A Whole Load Of Things!

I have been so remiss in posting on this blog for the last 4 months. This is for a number of very good reasons! Firstly we have moved house! Which has been a right stress and massively time consuming in the evening for me in sorting everything out - and I have had associated internet problems which have made it difficult to upload information . . lame excuses I know. So this blog post is an update of some of the cool things we have done this summer . . there has been loads, so I will be missing most of the stuff we have done out!

So the allotment has been doing well . . we have achieved the digging over of the whole site and nearly all of it was planted/ sown over spring and summer. Cas has been brilliant at picking peas and strawberries and especially talented at digging up potatoes and carrots. This picture is from very early on. It is unrecognisable now! It has been hard work, but I have enjoyed it and Cas has definately learnt about food and growing food which I am pleased about. He is always asking if we have grown the food that we are eating at the 'lotment'....and when we have and I say Yes - he always says it especially delish!

One of the best things we did over this period, was go to the Peppa Pig Live Theatre Show. It sounds cack - but it was fantastic. We are still singing the songs months later. I don't know who enjoyed it more, me, Cas or mum!

I couldn't believe that the voices of the characters were not the actual voice over actors! They were so good. It was so professional, perfectly timed and performed and very entertaining. I am definately going to go and see this or any other Peppa Live production again.

Royal Wedding Party

We had a great Party with Granny and Pete at their house in Stratford. Cas and I drove down in the morning and listened to the commentary on the radio - it was great!

We got there just in time to see the ceremony start. I thought that Kate Middleton was amazingly composed and looked fantastic in that dress.

Cas eating his breakfast the next morning in his pants!

Pre School

Well Cas is growing up. First out of nappies and now starting at pre school. He is going 2 morning a week, a Tuesday and a Thursday. After September it will be 5 mornings! Getting him in the swing of things for school!

I was nervous about him starting for 2 reasons. I was worried that it was a real shock to his system, in a new place, with strangers and without me or Chris there. Also I was worried that he was hit or push another child! Sharing and close proximity not being things Cas is good at yet!

When I left him, he was gutted, he was hysterial when I left and I could hear him screaming MUMMY as I left. Not a good start. I rang an hour later and he had only just calmed down. But calmed down he had and they said to leave him be but come to collect him ten minutes before the end so he doesn't get caught in the usual mayham of leaving time.

When I arrived to pick him up he was sitting listening to a story! I couldn't believe it! He was delighted to see me as I was him! He rushed out and I said 'have you had a good time?' he said, 'yes I said mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy, I want mummy, and I cried.' 'Oh dear I said, what happened next' he said 'the ladies said . . shhhhhhh'!

The next 2 sessions got progressively better, as he is getting confident with the fantastic staff there. He now says I love Preschool! He particularly likes doing painting and pasta pictures!

He seems to have grown up loads even after just a few sessions! He seems better behaved and more able to do things! Its amazing.

Today was his 4th session and he didn't cry at all when left. He was pleased when he saw me come home from work and said mummy I missed you!

Chester Zoo

Battery ran out on Camera which was a shame - but managed to get these 2 pictures of Cas and his nan at Chester zoo. He had a great time running around and naming all the animals.

Unfortunately he is not allowed to touch any of these animals and spent the whole day saying ' I wanna hold it!'

Allotmenting

The allotment is coming along nicely! I now have a Rhubarb patch and a strawberry patch in. My potatoes are in and beetroot and carrots sown.

Since this pic was taken, we have also planted the leeks, spinach, spring onions and lettace. It has been such a hot and dry April that things haven't germinated very well. So will probably have to do some later planting again.

Cas is still king pest of the allotment. We have just got him a sandpit down there - it helps keep him from pulling up the onions and trampling all over the seeds!

Tickets Please!

Nanny took Cas and me to the Critch tramway museum for a play on the trams and a run around.

I think this is going to be a place we regularly visit!

Dubba Dubba Dub Dub BONGO BONGO!!

We went to the Bongo Bongo Easter Disco at Jesse Grey school. It is basically a disco for adults but you take your toddlers! Cas was a bit intimidated at first because it was dark with flashing lights and because it was loud.

We met Cas's friend Frankie there and she helped him relax and have a good time! When DJ Mikey Monkey made an appearance - Cas was well into the swing of things. He must have pestered Mikey Monkey more than any other child there - I wanna stroke him - he kept yelling!

