Water Slide Fun

With yesterday being the hottest day of the year hitting about 29 degrees we decided to dust off the old water slide to keep the kiddies cool. Joshua was over the Wick Park fishing with his mate Tom, he has really taken to fishing lately and often heads over there after school. So it was just Holly, Brandon me and Tina having a water fight.

Due to having the astro turf back garden, the slide has to go in the front garden now as we don't want to peg it down through the astro. I tried having a go on the slide, but unfortunately I am way too heavy. Perhaps it was a good thing Joshua was out fishing as I suspect he is now too big for our water slide as well. Still we all had fun, got a bit of sun burn, but managed to keep nice and cool on a very hot day!

Holly on a surf board about to go down a water slide.

And down she goes....

Kersplash.

Brandon was having lots of fun and enjoying a water fight and slide. He still just about fits on our water slide.

All smiles for B.

Holly gets "Star of the Week" (Again!)

Super proud of my little Princess for once again getting "Star of the Week" this week at school. This time she was awarded it for hard work with her positional language work in Maths. As you can see from the pictures she was super proud of her award.

My little Princess gets "Star of the Week" again.

Another certificate for Holly's growing collection.

Well done to my little H.

My Little Bird Lady

Josh has really taken to fishing again lately and often heads over the park after school with his mates and his rod in an attempt to catch some roach. If he is not doing that he is hooked on watching the "Hot Tuna" TV programme which documents a fishing tournament where they catch some big 300lb+ tuna fish and then try and sell them for profit.

Anyway whilst fishing one day Josh wanted me to go over so he could show me that he has now learnt to use his rod rather than the roach pole. So I decided to take Holly over with a bag of bread to feed the geese in the lake. It is safe to say Holly became very popular with the geese and had about 10 or so around her looking like a right little bird lady.

My little bird lady starts feeding the geese over Wick Park. 

Slowly more and more brave coming out of the water and getting closer to her.

In the end she has to back away as they are pretty much being hand fed.

Father's Day 2019 Gifts

Father’s day has been and gone again and I forgot to do a blog update. To be honest we had a very low key Father’s Day this year as Brandon was tied up in a football tournament over at Academy Soccer until about 1pm. Then by the time we had got home and then gone around to see my Dad, the day was pretty much over.

I did receive some lovely Father’s Day cards that the kids made at school and also two chilli plants which seem to be growing very well given the recent hot weather we have had. I also got some chocolates, toffee, a Bluetooth earphone thingy, a nice bottle of rum and a Mojito mixing kit for the run. The Mojito has been fermenting for about a week and a half now, so I’ll give it another week or so and then hopefully it is ready to try.

Not a bad haul of gifts for my 2019 Father's Day

Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)

The boys recently tried Stand Up Paddle boarding during a recent half term Smash Camp at Stubbers. In fact they enjoyed it so much that when they got home they asked if they could sell their kayaks and buy a SUP. So earlier this week we treated them both to a cheap entry level inflatable SUP. The treat was supposed to be being held back pending whether they got a good school report, but we decided to let them have them early as the weather was so good this weekend.

It was touch and go whether Joshua was even going to be able to go as he has got a severely injured wrist from going over the handlebars on his bike last Monday. Luckily after nearly a week his wrist is starting to get better and he gave it a go today, but he was clearly hampered and after a while gave up using the ore and instead used it more as a surf board paddling with his hands.

Brandon took to the SUP like a fish to water and didn't seem to mind falling off in to the cold water either. A year or 2 ago and he would avoid going in the water at all costs. Today he was messing around in and out of the water all day with Josh to the point where his lips were slightly turning blue when he eventually decided enough was enough.

They say you cant teach an old dog new tricks, but I did decide to have a go on Joshua's SUP and I for sure did not take to it like a fish to water. Whilst I did not fall in, I was very, very wobbly and did not seem to get on with it one bit. The SUP is supposed to be suitable for children and adults up to 100kg, but I found it very unstable and would want a bigger, wider and thicker SUP if I was to ever take this up more seriously.

Joshua testing out his new SUP, struggling a bit due to his poorly wrist.

Brandon was a natural on the SUP and really enjoyed himself today.

Joshua was first to fall in, but that was always going to be a given.

A safer way of using the SUP on your knees.

Me and H in our inflatable boat and the boys on their SUP's.

We had tonnes of fun and spent nearly 5 hours down Papermill Lock today.

Joshua resting his wrist a bit and having a sit down on his SUP.

Great shot of Brandon going under a bridge.

And who said you can't walk on water.

Holly chilling in our inflatable boat.

Joshua's wrist starting to hurt so using his SUP as a body board.

Me and H in hot pursuit of Joshua.

Teaching an old dog new tricks.

OK time to brave trying to stand on this thing.

Didn't feel very stable and the board sat very deep in the water with my weight.

I think everyone watching on thought I was heading in the drink at this point.

Action shot of Brandon going overboard.

Both boys seemed to be able to pull themselves out of the water and back on to the board OK.

Holly wanted to go in the water like the boys, so I gave her a dunk. She screamed her head off with the cold water.

But little Holly braved a go on the SUP and sat on the front whilst Joshua took her for a ride.

Then mid water she bravely transferred across to Brandon's SUP.

Holly fell off the SUP and in to the water once. She then started to get cold and jumped back in the boat. Meanwhile I took a relaxing chill.

You can't go to Papermill Lock without enjoying some of the delicious cakes.

Holly actually finished a while slice of chocolate cake for the first time.

The boys didn't take long to finish their cake and then it was back on the water.

For the last hour or so they gave up on the ores completely and just had loads of fun on the SUP's giving each other different challenges. It was funny seeing them try to run the length of the board!!!

Disneyland Paris Photo Pass Pictures

For the final blog update on Disneyland Paris I have a selection of pictures which we had taken on our PhotoPass card. Using Michael's annual membership card to get a discount, we purchase an annual Photo Pass and absolutely hammered it getting more than our monies worth with tonnes of ride pictures.

Our first ride on Thunder Mountain, shame Joshua blocked Holly's face.

Goofy commented that his smile was like Holly's as she has lost so many teeth.

Tina, Holly and Goofy. Is Holly getting taller or Tina getting shorter????

Check out Brandon's face of pure terro on "Tower of Terror".

Me and the boys on Hyperspace Mountain. Love Brandon's face.

All 5 of us on Thunder Mountain and wearing our family Disney shirts.

Me, Josh and B on Hyperspace Mountain.

All 5 of us in the Main Street.

In the 5 days we were there this was the only Disney photographer we saw that was not at a character meet and greet point.

Me, Josh, Brandon and a strange lady on the amazing Aerosmith ride.

Me and my H on Thunder Mountain - she loved this ride soooo much.

The boys blitzing Hyperspace Mountain again and again.....

Tina and Bee, love the way they superimpose pilots in the other seats of your pictures.

The boys again.

Me and Bee again.

No strange lady this time, just me and the boys.

The face of fear, Tina really didn't like the Aerosmith coaster.