32 Eddies and 2 Episodes of...

.. will leave that to your imagination! That was the journey to our holiday this year - Watermouth Castle (5th year running!) Here are a few pictures of the holiday


My brother, his girlfriend and her little girl joined us for a few days at the start. Whilst we stayed at Watermouth Castle, they stayed in one of the Lodges which was a minute walk away.

The Water Wars was a new installment and was great fun launching water balloons at your opponents! The big boys had to help the little ones as you needed muscles to pull back the bungie ropes!

The boys and Niamh

Samuel swimming underwater - he did 4 widths like this and last year wouldn't even get his face wet!


And a rainbow from our window.

On the Friday we took the boys carting which Jacob didn't quite have long enough legs for so he went in a two seater with Simon. Samuel was big enough!


I took a video of him driving around a hairpin bend and not braking but its struggling to upload - I think its too big!

PS Eddies is Eddie Stobart lorries!

Holiday

Well we are back, and if Mr Blogger is playing nicely, I shall be able to show you a few photos from the holiday!!

On the way to Ilfracombe we stopped off at Slimbridge so the boys could have a run around, plus it was not much of a detour for us. We set off back on our way only to find that all the traffic was at a standstill and telephone wires and such like were being taken down. We then realised that a large load was coming our way. And this is it:

Yes, that is a Micra and a Transit Van, dwarfed by the big things (we didn't actually know what they were!)

Watermouth Castle was once again (for the third year!) wonderful! The boys enjoyed all the rides and the times in the pool (virtually twice a day every day!) And the weather was not too bad - it did pour down a few times in the morning but by early afternoon, the sun came out. The rainbow photo is taken from our apartment window, looking out over Watermouth Bay.

The gardens were as well kept and beautiful as ever.

So onto the black eyes. Jacob fell onto a ride on car when in a play room and caught the corner of his eye. This was Monday evening - and the ice cream photo was taken Tuesday afternoon. Nice big black eye!

Then Wednesday evening when in the pool, he needed to go to the toilet, which is situated just outside the pool in its own enclosed cubical. However the floor was tiled and wet, and I just didn't manage to catch him before his head connected with the toilet bowl.


So cut above the eye and a bigger black eye than before. Fortunately it was the same eye, otherwise he'd have looked a right mess! Any other discolouring you see around nose and mouth area is purely food or snot related!

We visited Exmoor Zoo again for the day and met the Alpaca and fed the Wallabies. And I must say that the sandwiches in the cafe were freshly made and were excellent!




Thursday afternoon was really warm, and kids plus water equals water fights and getting soaking! So Batman and Superman along with their new friend Ben (he was in the apartment next to us and a similar age to Samuel, so they got on really well) got soaked! Luckily we are only a 2 minute walk back up the path so they didn't have to stay wet for ages!
No holiday is complete without a visit to a beach. On Friday we went to Hele which is just between the Castle and Ilfracombe. The beach is quite rocky and not at all sandy, but armed with spades, buckets and fishing nets (the boys were adamant they were going to catch some fish) we spent a few hours exploring. And digging. And finding two dead crabs and a dead jellyfish.
For the more observant of you, yes this crab is upside down. The right way looked boring!

And Jacob loved the pool this year and managed to do quite a bit of swimming whilst ordering us around. If I manage it, I'll add a video of Jacob jumping into the pool. That's if technology lets me....

And Boo Bear from nursery came with us again. Great. Cos its me that has to write its diary every day.....

So that was our holiday! I think we will be going again next year!

I'm Back!

Just a little one to let you know that we have arrived safely back home (a little later than anticipated due to M6 closures, traffic and stupid sat nav (not me this time hehehe!)) So, will get all the photos uploaded onto the pc and then will share the highlights.

Highlights include 2 black eyes, lots of blood, lots of water, new friends and Wallabies.

That should keep you in suspenders eh?!!

Tell All Tuesday - Where Have You Been?!

The question for today's Tell All Tuesday is :
..Where In The World Have You Been?