Easter Egg Hunt

We have had the most glorious weather this April. It really has been nicer than I have ever known for this time of year. Cue, lots of opportunity for Cas to play in the park and outside generally with his mates!

We went on an Easter Egg Hunt at the gorgeously, quintentially English, Edwalton church. The gardens were lovely and filled with cute kids excitedly searching for silver and special golden eggs. It could have been a scene from a Richard Curtis film!

The kids exchanged their eggs for little chocolate eggs - which were a huge success with Cas.



We then had a bike ride to the Riverbank Restaurant on Trent Bridge for an exceedingly decadent and posh lunch in the sun next to the river - blissful!

St Georges Day

We took Cas waving his flag to look at the St Georges Day activities in Nottingham. The market square had lots of stalls with craft activities for kids and food stalls. We made some silver dragon scales and stuck them to the Dragon Collage.

We then went to the Nottingham Contempory as they were having a chinese dragon dance (a mix of St George and the Dragon and the chinese theme of the current exhibition with the contraversial stuffed elephant.

Cas's favourite film is 'How to Train your Dragon' so we thought that it would be a good idea - after all he is always saying 'I love Dragons!'

Not so! He HATED it. The drums were so loud that it frightened him - he yelled and yelled and yelled! We went from gallery to gallery to gallery and the dragons and drums followed us! Nightmare! He'll be scared for life!

Potty Training

Well Cas is 3 in July so I thought that I should make a start with potty training. I read the Gina Ford book - 'Potty Training in a Week' and got cracking. The first couple of days were a bit of a disaster, with several accidents -however by the end of day 2, he was doing more wees in the potty than out , we were making progress!

By the end of the first week Cas was dry most of the day, although he still needed reminding to go. Poo's however took a bit longer to get right. It seemed like he was holding on to them until he had a nappy to poo in at night.

A month later, we are mainly sorted now, sometimes at home he will do a wee in his pants to be naughty! But it isn't an accident - it is naughtiness!


He is excellent at aiming he wee! He likes to wee outside - soon he will be writing his name with his wee!

A month on in and he is dry most days, with only the occassional accident. Pooing as well is in the potty or toilet - although we have to be quick. When he says he needs to go, he needs to go now!

Visiting Julia and Kitty

We took a trip in March to see our friends in Southfield nr Burnley. Cas loves visiting Kitty and had a great time pestering her dog! He also got to feed their goats carrots - which he really really loves - despite the fact they are the biggest goats ever known!

We had a lovely Sunday dinner in the pub - although our first choice of a snack in the cafe of a local village was cut short as the only table was next to the range which they had just stoked up and was really flaming! Cas was not happy - 'No 'ike FIRE' he wailed several times, before we hastily beat a retreat.

Kitty is gorgeous and very well behaved and I think this rubs off on Cas a bit! Course it doesn't last!

Southport Weekend

Ok - so this isn't something I did with Cas. However it is the first time I have been away from him for more than one night, so that was a milestone! Also I wanted to share some of the great photos that Tee took. So, I went to Southport with Tee and Katty to see Michelle who had travelled from Fort Wayne to host our friend Katies' baby shower! As you can see I baked a baby cake!

This is Michelle and I at Crosby beach were we went to see the Gormley's. First decent weather weekend of the year!

This is the fish installation at Southport Pier. Which incidently is very nice, as is Southport itself I think. We stayed in a lovely cottage close to the seafront.

We are like Charlies Angles . .but there are 4 of us . . We were posing in jumpsuits in House of Fraser!

Allotment!!

Exciting news!!

I have an allotment! I've been on the waiting list for years and now the wait is over! I have a lovely little (well size of a large swimming pool) plot next to the Grantham canal. It has 4 apple trees, a pond, a shed and it is in reasonable order... just some tidying and clearing to do, which should take a few weeks and then I can start planting.

I have decided to grow:
Potatoes (earlies and second earlies this year)
Parsnips
Carrots
Leeks
Purple sprouting brocolli
Red Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage
Sprouts
Sweetcorn
Courgettes
Salad
Radishes
Cucumber
Peas
Beans
Rhubarb
Raspberries
Strawberries
Gooseberries

My good friend Joe had advised me to start with plug plants this year and not worry about growing from seed until I have the plot organised and a seed bed build and some cold frames etc.

I can't wait to get going once this horrible weather has passed! It will be great fun for Cas too I hope.

