Ann and Sam

New skates

2012-01-21T10:01:00.000Z

2011-12-24T17:07:00.000Z

Lego

2011-12-05T08:12:00.001Z

The stationery truck! Calling at stationery village.

Inspiration from the Lego Ideas Book.

Cake

2011-12-05T08:05:00.001Z

Sam has been baking away, ever since watching Junior Bake-off.

He will even be making his own birthday cake for his party next week.

2011-11-06T16:54:00.000Z

Training

2011-10-28T21:01:00.001+01:00

2011-10-17T21:33:00.000+01:00

Day 1, year 4

2011-09-24T16:15:00.001+01:00

Off to school.

Up a tree.

Italy

2011-09-12T23:11:00.004+01:00

Swimming in the lake is the BEST!!

Cornwall

2011-09-12T22:31:00.000+01:00

Crazy golf may be a little over-represented here, but it was fun!

2011-09-01T12:43:00.000+01:00

Goodbye, blue sky.

Padstow

2011-08-21T00:01:00.000+01:00

Good times.

2011-08-06T18:35:00.000+01:00

This is where we live.
It really is this nice.
Richard took it, he's good at that kind of thing.

Hey Frida!

2011-08-06T18:31:00.000+01:00

Sam

2011-08-06T18:30:00.002+01:00

I seem to be neglecting the blog. Probably mostly because I'm not taking pictures. I have no idea how I'm going to put a calender together this year. It might consist entirely of holiday snaps.

At the courts

2011-06-30T23:19:00.000+01:00

Practising his Andy Murray.

New toy

2011-06-30T23:14:00.000+01:00

A tabletop pool table. Sam bought it from Martin's newsagents round the corner, for £10. Bargain!

The Lakes

2011-06-12T15:22:00.001+01:00

Another school holiday already. We ventured up to the Lake District for a few days stay at YHA Windermere. Here you see us taking a jaunt along Striding Edge. We did it! Yes!!

Night at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

2011-06-12T15:14:00.002+01:00

Love this place.

Scary muffin

2011-06-12T15:14:00.001+01:00

A green tea muffin.

Kitted out

2011-05-26T15:52:00.000+01:00

and ready for the Blenheim Duathlon!
Go Sam, go!

Celebrations in Legotown

2011-05-06T23:52:00.002+01:00

Congratulations to the Mayor and Mayoress of Legotown, who were married on 29 April 2011. Legotownsfolk lined the streets to be a part of this historic occasion and to wish the couple well.

We went to the charity shop over the easter holidays and bought...

2011-05-06T23:51:00.003+01:00

A typewriter,

a set of golf clubs,

a pair of sunglasses,

and (not pictured), a dictionary, a thesaurus and 2 plates.

London

2011-05-06T23:50:00.002+01:00

We popped into London over the school easter holidays.

We watched fast runners,
and zipped about on bikes (the way to travel in London on a sunny Sunday morning).

(Thank you John for taking the action cycling shots)

Bletchley revisited

2011-05-06T23:49:00.000+01:00

Making the most of our year passes.

Hanging about

2011-05-06T23:46:00.001+01:00

In the garden.

At home

2011-03-29T22:57:00.000+01:00

Hat cricket.

More Legotown

2011-03-29T22:56:00.000+01:00

Out and about

2011-03-29T22:53:00.000+01:00

Airfix

2011-02-21T21:29:00.001Z

A German plane. For Airfix plane fights at school.

Welcome to Legotown (a bit like Summertown, but smaller)

2011-02-21T21:28:00.001Z

Sam's lego town is developing rapidly. Updates to follow.

Basketball

2011-02-21T21:27:00.003Z

Hello 2011

2011-01-16T22:41:00.000Z

The National Museum of Computing

2011-01-16T22:35:00.002Z

Some pictures from a while ago when we visited the computing museum at Bletchley Park.

Here Sam is playing Alien 8!

Unfortunately they did not have Sabre Wulf.

Flags

2010-11-07T08:23:00.000Z

by Sam

The Den

2010-11-07T08:22:00.000Z

It took two trips to Shotover to collect all this wood.

