The Active Life....#6 Bowlin', Bowlin', Bowlin'...

 

This weekend saw Biscuit trying out something new. She'd been talking to a friend at school who'd been bowling with her Daddy and decided that she'd like to give it a try. We were happy to agree, the weather wasn't great this weekend and we knew we would be busy all day Sunday so we thought it'd be a good idea. I can't go bowling. It's not pretty. I get Bowling Rage. In stage one I get competitive, stage two means I get sulky. I am ashamed. 

Biscuit however took to it like a duck to water! No fear, no caution, just a lot of fun! 

We'll be going back on another rainy day.

No Bowling Rage for my girl!  

The last shot shows Biscuit's slightly nervous peering through Daddy's legs to see what's happening pose. Crazy. 

Hope you've all been busy, busy, busy too!

Love, love,

The Active Life....#5 - Strollin', Strollin', Strollin....

 

Once again, this weekend was a busy one and we only had one day out of two to get some fresh air into the small people.  After a stressful, but necessary stroll around the supermarket in the morning we decided to hunt for some of the Geocaches that have been evading us locally.  The lovely thing about doing this is that it takes you to places you wouldn't otherwise know existed.  I carried Wiggles in her beautiful sling and spent a considerable amount of time wondering whether carting around a 24 pound baby on a two hour walk would burn off extra calories....that would be nice! Biscuit decided that she would like to have a sling of her own and with the help of an old dressing gown belt, carried her dolly on her front, just like Mummy.

We found the first cache fairly easily, we'd been unable to before due to a herd of cows that had plonked themselves right where we needed to be. This is our celebratory "We found it!" photograph, but I must admit I rather like it.  I like the fact that we're all in it, that everyone is looking at the camera (for once) and that it shows just a smidge of Mr Husband Sir's naughty Game of Thrones tattoo.  A Targaryen sigil on his lower arm for anyone who's trying to work it out...

Anyway, despite some slightly ominous looking clouds we strolled off up hill and down dale quite happily.  

When I wasn't contemplating calorie burning I was pulling what Mr Husband refers to as my "photo face".  Displayed excellently here:

Yeah, cheeeese!

I'd coloured my hair earlier in the day, a much darker brown, but one that is usually quite standard for me.  It had become so lightened my the summer sun that I felt like someone else whenever I looked in the mirror, so I'm glad to be back to my old familiar...

In the end we found a beautiful lake, right in the middle of nowhere, that I didn't know existed!  A lovely reward for our efforts!  There's nothing I like more than a walk.

Here's Biscuit staring out and looking thoughtful. It's unusual for her to sit still! 

Hope you've all been busy, busy, busy too!

Love, love,

The Active Life.....#4 The British Barbecue

 

I'm linking up with Aanie at The Active Mum, again this week for her Active Life linky. 

This week our weekly effort to get the children outdoors and using up some energy saw us having a tidy up ready for winter at the allotment. Only this time there was a reward at the end! The first annual allotment holder's BBQ! Complete with rain, hot crumble and custard and lots of running around in wellies. Everyone had a marvellous time and the small ones got A LOT of fresh air! Who says the rain spoils things?

Love, love,

The Active Life....#3 Bubble Blowing

 

I'm linking up with Aanie at The Active Mum, again this week for her Active Life linky. 

This weekend was a busy one for us, so we weren't able to get out and about in the way we normally would. Very distressing for me, I miss the sunshine and the fresh air! 

By hook or by crook I was going to make sure we spent at least a little time outside so we decided to gather up the wedding bubbles that Biscuit had pilfered and head for the garden. We spent a lovely hour in the cool sunshine having bubble blowing competitions, blowing long streams for Wiggles to chase after and pop and of course trying desperately to catch a bubble or two on film! 

I know one of those pesky bubbles landed down here a moment ago....

Sometimes life doesn't allow us squish in everything we want to do, but this was a happy compromise and certainly lots of fun! Who doesn't love a good bubble?! 

Love, love,

The Active Life.....#2 Blackberry Picking

 

I'm linking up with Aanie at The Active Mum, again this week for her Active Life linky.  We like to do something outdoors with the children together every weekend.  To me it's as important as sitting around the table to eat together.  This weekend we decided to go blackberry picking.  If you asked Biscuit before we left the house if she'd like to go, she'd say no, hands down!  But once we're out she's more than happy.

We headed to a nearby nature reserve with lots of hedgerows so I knew we'd do well.  Biscuit loved helping me get right into the bushes and collect the blackberries.  They're a bit like treasure to her, one for the basket, one for her, one for the basket, one for her.

Wiggles initially sat in her buggy and watched us all, but soon decided that wasn't for her so she squeaked and squawked until we let her out.  She certainly knows how to get her message across, despite not being able to talk!  Once free she belted up and down the path behind us at high speed, occasionally stopping to stick her nose into the basket to check progress.

Mr Husband is lovely and tall, so he was in charge of picking all the really plump fruit at the top of the bushes that no one else could reach.   

Look how well we did!

Originally we were planning to make a blackberry and apple crumble, then this changed to jam.  In the end we made neither due to not having quite the right ingredients, neither of us wanted to blight our weekend with a trip to the supermarket!  Instead we shared out our haul with my Mum and Dad and we all just ate fresh blackberries.  They were delicious!  A great way of getting some fresh air and have fun.

Have you been?

Love, love,

On a funny little, slightly related side note I found the book above on the floor yesterday, it was presented to my Mum for "Punctual and Regular Attendance" at her Sunday School in 1953.  How cute is that?!  I thought it was appropriate....

The Active Life......#1: Hunting for Treasure

 

I really enjoy reading Aanie's blog The Active Mum, she inspires and motivates me and is truly lovely too.  Although Aanie, I must confess I am still yet to dust off my running shoes, but it's in the pipeline trust me!  

I noticed last week that she's started a new link up called The Active Life, here is what she has to say about it:

"I started this link up because I'm passionate about raising awareness of the importance of an active life style.  It is so important to give our children opportunities to be active, and hopefully when they are old enough to make their own lifestyle decisions, they too will choose a healthy active lifestyle."

She's truly a lady after my own heart and I just couldn't agree with her more.  I firmly believe that children nowadays are far too sedentary and much too easily amused indoors.  As a child I loved to be outside, breathing fresh air and enjoying myself and that's just how I want to raise my daughters.  So it was a very easy decision for me to join in with this link up.

As we're always on the lookout for new kinds of good old outdoor fun we decided to go Geocaching for the first time at the weekend.  Geocaching essentially is an outdoor treasure hunt where you use the GPS system on your mobile phone to hide and seek little containers known as Geocaches.  Caches are usually small waterproof containers hidden carefully around the countryside that contain a log book and sometimes toys and trinkets for swapping.  

Once you've successfully located a Geocache, (trust me it isn't always easy, those pesky blighters are usually VERY well hidden) you sign the log and replace it for the next person to find.  Geocaches are hidden all over the world, and the Geocaching website gives hints and clues as well as detailing caches hidden in your area.

As I said, we went at the weekend, together with Impressive E, Impressive D, Woolly and little baby Beetle went on her first expedition.  Of course the children loved it, what child doesn't love a treasure hunt?  They were racing around all over the shop pretending to be pirates, and we got lots of lovely fresh air and exercise.

After several hours of hunting we headed back to our house for baked Camembert and wine, which was also lovely.  All in all a really lovely way of spending time with friends and getting the children to be a little more active.

I'd love to hear if any of you have any experience of Geocaching, or if you're planning on having a go in the future, please let me know!  We're completely addicted!

Thanks for the chance to link up Aanie!

Love, love,