I'm the mother of a 13 year old!

Todays adventure was to a sheep farm. The lambs were so cute, and mixed with the daffodils, we had a very 'spring' day. We watched sheep herding with the 'come by, away, down' signals but the sheep and dog were having none of it and preferred to have a run around. We watched sheep shearing which was moe interesting and I learnt that wool production is a manmade invention caused by cross breading and if a sheep doesn't have a hair cut, it can die! We wacthed a ram show and I learnt there are loads and loads of types of sheep. While the kids played in the adventure play, I longily looked on an wanted to join it but unfortautely adults weren't allowed. We wacthed a sheep race and then the girls took part in the combat challenge. To my horror, I was passed something saying 'we should give this to your mum to look after'. I'm the mother of a 9 and 13 year old! Note to self - Must dress differently and do my hair a different way from now on.

Freebreaze and sick

Gorgeous day and the first stop of the day was to Morrisons for some freebreaze and air freshner for the car. Did it help? Nope, all day we had freebreaze and sick smell. Believe me, don't try it. We drove to Boscastle and walked along a very narrow mossy wall along the side of the valley. I was then to set the pace for the journey to Padstow, Big mistake! I wanted to go via Tintagel so I took us down a road that was pretty much a public foodpath rather than a road. We finally got to Padstow, walked along the harbour and looked at the very choppy sea. We drove to Widemouth beach, watched the surfers and had a scenic drive back to the cottage.

'I'm gonna be sick'

We drove to Exmoor and 10 minutes before our destination, Catherine decalred 'I'm gonna be sick', straught after she said this, she was! In here lap and all over the seat of the car. I shot out of the car at the layby, for I was about to be sick too after I had opened all the windows and could still smell it. While her mum and dad went to buy clothes for her, we say in the layby in the sunshine, looking at the view. To be fair, she could have picked a rainy day without a view. Gotta look on the bright side.

We arrived at Quince bee farm, where the bees are free to come and go as they please. I wish there we more of these in England, they attract all the bees. I watched a bee dance while it was positioning it's pollen, we watched how they extracted the honey and even got to taste it.

One problem, it was a very hot day. This does not bode well with a car seat soaked with sick. So all the way home, Al and I were heaving. We went to Bude beach and watched the surfers on the millpond that was the surf at bude. Bed before the children....again

'Kiwi, you're just a big kid '

The day started early for me, as usual. After reading a book for an hour I decided that waking up Catherine was a good way of entertaining myself, so I did. We drove to the donkey sanctuary which was suprisingly more playground than donkey but the kids enjoyed it. I can now see why all of the parents were reading books while their kids were in the softplay, preparation! We went to a cornish pasty shop and asked for a vegetarian option to be told 'no, we don't, they should just eat meat then shouldn't they'. This wasn't the normal response you get so for lunch I had some parma violets, cupcake and oatcakes. At this stage I was told 'Kiwi, you're just a big kid'.

When we got back, we got ready for swimming, swimsuits on and it was closed! We felt like the swimming version of goldilicks. Minus the bears, the porride, the house....you know what i mean. I went to bed before the kids, yet again!

Hedwig, Hawks, Hedgehogs......and lambs

Day one of the holiday and a trip to a falconry to see peregrins, kestrels, owls and caracara eating baby chicks. I still have a bee in my bonnet thinking that chicks are bred to be eaten so are gassed before they have really lived....but I won't get on my soapbox again :) We also went to Prickly ball hedgehog hospital and got to pet a sleepy hedgehog and here's an interesting fact, they have 5000-7000 spines. We watched lambs chase children around which was quite amusing and I saw Ali's eyes light up with the thought of taking in poorly hedgehogs at home for rehabilitation. I get a feeling that I will be living in a zoo :)
So, after an hours drive, I arrived in Bude for our holiday and went to bed before the kids, I was tired!

A birthday poem of suprises

My poetry skills aren't the great so what do I do? I design a whole birthday treat with clues that are poems! The day started with a trip to Shaldon Zoo, the smallest zoo in the South West that has endangered animals. We spent a long time looking close up to the porcupines, I'd recommend it. I was amazed with their spikes and how they have no fur, their spikes just come out of their skin and theren't isn't anything underneath. How do they sleep i wonder?

Ali had a pressie at every destination. Next we went to Oddicombe beach where I thought it would be a good idea who suffer from a fear of heights on a cliff railway! The beach was gorgeous, the sun is shining and we walked along the beach wall, looking out at the birds on route (of course :)).

Next stop was fish and chips on the front at Torquay and what ended up as Ali's favourite pressie, bubbles that cost all of 39p :) I had intended to give her a cake with a candle in it but guess who bought matches and actually forgot to take them to the beach? So Ali blew out a fake candle.

We went to Living Coasts and Ali got pooed on by an Inca Tern. Is this gonna be a very lucky year do you think? In the evening we went to a rainbow fish restaurant, my biggest hate, the smell of fish but the food was amazing.

Fantastic day that had to end unfortunately but Ali had a great birthday. Next year I'm gonna buy a tonne of bubbles :)