We set off to Grandma and Grandad’s after Disney, which was about a 5 hour drive. It was pretty much bedtime when we left so Noah fell straight asleep and Austin followed suit soon. Caitlin likes to stay up later and isn’t as tired going to bed anymore so she stayed awake for a good hour or so. Noah being a light sleeper didn’t manage to stay asleep the whole time and when he woke launched into his then what’s!! He gives a (usually dramatic) scenario and then say’s then what?????? This time it was “If I fall asleep before we get to Grandad’s…then what??” And so it continued for about the last hour of the journey!!!! Stupid woman had no idea where we were trying to go so when we got to Brioux sur Butone and then had to phone to be shown the way. By this time it was just after midnight so we just bundled the kids to bed.
In the morning we had nice fresh bread from their bakers…. and then had a tour of Grandma and Grandad’s house. They have a lovely old French farm-house and their garden is fantastic…it is plenty big enough to play in but led straight onto farm land so gave the illusion it was enormous….(their garden ends at the pale grass)
Caitlin and Austin then tested out the hammocks….
…which Austin obviously found far too relaxing….
So we scooped him up and went out to see the local area. We went to an old wash area and play ground and had a go on the swings then did a bit of fishing
where we caught some tadpoles…
…which Caitlin held! And also a frog, caught by Richard, which we put back! After lunch of French bread, ham and salad where Caitlin decided she wasn’t a big fan of “round bread” we headed back out to a small river alongside another play ground. We took their wellies and they had a paddle in the lovely clear water…
It was then time for tea and a nice early night.
On the Friday we went to a nearby lake for a walk ….
and played on the swings where Austin bounced away on a springy thing…
We then went to visit some of Grandma’s friends. One lived in a gorgeous converted mill…mine and Richards idea of an ideal home! They had a small river running through the house and a weir in the garden. We sat out drinking with the sound of water running…perfect!
Saturday started out with a trip to the local market, which was very small. It was funny because Luche where Grandma and Grandad live, and the surrounding towns (by town I mean group of a few houses!!! – Grandma and Grandad’s town has 3 houses!!!!!!!) are all really remote and apparently market day is a big thing and really busy…but we thought it looked deserted…there mustn’t be a soul there on a weekday!! We then had lunch at a local cafe bar where Austin made a friend Katie, who was a week younger than him. Then it was onto the nearby zoo…. Katie’s mum hadn’t been too enthusiastic about the zoo but it was great! All really modern and small enough to get close to the animals 
but not so small it didn’t have anything exciting…
Austin then had a great time playing back at the house with the doors of the summer kitchen!
On Sunday morning we went to a carboot, then Richard had a sleep ready for driving home overnight! While he was asleep the kids played in the paddling pool and on Grandad and Grandma’s swings which were by far Caitlin’s favourite part of their house!!!
3 kids and 6 and a half minis 
sounds like they have a fabulous place- it all looks so lovely.