brodie's birthday trip to the isle of wight

For Brodie's 4th birthday, we grabbed Granny, piled into Sparkly Princess Cinderella and headed over to 'The Island' for a couple of days.

Brodie & Cinderella in pole position on the ferry on the journey out ......

We stopped off at Culver Down for lunch and had a stunning view across to the mainland, plus a very active airstrip in the valley below to entertain us while we ate ......

.... I entertained myself with different settings on my iphone camera ..... the fluffy clouds were just amazing ....

Then we headed over to Dinosaur Isle, the local dinosaur museum. Brodie got a bit scared, so we headed up to the activity room. Tess & Rob had a good look at the skeletons & models in the main museum before joining us so that the whole family could try on the dinosaur costumes .....

On the Sunday, we headed over to the IoW steam railway line and travelled in the poshest 3rd class carriage we've ever encountered ......

..... just coming into Smallbrook Junction ......

Then off to a model railway exhibition in Newport that we had been tipped off about .....

family holiday

More catching up, though getting a bit out of order I fear .... here is the proof that we did more than just be ill on our recent train-themed northward-bound holiday .........

Two very excited children waiting to buy tickets at ThomasLand ......

It doesn't show in the photo, but here are two children running very fast into the park, doing high-kicks on the way .........

Checking out a selection of (mainly) Thomas themed rides ......

Day 2 .... York (and the good camera!) .....

by the river .....

cafe society .....

dancing to buskers with large leaves .....

... dancing down The Shambles .....

still dancing (possibly auditioning for The Floral Dance) ....

Brodie in race mode by the river .....

Day 3 ... The National Railway Museum in York .....

... one little boy in total awe as we walked into The Great Hall ....

... watching an engine on the turntable .....

... checking out the museum guide .....

... two very famous locos (well, one real, one replica - The Rocket is a copy) .....

... but old favourites die hard ......

Grandma & Tess on the Japanese Bullet Train ....

Brodie's new favourite locomotive - The Flying Scotsman - in the workshop, undergoing a full restoration .....

Exploring the museum .....

.... with Auntie Gill who lives near York and came to meet us at the museum .....

...checking out some locomotive designs ....

.... outside at the train playground and miniature railway ....

.... mastering the fireman's pole ....

halloween & brodie's birthday

Brodie's monster mask that he made ......

Brodie's halloween pirate ......

... and Tess's scary fairy ......

Brodie's scooby doo haunted house birthday cake (Tess & Brodie helped to make Scooby & Shaggy from sugar paste) ......

a few recent things .....

.... we've done ......

made chocolate rice krispie cakes .....

Tess chopping veggies for soup .....

science ......

a viking ship we made ......