What Handel wrote his Messiah for!

It's done..... ish. The door for the cupboard under the sink still isn't here and the floor's not been replaced but apart from that it's finished!

Anyway, I think it looks great and I'm just glad it's all basically over. Those of you sad enough to want pictures, here's a few!

From this .....

(Can't find any better in-tact ones!)

to this!

(Cue dreamy music!)

Family Holiday

So the Circuit tribe all gathered in a small town in South Wales, most for the week but the Wylie crowd could only manage a weekend (work issues - long story - for anyone who's interested, ask, I'm not typing it here!). Lampeter didn't know what hit it..... and probably still doesn't what with; Circuits, Circuit Juniors and Thurlbys still there!

Anyway, we had a great time despite very changeable weather. One minute we had brilliant sunshine, then next it was pouring with rain. Another Great British Summer to look forward to then!

Saturday - we played a lot. It took the children absolutely no time at all to get in to the swing of things. They were off playing/tormenting each other within minutes of waking up and they played really nicely for5 the whole duration of our stay. Despite being exhausted and having a few tantrums when parents intervened. We had a walk around Lampeter and went to the supermarket for vital provisions and trundled home a little weary but content.

Sunday - all of the above applies, plus.... We made a trip to the beach but discovered very soon after arriving that it was b***** freezing and we hadn't brought think enough clothing. But in true Circuit style, we battled on finding blankets and scarves to help us through. A thousand stones were picked and then we went home after having some restorative chips and tea!

Monday - See Saturday! Just more of the same but with an added bike ride down to the stream. A simple activity you'd think, but organising 7 children under 7 (none of whom are VERY competent cyclists) to go down a very steep hill to a river at the bottom was no mean feat I can tell you. It took over an hour just to organise all the bikes, who was going where and who was doing the shepherding in cars. Let alone finding jumpers, your own helmet from the plethora and getting on the way! But it was good fun, James and William only experiencing minor flesh wounds!

Then it was a fish supper and in the car again. We're still suffering a bit from the late nights/early mornings but we're getting there. Here follows an abundance of photos... enjoy!

Early morning

1

2

3

Boys

Girls

What you got Grampy?

Noisy balloons

(a competition for the boys... you can guess what!)

Nana and Granddaughters

I got a stone Mummy!

Wow it was cold!

Pylon! Then.....

The hills are alive......

But it's not with music!

How many children?

Chillin' out!

The View

More stuff...

So for the last couple of weeks we've been mainly "being". The usual weekly engagements have been interspersed with tantrums and tears, flounces (actually very funny stroppy teenage girls. I'm not looking forward to ten years time!) and a few visits/jobs!

We were visited by the Gaskells on Sunday night. The boys played golf while the girls did what they do all week and then we had a nice? child free meal. The reason for the ? is that Nick cooked a stir-fry. You'd think you can't go wrong but he was half-cut (Pints after playing golf..... dodgy if you ask me!) and overcooked everything. Over-cooked rice noodles taste of pure starch, ugh! Anyway, the pavlova (assembled by my good self) was delicious and everyone found their appetites again! They left after lunch on Monday after some hasty photos in order to "blog" (Allison ran for miles to avoid a blogging!). Shortly after that Nana & Grampy came up to help us lay some turf. Sadly the camera disappeared and so there's no proof but if you come and see us you'll see the grass!

Then last weekend we went to Megan's third(!) birthday party. We managed to arrive late (again) due to torrential rain on the M1. But we had a lovely time running around, dancing and eating a bit too!

So to this weekend. Yesterday Simon (the kitchen fitter) returned to "finish the job off... except he didn't. He's coming back on Monday to do the tiling so I'll blog then for anyone who cares what my new kitchen looks like! Although tension should be running high on account of the fact that it's taken over 2 months from beginning to end. And even then it won't be finished because we won't have the new lighting in or the new floor (on account of not buying them yet!) so it just goes on!

Apart from some football match that Nick seems to care about (always interferes around my birthday!) we're not doing anything. But it's only 11am on Saturday... that could change!

Megan's party

Turf preparation

Joseph's visit (oh and his parents of course!)

Was he trying to tell me something? Cheeky beggar!

Blogger apathy sets in

Sorry but it's so boring now that they've "fixed" the previously unbroken blogger that I really have to psyche myself up! There is another excuse too though ..... I've been waiting to blog my new and exciting kitchen photos but since it's STILL not finished so I can't! Only another 10 days to wait though! Watch this space! (Well I'm excited even if you're not!)

Anyway, we've done lots of things. On the 15th April we had a proper 1950s Sunday outing to Bekonscot Model Village. We travelled by train and had a lovely day in the sunshine. We picnic-ed and ice-creamed, but didn't manage the lashings of ginger beer - not for the want of trying though! The girls loved the idea of little houses and I - bless me - returned to my childhood, had flashbacks to the trailer tent in Cornwall, lashing rain and Dad reading "The Borrowers" and generally felt very nostalgic (hence the ginger beer). Suffice to say I had a great day - I think the rest of the family did too, but that really was an extra bonus!

The following weekend we went to have a meal with Mum to celebrate her **th birthday. The kids had great fun playing on the swing and slide and the pub was very accommodating. The food was good - the pudding was better! Anyway, another fun moment was when Rebecca got out her noisy, long balloons. Hmmmmm. The kids thought they were great!

Last weekend we dossed around a bit and went to Ella and Thomas' joint birthday party. Unfortunately we forgot the camera but the girls had a great time and really enjoyed watching "Me" although slightly bemused by his clowning around. Maddy didn't quite get the joke and was quite disturbed by his errors! Jessica was up for it though.

And today we've been to Gulliver's Land Eco-World in Milton Keynes with The Thurlby's, The Circuit's and the Senior Circuits (complete with their "special" discounts!). We had a great day and recommend it. Maddy was amazed to see a "real" baby dinosaur which I ingeniously named "Bob". Maddy thought it was a good name! She wasn't going to stroke it and nor was Megan but everyone else did. We saw loads of VERY BIG dinosaurs (life-size), went on a boat ride, played in a play thing, ate ice-creams (of course!), dug for potatoes and carrots, made carrot juice and potato wedges, drove tractors, screamed, shouted, ran around, caused general chaos..... you can probably work the rest out!

Apart from all of that we've just been ... well, living really! Playschool, Monkey Music, talking, singing, working, blah, blah, blah....

Just had to be blogged!!!!!

The Beach