The Den lasted two weeks and was then shredded by the gardener (during half term, in front of our very eyes).

St Catherine's College, Oxford

2010-11-07T08:19:00.002Z

Way back in September, on the same day we went punting, we visited a couple of University buildings as part of the Oxford Open Doors event. At St Catherine's College, Sam wasn't much interested in the tour, so I gave him my camera and off he went. The result:-

Yes, I took the last two. Check out Sam swinging about in an Arne Jacobsen Swan Chair in the college library. The life, eh?

Sam's bike, an update

2010-10-23T09:16:00.013+01:00

Thought I'd let you know how Sam got on with his bike that he adapted. Here he is taking it for a spin.

And I'm not sure what's going on here. Just thought I'd throw it in.

More punting

2010-10-23T09:16:00.012+01:00

We love it!

And thanks to an extended summer, we got to go again, yey! (This was back in September, I'm just behind with posting.)

The next day it rained..

Not that it made any difference to Sam.

Crazy boy.

We're properly into Autumn now.
Sam has built a den in the garden (that'll be my next post). He's also been rescuing trapped miners, using his sleeping bag as a tunnel.

Year 3

2010-10-23T09:14:00.002+01:00

Back to school.
Not the official first day of term photo, but I can't post that one as Sam was crying in it. Not at having to go back to school, which he was fine about, but being forced to have his photo taken. Cruel mummy.

Brussels

2010-10-03T10:53:00.000+01:00

At the end of the school summer holiday, we popped over to Belgium to spend a few days in Brussels.

Brussels was great. We visited the Atomium:-

Look! It's the future, 1950s style.

But the main reason we went to Brussels was to visit Musee Hergé (the 'Tintin museum'):-

It's chocca-full of Hergé's artwork, and everything that could be known about Tintin.

I really enjoyed it (and I wasn't the Tintin fan).

In fact, it turned out to be a bit of a Tintin-spotting trip.

Of course, we stayed at the YHA (I think Sam might find it odd if we were to ever stay somewhere that didn't have a table tennis table).

On our way to Belgium

2010-10-03T10:41:00.004+01:00

As we passed through London, on that very rainy day in the last week of August, we popped into the V&A to see the 'architects build small spaces' exhibition, which I thought Sam might like.
I did not mention the 'm' word (museum).

Look, here he is peeking out of a teahouse on stilts.

And here we both are, inside the teahouse on stilts.

This small building was fun to explore:-

But I think Sam's best bit,

was running around in the V&A's 'garden water feature',

in the rain.

Then off to Angela and Luuk's for pasta, with pesto that Luuk made (and Sam loved it!! I really must try making it myself).

Holiday snaps

2010-08-23T09:52:00.002+01:00

You get the idea.

Tree and physics-related fun

2010-08-07T23:35:00.013+01:00

Here you find us geocaching our way around Harcourt Arboretum.

We used a GPS gadget (the yellow thing round Sam's neck) to find 'geocaches'. These appeared to be metal army-surplus boxes. Hidden in each were various 'tree and physics-related activities' for us to do along the way.

It really really was a fun and educational day out (for all of us)!

It's been organised by the University of Oxford and the Institute of Physics, and is running over the school summer holidays.

Recommended.

End of term

2010-07-25T14:44:00.009+01:00

Sports day (the yellow team won)

Sam modeling presents for the teachers (it was supposed to be a picture to go here, but Sam decided he had to be in the shot too).

Sam inscribed each notebook for his Year 2 teachers.

Thanks to the World Cup, Sam has acquired an impressive knowledge of flags.

(I can't take credit for these last three pictures, which Richard took, of course).

Spot the difference

2010-07-04T11:33:00.001+01:00

Sam / Geriatrix

Sam's bike

2010-07-03T09:44:00.006+01:00

Sam customised his bike. Inspired by Dennis and Gnasher (and helped by Richard).

2010-07-03T09:42:00.003+01:00

A day on the river

2010-07-03T09:02:00.016+01:00

... or a half day, to be precise.

Punting and Picnicing on the River Cherwell. Fab.

I am a robot

2010-07-03T08:55:00.004+01:00

Meet Kartell 4967.

