Quality Family Time

This weekend has been all about quality family time.

The kids had an inset day at school on Friday so after a late breakfast we got the train into London, destination Winter Wonderland.

The kids enjoy going on the train and the tube and this time were able to look at the tube map and work out where we were going, what line we needed etc. 

We got off the central line at Marble Arch and went to Prezzo for lunch. It's somewhere that every member of our fussy family is catered for. The kids love the garlic bread and last time we went the boy tried the meatballs and liked them so we were onto a winner (in pizza express the only thing he will eat is dough balls, 3 portions!!)

Being on a low residue diet can make eating out quite tricky but I had a goats cheese risotto with garlic bread...nice and white, which is my general rule of thumb for low residue- if it's white, it's all right!!

For those of you unfamiliar with a low residue diet it is basically a diet that has very little or no fibre in it. So no fruit except melon and no vegetables apart from carrots and on a good day I can tolerate a little bit of salad. No brown bread, pasta or rice and no nuts, beans and pulses. As a vegetarian it makes meal times erm, interesting. 

After lunch we walked down through Hyde park to winter wonderland and who did I see in front of me when I was buying ride tokens? Anneka Rice. I used to bloody love Challenge Anneka back in the day and I have to say she would still look pretty amazing in a skintight leotard onsie- she hardly looked as if she had aged. 

Anyway, we had a walk through Santa Land and the German market stalls on the way to ice skating. (Mental note: would love to actually go to an actual, real German market. Add that to the bucket list and talk to my German friend about that!!)

Ice skating wasn't so great. They crammed soooo many people onto the ice and the ice was really, really wet. The boy struggled so I had to take him of and change him to twin bladed ice skates. Big girl was fine under some twat who was speeding round showing off knocked into hubby and the 2 kids, causing hubby to land on top of her. After that she wanted to come off as she was soaked through. 

Luckily I was warned about the wet ice and had packed a change of clothes for the kids so we got them changed before heading over to the circus. I hadn't skated incase someone banged into me or I fell on the ice and knocked out my new line or did some other damage (and secretly I was quite pleased to just be a spectator)

By the time we got to the big top I was completely exhausted and sat down on the floor in the queue. When they let us in and we sat down (front row seats, yay!) I was so pleased to be able to rest for an hour. 

The circus was great although I'm a bit worried that my children's career aspirations may now involve running away to the circus. The boy wants to be a juggler and plate spinner and big girl one of the gymnasts. 

We had a quick maccy ds before getting the tube back. We were going to look at the Christmas lights in covent garden or Oxford street but big girl had cub camp so we had to get back for that. 

After dropping her off we headed home and I was glad to get into bed. It had been a brilliant day but I was very tired. My parents had driven down to stay with us for the weekend so they were here too. 

Saturday the boy went to beaver camp for the day so it meant that I got to have some time with my mum and dad. Mum did all my ironing for me and Dad put the new toilet seat on. I say new, I actually bought it 18 months ago but had not got round to doing it! 

Mum & Dad changed the kids beds so that the Christmas duvet covers were on for when they got back from camp and Dad helped me to clear some stuff from the loft room and take it to the charity shop. Very productive day. 

The boy had thoroughly enjoyed himself at beaver camp and its such a relief that he's joining in with things like this now. He was covered in mud from the reindeer hunt but that's a sign of a good day. 

Hubby was out on a stag do in Cheltenham which he really needed. Over the last few months he's not really had the chance to get out much so because mum and dad were here to babysit me (and drive me to a hospital incase of an emergency) he was happy to go and could let his hair down without worrying about me & the kids. 

Saturday night I went out with my coffee group- more about that in a separate post. 

Sunday morning was quite lazy until the time came to go and collect big girl from cub camp. They had a family sing song round the camp fire and the St Paul's brigade were in fine voice! 

Big girl had really enjoyed herself and told us all about the mud slide, Christmas dinner, cracker making, archery, climbing, alphabet challenge, girl throwing up in her dorm...I was tired listening to her. Not sure how much sleep she got over the 2 nights though- early night all round I think!

Big girl had asked if we could have Sunday dinner altogether as her and the boy love a Sunday dinner but when I'm not at home there's no way they would get one from Daddy! Pasta, pizza, spaghetti, chicken dippers, more pasta and fish fingers are his specialities! 

Being close to Christmas we got the crackers out and I threw a few cocktail sausages onto their plates for good measure. Here's the motley crew!

After lunch it was time to say bye to mum and dad as they had to drive back to Nottingham. After they had left we all snuggled on the sofa to watch Saturday nights Strictly Come Dancing, a firm family favourite in our house. 

I had to go to bed for a nap as the long weekend has totally taken it out of me but I wouldn't change a second of it. When I'm poorly, stuck in hospital its getting home to be able to do these type of things that keep me going. It really is the little things that you treasure and having spent so much time away from hubby and the kids it makes weekends like this even more precious. 

NB x