We walked, weaved, tie-dyed, pond-dipped, climbed, abseiled, zip-wired (ok, those last three only apply to Chloe, I'm not great with anything that resembles exercise ;) ), had a big BBQ and campfire, a communal pasta meal (thank you so much Jennifer and Leah!) and just generally had a great time. 
I was expecting it to be fun, and was a little anxious about meeting so many new people, but it actually felt like a weekend with friends and was not only great fun but also very relaxing. It was a revelation to me to find that I so enjoyed spending time with the children too. Having always been very stressed out by birthday parties and playdates, I had concluded that I found it stressful being with other people's children - which, of course, made me feel a rubbish parent! This weekend showed me that I've just been spending time with the wrong children. Without exception, the children were absolutely delightful. I had gorgeous conversations with Jake and Maya - and I'm envious of Maya's wardrobe too, lol - and meeting Verona, who is so kind and thoughtful, was a huge privilege. Meeting older children too, who are so good natured and caring, and seeking advice from their inspiring and wise mama... I felt blessed to be in the company of such special people.
We were all sad to leave, but took with us some car boot bargains (the magic eye book is continuing to provide hours of entertainment - mainly for Phil), some gorgeous tie-dyed clothes, some weaving and some wonderful memories. Thank you so much to Rachel and Ian, and to everyone who was there, for making the weekend such a fabulous experience. It was a tough act to follow, but the rest of the week has been fun too. We spent some time with my parents before travelling to London to stay with my Aunt. We visited the Science Museum and the Diana Memorial Playground and generally got very hot and bothered! We'll definitely plan better next time and look up the exact buses we need in advance - and Chloe's keen to have tea with the Queen so perhaps we'll see if she's free. 
The traffic jams meant our journey home took five hours, instead of two and a half, so after some major tantrums, we finally collapsed, ate fish and chips and went to bed. Yesterday was a day for playing in the paddling pool and feeling happy to be home (apart from Phil, who played cricket for eight hours and wished he was at home instead). So with one afternoon of half term left, we've got lots of washing and ironing to sort, some beanbag frogs to make for birthdays tomorrow, some clay we promised ourselves we'd play with and a garden that looks like a jungle. Oh and a little boy who is teething and tired, who has been feeding for the entire time I've been writing and who was almost asleep but is now grinning at me with wonderful wickedness in his eyes. Happy holidays!
The traffic jams meant our journey home took five hours, instead of two and a half, so after some major tantrums, we finally collapsed, ate fish and chips and went to bed. Yesterday was a day for playing in the paddling pool and feeling happy to be home (apart from Phil, who played cricket for eight hours and wished he was at home instead). So with one afternoon of half term left, we've got lots of washing and ironing to sort, some beanbag frogs to make for birthdays tomorrow, some clay we promised ourselves we'd play with and a garden that looks like a jungle. Oh and a little boy who is teething and tired, who has been feeding for the entire time I've been writing and who was almost asleep but is now grinning at me with wonderful wickedness in his eyes. Happy holidays!
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