Precious Parent In Laws and Beach Days

I feel incredibly lucky to have the in laws that I do. From the day I was introduced to them by my now husband they made me feel like one of the family. They have always treated me like a daughter and are always there for us. I remember the day like it was yesterday when we told them they were to be grandparents. I was so excited as I knew they would be the best grandparents in the world and that they are. Their grandchildren are their world and as soon as they walk through the door we get a break as they just take over. The boys love them so much.

The one thing that I feel the luckiest about is that I can spend time with them just me and the boys and feel comfortable in their presence. And as I said they treat me as a daughter. With my husband working Monday - Friday and long hours they were a godsend when Finley was born. He had reflux and would cry all the time. I would spend most of my days either at their house or my mother in law would be at ours. Without them I don't know how I would have coped. They took Finley for a cuddle when they saw me struggling and that was the great thing, they know me and know when I need a helping hand without me even asking. And then when Noah was born and Mark had gone back to work, they were there to help me through the minefield of the first few months of having two children under 2.

They recently bought a flat near the beach and Mandy has opened a gorgeous shop with her friend on the pier, Beachlife Chic. So we don't get to see them as often as we used to but they always make the effort even if its just for a day to come back and see us and the boys. Where they live it is so gorgeous and last summer the boys and I spent many a days there playing on the beach and exploring the town.

With the weather on the up and with it being half term, on Tuesday we decided to go and pay them a visit and to see the shop for the first time since it opened the other week. I invited my best friend and her little girl to cone along as they always make days fab!

We headed down about 10 and arrived at their flat at 11. My mother in law was already in the shop and my father in law was out. They had told me to let ourselves in and make lunch. This is a great thing about being so comfortable with them. They make their home feel like your own home and I feel so comfortable rummaging in their kitchen cupboards for food lol! As we were just about to sit down for lunch my father in law turned up. He has a bad back so wasn't planning on walking along the beach to the shop with us but after a cup of tea he decided to join us. We made our way along the promenade and it was gorgeous. The weather was fantastic and the boys can just run without the worry of the road as their is big wall between the road and us.

The walk is a good mile so the kids did so well to walk all the way, with a few little tantrum along the way from Noah who is approaching the terrible two's! Just as we had got over them with Finley we are slowly creeping back into them haha!

As we walked up the pier Finley could remember what was coming up after coming the other weekend with my husband. And he ran, all the way from the end of the Pier to the shop, where my mother in law was stood arms open. And when Noah saw off he went to. They really do love their Nana, when she is around, Mummy is redundant.

The shop is gorgeous and full of homemade items made out of driftwood by my mother in law and shabby chic items from her friend. After having a little look we made our way to the soft play on the pier. On the way we stopped to take this picture which I didn't realise I had taken the same photo exactly 2 years ago.







All the kids had a great time in soft play but at the word of ice cream they wanted to go! With my father in laws bad back we were planning on taking the land train back to their flat but we decided on the open top bus. And I am so glad we did. We had to wait 10 minutes for the next bus so it was a great chance for some photos and selfies.

Once on the bus off we were heading in the direction of a secluded quiet beach which my mother in law sources all her driftwood from. We were lucky enough to get a seat at the top, out in the open and I really felt like I was on holiday.



The boys loved the bus and so did I getting to see some gorgeous scenery. We all hopped off the bus and grabbed an ice cream.

After stuffing our faces with ice cream we headed back to my parent in laws for a cuppa before heading home. This is a day that I will cherish and have such precious memories of. Having a place that I can go and for it to feel like home is pretty special.

My parent in laws are the most incredible people and I mam so lucky to have them in mine and my sons lives.

Wicked Wednesdays #12

Our Family Easter Weekend

Wow what a great Easter weekend! And with it being a 4 day weekend we got to spend lots of time with Mr C which the boys, and me, loved! Yet again we jam packed our weekend with no time to really sit down during the day and then once the boys were in bed we were able to sit and enjoy a few glasses of wine.

Friday

We started the weekend with our good friends coming over for the day on Friday. Before they came over I made us a little treat of Crème Egg brownies, inspired by Taming Twins.

The weather wasn't too great so our plans of going to Westonbirt Arboretum had been scrapped and we replaced it with some indoor play with the boys beloved trains. After lunch the weather seemed to be brightening up so as me and Kerri ate our lunch the boys got out in the garden. Once we had tidied up from lunch we set off to the park with the boys on their bikes and Noah in the pushchair in the hope he would sleep. And he did, yey! The boys did so well, they cycled all the way to the park and all the way home. I reckon the whole journey was about 2 miles and as Finley hasn't had too much experience on his bike he did great.

 

Saturday

On Saturday we then headed over to Kerri and Harry's house for some Easter Fun. This is becoming a bit of a tradition as since Finley and his best friend Harry were born, Kerri and I have got together over the Easter period and done some Easter activities with them. This year was so much fun! And with Noah being old enough this year he got to join in too. We started the day with an Easter egg hunt around their house as the weather wasn't to great. And the boys loved it! Finley ran around like a total loon grabbing every egg he could see in sight. I am rather glad I didn't take him to a public Easter egg hunt as I think he would have got thrown off the hunt lol. As Noah is still quite young he didn't quite get the idea, he was picking an egg up and then replacing it with one from his basket. But after some help he soon got the hang of it. At the end of the hunt the three boys were very happy with their finds!

