My kids........

Lauryn - This girl is making me feel old. Yeah she is only 9 but she is growing up sooo fast!! This last few weeks she has been learning how to deal with boys liking her ;D On Monday she was out of school and came with me to collect Katie. While we are hanging out in the yard, I spotted the boy in question, checking her out ;D She was so embarrased but I think deep down she is really flattered ;D Its such an interesting time for both of us. Mother & daughter. She is so fun to talk to, and I am glad that she and I can talk about all the changes so well. I told her the other day that I am enjoying that she will talk to me. I said when she is a teenager she might not want to. She said 'No way Mum' .... we'll see about that ;D She tried out at the Tennis Club on Friday. She didn't like it too much as they were teaching her skills and wouldn't let her play... so Saturday we got some raquets and hung out at the park playing together. So much fun.

Katherine - She got her 25m swimming certificate on Friday!!!! I am so excited for her and she needed the boost. She seems to have overcome some worries with her swimming and I am pleased she has something to show for it. She's doing better at school now too. We had an interesting lesson in FHE on Monday night about prayer. (Thanks Travis!) It was good to be able to share my feelings about how I have prayed for her during all the opposition she was going through at school and how its now working out - not how I had asked for but how our Heavenly Father knew was the best way for Katherine. ;D Great teaching moment.

Joshua - I have so far been quite relaxed about his upcoming start at fulltime school in September. Then last week he had a afternoon at the school, and he went off with the teaching assistants to the Reception class, while I stayed with the other moms in the hall. As I went to collect him (and having to go around to another door as I had the stroller with me) I found him - eventually - waiting at the other door, looking so worried where had his mommie gone... it was awful. I was hit like a tonne of bricks that I was loosing my Josh to school - nooooooo - not ready! Thankfully I have a few more months yet. He is excited. 3 of his friends are going with him from his Preschool into his class. He is worried about his birthday party already, as he will be 5 before he even starts. But I am sure we can figure something out! He is going again on Friday for the whole afternoon without me. Should be interesting..... Last night whilst Travis and I were glued to the Andy Murray tennis match at Wimbledon, Josh announced that he wants to go there for his birthday???? Why??? He is the funniest kid ;D

Jacob - Well, after a couple months of trying and researching everything I can do to get this kid talking I was getting to the end of my rope. And a bit anxious. I have been reading a book to get ideas called Baby Talk. I am really hoping it can help us out. After not having to do ANYTHING special to get the other 3 children talking, this is proving to be a challange for me. Everyone is praying for him. We had a breakthrough last week when he suddenly said 'Ball' and I was so excited. He has said it so many times now. So it wasn't just a one off. He has added 'Car' & 'Spot' today so maybe we are onto some progress after all?? Still waiting for the Health Visitor to return my phone call so I can find out if he can get some speech therapy. Fingers crossed we'll be able to get this little love of my life talking .......

Travis - (now for the biggest kid of all) ;D He got his summer placement he was after - it was an arduous process, I mean talk about making us hang on and on and on ..... So, he is back with United Utilities for another summer. He even got a lovely pay rise from last year which made the wait all the more worthwhile!! He is happy ;D He got a Golf Package Set for Father's Day. He has been to the driving range with Lauryn, and is now trying to arrange a morning of golf with the big boys so he can test out his skills ;D He is enjoying it anyway.

We have all been camping and hiking for the weekend. It was awesome. I can't believe that the kids managed the 7 and half hour slog up 4 Wainwright summits in the Lake District. I never thought we'd see the day, and we got ALOT of weird looks from the other hikers. You know there were no other young kids up there. I am so proud of them it is quite the achievement for them all. I just love Langdale. I wish I could collect it up and drag it to Utah with me. I am going to miss the Lakes alot. I was really excited to see that Eurocamp have now set up at the National Trust site that we always go to. So now there is a way for us to come over with just sleeping bags and go camping again in the future ;D YEAH!

Harbon's Got Talent

Jakey shows us his talent!!

Josh does some flips

Lauryn is so much braver than me!

Katherine & Elisabeth are the judges

Josh & Zachary do a puppet show that none of us understood :D

More judging!!

Lauryn

So, we were driving home from London and we got a text from my brother inviting us all over for Family Home Evening. I guess after the grand final of Britains Got Talent we needed something to fill the void. Hence our activity that night :D Just a few photos from all the fun!!!

Crosby Beach

Lauryn making her sandcastle

Everyone enjoying some ice cream (but us!)

Jacob wants a bucket and spade too!

Josh and his castle, he shovelled a path all the way to the water and was frustrated when he discovered water didnt flow uphill ;D

Lauryn skidding down the sea wall

Jacob had fun in the sand

Katherine's sandcastle is a work of art :D

Down on Crosby Beach having fun :D

Spending an afternoon of half term at Crosby Beach.

Celebrating the end of Travis 2nd year!!

At Stratford-upon-Avon Marina

Josh at cousin Duran's Home, with Eron

The kids riding Uncle Rowlands kit cars with Jacob & Mauricio Duran

Katie, Lauryn & Jacob in the tractor

Sir Josh the knight, Princess' Katherine & Lauryn, Travis & Jacob at Hampton Court Palace, London

On deck of the ''Golden Hinde'' Tudor Navy Ship, London

Travis finished his 2nd year exams, and we went off to London for a few days. The kids were out for Whit Week half term also. We had a fun couple days camping in Chertsey, with the Camping & Caravanning Club. It was great. Weather was good, and the kids enjoyed the club house right next to our pitch. It meant I could watch the last 20 minutes of the Champions League final tho and enjoyed watching Manchester United getting slaughtered by Barcelona. I do like it when I get to witness Manchester United having a good cry!! LOL

We had a good ride into London on the train and after we got some immigration photos done, we went to the Golden Hinde. Its a Tudor sailing ship captained by Sir Francis Drake. We got on a workshop and went thru each level which was demonstrated and shown how each person on the ship would live and things they had to do. The kids loved it. Its always good to find something different away from the usual tourist hot spots everyone knows in London. We had a really lovely walk along the River Thames along Bankside back to Waterloo Station, it took some time, but we could see all the sights on the other side of the river, and walked past Shakespeare's The Globe Theater and the Tate Gallery, Millenium Bridge. Would really liked to go on the London Eye, but its just way too expensive for us. It made a nice change from going in and out of stinky dingy tube stations and not seeing anything.

We had a day at Hampton Court Palace, which was fantastic. It was such a cool place to visit. This was one of the residences of King Henry VIII and so there was lots for us to see here. Lauryn was excited as she has just started the Tudor period at School. We liked seeing the Chapel where he married one of his many wives and the royal box. We had a good laugh in the Maze despite my attempts to memorise the way into the middle, we still got lost LOL.

Then we went to stay with my Auntie Barbara & Uncle Rowland. We just love staying with them. They are so kind and the kids love it at their house. The weather was great the whole time. We had a fun couple hours walking around the market at St Albans town center, and went to a nearby river where the kids could play in the water. There were some huge fish that would swim right past our legs! We had fun times with my cousins Clare & Claudio Duran & Janet & Ian. We had a fun time up at the Duran's ''farm'' on Sunday. It was the best.

We made a stop in Stratford-upon-Avon to break up the travel home. We haven't been there since Katie was a baby. So its been some time. Its such a beautiful place though. We didn't have time to go and look at the birthplace of Shakespeare this time, but we just had enough to spend a couple glorious hours relaxing by the River Avon and having some lunch in the sun.

Now we are awaiting the exam results..........................