A family get together

Last year saw the first family picnic in Kew Gardens- my childhood home.  After a few tumultuous years, it was great to have Nanny and Grandad relax outside with my brother and sisters.  It was just missing a few special people and so, this year, was even more special as it was the first time all the children, partners and grandchildren were together!  Whilst rain and thunder storms changed the picnic to an indoor buffet, there was still plenty of fun with a "Get Grandad" water fight and a wonderful walk up my favourite stretch of the River Thames.  I so miss being by the River.  Let me share some family fun with you!

 

We have a love/hate relationship with these caricatures.  These were done in my early teen years (I was about fifteen, I guess and none of us girls thought that they were good likenesses.  I do see more likeness as I get older I think.  I just had to have a little pose session by these old pictures! 

 And now for some revenge on Grandad Ed.  Oh, the years of being attacked with hoses and buckets by this man!  So when he was attacked by children who knew no limits, well, we all just had to grab a camera!

 You wouldn't dare!

 Get him Hannah!

 Someone looks happy!

 You see cute, I see ruined socks (and cute, of course!)

 He's getting away...

 No, he isn't.

 Stealth mode.

 Real commitment= swimming costume.

Nanny and Grandad were getting a bit tired so we upped and offed to walk along the river to my favourite little play park under the Kew Bridge.

Myf and Katie got some time alone-  These girls really dote on each other.

 This is why Mummies have great upper body strength!

 Uncle Al is feeling goooood.  Vicki is saying it all with the eyes about this!

 The children have just come back from Narnia, didn't we notice that they had been gone for hours??

 Almost all the cousins- there is always one who just won't join a picture!

 Yup, that's you little Miss! 

 This is, of course, Narnia and Marcus is, of course, Mr Tumnus.  The children found this funny and the adults found it quite disturbing...

 Now she poses!

" The park,The park,The park,The park,The park,The park,The park,The park" (Hannah)

 Ahh, the days when my hips used to fit in the swings-* sigh *

 From relaxed....

 

 To Super Dad!  Only he can (or would) climb to such heights.

Darn it, no more pic!  Well, it was time to just play and enjoy the sun that did come out to see us for a bit.  After a lovely play, we walked back and just made it back with a little light rain before the down pour came!  Family get togethers in our house can so easily get stuck on the sofa chatting with cups of tea and coffee but the best memories always seem to come when we venture out and end up in a play park.  The children have fun and the adults inevitably end up on the equipment playing along!  Next get together will be my Yarndale sleepover with one of my lovely sisters- Hooray!

Taking a (mini) break

I have been taking more time these last few months to relax and have time off from all the crazy work and it has really helped me hold together.  I wanted to share some snap shots on a mini break from last month as it was during term time (shock) and I managed to get enough done to walk a way for a bit!  Holiday time has started now with a flurry of meals, days out and family visits scheduled in.  I don't think we have a free couple of days to chill out in...Does anyone one else find that the holidays become overbooked before they begin.  5 weeks just isn't enough time!

 

The teeny tiny shepherd's hut (Daddy took the girls after school and I went down the following day)

 Holding hands with my eldest along the estuary.

 I did not take photos of each time we stopped to stroke a passing dog as we got into double figures...

  Another hand hold moment with my blue-eyed baby.

 I love taking photos of my husband taking photos!

 Coffee shop and crochet heaven.  The start of a new summer wrap for when the evenings have a little chill.  It was started and finished that weekend.  I will write up the pattern soon.

 Ok, this just made me laugh so I had to add these shots.  One mean Mummy= one drink + two straws!  I love the turn taking as they work out the best way to drink this.  I love the "kiss" shot especially!

 And now to collapse from the heat on the tiny bed.  The girls have yanked Daddy to the play park again.  In one day we had managed to visit the park about 6 times and, boy, was it a scorcher.  I am now chilling after a tiny snooze with my crochet on my lap *sigh*

 We had fish and chips in the evening and played boules on the bumpy soil drinking pear cider.  I hope you all take some time for yourselves in the over-scheduled holidays this year! x