APC Church Holiday 2010 - Part 1

What a blessing it was for our family to go on our church holiday again this year. It has been 2 years since the last one, and we very nearly didn't go this year either but we are all so very glad we did. Attendance was low compared to previous years as it conflicted with some school term dates and some families with children could not make it. We had the same speaker as in previous years, the lovely Billy McCurrie of Aughton Park Baptist Church, he went through Pilgrim's Progress which was immensely encouraging, and provided good spiritual refreshment for many of us who were there. Unfortunately a violent tummy bug went around, and many people went down with it through the course of the week, some worse than others. Of course Mike and Ciara had the bug quite severely last week, and so much humour went around about Mike being the culprit for a lot of sickness.
Eden grabbing a nice big hug from her brother in the dining room.
Ayla's first church holiday.
She moans and wriggles until we put her up on her feet, and then she tries to walk.
The road running through the school were we stay. The accomodation blocks are on the left and right, and the dining hall is the building on the right, with the swimming pool in front, and the sports hall and library where all the talks take place are on the left.
Ayla thoroughly enjoying being passed around all week, and passed around she was. It was lovely to have so many hands to help with the little ones, it really felt like a good break for Mike and I, and more of a break as we had breakfast and lunch catered for. In the morning at breakfast time, a full spread was laid out for us to make our own lunch, so we just make sandwiches and rolls in the morning, and pack fruit(of which there was an abundance) and biscuits in our own bags and shared a picnic lunch together.
Eden was so pleased her best friend came, not many children were there because of school.
This year the canteen was easier for us as the girls were able to go up and get their food, and choose what they wanted, even Jude tried to get his own food.
On the Sunday afternoon we went to woodlands closeby for a nice circular walk, which we managed to get lost on. I can't say I was displeased, it made for a good long walk.
Our organizer Gavin firing instructions, he is a fellow Saffer.
And off we go.
On Monday Ayla had her first swim in the pool and really enjoyed it.
And then we headed to the top sports field for a picnic lunch.

The children were excited about playing in this long jump pit, they spent a lot of time with their friends here.
And made a whole Pilgrim's Progress scene, this was the Celestial City.
Niamh enjoying a book by the sandpit.
Fellowship on the top field.