Yesterday we didn't work as Dave wanted to give his shoulders a rest. So we went off to the library to re-stock with books. Had a lovely peaceful time reading and scouring the bookshelves as there were no other children around (all back at school ha ha!!) In the afternoon we got on with making the framework for our willow lanterns that Eilidh had started at art group. We all have the beginnings of a lantern each now so they can be covered at the next group with lantern paper.

Today it was back over to Steve's to get some more of his garden done. Both Eilidh and Ben helped out a bit today, weeding, digging, pulling branches down to the bonfire and other bits and pieces. That was in between playing on the computer with Jason, playing on the drums with Joel and throwing sticks for Levi (their Staffy dog). We seemed to get quite a bit done today, Dave was laying some old carpet to clear a path through some of the woodland, which will be covered with wood chippings later and I was on with the weeding of the front formal garden again (this seems to be an endless task). We also managed to cut down some overgrown shrubs and cleared away some Elder...so a good days work.

I will try and remember to get some more pictures tomorrow as our blog seems to be severely lacking them at the moment!

We all went off to Steve's house this morning, Dave to get on with the garden, the kids to run around and help daddy and I had to drop them off and go to one of the cottages to sort it out. When I had finished I headed back to Steve's with some lunch. Eilidh and Ben were busy playing computer games with Steve's two boys and had only helped Dave for about five minutes!

After lunch Dave and I decided to bring a few trees down! Actually some quite tall but very spindly Sycamores which needed chopping down to let some light through. Everything was going great until Dave's new chain-saw decided to break....Hurrah! So we had to get on with clearing the area and weeding instead. The kids had disappeared inside to watch Shrek and we didn't see them for most of the afternoon. Joel and Jason (Steve's boys) were learning the art of babysitting!

Hopefully we will be able to get the chain-saw sorted or replaced but unfortunately this will take a few days and there are still quite a few trees to bring down. Dave is trying to take it easy so that his shoulder holds out so we shall wait and see what the plan is tomorrow.

Yesterday was mostly taken up with cleaning cottages and vegetating in front of the telly!

As the clocks went back last night we supposedly were meant to get an extra hour in bed (not likely!). Ben was up as usual at the crack of dawn so in the end we got up as well. I managed to get a bath and then the kids both had one, all before church! Afterwards we went out for a drive rather than going straight home, had some lunch at a pub in Orton and then headed back home, exploring some of the little lanes on the way back. Dave amused the kids while I got a pile of ironing done again, then a lazy tea in front of a nature programme before I headed off to church again tonight.

We are hoping that Dave's shoulder is up to getting back to work tomorrow and I will probably spend a couple of days helping him out to catch up.

This week has been really hectic! On Wednesday we went off to Holiday Club again then our friend Kate came and picked us up for a picnic at Brockhole with her, Dennis and Florence. We sat under a big tree in a patch of sunlight on a huge pile of leaves and had lunch then went off for a walk by the lake on the way to the adventure playground. All the kids went off for the rest of the afternoon playing and we eventually got home at about 4.15pm. Then it was a mad rush to get dinner cooked, eaten and out again, back down to church for an evening 'Garden Party' for the Holiday Club kids and their parents!! Loads of the kids turned up with their mums and dads and they had a taste of what we've all been up to in the mornings! More loud singing, dancing, drama and generally having a laugh!!

We were all shattered on Thursday but went gallantly off to the last day of Holiday Club. Another brilliant morning, although it's been really tiring we will definately consider doing it all again next year. Me and Tim (my team co-leader) even got a box of chocolates each from one of the boys in our team ahhhh!!! All the parents and kids have been invited back on Sunday as they are doing some more drama and songs then so it will be interesting to see who turns up.

On Wednesday we had a message from our friends from Orkney (our best man and family) saying they were travelling back from Kate's parents and wondering if they could stop for the night. Help! Our house (as usual) was a complete pig sty so we spent all afternoon on Thursday tidying, vacuuming, sorting out beds, and getting very stressed!! Then I realised I had piles of ironing (literally!) which needed doing for the cottages on Friday and Saturday. Fortunately for us, (not for them) Mark, Kate, Zachary and Stella had an awful journey up which took much longer than expected so didn't get here until 8pm. The kids got to say a quick hello and goodnight and eventually they all got tucked into their beds and settled so we could sit and chat. It was lovely to see them and to catch up, it's been over a year since we saw them last.

This morning, we all surfaced gradually and Zachary and Ben went upstairs to play trains (both Thomas mad!) while Mark packed up the car and I pinched a few cuddles with Stella (8 mths.) It's always nice to cuddle other babies and then be able to hand them back!! They had to go to carry on with their epic journey north and we had to get a cottage cleaned and go to art group. I dropped Dave and the kids off as Dave was sorting out one of the crafts this month and rushed back over to Windermere to get the cottage done.
At art group they were making spider webs and spiders (Dave's bit!), printing with veg and leaves etc, and making willow lanterns which will then be covered next time with lantern paper. Eilidh made a really big lantern which will look fantastic when it gets finished.

