Muddy Puddles!

It was a bit of a rush getting lunch prepared for the family, who arrived at 10 am, having early-rising children.

Lunch menu -
spinach, ricotta and egg pie,
avocado, mango and cucumber salad,
pear, courgette, pine nut and Parmesan salad,
radish, pea and feta salad,
green salad,
tomato salad,
and new potatoes.

It was gone before I could even blip it.
#2 daughter had been very disappointed that I'd not made her a chocolate birthday cake for her 40th in February, so I made one for our dessert.

While the daughters chatted to Dennis, our Suffolk friend they have known since they were teenagers, I took 3 of the wee ones to the puddles. Yes, more rain here, but luckily it stopped to allow lots of joyful splashing. Nathaniel, 18 months, is stomping at the top, and Ella (3 and a half) is chasing her cousin Thomas, 2 and a half. They all got soaked, as both boys fell into the mud. After that they had a chill out watching Peppa Pig before the 3 boys had nap time. We played a new board game with Ella while they slept.

It was great to see Dennis - who was amazed at the change in our family circumstances - as last time he saw us all was at #2 daughter's glam wedding almost 4 years ago, when there were no children at all. The family and Dennis left in the late afternoon.

Now I must get organised for our next guest who arrives on Tuesday!