Day 4: Tuesday
Weather report: hot
Is it possible that we are the only people who come all the way to Florida and pick up a cold. Feeling quite grotty!
A trip to Walmart today. The boys bought a toy each. Bean choose lego and pumpkin chose an Angry Birds launcher. We bought Plum a t shirt with the American flag on it. We also stocked up on snacks and after sun and I bought some wool at bargain prices. So glad we have lots of room in our suitcases for the return journey as I'm sure these won't be our only purchases!
The afternoon saw us joining our friend's friends at their house. The children had a lovely time in the pool and Pumpkin, after a lot of concern that he might sink, was really proud of the fact that he hadn't sunk. (Did I mention we had an incident on Saturday when Pumpkin literally jumped in the deep end and sunk gracefully and calmly to the bottom of the pool? Thankfully we saw him only moments after he jumped in and our daddyR pulled him out and passed him to daddy who sorted him whilst he was coughing and spluttering. All was well and he got back in the pool, with daddy also, shortly after) We also ate and the kids played and we over cooked Bean again and he struggled with tiredness a little.
We left after 7pm and only Plum feel asleep in the car but then woke up when we got home. Daddy had to return the hire car this evening so left the mummies to put smalls to bed. Pumpkin went willingly first but Bean, who was very tired wanted to wait for daddy to return (this was going to take an hour and half at least) but he managed an hour or so before he asked me to read him stories and ask daddy to come and say goodnight when he got home. He prayed for daddy when he went to bed which was precious. And it's also worth mentioning that we had several amazing moments with him during the day. He voluntarily helped clear the lunch table and gave us a whole discourse about not undoing his and Plum's seatbelt in the car because they are both important and we must look after each other.
Another beautiful day with friends :)
Our Tribe
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Monday, 27 May 2013
Feeling hot hot hot
Day 3: Sunday aka Church Day
'So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, than an heir through God' gal 4:7
Weather report: still hot :)
Today started early again. All those hours before breakfast and then being ready to leave the house and it's still only 9am really messes with your head. Bean was first awake this morning, probably because of the lack of dinner he ate (or failed to eat) in the evening before. Still 5am is an hours improvement. I woke with him for a few hours and then daddy got up when both Pumpkin and Plum woke at 6am, I then rested a little more for a couple of hours.
So the original plan had been to take the smalls to their classes at 9am but we weren't quite dressed and ready for that so we took a walk instead and had a look at the house our friends have bought and will be moving into shortly after we leave. We only got to see the outside but might get a inside viewing later this week. We then walked back and headed straight to church.
Our smalls choose to stay with us rather than go to Sunday School with their friends (understandably) and Plum and mummy ended up in the 'cry room' (rude!) She wasn't crying but she was running around a lot so it meant I could stay in the service and listen in and Plum could run around. It also had a small kitchen area and toys in there.
The place where the smalls had there classes was in a seperate building that is bigger than our church, just to give some idea, although you also have to remember that our church building is relatively small anyway. The main meeting building was significantly bigger, you could probably fit our church building in the foyer!
We followed this with lunch back at the apartment and some down time. Mostly this involved watching tv for the smalls and sleeping in shifts for the adults. And then we went to a park to feed the Ibis and the turtles and play on the equipment. By 5pm we had overdone Bean who refused to move without being carried and stood and waited until daddy had carried Plum to the car and then returned for him. He was very tired and there was a significant amount of agressive behaviour and tears but a little food on return seemed to help just long enough for a bath, story and bed.
And for the second night in a row, Pumpkin opted to shower. Now this doesn't include getting his head under but he'll get there. We've got the bath time routine smoother now. We've gone for an industrialised model: mummy bathing one small at a time and then passing them to daddy to dress and story. Bean went straight to bed after this (about 7pm) and Pumpkin stayed awake for another half an hour and was shortly followed by Plum. All 6 smalls were in bed by 8pm, shortly followed by all 4 adults!
'So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, than an heir through God' gal 4:7
Weather report: still hot :)
Today started early again. All those hours before breakfast and then being ready to leave the house and it's still only 9am really messes with your head. Bean was first awake this morning, probably because of the lack of dinner he ate (or failed to eat) in the evening before. Still 5am is an hours improvement. I woke with him for a few hours and then daddy got up when both Pumpkin and Plum woke at 6am, I then rested a little more for a couple of hours.
So the original plan had been to take the smalls to their classes at 9am but we weren't quite dressed and ready for that so we took a walk instead and had a look at the house our friends have bought and will be moving into shortly after we leave. We only got to see the outside but might get a inside viewing later this week. We then walked back and headed straight to church.
