It’s gone….

…finally after almost 2 years on the market we have finally sold our old house!!  It seems a bit weird actually since all three of the kids were born there and we’ll never be going back….  It’s so good to be rid of it though and to have no mortgage again, well until we move again!!

Neither of us believed it would really go through today but it has…..  I even forgot to take a photo of the house so here’s one of Austin having his first ice-cream lolly thing…..

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Bowling party

After school today we went to a bowling party.  Unfortunately there was a truck on fire on the motorway so even though we started off on target to be over 30 mins early the last 7 miles took us over an hour and so we were a bit late and we missed the first turn but they had a spare turn at the end so it was ok!  Austin thought it was hilarious to run down the lane and found it even funnier when Abigail stopped him.

After the game they went to the party room for tea and ice-cream where Austin pinched some of Caitlin’s chips….

Then it was time to head home and to bed, but not before the parties caught up with Caitlin and she sat in the bathroom crying with tummy ache……..  Just as I think she is getting better with her milk she shows me she is but not that much!!  It was a lot easier when she could have none….

Busy weekend!!

This weekend has been very busy!  Friday was Richards birthday, we were supposed to be going to a BBQ so I bought a big chocolate birthday cake and a cake suitable for Caitlin, enough for over 20 people!!  Richard had been on nights and so was too tired to go so we just had candles at home and an indoor BBQ!!  We now have a lot of cake to get through!!!!!!!!!!

On the Saturday we paid a visit to the old house where we were greeted by police finger printing next door as they had been burgled!!  Very scary!!  Our house was ok though, I really hope it sells soon!  We then went to an eco transport event at our local church which was quite good but they wouldn’t let Caitlin or Noah have a go of the driving game that assesses how economically you drive so Noah wasn’t too impressed.  After that it was time for a party, 2 boys from school.  It was great the Dad of one boy was doing all the entertainment, lots of games and then at the end he dressed up as buzz lightyear!!!!!!!!  And yep…we got more cake!!!!!!!!!!!

In the evening me and Caitlin went to watch Lucy in a play.  Caitlin was a bit confused at first because she thought she was going to play…not to A play!!!!!!  It was scorching hot in the theatre and so the little ones were very jaded and near the end there were lots of pauses while they remembered their lines….the audience were willing them on so we didn’t boil alive!!  Caitlin loved it though, she spotted Lucy every time she was on and she even spotted her giving us a sneaky wave!

On the Sunday it was time for another party..for Squidge.  It was at a soft play centre and again was a bit hot but all 3 of them had a great time….

…and they had food and games upstairs…

We have another party tomorrow then that’s it for a while!

Sun, sun, sun!!!

This week has been so sunny it’s been great!  On Monday we went to town on a secret mission which can hopefully be revealed next week….

Tuesday was even sunnier so we went out to the park.  Austin refuses to wear a hat but I succeeded at first…

then he realised he had it on and after putting it back on about 30 times I gave up!   We saw horses, pigs and the highlight for Noah a fire engine!  While I was at the park I got a phone call with some very promising news……so after school we went out for some drinks!!

Wednesday we’d had a bit much sun so we went to playgroup..Austin looked so grown up just running around with all the big kids…

…and then it was mini club where Austin just ran around causing chaos!  He is at that terrible age where he finds any hazard and goes for it!  He played with the dog bowl, stuck his hands in the plant pots, edged toward the car park…….

During all the sun Caitlin and Noah have been playing in the paddling pool at school…must be a funny sight as all the kids were running in and out in their pants!!!!  Fingers crossed the weather stays!!

Fathers Day

We started our Fathers Day by Caitlin and Noah telling Richard what was in his presents, then giving them to them to open!!  We then all had bacon and egg butties and went to the Manchester Parade.  It was the first year for the parade so we weren’t too sure what to expect.  We got to town early thinking there would be lots going on but there wasn’t really, apart from the usual buskers and more than usual balloon sellers!!

We walked down towards the starting point for the parade stopping along the way to check out the water fountains etc!!

As there wasn’t much else going on we were really early so we got a good spot for watching and had an ice cream!  As the parade started we kept running out into the road to take pictures of the Spirit of Manchester approaching!  Caitlin was convinced she was going to get squashed by the floats even though they were miles away!!!!!!

The displays in the parade were brilliant.  There was a giant peacock which was made by some schools and local groups…..

Some of the corporate entries were pretty poor in comparison to the ones done by kids groups etc which have virtually no budget!  The MEN one was rubbish, just a few people with cardboard face masks on one of their delivery wagons!!!!!  There were quite a few with kids dancing or dressed up as flowers and they looked boiling as the weather was so hot, so I felt quite sorry for them.  There was an allotment display were they had all dressed up as fruit and veg!!  And the fire service had an old fire engine and people dressed up….

