Monday 26 August 2013

Embellish Me Happy Challenges

I found a new blog!

Having 3 kids I found it quite fun to take part in their back to school blog hop and I've entered 3 of their challenges!
 Ester's challenge was to create a layout using "a ribbon and tag" - I think my tag is big enough?!!
 Darcy's challenge was to use "numbers" - I used Nicholas' first official school photo.
And Paula's challenge was to use an "apple" somewhere on a layout... the ribbon I used on Alexander's layout has apples on it!

Still time to enter the challenges as they run until 8th September 2013.
http://embellishmehappy.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/back-to-school-blog-hop.html

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Sunday 25 August 2013

Almost there!!!!

They're nearly back!!!!!   Love my kids dearly, but roll on Tuesday week....
Monday this week saw us all at our yearly Clarkes appointment for new school shoes.  £120 later(!!!) Alex came out with shoes that got me all upset for some reason (they just seem like big boy - secondary school boy shoes, and he's 9), Nicholas has a pair of kickers in the hope that they may actually last him the entire academic year and Cassandra, despite my encouragement for something different, has the same style as last year!

Tuesday saw Lee take the day off work and we all headed off to Chessington!  


The last time we were there, we didn't have that great a time, food issues and rides closed etc.  The main complaint I made to Adventurer Services was the fact that Nicholas and Lee were stuck, hanging on the Vampire ride for some 20 minutes when it broke down.... Chessington were very good, took full responsibility and offered us a "meet and greet" session on our return visit.  So all of us got to get up close with a Coati - a bit like a racoon. :)

I had promised the kids we would go crabbing at some stage during the holidays, but the tides had just not been right for the days we could do.  Wednesday however, we planned around high tide and joined by Nannie, Alex got very lucky with his net and line full of bacon!

 Even Cassandra got stuck in!
It was such a nice day that when we got home the kids all wanted to play with the hose, just love this pic of Alexander with his waterfall!
Thursday saw me playing taxi as Alex spent the day with his bud Ollie and Lou very kindly took them to Kids Kingdom. Much improved since it was bought by the people who own Monkey Bizz...
Nicholas was dropped off at Mum's for his scheduled sleepover and Cassandra spent the morning at Little Steps Gymnastics holiday club.  By the time I'd dropped everyone off and gone to Tesco, I had 15 mins to make a cuppa before I had to go and do the collecting!  LOL!
Cassandra and I did some craft - Mum had bought teh kids some garden pots, so Cassie decided she wanted to paint her one...

Friday saw Alex and his friend Calum over at Brentwood Karting taking part in their Laser Warfare fun day. A bit like paintballing, but with AK47 laser rifles instead.  They loved it.  crawling through the mud and running around in the woods - Nicholas can't wait to be old enough next year to go too!
Whilst the boys played "guns" I took the girls - Cassandra and Niamh to play in the school pool for a bit..
Leigh Ramblers football training started up again on Saturday, and despite the pouring rain, they got to train. Reuben's birthday party down at Adventure Island was unfortunately cancelled though, much to Nicholas' disappointment (although re-scheduled for next Wednesday), and Alex still enjoyed cookery club at Waitrose - dinner of pizza and banana pancakes courtesy of him!
Today, Sunday, Lee and our bro-in-law Greg went off to spend the day photographing birds of prey (a Father's Day gift courtesy of their respective kids).
So despite protest, resistance was futile, home learning was the order of the morning and all 3 kids managed to get some English and Maths done.  Very proud of Cassandra as she managed to write her own name all by herself!!!  Got to love Biff, Chip & Kipper and Floppy the dog!
The kids had also completed their Summer Reading Challenge of 8 books so we went over to Garons to use their rewards of swimming vouchers.

7 days to go...

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Saturday 17 August 2013

Summer hols weeks 3 & 4

Well, the hols are continuing, however I can see light at the end of the long tunnel..

WEEK 3
Monday of Week 3 saw Mum and I take the kids to Colchester Zoo.  They hadn't been to the zoo for ages and we actually had a great day - not too much fighting!
Tuesday, I took the kids to see Monsters University at the cinema - was brilliant!
Wednesday saw us meeting up with some of the other Mum's over at Shoebury East Each way.  Alexander and Nicholas were amazing as they cycled all the way there with Michelle and Rachel and their kids.  Was so proud of them, as neither of them have ever cycled that far.  I did have the new cycle rack on the back of the car though to take them home! 
Thursday saw Alex and Nicholas at Bikeability gaining their level one and two, so I picked up Cassandra's "bestie" - Kaylah and we went over to Farmer Fred's playbarn for a bit and then back to ours to play.
On Friday we headed off up to Clacton, to Haven's Orchards for our 2nd summer holiday camping trip.
The weather kept nice for us and despite some fun - or not in the mud, we had a nice weekend.
On the way home on Sunday afternoon, we passed a PYO sign, so stopped off for the kids to experience picking their own strawberries!  I think I ate more than anyone, they were scrummy and the kids had fun!

