A Busy November

The first couple of weeks of November were very busy for us. So much has been happening and it feels we haven't had a free day in ages - it always gets like this at the end of the year though! We went to the Bridgwater Carnival with some friends - which was really good. They had some amazing floats (it's like a parade - they raise money for charity each year). I can't believe we didn't take the camera because they had some of the best floats I have ever seen. Some weren't that good, but most were pretty impressive - especially the 'still' one's where all the performers had to stand like statues - which they got judged on. It was a cold night though and we stayed up very late chatting back at Maria and Kevin's place until late - which kinda just made us feel old because we were wasted the next day!! But it was nice. We have also had church activities and dinner dates and I had my first parent-teacher interview with the staff at the Children's Centre! (It was quite exciting!) The girls have just loved going and they have a wonderful time there each week. They are really going to miss it. It was extra special to sit down with each of the girls key workers and talk about the girls progress and development. I think the pre-school programs here are run so well, and you know that the kids are actually being taught while there and being introduced to new things all the time. It's not like an average child care place where they just go and play with a bunch of toys. I have been so impressed with it all and the staff have just been wonderful. I'm so glad I took the plunge and enrolled them both at Hollies Children Centre. It has been so good for them and so good for me. I haven't done hardly any of the things I thought I was going to achieve in my 'kid free time' because there has always been housework to do or errands to run - but that has been fine, because you can get so much more done on your own anyway - which leaves me more time with the kids during the rest of the week - and it's nice to just have some thinking time to yourself anyway - even if you are still ironing or washing up!

We were very excited on Thursday 12th November. After counting down the days (we even made a chart) for the past week or so it was finally the day to go and pick up aunty Elle from the train station. The girls were VERY excited and sat patiently waiting for the train to come in. I freaked out for a few minutes because the train arrived and I didn't see Elle get off - I couldn't stop picturing Ross (from friends) asleep on the train - missing his stop, with his new girlfriend calling out to him trying to wake him up from the platform! I was very happy to finally see her! The girls were actually a little shy to start with but after about an hour and a few pressies aunty Elle was their new best friend! Because it was Thursday Lani and Em headed off to the children's centre for the afternoon, which was nice because it gave Elle and I a chance to catch up and not be constantly interrupted with 'look at this Elle' or 'watch me Elle.' We did some shopping in Taunton, mainly at Mountain Warehouse because they were having a sale and I needed to get a few extreme winter items for our trip to Austria in a few weeks! So it was good to have Elle around to help me carry all the stuff home!!! :-)

We didn't do much over the next few days, just took it easy really and played with the kids. I got to sleep in - which was FANTASTIC and when I finally did get up the kids had been fed breakfast and everything! It was great! We love having aunty Elle here!