Life with Alby: Summer of 2019 not too shabby...

..not too shabby at all!

I was a little bit behind the boys starting the summer holidays, but once I caught up we kicked things off with a road trip north.

Actually they started with Smalley and I having a day out at Chessington World of Adventures to even the scales after Albug and daddy had their spectacular day at Legoland in May.

Smalley was still a little reluctant to go in the rides to start with but slowly warmed up to them, proving he has grown up since our trip to Paulton’s Park last year when I had to bribe him into every ride. He’s still no fan of the carousel asking when it will stop once we get a minute into the ride, however the bumper cars were a huge hit. As were the fairground games where I spent silly money so he could win naff stuffed toys. Totally unnecessary if you look at things logically, heart warming if you look at things with your heart.

From Chessington to Sherwood Forest to take on the Zog trail followed by an hour on the incredible treetop trampoline network before lunch, play trail and exhausting ourselves unsuccessfully searching for their WW1 trenches.

From Sherwood Forest (well, actually Sherwood Pines, the fun wood next to Sherwood Forest) up to Halifax for a full two days at Eureka!

We love Eureka. Loved it when Albs was two, love it again five years on. We fixed cars, ran a supermarket, cracked codes in the bank, played in the light forest, decorated flowers and butterflies, danced in the lights, powered kaleidoscopes, went mining, played in the sandpit, sat inside a human mouth, watched the digestive system work (with powered burp button) and had a full body scan.

We even ended the trip with treats from the gift shop - a chameleon, a frog and some gems to add to Bug’s museum of naturer (more on this later - if time allows).

From Yorkshire to Stratford-upon-Avon for a journey break in a fancy but dated hotel where we splashed in the spa pool, chased ducks around the garden and enjoyed the final buffet breakfast of the holiday (I do love a buffet breakfast).

Truth be told one of the best things about staying in a hotel for the boys was waking up to telly in bed. And I loved it too - they could watch their cartoons happily whilst I could doze beside them, allowing for a lovely, relaxed start to the day. My colleague at work was saying that her sister takes her son away for a night in a hotel as his birthday present. They get room service, watch telly, walk around the grounds and indulge in the buffet breakfast. Judging from our time away this is something my boys would love!