A two hour drive from London

Every school holiday I take the kids to visit my parents. My husband has to work but joins us at weekends. My parents live in Coventry, a two hour drive away from London. They still live in the house I grew up in. Me and the kids sleep in mine and my sisters old room. The things that they get up to here remind me of what my sisters and I used to do as kids.

Cleaning the fish pond

For example, today Mini Me 1 and Mini Me 2 helped my dad clean the fishpond along with my nieces. They got covered in algae but had a blast doing it. The last time they were here they spent hours gardening with my dad. We don't have garden back in London so they really make the most of the outside space. In fact today I tried to take them to Coventry Transport Museum which they actually love, but they told me they'd rather play in the garden. Fine by me!

Blackberries

I'd have chosen that option too as a kid, mainly because I hated museums, but also because today my youngest sister was around. She's the exciting Auntie, me and my husband are the boring parents! My sister helped them to pick blackberries and told them how the blackberry bush was some kind of a portal to the fairy world. Apparently she's going to help them to make blackberry pie tomorrow.

Fire extinguisher

I hope social services don't come after me for this next part, but then my dad got the kids to light a little fire and showed them how to put it out with a fire extinguisher. Personally I thought this was a great little activity but you know how social services can be sometimes! Usually the kids would have been doing some random tasks with my mum too but since she wasn't feeling well today they tried their best to look after her by bringing her biscuits and anything else they thought she needed.

Monster Trucks

Their day ended with going shopping with my middle sister and then all five little girls sitting in bed together, watching 'Monster Trucks' and eating popcorn. That gave me a bit of time to write this blog post!

Spending time with family

I feel that my children are blessed having loving relatives on both sides of the family. I treasure these relationship and don't take them for granted. They have to be nurtured and built by taking the time to see people and spend time with them. And the school holidays are the perfect time to do that.

MummyImperfect x