Blackpool Baby!

Last night we got back from a three-day visit with one of my friends from university, Holly (her son Rafferty and his sister Naomi - known as 'Omi'), over near Blackpool. We went early on Monday so we would have the whole day to enjoy. The weather was pretty good so after exploring their house we headed to the beach in Cleveleys for a picnic and paddle.

You will be amazed to know that Toby did not fall in though given the chance he would have happily wandered in up to his neck. There are no photos of him in the sea as I was taking the photos and I had tight hold of his hand anytime he was in/close to the water. Naomi, was fantastic with the kids and had them entertained with drawing in the sand, paddling and all sorts of games. Beth just loved her and I think has ideas of getting an older sister . . .

Back at the house lots of fun was had by Beth dressing up in Omi's bridesmaid dress along with Holly's sparkly shoes and anything else that took her fancy (I'll really have to reinforce my teachings about not rooting through other people's cupboards!). Toby and Raf had a great time climbing/jumping/falling in and out of the travel cot. I thought it was the best place for Toby to sleep not realising how easy it would be for him to get in and out. Oh well, worth a try.

On Wednesday we took the plunge and headed into Blackpool, via the tram (photo is us waiting at the tram stop), and go to the tower. It was pretty busy but once we negotiated the queue the kids loved exploring. First stop was the aquarium where the big attraction was the enormous fish (I can't remember what they were). After lunch we went to watch the circus (no animals) and sat right up at the back. It was pretty impressive and although the kids enjoyed it, they didn't find it hugely amazing as many of the tricks were ones involving height (four acrobats on each other shoulders, etc.) and as we were high up, they didn't look towering.

To finish off our visit we decided to take the lift up to the top of the tower. The views were pretty good as it was quite clear. On the way up we had our pic taken by the 'photo lady,' it then had a background added. Quite cheesy but we thought it was quite a nice one and a good memory of the day. At the top you can walk up another couple of staircases to go a bit higher. I took Beth but it was rather windy and you couldn't see so well. I didn't take Toby - he's just started with the new trick of running away at every and any opportunity and is rather hard work. He escaped while at the top and after racing after him, we found him in the lift ready to go back to the bottom!

Wednesday was our last day; we headed home at bedtime but before then we had another lovely day. In the morning we met Raf's grandparents at a coffee morning in aid of his playgroup. I'm still not entirely sure if the OAPs were looking in amusement or horror at the three kids charging round causing chaos. I'll go with amusement. :) The afternoon was spent in Lytham, a 'traditional coastal village' just south of Blackpool. We had lunch in the cafe in Lowther Gardens, a really cool park with beautiful flowers, a playarea and trees perfect for climbing and hiding around. After lunch and a play we wandered down the beach towards the centre of Lytham and the windmill.

We had a fab few days catching up and enjoying good company and even without the constant badgering of Beth wanting to see Omi, now that we know it's only a couple of hours drive, we'll be heading back there soon. :)

Pickering Traction Engine Rally 2010

Just a short posting about going to the Pickering Traction Engine Rally last Friday as I suspect the photos and entry will be rather similar to last years and to the one about the rally at Clumber!

We were really lucky with the weather as heavy rain was forecast but we didn't get any until driving home.

Beth's main aim for her day was to go on as many rides as possible with the bumper cars being the main attraction! Thankfully there were lots of things to distract. Toby was even more obsessed than last year with the tractor pulling and was most upset to be pulled away - Beth wasn't so interested, not really her sort of thing!

After a mooch around the classic vehicles we did find ourselves at the rides. Bumper cars are serious business (as you can see from the pics), grandad was co-piloting for Beth and daddy for Toby. I was official photographer and bag holder - bumper cars isn't really my thing.

A quick flight followed shortly after and a ride in the cars too. Toby loved his car and caused quite a scene when the ride finished; he hid down in the foot well and would not get out. Everyone found it most amusing, me not so much - hauling a distraught, kicking and howling two-year-old out from the depth of a fairground ride is not top of my enjoyable pastime activities, especially when I know it will be reoccurring episode on the next ride!

It was a fun day and already on the calendar for next year if anyone fancies joining us. :)

Thoresby Park

The summer holidays seem to be dragging a little; I think I really need to plan multiple activities for each day - the psychological impact of knowing we have weeks and weeks with no school or nursery sessions is kicking in!

