I’d like to come back with posts and pics of our weekend in Whitby, the Party in the Field and a trip to see friends at the coast, but for now they are stopping me blogging the here and now.

Last week was really busy for me. For a whole 7 days I had to be up early and out to go on various field trips and dayschools in Sheffield. Tough because I’m not used to it, but I really enjoyed it all. I was really looking forward to Sunday though as it was my first day off and I was missing everyone at home.

We decided to have another trip to Bempton Cliffs to try and see some puffins. We’d gone after our weekend in Whitby but the weather was just atrocious and we didn’t have the staying power to see them. The weather was just gorgeous today and so we packed a picnic and set off.

It was busy when we got there, and looking at the view once there I wasn’t surprised! I expected it to be slightly colder on the cliff top but it was just really hot!

The kids were a bit ratty with each other, which made me slightly ratty too. They had a puffin trail sheet to complete which kept their minds off each other (a bit )

I was a bit frustrated as I kept seeing birds that could have been puffins but were too far away and I wanted a real difinitive view of one. At one of the viewpoints there was a very friendly rspb man with a scope set on a puffin and who let us look. The ‘wow’ and ‘oohs’ from the kids and James meant it was still there!! I then tried to get one myself and found one and then spent ages trying to describe where to the kids and James so he could get a photo. Eventually I just took it myself!!

Even though we’d gone to see puffins, I think my favourites here are the gannets. They are just so gorgeous. James got a fab picture of 2 sat on rather large chicks!

A thoroughly enjoyable day, wish it wasn’t quite so far away really.

I had looked into possibly camping, but that was out with J going back to work. But looking at campsites I came across information about High Force waterfall which is about 20 miles from my gran and had a cunning plan to go visit it before seeing her.

It meant we were up really early to get there, but arrived about 10am to a bit of a yucky day. Rain and cold!

The walk was great though. We had to cross an Indiana Jones style bridge

and we saw loads of wildlife, some lapwings in a field nearby with a baby, a grouse, and loads of swallows and house martins. Oh and of course sheep and cows!

It took us about an hour or so to get to the waterfall, but with lots of dawdling and stops to take pictures. We got there eventually though! What a sight, I always find it amazing to think of the amount of water that keeps going over. Where does it come from? lol!

Self timer at the falls

The walk back was much quicker as we were concerned about time moving on and getting some food for tea, but we stopped before the bridge at low force for some more pics playing about with an app on my phone.

Really loved it there and hope we might go back another time

2009

2010

This was a typical, nothing planned, day in the house. We have given up doing any kind of structured work for a bit so it was a bit worrying starting a photo blog when I had no idea what the day would end up being like!

Anyway, the day started quietly

M was first up as normal. He spent a bit of time trying to check the time so he could play on the xbox (he has an hour and a half a day). I made him eat breakfast first

A came down after clutching her DS which has had a bit of a revival lately. She was playing nintendogs while eating breakfast.

M playing his xbox in his room.

After her breakfast A decided to do something with her pen knife, I can’t remember what now though!

After their computer time they decided to go a bit mental.

At lunch time we had a huge discussion about what we’d have for tea. I had planned pizza and M & A both tried to persuade me to buy a take out so we worked out how much more money it would be vs the cost of ingredients. They weren’t that convinced though

(A managed to break her glasses at some point and refused to wear them after that except in an Anne Robinson style at the end of her nose)

After lunch M decided to watch a Horrid Henry dvd - I don’t mind them watching telly when I can see some value in what they are watching, but this was junk so I curtailed it quite soon!!

They both decided to help make the pizza dough.

Then they went mental again.

I mentioned to A that she needed to do some singing practice and she spent ages doing that to M’s dismay

It was then school home time and she went to play with her friends.

while M helped me finished the pizza.

He helped me pretty much all the way through cooking

James came home just in time to enjoy it (and be silly)

M has lots of plans to make some different kinds of pizza and to refine it. He loves his pizza

James helped the crazy kids problem by playing with his helicopter.

When it got to night time the kids went out to look at the moon with binoculars and to listen for bats.

And then it was bedtime.

So not the most productive of days for us, but a very honest account of what one of our days was like.

How on earth did that happen? Probably due to the madness that has been the house renovations and then the end of my uni work.

