Luckily May 2nd was a lovely sunny day, great for taking out your new skateboard or your skipping rope!

Xander is getting lots of practise on his 'board'. Xander and I thought this picture of Imo was particularly funny!- talk about getting out of breath!!!

He'll soon be joining the 'cool boys' down at the skate park!

Simon's herb garden is starting to bloom.

If it doesn't get flattened by Imo before Chelsea!

Another weekend...another Cub event! Xander entered a local chess tournament against the local Cub packs. Again lots of fun was had...and lots of biscuits consumed I expect!! I think they did ok...they weren't last I don't think?

I think Xander has been taking 'posing ' lessons from his sister??

We went to look around Wimpole Hall which is literally around the corner from here.

The grounds are spectacular, incredibly well kept. Even Simon was impressed!!

Forget what I said about Xander's progress in 'posing'

The boys taking a stroll

The walled garden was also amazingly well maintained and really well protected from the Cambridgeshire wind! Incredibly we found that someone had made a model that looked exactly like Imo designed to scare away the crows!!!

It did a good job too judging by how well the crops were doing. We must put Imo outside more often!

There were spectacular tulips in the garden

Sweet Xander picked up this horse chestnut blossom and gave it to me - even though he is a big 10 year old skateboarding hoody!!

posted by Helen @ 6:40 PM

So it was the morning of Xander's 10th birthday...and who was up early opening the first present???





Xander bought Imo a friend to ride along with her in the over-sized basket on her new bike! Poor Imo has had slap cheek we think - a virus children get sometimes causing them to look like ET (I mean like someone has slapped them around the chops!!!) Another of it's symptoms is joint pain. I had been ignoring her moaning all week that her ankle was twisting....her elbow hurt...that she couldn't point her toes at ballet....etc. She is after all the girl who cries wolf!





Xander got to open his big present next. It was a BIG present. Simon has been promising him since he was about 3 that for his 10th birthday he could have his very own LAPTOP!! I can't show the picture of the unwrapped present immediately after opening as it would just make Simon cross - having a picture of his dishevelled hair first thing in the morning on the blog for all to see!!





The other thing that he really really wanted...

Was a skateboard. He got this great one from Gran'ma and Taid. Sian made him a fantastic Robin Hood outfit - great for archery!! He had time to try the hat and boots on for size before school!

And to try a few moves in the house.....

........

......and at the front of the house. The sun came out especially for his birthday!!!

Much later on....after school and his music lesson he got to blow his candles out. He blew them in one go for the first time ever!!

And later on laptopping with Imo.

So now you can understand why after getting nearly six months behind with the blog I suddenly have time to spend a whole two days catching up!!! I'll be tackling my e mail inbox next!! Guess what?? Imo is now nagging me to have a turn on the computer! She isn't 10 for two more years (and will have to get an awful lot less clumsy before she is trusted with a lap top anyway!!!)

posted by Helen @ 5:40 PM

Our weekends continue to be busy with dancing practises, parties and Cub and Brownie activities and events. Imo has been rehearsing since January as she has a part in a character ballet dance - 'Rumpelstiltskin' entered into the Newmarket Dance Festival by her ballet school this year. It has been lots of fun. She has also been practising the 'Flash Bang Wallop' dance that she was in last year too to be entered for a second year.




Dressed and made up for 'Rumpelstiltskin'!





Back in her 'Flash Bang' costume!




A quick practise before they were called to go on

Imo has been really lucky to be chosen to join in with these sessions as she mixes with lots of girls from different schools and of different ages. She is learning a lot and making friends and having fun.

Xander is really lucky too. The Cub pack he belongs to has particularly talented and dedicated leaders. There is a massive waiting list and he has quite a few friends who haven't managed to get a place at all. He like Imo is learning an awful lot and having fun too. We went to the St George's Day Parade in Willingham on 26th of April. Xander and his friends had enormous fun in the tea and biscuits session afterwards. I think they probably managed to squirrel away more than their fair share of cakes and biscuits. Xander is still the 'sugar king'!!

No wonder he couldn't finish his tea later on!!

posted by Helen @ 5:13 PM

The rest of the Easter holiday went very quickly with good weather mostly which allowed the children to play outside a lot. We had lots of children to play here. Xander is getting better at taking a mobile phone with him and actually answering it even sometimes when I am trying to find out where he is and what he is up to!



Imo and her friend made a nature book collecting leaves etc and identifying them using books and the internet.



A full house for lunch!




The children went to the cinema with their friends in Cambridge and slept over with them. I picked them all up in the morning to come back here for a days play and another sleep over. I think I got a good deal as they were all really good for me. They were tired from the night before and went to bed early and sensibly after a day mostly spent in the park where they all met up with lots of their school friends as well.




Fun on the swings

She may be tired but Imo still retains the energy for over the top exuberance!

