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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What the Kids Wore // Minoti

I don't have the kind of children that pose nicely for a photo, standing still with a big grin on their face.  What I can do is candid concentration faces and active boys who think it is funny to start jumping wildly when I get the camera out.  I actually think it works better for clothing reviews though as you can see how things move, how they work on a manic toddler or an energetic child and you get a sense of how comfortable the wearer finds them.  

I can still just about manage them all in one photo but a bribe was used in the form of a go on the inflatable assault course that was opposite them.  All four children are wearing clothes that we were sent from Minoti's newest season and I am really impressed with the quality.  Minoti is designed in England but sold world wide and we hadn't discovered it until recently!

Archie's joggers are the softest things with fleecy lining but unfortunately they are too big for his little frame and even tying the waistband tight we struggled.  They will be perfect for Finn  in a year or so though! Finn's joggers have a cheeky face on the bum which he is totally in love with and Dylan's are a bit more grown up but with the funky orange details which make them unique.

The boys all love joggers for the winter and I like the simple colours as we can pair them with brighter tops too if we like.  The t-shirts are all pretty true to size (Archie's is a size bigger than he usually wears) and the joggers are slightly generous (Finn is an average 3.5 year old in 3-4, Archie is a slim 5.5 year old in 5-6 joggers and 6-7 tee and Dylan in a tall 7 year old in 8-9).

Cora's dress is perfect for a party, or if you have a little girl who is going through a stage of referring to herself as a princess and wanting to wear something sparkly every day.  It is a beautiful colour and super light and I think we will layer it with tights and a cardigan as the weather cools.  Cora is a petite 2 year old wearing 18-24 and she just loves this dress. It is a little shorter than most of her 18-24 month clothing. 

 I like how interchangeable the boys collection is and the fun details although I think we will split up the younger boys outfits to add more colour sometimes too.  The quality feels fantastic and all four love their outfits. The cheeky face joggers and the party dress are our favourite pieces but all 4 are insisting that they got the best clothes!

You can see from the photos how much fun they had playing in their new clothes!

You can find the rest of Minoti's new collection on their website.  

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We Love Rocks

It has been a busy half term and amongst the day trips, lunches out and ice creams we have been looking for free activities, especially ones that involve wearing out the four children.  We recently discovered a facebook group called Love on the rocks that encourages people to paint or draw on rocks and hide them in public places as part of a national hide and seek. The groups (there are lots of local ones too) mean you can share where you have hidden your rocks and find places nearby where others have hidden them.

It became our go-to activity for the week, something to get us out the house and encourage the boys to be active.  They love the hunt, they run from tree to tree searching and the excitement when they find one is brilliant. 

Today we headed to the park with friends and managed to find 8 different stones including an alien, a bunny rabbit and a frog.  We examined each one before hiding it somewhere new and the game is never ending as we know by the time we visit again each of the stones will have moved.  

My top tips for rock hunts

1) Check on Facebook for local parks or areas that people have hidden them.  Our local park has its own group, but there are national and county groups too.

2) Make sure you are dressed for the weather.  Wellies are a great idea as are warm layers so that you can stay out a bit longer.  The big two are wearing fleeces from Reima here that are warm and quick drying.

3) Take drinks and snacks - sometimes the rocks are hidden really well so it may take you a while!

4) Check the bases of trees and around statues as they seem to be the most popular hiding places.  They aren't always on the ground though.

5) If your children are old enough, then taking a bag and a litter picking stick means you can do a mini park clean at the same time.

6) Hide your own creations whilst you are hunting and don't forget to share where you have hidden them so others can join in the fun!

Reima are encouraging kids to stay active and you can win a trip to Finnish Lapland by sharing your children's active hour

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Leaf Kicking

The half term holidays are here and the weather is still pretty mild for this time of the year.  We aren't reaching for our coats most days, we are managing long afternoons at the park without getting too chilly and it feels like we can really take in the beauty of Autumn together.  Dylan was sent home from school with a list of activities to do in half term, things like going on a train or bus,  baking a cake and kicking leaves in the park.  

We are going to try and fit in as many of the activities as we can and kicking leaves was one of the easiest to cross off.  Our local park has plenty of leaves so armed with our best leaf kicking shoes, we went exploring.  I was sent a pair of Chatsworth boots from Strive Footwear and I love being able to join in with the children. 

The ground was damp from rain and the leaves were more soggy than crispy but it didn't stop the fun.  We threw them in the air and danced as they fell, we built mountains and snowmen and stomped through them.  We kicked the leaves as high into the air as we could and we sat in the middle of them to examine them properly.

We found fallen trees and practiced our balancing and jumping off the ends and we played hide and seek amongst the ones still standing.  My boots have supportive technology which follows the natural contours of your feet which makes them not only super comfortable but also orthodontic and better for my posture.  Being on my feet so much with the children has made me think a lot more about the shoes I wear and these are perfect for our Autumn activities.

Cora loves the freedom of the park and the space to explore.  Whilst the boys are kicking and jumping she is learning to run and climb, discovering different textures and sensations and gaining independence.

We have so many more autumn adventures planned for the week and I think these experiences are so valuable for my curious, imaginative children as they learn about the world.  

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