rowan on the ride meaning we had to get off as there were no more seats for us all. Thank heavens for Lexi's fast pass meaning we didn't have to queue up again, oh and the staff were suddenly very helpful to me getting 4 children seated together on the carousel!
The Parade will keep all 4 children spell bound (and cripple the mothers!) There is a bad guy float... Lexi was thrilled, his favourite disney character is Chernabog (the Devil at the end of Fantasia), the girls were less than thrilled and there was a lot of covering of eyes!
Captain Hook does a very good line in girly wussing when you shout TICK TOCK at him!
The Princess float was much admired by the girls, Cinders waved at Clara... she was thrilled. Cinders is her favourite Princess!
The Mummies may have started welling up upon seeing how thrilled their children were to see their heros and heroines!
We invented rules on purchases. We told the kids that it was the rule there that as soon as you bought a teddy then you had to leave. And they believed it too!
And finally... even Mummies can get lost! Jane and I went on a (noble) search for either DVDs or something with Chernabog on it for Lexi and then we (by which I mean all 4 adults...) got muddled as to where we were reconvening. Meaning Paul, Mike and the kids were in one location and Jane and I were in another... without a phone! The payphones wouldn't take the money we had and declined the credit cards (no idea why!) and in the end I had to ask a soldier (btw, why on earth are there armed guards at EuroDisney?! Stop the characters getting out?!) if we could borrow his phone to quickly call the other half of our party to let them know where we were. Oops!
Still it was a fabulous day and I think Lexi's last words before passing out in bed sum it up nicely
"I went to Disneyland today.... it was the best day EVER!"
Sunday, 22 August 2010
You have 3 countries on your doorstep why not visit one!
Where we are in the Alps is on the doorstep of Switzerland and Italy so we thought we would pop over to Geneva to see some friends what live there. Of course it was this morning the children chose to oversleep so we were late out of the door (someone show me a parent who doesn't use their child as an alarm clock?!). Anyway after a brief magical mystery tour of Geneva and the surrounding countryside (Tomtom not a fan of the Swiss obviously!) we arrived at the train station where we were meeting the lovely Sarah and Rob.
They shepherded us onto a train, and then a bus and then a short walk to The Botanical Gardens. We had a marvellous picnic with them and then released the beasts on the play area near by. Much fun was had when the Carousel opened back up after it's lunch break and they 4 childerbeast got to ride on it. It really is the most fantastic Carousel any of us had ever seen:
Rowan and Lexi decided on the tortoise:
Phoebe decided upon the horse (surprise surprise!)
and Clara shot upstairs and sat in the basket of the flying frog where no one could see her!
Then came the moment that I knew was going to happen, it always happens, it is one of the basic underlying principles of my universe. Phoebe saw water... Phoebe striped off naked... Phoebe frolicked in water. I have a lovely friend who says it wouldn't be an occasion worth it's salt without one of my girls stripping at some point. Apparently the look on Paul's face was one of utter resignation when he was informed of his eldest child's antics! Ah well, noone appears too scarred from that particular event!
It was a fantastic day and wonderful to meet Sarah and Rob too! Now I am home I must get some bourbons in the post to them!
They shepherded us onto a train, and then a bus and then a short walk to The Botanical Gardens. We had a marvellous picnic with them and then released the beasts on the play area near by. Much fun was had when the Carousel opened back up after it's lunch break and they 4 childerbeast got to ride on it. It really is the most fantastic Carousel any of us had ever seen:
Rowan and Lexi decided on the tortoise:
Phoebe decided upon the horse (surprise surprise!)
and Clara shot upstairs and sat in the basket of the flying frog where no one could see her!
Then came the moment that I knew was going to happen, it always happens, it is one of the basic underlying principles of my universe. Phoebe saw water... Phoebe striped off naked... Phoebe frolicked in water. I have a lovely friend who says it wouldn't be an occasion worth it's salt without one of my girls stripping at some point. Apparently the look on Paul's face was one of utter resignation when he was informed of his eldest child's antics! Ah well, noone appears too scarred from that particular event!
It was a fantastic day and wonderful to meet Sarah and Rob too! Now I am home I must get some bourbons in the post to them!
Fun with Crisps...
Whilst enjoying ourselves in St Gervais at the local park, post swimming in the rain! We decided to establish exactly how much Rowan loves Crisps... turns out it's a lot!
Monday, 16 August 2010
Fun En France! Part Une.
