Two weeks ago last Thursday, TeamChallis set off for our summer holiday. We went up to Hull which we can highly recommend as a summer holiday destination. We were staying with Grandma and Grandad and doing day trips out. On Friday, Uncle A joined us. The weekend was fairly quiet around the house, and walking into town. On Sunday we were all out in the garden helping out. Uncle A chopped some logs...

Fidget helped out with the refreshments...

M got hold of the hedge trimmer...

It was soon time for a rest...

Grandad found some Fidget sized tools, she was really chuffed...

and soon got to work with some raking...

Fidget enjoyed the tree house...

M not satisfied with the hedge trimming, overheard Grandad saying that a dying fruit tree needed to come down and before you could say "where's the chainsaw?" it was gone. Though the stump took longer to remove...

Later on in the afternoon we got started with a BBQ, Uncle A did a great job tending the coals.

C & J, family friends from down the road came up with their boys D, E and A. Fidget really took to them and they were very patient and playfull with her which was lovely...

Everyone who turned up had a go at getting rid of the tree stump, it was eventually removed and Fidget used her tools to make good the ground. It was a really lovely day. During the afternoon Aunty B arrived, which Fidget was very pleased about.

On Monday we went to Scarborough, which was a fab day out, the beach was really clean with good facilities. Fidget had a brilliant time and it was great to have everyone helping out with looking after Fidget, so it was a very relaxing day.

We made a little camp on the beach and had a picnic lunch.

Grandad and Fidget had lovely cuddles...

and then appreciated each other's hats...

Fidget enjoyed the paddling...

M and I chilled...

Fidget was also very happy playing in the sand.

M and Uncle A decided to go for a proper swim...

(honestly they are both in this picture...)

Fidget really enjoyed playing, particularly filling up Grandma's shoes with sand...

Later in the afternoon we packed up our stuff into the cars and then went for a walk...

we went to the nearby park...

we then drove down to Filey for a fish and chip supper, which was yummy, with a spectacular view...

after eating we walked down to the seafront...

and enjoyed some delicious icecream...

On Tuesday we went across to Hull to the Deep...

photography was allowed but no flash could be used, so the pictures are all a bit grainy. When we arrived a shark feeding session had just started which we raced down to see.

there was a great section where you could touch some of the sea creatures...

Fidget got to touch a star fish.

the tanks of fish were really fascinating...

there was a cool 3D film...

then we stopped for a bite to eat...

before carrying on through to the last section where you walked underneath the biggest tank...

and then up in the lift through the big tank...

That evening M and I stayed in Hull, while Grandma, Grandad, Uncle A and Aunty B took Fidget back and put her to bed. They all did a great job, particularly Grandad with singing lullabys that got a special mention by Fidget the next morning. M and I went to the cinema to see the Time Traveller's Wife, which was lovely and I cried all through the last 20 minutes of it. We then went out for a meal, it was just really nice to sit and chat.

That evening A and B headed home, so the next day it was just TeamChallis, Grandma and Grandad. We set out for York. We arrived and found a nice pub for lunch, where Fidget sampled what were supposed to be the best sausages in York. She certainly enjoyed them and she is a conosour so they may be right. We then went to the minster, but it was so crowded and expensive we decided to give it a miss and went across to York art gallery instead. We had look round. Fidget pointed out a picture of a baby having a cuddle with his mummy which she liked, also sometimes known as the Virgin Mary and Jesus, but I liked Fidget's description. They had a St Ives exhibition with some activities for children which was great. Fidget produced her own masterpiece....

We walked around to the park behind the gallery and had ice cream, and a pause in the shade...

On the way back to the car we saw some great street performers which Fidget was entranced with. It was a lovely day.

On Thursday we stayed at home and had a visit from J&N with their children G, M and R. G is 6 now and apparently had been really looking forward to meeting Fidget again. They played really nicely together.

Little R is much closer to Fidget's age but if anything they were a bit wary of each other...

On Friday we went across the river to meet up with M's family. It was Granny and Grandpa's 40th wedding aniversary and as they met up at Hull university they had come back to spend the weekend with M's Aunt who lives there still. A number of other family members had come across too to join in the celebrations so there was a fair crowd. We went out in the morning to East Park in Hull which has some great facilities including swan rides and boating...

and a small animal centre...

the weather turned rather damp...

so Fidget took shelter under Grandpa's hood...

and we decided it was time for lunch...

then it was back to Great Aunty M's house for food and celebrations...

We spent Saturday and Sunday morning over with Granny and Grandpa, but it was nice to see Grandma and Grandad in the morning and evening. Then on Sunday afternoon it was time for the long drive back. Fidget didn't sleep apart from half and hour at the start, it was a bit of a ordeal and we were glad when by 9:30 we were back in Bristol, particularly as we had been skipping through song tracks to find more calming songs for Fidget. As we got off the M4 to the sound of "Michael row the boat ashore" for the 20th time, I really felt ready to get out and row!

It was a brilliant week, it was really nice to have people helping out with Fidget, to see Grandma and Grandad, Uncle A and Aunty B and M's family, and to have such great day trips. So as I said at the start, I would highly recomend Hull as a summer holiday destination!