DELIGHTFUL DAYS

Yes the local school has had three inset days already, so soon after the summer break. Quite nice actually because the weather has been good enough to enjoy being out and about. So we took advantage and went to Conkers on Monday, took a picnic and set off with the sun smiling down on us. It's so different when we go out without Joshua (him and Chiara just fight all the time, it is so wearing all that bickering). I couldn't believe though that we went all that way and the first person we saw was a boy from Chiara's class. Doubly amazing because Conkers isn't that near (50 minutes away by car) and it isn't such a big school either so we are hardly likely to bump into people from a numbers point of view.

We found a little nook on our visit this time we hadn't spotted last year. It was a water feature and Chiara was fascinated with pumping the old fashioned pump to make the water mill go round and move the water through the little set up. Mia took the easier option of sitting on the metal chicken and simply pressing a button to make the water spurt out. They were both enthralled with this and must have spent close onto an hour just playing in this section.

And I've just put the finishing touches to a layout started an age ago at crop. I love this photo of Chiara, it was just a snap taken in the car whilst we were having our picnic on a day trip to Whitepost Farm in the Spring. Junkitz flowerful papers with lots of patterns and letters cut out and some crystals added for extra girly princess sparkle.

More decorating being done at home, we have painted the small spare room and moved Josh in there whilst we decorate his. Have stripped most of the wallpaper today and will go to buy wallpaper and paint tomorrow (two different DIY stores because the paint is on offer in one but that one typically doesn't have the wallpaper). Also spotted in B&Q that they have got their bedroom furniture at 25% off so may buy Josh new wardrobe and stuff. What he has at the moment is really old fashioned white stuff bought when we got married (oh yeah, forgot to mention, like DH forgot, it's our 20th anniversary today, well yesterday). And Josh in years gone by has written on it in permanent marker. We were going to paint it but to be honest it's not worth the hassle with the price the furniture is in the sale for. Plus we can get him a desk to match as his tv/x-box is currently on a manky little old desk bought second hand from the local playgroup for a fiver.