Holiday in Spain - the beginning

It may be nearly a month since we left for Spain but I am now going to write a my holiday diary.
We left home around 9ish on Tuesday 11th September, met up with Richard and Lou and Julian at Saxmundham and had an uneventful ride down to Portsmouth, arriving about 3.30.  After boarding we went and found our cabins - tiny spaces with one of those shower pods, but comfortable.
7.30 the next morning and we were sitting at the stern of the ferry watching dolphins leaping and diving really close to the ferry. A great sight.
We docked at Santander at 5 o'clock that evening and spent ages waiting in the bowels of the boat until they let us off at about 6 ish.  Richard and Lou had been waiting at the side of the road for us and were beginning to wonder what had happened.
It rained all the way to our overnight stop at Santillana Del Mar, but at least we managed to find the place in daylight.

Supporting Team GB

We are doing our bit to support Team GB in the 2012 Olympics

A lovely winters day

We had such a nice day today, it's midwinter but the sun was shining.
We went for a stroll along the beach, the first thing that happened was


He really wanted a swim!


He didn't end up going in though (it was a bit chilly)
He fell in love with Crabby


And Buddy had fun in the sand and rock pools





Then we went to the park and for another walk on another beach and along the river and watched a seal frolicking up and down the river.
I love it when the sun is out

Our new pet

Meet our new pet, Lawson found him today at the beach and insisted on keeping him.



It's a crab, a dead crab that Lawson has called Crabby. And in case you are wondering what he is sitting on, that's his nest! Because all crabs have nests don't you know!

Our day today

Despite having a bad day (my worst so far!) we had a great day

We spent the morning with friends (Lawson tells me he will be marrying Martha)



We then all had a nap and at 4 we headed over to Warrnambool as a whale had washed up (already dead) so we walked out as the sun was starting to set to go have a look.
The scenery was amazing, I can't wait to show you all around when you come over






We ended the day with bath time capers in our ugly laundry/toilet room (but the boys had fun)

A Kangaroo and his Joeys

Everything is a hat!

My little Princesses

How gorgeous are my girls!

Utterly cute boys

Look at these cuties

50s find

Hey Charlotte,

This little beauty will be on its way to you tomorrow when I get to the post office. Found it in the trading post. Hope you havn't already bought a teapot?!

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Flying shoes

The boys are extremely happy with their new shoes (thank you Kate and Kieran)

Of course Lawson was able to work out what Kate and Kieran couldn't. In order to make the magical flying properties work you just needed to press the silver button!













Buddy's trousers look pretty darn cute too
Xxx

Hilarious!

Ha ha ha!

Guy has fallen in love with the latest addition to the Coulson household!

Nicky put a couple of goose eggs in the incubator after the goose stopped being broody and one of them hatched last week. As its on it's own with no brothers or sisters, guy has felt sorry for it so it has definitely caught the attention of guy! Yesterday, he brought it up to Nicky in bed at 6am! He came back at 7am to find Nicky had put it on the floor as she didn't want it pooing on her freshly cleaned bed sheets and promptly put it back on the bed where it pooed everywhere! Ha ha!

I asked Nicky if he was this adoring of us as children and she said not - I'm a little offended!

We are now having to be extra careful as we walk around the house to make sure we don't stand on it as guy & Nicky are keeping it out all the time!

It is ultra cute though!

Book Recommendations...

You asked for it Charlotte! Here is a small list of books that I have read and recommend.

Fallen Series by Lauren Kate

·         Fallen

·         Torment

·         Passion

·         Fallen in Love (Short Story)

·         Rapture 

Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick

·         Hush Hush

·         The Dungeon of Langeais (A short story in the Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love Anthology) _ This is the first I have heard of this book! I am going to get it!

·         Crescendo

·         Silence

·         Finale – Expected release date 23^rd October 2012

Midnight Breed – Lara Adrian (I have some hard copies of these books but I am not sure if I have lent them to you in the past?)

