Day 208 - Day 212

Day 208 - Saturday
A long long day of travelling today, we left at 5am English time and arrived home at 6pm German time, so that was 12 hours of travelling. The boys spent all of that time (except on the ferry) watching TV so there was no complaining from the backseat. Except if we had to turn the engine off for a weewee break!
This is what was awaiting us when we got home!

Aren't our friends the best! And they even had our evening meal all planned out for us - a BBQ. It was great to not have to think about food when we got in!

Day 209 - Sunday
We could all have done with a good nights sleep, but it was so warm and unfortunately there was a party going on with very loud music, so we couldn't have the windows open to cool down. So not a very restful night after our long drive home.
I did all the washing, but other than that, it was a very non-busy day. Oh I did make a loaf of bread, and it was soooo good! (I do miss German bread when we are in the UK.)

Day 210 - Monday
Back to work for Florian, and back to daily life for me and the boys. Back to my favourite shop to restock the fridge and cupboards. Restocking the fridge resulted in a clean of the fridge. Looks lovely and tidy now. After that I had to use all the red currants that the kids picked yesterday. I made two batches of jam, red currant and strawberry and red currant and nectarines. The boys had bread and jam for tea and loved both sorts!

Day 211 - Tuesday
I washed our bedding today, including the actual duvet. I am surprised it fitted in the washing machine actually!
After lunch, I decided that the weather was cool enough to tackle the lawnmowing. Whilst I was out there, the boys actually came over and asked if they could do some! Wow! I made the most of that, even if I did have my eye on a big black cloud that was looming! And whilst it was Robert's turn I even got a picture!

Day 212 - Wednesday
This afternoon the boys and I started their training for their mini marathon which the school is taking part in on September 1st. We went up to the woods and did a 3.46km walk/jog. Richard and I took 31 minutes for it, which is a really good time even for me, so its a brilliant time for Richard. But Robert was even better, he got back to the car minutes before us. He told us he had been wating forever so I am guessing that he probably finished in 20 - 25 minutes! Go Robert!

CU tomorrow!

Day 193 - Day 207

We're back! Well we have been since Saturday evening, but it has taken me this long to sort through the photos to choose those to put on here. We had a super duper time, and we had the best weather we have ever had for our annual England holiday! The rain we did see came at night and I think that was only two nights! So here we go, this is basically just a picture post, with the occasional comment here and there.

Day 193 - Friday
A day of packing and as we were back and forth through the barn, we remembered to get a picture of our swallows before they leave their nest!

Day 194 - Saturday
Travel day! We had a good run and had breakfast with Tricia and Mick in St. Albans before carrying on to the new cottages

Day 195 - Sunday
Wenchford in the Forest of Dean for a picnic and a paddle! So relaxing after our day of travelling!

Day 196 - Monday
A visit to Porthcawl, we left the cottages in beautiful sunny warm weather, when we arrived at Porthcawl it was quite chilly and cloudy, but it soon brightened up!

Day 197 - Tuesday

Shopping day today, we went into Cardiff and took the park and ride into town!

And this was often the evening activity a good game of Viking Chess.

Day 198 - Wednesday

Canoeing today, with a picnic at Lydbrook. Lovely day again!

Day 199 - Thursday

Another day at the beach, this time at Barry Island.

Day 200 - Friday

Puzzlewood, and yep it is a puzzle how from outside it can look so much like a normal wood, but inside it is really really different. We all loved it there and will be going back again.

Day 201 - Saturday

We split up today - the girls and I went to see the TV chef Gino D'Acampo at the Gloucester Quays Food Festival.

And Florian took the boys to the Hedge Puzzle, Minigolf and Laser Tag.

Day 202 - Sunday

Family day at Derek's. We got a great group shot of all of us

Day 203 - Monday

A trip to Skenfrith, a great spot to go swimming in the river. And the kids had the best time ever jumping from a rope into the water!

Day 204 - Tuesday

Another shopping day and a trip to the cinema (Despicable Me 2). And in the evening the kids put on a show for us all, and got some of the "willing" audience to join in!

Day 205 - Wednesday

Warwick Castle - and a huge thank you to the boys for watching too much TV! Sometimes the adverts do hold gems, cause that is where they got the idea to go here, and I found out that it was within driving distance! It was absolutely amazing there. But I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Day 206 - Thursday

Couldn't come to England and not go to Beechenhurst! The kids all went climbing again, and this time we had two new climbers - Lloyd and Lewis!

Day 207 - Friday

Richard lost his first top tooth!

