TeamChallis: Catch-up part 5

I think after this post it wont need to be a catch-up (don't speak too soon C!!!).
28th December
We had not made any plans for new years and were just enjoying teamChallis being at home together chilling out. After all the Christmas crafting had (literally) been wrapped up, I wanted to get on with making the new curtains for Squidge’s room. We spent a lovely couple of days, with the fire going in the back room, me sewing at the kitchen table, the girls playing with new toys, M making cakes and us all just being together. Those days in particular were just the loveliest.

29th December
more chilling…

Granny and Grandpa invited us down for new years and we thought that would be nice so packed up a few things (including the unfinished curtains!) and set off.
30th December
We drove down in the morning with Mary Poppins playing in the back on the DVD so a peaceful journey. We had a nice afternoon with the girls enjoying more cuddles with Granny

and then the main event….

The girls really loved swimming, Fidget was very happy without armbands, floating about, swimming or jumping in with her noodle (though she did keep battering Granny with it in a rather slapstick way), so also had a few goes at swimming without it and was undeterred by a bit of sinking. Squidge was also really happy in the water and was wearing her armbands that only just kept her afloat, she really enjoyed jumping in from the ledge that runs round the sides of the pool. Standing on the ledge she is up to her chest in water and then would jump in towards Granny after counting to 3. At one point Squidge was stood playing on the ledge with Granny next to her who was talking to Faith, I just saw Squidge mouth “1…2…3” before leaping in on her own, Granny had pulled her back up in a second but the funniest thing was when she came back to the surface Squidge just huffed and said crossly “I can do it myself!”
Aunty M, Uncle A and C&J arrived that evening after the girls had gone to bed. C&J were settled and the rest of us sat and chatted while I happily hemmed one of the curtains.
31st December
Granny, Aunty M and M took the kinder out for the morning, I stayed to work on the curtains, I had to finish the hemming and then place the header tape and tack it so that they were all ready for the final stitching of the header tape when we got home. It was actually really handy as Granny and Grandpa have a good sized lounge floor area and with the kids out of the way it all went smoothly. It was very enjoyable with Hitchcock's Rear Window playing on the TV in the background. Just as I finished and was about to make a sandwich and sit down they all arrived back, so pretty good timing!
They kids had a great time out, exploring at a cool forest playpark. Apparently Fidget was very helpful getting into tight spaces to help the little ones who were out of reach. They had a walk through the forest and then some lunch.

The girls really loved playing with their cousins again…

Then it was swim time!…

After the kids were out, M jumped in to have a swim against the current. Grandpa took some video of him and M has been analysing his stroke!

With the kids in bed, we had a lovely supper then enjoyed some trivial pursuit, champagne and lots of lovely food before a bit of Jools Holland, more champagne and bed by 12:30!
1st January
The girls were up at 5:50, I was supposed to get up with them but didn't hear them until 6:20 when M already was giving them breakfast. I went down to send him back for his lie-in.
When everyone was up and ready we decided that a walk along the beach would be a perfect new year’s day activity. The weather at Granny and Grandpa’s was overcast but dry. We drove down to Sandbanks, with the weather getting wetter the closer we got. We parked up at Sandbanks but Squidge was fast asleep. I stayed in the can with her and everyone else braved the beach.

Squidge woke up just as everyone was coming back. Granny had packed a some lunch and undeterred by the weather the kids had a picnic in the back of Aunty M and Uncle A’s car.

we had umbrellas, it is really hard to see from these pictures, just how wet it was, we spent most of the time laughing while the kids munched and looked at us in a puzzled fashion.