Errrm, not really anywhere!

When I was 19 I went for a 4 night jaunt to Amsterdam as it was part of a college trip when I was studying Art & Design. I don't remember much of it except being really cold (it was February) and the coach breaking down and not having any heating.....

And finally we spent New Year in Paris when the Euro was introduced. We didn't really trust ourselves to manage the Metro so we walked everywhere! But we saw the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and a lot of bridges! I have got some pics somewhere but I can't find them, so I may update this post later as and when I find them...

Both these were pre children and since having a family we have spent our holiday in the UK with the last two years in Ilfracombe.

Holiday part 2

Final lot of pictures from our holiday, and in no particular order!

We visited Exmoor Zoo which was not far from Ilfracombe. Its only a small Zoo and quite compact without the larger animals such as elephants etc. However we were given a map and a list of all the activities and talks scheduled for the day. The first was feeding the otters and a talk. Didn't get any photos. Sorry!


The second talk was a meet the Alpacas. Samuel and Jacob were sort of keen to meet the black one with its new haircut! We were all given the opportunity to touch its neck and was able to spend a few minutes with it. Quite surprised I managed to get this photo as both boys wouldn't really get that close to it!

We then had a bug talk. And were able to touch (oh yes!) a millipede, stick insect and a cockroach. Didn't get any photos you'll be pleased to note! I cannot stand stick insects. A brother of one of my old school friends used to keep them in a tank in his bedroom. And I was scared witless that they'd get out!!

We fed the wallabies also. Jacob was most indignant as he insisted that they snatched and shouted at them!

Rock pools at Combe Martin. Fortunately neither child fell in although there were a few moments when we thought Jacob might do!

Outside the front of the Castle. You can just make out one of the windows from our apartment.

And Ilfracombe from the sea. We went on the Ilfracombe Princess last year (quite choppy going out of the harbour last year but I kept hold of my breakfast!) and decided to do the Exmoor Coast and Waterfall tour. We saw the Castle, much to the boy's delight!

The airplane ride - a firm favourite with Jacob! He loved it! 5 rides in one go was the record!

The staff were fantastic and really nice - a credit to the place! In fact we enjoyed it so much again (it was our second year!) that we've booked again for next year!!

Ear Gobbles and Ice Creams....

Well, I'm back from a week at Watermouth Castle. And what a great week it was! Fantastic place for the kids and we had sun most of the time (apart from the thunder & lightening and huge downpour on Thursday afternoon!)

So why ear gobbles and ice creams?

Well, the 6 apartments at the Castle had use of an indoor heated pool which we certainly used - twice a day! It opened at 7:30am and closed at 9pm and generally used it at 7:30am and mid afternoon.

Samuel has swimming lessons at the moment and keeps asking for some 'ear gobbles' as some of the kids use them. He actually means eye goggles....

And you can't go on holiday without having ice cream every day. Jacob stuck to chocolate flavour every day (what a surprise!) but Samuel was quite adventurous and had a daily change - vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and mint choc chip (my favourite!)

Samuel looked particularly fetching after his chocolate ice cream - he was impressed when I told him he looked like a pirate!

More pics to come over the next week of our holiday and of where we visited. Just don't want to do too much too soon!!

I will be back!

... in just over a week!

Off on holiday to Ilfracombe for a week! We are stopping at Watermouth Castle - same as last year and it was fab then and we are hoping it will be again!

So, I thought I'd leave you with one of my favourite cards I have made over the last few months that I've not blogged about. Lynsey asked me to make it for her friend Alex who was approaching her 30th (sorry!) Birthday and had a 'thing' for Big Cook (each to their own!). So this is what I came up with!! This is how it looked from the outside - nice and pretty!

And Big Cook Ben inside with 30 balloons!! Surprise cut from Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set and Big Dots backing paper from Pink Petticoat.

There may be a few picture heavy posts when I return to blog land - I have no internet access for a week - how will I manage??!!