Broad Haven

2010-06-07T18:58:00.030+01:00

We went to Wales last week for a few days as it was Sam's half term.

We stayed in Broad Haven at the YHA.

We being Sam, me, Nonna, Helena, Richard, Angela and Luuk.

Helena, Nonna (mum), Sam and Richard.

We went straight to the beach (a short walk from the hostel) as soon as we arrived.

We had one grey morning, which cleared and then we had sunshine for the rest of our stay.

Sandopolis, Sandovia (in the foreground). Built mostly by Richard and Sam.

Richard, Sam and Sam's friend that he met at the hostel, and who was a whizz at Uno (we taught him Pontoon).

Before he got his wetsuit, Sam wore a shirt to go surfing in.

The sea was cold. Most people going for a swim seemed to wear a wetsuit. Angela just ran in, then swam.

Angela and Sam, body surfing (I believe that's the correct term).

Table tennis at the YHA. Angela, Luuk, Nonna and Sam.

Travelling home.

Geodesic dome

2010-05-23T21:31:00.002+01:00

Last week, on the CITV program 'The Big Bang', the presenters made a geodesic dome from newspaper and staples. I suspected Sam might want to make one for himself and I was not wrong. He went to the website and printed out the instructions. We raided the flats' newspaper recylcling bins for broadsheet newspapers. We all helped out. Ta-da! Our very own geodesic dome. Unfortunately it started to collapse the next day. We are waiting for more broadsheets to be discarded to the recycling bins, and then we will make a new dome. We will cut exact lengths of newspaper tubes to be held together by precision stapling for a better, stronger, dome. That's the plan. I'll let you know how it goes.

Summer evenings

2010-05-23T19:48:00.005+01:00

Is it summer now? The sun has been shining. Evenings have been spent playing cricket and Sam made a tent. Fingers crossed we get more good weather.

Bletchley

2010-05-23T18:26:00.005+01:00

These were taken at Bletchley Park. Sam doesn't look too perky in the last picture, but we did have a really good day out and will go back again (with our tickets that last a whole year!).

DENSITY!

2010-05-01T08:48:00.016+01:00

For Sam's science project this year, which was left pretty much to the last minute (but not as last minute as last year), Sam tested whether objects sink or float in water. Recognise the objects anyone? Yes, the experiment was conducted at Nonna's who generously supplied all equipment required for the investigation (a bowl of water and some things from around the house). Thanks mum! Here's Sam outside the flats. I love that blossom. It'll probably all be gone tomorrow.

New belt

2010-05-01T08:42:00.004+01:00

I expect these are very similar to the pictures I posted of Sam's last grading, only with different coloured belts. Here Sam is being tested for his orange-with-yellow-stripe belt, which he is now the proud wearer of.

Lahndon

2010-05-01T08:35:00.003+01:00

For dinner with the family at Angela and Luuk's. A good evening. Pictures aren't great I'm afraid.

2010-04-14T16:49:00.003+01:00

Local park opening

2010-04-06T20:08:00.007+01:00

An opening ceremony of our recently refurbished local playground took place the other weekend. It was opened by the Mayor (I'm guessing by his fancy necklace) and Bill Heine (off the radio, and of Headington Shark fame):-

Sam in his Plus Fours!

Hello again, Internet

2010-03-20T17:04:00.021Z

Here we are orienteering our way around Shotover Park, back in February. The sun was out and it was a perfect day for wandering about the woods. Richard came along too. Before we left, I suggested to Sam that he might like to take a compass. He returned from his room wearing an ocarina.

We didn't zip about like some of the other, more serious, competitors and, unlike the last time we took part, we managed to come last! This was due to us a) getting a bit lost at the beginning, and b) taking a couple of extra-curricular exploration breaks on the way round. Plus, we picked a more difficult course this time. Other news - I made a Battenburg cake. Using this recipe. Yum, yum, yum. This is how I cooked cakes of different colours in the same tin (using foil and baking paper):- Lego..... Guess who built this? I put a new picture on the wall. Still loving that wooden floor. We cycled across Port Meadow to the Perch, which was rubbish. This picture shows the path to the Perch. We were expecting a pub, which it used to be. But now it is an expensive, poncy restaurant. There wasn't a good feel to the place and we won't go there again. I like the Trout. The Trout's great. Sam dressed up as Tintin for World Book Day. He's a big fan, it was an obvious choice. I should have taken a picture of the cover of 'Cigars of the Pharaoh' as Sam's outfit was a pretty good match for Tintin's. Unfortunately for Sam, he just doesn't have Tintin hair, and our ultra-mega-hold hair gel did not work. Sam has since become quite fond of wearing Plus Fours.

