lillyanginger

Thank you very much for all your comments. I was assuming we would be 'feeding' her while she was staying, the cupboards will be stocked and some wine is also there.

We will get her a present, a card and some cash - thank you for helping me decide.

It is pretty much in the title...

While we frolic in far away places, the goddaughter is house sitting for a little while (2 weeks). She will feed the cats...and that is really it. We like having someone in the house (and so do the cats:)) and while it works for both of us we do NOT want to take her for granted. She is a student, using the time away from her houseshare to live in slightly more civilised surroundings.

What do we do?

Little present from the holidays? Money - how much? I am unsure and would appreciate some comments.

We went to Longleat about 2 years ago.

The food outlets are expensive and very average. It is definitely worth pre booking activities, once you know when you are going, go on the internet and organise what you want to do. Don't forget not everything is next to each other so leave yourself enough time to get from A to B. Your children are very small, the pool area is great there and you don't need to book that. But some nice pampering time maybe...

Also the Longleat Safari park is RIGHT OUTSIDE the gate, literally. So you can 'leave the park' and visit, that went down very well with our children. And a brilliant pub is in the village 5minutes away from the park. Feel free to pm me if you want to know more.

I would suggest Berlin... truly fabulous and interesting and wonderful for all ages.

Looking at your timing though, maybe somewhere slightly warmer...how about Barcelona or Rome. We had great times with kids in both cities.

Have fun!!

The teenage son has had this dreadful cold in different stages since late October...First just a cough...than a terrible cough...not sleeping other than upright for about 3 weeks...slowly better with just a little cough...now full blown cold with runny nose and massive cough again! RUBBISH cold. But so far he has not passed it on to any of us.

I hope it goes soon. He really could do with a break from it.

The teenage son has had this dreadful cold in different stages since late October...First just a cough...than a terrible cough...not sleeping other than upright for about 3 weeks...slowly better with just a little cough...now full blown cold with runny nose and massive cough again! RUBBISH cold. But so far he has not passed it on to any of us.

I hope it goes soon. He really could do with a break from it.

count

Many congratulations, that sounds very very exciting!!

cooks

Dexter - really like the sound of that.

We used to add to Brio...there is so much cool stuff out there. Bridges, trains that can carry cars, stacking things that you can built on two levels...

What never really took off were extras with Brio that were not train related with child 1. He never set anything up that hadn't had anything to do with trains.

Son nr 2 was into animals, the little Schleich ones. Really fab things to set up as well.

Later came knights and castles - and playmobil. Don't start playmobil too early as some of the fun are the little details and he won't get any of those yet.

Books

Bath toys - coloured soap

ride on car, you don't have to walk for that

Have fun!

Sooo difficult...but such fun at the same time.

Absolutely love Fraser!! We liked Noah, Jonah, Elliot, Jasper, Tristan, Luca...

3 1/2 years in age gap, 4 school years. For us that was absolutely perfect, no way I could have been pregnant again sooner...the whole ' first baby shock' was too overwhelming.

DS1 was ready for 'his' baby as most of his friends had siblings by the time our DS2 arrived. So he took to 'his' baby immediately and that hasn't really changed (they are now 10 and 13:)) Not too much competition either, 4 school years are a great gap.

lanes

cubed

Dolly

Lines

>:D

karts

stink

warts

pints

stylo

Really good news!

EDmummy, I agree with you. We usually managed to find something affordable early in the season. After Christmas the only places left were too expensive.

I also have a number of someone near Arezzo who rents out 3 large houses and if she rents them out without the agency, you may still get a discount. PM me if you want me to look fro the number.

Also, Umbria is cheaper than Tuscany...and so is Lazio...and some parts in Northern Italy. We went to Liguria in a 'condominio complex' - basically lots of small flats with a shared (MASSIVE!) pool. That was also ok and not too expensive.

You have to look for bedroom numbers though and not 'people', we have been to places where there were sofa(beds) in the kitchen and living room...not acceptable for what we wanted it for but perfectly normal in Italy.

I am sooo jealous!!! Must start thinking about our summer soon...