Grapevine was special this year because we truly felt that God spoke to us through the various speakers about the reasons we came to Billinghay.....
We had reinforcing messages of why it was important to stay within our church at St Michael's and to "speak" to families, to bring them to Christ.
The village is growing and lots of young couples and families are joining in our village life... some are Christians but not necessarily choosing to stay within the village to worship and some not going to church at all... Now, it is so important to have diversity in churches and worship as long as they are constant in one thing... their grounding in the Bible and Christ's teachings. We all have differing tastes.... different methods of self expression.... but we CANNOT use these differences against each other! USE them to welcome new members into the church family.... making them comfortable in knowing that it is OK to think and feel differently whilst still accepting Jesus as our Saviour.
We would like to formulate an opportunity for ecumenical worship, strengthening the village by Faith.... Bringing together those who know Christ whilst welcoming ANYONE who comes knocking at the door... We need to know there are other Christian families... our children need to know that it's OK to be Christian.... we need to SUPPORT one another to grow in Faith, spread the Good News and save in Christ as many as we can..

Last day at the pool.

Well that's it for the season. The Billinghay pool has now closed.
The afternoon was glorious and so Tom and I took all the children up (including Charlotte).
Tom got in for a splash and Leah even went in the big pool, kicking away in her floating ring. She was having great fun with all the big girls coming to play with her.
From 2o'clock it was a fun swim, so they cordoned off the deep end and chucked in as many floats, lylos, rings etc and under the watchful lifeguards gaze the fun began.
The little ones stayed in the shallow end or the paddling pool having their own fun with balls and sinking rings...
I was able (with permission) to take some "farewell until next year" photos, for the pool's blog and managed to get a few of my own brood in... and one of Charlotte who spent most of the afternoon with her head under water!

Saddle sore?

Well we did it!
Ready for the off all bikes safety checked, visibility jackets ready......


Cycled in to Billinghay to check off St Michael's and the Methodist chapel then back past the house to cycle in to Walcott for biscuits and juice at St Oswald's.

The children kept on the pavement in Walcott as the road is busy and we would need to cross on a corner to get onto the cut through footpath....


It's a fast road to Timberland so we chose to use the path instead... nice and quiet with only bemused cows as bystanders!
Besides you can't get this lovely view to Timberland from the main road!










Timed to perfection we visited Timberland's Methodist chapel where Tom was judging ( for the 2nd year) vegetables and cut flowers for their 2nd Annual harvest produce show!





Mmmmmmmmm

We were rewarded with delicious scones and tea before heading on to our final destination.









The wind was blowing in our hair on the way out of Timberland but the hill into Martin was too much for me and my "no gear" bike pulling the trailer!! I finally conceded defeat and handed Benjamin and Leah to Tom who then finished the hill and would have them for the return journey. I felt like I could've flown when I cycled off!!!!
I've got so used to pulling them that I no longer realised how heavy the trailer is!







A straight run home other than a fairly serious puncture to the trailer .... we had brought a pump.... but no puncture repair kit.Duh!
A lovely lady came to our rescue and we were on our way again.






Home safe and sound to a waiting Uncle Mark and cousin Charlotte who we hadn't seen for 4mnths. A lazy afternoon was had by all to recover from the day's exertions!

I would like to say a BIG well done to all three boys who pedalled their way to Martin and back, but an especially tremendous pat on the back for Isaac who despite being 2wks shy of his 5th birthday pedalled all the way under his own steam without a single grumble but a continuous grin throughout the whole 8 mile cross country ride!

We love school!

Well that's the general consensus from the children! Missing the lazy days but happy to be back in lessons and reunited with friends....
Benjamin was most indignant when told he wasn't going to school again today! "Why NOT?"
"Because other children need to go in and get used to the classroom, you can only go on Tues and Thurs for now" "BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR....HMPFFFFF" and off he went with a stomp and arms crossed!!!!

1st day of school...

All boys excited and ready to go... a quiet morning in for Mummy and Leah.


Benjamin ready to go... "Stop taking photos mummy, I want to go to school!"

edit to add: quiet? Leah decided to shove a chopstick in her ear!!!!! Lucky she only scratched the skin off the ear canal and no damage to the eardrum! First time she was in obvious pain.... it was horrible!ll

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Sunrise in Billinghay

Cycle ride

The time of year has come by again! it's time for the Church Sponsored Bike ride
A fun family day out we will attempt 4 and possibly 5 churches!
Sorry it's short notice but we only picked up the application form this morning at the end of the service.
Anyone wanting to Sponsor us is more than welcome!! You can sponsor us pre church visited or as set total.
There are two churches in Billinghay, one in Walcott, one in Timberland and if we feel energetic enough..... one in Martin!
Have a look at the map of our locality to see where we will be going.

Glad to see Bumpa again, what with our visitors at home and our weekend away... we haven't seen him for three weeks! He joined us for the service at St Michael's and a relaxed lunch.... well as relaxed as they ever get around Four Acres! We then went to Walcott and joined in a very sweet Animal Service with pets being blessed.... with none of our own, Matthew collected some bugs (spider, woodlice and worms)in a pot and the little ones took some stuffed animals!
Back home for a lazy late afternoon play and tonight Isaac has decided to brave the elements and go out to the tent with Matthew and Joseph.... Will report back tomorrow.

Behind on everything...

Haven't kept up with the blog... which is here primarily to enable me to remember events, and when they happened... so I'm goinf to write up some of the past days and edit them as I remember what happened when! So if you looked back and saw bank posts with simply a date.... now you know why!!
All four boys are starting school on Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yikes, I haven't checked uniforms ect.