Sorry, getting really behind with our blog. Well we made it back from Somerset ok, had a really good time and it was lovely seeing my Mum and Dad and my sister and family. I've just found it a bit hard getting back into the swing of things again!

We spend a couple of days just lounging around at Mum and Dads while the kids got busy drawing, colouring, sticking, discovering Grandmas toys again and playing cards on the computer. The weather was horrible (so much for sunny somerset, it rained nearly all week!) but we did manage to have a BBQ and a walk on the Saturday with Fran, Andy, Jack and William. This was great, the sun shone a bit and we were the only mad ones BBQ'ing in January, the kids splashed about in the river and built shelters and drove each other mad but it was a brilliant day. (Thanks Fran and co!!)

One of the days we went off to Street Outlet village with mum to go shopping, this is an outdoor retail place but it has plenty of places for the kids to play so they weren't too bored with traipsing around shops. We managed to get ourselves some shoes and clothes which were desperatly needed and the kids had a lovely surprise of some spending money from Grandma which they dutifully spent on toys!!!

The Travelodge was ok, it was on a trading estate surrounded by concrete but it served it's purpose and was pretty cheap so we well worth using if you can get their special offers. It was a bit weird walking down the stairs straight into a Burger King and Restaurant but we managed!!! The kids even went to sleep at a reasonable hour each night which was great!

Yesterday, we were out at Science Group, learning all about air, making Carbon Dioxide and Fire Extinguishers all with Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar. Fascinating! Fortunately one of Eilidhs friends mum used to be a science teacher so she could give us a hand as I am absolutely clueless whien it comes to this sort of thing. I hated Chemistry and Physics with a vengeance at school!!

Today it actually stopped raining, so we ventured out into our very soggy garden and while Dave and Ben sorted out the shoe rack and front porch me and Eilidh got on with digging out our veggie patch ready for the new crop. Not quite sure what we are doing this year yet and when we are meant to do it but I'll have to scour the gardening sites and figure it out!! (or ask Dad!!!)

This afternoon was spent sorting out the kids toys, I have actually managed to clear a box and bag load of toys from their bedrooms without them realising yet (Ha, Ha, Ha!!)

I also got very stupidly emotional over Ben insisting that he wanted to sell his wooden railway track which he has absolutely loved and played with constantly from when he was tiny up until a few months ago. I felt really upset that he doesn't want it anymore, how silly is that??? I guess it's more the fact that he's growing up so fast and that just brought it home a bit!? Well, I have to look on the bright side as it does sell really well on Ebay and he has tonnes of it so I guess that helps!!

Well, we are off down to sunny Somerset for a week to see my mum and dad and sister. So probably no blog until we get back. At the moment the kids are getting over excited and driving us absolutely insane while we rush around packing the car so we shall be glad when we finally leave!! Write about all our adventures next week, bye!

So much for a lie-in! I was up watching rubbish on telly at 2.30am as Dave was snoring constantly and I gave up kicking and hitting him and admitted defeat. After crawling back into bed an hour and half later with Dave still snoring, then Eilidh woke up feeling ill and insisted on coming into bed with me at about 6am. I finally lost my rag an hour later and kicked her out again as she thought stroking my hand, playing with my hair and singing would help me sleep!! Needless to say I was not in the best of moods this morning and we missed church again!!!

We decided instead to take the kids and their bikes to Morecambe so that they could have a really good cycle and get some fresh air. They don't get much of a chance to go on their bikes but Eilidh seems to be doing really well and we need to try and get her cycling without her stabilisers soon. Ben was refusing to peddle at all but by the end he was having a good go so we will have to keep it up. Unfortunately they both need new bikes as their old ones were secondhand to begin with, getting too small and too rusty!! It was really cold but good to get out in the fresh sea air. Needless to say we found a cafe for some coffee & the kids found a toy to play on.

Busy day today.

We have at last managed to sell the campervan on Ebay and the lady came to pick it up today Hurrah! What a waste of time that was, we never even went out in it!! You live and learn.

We both had a cottage to do each, so I took the kids and tackled the big one and Dave went off to the little on as he was then back to work painting nasty chemicals on lodges again. Apparantly this chemical stuff is absolutely disgusting, stinks and has to be at a certain temperature or it justs goes like glue. Fortunately him and Wendy (his workmate) have got really good face masks as the label says 'risk of irreversible effects by inhalation'......lovely!!! They are both willing this job to be finished as soon as possible. Here is the place they are working at (especially pictured in the snow just for Fran).After finishing our cottage I took the kids off to an indoor play area in Bowness to let off some steam. It was really busy and extremely noisy although even above all that noise I could still hear Eilidhs voice!!! They had a great time charging around getting red in the face and very hot while I drank Cafe Latte. Came out with a thudding head, I really think they should have a soundproof room for parents!!

Me and Eilidh went off to do some shopping this evening, it was really nice getting a little bit of time just with Eilidh. She is going through a funny phase at the moment and I think is feeling a bit unloved and insecure so it was good for both of us, even if it was only food shopping! Well, they have both gone off to bed late so hopefully we will get more of a lie- in in the morning (Yeah right!!)

Yes, more SNOW!!!

Well we have just got up & here is what it looks like up here:

& it is still coming down, fun & games to come. Here are some more of the kids enjoying the snow over the road in the field.

We had snow!

Yes, we actually had some snow today. Alright it was only a little dusting but we all got excited while it lasted. Eilidh is hoping it snows all night and we get snowed in so we shall have to wait and see!

Dave was off painting horrible smelly chemicals on wooden holiday lodges again today, so we went off to re-stock our books at the library. We had a nice hour or so sitting on the library sofas reading books and choosing which ones to take home and then went off for a well-deserved drink and treat! We went down to the 'Chocolate House' in Kendal and Eilidh had some lovely creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows and we shared some delicious moussy cake and Ben got absolutely covered in chocolate sauce from his chocolate croissant. Yum!! We did a few more jobs and then headed home to sort out the fire as it is really cold again.

We managed to get a big dolls house off Freecycle today. It needs a bit of TLC but Eilidh is really excited about 'doing it up' so we are all going to give a complete makeover together. It will look great, just got to find some more room for it!!

Dave was off to work again this morning, busy sanding and painting some holiday lodges down the road so we got busy too. I got out a load of stencils, colouring in, workbooks and other bits and bobs and the kids sat quite happily getting on with whatever they fancied at the table. Both of them actually decided to do some 'work' in their workbooks which was great. Every other time I get a pang of conscience and try to force them to do workbooks they point blank refuse but as it was their choice today they just got on with it!! Just goes to show that kids will learn in their own time and on their own terms! Mind you, Eilidh's writing and understanding has really, really come on since we last did any workbooks so she is obviously learning even when we think nothing is happening. Amazing!! Even Ben did a few pages of number work and held his pen the right way!!

We went into town at lunchtime, to go and see what they could spend some of their vouchers and money from Christmas on. Ben came back with another Thomas book (surprise, surprise!) and Eilidh came back with some glittery body lotion, and shower gel, definately a boy/girl divide there!!