Creating Dinosaur Land!

It's the school holidays. Technically this doesn't apply to Rio, but seems as though he starts Nursery in September, I thought we would pack the time full of extra fun days anyway while we have still got the chance. Like most parenting households, we have baskets and cupboards jam packed with toys. Most of which don't get half as much use as they should! So I'm making it my mission to change that.

Today I took a handful of Dinosaurs out of 'the Dinosaur basket', and ventured out into the garden. Rio was clueless to what the hell I was doing as I was also armed with a baking tray! It was then that I showed him a 'Dinosaur Land', example on Pinterest and his eyes lit up. He got to work fetching mud, stones, grass and a coconut shell (for the water hole). I couldn't stop smiling watching him. At one point he even ran back indoors for a toilet roll tube (craft must have!).

Before long he was too eager to create anymore, he wanted to get stuck in and play and that's when I realised that imagination is everything.

"The little one cant reach"..puts on silly voice.."Hop on my back little Dinosaur"

  "Is this one a plant eater?".. Doesn't wait to response.."He must be, nom nom nom"

 He's always loved playing pretend kitchens, doctors, shops, but for me this showed how little toys children actually need. Most of what we used to today was found around the house/garden. His imagination went into over drive. He surprised me so many times as he talked away to himself. I sat there one the grass, with Niall, realising how much Rio has grown up. And how much, despite my fears, he is ready for school!
 

Mini break adventure!

Work life has been pretty hectic this week but we managed to fit in a mini break to the Lake District that really did make all the difference.

We didn't get off to the best of starts. Our directions led us thirty minutes in the wrong direction, which is bad enough without two young children in the back. In true toddler style Rio was asking if we were nearly there and Niall..well Niall was screaming blue murder! Luckily I'm tiny so had squeezed in between the two car seats and managed to get them to sleep. We spent 4hr47 minutes travelling in the end, which could of easily have been more given that our gps signal vanished and soon after our phone battery. Speaking of phones, I also smashed my IPhone screen that morning.

But anyhow.. we had finally reached our destination and boy was it worth it!

The photo above has been added to my all times favourites. The ones that instantly bring back a memory! I was being a typical 'Mum' and forbidding Craig to even attempt to climb on carrying Niall but he did regardless, much to Rio's delight!

Despite the first day being full of showers we tried our hardest to make the most of it. The next day was a lot brighter but we didn't capture any of it. Instead we spent the day walking and trying to teach Rio how to skim stones.