Banham Zoo

This was a while ago - I can't even be sure quite when but, it was the kids first trip to a zoo. An introduction to skills of captive wild animals in visitor avoidance. Don't they know that we payed a fortune to see them?? 

The fibre glass dinosaur sets you up to think that you're going to get really close...

 

Exceptions to the rule - camel and ringtail lemurs.

Bess: I can't see the monkeys.
Us: They are in the distance.



Getaway driver. Lets go.

Bessam

Bess and Sam - another park date.

At the bar

Not to be outdone by his sister on the dancefloor, James was drawn to the ballet bar at a dance studio we went to on Wednesday. Good toes, naughty toes and all that.

The real reason we were there was for a beat box workshop that Brigitte's kids were at on their trip to Norwich. So here you go, this is how you do it, BOOT CAT BOOT CAT TIKKA TIKKA BOOT CAT BOOT CAT. But faster than a bullet train and without spitting all over the microphone please, homies.

Traffic's terrible...

Sun den

Sheltering from the blazing heat for a moment, the kids find an inch of room under their slide. Happy days in the garden this week with much alfresco eating, sand pitting, car launching, and bug identification. Also, in the news is the news that Bess has managed a couple of days of perfect pottying. Liberation from Pampers has been a brilliant milestone, though not without its moments (which of course are a little too toiletty to talk about here naturally).

Paper cutting

The start of one quarter of a paper cut commission. Extremely fiddly. Extremely. Fun though and final picture looked really good if I say so myself.

The dinosaurs are coming

We got ourselves a great ringside seat for the arrival of the dinosaurs to The Forum and the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. James shouted 'Duck' at it - his best description for anything even vaguely resembling an animal. Bess took it in her stride too really, though gripped on tight when a brave volunteer put their head in its mouth as part of the 'routine'.

YEah SunshINE

Good luck Daddy

Mike is cycling the Norwich 100 on Sunday. Rather him etc etc...

Get your hat out...

Once again today, Bess and Sam could be heard throughout Mini Monkeys discussing their next lunch date. Sounding much like this,

Bess: Do you want to come to my house?
Sam: Yes.
Bess: Do you want to come to my house for some lunch?
Sam: Yes.
Sam (to me): Am I going to Bess's house?





They'd had three lunch dates prior to catching the above hand holding moment; which seems pretty respectable these days.

Bubbles

Howdy

Planker

Our little gymnast continues to find opportunities to train for the 2020 games.

Minnie

The kids have become rather fond of Minnie, our neighbours cat, who is very relaxed with their unpredictability. 

Meanwhile at the Tailgate Cafe...

Big T and Jimmy Haulage stop for a refuel. Eat a rainbow boys, eat a rainbow.

Melons

Bess and Grandpa got stuck into a melon in the kitchen this lunchtime.

Grand Prix

Bess and James, and their F-for-fun-1car, had a lot of fun recreating a grand prix in the living room.

London Marathon 2012

Bess, sporting her race number 8355, had a lot of fun recreating 'the run' in the living room.

Bouncy bouncy

Leon's sister was having a 30th birthday party today. We were allowed to stop in and try it out before the party started. Featuring The Beatles, Slash, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and Ricky Martin it was with stellar company that our two monkeys got to grips with their first bouncy castle experience. Bess has noted her interest for one for her birthday. Repeatedly.

Young Musician of the Year

Over the top

Meet Bess as Captain Edmund Blackadder and James as Private Baldrick in Blackadder Goes Forth.

Bess as Captain Blackadder,

"Your brain, for example, is so minute, Baldrick, that if a hungry            cannibal cracked your head open, there wouldn't be enough inside to          cover a small water biscuit."

"We've been sitting here since Christmas 1914, during which millions          of men have died, and we've advanced no further than an asthmatic ant          with some heavy shopping."

For Bob (Robert Gaulthier)

Team Howes watching (with surprising levels of concentration) the Paris -Roubaix.

Under

Kids - they just walk all over you...

Say 'Smile'

Bess's first sensible photographic offering from the iphone camera.

Quite arty really...

Nature boy

James. Happiest outdoors.