Well after a 19 (count em!) hour journey across France, which whilst long was miraculously uneventful. Miraculously because 4 children ranging from almost 3 - 7 who were exceptionally well behaved is nothing short of miraculous, particularly when the 3 youngest are girls renowned for their screechy default settings!
Jane and Mike set off from their house at about 00:45, arrived with us an hour and a bit later we packed and then got en route for Dover and arrived there for 4am. We had had the forsight to book with priority boarding so got on the boat really quickly and had a reasonable crossing. Then we unloaded the car from ferry and made our way from Calais to St Gervais... a journey of approximately 882 km or 548 miles! It took us all day, with plenty of stops but as I said was uneventful!
On Sunday we mostly attempted a recovery, with much muttering about how daft it is that major supermarkets are closed when we NEEDED to shop! However we went to a local town and shopped there, because they have better parking than St G. We did however venture into St G for lunch, a little nervously as Lexi is allergic to all things dairy. Amazingly we had a cracking meal in a lovely restaurant who were happy to cater to the various requirements (including the fussy eaters... I am looking at you Rowan and Phoebe!).
Today we tried to find another restaurant that would accommodate so well, but we failed so drove back up the mountain to go back to yesterdays! You live and learn really! Alas today's lunch was called a little short for Lexi, Jane and Paul as Lexi went an attractive shade of Grey and had to be taken home. The girls, Mike and I enjoyed the rest of our meals before calling for a lift back too. We (well we gave the girls options) then decided that Face Painting would be the order of the day:
L-R we have Phoebe the Dog, Clara the Rabbit and Rowan the Butterfly. They were then absorbed in playing a game which involved one of them going out onto the balcony and miming their animal! Alas poor Lexi was in bed and being poorly at the moment so was unable to join in the fun. He was less than impressed with his lack of Tiger so tomorrow we go on the White Face Paint search to have some more face painty fun!
We also negotiated that instead of bedtime stories they could watch some TV, on the proviso that if they were noisy we would remember they were there and we would send them to bed. Amazingly this worked and they all Shut Up for at least 40 minutes AND they were so tired by the time they hit their beds we didn't hear a ruddy peep.... RESULT! Never have 4 children been so delighted at bedtime!
This left us sufficient time to make a baked bacon and pea risotto and lo, it was GORGEOUS. Note to self: Make risotto more.... mmmmmmmmmm!
Jane and Mike set off from their house at about 00:45, arrived with us an hour and a bit later we packed and then got en route for Dover and arrived there for 4am. We had had the forsight to book with priority boarding so got on the boat really quickly and had a reasonable crossing. Then we unloaded the car from ferry and made our way from Calais to St Gervais... a journey of approximately 882 km or 548 miles! It took us all day, with plenty of stops but as I said was uneventful!
On Sunday we mostly attempted a recovery, with much muttering about how daft it is that major supermarkets are closed when we NEEDED to shop! However we went to a local town and shopped there, because they have better parking than St G. We did however venture into St G for lunch, a little nervously as Lexi is allergic to all things dairy. Amazingly we had a cracking meal in a lovely restaurant who were happy to cater to the various requirements (including the fussy eaters... I am looking at you Rowan and Phoebe!).
Today we tried to find another restaurant that would accommodate so well, but we failed so drove back up the mountain to go back to yesterdays! You live and learn really! Alas today's lunch was called a little short for Lexi, Jane and Paul as Lexi went an attractive shade of Grey and had to be taken home. The girls, Mike and I enjoyed the rest of our meals before calling for a lift back too. We (well we gave the girls options) then decided that Face Painting would be the order of the day:
L-R we have Phoebe the Dog, Clara the Rabbit and Rowan the Butterfly. They were then absorbed in playing a game which involved one of them going out onto the balcony and miming their animal! Alas poor Lexi was in bed and being poorly at the moment so was unable to join in the fun. He was less than impressed with his lack of Tiger so tomorrow we go on the White Face Paint search to have some more face painty fun!
We also negotiated that instead of bedtime stories they could watch some TV, on the proviso that if they were noisy we would remember they were there and we would send them to bed. Amazingly this worked and they all Shut Up for at least 40 minutes AND they were so tired by the time they hit their beds we didn't hear a ruddy peep.... RESULT! Never have 4 children been so delighted at bedtime!
This left us sufficient time to make a baked bacon and pea risotto and lo, it was GORGEOUS. Note to self: Make risotto more.... mmmmmmmmmm!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)