Hills and Strawberries.......

As I am sure everyone is aware we have recently re-taken up bike riding.

This week David and I decided to go for a nice little ride to pick Strawberries.

 

and just to show I was actually there....

I let David loose on my beautiful precious camera...

 

OK, so this ride took us over hills and along 12 miles of road.

We had so much fun,

though by the time we were coming home we were all getting a little tired.

David was looking super hot in his cycling gear..

 

Such a hottie!!

Any who getting a little side tracked here....

The little ones rather liked the Strawberry picking..

 

Little Miss enjoyed picking and did a very good job of filling her basket.

 

Little Man enjoyed the Strawberries too....

He soon covered the inside of the trailer with strawberry juice and squished remains!

After a little snack and drink break we promptly rode back,

arriving at school with 30 minutes to spare before picking up the other children.

Not bad!

When we got home I got on with the job of preparing the fruit ready for jamming!

I love this time of year,

There is nothing whatsoever better than eating a piece of toast,

covered in scrummy jam made from strawberries we have picked as a family...

even better, this year half the juicy yummy strawberries have been grown in our garden too!!

Loving summer and it's only just begun!!

Sleep like a toddler...

 Sometimes I wish I could sleep like a toddler does!

They get to sleep anywhere and everywhere..

When they fall
asleep eating...

in a meeting...

while driving...

 It's cute..

We do it and it's reckless...lol!

There are benefits to being an adult but sometimes it would be nice to get away with 

sleeping anywhere...

Eating chocolate and getting it everywhere...

Splashing in puddles full of mud...

having a paint fight...

experimenting with sounds...

squishing your food in your hands...

Well I guess all that is still to come in about 50 years...lol!

For special people on a special day...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

To Dad, Grandpa, Grandad and Great-Grandpa.

We love you loads and loads and loads!!

Thanks for being fabulous.

Here is a photo we took just for you!

 

We hope you have a wonderful day!

We love you!!

Lots of love

David, Becky, Samuel, Harrison

Larakia, Micah, Liliana

& Oliver

x x x x x x x x

(If you would like me to print the photo for you let me know size and format and I will do it tomorrow and post it to you ASAP!)

A Jelly Baby Eating Squirrel!?!

This weekend we had the opportunity to celebrate a very special 

at home with the wests family members 8th birthday!

(Although his actual birthday is on Monday.)

Harrison put lots and lots of thought into what he would like to do to mark this occasion.

After trips to theme parks had been suggested and promptly ruled out

he eventually came up with camping.

This sounded awful when suggested as earlier in the week a number of us had the flu.

However we planned to camp anyway and made the arrangements.

By Friday morning everyone was feeling a little more human and able to camp!!

On Wednesday we realised we didn't have a tent anywhere near big enough to hold all of us...

So the rush was on to find the perfect tent,

(there is no point spending money on a rubbish one)

that could be delivered no later than 10am Friday.

Thankfully we managed it,

we found a perfect 4 bedroom, 

1 living room, 

10 person tent which could arrive by 10am Friday!!

So the camp was on!

We decided as we were only camping for one night we shouldn't go too far...

There is a fabulous park in Lincoln and it has a campsite attached to it too...

The site was picked!

We packed everything up and off we went.

When we arrived and put up the tent we turned around and saw one of our views...

 

We were being overlooked by a big block of flats!

Although this was a little worrying we finished putting the tent up and went for a walk...

We then met The Squirrel...

He looked like a nice Squirrel...

Like he wouldn't hurt a fly...

(Though we had been warned by the warden a Squirrel had bitten someone earlier that day!)

This one looked nice and friendly....

David was casually eating his Jelly Babies...

Minding his own business...

When SNATCH!!!

 

Off went the Squirrel with the Jelly Baby!!!

So it was indeed a Baby eating Squirrel if not a man eating Squirrel!

(Oliver found this surprisingly funny considering he was the closest thing to a baby the Squirrel would have left after eating the Jelly version!)

We were greeted by many more Squirrels upon our intrepid adventure.

After all the excitement we came across a log in an area lit just so,

so of course I made everyone sit and have portraits taken.

They are going to find their way into our hallway just as soon as I have finished editing them...

But here is one or two as a taster...

(compressed for web, so looks a little bitty)

While taking these photos 

(Which there are loads more... better ones!)

We got harassed by our little friends again...

Oliver decided to face him down...

and not just to sit back and become the next meal!

 

Guess who won....

OK so with father's day coming up we decided to take a nice piccy for Grandads to say Happy Father's Day with.....

Oh actually that one won't make it into this post...

Coming soon to a post near here!!

(Tomorrow!)

Went had some fun in the play park...

