Schools okay, nothing of interest to report. Parents evening soon though so we'll see I suppose.
Nursery is okay too, nothing to report there either, other than the fact that I love to stop by the allotments on the way in the morning for a sneaky wee (it's a long way without a nappy).
We've been to the library again and got Matilda this time. It's the most grown up book that i've been read yet but i'm lapping it up. Well, I campaign for an extra chapter every night anyway!
I love it at the library, Ned gets one book, I get as many as I can carry (usually about 4 or 5).
The weekend started with an after school trip to the park, all the usual suspects were there, Alastair, Ben, Joe and this time Jamie as well. We had a great time charging about the place, climbing trees, running around with a box on our heads....you know the sort of thing. I let them have a go on my bike too, that was cool.
I can now climb up the big ladder to the big slide all on my own!
Saturday then, we went to the Cotswold ater park. There were playgrounds:

Woodcarvings (?):

And weirdest of all, a sandy beach:

We got suited up and went for a paddle:

It was pretty cold if we're honest, but we soon got used to it.
I even did some 'proper' doggy paddle swimming and my special move, underwater swimming!

The shower was lovely, I thought I was auditioning for a shampoo advert::

We had a picnic of course and then headed out in a rowing boat. Mum was pretty nervous after our last time (she got hit on the head with an oar and we got stuck in the undergrowth). She needn't have worried this time though as I was well on the case as an expert oarsman:

I took some convincing about the whole thing, I didn't really like it to begin with but I soon changed my mind and actually quite liked it in the end. I especially liked my little tiny life jacket, it was most fetching:

There was a bouncy castle, which is always a welcome sight and of course some more playgrounds:

We went home, had ham and chips for tea and then watched Merlin on the telly...perfect!

Sunday we were up early and on the track:

I put in another strong performance of course, I even helped Dad with some video analysis of his technique (on the most part, obscured by my glove though). It was great fun and I think we were a little lucky that the car was still in the car park after I Left the door wide open.

Mum and I had a civilised girls morning in, very nice it was too.

Leo's third birthday party in the afternoon:

Notice how Ellis and I were on hand to help with 'cake security'

The ice cream was lovely as well:

It did more than put hairs on your chest:

Andy was very brave, having a non-nappied sleepy cuddle:

Happy birthday Leo, great party!

Hmmm, what have we got this week....lets see.
I'm a bike obsessive. Dad keeps playing it down but he loves it really. We went to the jumps on Henwick field on Thursday after school, they were pretty good and I got really good at launching off the last couple.
I also had a brilliant time riding the jumps and bumps on my scooter, I love it almost as much as Ned and have told everyone i've come into contact with about my exploits.
The weather's been lovely hasn't it? Is it summer now?

Dad cleared off out on saturday morning with Owen on their bikes. Firstly I wasn't happy because they didn't take me with them and secondly I wasn't happy as he didn't come home for ages! Mum was spot on though and we did loads of messy stuff and art and all the other stuff that makes Dad grumpy. We were supposed to be having a barbecue for lunch but we couldn't wait any longer, so Mum sorted us out a lovely picnic to be getting on with:



They finally got home and started the barbecue, we weren't interested in the food but it was nice to have Owen and Andy around, Uncle Den also managed to sniff out a cooked sausage and just so happen to turn up too so that was nice.
Yeah, I loved his motorbike!
Auntie Christine ordered Mum and Dad out on Saturday night as we had some proper business to sort out....finishing off my scrapbook of our week in the holidays. We made a lovely job of it and I was proper proud with my work. It took a while though, we had quite a late night.....
Yeah, and we watched the dancing on the telly, I loved the outfits they were wearing, especially the purple ones!
So we weren't in much of a hurry to hit the road on Sunday morning, even though we were off to Beale Park.
Having said that, the lure of animals was enough to get me up and at 'em! After an unscheduled 'piddle stop' on the A4 we were soon there.
As i'd paid a visit here last year with Grandad, I appointed myself as official tour guide:

I took on the role of official pointer for the day:

And escapologist!

