There were a few wobbles on the way...

...but once we got there, there was no stopping him!

Fantastic French Fun (in the sun!)

Hi M here and I'm going to tell you about my fabulous holiday in......FRANCE!!!
I've never ever been a morning person but getting up at 1:30 in the morning changes every thing!
I was partners with A one of my best friends at school.

One of the most exiting parts about the trip was the ferry, it was sooooo cool, yet made me very very dizzy!The instructions from my mother where "Find the life boat and sit by it, you never know when it might sink!"
Oh yes very comforting mother!

At long last we finnaly reached PGL canp. We all longed for a sleep (even if some of us had 5 hours sleep on the coach i.e. me! )We had to go straght off for evening entertanement( which some people wern't very happy abouti.e. all the girls who were in shorts and who got bitten by midges!)

The first full day we did lots of PGL activities like archery, problem solving, rock climbing and aseiling. Then in the afternoon we went to the Louvre. It was really big and full of people. Every piece of art had a crowd around it, especially the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. They were my favourites.

Back at PGL we had tea then went swimming in the freezing outside swimmming pool. Me,J and A stayed at the shallow end so we we wouldn't be splashed by the scary boys.

The next morning we went to the Eiffel tower,in 30 degree heat. Luckly we didnt have to take the 734 steps to the second floor and took the lift. The view was amazing. You could see every thing! Then we went on a boat to see all different shights including, Notre Dame, Johnnie Depps house and the Statue of Liberty; no you're not wrong the Statue of Liberty is in New York but it was designed by Mr Eiffel who designed the Eiffel tower, so France gave it to America, sort of like a friendship braclet. In the evening we had another swim. It was still freezing, but it was good to cool off becuase the day had been so hot.

On the Monday we went to Disneyland Paris. It was just as wonderful as I remembered it, but I was most miffed to find that I was still too small for Space Mountain. My favourite rides were Thunder Mountain, Buzz Light Year, Star Tours and Pirates of the Carribean. On the way to the restraunt at tea time, we saw a parade. I spotted Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Ariel. Last of all we went to the shop and I bought a Minnie Mouse key ring, a little cuddly Simba and a Tigger cuddly.

Finally it was time to go home. It was a long trip back, but I slept for most of it. It was terrifying when we went through a storm with thunder and lightening. We came back through the Chunnel and got home just as everyone was getting up for the day.

During one short Bank Holiday Weekend...

B moved up a group at swimming - he can now swim a length of the 'big' pool and is in Green 6

He has also learned to ride his bike without stabilisers! We took them off and were ready for weeks of him wobbling around while we ran along with him - but no! One push and he was off! Starting isn't perfect yet - but I am amazed that it was so easy to get him going (after the many, many weeks that Gma and Gpa spent teaching M to ride her bike it was all rather a shock) - and of course there are no pictures becuase we weren't expecting it to happen so quickly.

We had a lovely trip to Tatton Hall - where B had a fab time on the adventure playground - and a super day at Martin Mere - where B had an equally fab time on the adventure playground.....

Do we ever go on days out to places that don't have adventure playgrounds?

On the not so great side - A had an accident with an external computer hard drive. The one with all the footage from the Dance Recital that he film and was nearing the end of editing. G (computer whizz) did his best with it. But it's dead. And so A spent the rest of the weekend recapturing/editing video.

Oh - and this morning at 6.20am, Miss M arrived home from France (cheers!)

At 1.48am...

... this little one left on a coach for her school trip to Paris. Paris! Without me!

She will be visiting the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and going on a boat down the Seine.

And then she will be going to Disneyland Paris.

We are all jealous - and we will all miss her.

But we all hope she has a fantastic time - she was certainly excited enough as we walked to school in the early hours of the morning...

Dream on - The Big Giant Head

On top of the old spoil tip at Sutton Manor - there is a very large concrete and marble white giant head - a piece of public art called The Dream, funded by Channel 4's Big Art project.

We watched it being pieced together over the last few weeks, and at first we were rather disappointed. It seemed to be smaller than I expected. It isn't as vi sable as I imagined. And when seen from afar the outline isn't very distinct.

BUT - I drive right past it 3 or 4 days every week on my way to work - and I have fallen in love with it. I love the way it changes as the sun moves. In the morning, with the sun in the east I see it in shadow. At home time it often shines in the light. I love the way the that sometimes it blends into the grey St Helens sky, but at other times it stands out. I love spotting it over the houses and through the trees. Every day it makes me smile.

So tonight M and I walked up to The Dream - and close up it is just beautiful. There is still some work being done, and for now it is still fenced off - but soon you will be able to walk right up to it and touch it. Hopefully the vandals will keep away.

The head is elongated, but modelled on a nine year old girl - eyes shut, dreaming over the landscape. So my ten year old decided to model too!

Jesus Folk - 160th Church Anniversary

Lots and lots of rehersals (mostly rather disastrous - but fun in their own increasingly panic ridden way) - led up to the evening performance of Jesus Folk.

There are some great songs -

The girls were rather fab - and did a great job of 'torturing' H

How long did we spend practicing the swaying for this? How rubbish were we at it? How difficult s it after all to sway, sing and act at the same time (VERY!)

I think we had it pretty much sorted by the end.


- and there are some really emotional bits - the denial/crucifiction/resurection scene works really well

Church Anniversay

The 160th Church anniversay at FMC - and it was a goood one :)

In the morning little ones sang Jesus Love is Very Wonderful and Who's the King of the Jungle. The Shell group presented 'Get on Board' - with M singing her heart out and B doing a great job joining in. The service was led by Mrs D. who gave us all a good sing - My Jesus, my saviour, Moses I know you're the Man and Guide me Oh thou great Jehovah.

So we saw this cute sleepsuit....

...while shopping in ASDA. So we just had to buy it for baby K - and look how fabulous she is in it!

May Bank Holiday in Wales

Two dry days, and one wet one....

...fun at the West Shore playground....

...ice creams...

...lots of wind....

...the fair on Mostyn Street....

...and an evening stroll up the Vadre - the bluebells are fantastic at this time of year....

...and a trek around the walls at Conwy.

Plus, lunch at Penllyn, 5 children and Uncle P on a quad bike, a tempting trip to our favourite toy shop, the cinema and pizza hut! :)

West Shore Beach...

...on a sunny (if rather windy) May afternoon.
The tide was racing in - B was desperate to divert it...
....showing off the new (ever so short in my opinion) hair cut...
...ok - his is just so cute - B carrying his frisbee and sandals down the beach...
not too cold for paddling....

... though it was pretty chilly!