Christmas Day

A 6.30 start and full of excitement. He'd arrived and with hobby horses. From then on it was a non stop roller coaster ride of excitement, chaos and ripping of paper as the mountain of presents was slowly demolished during the course of the day. Father Christmas had done it again -spot on- everybody liked what they'd got. Elizabeth and Maisy didn't know what to tackle first as big sister Eren sat inputting her new mobile phone. Mum and Dad glanced gleefully at the pairs of slippers which had dutifully been exchanged and not forgetting the socks and pants. There were a couple of added extras in the form of a couple of Mariah Carey CD's and Barack Obama book 'The Audacity of Hope'. Dinner was served at 1 o'clock and was consumed -absolutely delicious and great home made Christmas cake that afternoon. Hope you all had a great Christmas day.Some of us were tired out at the end of it!!!!

Nativity-'Whoops A-Daisy Angels

Christmas is upon us again and Elizabeth had her first Christmas at school and Nativity. She thoroughly enjoyed being a 'little star' in the KS1 Nativity and new all the songs and actions having been practising hard in the bath and on the toilet and everywhere else. She also got to meet Father Christmas at the Christmas Fair and yes her face is painted as a rabbit. Maisy missed out on this visit having been ill with another bout of Bronchitis. She met up with him though at her playgroup Christmas party. Both must have been good girls this year as the got gifts.

Merry Christmas Everybody and Happy New Year!!!!!

BY POPULAR DEMAND !!

Its been a little while since I added to the blogg and, YES - believe it or not, I've had requests for it to be added to, so here we go with the latest instalment.
We have been busy enjoying our new conservatory which is now finished, complete with seating ,bookshelves and lighting. We just need to add the radiator now the weather has turned cold,but when the sun is out its a pleasure to sit out their and look at the garden and watch the birds. Its nice to have another room to relax in.
Elizabeth continues to enjoy her school and is really taking off with her reading and writing. We had a very good report at parents evening which was lovely. Maisy has has also joined a new toddler group in Osgodby which she is really enjoying and has been busy bring home her latest works of art. Both the girls have had school photographs done which we are now looking forward to getting and no doubt they will find there way onto the blogg soon when I've got time to scan them in.
Eren is enjoying her new course at York college and doing so well they have condensed what should have been a two year course to a one year course for her. She has her placement at a local nursery in Selby just by the Abbey and is due to start there full time as part of her course placement in February which should lead to a permanent job when she completes her course. She is even now thinking about going onto University to continue her studies and become a Pre-School teacher.
Denise has been given powers of grandeur and that is a worry to us all-she was recently invited by my Headteacher to be a Parent Governor on the Governing body so she is now all set to carry out class inspections at a moments notice and tell all of us teachers that we could be doing better to raise standards. Only joking!!! she's really looking forward to the job and her first meeting -she's got to know Rob (Head) while doing knitting club and has also met the vice chair so she'll know a few people at her first meeting.
We have recently been enjoying the school half term with a trip to Barnby Hall in Pocklington which is a small park with a small pond/lake with the biggest Kio carp I have ever seen. The girls enjoyed feeding them and Elizabeth was even stroking one of the biggest on the top of its head. Maisy loved the ducks and was screaming at the top of her voice DUCKS every time she spotted them.
We also went to Too Hoots children's farm to see the animals and got chased by turkeys on the run from the pens.
We finished the week yesterday evening with a fantastic free fireworks display put on by Selby Council for the local people at the park. A huge bonfire and great display which we all enjoyed. We are now hoping to have a few sparklers of our own and a bonfire in the back garden on the 5th weather permitting.
well that I think brings the blogg up to date -I hope everybody is fit and well and having as much fun as us-but it is back to work on Monday!!!!!!

Elizabeths first day at school

Our little girl set out on the next step in her life with her first day at school yesterday. She looked all grown up in her school uniform. She was so excited and couldn't wait to get there. She thoroughly enjoyed herself. I met her at lunchtime to find her munching on her sandwiches and chatting happily to the headteacher. After a full day at school I expected her to be shattered by 3 0clock but not a bit of it. She couldn't wait for the next day and all the things she was going to do. She had even made friends with some of the year 6 girls in my class. I hope now she will continue through school with a love and zeal for learning.

