London Temple

We took the kids down to the Temple today, and Scott and I took it in turns to do a session. Scott took the kids to Gatwick to watch the planes, and I stayed in the grounds with some activities to do. For some reason I hadn't considered it might rain (which it did), but the kids and I made a nice little area under the trees which kept us dry. Tom drew a picture of the Temple, the boys followed some poor duck around, and watched the giant fish, Lucy read and we took loads of pictures of each other. All the normal Temple photos you usually take, but I do like them - especially the new blog header one, and the flowers were gorgeous. (There aren't many of Jack because he was pulling daft faces in all of them).

Tom has been asking to go to the Temple for ages so he could get his first proper scriptures. We've done that when the kids are eight before, but Tom is very keen. He picked out blue ones. Harry went a bit manic in the Distribution Centre and wanted everything. We said he could not have scriptures yet due to lack of reading ability (except for 'H'), but he's happy now because Tom's given him his old Book of Mormon. He came away with a CTR ring, and posters of Noah's Ark and Christ at the 2nd coming. Tom got one of Joseph Smith, and Jack got a journal.

It was pretty successful doing the swap over and looking after the kids, so I think we'll go more often now on a Saturday.

Katy and Dan's baby has a name!!!

Hurray! At last, Katy and Dan have named their baby... Amy Florence Gosling. Short and sweet. (Like her!)

P.S.

This stuff works!! I got some from Lakeland, and yesterday I sprayed it round the patio windows, where there are some black mildewy bits in the cracks and down at the bottom, and they all totally vanished!! I am almost keen to get on with the other windows, and get them whiter than white too!

I like Fridays - they are normally nice and quiet. Harry and I have pottered round the garden (admiring our vegetables...), made a card for Adam to thank him for all his videos since his video player broke, and Harry is listening to story tapes now (I love his little ear sticking out). We are going to go to the Temple tomorrow, so we'll make some cakes later on, to take with us, and then do my main job for today - clean the bathroom! What an exciting life!

Other things - Ethan is better now - didn't find out if it was swine flu or not, though there is a case in our kids' school now.

Tom got a brilliant school report, which says he is especially gifted at Maths. I know. I'm always asking him to work things out for me when I can't be bothered!

We managed to make a flood on Tuesday - Tom was filling the sink, with a flannel in that blocked the overflow, so we had a swimming pool in the bathroom (Tom had gone back in his bedroom), and a nice waterfall down the living room walls! I was supposed to be helping at playgroup that morning, but popped back home to finish clearing up. It all seems to have dried up OK now.

Lucy and Jack are working hard on their school play which is next week. They have about 6 roles between them - I have lost track, and they keep singing bits of strange songs.

I was a 'lady wot lunches' yesterday, and met up with my book club ladies and we read peotry in Harriet's garden. It was very civilised and nice! (Apart from when Harry dropped their guinea pig from about 3 foot up - thankfully it's OK)

Scott said he was a 'bloke wot lunches' yesterday too. He went to Frankie and Benny's with Richard from work.

And all my ironing is done!!!

Today

Quite a few things today...
Tom missed school and we went for his appointment at the hospital to see about his tummy problems over the last few months. We had a great doctor (who discovered just how ticklish Tom really is!), and he sent Tom for his first ever X-ray. It turns out there's a problem with his bowels, which some medicine will start to help. We're all really happy that we know what's going on now anyway. Harry and Tom were great hanging around the hospital so long.
Lucy found out her SATs results today - she got all level 5's, which was the highest she could get in her tests, so well done Lucy!
Nanny and Grandad Page came for a visit at tea-time, and bought fish and chips too which was lovely! Lucy and I had to rush off though to go swimming with Guides. Talk about exhausted... (as if only 4 hours sleep last night wasn't bad enough...) synchronised (well - not very) swimming, piggy back races, handstands, diving etc... I really enjoyed it.
Lucy had a meeting at her new secondary school last week, and found out who will be in her class in September. A few of the girls from guides will be in her class, and it was nice seeing them getting on well tonight.
Also this evening, Shane said that Ethan (our nephew) might have Swine flu - they are waiting for confirmation. Hopefully he is not going to be too poorly. I think there have been 4 cases in their village. It's a bit scary, fingers crossed.

We feel sick

If you wanna make all your kids feel 'puke', make this smoothie:

1 whole broccoli
1 big lump of frozen spinach
2 big carrots
Orange juice
Apple juice

It is truly revolting. We have made what we call 'power smoothies' before, which look very green, but this one even I struggled with - I really do feel sick now, along with the kids.

Also, I have never seen such a grubby T-shirt. Click on the picture to see just how bad it is!! It was clean this morning:(Jack is eating frozen strawberries, in case you are wondering) Tom also managed to get a big hole in the knee of his brand new school trousers this afternoon. They were only 2 days old!

Grandma Asher's 90th Birthday Party!

On Saturday everyone travelled to Nottingham to celebrate Grandma (and Great-Grandma's) 90th birthday! (It's on the 1st July)

Katy and Dan had bought Grandma a cake and put on 90 candles - here's Dad lighting them with a blow torch...
Grandma's nick-name has become Ferocious Florrie!
Someone go and waft the smoke alarm...

My whole side of the family:

It was also the first time we got to see Katy and Dan's new baby (she still doesn't have a name yet, but not for lack of suggestions from us lot...) She is BEAUTIFUL!! and very contented. Here's Scott with his little niece. Tom was especially in love with her, and had loads of holds.

After an enrichment evening on flower arrangements, I had a go at making one for Grandma... (this was actually the second one I made - the first one did a nose dive while we were still at home, and was a total disaster!)