·         Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1)

·         Kiss of Crimson (The Midnight Breed, Book 2)

·         Midnight Awakening (The Midnight Breed, Book 3)

·         Midnight Rising (The Midnight Breed, Book 4)

·         Veil of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 5)

·         Ashes of Midnight (The Midnight Breed Book #6)

·         Shades of Midnight: (The Midnight Breed, Book 7)

·         Taken by Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel (book #8)

·         Deeper Than Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel (book #9)

·         A Taste of Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novella (short story featuring Danika who first appeared in book #1)

·         Darker After Midnight: A Midnight Breed Novel (book #10)

·         Midnight Breed #11 (title and release date TBA)

·         Midnight Breed #12 (title and release date TBA) 

Immortals after Dark Series – Kresley Cole

·         The Warlord Wants Forever (now released on it’s own, it was originally found in the Playing Easy to Get anthology). This short story introducing the series. The story of vampire Nikolai Wroth & Valkyrie Myst the Coveted

·         A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1)

·         No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2)

·         Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night (The Immortals After Dark, Book 3)

·         Dark Needs at Night’s Edge (The Immortals After Dark, Book 4)

·         Dark Desires After Dusk (The Immortals After Dark, Book 5)

·         Kiss of a Demon King (The Immortals After Dark, Book 6)

·         “Untouched” as found in the A Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology

·         Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark, Book 7)

·         Demon from the Dark (Immortals after Dark, Book 8)

·         Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark Series, Book 9)

·         Lothaire - expected release date January 10th 2012

·         Shadow’s Claim (The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist) - by Kresley Cole – expected release date August 21st 2012 (this is the first Immortals After Dark spinoff book)

Legend by Marie Lu

·         Legend

·         Prodigy (Release date 29^rd January 2013)

Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

·         Divergent

·         Insurgent 

Starcrossed Series by Josephine Angelini

·         Starcrossed

·         Dreamless (Release Date – 5^th July 2012)

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

·         The Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1)

·         Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices)

·         Clockwork Princess (expected release date November 2012)

I've just found this blog which has a very very long list of books and reading orders.

New Rules of Lifting for Women

This is the new programme I am doing to try to loose some fat and increase my muscle. I am really keen to get into lifting weights and this book has been recommended by lots of people as a great way to start. The programme basically sets out workouts and eating plans/recipes to follow. I am trying to keep the eating side as simple as possible and, after researching what established weightlifting women's diets look like (See Jen Comas Keck's blog), I have decided to do as follows:

• 5 or 6 meals per day
• Each meal to include: Protein, fat, vegetables.
• More complex carbs on workout days but only in the morning (I may just add in porridge for breakfast on workout days)

My eating hasn't been as consistent but as weigh in is a week tomorrow, I am really trying to buckle down this week!

On the workout side of things, I am really eonjoying it and am definitely starting to get stronger. This is how I have improved so far:
Squats - I started these using 15kg and have increased this to 30kg. I am working out later today and plan to give 40kg a go! Wish me luck!
Deadlift - I started deadlifts using 15kg and have recently moved up to 40kg.
Push-ups - When I started I was only able to do 5 full push-ups off the floor and now I can manage all 15!
On the negative side, I really wish I was doing this with someone else. I want to take this really seriously (like you would do any sport that you start e.g playing hockey) but it is really hard when you are doing it at home and on your own. As the local gym is rubbish I am doing it at home in my home made gym:

However, Mel came round last night and has said that she is quite keen to start doing this too which is great news! I am not sure yet how committed she will be but at least she is showing an interest and she is planning on coming round on sundays and wednesday to have a work out with me!!

My ambition is not to be skinny but to be strong and healthy. I have a couple of pictures that are really inspiring me:

Oscar....

Sorry it has been a little while since I last updated the blog with my news so thought I'd fill you in on whats going on...

The biggest news is that I have recently become an Aunt again! Horray! Oscar was born on the 30th May - 5 and a half weeks early. He was 5lb 1oz. Poor little thing has suffered Jaundice and has recently been diagnosed with Meningitis! We are still not sure which strain on Meningitis it is but he does seem to be doing really well. Luckily Leon and I were able to go and give him a cuddle before the jaundice and meningitis were diagnosed - I don't think we are able to cuddle him now :(.
Anna is doing really well and, although she can't feed as his suckling reflex hasn't come in yet, she is still putting him up to her breast and expressing to keep her milk coming as she is determined to feed him once he is able to.
He is very cute!

Australia and Borneo here we come!