Watch out there's a croc about!!

When the Robinsons go to the beach they don't settle for just sandcastles their artistic talent comes to the for and they build on a big scale. We are very proud of our crocodile -about 6 feet in length. A good family effort.

Good to know that a year at sixth form college isn't wasted on Eren as she can now create hola-hoop pyramid towers. Wonderful thing the education system!!!!

Steam Power

Well I'm all on my lonesome Bank Holiday Monday waiting for the work we are having done on the the house to continue, the rest of the family are settled down south for the week.The work on the conservatory is going really well and I can't wait to sit and enjoy it now when its all finished.

Last weekend we had a great day out on the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway traveling from Pickering to Grosmont . It was lovely to see the steam engines and the journey was wonderful. Elizabeth and Maisy really enjoyed themselves, especially when the train went through a very dark tunnel. At Grosmont we decided to walk up the hill to enjoy the spectacular view from the top-not quite ready for the 1 in 3 climb but we all made it and it was worth it at the top. Back in the village we walked through ,what is believed to be ,the worlds first tunnel built for trains by George Stephenson 1833-5.

On a previous day out we enjoyed ourselves at Whitby again and produced a work of art on the beach in the form of a crocodile-will add picture when I can crow-bar it off Eren's phone. Elizabeth and Maisy enjoyed bouncing on the trampolines although Elizabeth felt Maisy was some-what cramping her creative style. They then enjoyed themselves in the large paddling pool. One of our few hot days this summer and thoroughly enjoyable.

It was lovely to have a visit by Sadie and Dave. Got the chance to show them the house and what we've done in the last 8 months. The weather wasn't totally on our side but the girls all enjoyed a day at Designer Outlet and on one of our less sunny days we explored York Museum. Did you all know it was a ROBINSON who apprehended Dick Turpin??!! Anyway It was a lovely visit and we hope to see them up her again really soon.

Holiday Fun

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated the blog but it is always manic at the end of term -as I'm sure loads of you can appreciate and my excuse is I have been very busy. Any way the summer holidays are at long last here and it looks like the weather has decided to cheer itself up a bit so we can all enjoy the sun.

Elizabeth has finished at nursery and is already very excited about going into reception in September. She is in Mrs Proctors class (1JP) and has already bought her lunch box.

Eren has finished her first year at York sixth form college and received her sports certificate today with her pass for the first part of her course-she's ready to go back now and do part two plus a child care course.

Maisy our little blonde bomb-shell is enjoying seeing and learning to do lots of new things and recently loved our trip to Filey beach. Elizabeth and her thoroughly enjoyed playing in the sea and digging in the sand. It was a lovely beach and we will certainly be going back. It is a lot like Weymouth's beach but slightly bigger waves and less people on the beach-so you actually have room to move!!!!(see pictures above).

Denise and myself are looking forward to our conservatory being started this summer holiday so by the Autumn we should be able to sit out in it and chill-whilst enjoying the garden. We have started to harvest our first produce from the garden in the form of gooseberries, lettuce, herbs,land cress and french beans-with more to come.

We have a long list of places we want to explore while on holiday this year-Filey beach being one of the first but weather permitting the Yorkshire Dales, Castle Howard, Fountains Abbey, Lotherton Hall, Rowntrees park and Sundown childrens park. Plus revisiting beaches we've previously been to. Also looking forward to some of you popping up to visit us.

Spring is here or is it Summer?

Well it's been a while since I updated the blog but we have been very busy and I've had an OFSTED to deal with as well (which we passed).

Now the good weather has started and we are getting lovely warm days we have been busy in the garden getting to grips with a public enemy number one weed called mares tail which we have popping up everywhere. The veg patch is looking good though and we are slowly planting out the beds. The girls are really enjoying the space to run around and play that they now have and when not posing for the camera and Maisy Wielding a hoe they both like to help Daddy-mostly Elizabeth at the moment who enjoys planting seeds..

