A nerfy, patterny, puppety, marbley playday.

We spent the day with Zoe and Billy at their house.  The kids were really looking forward to it.  We all had an excellent time.

Zoe got their marble run out.  It's much more freeform than the usual kind, and captivated everyone's attention for a while.

Next interesting item was a puppet theatre.  Billy and Meg gave us a funny show.

Freddie brought his nerf guns and we had a few nerf skirmishes in the garden.  The kids battalion had a big cardboard box as their HQ/shelter, the mums team had camping chairs.

After lunch, Betsy was annoyed that I hadn't brought pudding (fruit wasn't what she wanted) so Zoe, Betsy and Meg rustled up some fairy cakes.  Zoe has a food mixer, and the girls were  fascinated!

While Fred and Billy watched the Disney Robin Hood film, Betsy and Meg played with pattern blocks and drew pictures.  I brought along a game I found for £1 at a school fair called Rush Hour.  We played a few rounds of that too.  It's a great take-along game, I think I'll keep it in my bag for a while.

Zoe gave us her contribution the busy bag swap we did a while ago.  It's a felt pizza play set and Betsy *loves* it!  She spent ages making us pizzas and was delighted when she realised we could keep it.

It was a very busy, play-filled, happy day.

Making bugs

We went to the monthly nature reserve group this afternoon.  Our friends Jeni and Holly came with us.  Freddie and Betsy scored a ride in Jeni's red beetle!  It was a bit too chilly to drive there with the roof down, but Jeni gave them a spin around the car park.  Freddie had pressed the button to put the roof back on, which is why it's partially up in the photo.

We were in the yurt today, and were making pictures of bugs using twigs, leaves, flowers, bark chips etc.  Betsy made a ladybird

.Meg made a big pumpkin.  I love the randomness of young children!

Freddie wasn't interested in the activity, but he played with some other kids and seemed to be having lots of fun!  One of his friends found a mushroom, and they looked it up in a Collins Gem book.

Betsy enjoyed having Holly to play with.

Meg pretended to be a sleeping unicorn.

Betsy picked some beautiful tiny flowers.

Later, Freddie had martial arts.  He's still enjoying it.  Betsy has decided to stop Rainbows now, as she felt it disturbed her afternoon.

A round up

It's been a little over a week since the last post, so here's a quick round up of some of the things we've been doing.

Making brownies.  Yum.

Elaborate play on the trampoline, with a home for a beast and a baby.  Betsy was their carer (sadly headless in the photo I took).

Making bouncy balls (a car boot bargain).

A really fabulous meet up at Ashridge, complete with a walk, bluebells, tree climbing and ice cream.

Local park meet up.

More Moshi fun - creating a feast in the garden, to attract Moshlings.

Going on a journey, dressed for the occasion, seeking Moshi Land (we didn't find it, sadly).

I went to the car boot again today, was very pleased with my finds.  Downfall, which I've been looking for for ages (50p), Battleship (50p), Etch-A-Sketch (£1.50) and Flower Fairies Shrinkables (20p).  Freddie and I played Battleship, Betsy and I played Downfall.  I love love love that game!

Windy woods

We went up to Ashridge this afternoon, though we somehow missed the people we were meeting up with.  It was quite chilly, and very windy - a great contrast to our visit last week, when we were hot and with lots of other families!
Never mind.  We set off the find the pond, and ambled around the woods there.  The bluebells were coming out, though I suspect they'll be in full bloom by next week.
There were a few patches of fabulously squelchy mud.  Betsy got stuck a couple of times.  They all climbed a tree.  Betsy collected lots of woodland treasures and made stick arrows to show us the way back.  

Meg wanted to carry Betsy's bag and screamed for a while when Betsy said no.  Meg screaming is happening *a lot* at the moment.  Freddie and Betsy never really did the 'tantrum' thing, and I find it difficult to manage sometimes.

Apart from that - which didn't last too long - it was a lovely hour or so hanging out amongst the trees.