WEEK 4

This week saw Alexander at Belchamps with is bud Ashley taking part in one of their activities days - both had a brilliant time.  Mum kindly had Cassie for the day, so Nicholas and I got to spend some much needed 1:1 time.

He had a million and one things on his "to do" list and first off was a visit to Hadleigh castle & farm followed by cake making, playing games and cars, drawing, painting and paper mache!  We got through most of it..

Got to love Half Price Tuesday's at Empire, which was us all watching Smurf's 2 - considering I hadn't seen the first one is was a really nice feel good movie..
Alex had cookery club over at Waitrose in the afternoon and afterward I went and had my hair cut - so I'm all short and red again!

Wednesday we were supposed to be meeting up with the school Mum's at the park, but the kids were arguing and fighting so much we didn't go and had a day indoors instead.  No bad thing... As an Assistant Beaver Scouts leader now, I'm getting well into my role, and tonight saw Sue Davies and I programme planning for next term.  Quite enjoyable going through activities and things we can do to ensure all the beavers in our colony work towards and get their badges.  AND, I'm all fired up to plan and run my first nights away!

Thursday Alex had a sleepover at Mum', so I took Nicholas and Cassandra to Southchurch park for a bit and met up with my friend Lynne and her two kids.  When we left there, Nicholas had one of his bud's - Sam over for a sleepover.  They were quite good and come Friday, Sam got dropped home just before 10am as Nicholas was at soccer hub footie all day.  He's itching to get back to training...  Cassandra and I were supposed to be meeting up with friends in the park, but as it was raining, we all piled round Julie's house instead where the 3 little girls all played exceptionally well with each other and Julie, Martyna and I all got to have a great chat!

Today saw a meet up with the in-laws down at Adventure Island...
 Even Lee and I had to get in on the act of rides and fun!!
The kids all behaved brilliantly and got on so well.  We really need to meet up more often :)

So, come tomorrow it will be only 15 days until the kids go back........!!!!

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Ruby Rock-it - August Challenge

Just LOVED this challenge, so different to what I would usually do.  I used the Pink Fusion papers for my layout of my darling girl..


The challenge runs until the end of August, so still time to enter to win a fabby prize!
http://rubyrockit.typepad.com/ruby-rock-it/2013/08/august-sketch-challenge-giveaway.html

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Sunday 4 August 2013

S.W.A.T - Drill #13

I'm loving a blog that I recently found called S.W.A.T as they have some really good challenges (and prizes) and Drill 13 was to create a layout using triangles.  What better way to do that than with bunting!!!

Cassie was playing in the garden a month or so ago - trying to catch and burst the bubbles I was blowing for her.  I was pleased that I managed to get a few great snaps....

This is the link if you would like to enter too:
http://swatscrapwarriorsadvancedtraining.blogspot.ca/2013/08/drill-13.html

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Saturday 3 August 2013

Week 2....

Well, I'm already on countdown - 4 weeks to go until my little darlings are back at school!!!

This week saw us at the library on Monday to get the first two stickers for each of the kids in the summer reading challenge and then Alexander had cookery over at Waitrose.

Tuesday Alex was at Science camp, so Nicholas and I went to see a good friend for the day and then I took all 3 to see Despicable Me 2 at the cinema.  It was very funny, but as I personally hadn't seen the first one (not sure how that happend) I didn't actually get all the jokes...
Wednesday we were supposed to be going over to Promanade park in Maldon, but the weather was not forecast to be good and the kids were playing up so much we didn't go.  So a day of various children sitting on the naughty step, having reward charts moved down and loosing stuff ensued....  I was thankful to get out and deliver my Avon....

Thursday we were supposed to be meting some friends over at priory park, so I'd packed a picnic and we were all set, only to be told that one of them had cancelled,.  Still, a nice morning was spent at the park and in the afternoon I'd hired the school pool which was a welcome relief on the hottest day of August for 8 or so years!

Whilst the kids played, the ladies chilled...

Friday was my strategically planned 1:1 day with Alexander as Nicholas was at Soccer hub all day and Mum had Cassandra.  So we did whatever Alex wanted to do which included going to the beach, we went down the pier, saw a Punch and Judy puppet show, came home and varnished his coasters he'd made at B&Q club a week or so ago AND he made a chocolate cake!!
 

Both Daddy and Nannie and Nicholas and Cassandra all gave it an 11/10 on the yummy scale!!!

Today Cassie had her little friend - Emily's birthday party to attend and Lee took the boys to Empire Juniors to see Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief in readiness for the new one that's out next.

Tomorrow sees good friends coming round for our first BBQ of the year - Looking forward to seeing Lee in a pinny, so I really hope it stays dry!!
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