Our Great Days Out Part 3

So, we have had Jennifer and the kids staying with us for the week and have had some fun with them starting with Mollie and Lacey taking me for a walk and doing some berry picking, it was fun.... Shannon decided she wanted to stay indoors on this one...

Picking and eating, oh joy!

Blackberries

A natural seat 

Time for a break

Back to Southend with Jennifer, Steve , Mollie 10, Shannon 7, and Lacey Mae 2 and a bit. Unfortunately Grandma had to work so we dropped her off and headed off.

Like Holly and Charlie in Part 2, Mollie nd Shannon made the cut for the 'big' rides but, and Mollie forgive me, you are a wimp and your 7 year old sister and cousins put you to shame but then you were always a more delicate wee flower and we love you dearly, wimpy or not xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anyway, who cares they had a great time and so did Lacey Mae and Grandad hitting every kiddies ride and whooping it up no end  and getting some funny looks and again who cares, with our exuberant and loud screams of delight and laughter as we gently meandered around the various wee rides from flying pink elephants to viking longboats to jungle adventure trains to the green dragons and the old wild west ghost train, loved every minute of it and it did take the strain from my weary legs and feet......

Adventure Island 

Shannon and Mummy

Lacey Mae

On the Dragon Boats

Shannon relaxed on the 1st fast ride,
 Mollie not so much!

Mollie decided not too..

On the Jungle train

Like Charlie and Holly, time for a break in the arcade room and Shannon found the pirate shoot em up like Charlie, dad Steve gave here a wee hand to get her eye in but it was only for a few seconds and then she was off like her cousin mowing down the pirates and assorted beasties and sinking ships and at the end of it her final score gave her the 11th highest scorer on the leader board.... I think Charlie will want to get back on there to beat that score but for now girls 1 vs boys 0......

Time for a break on the shingle beach and a bit of paddling and a soaking but it got worse when they moved back to the promenade and the water jets! Lacey Mae is still not to impressed about getting wet though!

Mummy nicking Shannon's candy lollipop 

just resting my eyes, honest 

Yes Granddad, I know I am beautiful

Me and my three babes 

that's close enough dad!

Mollie! it just shot up me knickers...
screams Shannon 

Ok, I'll give that a try too then! 

the drive home 

Another knackered wee soul 

Mumm's tub of candy floss 

A doughnut and an ice cream with flake 

Our Great Days Out Part 2

And so our great days out with the grandkids continue as we headed to Adventure Island on two occasions with the two sets of grandkids....

By the end of each day I was really dragging my feet and shuffling along like an old guy but the laughter, smiles, hugs and kisses of thanks are guaranteed to banish any blues I might have been feeling and I am looking forward to many more days like these....

Adventure Island - Holly and Charlie

We started the day, after breakfast at MacDonalds and a trip to hospital for granddad to give blood pre chemo treatment , with a trip along Southend Pier and at 1.34 miles from shore to end of pier it is the longest 'Pleasure Pier' in the world although I really do think they need to change the description,  Since the 'great fire' of 2005 (there have been many more previous to that) all of the 'Pleasure' parts of the pier were never replaced and while it is still an interesting visit when in Southend it hardly warrants the tile given to it having a cafe and the RNLI station and shop so somewhat of a disappointment to visitors who expect to find something else at the end of their long walk or train ride to the end of it! But, the kids enjoyed the trip anyway and Charlie got another Baseball cap to add to his growing collection but for the life of me I can't remember what Holly purchased......

and then it was off to the theme park known as

Adventure Island 

This isn't terribly big (thankfully for me) but they really have crammed a lot in to the available space and the kids had a great time and so did we watching them.  Grandma Ishbel was finally let loose behind the wheel of the dodgems ands she too had a great time - Holly said Grandma was fine but looking at the photos there is one in particular where I think a 'gesture comment' is being made! Charlie and Holly are 7 and have now just made the cut, size wise to get on the 'big' rides and they were both fearless dashing from one ride to the next and back and forth with Ishbel and I trying to keep up with them. it was knackering but worth it....

Holly: Breakfast at MacDonalds and a few games on
their machines to start the day 

Charlie waiting for his pancakes and maple syrup 

Charlie, just let hope it doesn't Bong!

Holly and a Ferris wheel flower display she liked 

Holly and Grandma with a funny hat 

Waiting on the roller coaster to start 

Stomach churning!

A Gentle Ferris Wheel 

Charlie: you can just see the double
thumbs up!

Charlie looked ill coming out of here
Holly, all smiles! 

OH, Granddad! The queues, The queues!

Ha, watch the hat 

That'll teach Charlie ...

 Finally stopped for a break and they ended up in the arcade on the game machines and we thought we were never going to get Charlie of the Pirates of the Caribbean shoot em up. Eventually though and thankfully for me and the girls, his cred ran out and his final score came up where it showed he came 45th on the table out of 1000.  He better not read the next post on Mollie and Shannon's visit though he might not like Shannons' score!