An Active Weekend

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I’m joining in with this week’s ‘The Gallery’ on Tara’s ‘Sticky Fingers’ blog, as well as Fiona’s ‘Country Kids at Coombe Mill’ blog-link. The Gallery’s theme is ‘The Weekend’: it was a long one, & we had an active one!

We’re quite an active family. When the twins aren’t at pre-school we try to get out & about to do something active at least once a day, & often on school days too.

This last weekend was of course a Bank Holiday Weekend. And just to make it more interesting we made it a 4-dayer, starting Friday!

We’d both managed to make ourselves available all day &, after a great Monkey Music class, took them off from their afternoon pre-school. Why? There’s a fantastic place in Cardiff called Techniquest: basically a 2-storey hangar-sized space full of fun, interactive science-based exhibits.

Once a month they have a Toddler Day, each with a different theme, where they also have arts & crafts play, water-play, story-telling & the like. They love it! There’s so much to see & do, so many buttons to press, dials to turn, balls to throw: it’s always a fight to get them go home! And this time we had another first: face-painting!

Ellie was very pleased

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Jake however didn’t seem so sure

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Saturday, the Mummy took them to the excellent nearby soft-play place. I was very pleased to hear that Jake had made friends with a couple of boys there; usually it’s Ellie who does that, often finding a little gang of girls to run around with.

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click to enlarge

On Sunday, as the weather was getting progressively better, it was our favourite country park again. We went to a different part of it this time: past the 12th-century Monastery ruins & church & the 18th-century Orangery, & to the fairy-tale themed playground.

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Throwing stones into a fountain by the Orangery

The playground not only has the usual swings & slides, but also little houses each with nursery-rhyme themed exhibits, plus a child-scaled castle – complete with secret passages, moat & drawbridge. Needless to say, they love it there!

Monday was almost a scorcher! In the morning I took them on their scooters to the local playground, & for the afternoon we had planned to go to an indoor swimming pool but ended up in a nearby water-fountain & adventure playground instead. It would have been a shame to waste all that lovely sunshine! It was great to be able to go there again for the first time since last summer & they had a great time, even though it was very crowded.

The weekend ended with big ice-creams all ’round, & with everyone going to bed having been stimulated & exercised, tired but happy.

And that’s what this parenting thing is all about really, isn’t it?

For more ‘Gallery’ or ‘Country Kids’ posts just click the pics: 

TheGallery

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

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An Active Family

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My Tiny Dancer. Dressed as Snow White, for some reason.

When Jaime from ‘The Oliver’s Madhouse’ asked me if I could maybe join in with her new ‘Active Family’ blog-linky I have to admit: I sniggered, a little. I may have even actually ’lol’d!

Trying to get our funsome twosome to be a bit active isn’t really a problem at the moment. Even when they watch TV it’s more likely than not to be ‘Lazytown’: a show whose main character is a health fanatic called Sportacus. Living on ‘sports candy’ (mostly carrots) & always going to bed at 8.08, this is a man who has never knowingly walked anywhere in his entire life. Why do that when you can double-flip, cart-wheel, run or jump instead? Lately Ellie seems to spend more of her time being his preposterously pink side-kick Stephanie than herself, & she loves trying to copy Stephanie’s dance moves. Jake is Sportacus of course; I get to be the chubby, middle-aged, bald Mayor. Yay me.

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Sportacus Jake!

No, it’s more of a challenge to get them to not be so active sometimes, please. Like when they’re jumping & doing forward rolls & headstands on the bed, or wanting to play ‘horsey’, when it’s late & they should be settling down for the night. Sometimes even after 8.08 (gasp)! Or a “Please stop climbing on the back of the sofa, especially when I’ve got a cup of hot coffee / a plate of lasagne!” sort of thing.

They’re at pre-school now for a few hours during the week, & that seems to use up a lot of their energy most days. We still take them to Monkey Music on Friday mornings, & have just started them in a dance class on Thursday evenings. They love both! We used to take them to a children’s gym on Friday afternoons & we’re looking for an alternative; that was probably their favourite activity & it would be a shame to lose it.

On the weekends we try to take them out for something active at least once a day: the country park, the fun farm, soft-play, swimming, or just scooting to the local playground. And there’s always the mini-trampoline & the flexible flyer in the garden!