 David keeps forgetting he is 30.....something... and well isn't invincible any more!

 

This is him after trying to jump on the swing while it was....

well, swinging!

So funny....... sure it hurt but, you have to laugh.

Duppy David!

We had a midnight feast (at about 9pm),

and late night walks..

Where Toads,

Rabbits,

Geese

and Moths were spotted.

Such fun!

I can't wait for our next camping adventure...

We will be on bikes by then so that's a whole lot more mischief we can achieve!

I Heart Faces - Bright and Vivid

This weeks theme at I Heart Faces is Bright and Vivid.

This can be illustrated in either the colours of the photo 

or

the personality of the subject.

One picture jumped out to me for this subject...

 

This is my daughter, 

she is probably the brightest and bubbliest person I know...

We edited this photo together, 

Having alot of fun along the way...

I love her eyes in this shot...

and she loves that Meerkat!!

I love that my daughters personality is clear to see from this photo..

But I love even more that she helped create it!!

Thanks for looking!!

If you liked this then you will LOVE all the other entries...

Click the button above to take a look!

Such hard work...

This week we had to go to Glasgow, Scotland for a few work meetings...

But it wasn't all work and no play!!

On the way during our 6 hour journey we stopped off at the Lake District.

This is probably the most beautiful part of England!

We love the Lakes so much,

In fact David keeps trying to persuade me we should move out there.

If it wasn't for the steep roads I would seriously consider it.

 

We have visited the Lake District more times than I can remember,

Yet every time we go I am amazed to find something new...

A new place to explore...

A new mountain to climb...

A new waterfall to enjoy...

 

If you have to make a long journey there is nothing better than enjoying a rest stop here...

 

This also gave us the perfect setting to get a nice couples portrait!

 

Thankfully there was a nice big rock I could rest my beautiful camera on to take this...

Though as this was in the stream it was a little nerve wrecking!

It was a good little trek to get to the waterfall but worth it...

I was able to snap this little gem on the way!

 

Which I can't wait to get printed on metalic photo paper!!

(It's going to look amazing!)

Ok so we then continued our journey to Scotland...

When we got there we were greeted by a angry looking sky...

 

Though it wasn't all doom and gloom..

Paisley is incredibly beautiful....

 

This is the view from the Motorway!

Certainly not a boring drive!!

And to add to the fun of the journey once you get toward Glasgow...

The airport is so close to the city and motorway that you can practically reach out and touch the airplanes!

 

We stayed at

Gleddoch House Hotel and Golf Club

Which had amazing views...

 

One of the evenings after a busy day of meetings...

we enjoyed a evening meal....

followed by a film....

 

(the cinema in sceneic suroundings - moments after we went into the cinema it poured with seriously heavy rain, completely out of the blue!)

And then we went back to the hotel and indulged...

In the Steam Room...

and the Sauna....

and the Swimming Pool...

Before taking a walk on the Golf Course...

 

Where as you can see we enjoyed...

A Hot Chocolate...

With Marshmallows...

And Oreos!!!

 

And enjoyed more amazing scenes...

 

It was such a lovely treat!

Even though we were there for work it was wonderful to have a few memory making moments together!

We have to say a big Thank you to the fabulous families who looked after our little angels..

Making it possible for us to not just do our work...

But also spend some time together!

THANK YOU!!!!!

On the way home we encountered the Appleby Fair...

Which was basically ALOT of traveller caravans making their way home after the fair...

Down a very main road...

In horse drawn caravans!!

 

There were queues several miles long behind this carraige!

Thankfully we didn't encounter any on our side of the road!!!!

Although I HATE travelling long distances 

(Anyone who has travelled with me short distances knows I am a rubbish passenger!)

I really enjoyed this trip.

I can't wait to make more fabulous memories with my sweetheart in the weeks, months and years to come!

There is no one I would rather experience the world with than you David!!!

I Heart Faces - From a Distance

This weeks challenge at I Heart Faces is From a Distance.

As a couple we have had a rare opportunity to have a couple of days away with no children

(Those of you who don't know us we have 6 children)

Granted it was for work,
(I am between meetings as I type)
however it has given us some free time to explore the world around us.

We went for a walk in Ullswater in the Lake District (England)

It was just so beautiful, 

So I decided it was fitting to have this weeks photo be taken from our adventures...

While we are distant from our beautiful children and missing them very much.

So here it is...

Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday Little Harrison!!

Today Micah was invited to his best friends Birthday party

They made Crocodile teddies!!

Everyone had a fabulous time, even me...

I was privileged to be able photograph the goings on!

Here are the first few edits from today.....

There are loads more to come in the next few days.

So, so, so many more to work on, love it!

Thanks for a fabulous day Harrison!!