Xander and his friends made this fantastic wigwam out of bullrushes next to the ditch behind our house. It stayed up for nearly two weeks before sadly someone pulled it apart.

Sadly too, the last day of the holiday arrived which we spent in Cambridge shopping for new school shoes etc!

Unfortunately the recession has impacted Simon's job. He is therefore now looking for a new opportunity!!

posted by Helen @ 4:38 PM

Mum and Dad spent the Easter Bank Holiday with us. As usual Imo took the opportunity of having a captive audience to make everyone laugh!



Including her Dad!



Imo showed Gran'ma and Taid how she can now ride her bike without having to go to casualty to be glued together again! The demo was not conclusive!!



Imo roped poor Gran'ma and Taid into endless games of 'identity' 'upwords' 'yes/no' and 'Uno' Taid looks as though he is being stretched here?



Imo and Gran'ma doing the First News crossword.

Imo in her lovely outfit Gran'ma and Taid gave her for her birthday

We also spent a day with Mum and Dad at Duxford. I don't seem to have taken many pictures, probably because we have been so many times now since we bought a season ticket last year. It is interesting but we have decided to not renew and give ourselves a break from aeroplanes. Even Xander seems to have seen as many spitfires as he wants to for quite a while - so you can imagine how many months ago I passed that point!

The Blackbird is still my favourite exhibit!

Lots of keyboard playing went on during Mum and Dad's stay. Xander is learning to play Dad's favourite - 'Colonel Bogie' and Imo is learning 'You are my Sunshine' Xander has also been trying his hand at the guitar.

Simon as usual spent his time cooking delicious meals for us all to enjoy!

Mum and Dad did take him (and us) out to Wagamama's in Cambridge to give him a break. We also visited The Fitzwilliam Museum again and the children took part in a trail there to earn a Cadbury's Creme Egg! We also experienced Scotsdale Garden Centre on Bank Holiday Monday!!! PACKED!!! I didn't take photos as Imo borrowed my camera to take her own collection of photos which she might one day publish on the blog??

posted by Helen @ 4:00 PM

At the beginning of the Easter holiday we went to see Val in Wantage for a few days. We met her in Oxford and she took us out for lunch. The children enjoyed their 3 course meal enormously!

We spent the afternoon at the Oxford Natural History Museum. We had hoped to go to the Pitt Rivers Museum too but found that it was closed for refurbishment until 1st May. We last tried to go about 10 years ago and found it also closed for refurbishment that time too..never mind one day we will get there!

The Natural History Museum was great. There were lots of hands on exhibits

Dinosaur footprints, fossils, butterflies...

lots of dead animals for Imo to maul!

Here she is holding hands with a dinosaur

And when we got back to Val's house there were tadpoles for Imo to molest!!! You could definitely see them learning to swim faster as she approached the tank!!

We also went to Pendon museum an indoor model village and railway recreating the Vale of the White Horse in Oxfordshire as it was in 1930s.

The models are incredible with tiny details such as butterflies, birds and animals within the miniature gardens correct in every detail. You can get some idea of scale by looking at Xander's head and the house he is looking at!

The scenes are incredibly realistic. The project was started many years ago and is far from complete. It is a time consuming hobby for all the enthusiasts we could watch at work! We visited Pendon about 10 years ago and it hasn't hugely changed since then. We will have to go back in another 20 or so!!

posted by Helen @ 3:11 PM

As soon as we got Imo's party over with it was time to start planning Xander's 10th! He is having a joint archery party with a good friend of his. We took a few photos of them together for the invitation!









We took the children to several events which were part of the Cambridge Festival of Science this year. We heard Lucy Hawking give a talk about her new children's book written with her father Stephen Hawking. Xander had read and enjoyed their first book that Dick and Avis bought for him a few Christmases ago. Xander and Simon also went to see Prof Chris Bishop (who gave this year's Christmas lectures) talk about computers.

Simon was away in America for the chemistry lecture on water that I had booked for so I took one of Xander's friends who is really interested in science too and gave him Simon's ticket. This was lots of fun with spectacular experiments and explosions! The children loved it and learnt a lot.







Xander went to some other events held at the astronomy department with another friend and his family. Simon filled in a questionnaire about this year's festival and as a result has been involved in a forum to help plan for next years events.

posted by Helen @ 12:25 PM

Xander is really enjoying having keyboard lessons at the Yamaha school based at Comberton Village College - the secondary school that he will hopefully go to. He spends loads of time experimenting, practising, composing his own tunes and just having fun all without me having to nag him!




The children could dress in red for school to raise money on Red Nose Day

Xander even went to his keyboard lesson with red hair!

In March Imo went to Burwell House near Newmarket for a 3 day residential trip with school. She thoroughly enjoyed it. Unlike Xander's trip in December which was mainly outdoor pursuits and physical activities Imo's trip was a gentle introduction to being away from home. They did lots of games, art activities, science experiments and team workshops. She can't wait to go again next year if she has the chance!