So overall, yes: I think we’re a fairly active family.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I just need to have little lie down please…

For more ‘Active Family’ posts just click the pic:

photo ActiveFamily150x150_zps28e829a4.jpg

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How to Stop a Fight Between Twins: A Magic Moment

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Yesterday morning, first thing: Jake & Ellie were up, sitting on the sofa & sipping their morning milk as usual.

The Mummy & I were both briefly upstairs.

There was a commotion downstairs: shouting, crying; you probably know the sort.

The Mummy was ‘indisposed’ so I was first on the scene…

Jake was crying, & when I asked him why he said: “She pushed me, & hit me in the eye!”

“Ellie, did you hit Jake?”

(Grudgingly): “Yes”.

“Why did you do that?”

“He hit me!”

“Jake, did you hit Ellie?”

“Yes! But…but…she wouldn’t let me play with…..<insert toy name here>!”.

“But that doesn’t mean you should hit her, does it?”

I eventually managed to establish that Ellie had a toy that Jake saw as his, he tried to take it, she resisted…yadda yadda yadda…crying & shouting. And that Ellie didn’t mean to hit Jake on the eye.

So I did the usual “Jake, I want you to say ‘sorry’ to Ellie” & “Ellie, I want you to say ‘sorry’ to Jake”, along with some “I’m sure Ellie didn’t mean to hit you in the eye; it was an accident”, sort of thing.

There was some Resistance. Feelings were running deep.

I must have been under some sort of inspiration, as I’d only just emerged from slumber & hadn’t had so much as a sniff of caffeine. First thing in the morning I’m generally doing well if I can remember my own name. Maybe I’d had an illuminating dream, I don’t know!

I said to Jake: “Jake, why don’t you just go over to Ellie & say you’re sorry? You love her, don’t you? And she loves you. She’s your friend. I’m sure she didn’t mean to hurt you”; and the same to Ellie.

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This photo is one I prepared earlier, but a Magic Moment nonetheless :)

They responded! Jake first, smiling as he said “Yeah”, then sidling over to Ellie.

They both said sorry to each other, then embraced & kissed. I’m sure I heard an “I love you” or two as well…

A real ‘Magic Moment’.

I’m linking up for the first time with Jaime’s ‘Magic Moments’ blog-hop on her “The Oliver’s Madhouse” blog. For more Magic Moments just click the pic:

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Saturday is a Sandy Caption Day!

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Got a witty, profound or just plain silly caption for this picture? Then leave it in the comments below!

Then click on the little boy’s head here & you will be magically transported to the funsome Mammasaurus’ blog for many more pictures crying out for a witty / pithy #satcap caption.


Happy Birthday Matilda Mae

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Matilda Mae is one today

She really should be here

One starry night she went away

To the skies, so bright & clear

Although she can’t be here with us

We can still reach out a hand

And tell the world she’s in our hearts

With a message in the sand

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click to enlarge

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Happy Birthday Matilda Mae

We will always remember you

I have joined with many other bloggers in showing some birthday love for Matilda Mae & her loving family. You can see more here.

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Slug at first sight

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So we were playing in the garden this afternoon, in the sunshine. We were throwing a ball, picking flowers & (I think) pretending to be characters from Lazy Town. As you do. I think I was the Mayor.

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This would be such a great photo if it wasn’t for those boxer shorts…

Ellie sees something moving on the concrete, & rushes over to it.

“Ooh look! What’s that Daddy?!”

I look. “I think it’s a slug. A baby slug.”

Now she’s really excited. “A BABY SLUG!! OOOH, IT’S GORGEOUS!!”

Ellie likes babies, & is refreshingly free from prejudice as to which particular species thay may belong to. Or how slimy they are.

She rushes inside: “Look Mummy: A BABY SLUG!! IT’S GORGEOUS!!”

The Mummy doesn’t share Ellie’s enthusiasm for slugs, even baby ones.

In fact I think it’s fair to say that she doesn’t like slugs at all.

Undaunted, Ellie returns to her new love. “What is it doing, Daddy?”

“I think it’s probably trying to find food.”

“Yes! It’s trying to find food for its Mummy & its Daddy & its cousins” (Ellie likes having cousins) “and its babies!”

1-DSC00712She & Jake then decide that it should eat their ‘wiggles’: worm-like fruity sweets that they don’t like at all & that they had already scattered for the birds. They were then duly distributed around Baby Slug for him to eat.

It occurred to me that it was probably trying to get out of the sun. And – of course – having listened to me as I explained that slugs ate leaves & the like they then set about picking leaves & covering Baby Slug with them.

