*Easter hols...*

We have had a fantastic Easter break from school; I really do enjoy having the girls at home, and having the freedom to do whatever we want to do without the constraints of the normal daily routine. We seem to have packed a lot into the last two weeks, so these will be edited highlights. Our Easter hols got off to a fantastic start with our three day visit to the Jewells' - I could write a v..e..r..y l..o..n..g post on how fab that was, and how much fun we had, but I'll spare you all and post just a few (!!) photos instead. Suffice it to say, the girls (all 6 of them) had a brilliant time, and Debs and I nattered about anything and everything, and well and truly put the world to rights!! We are already planning return visits in the summer...

Joss Bay, near Broadstairs, Kent, with Justine, Freya & Morgan, where we met up with Jane and Georgina. It was bl**dy freezing, but at least the kids had a chance to paddle in the sea!!




Breakfast time, chez Jewell: H, F and K, friends for life!


At Chessington: it is very hard to get six little girls to smile together on cue!!


A, slightly apprehensive, on the merry-go-round...


F, laughing to the point of near hysteria on the Bubbleworks ride!


Thanks to all the Jewells, especially to Dave for putting up with having three more females in his house for three days!!

F had a sleepover at Granny and Poppa's almost as soon as we returned from Kent, so A and I spent the day doing 'crafty' things involving plaster of Paris and copious amounts of gluing and sticking!!

Easter Saturday saw the girls egg-hunting with their cousins in Grandma and Grandad's garden:


The venue for the traditional Easter Sunday egg hunt was, for the third year in a row, Granny and Poppa's garden, and whilst I have taken many, many photos of the hunt in progress, this is my favourite shot of the day, my sister with her two nieces:


This past week has heralded a period of change in the blossom trail household; Mr Ed started a new job on Tuesday after nearly 14 years in his previous employment. He felt it was high time he moved on to pastures new, and he has had a fantastic first week, and is feeling enthused and well up for the challenges ahead!

He has been away all week, which has meant that the girls and I have been left to our own devices. The girls spent Wednesday with their cousins, again at Grandma and Grandad's, and on Thursday, my darling dad celebrated his 60th birthday. We were all (mum, dad, my sis, the girls and I) supposed to be going out for lunch, but I was struck down with what I think must have been food poisoning in the early hours of Thursday morning, and I was laid out for two days, of no use to man nor beast. I was bitterly disappointed not to be able to join in my dad's celebration, but thankfully the girls were still able to go, and I spent the day in bed feeling very sorry for myself.

This attack of the dreaded lurgy meant that I also missed out on a visit to Mr Ed's granny, to see his auntie and her three children, the youngest of whom is only a couple of years older than F. They were over visiting from San Francisco, and Ed's auntie, who is the same age as Ed and I, has insisted that we should go over for a visit. I don't need asking twice - I'm looking at flights as we *speak*!!

If you're still with me, thank you for reading this far. I've no idea how long this will be once it's uploaded, but since I seem to have been sitting here rambling for a good three-quarters of an hour, I'm guessing it won't be a short post!!

Back to school tomorrow; we've had a relatively quiet day today, cutting the lawns, getting bags ready for school, and enjoying the first barbecue of the year. I can't believe how unseasonably warm it's been the past few days - feels more like July than April...