Watch this!

Today was meant to be a day of SuperLambBanana hunting in Liverpool - but a combinbation of rain and rubbish buses meant that we gave up and had a couple of hours playing at Underwater Street instead.

So, getting back early I found this to share...

Acrobatic Swan Lake

Well, this was NOT your usual Swan Lake.

It was bizarre - and wonderful - and exciting - and colourful - and just amazing!

A combination of the of the Tchaikovsky music (though sadly prerecorded) - classical ballet choreography and chinese acrobatics! There was juggling, unicycles, swans on roller skates, a contortionist, poles, tightropes..... and day glo pink costumes!

And the swan who could piruette en pointe on the prince's shoulder, outstretched hand, and finally head. I've never seen anything like it - and of course M just loved it!

It was HOT!

It was very hot yesterday - so M and B had an anfternoon water fight in Gma's garden!

The Railway Children

Term time is over.... for M and B it finished a week ago, but in St Helens it dragged on until the 25th July. To celebrate the forst real day of the summer we went to York to see the Theatre Royal's production on The Railway Children. Absolutely fantastic, it was staged in a temporary space at the Railway Musem. The audience sat on the two platforms, while much of the action took place on rolling structures pushed along the track. The highlight was the appearance of a real stram loco and carriage, stopping feet from the actress playing Roberta (we later found out that it is shunted in by a diesel...)
Before the play M and B found the Old Gentleman's carriage from the original Railway Children film.

We've never found the NRM's playground before....
...it's rather fab!

It was rather hot in the tented performance space - we got through 5 bottles of water/juice during the play - but fortunatly the little red flags provided a bit of a draft.

Junior Sports Day

As you can see - M had a busy afternoon competing for her team - The Otters. She tried hard at all the events and never gave up!

And the winner is....

...Miss M! Her class all entered a 'Design an Ad' competition in the local paper - and M's ad for Cartridge World was one of the winners! She collected her certificate and prize at a rather delicious buffet at the local Jaguar Dealership (M recommeded the curly fries as a particular favourite)
With her beloved teacher Miss L (and Leo the class lion)
And with a very proud daddy - who got this little Jaguar for his wonderful little girl.

The winning entry!

M's Birdy Birthday Bash

Happy Birthday to Miss M - into double figures!

Presents mostly revolved around her DS and Dr Who

The 'Voyage of the Damned' set was from Uncle J :)

With her birthday falling on a on a Saturday this year, we took her friends to Gauntlet Bird of Prey near Knutsford. All the girls got a chance to meet, stoke and handle a variety of birds.

First up was Tinks the Tawny Owl
Then Ozzy the Burrowing Owl

B was so good - being very gentle when stroking Ozzy
Meeting the smelly (and very wriggly) polecat

M trying to hold a 6 pound Eagle Owl
C with the Eagle Owl

B got his turn too

Everyone also got a turn flying theHarris Hawk (they'll do anything for a a bit of dead chick Harris Hawks!)

TARDIS birthday cake is always super delicious

Eating Dr Who's head from the birthday cake!

Then it was on to Tatton Hall and the adventure playground

Let's all pile on the swing...

....and go flying!

Refreshment break in the Courtyard

How much fun is this?

M with C and C

The girlz (on one boy!) with attitude! Actually they are the sweetest bunch of 10 year olds you could ever meet.


And how did A feel after spending a day with the girlies? Need I say more!