Party Boy

B's birthday party today at FMC

Inspiration

I went on a training course last week and heard the most wonderfully inspirational speaker - a lady called Helen Bromley. She made me remember how wonderful teaching small children is (something that I forget from time to time). Here are some quotes from her presentation:

Be mysterious
Fascinate the children
Make the process magical
Explore and experiment, engage and involve
Give them delicious pens to write with
Make it irresistable

"You cannot write imaginatively until you have played imaginatively"

Old Photo

I found this old photograph - taken in 2002 at my MIL's caravan. This was the holiday during which B learnt to walk - a few weeks before his 1st birthday. I scrapped it this evening - the colours don't show up too well unfortunately.

Father's Day

Cuddles with Daddy

The Pursuit of Happyness

I'm a bit of a Circle Journal addict, and I've just made a new one. This is my GoGoClubhouse CJ, The Pursuit of Happyness (like the film title). The Journal is a paperbag book - the first time I've used one as a CJ - and each layout will use a different month's ScrapaGoGo kit. The CJ is now all packaged up ready for posting - farewell little CJ - see you next year!

Springwatch - Do One Thing

Do One Thing!

B with Inca - the Mexican burrowing owl

Making Ugly Bug costumes

Yesterday we went to the Springwatch - Do One Thing Festival at St Michael's Flag's in Manchester. There was lots for the children to do - Musical trees to play with, trolls nests to build, Ugly Bug Costumes to make... and M and B both got to hold tiny Mexican Owls.

Splashing is Smashing (Title contributed by M)

A trip to the wonderful playground at Victoria Park after school today - for a fantastic time splashing around in the interactive fountains. I've been able to pick up the children from school every day this week - something I'm looking forward to be able to do much more next year.

Simply Fabulous

Holiday is over for M and B - they are both back in school - and I get 3 days at home all by myself. I picked a laptop up from my work colleague T, and intended to spend the rest of the day writing reports for school. Well, that was the plan. Instead I ended up at the salon, getting a pedicure - heaven! So here's a picture of my newly fabulous toes!

Cousins

Yesterday we went J&P's farm. M was desperate to see her little cousins S and C again before they go back to New Zealand. The children had a lovely time playing in the garden,

Pembrokeshire Pictures

B's big beetle.

Pemberton Chocolate farm (M's favourite trip!)

A real ammonite - from the fossil hunt at dinosaur world.

In and out of the sea at Broadhaven beach

Diggers at Folly Farm

First ever time riding ponies.

Painting pottery at the Creative Cafe.

Skomer

One of my favourite pictures from our holiday to Pembrokeshire - taken on the Island of Skomer, a nature reserve off the coast of St Bride's Bay. Skomer is a haven for sea nesting seabirds (so Al was in bird photo heaven) - especially the amazing puffins that nest in holes near the cliffs.