#CountryKids on Orrest Head

It was glorious sunshine on Sunday so we joined forces with more of the family to take a walk up Orrest Head in Windermere. We took the slightly less well known route which was well signposted:  

It was easy to follow the route and its obviously well used but we mostly had the path to ourselves despite the blue sky:

It's one of the easiest hills to climb in the Lake District but we were glad of our hiking boots as it wasn't all dry:

The day was so warm that we were glad to get into the shade of the woods:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Family Fun #R2BC

My last week as host until October! I will be handing back to the wonderful Jo at Ojo's World for September. It's been lovely to be back hosting and sharing all your happy posts. Here are mine for this week:

1) Feeling positive

I took this picture on Aldingham Beach this week and got the most positive feedback for months on my Blipfoto account:

2) Fun with the family

You can see by all the blogposts this week that we have been having a lot of fun together with our wider family during the holidays. Here is a very cheerful photo of my son and I on top of Orrest Head on Sunday (I haven't blogged this one yet!):

3) Birthdays

These are always reasons to be cheerful and we celebrated my dad's birthday this week:

4) Working

I've been enjoying working as a nursery nurse this week. There is something about spending time with babies that makes me all happy! 

Please link your posts and grab the badge...

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#CountryKids at Grange over Sands

To make up to the children for the Laurel and Hardy museum we detoured on the way home to Grange over Sands. My mum had been told that there was a fabulous sports offer for families on the promenade. On arrival it doesn't look too much like a coastal prom:

We had parked in the first car park (turns out there is a cheaper one further into town..) so had a bit of a walk down the prom. Whilst I bought the tickets for the sports the children tried out the free exercise kit:

Tickets for a family were only £5 which could have given us a full day access (we only had 1.5 hours):

The boys chose tennis as their first activity whilst the rest of us went for a more sedate game of bowls:

After a while I challenged my sister in law to a game of putting:

Ulverston and Laurel and Hardy Museum

After our walk on the beach we headed to Ulverston in search of lunch. Despite living in Kendal I hadn't really explored the town and found some fascinating things to photograph like this old fire insurance badge on an 18th century house:

We knew the Laurel and Hardy museum had a cafe so we were searching for the location of this celebration of one of Ulverston's most famous sons:

The town is rightly proud of Stan Laurel and there is a statue in front of the town hall which provides a good photo opportunity:

The museum itself is located in the ground floor of the cinema around behind the town hall:

#CountryKids on Aldingham Beach

 

Our local Parkrun wasn't on this weekend so we traipsed all the way to Barrow instead as my brother wanted to do a bit of a run on his holiday. Nice to catch up with some folks and complete a hilly course:

As we had dragged all three generations with us almost to the end of the Furness peninsula we decided to try and entertain everyone on the way back. First up letting the dog have a free run on Aldingham Beach. Like all beaches in Morecambe Bay you have to watch out for quicksand but there was plenty of room for her to run around whilst the children made a big splash:

This is one of the years when there has been an influx of jelly fish to Cumbrian coasts and the children found several washed up on the stones:

My daughter had a lot of fun hunting for shells. These were just some of her haul:

#CountryKids Fell Foot Parkrun

 

My daughter has been busy on an activity week this week so we haven't had too many chances to get out as a family. Luckily we all went to Fell Foot Park Run on Saturday for fresh air and exercise:

It was the perfect kind of weather for running as it wasn't too hot or cold and it was dry. We all started together but my son soon shot off into the distance and I could just see him way ahead of me all the way round! He finished 8 minutes ahead of me... My daughter wasn't feeling too well and soon lagged behind me even though she beat me at Race for Life. I was waiting for her at the finish and when I called her name she dragged a sprint finish from somewhere:

I am so jealous of her flying feet and beautiful style:

With a well earned virtual medal each it was a quick stop for a photo before heading for the cafe:

We all love the family friendly atmosphere of Parkruns and the fact you get the full range of ages from 4 to over 80 taking part. For those of us not completely pegging around the course there is time to chat and encourage each other. One man shook my hand afterwards as I had kept him going on the second lap! We are looking forward to being Parkrun tourists tomorrow as we head over to Barrow as the English Stone Skimming Championships are being held at Fell Foot.. 

Reasons to be Cheerful: Proud Mummy #R2BC

When my children have driven me up the wall on one afternoon I have to focus on the more positive things they have done this week! They do feature quite highly amongst my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) A proper bedroom
Its 2 months since we moved into the house but because my son's room needed major work its been the only room not done. This week my dad and I finally rebuilt the high sleeper (an interesting 3D jigsaw) and I have been moving all his furniture into the house. He now has a room in which he and his new friends can happily play with Lego or whichever toy they fancy:

2) Family Parkrun

My children were bribed to get up and do Parkrun this week with the incentive of their RMR Kid's Virtual Race! My son flew round to get yet another PB 26:03 and finish 2nd in the boys under 10 category (a fab result for an 8 year old!). Big sister wasn't feeling great but managed a sprint finish and a time of 37:19 which was her first proper completion of the course. I am still out of condition but not displeased with a 34 minute time.

3) Garden

My mum is working hard on rescuing our inherited neglected garden. She and my daughter went shopping with a house warming present to buy roses for the flower bed: 

4) Blue Peter Badge

In her last term at primary my daughter took part in a day's Eco project to bash Himalayan Balsam on the shores of Windermere. The class were all awarded a green Blue Peter badge which arrived in the post this week:

What has made you smile this week? 



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#CountryKids on the Lancaster Canal

 

We were very lucky to be taken for 5 nights on a narrowboat on the Lancaster Canal by my parents. A very much needed break away from it all. We boarded Bluebell at Tewitfield Marina which is currently the most northerly part of the Lancaster Canal that is fully navigable:

After being shown the ropes and having our steering observed we headed south along the canal under one of the many beautiful bridges:

They are all numbered (the numbers start in Preston) so you know where you are: 

The canal is a haven for wildlife and this was just one of the many herons we saw:

This canal was built along the contours of the land (makes it intriguingly wiggly) so it has no locks but does have a swing bridge that the children helped to shift:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Back to health and canal boating #R2BC

Updated post!
Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) Feeling better
After over a week of being almost confined to bed and maxing on pain killers I am finally back on my feet and active again. I may not be 100% but its so much better than being in agony and horizontal!
2) Time away
My parents took us on a narrowboat break on the Lancaster Canal on the Bluebell. It was just what I needed to recover from being under the weather. The majority of the trip was in glorious sunshine which really made me smile. I will write a bigger post about this at some point:

3) Winning things

I was lucky and got pulled out of a hat to win this Phoenix goodie bag from a Facebook competition:

So please grab the badge and join in and share your happy posts!

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Reasons to be Cheerful: My family and other animals #R2BC

Back to hosting after the wonderful job done by Jo at Ojo's World and running late already! I had to dig deep for my reasons this week having spent most of it stuck in bed due to problems with my jaw and reacting to the meds.... However I am now mostly back on my feet so here is what kept me smiling through the pain:
1) Running bling
I had forgotten about some virtual races that I had signed up for so I was very pleased to get 3 lots of running bling through the post this week:

Virtual races mean that you can take part in an event with 100s of other people without having to travel miles to do so. Perfect when you live miles from most events like me:

2) My son having fun

My son has made a nice little group of friends in our new street. I sometimes fall over a group of them playing on our Wii but they are also often found outside playing cricket and football. He even got invited out to Barrow Baths with one of the boys:

3) Junior Masterchef