Nottingham Light Night

January and February so far have been pretty dull months. The weather has been so bad, cold and wet and that alongside the usual colds and coughs etc. has meant that we haven't been doing a great deal.

But on the 18th of Feb, Nottingham had another Light Night. Here is what it is:

"For one night the city stays up so that its attractions and symbols are seen in a new light. The spectators get to see the unusual in a familiar environment and 'lose themselves' in the city, which is transformed into a stage for the night. "



There were lots of mad things going on . .for example this giant lobster and giant lit of swans dancing around the Market Square.

The Sonic Manipulater guy who we saw at summer sundae and thought was great, we found doing his thing! Cas went and stood right infront of him and entertained the crowds! The Police kept arriving to move on ner'do wells like the guy with the sax on this picture . .not quite your summer sundae festival crowd!

This is Cas on the solar powered dance floor in the Market Square - he was dancing* along to some classic disco tunes! * for dancing read running and jumping!

Polly Visits

It's been about 6 or 7 years since I last saw Polly. She went on her holidays to New Zealand and never came back! So she made a visit to the UK this Christmas and a few of her old friends went to London to meet up at the London eye. Polly was with her partner Warren and her 2 lovely children, Phoebe who is 3 and baby Lucy who is 5 months old. Phoebe is mental and Cas loved running around the restaurant for HOURS with her, whilst we all dranks beer!

Nail, Kerry and Mikey came and it was great to see them. Like old times . . except with mental kids running around . .

Whilst we were in London for the weekend, we took Cas to see some sights. Namely the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. January is the best time to visit London museums, there are no queues and they are not too busy.

Although Cas has been on the Tube before, this time, he hated it. It was too noisy and so we ending up having to catch buses, which was a real drag, as ten minute journeys by tube take over an hour on the bus.

We went to the Science Museum which has an interactive 'Garden' in the basement for children. Cas loved the water play and was there until we dragged him away kicking and screaming - literally.

The Natural History Museum is in such an amazing building. The building is as good as the exhibitions, the most famous of which is Dippy the Dinosaur and the big blue whale. Cas really enjoyed running up and down the halls and looking at the stuffed animals. Ones he really like he showed his tummy to!

'Hold me . . .' Mighty Boosh

Parties!

Cas has had a fantastic Christmas. Lots of parties with people to pester and toys to open!

Christmas Preparations

I was particularly well organised for this years festive period. I had finished all my shopping (nearly) by the beginning of December and had been planning the menu for our family Christmas day and the party I was giving on Boxing Day since November!

You can see in the picture above the stockings I made for us all to go on the fireplace for our little presents.

I took Cas to the Carols by Candlelight concert at St Giles's, The church was absolutely packed! I bet it is the busiest service they have all year! It was absolutely fantasic. Well the carols were, there were some dodgy sermons, particularly the fire and brimstone book of Genesis ones. But getting back to the singing - it was really enjoyable! We sat in the back in a heated little glass room, so that Cas could mooch about and play with toys, and I could still join in with Hark the Herald! Although some of my favourite carols were absent, for example, Ding Dong Merrily on High and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Anyway it was still great and walking home through the graveyard, which, like the church, was covered with hundreds of tealights and dusted with snow - it was like a Richard Curtis film!

London Christmas 2010

We went to London in December to stay with some friends of ours Jackie and Jack and their lovely kiddies, Connie and Jonty. We thought we would do some Christmas shopping and take Cas to the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park.

Last time I went to Jackie's house it was an actual building site. Now it is a fantastic restored Brixton Mansion! It was like staying in a posh hotel! Cas had a great time playing with Connie and Jonty, although he did pester them a bit. Moreover he loved pestering Toggle the dog. Poor toggle, will Cas never learn that dogs do not like to be bounced on?

We took Cas on the tube to Hamley's, London's famous toy shop, just off Oxford Circus. Beforehand we went to the Winter Wonderland, which was good. Large Christmas market and fair. We had some nice German Bratwursts and hot chocolate. But we also have a good Christmas market in Nottingham, so I am not sure that it was worth that particular trip!

It was terribly cold in London that weekend. We went to the Battersea park zoo. It is a nice city zoo, with some small monkeys and meercats etc. But it was so bitingly cold that most of the animals where hidden inside under heat lamps!

You can't see it in this picture, but literally moments before this picture was taken, a monkey sprayed pee at Chris and Cas.