I turned up near the end of the group so missed out on doing any but we managed to come home with a bundle of willow to make some at home for next time so I guess that made up for it! They seem to have had a really good time again, both the kids love going to art group (and us too!!)

This morning we had got a big parcel through the post which was full of lovely presents for the kids from Grandma and Grandpa. We saved this for this evening and they have had great fun building lego cars, playing with dolls and wanting to stay up and do all the other bits as well. However being mean parents, we sent them off to bed early!! They then decided to both sleep in Eilidh's room tonight, Ben is in Eilidhs bed (only because it still had his Bob the Builder duvet cover on as Zachary had slept there the night before!) and Eilidh is on the bed we made up for Mark and Kate out of the old caravan cushions on her bedroom floor!! So far, so good, I think they are both so tired after their hectic week, they would probably sleep anywhere!! We are just hoping for a quiet night!!

Another great morning at Holiday Club. Ben and Eilidh went off happily to sit with their teams. Of course, being a church holiday club it is based on bible stories and they have very loud christian music where all the kids (and leaders) are up singing, shouting, jumping around doing actions and generally wearing themselves out!! A lot of the kids never go into church except for these clubs and it is unbelievably popular every year. Not your normal, run of the mill Church of England!!

Crafts today was making clay pots and at the end of the morning some of the leaders are 'volunteered' to be gunged which is always popular! Fortunately as this is my first year I think I'll get away with it. Eilidh is very proud of the fact that her and Ben's teams are beating mine in the team points (not that she is competitive or anything!)

We went of around town this afternoon, finding bits to make Christmas cards, presents and stuff for the art group on Friday and then headed home. Eilidh and Ben went down to Phoebe's house to play for a little while before tea and came back worn out so they went to bed a little bit earlier tonight.

Not blogged for a few days so here goes....

Friday we went off to the first Science group our friend has organised. It went quite well, we were all looking at plants and different parts. Lots of different flowers for the kids to chop up and examine. Obviously the littlies weren't amused for long but some of the older ones spent quite a while looking at different parts and looking at them under microscopes.

Not a lot happened over the weekend, went for a drive around on Saturday starting off in Bowness which was heaving again due to the school half term so decided to head up to Troutbeck where we had lunch at the Queens Head (http://www.queensheadhotel.com/) famed as the only 4 poster bar they not only have 4 poster beds in the rooms but also have one built into the bar. From there we went on over Kirkstone pass to Ullswater & up toward penrith before turning back via a lovely Jersey Ice Cream Farm where the kids really enjoyed the play area. Then down through Shap on onwards home, quite a day out.

Then went off yesterday to pick up a cover for Dave's pick-up down at Stoke. We then decided to go to Ikea on the way back as we love Ikea!! Eilidh and Ben had a play in the kids area while we rushed around trying to look at everything while they were gone. We got our fix of swedish meatballs and a few bits and pieces and then headed home.

Today was the start of the Holiday Club at our church where I am helping out as a junior leader. Ben and Eilidh went off into their teams and seemed to have enjoyed themselves. I was really worried that Ben wouldn't settle but he apparantly was ok once he had seen me to wave at and then sat on his team leaders lap snuggled up quite happily in between doing crafts and games. Eilidh was great and just went off quite happily to her little team so no problems there! It was a really good morning and loads of kids from the church and from the local area turned up. They actually have a waiting list for this holiday club and they all seem like a really good bunch. This goes on until Thursday so we may be exhausted by then!!

I'm feeling very self righteous tonight as we seem to have got a lot done today and had a good day as well!! This morning Dave went off to sort out the rest of the caravan and take it to be scrapped so we decided to get on with some 'work'. Eilidh and Ben worked on finishing their Swallows and Amazons projects.

We then decided to pack a rucksack with supplies and leaf spotting booklets etc and went out for another walk. We went up our back field, over the top of the crag, past a cairn and headed down towards the footbridge over the main road from Kendal.It was gorgeous today, really sunny but still lovely and fresh...perfect walking weather! The kids spent about half an hour standing on the footbridge waving to all the cars and lorries rushing past underneath them. I think everyone must have been in a good mood as most of them waved, tooted or flashed their lights!! We then headed back down towards the farm shop, through a farmyard and fields of sheep and cows to get something for lunch. On the way we stopped to do some tree bark rubbing (Eilidh's idea!) After having a wander around the Cumbria Wildlife Trust place picking up lots of autumn leaves we went home for lunch.

They had both enjoyed the Swiss plaited Bread yesterday so we decided to have a go at making some more after lunch. They both had their own dough to make into shapes and plaits, they all came out really well! While the dough had been rising they got on with making a autumn tree picture with all the leaves they had collected and the bark rubbings. It is now proudly displayed in our kitchen!! It's been a really good day and I think we are all shattered tonight!!