Old photos

2010-02-07T12:41:00.016Z

This is Sam's most recent school photo, taken at the end of last year.

Like the pose? Seems it's a family favourite. Here's Julie:-

Julie recently put the old family slides onto CDs. The other day she sent me these:-

2010-01-31T16:47:00.004Z

Sam loves boiled eggs, but I'm rubbish at making them. I took these pictures because on this occasion, I got them just right, (and Julie and Kieran, you get to see your Christmas present to Sam in action).

This years batch

2010-01-31T16:42:00.003Z

Yum yum yum

Visiting Nonna

2010-01-10T13:38:00.005Z

We took the train to Reading to visit Nonna for her birthday.

Walking to the station.

Smiley mum, and not-so-smiley Sam.

Happy Birthday Mum!

Obligatory snow pictures

2010-01-10T13:30:00.006Z

Shotover Park

2010-01-10T13:08:00.007Z

A post-Christmas walk through the woods in Shotover Park.

That's Sam's glove in the tree.

Smart new playground

2010-01-10T13:02:00.006Z

All the local playgrounds seem to have been upgraded lately, one by one, and now the one on our road, next to the tennis courts, has been done. It's much better than the old one. These were taken on New Years Day. Sam was hoping to try out his new tennis racket, but the courts were all locked up.

Christmas

2010-01-03T15:02:00.005Z

Sam's new (Indiana Jones) hat.

My new (Inspector Gadget?) hat.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Party time

2010-01-03T14:57:00.005Z

Sam's swimming/balloon/Michael Jackson party. Thank you photographers!

Baking

2009-12-05T12:38:00.001Z

in the kitchen. With our new cork floors!!!!! Cake made by Sam. Delicious.

Floors revealed!

2009-12-05T12:23:00.007Z

At last, freedom from carpet moths. How amazing are these floors? Big THANK YOU to my co-workers, Richard and Angela.

Robox

2009-11-07T15:55:00.001Z

On his jet board.

Saturday at the Science Museum

2009-11-07T15:51:00.003Z

Sunday in Regents Park

2009-11-07T15:48:00.002Z

So proud...

2009-10-17T15:57:00.006+01:00

It's important to have good skills - you know like nunchuck skills and bowstaff skills....

Finstock 10K

2009-10-03T12:44:00.008+01:00

This was the Finstock 10K Fun Run at Cornbury Park on 29 September 2009. Angela did the 10K and Sam ran the children's one mile race. The results are here: http://finstock10k.googlepages.com/. Pre-race warm up. (We all joined in.)

A lovely lovely day, and sunny too.

Most of these pictures were taken by Richard. Thanks Richard! And thank you Angela for mentoring Sam on his first race.

Camping Weekend

2009-10-03T12:18:00.006+01:00

We went camping with Julie and Kieran. Just a one night stay at a farm in Uffington, right by the White Horse. It was cold at night, and a cockeral went off at some silly early time in the morning. But it was fun. We even had a campfire!

Day 1, Year 2

2009-09-13T23:16:00.003+01:00

A spot of tennis

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at the local courts

Cool laser beams in the sky.

Sam vs. Richard.

A quiz at the museum

2009-09-13T23:02:00.003+01:00

I took a LOT of pictures in Padstow

2009-09-13T22:25:00.015+01:00

Fish and chips for me, Julie and Kieran, and a pasty for Sam.

Julie remembered to pack bunting!

She made it with shiney and retro-y fabrics.

That's Julie and Kieran sat on the end of the wall (click to make it big).

Sam's Holiday Cereals.

YEAH Kieran...

Lovely picture.

We built a sandcastle.

Which had stables, and an allotment.