Life has turned all topsy turvy lately, with all the holidays and gorgeous weather lately they’ve spent ages outside with the neightbours just playing, escaping to the world of xbox and iphone games while the house is in chaos, and going for long walks. I do love our walks and they are getting to be something I get annoyed about if we don’t fit them in. We’ve also managed to tick off another thing we all really wanted to see - a kingfisher! I saw one at two different places, as did A, but M missed it both times and J missed it the time he was with us. They were gutted, but A and I were really pleased that we got to see one!

Last week we had a nice trip into Sheffield so I could hand in my uni work. We made a day of it and looked at the museum which has a new exhibition on about sports and some of the science behind it. The kids really enjoyed the hands on bits like racing a bike virtually around the park. James came with us which was an extra treat as he doesn’t normally get to do the fun museum type days. I always feel a bit guilty that we have the fun things to do! Anyway, they all enjoyed a computer bit that has always bypassed me or is new where you have to build your own animal for a set environment and then let it loose to see how it fares. Went down well

We walked back to the city centre to have lunch at the lovely peace gardens which are even more lovely on a gorgeous day. We enjoyed watching lots of reporters for the news being around as it was the day after the election and all the Nick Clegg news.

James has had a few days off this week too (but the day I wanted to go and see my gran tomorrow he’s working again - grump) so we’ve spent lots of time getting the house looking good (which it is, makes me feel much better!) and just going for walks. Yesterday we went to Ulley country park and saw loads of coots with chicks which were ever so cute

Today we had to wait in for various people, but after we went to visit my dad as it’s his birthday and for a walk along a local canal we used to go to when we lived near there. It was also chick tastic as we saw loads of chaffinch chicks that were bumbling around near our feet. I think James nearly stepped on one at one point!

Kids loved the look of the canal boats and have decided they want to live on one. James has always wanted to do it too. Might make this house look big I guess

Anyway, it’s getting late and the kids want to have fun with our new toy in the garden this evening - a bat detector!

(James got some money to replace some dvd players that his work van blew up and as we managed a good deal on them thought we’d treat ourselves to this with the leftover cash. They are soooo expensive, but we’re hoping will be fun especially when camping )

Last week we headed over to Potteric Carr for one of their events which was about voles. I don’t think there was much in the event that offered any new information about them for the kids, they know quite a bit about voles already, but they had a great time filling in the sheets they were given and searching for vole pictures as part of a trail. A friend was there with her 2 kids, one of which is fanatical about birds, and they wanted to go to a certain hide that had some avocets in. It was a *long* walk but we made it and eventually saw 3 avocets which apparantly are fairly rare. We saw lots of wildlife in the day, a roe deer, kestrels, and shelducks. We’re getting much better with our knowledge which has been one of my aims this year

This is A at the sensory garden at PC with a painted ladybird she did last autumn (post here). She was really pleased to see them displayed out and about.

Doing the trail

Another thing we did last week was a trip to Drax power station. It was an organised trip, which I’m sometimes wary of, but I figured we’d not get many chances to go round a power station on our own so we went for it. The place is just huge. We had to get on a coach to be taken to various places. It was interesting to see it all, but the tour felt a bit rushed. there looked like a really good interactive bit that we had a little talk in, but we didn’t get chance to look round. We saw where the boilers were and walked round and saw the turbines, all very loud too and we got to use some snazzy ear defender things that we could hear the woman in charge of the tour with.

At lunch time we went to eat in their nature reserve that is attached to the site. The kids had loads of fun here, just being free! I do like that with big companies you do get the offshoots like they build nature reserves and seem to be very up on their eco friendly ness of everything. But I have to say the scale of it all is a bit unsettling. Lots to think about though.

We were only able to take pics at the end by the cooling towers and one in the educational building.

On the way to Drax I’d seen signs for the RSPB Blacktoft Sands reserve and figured it couldn’t be too far away and mentioned to the kids that if they fancied it we could have a quick visit afterwards. They did so we headed home that way. It wasn’t very near though! It took us ages to find! Although once there it was worth it.

We’d never been there before and it’s only a small reserve with about 7 hides all in a straight line. We went to the main reception and spoke the man on duty there who gave the kids some spotter sheets so we could tick things off that we’d seen. He was really friendly with the kids and helpful. A spotted lots of stuff that I just passed off as a duck! It was late, but A & M were both full of enthusiasm and we went to all but one of the hides. We saw absolutely loads! Loads of different kinds of ducks, a Slavonian Grebe (only one on the reserve, and not usual I don’t think) and a fantastic display by a marsh harrier. There was also a really kind man in one of the hides who let us look through his scope and tried to help A see the special grebe and who confirmed our marsh harrier sighting.

