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!)

The evening sunlight was so nice, I took a couple of quick pictures of the kids on the trampoline. Jack loves the one of him! Harry was a bit manic and is already fast asleep. (Pheww)

I was thinking about Ali's comment on our last post, re portion size, so thought I'd better use some Growmore on our strawberries... it worked!
Only kidding - went strawberry picking on Saturday - guess which basket is Harry's. We didn't let the kids eat any strawberries in the field, they had to wait till we'd paid and were in the car, but then Harry really made up for it...
So now we have frozen strawberries (for our smoothies), strawberry jam (a bit runny, so I'm re-naming it strawberry sauce and using it in the bottom of sponge puddings etc.), and dehydrated strawberries. We had strawberries in some of the 'sauce' and sweet cream and scones at tea time. Um-mmmmm.

I got released from my calling as Youth Sunday School teacher on Sunday. I've done it for nearly 2 years now. I haven't got a new calling yet, but will be standing in as the Adult Sunday School teacher till we go to France in the summer. Scott's early morning meetings were cancelled for Father's Day, so he got a lie-in and a roast dinner. I think he had a nice day.

Yesterday was nice - Harry and I went blackcurrant and rhubarb picking at the Larson's house next to the church farms. Harry picked FIVE currants then gave up. He was too distracted by the trains going by. We popped in at the church farm office and asked if we could have a look at the machinery. Very big tractors and combines! Harry happy. The office gave him some of the farming brochures to take home too, and he has been telling me all about 'John Deeres' and 'CATs' etc. We then went up to the old church on the hill and sat on a bench watching the railway. It was very peaceful and quiet - just birds singing and the odd train - that and Harry talking about dead people, and me saying No - he probably wasn't going to be dead today, OK. (Not that he was very worried by it)
Well, Lucy and Jack have just come in from rehearsals, Tom is on the computer and Harry has wedged himself into a wicker basket, and is asking me to put another one on his head. Better go and do it...

We reap what we sow...

Our gardening efforts are starting to pay off!

So what do you do at dinner time?

We pull out Lucy's teeth and get blood everywhere...

Other things this week - Harry got to look after 'Bruno' the Koala bear from playgroup. He and Blue Bear are cousins...

We have been creative, and so the house is now a total mess (And half of Harry's bottom is stained bright blue).Other things: Lucy has gone on her school residential trip till the end of the week (minus a tooth). It sounds good fun - kayaking, climbing, archery etc. On Monday night the two of us went on a nice hike with the Guides. When I walked in the door though I managed to cut open my heel, which has taken a couple of days to stop bleeding. Scott's boss is away on her honeymoon at the moment so scarily, Scott's in charge. Hope the college survives till she gets back. Harry has just bough an electonic toy crane that's taller than himself from Tom's school toy sale. I've just asked the kids if there is any other news. Jack wants it to be known that he has started collecting torches...

Want to see a little baby Gosling??!

Yay!! 15 days late, but here at last! Our new little neice and cousin! My little sister Katy Gosling and her husband Dan have their first child... born this morning and weighing 8lb 1oz. No name yet... what a cutie! Well done Katy!