Caitlin and Noah loved the parade but Austin slept for the whole thing!!  Maybe a good thing since he probably would have wanted to run out into it all!!!  It was brilliant but it would have been better if there were some other things going on around town.

After standing in the sun for a few hours we went for a drink….

…and Austin finally woke up and got to run around!!

Noah has been asking to go on the big wheel in Manchester for ages so we went on that too….

Austin was quite scary because he kept banging on the doors!!!!  It was really hard to get him to stay sitting down!

Then we went for some tea before heading home……..

Park and strawberries

Today we took Caitlin to the park on her bike, we have been promising for ages but then it keeps raining and also it really needs both of us.  She rode there but is really scared of the road so won’t keep peddling!  Once we got to the park she got off and played on all the new things, every time we go they seem to have added a little bit more, it seems to be taking them forever to finish off!

Austin of course loved the swings and he’s really good, every time I put him on a swing and start him off he can carry on going!!  Even Caitlin struggles with that…bet it won’t last!!  Caitlin and Noah loved the slide that had been added to the wooden wigwam thing…

After we’d played for a while we went into the field out the back where Caitlin got back on her bike….

…she really needs to go out on it more often though, she can’t ride on anything bumpy and gives up really easily!  Noah just kept running into the long grass even though there were nettles in there and he got stung quite badly not long ago….

…some people never learn!!

Afterwards Richard made a strawberry house from our old sash windows!!!

…even with a hinged lid……

Now we just need to wait and see who’s plant wins!  They each got a plant from my cousin and her Mum, Caitlin’s has the most baby strawberries so far……….

School induction evening

Tonight we went to the school induction evening for Caitlin’s new school.  We got all sorts of information like how her induction will work in September, she’ll do afternoons for a week, then mornings for a week then if all is going well she’ll go full-time.  She’s in a group with her best friend which is fantastic!!  My only concern is dinner time…  At the moment she has a packed lunch which she loves and eats all of, I make sure it’s healthy and I’m really happy with it.  If she continues with packed lunch she will be split up from her friend.  I want her to be happy and so I think she’ll move onto school dinners, but I’m not at all convinced they are as healthy as they like to claim….especially for someone who can’t have milk…what is their substitute for days with milk in, which is a lot…any cheese sauce, mash….

She goes for her first trial afternoon in a few weeks which should be good.  The teachers seem lovely and as she already loves pre-school I’m sure she’ll love this…especially since her best friend will be there too…..   Just need to go through the mound of paperwork now and decide which of the uniform options she wants!!

Kora playing!!

Today we went to town for a wander and to look at new mobile phones although that part just confused me!!  While we were there we saw a man playing a Kora!  We stood and watched him for a while because Caitlin said she liked it, and then she put some money in his bucket.  He stopped playing and called her and Noah over and asked them if they wanted a go….Noah of course jumped at the chance and had a try, Caitlin refused but did smile and say bye…..  I didn’t have my camera so no photo but just thought I’d post about it so Noah knows he has tried playing a Kora when he’s older lol!

Rain dodging!

The weather forecast for today was heavy rain so when we went to the park I packed raincoats and they wore wellies!!!  Last time I did this me and Austin got burnt to a crisp!!!!  We didn’t get burnt, but we also didn’t get wet!!!

We saw the baby ducks and baby geese and walked around the park.  In the afternoon it was time for Austin’s injections!!  I got him weighed first and he is 22lb 10, which is roughly what Noah weighed at this age, but Caitlin was 2 and a half before she weighed that!!!  Last time Caitlin came along to Austin’s injections she cried more than he did, but this time the nurse saw she was looking worried and took her off to meet a newborn baby!  She then got a sticker and on the way home she said she’d got it for not being scared of the baby which made me laugh!!!!!!  I explained it was for being brave while Austin had his jabs and she just looked confused…..

Classic car show

Richard needed a few bits to fix Elvis so we went to the classic car show hoping to find them (he didn’t…so still no Elvis!)  We got there quite early and wandered around the auto jumble section before going to look at the cars.  Caitlin and Noah’s firm favourite was the camper van and beetle with eyes!!!!!!

Noah also liked a cool blue monster beetle….

We went outside to the play area for dinner and a bit of a play before going back in where we met some friends from the mini club and wandered around again.  Noah got to sit in a Morris Minor which he loved….

..and Caitlin found a “mini”….

…we’ll let Caitlin off liking this one on the basis of her age, she is just attracted to the fact it is pink!!!!!!!  The girl (probably the owner) behind Caitlin in the photo looks less than impressed…she obviously heard us all laughing at how she has murdered that poor mini!!!!!!