We missed her and the house was remarkably quiet!!! but we didn't worry about her as we knew she would be having a great time. I wasn't able to pick her up as I was having patch allergy testing at Addenbrookes hospital. I now know that I am allergic to nickel and to Laurel Gallate which is in lots of cosmetics, creams and some foodstuffs!!!

Imo being a bat for some reason!

Imo likes sewing, she needs to watch her eyes though with cotton that length!

We are still struggling with the school pick and mix homework scheme that no one seems to like or really see the value of but is still being asked of us. It seems to require responsibility and initiative of parents not the children which seems the wrong way around to me (and everyone else I speak to!!)

Imo reading the Guardian with her Daddy!

It tires her out though!!

posted by Helen @ 12:24 PM

The day before Imo's birthday one of her friend's Mum asked her what she was wearing to her party. Imo came home and immediately put together this ensemble complete with a check list!

28th February eventually arrived and Imo got just what she wanted - a pink i pod engraved with her name!!!

She spent the rest of the day shouting at us whilst remaining 'plugged in' to her favourite music- eg George Formby, songs from Shrek, songs from Cabaret and of course all the songs from Abba Gold!!! Xander got a few presents too!

I 'doctored' a Tesco birthday cake with some angelica, icing, sugar balls and a cocktail umbrella to turn it into a teddy bear's picnic cake.

Imo thought that she had her birthday outfit sussed until she opened her present from Sian - this fantastic dress that Sian had made for her! Imo loved it and even more so when she found out that Anna has one exactly the same!

Imo had 15 friends around to make bears with her. They named them, made name tags, birth certificates and got them ready for a teddy bear's picnic on the dining room floor!

We also played a few games - pin the nose on the teddy, pass the parcel... that kind of thing!

Time for the picnic. Xander invited his friend too. She is quite a tomboy and even more horrified to have to sit with lots of imo's 8 year old friends than Xander I think. They found a quiet(ish) corner to 'hide' in and stuff themselves with biscuits to relieve the stress!!

Lots of fun was had by all!

Later that evening......

posted by Helen @ 12:23 PM

The rest of the half term holiday went very quickly with time to play at home - Imo made some newspaper animals.





We met up with friends from school for lunch and a play.




We also planned and designed the invitations for Imo's 8th birthday party. We decided to have a 'make a bear' party. Nikki gave us the idea as India had one for her 9th birthday. Xander crept into the photo!

posted by Helen @ 12:22 PM

I took the children to Malvern at half term. Unfortunately Mum had hurt her back really badly and so couldn't join in with most of the fun that we all had. She has had physiotherapy and is much better now. Her recovery was not hastened by Imo's decision to come dressed in a rather small nurses outfit ready to nurse her Gran'ma back to full health. Hopefully it didn't delay the process too badly!!




Xander and Taid talked physics!



We went to see Nikki, Steve and India for a fun afternoon of creative activity in India's room- (Imo made herself at home as you can see) and a good (but too short) catch up for me and Nikki!






The children made a fabulous dolls house complete with furniture in the time it took me and Nikki to do only about one percent of the confiding and gossiping we'd been looking forward to!!

Imo tried to frighten Mum into getting better!

There is nothing the children nor I like better than to go for a walk on the hills when we are in Malvern. Gran'ma wasn't up to it so Taid and I took the children up to the top of British Camp.

The views were spectacular

The children loved the challenge of climbing up steep slopes.

...and reaching the summit!!

It was fun running down too




The children messed around and roly-polyed down to the bottom causing Xander to feel so giddy that Dad had to stop the car for him to be sick behind a lamp post on the way home!!!

Imo played the 'bongos' at the bottom.

Xander and Imo are allowed to do pretty much anything they like at their generous Gran'ma and Taid's house including tobogganing down the stairs which they have developed to a fine art using a pillow as a sledge! Dad just gets his camcorder out to film them. They would get a different reaction from their Dad if they tried it at home!!!!

A newly painted Victorian pillar box in Malvern.

posted by Helen @ 12:21 PM

We went for a day trip to London. We were up early and amongst the first visitors of the to the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood. This was lots of fun. Simon and I saw lots of familiar toys from our childhood. I didn't have one of these though!







Imo and Xander liked putting iron filing facial hair on these funny faces. Xander made one that looked just like Prof Robert Winston!






The children enjoyed having a go with some old fashioned toys.





The children spent their pocket money on some Victorian cup and ball toys. Xander worked hard to master the skill and by the time we got to Oxford Circus he had got his ball into
his cup 67,000,000 times (or some number like that, so he told me!) Imo and I are still perfecting our technique!!



