double gappy

When Lisi was just a year old she and I were playing tickles and... oh, it still makes me cringe to think... I dropped her on to a tile floor. Face first. My poor beautiful baby, covered in blood... what came out of it was a chipped (brand new) front tooth and 5 years of a cookey smile.

In school yesterday the tooth came out in the middle of her gym class. Seems school is her preferred place to lose teeth, the last one falling out on her second day.

So Lisi's all grown up now missing her two front teeth, suffering daily homework, learning Italian "Maura (the Italian teacher) is really nice, but we don't understand her very well", fitting it all around a whirlwind social life and not forgetting violin practice - something she even (well, sometimes) actually asks to do.

Shock. 

How cute is she?

A month in England pt 3

Well, it's taken me a month and a half, but I've made it through the England photos. I hope these don't turn out as fuzzy as the last lot, I've just got lightroom 3 and am still very much the novice.

The final week of our trip saw us back in the Cotswolds doing nothing in particular.

Alison who is hands down Lisi's favourite person came for a visit. Poor her, she landed in a hotbed of Stephenses (is that a word?) and found a 6 year old surgically attaching herself to her.

 

We went to the Cotswold Farm Park. Amazing that we've visited the area so often, but had never been before. Had it not been quite so "bracing" we could have easily spent the whole day there. 

There were animals to feed. Lisi was rather timid at first but couldn't let a 3 year old get the better of her and soon joined in.

A petting area. Norah fell head over heals in love with this wee rabbit crying huge pearl drop tears when we finally moved on, very concerned about who was to look after it. She was so calm and tender with it, and would easily have stayed there the whole time had I not been too impatient.

but we had to move on, there were electric tractors to drive around a race track.

this one's just 'cause I like the colours.

We also visited Bourton-on-the-Water model village. An exact 1/9th size replica of the village built in 1937 in the back garden of the pub. We gulped at the rather stiff entry price thinking we'd be in and out in 10 minutes, but the girls were fascinated.

two goons and a periscope

And there was lots of time to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa.

One Day

I'm a little late, only now reading the book everybody else read aeons ago. Anyhow, it got me to thinking. We also have our one day. The first day of Kindergarten or now school has been marked by a hurried photo every year since L started.

2008

2009

2010

2011

A month in England pt 2

Finally! School's started and I've got some time to clean the house blog. Pt 2 of our trip finds us at my sister's in Devon.

It was a proper British seaside holiday with lots of peering at the sky, and optimistic "I think it's getting lighter over there"

L, not normally one to bubble with enthusiasm discovered boogy-boarding, running out of the ocean yelling "I love it, mummy, LOVE IT!!!" yes, I know she's only ankle deep in water, but last year she wouldn't even go near the ocean.

Then the sun came out! Well, for a bit anyway.

 N did a celebratory dance, the wet suits came off and sunlotion and sandy ice cream became the order of the day.

 

We went exploring at Lee Bay, finding an old path that had been cut into the rock leading around to a hidden beach. 

Much to my foraging children's delight it turned out to be full of seaglass. It never ceases to amaze me how long you can entertain them with nothing more than a bucket. And only one between them at that!

 

One of my favourite places in the area is Heddon's Mouth. Last year I remember them moaning every step of the way. This year they ran even though (because?) there was a storm moving in on us fast.

 stone phones

 

Tay's mum and aunt

Sally, John and the "fun bus". Norah now believes fun bus is a brand. Sorry Landrover. 

Just incase we didn't find enough seaglass yet

a unique photo - all Stephens children with all Stephens grandchildren and all people fool enough to marry a Stephens child

 Last year Lisi made a friend on the beach. She was convinced she was going to find her on the beach again this year. And guess what? She did! Oh, and a rather large crab.

 

 

Appledore

The monster sand castle with its rather over enthusiastic architectural genius. No matter, his enthusiasm meant that the majority of parents in our area had a very peaceful afternoon  :D

Thanks Jen, it was lovely!