Crab fishing! We only got two, but they were big ones. Our secret - mackeral heads for bait.

Bit of macro action. I can't help it.

A night of dancing

2009-08-08T18:49:00.007+01:00

and flying! (to the music of Michael Jackson)

Thanks for the pictures Richard!

Sam and Digby

2009-08-01T14:09:00.002+01:00

Sam's at Playscheme for the first few weeks of the summer holidays. He got to have a go at horseriding!

We Love to Punt

2009-07-26T11:02:00.011+01:00

I love this picture that Sam took of me, steering us through the jungle. (I was so busy posing for the photo that I failed to spot the approaching tree.)

We stopped for sandwiches.

Soggy shorts. Oops! Sam took a dive just after we'd parked up. Poor baby. I bought him an ice cream and we got the bus home. He dried off quick enough, and although he was embarrassed at the time, it has now become a tale of extreme bravery and adventure.

Sam's grading

2009-07-26T10:58:00.010+01:00

Sam is now a red-with-black-stripe belt.

Allotment Soup

2009-07-26T10:56:00.002+01:00

We grew carrots that look like carrots!

Gratuitous shots of the allotment

2009-07-26T10:51:00.007+01:00

Because I still can't believe that we are growing stuff we can eat.

2009-07-16T17:53:00.000+01:00

Allotment update

2009-07-05T16:20:00.012+01:00

I seem to have forgotten to take pictures recently. It's not that we haven't being doing anything though. Just forgot, I guess, and sometimes, just too busy being part of the action.

So here is a picture of the allotment.

See my fruit cage, built from bamboo? Growing in the allotment are: broad beans, garlic, courgettes (hope they make it), raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and some herbs. This weekend pumpkin, rocket and more carrots were planted (thank you Angela and Richard for your help).

The broad bean harvest has been plentiful.

So we've been eating them with everything.

Sam's school played football with another local primary school. I wish I could put more pictures up, but this is the only one of just Sam.

Sam discovers Richard's iPod and turns into a grumpy teenager.

I nearly forgot.. I'm mentioned on another blog, check it out:-

http://ukhandmade.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-sewing-in-kit-form.html

Shoreham-by-Sea

2009-06-13T10:55:00.026+01:00

These two were taken just outside the Youth Hostel which was at the top of a hill.

Over the half-term school holiday we went to Shoreham-by-Sea for a few days. We stayed at the Youth Hostel (paid for with Tesco Deals Vouchers, thank you Tesco). Breakfast and evening meals were included, so it was a real holiday for us both. We had a GREAT time, and will definitely go again - everyone welcome to come too! Thank you Angela and Luuk for Sam's new plane, we got some good flights (and it is still in full working order).

I went to Ikea and bought..

2009-06-13T10:50:00.005+01:00

a box of Instant Rye Bread Just add water, shake and pour! It was very nice.

Superhero

2009-06-13T10:37:00.001+01:00

Can you guess which one?

Sunday morning sunglasses

2009-05-17T09:59:00.006+01:00

The "sunglasses family", as Sam called them. Julie, what is on your hand???

New toy

2009-05-17T09:55:00.008+01:00

A plane. Fantastic fun!

Mr. Strong

2009-05-17T09:07:00.007+01:00

Well, he did have eggs for breakfast.

Fun with...

2009-05-17T08:57:00.006+01:00

an office chair.

Nunchuck practice (at the allotment)

2009-04-22T19:16:00.005+01:00

Busy busy busy

2009-04-11T10:21:00.006+01:00

These remind me of that advert for toilet paper where the company is being run by a small child. Sam loves that advert. I'm not sure whether he really believes it or not, but he always stops to watch it and comments on the fact that the company is being run BY A CHILD. Richard, we didn't break in to your flat to take this picture. It's from when you needed our IT support the other week when you were away (you know, when you asked us to turn your computer off and on again).

I asked Sam to wash his face

2009-04-11T10:10:00.004+01:00

Mothers Day Card

2009-03-29T11:39:00.003+01:00

"Thank you for lookaftering me and driving me to school and cooking me my supper and washing up the dishes"

And TWELVE kisses. How lucky am I?