Snow!

Just a bit really - but it made Ben happy!

Three weeks into 2015.....

....... and January has not been kind.

I will be glad when this winter is over -

at least the snowdrops are now peaking through.

W are trying to get out each weekend - 

getting as much air and light as possible.

Today Al spent some time down at the river and

we both spent the afternoon at Martin Mere 

where the sound of well over a thousand whooper swans as well as the ducks, geese and assorted other water fowl fills us with peace.

this weekend.....

Al managed to leave his phone in work on Friday evening -

so we spent Saturday driving to Macclesfield to reclaim it

{kids stayed in bed - that is the way of the teenager.}

Whilst it was a pain - the drive through Cheshire is always beautiful -

there was snow on the hill above Macclesfield

On the way back we stopped off at Tatton Park for lunch -

Is it bad form to enjoy venison lasagna and then photograph the deer?

In the eveing we met up with friends

{Jude Linda Richard Fiona}

While Megs met up with her friends

{Jamie and Tabitha}

And we all saw Into the Woods

{absolutely NOT together}

Meanwhile Ben has had a cold -

and Megs is STILL under the weather following her flu/ hideous cough/ streaming cold -

nearly 2 weeks now :(

Sunday afternoon in the park (with lots of squirrels!)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time

Last of the Chrsitmas theatre trips - 

an amazing physical production with some very clever multi-media 

on a subject that's very close to our hearts.

Ben enjoyed most of it - there was too much shouting at points

- but at least no one was eaten by a giant green plant!

One last glorious day.....

..... and then it's back to school for me.

 

Both Megs and Ben got bonus lie in time before I ran them to school/college.

 

As I headed home {after a crafty coffee at my mum's}

the light over the lake at Victoria Park was was breath taking.

 

At the end of Christmas - one last glimpse of glory - one last chance to breathe and just be.

 

 

On the last weekend of Christmas...

.... we went to Bolton to see "Alice in Wonderland" at the Octagon

and to Warrington to see "Big Hero 6" at the cinema.

Tomorrow Megs goes back to college - Ben goes back to school -

and I get one more glorious day off!

 

{Oh - how we now love Baymax!}

 

New Years Day 2015

Of course the 1st January was Al's mum's birthday,

So we started the New Year taking his dad out for lunch.

New Years Eve - The Little Shop of Horrors

The last night of the year and one last theatre trip -

Jude joined us for the brilliant musical "The Little Shop of Horrors" 

at the Royal Exchange in Manchester

 

 Ben thought there was too much "awkward" eg the Seymour and Audrey songs -

but he was quite keen on Audrey 2 until the end

{which is NOT the same as the movie version!}

- at that point he declared "I'm never seeing anything else with horror in the title." 

Oh well - the rest of us LOVED it!

 

After the show we went home to watch the 

New Year Fireworks from the warmth of the family bed -

Together - as it should be.