Welcome!
This is the photo blog of Paul, Rachel & Alex Marke - the story of how we got (F)rom (T)here (2) (H)ere. We'll be putting up regular photos so please remember to call back from time-to-time.
We had a nice weekend in Devon this weekend. This photo was taken on Bude beach on Friday afternoon. It was a bit windy but nice and sunny and not too cold.
After walking along the beach, watching the waves and throwing pebbles in rock pools we walked up to the caves that line the beach and tried to find ourselves a Gruffalo. No luck unfortunately!
Afterwards we sat on the seafront and watched the surfers for a while. Then we packed up and went back to the lodge for a 'nice' meal in the restaurant/bar.
Here's Rachel at Monkey World. But who's that in the blue coat?!
Alex went to Finkley Down Farm Park today with his Nanny & Grandad giving us a day to ourselves - yeah!
They had great weather and Alex really enjoyed himself. He held a mouse, played with the bikes and trikes and spent two hours in the sand pit. (For those of you who do not know, Alex used to hate the sand. It looks like that has now changed...)
Dad got the garden done, lawn cut, patio furniture away and Rachel 'got the house under control'.
We're off to Monkey World tomorrow so hopefully we will have some more photos to put up tomorrow.
Just another photo from todays bike race. This one as the leaders came around the corner.
Today the
Tour of Britain came to Tadley. Rachel took Alex up to the race route just up the road from our house and they watched the bikes go past.
Here is Alex in his free sun hat that was thrown out by the race marshalls. For those of you in to cycling you will recognise the pattern - the 'King of the Mountains' jersey. Not grannies spotted bloomers!
And I was lucky enough to see the race at work - it came right past the office.
Alex seems to be slowly warming to the sand. He wasn't actually in it today but played with it quite happily. Here he was filling his dumper truck with sand.
Today we visited Rachel's Grandparents in Deal, Kent. We left early and arrived there around mid morning. After seeing them for a while and meeting up with Rachel's parents we all went down to the beach.
After a brief swim by Rachel's Grandpa and Mum it was lunch on the pier followed by a walk back to their house for a sit down and then some tea.
Here is a picture of Alex with his Great Grandparents.
A few weeks ago we bought a packet of Winnie the Pooh fairy cakes. Today Alex finally got to bake them with his Granny.
Let's hope he saves one for Daddy!
We went to Bluewater shopping centre today. Had a nice lunch at TGI Friday's and then did a bit of shopping.
Outside Mothercare there was a balloon modeller making hats for the children so we had this one done for Alex. Can you guess what it is?
That's right - a giraffe!
I was led to believe that today had been a busy day - clearly a 'busy day' means sleeping on the sofa!
Actually Alex has just had his first half day at nursery and had arrived home absolutely shattered. It's easy to fall asleep when the little guy is asleep on you, as Rachel will testify. (And see earlier picture of Alex and I.)
After a two hour drive from the house in Montigny-Le-Bretonnuex we arrived at Disneyland Paris. Our hotel, the Dream Castle Hotel was great, and only a tem minute shttle ride to the parks. As we checked in Alex spotted the Mickey ride and was off. Here he is enjoying his first ride of the weekend.
Throughout the day we enjoyed most of the rides in Disney Studios and Alex and Ethan went on all those they were allowed. In the evening we had a lovely meal at the Rainforest Cafe and then rounded up the day with a wander through Disney Village.
We arrived back at our hotel about 10.00 PM and crashed out, looking forward to tomorrows visit to the main park.
Here we are kicking back on a hammock at a place called
Miniature France.
We had a nice day there, starting with a visit to Pizza Hut and then on to the park. Rain was a constant theme of the day but as you can see it didn't rain all the time.
Alex and Ethan went on a few rides as did Mum & Dad, Lorraine and Mitch. And the rides were unsupervised, you got on and started them yourself - odd!
Alex enjoys a banana, but who's that looking over his shoulder ready to pinch it?
Don't worry that's just Alex's new monkey reins/backpack. This little fella is a backpackfor Alex to keep a few bits in but also has reins attached so we can keep him under control... Alex that is, not the monkey!
I thought we were both asleep!
Here's Alex enjoying a frappe at Costa Coffee - it's not all his, he was sharing it with Mummy.
Here's Alex walking in Eastrop Park, Basingstoke. He only really started walking properly yesterday.
On the way home from London the train was a bit quieter than in the morning so we let Alex have a wander. After a few minutes he settled in to a corner just like any regular commuter - and what a pose... He looks like he's been doing it for years!
Today we went to The London Aquarium with Nanny & Grandad.
We left Basingstoke about 09.30 and caught the fast train to London Waterloo. The London Aquarium is right by Waterloo, just below the London Eye in the old GLC building. Alex absolutely loved seeing all the fish and as most of the tanks were floor to ceiling he took the chance to get up close and personal with them.
(Not the most flattering picture... He was mimicking the fish not licking the tank!)
After the aquarium we had lunch in St James's Park, at the Inn the Park. Then we went for a (long) walk and ended up in Covent Garden where Alex had a ride on the merry-go-round and we all stopped for a drink.
Finally it was time to go home so we took a stroll back to Waterloo and managed to catch a pre rush-hour train back to Basingstoke where we all agreed it had been a lovely day.
Here's Alex discovering the fish in the pond for the first time. We'd just fed them and Alex was just considering helping himself to some here.
Alex loves this quad bike - a proper little boy racer!
I was in London on a Excel course and on the way back across the Thames to Waterloo decided to take this picture of the London Eye.
Here's a video of Alex's first steps - well nearly. He had done a few just before this but they were so unexpected we missed them. Luckily he did these after we had the camera on.
Alex really seems to enjoy playing in these houses. Here he is yesterday playing in one at
Beale Park.
Here's Alex enjoying some colouring at Tootsie's, Gun Wharf Quays, Portsmouth today.
Here's Rachel road testing our new back-pack. Alex is looking mighty impressed!
Alex & Ethan playing on the swings.
Here's Maverick, asleep on Rachel's office window sill.
Bless him, he looked so grown up sitting ast the restaurant table drinking from this cup and straw. And no, it wasn't Coke... just tap water.
Shadow enjoys a lazy cuddle on Elaine's lap.
The cats always did like running water, usually from the bath taps, but as this is in the shower room I guess the sink was the next best thing!
It was the end of an era today when Maverick and Shadow moved out of our house to go and live with Rachel's parents & Cassie. We'll see how it goes over the next few weeks but I think it will work out OK - they'll have a bigger house, be allowed out (in a bigger garden and beyond) and have no small child - Alex - chasing them around. Rachel and I saw them off with a tear-or-two but we know it's for the best.
Anyhoo, here's Shadow settling in already - he always did like this tower.
This is a great picture of Alex on our first family holiday to Mull & Iona, Scotland. This was taken on the ferry crossing between the two islands and, as you can see, although it was the middle of August it was still pretty cold.
This was taken Christmas Eve at the Spruce Goose in Basingstoke. We had popped in for an hour or so for a quick drink with a few friends.
Taken 02/12/06/. Alex at Grannies - looks like a future ASBO might be on the cards!
This is just a test post from my phone (K800i). This photo was taken December 22nd, 2006 at home in Tadley. We had been in to Sainsburys for some last minute Xmas food shopping, came out and it had snowed! This was the view through the windscreen (see the dashboard along the bottom) as we drove home.