We went to the Imperial War Museum in the afternoon which was absolutely packed!! Obviously everyone with a year 3 child learning about WW2 at school had decided to turn up on a rare sunny afternoon in February! We didn't stay long, as you really couldn't move!! We will have to go back.

I took this picture because I could not believe that the museum was being renovated. The photos that they take now to cover hoardings are so fantastic it is really hard to distinguish them from the real thing!


Imo made lunch for us one Saturday. We knew that she was opening packets and laying the table but we didn't realise that she had decided to get out the bread knife and do a bit of slicing/massacring. Luckily (and amazingly) no visit to casualty was required - this time!!)

Toasting marshmallows with one of Xander's best friends - with adult supervision!!

The children had to wear their Cub and Brownie uniforms to school to celebrate Thinking Day.

Xander has been doing a few good turns as he has been working on his 'promise' badge for cubs. He hasn't got it ..yet??

Xander and another of his best friends- and their school mascot!

More early morning (before school) antics ready for Thinking Day!!

See what I have to deal with??!!!!

posted by Helen @ 12:20 PM

The school was closed for a few days but decided to reopen on a Friday morning. By 8am another snowstorm had started which lasted all morning. After fighting our way through a blizzard to get to school Simon had to come home from work at lunchtime to avoid being stranded and he hiked down to school to collect the children. I stayed at home awaiting a Tesco grocery delivery which amazingly got here despite worries that they may not get home again!





Imo was a bit cold when she arrived!! She didn't take too long to warm up and go out in it again!







We didn't have the energy to build any more snowmen so Xander played with his remote controlled cars






and we went for walks around sunny, snowy Cambourne

Imo being a figurehead!

Imo posing for the camera and Xander....not!!

The biggest snowman we saw in Cambourne

The frozen marshland of East Anglia?

And a bit more posing!!!

posted by Helen @ 12:19 PM

When we moved here from Bristol we realised that we would have more of a chance of snow in the east than we did in the warmer, wetter, estuarine west. Over the last few years we have experienced more snow here and each year we have had enough to build a snowman or two and even miss a few days of school. This year we have had loads of proper long lasting, thick, beautiful school closing snow!

Xander and Imo were delighted when the school was closed and they got to build snowmen instead!!

The little house started to compete with Sian and Mark's chalet in Lauterbrunnen!!

But I think they beat us by having central heating in theirs'!

The children didn't mind missing literacy and having snowball fights instead!

We built a 'snowimo' complete with 'nobbles'!!

Simon always welcomes a chance to sport his genuine army surplus snow camouflage jacket! Xander was feeling a bit cold here!!

The ungritted Grove was treacherous for weeks, but very pretty! I hardly used the car avoiding all the pranging and knocking down of road signs that went on!

More snow gave us the chance to build new snowmen and renovate the old ones!!

posted by Helen @ 12:18 PM

The Spring term seemed to be particularly busy this year. Imo's year have been learning about World War 2 and dressed up as evacuees. They invited parents to see an evening production at school with 1940's style entertainment and a meal cooked by the children. As usual Imo threw herself in with enthusiasm, looking as always for every opportunity to give us a laugh!!




I don't think they had Wiis to play with in 1940 though!

Xander and his friend decided to make jellybeans from their very own recipe

Xander, Imo and I took part in the Great British Birdwatch for the RSPB. It was raining so we did it through the bedroom window. We didn't see so many birds that particular day although we did see two green woodpeckers at one time! Recently we have seen a Great Spotted Woodpecker again in the hedgerow behind our house. A few days ago we saw a muntjac deer from the bedroom window for the second time...we think he was lost!

The children have continued to keep in touch with their very good friends who moved into Cambridge and to a different school over a year ago . They all get on really well and have great fun sleeping over at our house and theirs!

We got together at another friends house to say goodbye to more good friends from school who were about to move to the Falkland Islands. They have been there for a while now and are settling in really well and keeping in touch with us via e mail. They left just at the end of our hard winter and are just entering another winter in the southern hemisphere!! Hopefully they will time their return so that they get two summers consecutively to make up for it!

posted by Helen @ 12:17 PM

Guess what? I have got dreadfully behind...again!!! I will try, once again to do a big catch up over the next few weeks....I've only got nearly half a year to get through!! Life is busy!!

Early in January Paul and Jane came across country to see us from Bristol. We had a lovely time catching up. Simon did lots of cooking. We all did lots of eating!! Paul spent lots of time programming with Xander while Jane and Imo had fun making crafty things together.

I think Paul may be sampling some of the absolutely delicious very hot chilli pickle that they brought for us in this photo!



We spent an afternoon in the grounds of Anglesey Abbey at the perfect time to see the winter garden at it's very best.



Xander even fitted in a bit of homework photography!

The depths of winter!

Jane and Paul treated us to drinks and cakes in the cafe

posted by Helen @ 11:44 AM