Missing Year

Okay, so we've pictorially lost a year of our lives!

But yesterday I was tidying up and found some old scrapbooks. The kids really loved looking at old pictures of themselves, so I've decided to make an effort!

Here's to starting another blog book! See how long I last!

Girls Day Out

Liam had a few days off work in half term, and so I left Sam and Leah with him, and took Megan for a girls day out into London. Our Merlin Passes include the London Dungeon - too scarey for Leah and Sam, so Megan and I headed straight for it.

Despite getting there early, there were huge half term queues, but we loved that we could queue in the MUCH shorter fast track queue. Even so, we had to queue for about an hour. Its okay though, 'cause we had company!

Photos aren't allowed in the Dungeons, but I can assure you that at times we were petrified! And we learned a lot! And screamed a lot! In fact, we both loved it and can't wait to go again...but not with Leah and Sam - much too scarey - but maybe with Vicky and Leanne.

Where next? We headed for Madam Tussaudes - so many celebrities to meet!

Arrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh - its Troy!!!

David insisted on this one...

Megan spent the whole of last term learning about World War 2 - she really enjoyed it. She was THRILLED when she bumped into Winston Churchill and, erm, Hitler!

Two down, how many free attractions can we fit in to our trip?! We headed for the London Aquarium and on the way, averted a disaster. Luckily Megan was on hand to prop up Big Ben

(aren't we clever...and original! Actually we had to queue up behind 3 lots of chinese tourists to take this picture!)

The Aquarium was great - especially the sharks.Next to the Aquarium is the London Eye - so we had our first evening flight.Megan loved the mime next to the river - she couldn't wait to get on his pedistal!

By this time, we were starving so we headed back to Leicester Square to get KFC. Actually, we marched aimlessly round the London Eye for about half an hour, desperately looking for KFC to end the day perfectly, but we couldn't find one, so we jumped on the tube again and went where I knew there was one. Unfortunately, I didn't realise it was the premier of Quantum of Solace in Leicester Square! It was heaving! We fought our way through, with my camera on hand to snap any celebrities. Leicester Square must have been packed with them - we could hear the crowds cheering every now and then.

This is my one and only paparrazzi shot:

I got a blurred picture of Boris! I think I've definitely blown my chance to be a paparrazzi!

KFC was worth the wait, and we headed home exhausted! I don't think we could have fitted much more in.

Vicky's 12!

How can she be 12? Everyone (except me) is getting so old! We got to Lorraines just in time for the cake - perfect timing as always.

Vicky's not one to shy away from the lime light - of course she joined in her "Happy Birthday" song!

Its a sign you're getting old when there aren't the right number of candles on your cake! Vicky's reached that point now!

She had lots of family and friends around her to help celebrate.

Check out the sister with attitude!

Carvery Crowd Pleaser

With the busy lives that everyone has, it seems we only manage to see Liam's cousins when Harriet comes to visit from Canada! Luckily she comes quite regularly now, so during her recent trip, we all met at the Carvery - very popular choice. Its scarey how much the kids have grown up each time we see them!

Sad Day

While we were out having lunch with Harriet and the rest of Liam's family, I got the sad phone call from mum that my Grandad had died.

He's been ill for a while, and even more so in the week before he died, so it wasn't a shock, but I still felt very sad.

I absolutely adore my Grandad, I loved the stories he told, even though in the last few years he told them over and over again! I especially liked it when he told us that he'd been all over the world, and even to the moon - I love that in his old age, he felt so well travelled that he thought he'd been to the moon!

I'll really miss him, but I'm glad he's not trapped in his old body and mind any more, and I have no doubt he'll be waiting to meet me when its my turn to go. xx

8th June 1916 - 26th October 2008

Still wrestling....

Natural History Museum

After watching Sam do some really funky dancing at the ward 70's party, Liam was so impressed with his moves, he said Sam could pick a treat day out! You have to encourage talent!

We've got the Merlin passes from our Tesco points this year - free entry to Alton Towers, Chessington, Legoland, Sealife Centres, London Dungeons, etc,etc,etc. so obviously Sam chose to go to the Natural History Museum which is free anyway! But it was his treat, so we jumped on the train!

I have to say, he made a great choice! Although we've been before, there's so much to explore its like visiting a new museum everytime.

Last time we went to the NHM, we missed the room with the blue whale (imagine missing a blue whale?!) so this time we headed straight for the animals.

The blue whale kept a beady eye on Megan...

The other unmissable bit was the dinosaurs...although thats always the part with the longest queue.

...we spent a few hours at the museum and then decided to take advantage of our Merlin card so we headed over to the London Aquarium, via Big Ben.

Not knowing London all that well, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the Aquarium, only to find that it was right next to the London Eye - both are on our Merlin Card list so we had a wander round the aquarium (no photos - the fish are flash shy) then hopped on the Eye - our first time.

A lovely relaxing 40 minutes with lots to see.

It was a jam-packed day - we seemed to fit so much in.

On the train on the way back, Megan still had a bit of energy left ...

...don't know where she gets her gurning skills from...

Harriet's here

We made a flying visit to visit Nanny Pat, 'cause Auntie Harriet was visiting from Canada.Always time for a few quick photos!

No Particular Reason Party

She called it a "no particular reason party", but as I (well we) took Leanne crabbing and caught nearly a hundred crabs, Lorraine's feeling the pressure to maintain her title as "World's Best Auntie"!

I think she should have retitled it a "Trying to Outdo Ruth and Liam Party"! If only she would realise that she'll always win on the party front!

So Lorraine invited us over to have a party for no reason - can you believe she'd want to do a pass the parcel etc when there's no need? I just don't get that! I can make the simplest birthday party hard work so I don't understand why someone would have have one for no reason!?

But I think all our girls take after Lorraine, 'cause it doesn't take much to get them in the mood for a party!

They're also quite good at posing. You take a picture of 3...

...and another pops along......and another pops along!They're so good at posing 'cause they've got mums who can't take enugh photos for their blogs! We're a little obsessed!

So what do you do at a no particular reason party? A lot of this...

...a bit of this (only Vicky of course - the rest of us couldn't manage it!)...

...and you finish with a torchlit, pitch black play in the park.I think Lorraine is actually the best auntie in the world!