Here I am, showing my caring side with the animals:

This was after i'd seen the turkeys though, I greeted them with a cheerful 'Hello Turkey's' followed by a slightly less cheerful 'are you looking forward to Christmas'

It was harder to hurt the piggies feelings though:

Although we doubled up in a better attempt:

The best thing of all though was of course the parks. We don't care where we go, what we do, how much we've paid or what we've seen, we always love the parks the best!

And this one even had a paddling pool (I'd been clever enough to request the swimming stuff before we left home too, how organised am I?)

I really enjoyed pushing Ned into the water:

Before having a go myself:

And I amazed Mum with my underwater swimming......i'm thinking a return to swimming lessons may be in order in the near future.

Of course, no trip to an animal park would be complete without a trip on the train would it?

And a lazy swing session for two very tired children:

Monday night after school down the park on the bikes, yay!

Yeah, it was good to play with Noah and George, I didn't want to go home.
This weeks school project....healthy eating!!! Don't all laugh at once out there will you. Anyway, I thought the roast ought to cover it (well, there's some green beans, red cannage and carrots on there).

Sword fighting at the castle:


We were really good, swashbuckling away, fancy moves, spins the works.....and only a lightly damaged knuckle in the way of injuries to report!
Yeah, it was okay for you two, Leo and I had to share this one between us, Dad, make sure you take four next time eh?

Dad has this habit of asking me what I want to do on the way home from school, every night the answer is the same...can we go to the BMX track? Usually the answer is no, because apparently we don't have enough time or something. Anyway, I thought i'd ask again on Thursday, surprise surprise he said yes! I couldn't believe my ears, we packed up the bikes and set off for town....we rode at a new place to me, at the top of Northcroft hill. It wasn't as good as our usual haunts, but it was okay.
Yep, I loved it too on tha back of Dad's bike, bouncing away. After we tired of that we bombed down the hill to the park for a bit of a play.
Before we headed off to the other side of the swimming pool for a general explore and to ride over a load of bridges. The hill back to the car wasn't much fun though it has to be said....
We went into town to pick Mum up from the hairdresser, I was filthy and sweaty from the bike riding but I think she was still proud of me.
Friday night we headed for the bright lights of Basingstoke for Toys R Us and pizza hut...Yay!
Ned and I shared a garlic bread with cheese and a Ham pizza (no tomato sauce though) before having an ice cream factory frenzy.
Hmmm, I made the mistake of filling my bowl with chocolate raisins (didn't like them) and indeed ice cream (overrated). Ned helped out by bringing me supplimentary handfulls of smarties though, he's a good brother sometimes.
Saturday was Chard's birthday, well actually it wasn't, his real birthday was about three months ago or something like that but what with everybody being on holiday and what have you he decided to have his babecue on a big field, by the Thames when he knew the weather was going to be lovely. Good work sir!

Here's Andy, fielding shortly before his ball/groin/head/ramp incident caused so much hilarity:





We rode for miles and miles on our bikes, finding some great dips to plough through:

There was endless flowing Lemonade too:

Games with Yanna:

Posing:

And best of all lots of lovely fruit. It was however suspended in a mystery liquid called Pimms? Whatever, they were some of the nicest strawberries i've had!

Same time again next year Chard??

We've been doing a project at school on growing from when we were babies. Dad sorted me out a picture of me from when I was just born and the first outfit I ever wore (bought by Slim and Trace) with it's accompanying Litte Roo teddy. The outfit was tiny against me now!

I wouldn't believe it was actually his at all, as if Ned was ever that small?

On a literary note, the BFG has been finished and now we're onto the Twits....i'm loving these longer books at bed time almost as much as Mum I think!

As a special treat, i've managed to get hold of the pictures Auntie Christine took on our week out and about, so they're a few weeks old but still, better late than never eh?

And also a little bit of video that she took.....