Yippy I have finally managed the time to edit the blog! Let me know what you think and if you think there are any other changes needed.

A quick update on us Morling's... I have finally finished my mentorship module, although I do not yet know if I have passed! This is a huge relief and I now feel I have loads more time on my hands (Apart from having to work nights the past few weeks).
Kieran has just about finished his final essay for his masters course and just has some revision to do for his final exam. After that he has to complete a placement alongside one of his work colleagues and then he is done!

So because of the boring essay writing we haven't really been up to too much. We have managed to squeeze in watching few good films, including In time (With Justin Timberlake) and Thor (A marvel film, which we thought this was going to be pants, but it was actually really good in the end. Were looking forward to watching The Avengers now). We also managed to squeeze in watching the full Harry Potter series for the fourth time since christmas!

Since I handed my assignment in my main focus has been booking our holiday to come out and see you Dumesny's and then stop of in Borneo on our way home!!!
We have booked our flights, finalised our itinerary, and now just need to book up a few of the hotels.

Our itinerary is as follows:

20/09/2012-21/09/2012 London Heathrow to Melbourne via Brunei
Two lovely weeks to spend with you guys. I'm leaving it up to you to sort our activities! 

5/10/2012 Melbourne to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah via Brunei


Our Borneo adventure:
Day 1 We arrive late, so we plan to transfer straight to Ranau for some sleep and then wake up to a view of Mount Kinabalu

Day 2-4 Travel to Poring from Ranau and either spend the morning relaxing in their hot springs or perhaps some canopy walks. We should then get picked up from Poring and have a short trek to our Jungle hut (Lupa Masa). Here we will be sleeping in the open, bar a thatched roof overhead. We hope to spend two nights here. The reviews on trip advisor are amazing - Amazing pools, waterfalls, noises of frogs and gibbons to wake you in the morning, snakes, centipedes etc etc.

Day 4-7 Journey over to Sandakan by bus (Sabah's second largest town). We get collected from here and taken to Sakau Rainforest Lodge for our 3 night Orang Utan Search! This includes various treks and tours down the Kinabatangan river. Hoping to spot some Orang Utans, Proboscis monkeys, Pigmy elephants, hornbill etc etc.

Day 7-10 Early morning flight from Sandakan to Tawau. Here we are collected and transferred to Pom Pom Island. This looks like paradise! We plan on doing some snorkelling, kayaking and perhaps diving. It apparently takes an hour and a half to kayak round this island. We are here for 3 nights and the aim will be to recharge after all the trekking we will be doing, before heading back home.

Day 10-11 Flight back from Tawau to Kota Kinabalu. We will spend the night in KK. Possibly check out a market in the morning, before catching our flight back to Heathrow.

15/10/2012-16/10/2012 Kota Kinabalu to Heathrow via Brunei. We have 7 hours in Brunei, so might be able to go out and grab some lunch in the capital.

We are so excited!!!!

Speak soon. Love you all! xxx

Abundance of eggs

When I woke up this morning I think we had 85 eggs! and that is not including duck or goose eggs. So I thought it was about time I did something about it...... so after making copious amounts of ice cream (vanilla and lemon freeze flavour), creme caramel (apparently really good made with goose eggs), more pickled eggs and some macaroons - (not made yet but that is next on my list), and collecting 5 more today, I will be down to about 60.  Anyone got any ideas?  If I have two more days of using up this many eggs I should have things a bit more under control.

Our Day on Tuesday

Woke up happy

Boys had a wrestle and a bounce on our bed

Went to the park with friends

Maddy and Erin came for lunch and a play

We hung out at the beach until the sun started to go down.

We are having a lovely time enjoying the sunshine but we miss you all xxxxxx

To Tring

I have had a lovely weekend with Ruth and Alistair.  Went down Saturday morning, arriving about 11 ish, bringing a bag I had made forh Ruth, which she loved.  

Ruth and I went shopping in and I discovered a new shop called and bought a pair of trousers.  Then Alistair suggested Ruth and I go out for a meal while he stays to look after Paul, so we went to the local Indian a had a really good meal.  On Sunday Paul wanted to go out so he treated us all at Prezzos where we met up with Lorna and her boyfriend Ollie, a lovely young man. They had just been out and bought a new camera as Ollie is a photographer.