And after another shopping day we had a final game of Viking chess.

And this pic just cause I like it and it makes a great finishing picture for the holiday!

Phew that took forever and a day, so I'll post what we have been up to since we have been back tomorrow and then all should be good from then on!

CU then!

Day 192

hihi, even Richard thought today was three days! So cute!
First thing this morning we all went shopping. I promised the boys they could spend some of their pocket money and their report card money they got from Nanna and Pop yesterday BUT that Mummy had to go shopping too, and that there should be no complaining! It went really well.
First I got all I need to make some punch when we are in England (alcoholfree, so I can have some too) then the boys went to woolworths on their own, whilst I had a look in another shop first. When I got to Woolworths, they had sorted out various Ninjago Spinners (from Lego) that they were going to buy. Richard had even already sorted out the money for it!
From there we stopped at MediaMarkt for me to get some memory cards and Richard wanted to spend his report money on a DVD to watch in the car, and he even managed to convince Robert to do the same!

Back home Robert continued building his new Lego, Richard built up his spinners and I got lunch.
After lunch I cleaned out the chickens and rabbits ready for our animalsitter! All clean in there now!
Then I got busy with the packing. I think this is the last year, that I will be packing 4 people's clothes in one bag, but this year I was successful!

Florian didn't make it home tonight, but has promised to leave early tomorrow. But I do have it all under control as I sort of suspected this to happen! So tomorrow is all mapped out too, and providing no one throws another spanner in the works, I won't get too stressed!

At tea time the boys convinced me to let them watch one of their new films. I watched it too, and enjoyed it! It was a German film (Vorstadtkrokodile 2).
And now I am watching Oceans thirteen and enjoying the excitement of Vegas!
CU tomorrow!

Day 191

I spent the morning without the boys today too. I got the shopping and the ironing done, and Florian picked the boys up, when he got off the train on his way back from his business trip.
The boys were worn out, they hadn't gone to sleep until about 1am! So they slept well in the car on our way to the funeral.

It was a lovely service, but difficult to handle. She will be sorely missed by all.

After the service, there was a funeral party at a cafe at the cemetery, and after that the boys and I drove back home (Florian carried on down south after the funeral). We stopped at McDonalds for tea.

CU tomorrow!

Day 190

First thing this morning, I finished making my cheese cake cookies! It was quite a messy job, but well worth it, they are quite delicious! I saved a few so Florian can try one (or two) tomorrow!

At 9.30 I gave the boys a new DVD to watch and then left them to their own devices and went off to my sport! Do you get bored of me saying I enjoyed myself? Well, I did! When I got back home I had a very quick shower gathered our things together and then we headed off for brunch at Florian's sisters. She had a few teacher friends and us round, it was great fun. Everyone loved my cheesecake cookies too, so that went down well with me!
The boys had the time of their life, and were in and out of the pool all day. And when it came to leave at 4pm, they did not want to go. Their cousins didn't want them to go either, so they all worked on my SIL and I am now at home all alone! Yep, the boys are having a sleep over, I can pick them up when I am ready in the morning!
I had thought of making the most of the kid free time, and go to the cinema, but apart from the new Superman film there is nothing much on, and do I really need to spend money to see a film, I know the story too, cause it has been filmed time and time again! I decided nope! And have been watching Holby City and CSI

CU tomorrow!

Day 189

Florian didn't have to leave for work until after lunch today, so we all got to spend the first official morning of the school holidays together. Which meant breakfast and lunch all together, and the boys did their thing - Richard started his packing for the holidays! And Robert who was bored got sent on some errands! I had him deliver all the tupperware to my friends in the village. He actually enjoyed that, so I must have sold it well!

After lunch Florian left and the boys and I watched Gino - he made something with strawberries which the boys want me to do too - maybe we'll have to go picking again! Then we all went out in the garden. I took a book and was going to read, but when I went in to get us all an ice-cream, my seat got pinched! Look at the cheeky monsters!

Oh well, it was still lovely outside, even if my chair wasn't as comfy as theirs!

I made bread this afternoon but I got it all very very wrong today. When I put it in the oven, I remembered to turn the oven on, but it won't bake unless you set a temperature! Must remember that in future!!!!!!

I was going to try using the oven again this evening, I have started making "Cheesecake Cookies", but have decided to finish them off in the morning, then the dough will be nice and hard and easy to form - well, that is my plan! Tonight it was still a bit too sticky to form properly, but ooh it tastes great unbaked!

CU tomorrow!