Round up of October half term

This was the week:

I was on my own with the kids as P went to France on a school trip;
we had lunch with my Mum;
we met up with several friends;
we ate McDonald's and Fish and Chips
M said goodbye to bottles of milk at night;
I bought my long-desired new laptop;
I raised £62.50 for White Lodge;
both children went to Hallowe'en parties;

I took M to the Leisure Lagoon for the first time, and she discovered there's a cafe at the  pool she has been swimming at for the last 18 months!;

I finished 4 layouts and made 5 Christmas cards;

R went to the Fish and Chip shop by himself *;

we celebrated Guy Fawkes night and FIL's birthday with a low-key fireworks party in his garden and a yummy chilli;

I gave in and took the kids Trick or Treating.

as well as doing my half term reports and lesson planning, and giving the house a better-than-usual clean up.  All in all, a good half term holiday. Now I'm fired up for the madness that is the 8 weeks (that's right, just 8 weeks) until Christmas.

*think this might need further explanation. the Chip Shop is across the road (yes, I know, not good for the waistline!) and R is 9. It is time he became more independent, but when you have a child with Special Needs (physical or otherwise) it is a harder line to cross.