Monday 26 March

Hello all,

Thanks for your emails and comments this week... well as most of you know by now we had the scan today and it was great news news!! The baby is healthy, all the right parts are there and it's looking good, shame about the scan photos which weren't very good quality and the nurse was grumpy and unhelpful, but during the ultra sound it looked amazing. But when it came to finding out the sex, our little babe wasn't willing to co-operate and didn't open it's legs... so as yet we still don't know what sex it is.

We have names now for both sex's and we can't wait for it's arrival, either way we'll be really happy. So you'll have to keep an eye out on the blog for updates... and that video is still coming.. It's been really nice at night as it's not getting dark until 8 so we've been going on long walks and not having time to update much of the blog.

We leave England on the 4th of May, after departing Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris at Middlewich on the 2nd of May... not looking forward to that...

From Middlewich we're off to visit our friend Allison Cowling at IHQ, and hopefully have lunch with the Chief of Staff Robin Dunster. Then we're going to see Les Miserable and do one final whip round of the sights of London. Before we head over to New York, where we are staying at the Army's Markle Residence just off Union Square.. Can't wait as it's a great location and an awesome city. Then from there we head off to Toronto to visit the Kevin and Laurianne Metcalf and their family, we are with them for a week before we head off to Chicago for a night, to attend Willo Creek Church.

From there we head to San Francisco where we are staying with Di's friend Michelle, and she's looking after us for a few days and taking us sight seeing.. including the Skywalker Ranch and Industrial light and Magic!! Can't wait YAY! Then from SF we head to Hawaii for 10 days, vising Honolulu and then 6 days in Maui on the beach!! We can't wait.. Then from Hawii we head off to Fiji for three days, where we're going on day cruises Island hopping and relaxing..

Then it's back to Sydney for a long weekend to say goodbye to everyone there before we head back to Adelaide to nest and wait for the arrival of our little precious. It will be a world explorer before it's even born, since it's conception was in Egypt, pregnancy in England then the trip home..

Anyway keep in touch and make sure you check out all our adventures. Take Care

Peter and Di Hobbs

Sunday 25 March

Well today began in true English fashion, a full English Breakfast, even though we were still full from last night... It had to be done and it was awesome food once again.. mmmmm.....

From Breakfast, as we do in every new down we visit we jump on the Red Open top Bus and go exploring the city and it's sights.










Like every where in the UK there is so much history, and no more than York, we just knew that today would be very memorable. The town is partly surrounded by an old defensive wall.. SO much history... As the tour came to an end we we headed right past York Minster again.




From here we headed to the Viking museum and learnt about the early settlers in York or Jorvik as it was called by Vikings. We got to see archaelogical digs and even some skeltons of some ancient warriors.. with a sexy warrior in red..










Plus we got to dress up... If you haven't been then you must go.. great place for kids and big kids...


Today also marked the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in the UK. So there were lots of celebrations going on around the country, and also a lot of protests seeing there is still a lot of child and sex trafficking going on still. Also more than 100 volunteers, including us, created a 150ft outline of a slave ship on the Eye of York in front of Clifford's Tower. We laid down to remember the suffering of the people who were taken from Africa on horrific journeys to the British colonies.

The symbolic event was filmed and photographed from the top of the museum with the aim of incorporating the images into its new exhibition Unfair Trade, which we were able to get into for free because of our participation.
Check out the local media story on the event. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/search/display.var.1285146.0.marking_a_milestone.php

Here's Di an Uncle Paul having a fun game of Naughts and Crosses in the rec area of the museum.. It was well worth seeing, a lot more history about historic York...

Then finally we made our way to the top of Cliffords Tower, Yorks Castle, where we got a great view of the city.

Then, after a great weekend of fun and excitement, we headed back into town to get a coffee from Starbucks, then got in the car and headed back to Middlewich.
For all the photos of the weekend visit
http://www.peterhobbssalvorock.spaces.live.com

Saturday 24 March

This afternoon we headed off to York for the weekend. It's about an hour and a half drive from Middlewich so we left about 2pm for the trip.

When we arrived at our B&B, St Deny House, we quickly got changed and headed to York's city centre, which was only a 10 minute walk from the hotel. Here's a picture of us walking up the Shambles in York. It's such a nice city, small specialty shops in 500 year old buildings.

From the Shambles we headed towards the mighty York Minster Cathedral.. of course stopping at Star Bucks on the way to get a hot coffee... as it was quite cold. On our arrival to York Minster we headed into the Cathedral for Even Song mass.. which was a unique experience of the high church of England.. Very reverent and holy... but probably not the sort of church service Di and I could attend weekly.. However it was moving and amazing.

Today the clocks were moved forward so we have an extra hour of sunlight.. YAY!! light nights again, like when we first came over.
From the York minster we headed back to the B&B for dinner, which was very satisfying... look at the mixed grill..
On request they even put a Yorkshire Pudding on the plate.. legends...
The food here was truly awesome.. and we all went to bed so full..