Thankfully today we had a trip planned to Thoresby Park (http://www.thoresby.com/) with three other families. It's our first visit to Thoresby, I hadn't realised it was there - only ten minutes drive from our house though I suspect we will be frequent visitors now we know. It's a stately home (mainly used for weddings and as a hotel) along with lots of parkland and a courtyard of shops (sweets, toys, crafts and gifts).

The bigger kids, Beth included, took bikes but I managed to avoid taking Toby's trike - too heavy to carry if/when he decided he'd had enough. We started with a walk around the park stopping off to look at the huge fish in the river (carp I think) and got lots of comments on the number of children we had. We only had eight but I think they were moving so fast it seemed like many more - one couple even asked if we were on a trip from a nursery!

After that we plonked down under some trees for a picnic and game of football - very pleasant though it would have been even nicer if I'd remembered to bring a flask of tea. :) We finished off with very sloppy ice creams. A very enjoyable day.

Thought I'd just stick this picture it's so nice - flowers chosen by Beth from grandma's garden.

Biking Beth and Sports Day

I think I mentioned in a previous post that Steve had taken Beth's stabilizers and pedals off her bike so she could practice her balance. Well, she reluctantly did practice until she got pretty good so the pedals went back on. I resisted my urges to race to the shop and buy her full body armour (well knee and elbow pads at least) as she still insists on wearing a dress and refuses to wear trousers.

Over the weekend Beth rode a bit with Steve running behind holding onto her seat but it was looking all a bit unlikely. However, last night we went out to try again and something just clicked - off she went without a problem. She worked out how to turn and stop and can just about get started by herself as long as she isn't on an uphill. She was very pleased with herself and couldn't stop smirking. I would post a video of the event but it's a little large and I haven't quite worked out how to make it smaller. Beth's desperate to get back on the saddle but unfortunately we have torrential rain along with thunder and lightening today. Toby would very much like to be on a proper bike but he's a bit small yet though it won't be long.

Last Friday (July 16th) was sports day at nursery. The kids had all been practicing for weeks and some of them were very competitive. Beth, thankfully, wasn't too fussed at the prospect of winning (wow, aren't we great parents to have raised a child who knows taking part is what matters . . . ;)). I had Toby strapped into the pushchair for most of it as on his once chance out he ran amuck!

All the children had a go at all the races. It was quite amusing - I love watching the younger ones standing looking totally confused while all the others sprint off! Beth did great and seemed to enjoy herself, she even won one of the races (obstacle course) but since they got a sticker for taking part, she didn't really notice as she was headed to collect it. At the end there was a race for any younger brothers and sisters so Toby got to take part too. He and Beth ran holding hands and won that. One of the more competitive children ran with her little sister but when the sister fell over, she just carried on, dragging her to the end, poor thing though quite funny!

Relaxing with Friends and School News

We spent much of Saturday hanging out with our new friends. We were meant to be helping get their garden ready for the preschool fund raising bbq (yes, I've already been roped into being on the committee!) next weekend but we all got rather sidetracked.

Steve did manage to help by mowing their lawn (with the help of Toby, then Beth) but that was because he wanted to test-drive their tractor. :) After a lovely bbq lunch we broke out the slip and slide (sorry, no pictures) and finished the afternoon by feeding their pigs with left over scraps. It was a great day and the kids loved being able to 'run free' chasing the chickens and being chased by the geese. Hopefully the rain will stay away this weekend for the proper bbq.

Today (Tuesday) Beth had lunch and spent the afternoon at the big school in preparation for September. After, all the parents got a tour of the school along with tea and cakes, very civilised. It's quite a relief that she's all sorted out with school - it's taken rather a lot of effort and stress to get here. When we initially applied for a place she got refused as the school was full and we were late applying since we had only just moved into the village. We had to go to an appeal panel for them to decide if she could go. Thankfully they went our way and gave her a place so now she'll be at school with all her friends. :)

Toby also had a morning at preschool today ready for September. He will be going two mornings a week - I think he is definitely ready for it as he ran straight in today and happily got on with playing.

Tricycles and Tractors

After the long drive back from holiday on Friday we decided to have a relaxing local weekend. On Saturday Steve spent hours washing the cars - they looked a lot better after though he's going to be miffed tonight when he comes home and sees what a bird has done to one of them! While out on the drive doing that, Beth and Toby were pottering around the garden and out the front on their bikes. Toby had go on the metal Radio Flyer trike we bought for Beth. For the first time ever he got the hang of pedaling and managed to go both forward and back. He was very pleased with himself and very eager to get back in the pedaling seat.

