Saturday 14 July 2012

A holiday

We went to Center Parcs this week (which only partly explains a blogging lapse - the previous  week I found I didn't have anything to say).
It was a fab 5 days.  The kids loved it.  Swimming, wildlife, swimming, cycling, playgrounds, swimming.  We had booked up a couple of activities (mini farm, horse and carriage ride) but apart from that we tootled about.
The little house was lovely, with french doors looking out into the woodland.  Regular visitors included many squirrels and ducks, some rabbits, and a doe and a fawn.  Amazing.
This was the view from our patio.

Duck-watching:
Deer-stalking:
It rained a fair bit, but we carried on regardless.  The girls were dry enough in the bike trailer, and Freddie loves the rain anyway.  I really enjoyed the cycling, though my dreams of regular family bike rides were dashed by Freddie's announcement on the last day that he doesn't like cycling as it hurts his legs.  Humph.
The mini farm was great.  The kids fed kune kune pigs, chickens, turkeys (including a noisy one called Freddie, ha!), goats, sheep, guinea pigs and giant rabbits.  We all really enjoyed it.
(this is the only photo we have with the five of us.  It's only been 2 years since Meg was born!)
On the horse and carriage ride.  It was our only dry day, and we saw some sun for a change.
The kids enjoyed the swimming so much that we'll take them every weekend,if they want to.  And we hope to go to Center Parcs again next year, if we can work it into our budget.

Monday 2 July 2012

Painting pottery

We went to a pottery painting cafe today (on another damp and miserable day).  We haven't been since Meg was tiny.  I'd forgotten quite how expensive it is, £51 for 3 children to paint one thing each plus a cuppa and some snacks.  Ouch.  Still, the kids enjoyed it.  We'll keep it as a very occasional activity though!
Meg chose a little dog to paint.  She did about half before she wanted to go and play in the toy corner, and I finished it off for her.
Freddie and Betsy both chose to paint a money box.  Betsy wanted a pig, and Freddie opted for a car.  They needed very minimal help from me.
Here are their finished items, ready for glazing and baking in the kiln:
We can collect them on Saturday and the kids are really looking forward to bringing them home.

Sunday 1 July 2012

Food miles...

...or rather food metres.  Meg and I harvested the potatoes in the garden today.  We grew them from the seed potatoes that the Potato Council sent us back in February.
I cooked half of them to have with a roast chicken, and they were delicious.
The other half I'll use to make bombay potatoes.  Yum!
Rob and Freddie went to the allotment this morning and came back with our first crop of strawberries.  They smell so so heavenly, there's nothing like it.