But tomorrow is a big day...

Friday 23 March

Hey everyone,

It's a big week in the Hobbs family, infact it will be history making... it's the big 20 week scan. We plan to find out on Monday whether we have a boy or girl.

Don't worry we're currently working on a 20 week video to give you an update, trying to out do the last one, so make sure you keep an eye out on the blog for the special presentation and all the latest news.

Also if you want to see another cute and cool blog then check out my sister and brother-in-laws blog http://www.thegrantsincrediblelife.blogspot.com/. Here you'll see our little niece growing up and see how adorable she is.

Any way keep posted to our blog, but for now we're off to York for the weekend, to see the grand old Duke.. It's going to be a big week of blogging.. speak soon

Love Pete and Di xx

Saturday 17 March

Today was really nice because Di and I spent the day with Robyn and Cheryl in Liverpool, here we visited the Maritime and Slavery Museum, a fresh alternative to the Beatles Tour, as all four of us had done that before.


It's right on the main wharf at Liverpool and hasd an exhibit featuring the Titanic and other well known boats to be built from the Liverpool docklands.








Following an amazing trip to both museums, which we can totally recommend as something worth doing when you come to Liverpool, we headed to the Ha!Ha! bar which is right on the wharf too... delicious food and a great comfy booth we got to sit in.
Once again another recommendation.

Then from here we crossed under the Mersey and headed to Cheshire Oaks where we went shopping all afternoon... fortunately we came away with just one cute present for the future little Hobbs...




From here we headed to Bella Italia where we had delicious Pizza for tea, before we went to see the hilarious comedy Music and Lyrics, starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Check out this clip..


well worth going to see. Then from here we headed home.. and watched the end of Ireland vs Pakistan in the world cup... and watched Ireland win it too... Go Ireland!!

Saturday 10 March

This morning I picked up Di from work then chatted with mum and dad on Skype. Di went to sleep and I got to work mowing the lawns etc... It was a beautiful Spring day and it was very pleasant outside... In case you were wondering the house has double glazing so Di couldn't hear the mower.

In the late afternoon Di and I headed over to our Australian friends Barry and Michelle. We met them through Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris, Barry is a building manager with Uncle Paul at Lovells and Michelle is a producer for the BBC Manchester.

They have a lovely home in the small village of Melpas, which is on the English/Wales Border. This is their adorable dog Shrek..

Here is Di and Michelle out the front of their lovely home.

They gave us a fantastic meal and the desserts were to die for!!

Sunday 4 March

This morning we got up and had Pancakes and a cooked breakfast. Look at this view... and look at this other view.. as you can see it's the 18th week and Di is starting to show. Keep an eye out for an upcoming video.. out in a few weeks time.

After we check out of the park we headed back to Betsy-Coed to go shopping where the girls brought some sleeping bags and started looking for tents. They are preparing for their European adventure.

Eventually we started to head home and got back in time for tea... Robin and Cheryl worked on the Moses Play rug and then they headed back home too.

Saturday 3 March

Today Robyn, Cheryl, Di and I headed into North Wales to visit a little central coast town called Barmouth. However on the way we stopped to rescue a lamb that was out of it's field and running lost on a country lane. We could hear the mother bleeting for it so we tried to get it back into a field, luckily a passerby "The Chad" helped us and we were able to reunite mum and baby.


It was a really nice drive through Snowdonia and we stopped off in Betsy-Coed for a drink before heading down the coast road to Barmouth.


On the way we stopped by the Harlech Castle, which had dominant views of the sea and Snowdonia, we had a quick look around this amazing castle then headed on our way to Barmouth.








We had arranged to stay in a cabin at the Caerdaniel Caravan Park, right on the beach £50 for one night... great between 4 people - check out their site http://www.barmouthholidays.co.uk/caerddaniel.cfm. It wasn't just any cabin, it had just been fully refurnished and we were the first people to stay in it. All the decor smelt new and the place was really cosy and warm.



Before it got dark we went for a walk along the beach, although it was cool it was really pleasant. At night we had a delicious meal, then played an exciting game of cards.. which sucked cause I kept losing.. Then we watched one of Uncle Pauls presents to Di, the Preachers Wife, and then headed to bed, with the radiators on full blast.

Monday 26 February - Di's Birthday!!

This morning was very exciting as today was Di's 28th Birthday! YAY!!

This morning she woke to receive a load of cards from the UK and Australia.. even some from the US. After getting through her cards, and other presents over the weekend, it was time for her to receive her present from me... The suspense became unbarable as a medium sized box was slowly pulled from the cupboard, where it had been hiding for the past 6 weeks. As Di's face began to shine with excitement she took the box from my hands and began to unwrap the gift...

Then once she had discovered what was on the surface of the gift she was invited to explore deeper into the mysterious box... watch this clip.