This bank holiday week-end we were able to get out and about and start to explore new places which was great. We drove over the North York Moors to Whitby- a small sea side town on the coast. We had a lovely day looking around the town. We had haddock and chips down in the old harbour and then had a play on the beach which is a nice steep walk down the cliff. We now want to go back and look round all the bits we missed-like the Abbey which has 199 steps up to it. This week-end if the weather holds we are going back up onto the Moors to have a walk and picnic. There were several beauty spots which we passed that we want to check out.

A White Easter

Well I've always wanted a white Christmas but I never thought it would be a white Easter that I got. We woke up this morning like a large part of the country to a 10 cm blanket of snow. Once again Elizabeth was up and out of bed ready to play in the white stuff. Before 7 am we had a snow man built and sledged down the road ,being pulled by Dad, bumping into other children also being pulled around by their Dads. It was a beautiful sight on an Easter morning. But by 8am I was ready for breakfast and a hot cup of tea!!!

It was lovely to see Auntie Carol up here this week. A lovely surprise for Denise as she didn't know she was flying up ( a closely guarded secret). They both had a lovely time and got to do what they do do best laugh, chat and shop at Designer Outlet. A lovely time had by both and they got the chance to relax, chat and catch up. We just got her back to the airport with the snow blanketing the airport on Saturday. Its certainly a cold wind up at that airport. But the chance to see both the surounding countryside and Leeds stretching out below.

Happy 4th Elizabeth and New family member

Elizabeth celebrated her 4th birthday this month and had a lovely time. She had a lovely little party with her friends from nursery and got the bike she wanted from us. She has already been out and about on it and fallen off-one grazed knee. But like a true Robinson she got back on again and had another go.

We picked up a new arrival to our family this month-Hartley. He is a lovely cat and very friendly and wonderful with the girls -very gentle.

Happy 1st Birthday Maisy

Maisy celebrated her first birthday on the 19th February.

I can't believe how quickly the year has gone. Thank you to everybody who sent presents. She loved her musical alphabet from Nanny and her musical teddy from Granny as well as all the others she received. She also took her first tottering steps today unaided which she thought was great.

Woken up last night with the whole house shaking as Britain had an Earthquake 5.2 on the scale. We had the bed, cot and walls shaking and sliding and couldn't quite believe what was happening . All was confirmed with the breakfast news. Had to then spend a bit of time striaghtening the pictures on our walls. It was the strangest feeling.

A busy start to the year

Hello All
Well its has been a very busy start to our new year. We successfully moved into our new house and started a new job. We have managed to sort most of our things out now only a couple of boxes left but they contain things that need to go on shelves and we need to buy those and put them up. Everything else is beginning to look good. We have new carpet throughout now only two bedrooms left to do and we've started to hang the new net curtains. We bought and built a new toy box for the girls room this Saturday to put the rest of their toys in.
I have been out in the garden and started to sort this out. Cutting bushes back and generally tidying up. This week-end we went out to by some hedgeing as an old fence which is rotten we are going to replace with a hedge-row. So I've bought 55 privet bushes to plant out when the weather improves and I've managed to clear away the old fence and ivy. I've been digging over the flower beds as well ready for the better weather so we can plant them out. Its great we have a blank canvas to work with.
At work I have settled in well and I'm really getting on well with the other members of staff. We have survived a big county inspection this week and the school has done very well. Elizabeth has also settled in well to her new school and has made some good new friends- Holly being her best friend.
Maisy is busy teething so is unsettled at the moment -six altogether at the moment and it looks like to more on the bottom are on there way.
Denise helped out an old lady called Hilda in Selby who stummbled and fell flat on her face on the cobbles. She helped her up and took her for a cup of tea and made sure she got home safely. Others just walked by;what sort of world are we living in now. She has also held a little coffee afternoon with a couple of her new friends and babies at our place.
Looking forward now to coming down to see everybody at half term.
When we get back up north again we are hoping to go to the local cat rescue centre to take on another cat. We would like another male, ginger if possible and it will be called Oswald- Elizabeth has decided.(name from Denise-He was a King of Northumbria)
Please post you messages as we love to hear from you.

SNOW !

Our first taste of winter up north. It started snowing first thing and Elizabeth was out in the snow in her pyjamas. Before breakfast she had her first little snowman made with Eren. Snowed off and on all day and we ended up with a couple of inches . The girls ,big and small, loved it and can't wait for more. Bring it on -more please