I traveled to England last week, shortly followed by Ville, and within a couple of days we were all sick. Happily the day before it struck I spent the day on South Bank with Ruskin and some of my fabulous siblings, and the first day we felt like venturing out we got some fresh air at Nymans Gardens. Then a day spent meandering around the V & A with only Ville made life sing again and on Saturday we all traveled on the train to York to meet up with five outstanding women that I had been missing for far too long. Yesterday was Neve's first birthday and her midwife came to cuddle her, and I was so busy watching her smiles all day that I forgot to take any pictures. So sitting here a couple of days before Anton gets another ride on the monorail and we fly back to Ville and Matti, and the place that has definitely become home, my head is just full of the best things in the world: free museums, gardens so perfect they make your heart ache, watching Ville and my Dad lost in talk, Neve snoozing in Mum's prized Silver Cross, Ruskin (wow, he is growing up good), hearing the latest chapter in the lives of friends and siblings face to face, railway stations and YORKSHIRE!

Me and the little kiddos spent the last few days in Wells in Somerset. I have loved this tiny city since I made regular visits when I was at university in Bath when Ruskin was a little nipper. He actually took some of his first steps in the Cathedral Chapter house. For the last few years Wells has been home to my sister's growing family (they have 4 boys now) and so I have had good reason for regular visits. Hellen gathers as many Cooke Kids as can make it to a relaxing weekend party every summer, and this year she timed it for my visit. So I got to see the newly wedded Andreas and Martha, and Stefan's boyfriend Jake. And my Mum was a total heroine (as ever) travelling down by train to pick up three of Hellen's boys on Thursday and dropping them back on Monday, so that Hellen could relax a little at least. Hellen and I managed to have Anton and Sonny 5 weeks apart and then our next babies Pepi and Neve 12 weeks apart, so you could say we are quite close! Here are a few pictures of Wells and my siblings:

Well I promised myself I would write this post in advance, have practiced using my camera (having read the manual cover to cover) and have at least the first week of photos smugly ready to go. But of course I am writing this just before midnight having done none of it. Today is the day I am going to start my 366 'Documenting Delight' project, and I am determined to at least begin on time. From today, for 366 days I will take a picture of Neve (3 months) and Anton (nearly 3) every day. I can hear a groan, yes there are far too many photos of my children on facebook! I am sorry but I just cannot help myself, so I am determined to get better at capturing them.

For most of the people doing the project today is the halfway mark, so I have been able to see their work and be inspired. As far as I know this project was begun by a woman called Georgia and you can see her gorgeous website by clicking here. One of the reasons I decided to do this was that when I have found being a parent in Turkey difficult, and forgotten just to revel in my glorious kids, looking at her work reminded me that not a lot mattered but their giggles. I want to document spontaneous delight so that I remember to allow plenty of it to happen.

At the moment I am in the UK, in the tiny cathedral city of Wells with some of my large family. Georgia wrote that you should only photograph what 'makes your heart sing' and here is what made my heart sing today: