23rd Oct - 2nd Nov - Majorca - After spending our summer in the winter in the Falklands, Iain was in desperate need of some sunshine, so we headed to Majorca for 1/2 term. We left Standard and flew Ryan Air (Not bad actually!). Landing was a bit suspect (Iain said the pilot needs to get back in the simulator!)

Our apartment was in  Cala Mesquida, quite quiet this time of year as it's toward the end of the season, we hired a car and went on day trips to Alcudia, Cala Rajada, Port De Pollenca, Cala Millor. Jake LOVED the sand and sea and building sandcastles. We spent the evenings chilling out and watching the lovely view.

Due to the end of the season on the 31st we had to move apartments to Picanfort, a mainly German hotel and apartments, fantastic facilities, our room is amazing! The spa has a turkish bath, igloo plus all the standard saunas and steam rooms!

We're going to spend the last day on the beach, soaking up the sunshine before we return for a full school and work schedule. See pix here

14th October - James in swing - soooo cute...see pix here

12th October - Jake's 1st Day @The Oratory Prep School - Jake's 1st day take 2.... after some reservations about the local primary school, we decided to give Jake more opportunities and have moved him to the Oratory. The school has amazing facilities including a 25m indoor swimming pool! Jake is settling in well.... http://www.oratoryprep.co.uk/  see pix here

3rd October - Busy weekend - Iain returned from the Falklands to a full on social calendar...Saturday we went to Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons - For Marie and my birthdays we went to Raymond Blancs place, was fab! We had the taster menu and loads of wine....perfect. Sunday we headed off to Mia and Jasmine McCanns Christening, it was lovely to see everyone, the girls looked gorgeous - see pix here

3rd September - Jake's 1st Day @School - see pix here

28th August - Garage - turned into a gym see pix here

23rd August - Jake to Grandma and Granddad - Jake went off to "dad-dad's" for a few days whilst I was sorting stuff out, we met up at Aunt Olive and Fred's, see pix here....

18th August - Home - we'd planned to have the Todds staying but Granny betty was poorly so we went back to cheshire, we stayed at Barbaras, see pix here

13th & 17th August - Rachel and Ma"d" - were en route to a wedding in Lemington, stayed for the evening, the weather was gorgeous so Jake and Madeline were in the pool, with Mrs G staying and them both being teachers they were in their element, I so love having a house full of long standing friends...see pix here

12th August  - Mrs Gunter - she was en route to a jazz weekend so came to stay. We went out to the marina for dinner Wednesday evening then spent Thursday at Swindon retail outlet where she bought a gorgeous bargain jacket, lovely to see her and catch up....

19th July - Trip to the Falklands - With Iain away for 4 months we took up the opportunity of family trip down to the Falklands otherwise known as "Indulgence". Here is the storey of our trip: Part I,  Part II , Part III here

• Sunday 19th July - Depart Brize Norton - The thought of a 17hr light wit a 4 year old and 6 month old would make even the most sane mother anxious, I decided not to think of the flight as a whole but in segments peppered with lots of activities to keep the boys occupied. Turns out the flight was not that traumatic as I was manically busy with the boys. We left Brize at 23.49 Sunday night soon after take off the boys slept, Jake for about 8.5 hours until we landed and James for 7 hours!! The flight was 9 hours 10 mins
  We got off at the Ascension islands, it was lovely and warm! I was buys dressing the boys out of their pyjamas so the stop over of 1.5 hours flew by.
  Flight 2 was 7 hours 50 mins (walk in the park compared to the 9hr one!)– James was an angel, Jake a bit of a pain but was kept occupied with his games. He then slept for 4 hours.
  Arrived in the Falklands had to wait AGES on the runway as an Antonov had taken off earlier in the day and spread rubble all over the runway. Jake was delighted to see Iain - we all were, Iain was amazed how much James had grown. Our family room accommodation is OK, despite being build in the mid-eighties, the entire complex is all single storey prefabs with long, wide, cold corridors connecting it together. The gym and library are amazing. Food is good too!

• Tuesday 21st July Stanley -  Iain had loan of a Shogun we drove to Stanley. The scenery looks like the top of Derbyshire, all peaty, but the roads are part made just rough hard core, certain strips are tarmac. We went to the supermarket and everything is SO expensive, especially fresh fruit, I picked up a mango and it was £3.50 so I put it back, I paid £2.50 for a small avocado and 4 bananas were £4. I’m able to make James food using tinned fruits and veg, that’s all they have in the Mess.

• Wednesday 22nd July - Snowed in - As it was snowing heavily we decided to stay in, Iain did all our washing then took Jake swimming in the afternoon.. Iain and I had a babysitter so went to the Mess quiz night, our team didn't do very well but we had a nice night out.

• Thursday 23rd July - Aborted trip to Goose Green - After a relaxing morning we headed to Goose Green, but the roads are all unmade and treacherous with all the snow and ice so we turned back. James learnt to clap today, temperature is really cold 0 degrees although it feels about -2!

• Friday 24th July - Fitsroy, we headed to where Sir Galahad was sunk and Simon Weston was badly injured, all very remote with a small hamlet and some war memorials, it was pouring with rain so Iain got out to take the pictures!! We had a babysitter for the evening so went to the mess – there was a live band on, basically other RAF guys to play instruments and get together, all a bit ropey but sounds great after a bottle of fizz – we drink Moet as the wine is terrible and the Moet is cheap shorts range from 15p-35p a double! Pints are 80p….to cheap night, no wonder some guys need new livers when they return home Part II pix here

• Saturday - relaxing day at home - snowing heavily so we stayed in...

• Sunday - aborted trip to Stanley - we planned to go back to Stanley, the road was closed to military vehicles but we decided to give it a go but it was treacherous so we turned back and relaxed at home, about 5 inches of snow, blizzards and generally freezing!

• Monday - Stuck in the Falklands.....There are 2 flights a week, normally only ½ full and carrying islanders back and forth for UK medical treatment. We were meant to be returning on Tuesdays flight, but it wouldn’t be able to land here so it went to Ascension and returned home to get another load, rumour has it some VIP’s were on board (some MP’s) and didn’t want to get stranded here. As they would be doubled up on the Friday flight today we decided to return Tuesday as there’ll be more room on board….relaxed at home, about 5 inches of snow, blizzards and generally freezing!

• Tuesday and Wednesday - With Iain back at work we had to amuse ourselves, I teamed up with an Army wife and her 2 children who is here who was visiting her hubby, being army they do 6 month tours which qualifies them for a week of R&R in the Ascension, they are hoping to go next week. We went swimming, to the library - 1000's of DVD's, there is only so much SkyNews on BFBS you can stand!

• Thursday - no water - Remind me is it the Royal Air Farce or Force - I forget....with all the snow and bad weather some pipe had burst on the water tower which meant water restrictions = paper plates, plastic cups, plastic knives and forks in the mess...and wait for is there were orders posted that the bars would only serve non-alcoholic drinks to avoid overuse of the toilets!!!

Yes way....

• Friday - It's cracking the flags!! Well, warmer at least about 3c.....we headed to tots but no-one was there so we toured the camp looking for snowmen and ice sculptures, this is where our tax money is spent, they were great though!! See pix here
   

6th July - General July pix - trip to campsite at Fareham, Hampshire, James passport pix and trip to London Passport office! See pix here

24th June - General June pix - see here Updated Saturday 27th June @10.21pm....

21st June - The garden Sofas we ordered from Argos in April finally arrived, look good, see here

19th June - Chessington - Having purchased Merlin passes Marie and I headed to Chessington World of Adventures, I found it a little disappointed, a bit tired looking but I didn;t like all the amusement archades and stalls to win outsizxed toys for a £1/time. The boys loved running around though. We went back to Maries after then Mum came down....see pix here

16th June - Auntie Mauds Funeral - Poor old Auntie Maud passed away the week before after 94 years. We went over and paid our respects Jake looked very smart in his suit and was an angel at the Crem -  see pix here

14th June - The fair comes to Benson - opposite our house so we went over for some candy floss see pix here

12th June - Day @Sophs - we went to Soph's on a nice sunny day, whilst enjoying the sunshine it dawned on us that there was no reason I could stay and enjoys loads of wine with the children tucked up in bed....so guess what we did ;-) Jake cracked his head on the bookcase jumping on Olivers bed, fotunately there was a plethora of Dr's in the house so he lived to tell the tale, despite his now pink hair he was able to count the 3 fingers I held up as 18 22 25...he was fine...see pix here

6th June - Jakes Birthday Day - Friday night we stayed at Marie's, Mummy Marie and Paul were able to enjoy a glass of wine watch Slumdog! In the morning after opening presents we went to Coral Reef Waterworld swimming, after birthday lunch with tigger cake we came home and played, the weather was rainy so decided to stay in, Alexander and Jake were in their element, play cars whilst watching Cars! Jake had a lovely day, see pix here....

4th June - Jakes 4th @Scamps - With a hectic weekend of 4th birthday celebrations, Jake with a preamble at Scamps, Monsters and Aliens cake....check out the pix

24th May - Iain Heads to the Southern Hemisphere - Iain is off to the Falklands for 4 months (we'll miss him)....

13th May - James Hits the Rusks - Being on Soya Milk there is hungry horris version, only 1 strength,  so we've started him on rusks, by the second spoonful he was chewing away! At 17 weeks old and loving it! He loves pureed pears, apples, bananas, hates veg and fancy baby porridge, so rusks and fruit it is for now. He goes nuts when you feed him kicking his legs, can't get it down him fast enough!!

Check out the pix here

10th May - James Christening - A brilliant do, Godmother Kristina came over from the US of A and we spent the weekend playing catch up usually with a glass of champagne in our hand! On the day the weather was scorching, everyone had a ball eating and drinking it was great. The children's entertainer was fab, keep the children occupied for a while, see pix here....

Patio - In time for the Christening

General March pix -

Tosh Visit - Tosh was on his MT training and had a weekend free so came over for some home cooking & a catch up /reminicing with Iain about their deborched single days in Lossie!