Our smalls choose to stay with us rather than go to Sunday School with their friends (understandably) and Plum and mummy ended up in the 'cry room' (rude!) She wasn't crying but she was running around a lot so it meant I could stay in the service and listen in and Plum could run around. It also had a small kitchen area and toys in there.
The place where the smalls had there classes was in a seperate building that is bigger than our church, just to give some idea, although you also have to remember that our church building is relatively small anyway. The main meeting building was significantly bigger, you could probably fit our church building in the foyer!
We followed this with lunch back at the apartment and some down time. Mostly this involved watching tv for the smalls and sleeping in shifts for the adults. And then we went to a park to feed the Ibis and the turtles and play on the equipment. By 5pm we had overdone Bean who refused to move without being carried and stood and waited until daddy had carried Plum to the car and then returned for him. He was very tired and there was a significant amount of agressive behaviour and tears but a little food on return seemed to help just long enough for a bath, story and bed.
And for the second night in a row, Pumpkin opted to shower. Now this doesn't include getting his head under but he'll get there. We've got the bath time routine smoother now. We've gone for an industrialised model: mummy bathing one small at a time and then passing them to daddy to dress and story. Bean went straight to bed after this (about 7pm) and Pumpkin stayed awake for another half an hour and was shortly followed by Plum. All 6 smalls were in bed by 8pm, shortly followed by all 4 adults!
Sunday, 26 May 2013
The big big sea
Saturday
Today we went to the beach. Daytona beach. Hot hot hot and warm ocean and busy but not crowded. The smalls, all 6 of them, had a lovely day. They spent time collecting dead jellyfish and found an alive crab hidden in the sand. Bean lay on his front for most of the time in a strip of very warm water between us and the sea. He was here for hours, spotting jellyfish and playing with the water, at one point a man with a metal detector came in to the area the children were playing in and starting digging, which Bean found fasinating.
Pumpkin got straight into the sea and daddy took him way out, carrying him and generally splashing about in the waves. He then requested I took him into the sea so we spent a long time together running in and out of the sea and over the break of the waves and spotted some fish and generally having a good time.
Plum enjoyed running aimlessly around the beach and was intrigued by the sea but stalled every time we got to the strip of water where Bean was. She wouldn't even go in the water. Eventually daddy took her down to the big big big sea and sat with on the wet sand and let the tide wash over them. She loved it and they sat together there for ages. This then gave her the confidence to join all the smalls in the warmer strip of water.
We were probably there longer than we should have been and when you've got 6 smalls in tow all of various ages you begin to see why scheduling and reward systems and other institutional type laws have been developed. It must have taken us over an hour to toilet and change and get into the cars ready to leave. We all got burnt to one degree or another except Pumpkin. Bean got the worst of it on the back of his legs :(
We stopped on the way home for ice cream and the cashier was so confused by our order that she forgot the drinks consequently giving them to us for free...8 drinks for free! We arrived home one and half hours after we had planned with some very tired children. Ours are clearly still out of sorts with the whole time difference and waking between 4 am and 6 am (which honestly isn't bad) but their hunger patterns are altered and they are tired during the day too, probably not helped by the heat but generally I think they have responded well to the change in location.
Today is also the first day ever that both Bean and Pumpkin have taken a shower in a domestic situation. Secretly hoping this is the beginning of a new era and we can get them through the showers more often now.
Today we went to the beach. Daytona beach. Hot hot hot and warm ocean and busy but not crowded. The smalls, all 6 of them, had a lovely day. They spent time collecting dead jellyfish and found an alive crab hidden in the sand. Bean lay on his front for most of the time in a strip of very warm water between us and the sea. He was here for hours, spotting jellyfish and playing with the water, at one point a man with a metal detector came in to the area the children were playing in and starting digging, which Bean found fasinating.
Pumpkin got straight into the sea and daddy took him way out, carrying him and generally splashing about in the waves. He then requested I took him into the sea so we spent a long time together running in and out of the sea and over the break of the waves and spotted some fish and generally having a good time.
Plum enjoyed running aimlessly around the beach and was intrigued by the sea but stalled every time we got to the strip of water where Bean was. She wouldn't even go in the water. Eventually daddy took her down to the big big big sea and sat with on the wet sand and let the tide wash over them. She loved it and they sat together there for ages. This then gave her the confidence to join all the smalls in the warmer strip of water.
We were probably there longer than we should have been and when you've got 6 smalls in tow all of various ages you begin to see why scheduling and reward systems and other institutional type laws have been developed. It must have taken us over an hour to toilet and change and get into the cars ready to leave. We all got burnt to one degree or another except Pumpkin. Bean got the worst of it on the back of his legs :(
We stopped on the way home for ice cream and the cashier was so confused by our order that she forgot the drinks consequently giving them to us for free...8 drinks for free! We arrived home one and half hours after we had planned with some very tired children. Ours are clearly still out of sorts with the whole time difference and waking between 4 am and 6 am (which honestly isn't bad) but their hunger patterns are altered and they are tired during the day too, probably not helped by the heat but generally I think they have responded well to the change in location.
Today is also the first day ever that both Bean and Pumpkin have taken a shower in a domestic situation. Secretly hoping this is the beginning of a new era and we can get them through the showers more often now.
Robin Hood
I've got a rather exciting knitting project on the go atm. After our busy week of party preparations, I haven't done as much work on it as i would have liked and last night sat up later than i should have knitting. consequently feeling very tired today. Plum had a disturbed night. tossing and turning and crying and refusing milk and cuddles. it was very frustrating and saddening not to be able to help her. After two hours she finally settled about 4.30am and peace was restored. She woke about 7.30 and daddy very kindly got up with her.
It has been an odd day today. mostly because the boys and daddy went on their own separate adventure to Littlehampton to try an archery session. I love archery and would have loved to have joined them but we decided that with only two weekends free between now and mid August I should take advantage and go and run some errands in town. Mostly this meant go to the opticians and order a new pair of prescription glasses and a second pair of day to day glasses (it always makes me nervous that i only have one pair) It was good to go without the boys who can make the sales assistance understandably nervous with their handling and activeness and it is too long for them to sit even if i take distractions. I was rather pleased with my purchases and they should be ready just in time or our big trip over the pond.
Plum slept for nearly two hours and i took to doing some sorting and organising. Plum still woke unsettled and seemed to be missing her brothers and the general hub bub of our home. I played with her for an hour and then she had milk just as they arrived home. She was much improved with their arrival and was particularly pleased to see daddy.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with the boys playing remote control cars and Plum playing piano. We watched some of the videos that daddy took when we were at Legoland and ordering the caterpillars for the butterfly kit that Bean's friends bought for him. There seems to be a lot of wild crazy behaviours going on this evening.
It has been an odd day today. mostly because the boys and daddy went on their own separate adventure to Littlehampton to try an archery session. I love archery and would have loved to have joined them but we decided that with only two weekends free between now and mid August I should take advantage and go and run some errands in town. Mostly this meant go to the opticians and order a new pair of prescription glasses and a second pair of day to day glasses (it always makes me nervous that i only have one pair) It was good to go without the boys who can make the sales assistance understandably nervous with their handling and activeness and it is too long for them to sit even if i take distractions. I was rather pleased with my purchases and they should be ready just in time or our big trip over the pond.
Plum slept for nearly two hours and i took to doing some sorting and organising. Plum still woke unsettled and seemed to be missing her brothers and the general hub bub of our home. I played with her for an hour and then she had milk just as they arrived home. She was much improved with their arrival and was particularly pleased to see daddy.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with the boys playing remote control cars and Plum playing piano. We watched some of the videos that daddy took when we were at Legoland and ordering the caterpillars for the butterfly kit that Bean's friends bought for him. There seems to be a lot of wild crazy behaviours going on this evening.
Friday, 24 May 2013
living on a prayer
so, it's been a while since i posted. i wonder if the number of posts relates to my mood. i've been down of late and although we have been busy with this and that i haven't had the motivation to blog about it, mostly because come evening time i'm tired.
the difference now? well, we're on holiday, in Florida! i never in a million years would have dreamed of us holidaying anywhere quite so warm and lovely and certainly not seeing our friends who moved here last August. we were resigned to not seeing them for the next three years or until they returned to England for a visit. For anyone who reads regularly or who knows us, it will also be a surprise as we are a frugal living family, mostly living on a prayer, and the cost of any holiday anywhere is a serious consideration for us.
God spent most of 2012 teaching me lessons about grace, mostly my gracious attitude towards others, namely my children (but that's a whole other story) and the year ended with a massive gracious gift to me and my family in the form of plane tickets to Florida to see our friends. the gift came from a mutual friend and at first i found it really hard to accept the gift. there was/is no way we can ever repay him in anyway and it is a huge gift but after much prayer and consideration we saw it for the gracious gift that it was and how really it blesses three families all at once (at least we hope it's a blessing to our friends whom we are visiting!)
And so, here we are, on a really big adventure. 2 families, 4 adults, 6 children all residing together in a three bed apartment in Florida for ten days. Today we have been to see alligators and turtles and osprey and a talking parrot named Mike and spent the afternoon swimming. It's hot, which bean is struggling with, and we have been up since 4 am but i thought that was pretty good going. We are really enjoying being with our friends (I'm so excited i could burst) and looking forward to the next ten days together.
i guess photos will have to follow when we return home but picture us smiling, all in shorts and t-shirts in a hot sunny place with palm trees everywhere...and a parrot named Mike :)
the difference now? well, we're on holiday, in Florida! i never in a million years would have dreamed of us holidaying anywhere quite so warm and lovely and certainly not seeing our friends who moved here last August. we were resigned to not seeing them for the next three years or until they returned to England for a visit. For anyone who reads regularly or who knows us, it will also be a surprise as we are a frugal living family, mostly living on a prayer, and the cost of any holiday anywhere is a serious consideration for us.
