Westonbirt Autumn Colours

Evie has been playing with porridge oats on the floor, and enjoyed this quite a bit. Isla joined in too. 

Isla made some spooky spiders from egg boxes and pipe cleaners. She painted hers sparkly purple and blue and red.

Evie has been rearranging the food tins in the cupboard!

We carved a face in the pumpkin from our garden that Isla grew from a seed last spring.

We have also been swimming this week, and had friends to visit. Granny Margaret and Grandad David came to visit too. 

On Thursday it was a warm day (18 degrees) so Isla, Evie and I went to Westonbirt Arboretum. Isla made a leaf crown and a mushroom from clay; they both played at the playground and then we walked around Silk Wood. There were lots of yellow, orange and red maple leaves. We saw lots of dogs. Some other trees that we liked were oak, chestnut, Japanese maple, Japanese walnut, snowdrop tree and smoke bush. The 2000 year old lime tree was there for Isla to peep through. 

Isla found lots of trees to climb. We had a picnic by the maples and then walked through to the Old Arboretum. Isla found a great tree (her 'friend tree') to climb in and spent ages playing in it while Evie finished her nap. Then Evie came to have a look. We've now got lots of colourful leaves to use for leaf printing and collages!

Sea tractors

Isla is very excited when she receives post, especially stickers!

Isla reading some stories to Evie:

Starting a leaf collage:

Isla's snail friend:

We went to Devon for holiday last week. Here we are at Bigbury on Sea, where we watched the sea tractor and then walked across to Burgh Island when the tide went out:

We went swimming every day!

At Plymouth aquarium:

At South Sands beach, where there was another sea tractor who beeped at us when we waved!

Up the steep hill to Overbeck's house and gardens:

Isla looking for Fred the friendly ghost after going through a secret door!

At Salcombe, we had some treats and bought some crabbing gear.

 Catching shrimps at north sands beach:

Catching blennies at bigbury:

We went crabbing at Dartmouth:

At Dartmouth Castle:

Isla on an adventure to see a lighthouse:

Back at home, Evie has been up to mischief with the washing machine! She has also been enjoying looking at books and playing with animal toys and cars. She likes making a woofing sound for a dog and pointing out any dogs she sees out and about. 

Isla went for an adventure at pre-school this week. When I picked her up, she ran out the door to see me and jumped up and down saying: "we went to see some chickens and got some eggs and saw apples and pears!!!!" so she had been on a brilliant walk with her friends. She'd also been dancing and singing at pre-school and enjoyed a bouncy castle at the toddler group autumn party. Evie had a good bounce too. Today they both had a fun swim at the local pool and made lots of safari animals out of lego.