Quiet weekend

We had a nice quiet weekend this week, Jonah had a bowling party and the parents very kindly took him and brought him back which saved us watching his frustrations whilst playing the came.  The girls also had a party at their best friend Isabel's, they are still painfully shy and even though they've been to Isabel's numerous times it took 20 minutes before I could prise them off my leg and leave them to it!!!!!  Of course when it came to picking them up they didn't want to leave and the only way I could get them home was to take the three musketeers to the park first of all.

School for Maxi

We've just been to look at a new school for Maxi as I think it will be good for both of us.

It's a gentle start programme which means he starts in a much smaller class, only 8 children in total and it's just down the road in our local community centre.  He seemed to be happy there as spent 30 minutes playing by himself and not clinging onto my leg, he refused to talk to his teacher though but happily nodded to her and showed her his cars.

So as of next Tuesday he will be at school for 2 hours twice a week, not very much but enough for him I think.  Hopefully he'll make a few friends so he doesn't have to always play princesses with his sisters.

Chocolate feast!!!

We went to the chocolate fest yesterday or feast as the kids called it!!!

They got to sample lots of chocolate but I think a little too much as Maxi and Jonah were looking a little bit green by the end of it.

The girls were fascinated by the chocolate lady which apparently took three hours to paint.

Snowboarding.......

Jonah had his first snowboarding lesson on Saturday and absolutely loved it, there were huge tears when it was time to come off the mountain.

I was very impressed with his efforts as made it down three times on his own, although he does need to learn to control his temper and I think he had to be rescued from the woods at one stage.

Ben and Piet also had a lesson too and it was really good value so we must take advantage of this whilst we're here.  Where at home could you get to the mountains in an hour, have a lesson, snowboard all day and all for £30!!!!

The girls, me and Maxi spent the day on the tubes but unfortunately no pulley system this time.  Thankfully Wendy and Hayley were with me and they did lots 'most' of the pulling tubes up the hill.  It's the girls turn for ski lessons next and Wendy and I will take them this time.

Sick boy....

Poor old Maxi has been sick for the last two days, he's very good and sits there with his bowl on the sofa and hasn't missed once!!!!  Jonah is most disappointed as we were supposed to help out in his art class this afternoon but don't really want to spread the germs.

The Duck!!!!

We did lots of touristy things in Seattle and one was a trip on 'The Duck'.  I'm sure they have the same in London where the bus can go on land or water.  Anyway Ben and I had a whale of a time and the kids enjoyed it for the first ten minutes and then they became sick and cold.

Floating houses but I missed the one from Sleepless in Seattle!!

Gas works monument

Cold Jonah

Madeleine and Daddy

Love the other tourists in the background!!!

Heading into the water

The motley crew

Seattle Aquarium

We went to Seattle for a few days after Christmas and had a really good time.  It's a lovely city and was only a three hour drive from our house, loads to see and do so will be going back again.

Jonah and Olivia listening to a talk!!

Seahorses or are they dragons?!

Just lazing around!!

Riding a killer whale

Touch pool

Listening to daddy for a change!!

Jelly fish

Jelly fish tunnel and Ben

Madeleine captured by the giant octopus

Olivia

Jonah

Oh dear...

I was just about to blog about how wonderful my children are and that they can actually play nicely together but NO Jonah is now screaming at them!!!

Oh well they did quite well at playing Pictureka without my help for all of about 10 minutes, it's a start I guess.

Hang on a minute they seem to be getting along again, I think I'll hide out here for a bit with my cup of tea and enjoy the relative silence........

Boulder gym

We took the kids to two boulder gyms on this day and we still couldn't wear them out!!!

Where does the time go????

I have totally lost track of time and thought it was only about the 10th January, quite shocked when I realised it was the 17th.

Today is Martin Luther King day so the kids are off school for the day.  Unfortunately Jonah's was sick last night, although seems remarkably perky today and now Madeleine is complaining of a tummy ache, can't see us doing much today.

I'm am downloading the camera as I type, so that's 120 odd photos to bore you all with, I have a lot of catching to do.  I'm switching the girls ballet class this week as by Friday we're all exhausted (especially me) and ballet is starting to become a form of torture for me.  Hopefully switching to the Wednesday class won't make it such a chore, although the girls really don't want to switch but they will be 'Little Belles' in the spring show so that's a good incentive.

Congratulations.....

I know this technically isn't a post about Portland but it's a very important stage in my life and I know lots of you would love to see some pictures.   Rachel (my best friend) and her fiancee Simon were  married on Saturday in Thailand.

They were joined by Rachel's sister, who reduced Rachel to a tears by her surprise visit, Rachel's dad who ended up marrying them, again reducing everyone to tears and Rachel's mum.  I'm so so proud of Rach and Simon is just wonderful too, so chilled out and kind, they make the perfect match.

Rachel's sister, Simon, Rachel

Simon and Rachel

The happy couple getting married by Rachel's dad!!!

Hello

Hi everyone, I will get back to blogging shortly.  Things have been so hectic with kids school, I am helping out on a couple of art projects so my days are spent going back and forth between home and school.  The girls learnt about Chagall this week and Jonah's class is doing IKAT weaving next week but that involves me making up 120 weaving kits so don't expect to see me much!!!!

We're off back out now to the shops and to meet up with Wendy who I haven't seen all week.

Back later, I still haven't downloaded our Seattle photos yet!!

Happy New Year!!!

We went to Seattle last week so I have lots of photos to share with you, it was a really nice break even though it was absolutely freezing.

Last night we took the kids to see the Zoo Lights which were very impressive and we took a train ride around the Zoo.

Sorry it's a short but it's back to school tomorrow so I need to get an early night, I'll try and upload the photos tomorrow.