I often hear parents say how much they dread the school holidays, however I for one love them. I just enjoy the fact that the whole day is ours, we can get up when we want, eat when we want, and most importantly, I get to spend all my time with my gorgeous children. At the moment, the girls love to play schools.
Ismay, aka "Little Miss Bossy", particulalry enjoys being teacher. She uses reams of paper making registers, lesson plans with "learning objectives" and setting exercises for her "students"! She even marks the work!
On Wednesday 3rd April, we had some sunshine for the first time in ages! I decided to take the kids to Ironbridge and invited my friend Martha who doesn't drive along.
The children were excited to have her son Joshy along in the car with us because we had to use the seats in the boot which they enjoy taking turns to sit in.
The children asked to be able to spend some of their pocket money, so we counted money from their savings and I let them all have 50p to spend in the charity shop just opposite the Ironbridge. Ismay bought some origami papers, Eden bought a wallet and a figurine (he needed a wallet as he had been borrowing his sisters' purses and was thrilled to find a spiderman one). Mia bought a monsoon handbag. They were all thrilled to bits with their purchases.
On Thursday, Eden had a nosebleed and Ismay instantly knew what to do and was very sweet with him.
Aunty Mel bought Mia a butterfly kit for Christmas and having sent for the caterpillars, we have been watching them grow. This week they all formed cocoons and we had to transfer them into their "garden".
For over a year, Ismay has been pleading with me to buy an animal heart from the butchers for her to look at or touch. I eventually acquiesced this week and as we were passing the butchers I asked if they had one. They only had an ox one, and it cost £4.50 which I was shocked about, but apparently it makes a good roast, so we shall see.
On Saturday, the sun again made an appearance, so Daddy decided to give Mummy a break and take the children out for a bike ride.
Destination town park! Mummy had prepared a picnic for the children and Daddy to eat.
When they got back, we decided to take the children to the local park by us and asked Uncle Colin, Aunty Karen and the children to meet us there. Eden loves to let off steam with his boy cousins!
The girls just love to mother Libby. Mia in particular is just so good with her, I think she would have loved to have had a brother or sister to look after, but it wasn't to be. I am so grateful that she has Libby to look after. It fills my soul with joy to see how caring and considerate she is to her and how patiently she plays with her.
I also met up with my old school friend Sam this week, we met at Attingham Park with our respective broods. It was lovely to see her again and lovely for our children to play together.
Attingham was so cold and we went back to Sam's for some lovely lunch; she laid on a splendid buffet, and the children all played really well together. Sam lives in Condover and keeps sheep whom the children were delighted to meet.
On Sunday 7th, conference weekend, we got up really early and travelled down to Bristol. We arrived just in time for Uncle Jordan and Daddy to go to the priesthood session at Church together. Whilst the men were out, Aunty Clare and I prepared a meal and fed the children.
Once the men returned and we had all eaten, we prepared the traditional sweetie bribery for the children, Leyla also prepared worksheets for the children and we settled down to watch.
The children ate the sweets within minutes!!
Some of us had trouble keeping awake!
We rounded off the day by eating dinner together, and then the Basfords left to stay in a hotel in Bristol.
For once the children slept really well, I think we all fell asleep by 9:30, the Howletts wore us out!
When we woke up, we had breakfast and took the children to Clevedon beach. It was a little chilly, but the children spent an hour with daddy collecting stones and pretty pieces of glass.
Mummy decided to see if she could paddle, but having got stuck in the mud half way there, decided against it. The mud was very deep as can be seen by looking at her wellies!
Daddy was so patient and kind, helping the girls find stones.
I have been studying at Worcester University but never had time to look around the city. On our way back from Bristol we decided to stop there for lunch so that we could show the children where Mummy had been studying and also to fulfill mummy's desire to explore the city she had been studying in.
Here we are outside the Hive, the University and community library where I wrote some of my dissertation.
We treated the children to lunch at Debenhams and explored the city which was beautiful. We all agreed that we would like to come back here one day.
We decided to do a search for National Trust properties nearby as we have a membership card. We found Hanbury Hall, a lovely little William and Mary style house. The grounds and house were the perfect size for small children.
Of course the most popular part with our kids was the play park. I just love this photo, it reflects the sheer joy the children feel when Daddy spends time with them! He had just pushed them on the swing as high as he could.
The weather had started to warm up and we spent a lovely afternoon together. Jason is away from us a lot at the moment, and I was so grateful that he was able to take a days annual leave and spend time with us. He is such an amazing husband and father. The children adore him and love spending time with him. It was also wonderful to spend time with the Howletts of Bristol; delightful to see the cousins playing together, and wonderful to share our testimonies of the gospel with each other.
