God brothers and seaside fun
Our mammoth weekend (few days) of fun included lots of outdoor excitement and fun. We were staying with my best friend’s parents at their farm in Lincolnshire, so it was a chance for N to get to spend a bit of time with his ‘god-brother’. Plus of course, they’re only a few minutes drive from the seaside – a real treat when you live in the middle of the country.
N loved spending time with my 15 month old godson and vice versa. I think my godson was amazed by what N got up to, and N definitely played up to him. He was playing silly beggars with food for the first couple of days. He turned down all dinner on the first night even though it was some of his favourite foods…until dessert got brought out. And then breakfast the next day was similar. He didn’t want cereal or toast, then eventually decided to eat 2 yoghurts. Thankfully that didn’t last long, as my friend’s parents have always been impressed with N’s good behaviour and eating habits, so I wasn’t best pleased.
We crammed lots into the couple of days we had. It’s always hard when one slightly older child wants to be on the go all the time, and a younger one still has naps, but having family nearby meant N and I could shoot off and see them while my godson could still get his naps in. Hopefully next time we see them we’ll be able to do a bit more without being tied so close to home.
I love reminiscing about my childhood holidays with relatives in the area. We walked along Cleethorpes prom (no beach for us the first day which N was gutted about)
went on the lollipop train
and walked up to the ‘castle’ which isn’t really a castle but just a spiral walk up alongside and into a stone circular structure. At the top I had a very odd discussion with a man taking a teddy bear in period costume up to the top to be photographed. They take the bear to lots of different places, dress him in different outfits, and organise events, so if you come across a Kingsley bear, I’ve also met him!
A ride round the boating lake was also on the cards in the afternoon, so N loved riding around the lake shouting at the ducks and geese. I was a little wary about him riding too close to the water, but no accidents befell us, which was good as it would have been a little on the cold side at this time of year.
We spent half an hour on the beach enjoying slopping sand, seaweed and shells. N loved being on the beach and didn’t want to leave despite the weather being a little damp and very cold.
We rounded off the day popping in to see my second cousin. N by that stage was getting a bit annoyed and kept saying ‘I want to go home’. I think it was his refrain for the weekend, as he kept saying that, even though before we left he was excited saying we were going on holiday.
We’d promised to take the boys swimming at the weekend, but my godson was a bit bunged up with cold. Instead N and I went the next day. The last time we’d been swimming in that leisure centre was during his water wobble days and he cried and moaned the whole time. This time he loved it (once we’d sorted out the car parking issues).
We took his woggle with us, so he did a bit of swimming and had some fun being silly with my second cousin who we bumped into there. The bit he really loved and was intrigued by, was being able to go from walking to swimming and back to walking again because the pool has a gradient unlike any of the pools we swim in at home. The bodyboards were a bit of a treat too, although we didn’t stay in long enough for the wave machine. I can’t say he really did much swimming, but I definitely think having a fun session in the water meant he got a lot more confidence even with all the other older children and adults in the pool at the same time.
The only downside to going away is then having to do the travelling. N never really wants to do anything in the car so either just sleeps for a bit or gazes out of the window (2 hours of that and I’d go spare!). I do like having cruise control in this car though as it really makes the M1’s 50 mph speed limit easier if not bearable. So a few days away, a bit of a break, and a lovely if short, catch up with my best friend. Roll on the next time.
Do you go back to any places you holidayed at as a child? How have they changed?
What a great mini break for you both! It’s great being able to re-visit places that hold lovely memories from your childhood – which you’ve now passed onto N. Lots of great outdoor fun and activities during your stay and a chance to catch up with friends. Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.
It was a great trip and brilliant that the weather just about held off so we could get outside lots. Roll on more dry weather.
I didn’t do many holidays as a child – I am a farmer’s daughter so family time away didn’t really happen. I did go to Weymouth twice with friends though but have never been back since. What we did though do was go on holiday to France when the boys were little and then moved over here!
To everyone else, you’ve got a holiday all the time, but probably doesn’t feel like that for you as it’s life. It amazes me some of the holidays that children nowadays go on. For us, it was always UK, staying with family or in a friend’s caravan, but was always great fun. My OH always uses the excuse of not being able to get away from the farm, although his brother and dad do. He should be able to manage it, although it is a shame that we’ll never be able to go away as a big family holiday with everyone due to the farm.
That beach looks great, so much sand! Looks like you had a great trip away, love the ducks, we don’t have many places to see the ducks by us.
Same here with lack of ducks at home. There is a reservoir which is lovely to watch people sailing on, but you can’t get down to the water otherwise. And no lakes or places to feed the ducks unless we go to Stratford. Thanks for popping by
Looks like such a lovely trip! Though I know what you mean about the journey. The seaside’s a long way for us, too, so it always feels a real treat. A few years ago, before the kids, my brother and his wife, and the husband and I all went and caravanned in Devon, at a place we’d holidayed at several times as kids, which was fun to do 🙂
Ooh love Devon. Really want to take N away for a proper holiday, but the OH’s not really keen on holidays. My friend and I always go away together, but the south coast’s a bit far for her and her son from Manchester. Maybe this year we’ll get there.
Sounds like a lovely trip and the sea side is always an attraction when it’s not close by isn’t it.
Definitely can’t resist going to the seaside even in winter. It’s brilliant for little children and adults alike