An Ordinary Autumn Day

At the start of every new season I think I declare it my favourite and I think it is seeing the world through a child's eyes that allows it.  Whilst summer meant long days out, dinner at the beach, bare foot and six weeks of having all four along, Autumn has so much colour and charm.  Cosy nights in, hot chocolate, not having to wash my hair so much because it is hat weather and Halloween. 

We have planned a few quiet weekends to relax as the transition back to school (and the multiple school runs) seems to be tiring for us all but we still need to get out and run off the energy so we visited our favourite park this weekend to hunt for conkers, play cops and robbers (the boys new favourite game) and watch the squirrels.  

It was nearly a year ago that I took some photos of them all in this same place with a blog post titled ' I think we are done' and looking back at it I can see firstly how much they have all grown, especially Finn and secondly how much I still believe what I wrote.  We no longer have cribs or cots, the nappies have gone other than a night nappy for Cora and she isn't in the pushchair often anymore.  This next stage is certainly no less exhausting than the newborn one but it is exciting and full of promise.

On our visit to the park this weekend the children all played so independently.  The boys ran around playing, Cora climbed and conquered, they hunted, they chatted and I know they appreciated our company, but they didn't need us in the same ways they did even a year ago.  

Four is our number and a year after I initially wrote it, I am still definitely done. 

I want to continue to photograph and document the ordinary days as a family of six and I love these photos as they are exactly that.  It was a simple day, we went to the park, ran around for a few hours and then went home. Perfectly normal, perfectly us. 

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Taken by Dylan!

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The Ordinary Moments // A Saturday Afternoon

Saturdays it is mostly just me and the children.  The bloke works from home and I usually take them out somewhere local to run off some energy.  We don't go anywhere far as I don't drive and we have Sunday to do something as a family, but we pick somewhere fun and go out.  Yesterday we went to Quex gardens - a local gardens that we have an annual membership for.  It is beautiful and well kept and we know it is always quiet and there are no dogs running around.

My sister came with us yesterday which was lovely as the boys just adore her and it makes things so much easier having an extra adult when someone needs the toilet or we want to go and get ice creams.  

We spent the whole afternoon there and only left when they started shutting up.  My sister left and the four children and I set off for the train station to go home.  As we walked past a fish and chip cafe, the boys asked if we could stop there for dinner and it felt so good to just say yes.  I love this time of year where it stays light for so much longer, where you can stay out a bit later without any worries and we had a lovely evening, getting home just in time for bed.

I am loving recording the bigger moments through my blog, our milestones and our travels, but I want to remember the little things too, the ordinary moments, the Saturday afternoons we spent playing hide and seek in a beautiful park, eating a picnic under a tree and staying out late for fish and chips.  These little moments that are the things the children will remember.  My sister took this photo of us today, discussing which ice creams we were going to choose  (-because of course days like this need ice cream).

I am going to try and join in Mummy Daddy Me's linky to record the little things, those ordinary moments, the things that I don't always write about but I want to remember.

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A Spring Weekend

There is something so beautiful about each season and I made the decision when I had children to stop having a favourite, and to appreciate the little things each time the weather changes.  The excitement of snow and frost has gone, Christmas feels like a distant memory and it has all been replaced by blooming flowers popping up everywhere we look, the grass turning a healthier shade of green and that familiar warmth that promises summer is on the way.

I am an outdoor person whatever the weather, but with four small ones some things are just a bit much in the winter.  In the spring it all seems a bit easier, there are so many options, so much to explore and it becomes easier to go out earlier and stay out that little bit later.  

Last weekend in the absense of any plans, we revisited a beautiful local gardens with a museum attached.  We are lucky enough to have lots of local parks, but this one is so clean, dog free and full of things to explore.  I took my camera along to capture some pictures of the bigger boys in their new shoes as Bobux kindly sent us some of their new Kid+ range (they now go up to 7 years!) and I love the images I took.  They capture spring in all it's beautiful glory and the adventures we will be having for the next few months.

The boys love their Bobux shoes because the barefoot soles mean they can really flex their feet as they run and climb.  There are some low hanging branches and trees that are perfect for little adventurers and they kept them entertained for ages.

Inside there is a museum full of animals and artifacts that they love looking at.  The highlight is the interactive room though full of instruments to play and stations to draw at complete with mircrosopes and fancy lights. (If you live locally this is Quex gardens and Museum).  It was a great place to calm down before heading home and there was something for everyone. 

The weather still seems to vary so much daily and there is still plenty of rain but this is what our Spring weekends will look like I hope - full of colour, sunshine and fresh air.  

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