They're good kids!

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child". Shakespeare's King Lear 1605.

I'm totally satisfied and extremely happy that our children live grateful lives. We've just enjoyed a very happy gathering in Leeds. Sarah wasn't feeling well, so Martin stayed behind in Nottingham to look after her.

Another line in the same paragraph is..."Let it(the thankless child) stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth".

This one applies to me more than Bev. There was a time when I thought they were thankless. This happened almost overnight as they each turned thirteen.

For Jon, thirteen stretched to seventeen. Juli to a not so sweet sixteen. Martin to about the same, and Ashley...well, my wrinkles are now furrows! (I'm kidding).

We really are fortunate to have such great kids.

I had a conversation with Danny in the car today where I told him I wanted to rest a while and dream of Santa Clause(Ash was driving). This little five year old leaned over and cupped his hand to the side of his mouth and whispered in my ear...'Grandad, Santa doesn't exist'. He was really concerned that I still believed in him and continued...'He's not real. He only wraps the presents. Mum and Dad are the ones that buy them.

Yesterday, I found out that Emmaleigh's best friend Lily...she said that her and Lily grew up together when they were kids... has a white horse.

She said that if we were thinking of buying her one for her birthday, make sure it was a white one with pink hair. I assured her we wouldn't and especially not one with pink hair. She giggled and agreed it was silly to have a white horse with pink hair.

This was a very magical adult conversation. They are growing up really fast.

We may be tired out with having them, but it has been a lovely time.

I wonder how David and Eileen feel? They had seventeen of the family gathered together yesterday.

Ash and Amber dropped by to show us photos of Blidworth. They've just left.

It's so quiet! It's so peaceful!

Juli looking relaxed after the break...

Aimee after a splash...
Emm being thrown in by Jon...
Chilling out...

I'll put the rest of the pics up on the devinefamilypictures site soon.