Autumn Weekend

 We dropped in on Em and Chris on Saturday, and sent them out for an anniversary meal while we played with Connor.  It is such a testament to how these two wonderful parents know their little boy, that he is so happy and securely attached, he trusts completely that they won't be gone long and throws himself 100% into enjoying his time with us.  It was a pleasure to spend time with him like this, I really do feel totally privileged to be entrusted with him.

 He so nearly went off to sleep on Martin, until fun sounding play noises drew him back into running up and down with Morgan chasing him!

 When the mama and papa got back, we all went down to the park and spent some time catching leaves.

 Come ON tree!

 Ah so beautiful.  Love the windswept boy and his beautiful mummy.

 Then on Sunday we met my mum at Carsington, the first time we have been in ages.

 I remember doing this when I was her age!  This one ton granite sphere rotates on a thin film of water, it is so slippy and hard to stop, and as soon as you stop pressing on it the thing starts to move again.  Jenna could have stayed there all day.

 The reservoir was so low it would have been possible (but muddy) to walk across to the island.  I remember boating round it as a teenager.  There were lots of boats out this weekend, and wind surfers too.  The children watched for a while, from the mud.

 I got to meet the fabulous Lisa, who is staying with my mum.  She took some lovely pictures with great skill and overflowing joy.  This is how she mostly moved around the reservoir - crouching every few paces to get another shot of the toddling Rowan, or a stone, or a small wildflower.  :)

 Groups of people had been building structures in the stones, random unplanned group artwork on the banks of the lake.  It made my heart sing.

 A little sit down and a climb on some walls, before we went back to play with the stones some more.

 Someone's structure here being added to by my girls.

 Ah, well, and of course my beautiful baby.  These are my favorite two pictures of the whole day.  Yoga, sunshine and a rainbow - and then this mellow sleepy beauty in the rocks.

I made a labyrinth, with a little help lugging stones.  The children danced it, ran it, skipped it, and breathed in the evening sunlight.

Then another quick swing before heading back for another visit with Emma and Chris (a Sunday tradition, only later in the day than usual given our morning Church-skiving)!

Sunshine and breezes, leaves and stones and water, beauty and magic and friendship and comfort and shared meals and laughter and the deep deep love that surrounds us all.  Such times, such times are beyond perfect.