Farewell to the Space Shuttle – 21st July 2011

Today, the final US Space Shuttle, Atlantislanded safely, bringing to an end 30 years of space travel and 135 missions since the first launch in 1981

The safe landing of Atlantis (STS-135) Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Here’s how it was seen on Twitter:

The Space Shuttle’s missions may be over.  It will never be forgotten.

Rebekah’s Sports Day – 19th July 2011

After taking a half-day from work, I found myself driving back home through heavy rain and wondering whether the whole Sports Day would still go ahead!

I arrived in Maidenhead as the children and parents were swarming out onto the playing field.  Sports Day is a big day at Rebekah’s infants school and all the children take part.  Teachers play various roles on the day and one of these was Master of Ceremonies.  This involved using a megaphone that crackled louder than the words that emerged from it!  Others helped by ringing bells at opportune moments, keeping the scores and generally maintaining some semblance of order among the excited participants!

The children were split into four teams (Red, Yellow, Green and Blue) and there were nine different events which were laid out around the field.  They stayed in their classes and, after each event, participants and spectators moved on to the next one.

The weather had dried up by the time we were ready to begin although the clouds were still looking somewhat threatening!

Sports Day getting underway beneath a threatening sky

Rebekah’s first event consisted of throwing three quoits into a hoop and then running around a cone.

First event underway

The second event was an egg and spoon race.  Holding a spoon with an egg balancing on it, competitors had to run a short distance before returning to the start.

The egg and spoon race

Rebekah’s third event was the baton relay which involved running a short distance and back with a baton, before passing it on to the next person in the team.

The Baton Relay

The fourth event for Rebekah was skipping.

Skipping!

Following the skipping, we moved onto bouncing a tennis ball on a tennis racquet whilst running.

Tennis ball bouncing

After this, we moved onto beanbag throwing into hoops which demanded real concentration!

Beanbag throwing

With just three events remaining, we moved on to running between markers laid out on the ground.

Rebekah putting some effort into her running

The sack race was Rebekah’s penultimate event.  Sacks have changed a little from my day, when brown cotton versions were the order of the day.

Rebekah enjoying the sack race

Rebekah’s final event was dribbling a football between markers.

Nimble footwork required for the final event

Fortunately the weather remained dry throughout the programme of events.  Once again, everything had been both well organised and well executed by the school and the dozens of parents and grandparents headed home more than satisfied with the afternoon’s activities.

Holly watching with her friend Evey

Emily seemed less than impressed

Emily’s First Birthday – 16 July 2011

Emily enjoyed a low-key first birthday today and celebrated mainly with the family.

Rebekah and Holly played the roles of helpful sisters by helping Emily with the unwrapping of various presents and cards.

Emily looking a little overwhelmed by her presents

Starting to open her first present

Holly helping out

Getting the right idea

Rebekah lending a hand

This wrapping paper is tasty!

Three bundles of trouble!

Unlike the warm sunshine of yesterday, today was much cooler and wetter and there was no sitting outside in shorts!

Later in the morning we popped around to Mum’s for coffee before coming home for lunch.

Unwrapping a present from Grandma

Sarah and Emily with a birthday card from Grandma

During the afternoon, as well as watching The Open, we went around to Sarah’s parents’ house where Emily had more presents to open, as well as a birthday cake to enjoy!

Emily with a new book

Emily’s 1st Birthday cake

Emily after her birthday cake

Sarah and I managed to take the time to escape into town without the girls in tow to investigate the Next Sale and we finished up with Mr Cod chips for dinner.

As first birthdays go, it was a quiet day, but Emily seemed to enjoy herself and her presents and the others liked playing with her new toys as well!

Emily signing her age at the end of her birthday

Now that the birthdays are behind us, it’s time to focus on our upcoming holiday in Shropshire at the end of the month.

Rebekah’s 7th Birthday – 15th July 2011

Today Rebekah reached the age of 7 years old.

Happy 7th Birthday

Being a school day, her celebrations were somewhat curtailed.  We had been out last weekend to celebrate, so today was marked with just the family.

Birthday balloons

Rebekah opened the presents and cards that she had received before heading off for school.  Her main present from us was a Nintendo DS Lite game.

Rebekah with her new Nintendo DS Lite

Other gifts that she unwrapped before breakfast included some games for the DS, a case and tokens for more games for the DS as well as some money.

7th birthdays are exciting!

Rebekah liked her 'Willy Wonka' card from us

Holly with a 'non-birthday' present she received

Emily getting excited!

Rebekah and Holly engrossed in the new DS

Once Rebekah was at school and Holly had been taken to Nursery, we took Emily and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Palmieri’s in Maidenhead.  Sarah decided upon a bacon baguette while I opted for scrambled egg, beans, bacon and sausage which arrived on a large platter.  It tasted delicious.

A delectable breakfast

After leaving Palmieri’s we went off to get Emily weighed,  for the final time, at St Marks Hospital.  She weighed in at 10.2kg (22lb 8oz) which is almost exactly where she should be after a year.

Following a visit to Sainsbury’s during which I both bumped into Jon and failed to buy a digital camera due to lack of stock, we returned home.

After collecting Holly from nursery, we went into town to pick up a few items and ended up eating a McDonalds in the park.

During the afternoon I cut the grass and put a few chairs out in the garden in readiness for the visit from relatives later on.

Rebekah had a busy afternoon.  Once she had finished school at 3pm she then had to be back again for an End of Year Disco at 4.15pm.

We collected her at about 5.15pm to find the disco in full swing in the school hall and were greeted by the slightly incongruous sight of teachers and pupils dancing along to Hey Baby and Do wah diddy

As the disco came to an end, prizes for the Pop Prince and Pop Princess were awarded.  Rebekah was given a meerkat in a Santa hat for being the Pop Princess!

When we got home, Mum, Heather, Hugh and Katy came around and we enjoyed some of Rebekah’s hedgehog birthday cake while sat out in the garden.

Relighting the candles on Rebekah's hedgehog cake after they blew out

Rebekah blowing out the candles

Mum and Emily

Hugh

Holly enjoying her cake with her Auntie Heather

Katy mid-mouthful!

Emily after her birthday cake

Rebekah and Holly with their Grandma

Later, at bedtime, Rebekah said that she had enjoyed a lovely birthday and liked all of her presents.  I’m not certain that Emily will be as communicative about her gifts tomorrow!