Then it of course needed water. So a jug of said stuff was fetched, & poured for Baby Slug. They were very good, just pouring it around, & not on top of, their new friend. There was rather a lot of it though…

Satisfied that they had thoroughly provided for Gorgeous Baby Slug, they ran off to put more flowers on the trampoline. Which I think had became the Mayor of Lazy Town’s airplane, but I’m not entirely sure.

And what of our friend?

Have you heard the phrase “Killing with kindness?”

He appeared to be…sleeping.

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Although when I later went out to retrieve my boxer shorts he had gone, so maybe my lovely little carers really had looked after him well!

Wot So Funee?

“Wot So Funee?” is a blog-hop, so for more funnies just click the pic!

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Space or stuff – can I have both?

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I’ve written before about how frustrating it is here to have so little space; the house is fine for 1 or 2 people but add active young twins and it’s just way too small. I have to admit ‘though that with twins running around we found space to be a problem even in our old home. I expect we will too even after we move; we could always do with a little more space.

A lot of the things the twins had when they were babies I’ve given away or taken to charity shops. A lot of it is still in storage! I could really do with selling some of the larger things, but it’s difficult when most of it is in another country!

It’s not as if we don’t need the money. We’ve been paying the mortgage on an empty house for a year, as well as full Council Tax now: thank you Mr Cameron. I know that times are hard, and saving money is a necessity. These adorable little 3-year-olds of ours just won’t stop growing – I’ve asked them to stop really really nicely but they just won’t listen – so we’ll always need to buy new stuff for them. 1-DSC00565

With them having just started pre-school, for instance, we don’t need reminding that children’s gear can be pretty expensive. We’re always on the lookout for places where we can get hold of inexpensive stuff that will last ages so a competition where you can win loads of stuff has to be worth a look.

Bounty itself also seems worth having a look at, if only because of the community; there is a lively community board there full of great advice for both new & experienced parents, & lively debate. I’m quietly smug now that I can actually answer a fair few questions, as well as ask them.

Every month, Bounty offer a prize draw with some pretty amazing prizes. This month you could win £2000 worth of baby products. All you need to do is sign up to become a member of the site, which is easy enough.

With twins you need two of everything! That’s not just food – nappies, prams, cots. It’s double the trouble – but to be fair, double the fun. Mostly. Anything that could save me money has to be a good thing, so if anyone comes across any more competitions and the like that might be of interest to Dads of young kids just let me know!

Disclosure: in association with Bounty

Scenes From a Country Park

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We’re so lucky here to be just a drive away from the most fantastic country park, which we love so much & which we’ve tried to visit weekly, all year round & in all sorts of weather.

The range of  things to see & do is fantastic, & the twins love it. Not only that but entrance, along with most of the attractions, is free; you just pay for parking. We of course have a season ticket!

Now that it’s (allegedly) Spring & the train is up & running again we’ve settled back into our ‘warm weather’ (ha!) routine.

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The little train runs from near the entrance & chugs past farmland; through woodlands where you can try to spot nesting birds; past farm animals; past a lake full of ducks, geese & swans and with wonderful vistas of fields, hills, the ‘castle’ & even an iron age fort emerging through the trees.  It stops at the castle, then goes back.

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If it’s the afternoon (meaning “after their nap”!) we’ll probably head to the cafe for lunch.

Then we’re off down the track to the lake to feed the birds. Jake & Ellie just love it. Yesterday there was a particularly aggressive & very noisy goose chasing off all the other birds, which Ellie was both frightened & fascinated by. They had a right old ding-dong of a shouting contest; & I’m pretty sure Ellie won!

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There’s usually an activity on the lake: for instance remote-controlled model boats, swimming rescue dogs, canoes, barrel boat racing.

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After that it’s down to the adventure playground: a great collection of stuff to climb in, up, down, through, over & around.

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The last couple of times we’ve gone it’s been in the morning, & after they’re had a good play here they’re usually ready for their nap. Otherwise we’d head down to the farm trail to look at the farm animals: turkeys, chickens, rabbits, goats, including rare breeds. Then head back through the winding woodland trail with its weird & wonderful wood sculptures.

Instead we then head back up past the lake & take the short route back to the car: which is great for heroic scooting!

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That’s if we can make it past the cafe…

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You know, I think I could get used to this country living! How do you think I would look in tweed?

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

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