 

After the egg hunt we had a little time before lunch so we got the boys to make some Easter egg nests with cornflakes, chocolate and mini eggs. Finley and Harry got the hang of putting the chocolate cornflakes in the cases but Noah decided to just eat them. And then when we weren't looking he pinched some mini eggs off the nests on the plate, little monkey!



 



 

Once lunch and lots of chocolate had been eaten we thought it best to get the sugar filled boys out so we went off to the park. Then it was back to watch the film Planes before heading on home with two very happy and tired boys.

 

 

These two days have been great as Finley and Noah got to spend some quality time with their best friend and I got to have some girlie chats and drink lots of tea with a very good friend.

 

Sunday

 

The Easter bunny had been over night and had left the boys a lovely selection of hyper inducing chocolate Easter eggs and some hot cross buns for Mummy & Daddy.

 





 

After breakfast of hot cross buns the boys cracked into their first egg and had it for breakfast. If you can't have chocolate for breakfast at Easter then when can you?! The egg they chose was the mega Kinder Egg!

 

 

 

Once we woke Daddy up after giving him a well deserved lie in I set up the Easter egg hunt in the garden for them. Thankfully the sun was shining and it was looking to be a great day.

 

 



 



 

After eating more chocolate (it was Easter after all) we all got dressed and ready for Granny, Grampy and Great Nanny's arrival for lunch. They arrived just after 12 with more Easter goodies. We all sat down at 1 to eat lunch. I had slow cooked a beef joint for 14 hours in the slow cooker. This was the simplest recipe ever. I had made it up as I went along. I will put the recipe up soon. The beef was so tender and perfect that i couldn't have asked for it to have turned out better. We had all the trimmings and the meal was finished off with cheesecake - perfect.

 

Mum, the boys and I decided to walk off our lunch and the copious amounts of chocolate that had already been consumed by walking to see the ducks and letting Finley have another ride on his bike. The weather was gorgeous and I got to spend some time with my Mum, what more could I want on Easter day!

 

They all left just before 5 so the boys and I made our way out into the garden to mow the lawn. The boys were having so much fun out there that they sat out to eat their tea of cheese on toast. They were so excited to be doing this that me and the hubby decided to buy them a picnic table which we picked up Monday from Ikea at a bargain price of £30!

 

 

Monday

 

Monday was the one day that we had nothing in particular planned and we had the day just the 4 of us. We had toyed with the idea of going to a farm park or wildlife park but thought with it being a bank holiday that it would be mega busy and the likelihood of getting stuck on the motorway was high. So we decided to take the boys and their bikes to Westonbirt. And with the weather being as beautiful as it was, it was the best thing we could have done.

 

We got there about 11 and off we set on the long trail to find the Gruffalo and with a picnic. The boys had the best time and I loved spending time with them and the hubby exploring the wood.

 



 

We finished the walk off with an iceream stop before heading back to the car where both boys took a well deserved nap.

This really was one of the best weekends that I have had in a long time as it was full of time with the boys and quality time with the hubby. I love these three so much and they are my world.

 

They are growing up so quickly which saddens me but also brings me so much joy to see what amazing boys they are growing up to be. And I am so lucky that I get to see them grow into the incredible boys they are.

 

My Sunday Photo {05/04/2015 } Easter 2015

I'm going to BritMumsLive!

So for weeks and weeks now I have been playing with the idea of going to BritMumsLive. I saw all the posts and photos of last year before I started blogging and it looked like such fun. And then when I started blogging I thought this would be a great place to meet other bloggers and to also learn about blogging. I knew nothing about blogging before I started and now I don't know that much so anything new will be exciting.

 

Then last week I did it. I booked my ticket and then quickly followed by booking my hotel.

 

I can't back out now.

 

I am now petrified. Of getting on the train on my own, of making my way through London on my own and meeting new people. This is something I have never done before. I have always done things with a partner. I wanted to go travelling so me and my now husband went travelling together. I would never have done that on my own. If I have ever gone to London I have gone with my hubby, Mum or friend. I am such a shy person when you first meet me but when I come out of my shell you would never have known I was that shy. And I really need to work on the shyness and push through. I am getting better at covering up the shyness but I find myself stumbling on my words and then feeling stupid.

 

Since having the boys I have gained a lot more confidence and I will do things on my own. Before having the boys I would never have dreamt about going shopping on my own or going into a café on my own. But I do with the boys. Granted I'm not on my own but I'm not with an adult to hold my hand and to help control my crazy children lol.

 

My husband is the one that told me to just book them. He knows how much blogging has become part of me and I really do love him so much for that. And also I think I may have been driving him crazy with the should I, shouldn't I go. The other thing that pushed me to book was seeing lots of other fantastic bloggers booking their tickets. I wanted to be there too and I knew if I didn't go, I would see the pictures and then kick myself for now going.

 

I booked a hotel which is a short walk from the conference centre. As even though I am being brave and going by myself I just don't fancy the tube on my own on a Friday evening.

 

The more and more I think about it the more excited I am getting about it. I see on Twitter people who are going and I instantly jump up and tell them so am I! The blogging community has been amazing and I hope it is in real life. I know it will be but I just worry in case people don't like me! Stupid I know!

 

So on the 19th June I will be jumping on a train on my own, totally petrified but so excited to meet so many lovely people and to really feel like I belong in this amazing blogging community.

 

Hi! This is me :-)