Beth isn't so happy with her biking situation. We decided it was about time she learnt to ride without her stabilisers. We tried at the park but it's just too hard to ride on the grass - she couldn't get enough speed up. The road and pavements on our street are very rough and there are quite sharp stones and other bits so we don't really want her embedding that in her knees. I think we'll get her some knee and elbow pads but in the mean time Steve has taken both the stabilisers and the pedals off and she is using it like a balance bike. She is actually getting quite good on it but she's not impressed as she can't go as fast as she'd like. Her balance is certainly getting better so it might not be long before we can put the pedals back on and see what happens!

On Sunday we met cousins Adam and William (along with Auntie Janet, Uncle Andy and cousin Lydia) at Clumber Park where there was a steam fair. It wasn't nearly as large as the one we went to last August in Pickering but it was just enough as it was pretty hot and by the time we had done one circuit we were ready for home, the paddling pool and a cold one. Toby, of course, loved all the tractors and steam engines along with a VW Beetle he saw - his favourite film at the moment is Herbie (the old ones not the new one). Beth, unfortunately, has become a little more commercialised and just wanted to go on the fairground rides. They all started off in the huge bounce house which had multiple rooms and obstacles. After lunch Steve took Beth on the bumper cars to challenge Adam and his cousin Lydia. I wasn't sure how much she would enjoy it as it was pretty violent. It seems I needn't have worried, she loved it and went back on with Lydia for another go.

Toby was just a bit small for those but happily went on the car ride (twice) and much to the owners amusement refused to get off. I had to climb in with him and haul him out mid-fit. After an ice cream stop we headed home for a lazy afternoon and evening by the bbq.

Devon Holiday

We got back home on Friday from a weeks holiday in Devon (south west England) with grandma, grandpa and Auntie Jane. We were super lucky that the weather was perfect all week and our only gripe was that the pollen count was really high so we all suffered with hayfever.

We had rented a holiday cottage just outside of a little village called Appledore. It looked a little bland from the outside but was really lovely inside as it had been all refitted and was just very family-friendly. The cottage was less than five minutes walk to a little beach. It wasn't particularly sandy but had loads of shells and rocks and enough sand to make lots of pies! You could actually see the cottage from the beach - overlooked by horses, hens and lots of rabbits (and there was a great area for flying kites).

During the week we visited three other beaches. Westward Ho! was the big sandy beach only a short drive (or long walk as grandma found out) from the cottage. We went there on one of the first days. It was massive and when the tide was out it was pretty hard to actually see the sea. Unfortunately with it being so flat, when the tide came in, the beach totally disappeared. We got an hour or so playing before that happened and Beth tried her hand at bodyboarding. I think she liked the idea more than the reality but I think she'll be happy to try it again on our next beach holiday. Toby was happy just paddling around and of course did his trademark fall in fully clothed; something that was repeated at least twice more during the week!

The next day we ventured a little further to Croyde (sorry, no decent pics), a beach well known for the surfing. It was a proper sandy beach with sand dunes behind and a little river perfect for paddling and splashing. The surf did look pretty good but as Jane pointed out, it's horrible to actually surf in as there are so many people. At one point there were seven surf school groups each with about ten people in them then all the individual surfers too - even worse than round Huntington Pier!

On Wednesday we took a break from beaches to visit the Royal Horticultural Society garden at Rosemoor. All of it was beautiful and made me want to race home and plant something. We only explored a fraction of it but did get to see their fruit and vegetable gardens, the orchard, formal gardens and the play area. Beth took time to smell the roses and Toby the opportunity to escape and get himself lost. It was lovely though I suspect it could be appreciated more fully as the designers intended without the delight of chasing the kids. Perhaps when they leave home I'll venture back there to explore on my own.

Our last day was spent at Bucks Mills Beach at the bottom of a rather steep cliff (that we manoeuvred down complete with picnic, blankets and all the other accoutrements needed for a day out at the beach!). It was beautiful and I think our favourite beach of the week. There were plenty of rock pools to fish in (Steve caught a shrimp), sand for pies and lots of opportunity for Toby to fall in, which he did, twice, in spectacular fashion - if I had been holding my camera I would have snapped a pic before extracting him. :)

It was a great week, the kids have tons of fun and got to know Auntie Jane (and her big red van) a bit better, and we all enjoyed a week of overindulgence, sun and good company.