We walked to the last hide where there were avocets that we had painstakingly walked far to see the day before and only caught a glimpse of far away. In this hide there were over 20 and all much closer so we could see their distinctive beaks much better. The kids just loved it! We’ll definitely go back there and hopefully take James too. A would like to see the avocet chicks next time

I was useless at taking pics there though

Um that was last week. The weekend was a bit of a blur. And this week the weather has just been gorgeous and so lots of playing outside has been done. We have new neighbours and A & M have been getting acquainted with their kids.

Today we went to our local nature reserve again for a walk with some RSPB guides and a bit more birdspotting (more??!!??) A lovely walk in lovely weather, we were all a bit pink by the end of today (oops) and I saw and heard my first skylark amongst other things

Wednesday was our local home ed nature reserve meet where the first activity was to do with animal tracks and signs. Basically going round and seeing what we could. A decided to go off with me as she was annoyed another adult had told her to be nice to a new girl and make sure she stayed with her. Not sure if it was the being told what to do or having to be nice to new people (who does she take after??) that threw her, so we just went off and did our own thing. M went off with various other boys and found things, I think.

We found lots of feathers and dog footprints. We saw some people who had found owl pellets too. A cheered up a bit and just before lunch there was a presentation to her friend who does the Wildlife Watch group with her as she had completed an award so that was fun to watch her friends face as it was a big surprise!

After lunch was litter picking, so nothing major but they both loved doing it. I dunno why! I should get us going to do more of it as there is always organised things going on near us.

It was a lovely day, nice and relaxed as nothing to be home for and lovely weather to enjoy it in.

Thursday, um, can’t remember. Oh yes, we spent ages outside making fire and playing with my new Kelly Kettle. We need to get better at making fire, we’re a bit rubbish

Friday was a *really* hot and we had to do lots of walking to the shopping centre to have eye tests. Felt good to have got it done and we enjoyed the walk out. I spent the evening looking through the local wildlife/nature group events and planning the next few weeks

Today (Saturday) was set to be busy as I had work, the kids had a birthday party and A also wanted to go to the Wildlife Watch group. Thankfully a friend was driving from near us and took James and kids to the party while I was at work and I picked A up from there a bit early to go to the group.

It was a hedgehog themed afternoon with one of her (HE’d) friends doing an activity (as part of the award they work towards), a quiz and then a craft making hedgehogs from teasels and pine cones. A loved doing it and brought home lots of teasels to do more!

In February they all made some hedgehog homes and the idea was that they’d get some hedgehogs that had been looked after at a wildlife sanctuary to release into the nature reserve, or to take home and release. Unfortunately there was some reason we couldn’t do exactly that, but the leader managed to arrange to get 3 hogs for her to release at her house so they spent some time looking at them and then had to find some food for them as they hadn’t eaten real food for ages. So lots of digging for worms and slugs (ugh) etc and lots of ooohing and aaahing over the cute things! We all got to have a stroke too, feels just like an outdoor sweeping brush!

Hoping to keep up the outside stuff

Saturday was busy as I needed to do work first, which of course meant the long bus journey. I love the journey there, it’s fairly peaceful and I can have a good think about things. On the way back though it’s much less pleasant! Lots of teenagers by then normally!

I managed to get home earlier than I anticipated so set to work making some pizza to take to the party. Just had enough time. We set off mid afternoon and made it to the swimming party for about 6ish. James swum with the kids and I sat and watched A had great fun with the inflatable run/obstacle course thing, M decided against trying that but looked like he had loads of fun on floats with all his friends.

Once out the kids all ate food and then we headed back to our friends for more chatting, food, and cake Had a fab time, but no photos. I stayed up way too late chatting, but no surprises there

Sunday morning saw us make the decision to go into Cambridge to a theatre thingy and then to do some punting afterwards. We were going to go home and have a day out for my birthday as J was off work instead of doing things on the Sunday but the weather was gorgeous and a day with friends was too tempting

We had a lazy morning, some lovely lunch and then the drive to Cambridge and we managed to blag our way into the theatre (friends had free tickets, we didn’t but we managed to get in anyway thanks to Michelle sorting it) which was an interesting talk/thing (oh I am eloquent this evening!) on the Ethics of Progress, with a bit about quantum physics and what will happen if we can get things like teleportation working. Really interesting stuff.