God spent most of 2012 teaching me lessons about grace, mostly my gracious attitude towards others, namely my children (but that's a whole other story) and the year ended with a massive gracious gift to me and my family in the form of plane tickets to Florida to see our friends. the gift came from a mutual friend and at first i found it really hard to accept the gift. there was/is no way we can ever repay him in anyway and it is a huge gift but after much prayer and consideration we saw it for the gracious gift that it was and how really it blesses three families all at once (at least we hope it's a blessing to our friends whom we are visiting!)
And so, here we are, on a really big adventure. 2 families, 4 adults, 6 children all residing together in a three bed apartment in Florida for ten days. Today we have been to see alligators and turtles and osprey and a talking parrot named Mike and spent the afternoon swimming. It's hot, which bean is struggling with, and we have been up since 4 am but i thought that was pretty good going. We are really enjoying being with our friends (I'm so excited i could burst) and looking forward to the next ten days together.
i guess photos will have to follow when we return home but picture us smiling, all in shorts and t-shirts in a hot sunny place with palm trees everywhere...and a parrot named Mike :)
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Legoland: the return
Thursday 9th May
Some people don't like Legoland, some people queue all day just to go on a handful of rides, some people pay half price and are pleased. We paid £12 for the whole family and queued for nothing and we love it. If it wasn't this way then our experience would dictate that we would not enjoy it so much.
Our boys love legoland. and what is there not to love when your kids are so happy all day. Even when Pumpkin goes on the rollercoaster 6 times, Bean happily stands and watches. Bean went on some of the rides that he had refused last time and we found some rides that we hadn't seen last time. Pumpkin went on a new ride too and we watched the puppet show. Plum got drenched on the orient express which did not impress her or me but that was probably the lowest point of our day.
We enjoyed more than 34 rides as there were no queues plus the puppet show and as most of the eateries around the resort were closed we were able to eat our picnic on one of the benches with no problems. It was also good to be able to take Plum on the rides to especially because she was so keen. that would have been a grim experience to have to entertain Plum all day when what she really wanted to do was join her brothers.
Some people don't like Legoland, some people queue all day just to go on a handful of rides, some people pay half price and are pleased. We paid £12 for the whole family and queued for nothing and we love it. If it wasn't this way then our experience would dictate that we would not enjoy it so much.
Our boys love legoland. and what is there not to love when your kids are so happy all day. Even when Pumpkin goes on the rollercoaster 6 times, Bean happily stands and watches. Bean went on some of the rides that he had refused last time and we found some rides that we hadn't seen last time. Pumpkin went on a new ride too and we watched the puppet show. Plum got drenched on the orient express which did not impress her or me but that was probably the lowest point of our day.
We enjoyed more than 34 rides as there were no queues plus the puppet show and as most of the eateries around the resort were closed we were able to eat our picnic on one of the benches with no problems. It was also good to be able to take Plum on the rides to especially because she was so keen. that would have been a grim experience to have to entertain Plum all day when what she really wanted to do was join her brothers.
Thursday, 2 May 2013
I'm so excited
Today has been an amazingly good day. It all began with our first froglet sitting on his rock taking it all in. i have become rather fond of our amphibian friends even though they have only been here four days. This little guy has stayed put on this rock all day. He was joined by our second froglet by tea time.
We then spent the morning with friends and fellow home ed families at a nearby park where several triumphs occured. Plum crawled up the small slide and then slide back down. she spent a lot of time sitting at the bottom of the two slides and trying to climb up them. she also really enjoyed the zip wire! Bean conquered his zip wire fear, so as well as riding solo, he also managed to sit on it and ride free from any help at all.
This afternoon saw us digging up a patch in the garden, completely spontaneously, as Bean announced that he wanted to build a fire pit. Inspired by yesterday's visit to Amberely museum and several episodes of Bob the Builder, we set to it. We spent a very happy 2 hours measuring and digging and moving soil and rocks. What a good job we had lots of bricks and hardcore lying around our garden!
And finally Bean and I made biscuits together. Pumpkin has been around today (just in case you were wondering) joining in and having fun and helping out. The best part was when Bean and I were busy in the kitchen and Pumpkin was lying on the living room floor with Plum sitting on his stomach and he was bouncing her up and down with giggles from both of them.
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