Family Holiday

 After the intense time we had had with all that was involved with Hannah & the busy time of organizing her funeral & having my parents here (not that we weren't glad to have them), we decided to take a short holiday away as a family to recharge the batteries a bit & give us a little space to regroup & reconnect. We booked 4 nights at Danland Holiday Centre in Fåborg at the start of Spetember.

While there we spent one day in Svendborg, visiting Naturama in the morning & then Valdemars Slot in the afternoon. Joshua liked looking at the animals & doing the few activities that they had there, but nothing held his interest for very long & I really think it's probably more suitable for a slightly older age group. He was most impressed with the whale display & still talks about the BIG whale.

Valdemars Slot was very interesting & they have impressive display of hunting trophies (the stuffed, animal head on the wall type) that was very interesting. There were all sorts of animals from all over the world, even a giraffe!! Unfortunately you were not allowed to take photos L. We had been recommended to try the apple cake there, so after touring the 3 stories of the slot we ordered a pot of coffee & 2 apple cakes, & sat outside with a view of the sea to enjoy them.

The next day we decide to just have a quiet day. There was a nature play area in the area that we had read about, so we decided to go there & have a look. It was a windy day & I had forgotten to pack my  coat, so Tom suggested we go into town first & see if we could buy a rain set for me (as I didn't need another jacket). A rain set is something you really need in Denmark, but I/we had just never got round/been prepared to pay the price to buy one. So finally after 6yrs living here I have a rain set & it's a really good quality one AND I only paid 500kr for it.

On our final day of our holiday we went to Odense Zoo. Joshua absolutely LOVED it.

I think Tom did too!!

Joshua's 3rd Birthday

The celebration of Joshua's Birthday was a very drawn out affair. It started on the 18^th of August with his party. We held it this early so the my parents could be here for it. Due to all the uncertainty & upheaval with Hannah, I only managed to get the invitations out a week before his party, so many already had other plans. So it was a very small party, with only 2 of his friends & our parents, but this was fine.

The theme was a soccer party. So the invitation was a soccer ball & all the food was round. There was meatballs, cheese ball chips, melon balls, soccer ball biscuits. The cake was a soccer field complete with plastic players & soccer ball candles.

He is still VERY much into trains & playing with his train set & had been going round for months asking for various pieces, so he received a couple of them. While in Skejby he had learnt how to ride a løbecycle & had LOVED racing up & down the corridor & round the tracks in the play area of the Family House. So Tom's family all put together & bought him one.

On his actual birthday, we went to McDonalds for morning tea (received vouchers for 2 free Happy Meals & coffees). Then the ladies at my International Ladies Group threw him a party at the library where we meet each Monday. Then it was home for some quality family time & dinner, followed by all Tom's family coming over for coffee & cake.

The Friday after his birthday it was time to celebrate his birthday at Playgroup. I made soccer ball cupcakes & he had happy birthday sung to him & received a book.