Once out of there we headed to the centre of the city, found parking and sorted ourselves out with some boats to do a bit of punting. What a fab experience! We had some nice weather, not too sunny, and only a very small drizzle at one point which we all declared wasn’t actually happening. A had a go at punting too with the help of Bob and she really enjoyed it. James didn’t want to do it so much, but took over at one point and I think was really glad as he had such a good time.

more pics here

We had some food and then it was time for us to get off. We had a bit of a sat nav malfunction and did a bit of a scenic tour on the way back but made good time. Unfortunately our engine management light came on on the way home so we were panicking a bit that we’d break down. We got home ok, but it did mean we couldn’t go out on my birthday which I was a bit gutted about.

So Monday was my birthday and we thought about going for a walk instead of going out in the car. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t co-operating so we ended up just having a quiet day in. I ordered my birthday present which cheered me up a bit and I had a lovely curry cooked for me in the evening too

Today came the news that the car isn’t bad at all and it only cost us £10 to fix from our mate in the know Phew!

We were told a month or so ago now that we might be getting some work done on our house. The landlords looked at it, and obviously we have one of the crappier homes as we are gettign everything done. New kitchen, bathroom and windows. Which sounds great and I am really grateful for it being done (and they promise no rent increases as a result of it), but it’s all been a bit disrupted around here lately. I do have some before and after photos though.

Before Kitchen

After Kitchen

Before Bathroom

After Bathroom

(I’ll have to take one tomorrow - bathroom has been an ongoing saga!)

Next week we get new windows and then after that we have been told we’re also getting new carpets all through the house. That will be a bit more work to be organised for! It has come at a really hard time for me though with all my uni work needing to be handed in in the past month and the next few as well. Determined to get through it all though.

The kids have been doing really well though and have adjusted well to a life of less structure. We’ve tried to get out and about when we could and gone for lots of walks when the weather has been nice, which has been quite often lately!

One nice evening we had was at the RSPB reserve at an event they were holding with the local astronomy group. It was about tea time when we arrived and it was still light so first of all we looked through some telescopes that were set up to view the sun safely. Really odd some of the images as not what you expect. There was a really nice walk then as it was getting to sun set around the reserve. We tagged on to one that went out to look at some waders, there was different ones but I wasn’t very good at reading the programme! A leader told us some interesting things about the site and led us towards a hide where we could see loads of birds. I have to say I have no idea about these kinds of birds so it was good to have some knowledgeable people with us. There was scopes to look through and we saw loads - redshanks, oystercatchers, goosanders and also managed to glimpse a barn owl as it was leaving its roost box.

After that it was back to the main entrance and a talk on astronomy which was ok, but was lots of information being presented and really quickly so lots to take in and lots of words that I had no idea what they meant let alone the kids. We were getting tired and M wasn’t feeling great so we headed back to the car past the telescopes and saw some fab moon views and also someone was fixed on a star (I can’t remember which one now though), it looked just like a shiny diamond! A lovely evening.

Another lovely evening we had was last night for Earth Hour. I mentioned it a couple of days ago and the kids were so up for an evening with no lights, even though they had no idea what it was for! We decided we’d read our story by candlelight (Wind in the Willows) but couldn’t straight away as they were all being incredibly silly with James. But that was nice as well to see them all getting on, with no outside distractions like phones. We did finish our chapter and then it was bedtime. We decided to have a whole night with no lights/electricity so we also went to bed early. Must have been tired as I was straight asleep!! Perfect, as I never missed the lost hour this morning due to the clock change. I loved the evening though, would love to do it more often.

It’s about 45 minutes away, but a decent drive and we listened to David Attenborough’s Life on Air audio book on the way. We had a gorgeous day for it, such a beautiful spring day.

The trip down the mine was fine, sometimes I’m not good with small spaces either but I didn’t mind it so much today. I think it’s hard to imagine all the earth on top of you! M enjoyed it too, amazing what a couple of years will do to you.

Afterwards we looked around the various museum-y bits and just ambled around. Unfortunately the nature trail was shut as I’d have liked to go round that with it being so nice.

I picked up a fab book in the shop (I know - more books!) which is about the rocks in Yorkshire. Even if the kids don’t show any interest I think will be good for me!! There is also another book in the series I may need to get too (one day…)