Had a nice break!

We had a nice day at Woburn Safari Park on Sunday, we started off doing the safari drive and came up close and almost personal with this >

boy were those horns big!! Our biggest enjoyment was the monkeys, I had been telling the girls that the monkeys were going to climb on the car, and was starting to think we were going to be disappointed as they seemed to blank us! It was so funny when a small monkey jumped on the wing mirror of the car in front of us and it broke, it's reaction was priceless, then it hopped back on for another go! Then we had one hop on our car but they jump straight onto the roof so missed some photo opportunities, until we had 3 think 4 at one point jump on, and one came on posed for this picture on my wing mirror

I just loved this mum with her teeny weeny babyThe weather was warm but oh so windy, which nearly spoilt the part of the day the girls were looking forward to, and that was going on the swan boats, thankfully they opened them up later in the day and they got their ride! But our trip ended a bit disappointingly with our 2nd drive around, as they were directing you past where the monkeys were and they were the main reason for doing the drive a second time. With the last safari drive at 5pm taking ours at 4pm we expected to be able to see everything.

We arrived at the travelodge only to be greeted with the fact that there may not be any water as the elecricity was off the other side of the motorway which effected things, we could however be moved to the nearest travelodge should we want to, we said we would stay when they told us they had been informed the water would be back on some time later in the evening. Claim to fame : seeing Jodie Marsh being turned away from the loos (due to the electric/water problem) Matthew said he saw her grab her bits as a child would when they were desperate!!! We went to a nice little pub nearby and had a lovely meal and let the girls have a play on the climbing frame before turning in for the night.

Monday we went to Gulliver's Eco Park and almost had the place to ourselves! There must have only been at the very most 10 families there! There wasn't an awful lot there, but we managed to keep the girls amuzed until closing time. The best part of the day was the cookie making! Hollie was in a funny mood but Lillie took part, and made 'cookie's' (nod nod wink wink!) Matthew said aren't they using any sugar, then when the chap said the cookies were going in the 'magic oven' I worked out what was going to happen. After going into the magic oven the children had to do a little routine, wrapping, packing, sealing, something like this then out of the magic machine came bags of organix cookies!! It was quite fun! we milled around and the girls painted figurines then it was time to bake cookies again, Hollie said she would join in this time if Daddy helped so they both had a go, there was only them and 2 other children!! It'll be a different story in a months time when the schools have broken up for summer! We then headed to the travelodge we were staying at, and asked if there was a family pub nearby we could go to for a meal. The lady recommended a wonderful pub, they did a carvery for £3.50 can you believe that? We can't even get a starter around here for that!!! It was fabulous and very busy, they had a brilliant play area for the children to which the girls loved. The pub was in lovely surroundings, I've never seen so many tables outside before either!

Yesterday was the 'old boys' 40th birthday so when the girls eventually woke up (after a terrible night of coughing due to colds) they gave him his cards and couple of little pressies we had sneaked into the case!

After packing we headed to the 'Sizzling Sausage' for one of his favourite breakfasts, yep a fry up! Then headed off to Gullivers Theme Park, got there bang on opening time, and once again not particlarly busy so really nice not to have to queue for anything. But the day was spoiled by the one thing the girls had really been looking forward to being closed, and that was the fairytale acadamy where they get to dress up and get a certificate, the magic show was also closed, and the tree top swings which they loved last year weren't working! We managed to sneak a birthday cake in the travel bag which we all shared for lunch!

Lillie liked having her picture taken with all of the characters but Hollie wouldn't go near them, the young girl who did the comparing (?) said she would make it her mission to get her to stand and have her picture taken with one of them by the end of the day, and we watched Gilly Mouse do a show and she got her to have her picture taken with her. Then with the lion at the end of the day show!! We had decided to go back to the pub and have the carvery again to finish off the day before heading home.

What a day I've had. The girls are both ill, Lillie has a temperature and has coughed constantly since Monday, and Hollie has cried for ages this afternoon saying that her ears hurt. So an excited sit and wait at the doctors for us in the morning!