BANK HOLIDAYS: lazy days

The last bank holiday of the summer, spent lazing in the garden in the sunshine. The girls bought some of their guys out, we had a picnic lunch and Coralie searched for bugs. Happy, lazy days.

SCOTLAND: friday

A few weeks ago we headed to Scotland on a very special trip. We got a bit of money after my Dad died, and going on an adventure was one of the things we decided to spend some of it on. My Dad had visited the Highlands a few years ago and he absolutely fell in love with it, and I knew the girls would love roaming free in the beautiful surroundings, so we decided to make it our destination. It was also our first holiday with just the four of us. We've always been away with family before, so it was extra special. It was also the perfect opportunity for the girl's first airplane trip - only about an hour from Bristol to Glasgow airport.

I think Phiney was most excited about the flight! She told everyone who'd listen that we were going on a plane, and we went through what the take off and landing would be like almost every day in the weeks before.

Coralie was as equally excited about getting a bus (we don't ever need to catch a bus!) from the car park to the terminal, so as soon as we arrived at Bristol Airport, both the girls were pretty excited, and they both LOVED the flight. Josephine loved when the plane sped down the run way before take-off and Coralie loved shouting 'ready, ready' as we were coming in to touch down. Our flight to Glasgow was incredibly cloudy, and we only broke through the clouds minutes before we landed, but our trip home was so clear, the girls spent the whole time looking out of the window and marvelling at the tiny world below.

When we arrived at our beautiful Airbnb cottage on Thursday, there was just enough time to head to the village and grab some fish and chips, before bed, and with the hugest pouring of rain on Friday, we hung out in our house lots, explored the grounds (we had bought waterproof everything, so were very prepared!) visited the Sea Life Centre on Loch Lomond and Ben went on a whiskey distillery tour and made his own unique brew (do they call it a brew with whiskey?!) It was a really lovely relaxing day and the girls loved exploring their Scottish home (and I loved taking photos there - it was so beautiful!)

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Josephine: A favourite summer dress of both mine and hers, and those 3 day old plaits. Things I want to remember from this summer.

Coralie: Covering her ears as the trains whizz past. She was half scared and half exhilarated as we stood on the bridge!

FOOTBALL AND CLIMBING: raising girls

On a Saturday afternoon, there's nothing better than grabbing the football and heading to the meadow for a kick about. Both the girl's love football - Josephine is getting really good, and Coralie is starting to realise that she should be kicking the ball not just picking it up and running off with it! We couldn't leave without a quick go on the swing and the slide, and a spot of climbing too. Both our girls are pretty fearless, although I think Josephine's hitting more of an age where she's aware of what could happen if she fell, and she's a little more wary sometimes. Coralie on the other is happy to launch herself off anything, and trusts that someone will be there to catch her...even if they don't expect to. Ben's face in one of the pictures of Coralie mid-air is so funny, and sums up exactly what I'm talking about!

Simple, outdoor adventures like this are what summer and childhood is all about, and hope there are many more lazy days like this to come in the summer holidays.