More Sunday Pictures

Fresh from her climb off the picnic table, Isla heads to the camera...
The peacock thought he'd muscle in on what was supposed to be a family shot...
Isla has no fear of animals and the Fallow Deer's wet nose was a hit.
Attempting to feed rocks to the coatamundi (like a South American raccoon) through the electric fence...huh, perhaps should have stopped this one sooner before the picture :)
The Pack Leader leading the plum hunt.

The Prairie Dogs are a bit brazen at the Wildlife Park....don't worry, we'd removed Islsa from the backpack first!
Cutting Logs for the fireplace. It's getting to be that time of year again...

Busy Sundays

Isla and a Fallow Deer. You can't really tell, but as it's August, the heather is in bloom and the hills are quite purple.
A Family roadside shot on the way back from Comrie.
PUMS!!!! (plums)
Her latest eBay find...a rockin Tigger...Yes, she knows "rockin chair, rockin chair" and gets VERY involved with her efforts.
Bob, the new fish's tank...his girlfriends are Sally (named after the minister) and Susie (not after Dr. Blaha, but another S name we needed to go with Sally).


Sunday rolled around again this week and as we haven't seen Alisdair all week, we decided to take a family day and go do something. (Besides, it was the final Sunday of the "drive thru" summer church service...30 minutes starting at 9:15 in the Cathedral and Grannie wasn't around to make Isla's day by wrestling her during the sometimes painful experience).

SO, we used our 2 for 1coupon (thanks to Alisdair unselfishly eating enough yougurts) and went to the local Wildlife Park. It is overrun with prairie dogs, but as it looked like it was going to rain at any second, the place was pretty empty and Isla had a good time looking at all the "exotic" animals.

Once we finished there we came home for the Belgian Formula 1 and Isla's nap. Then it was down to the farm to meet up with Uncle Michael and cut some fire wood. Isla, following Charlie's lead, decided to lay down in a puddle, so we had to bring her back in the warm kitchen and strip her down (and feed her a piece of Grannie's cake). She had a good time playing with the dogs outside and picking more plums. She got a big kick out of mommy shaking the tree and the plums just raining down on her (and the dogs). We had so much stuff in the truck on the way home (firewood in the back) that the dogs rode with her in the backseat. I hope she doesn't catch anything from french kissing Cassie, but at least we know how to entertain her on long car rides now...just put all three dogs in the back seat with her.

Slightly funny as well, on the way to the Wildlife Park she was whining and as we were in Dad's truck we had no kiddie's CDs...so we put on Amy Winehouse and Isla's new favourite song is "No, no, no" (They tried to make me go to rehab but I said "no, no, no"...she continued to sing it once we go home....she only does the chorus and an occasional reference to "dad"....) She is a bit too smart for her own good. She can also sing the ABCs. If you stop at certain points, she can fill in the missing letter. She's been doing this for awhile with "Miss Molly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick" but surprised us today with the alphabet. Who knew!!! She is 18 months old now :)

Nature's Bounty

Isla and Mom took off in the rain today to the farm to walk Grannie's dogs. Isla LOVES dog walks because she has learned where all the rasberry bushes are. Unfortunately it is no longer rasberry season, but it is now time for the plums! Isla (and all the dogs) hover at the ripest trees picking the best ones. Today Mom taught her how to throw the pit out (however we had to reteach this point when she did it on the kitchen floor. Daddy gave her a little lesson on cleaning up). As we walk she now has a plum in each hand (usually she's on mom's back in the baby backpack..otherwise the walk takes FOREVER) and as soon as she starts to bite one she says "more.." It won't take her long to figure out where the best trees are. We've had a lesson in red versus purple plums (Victoria red ones are a bit sweeter and there are good trees at both ends of the walk) and plums versus damsons (still a bit bitter and hard right now).

She also raided Grannie's greenhouse for ripe strawberries before we left, while we were rounding up Charlie who had decided to go walk about. It was no wonder she wasn't keen on tea this evening.

She is feeling better though from her cold and can breathe now. This was evident when she ate four waffles this morning for breakfast (after having not eaten for about two days because she's so bunged up). If you ask her what she wants for any meal the answer is "hot dogs" or "popcicles"...ah, very nutritious! We're steering away from hot dogs after our trip to Costco yesterday where she proceeded to pull apart the hot dog in the back of the Volvo the whole ride home. Daddy is driving it now :) he doesn't mind meaty smells...I'm thinking of just putting Charlie and Kiwi in it. They'll be able to ferret out any bits of food!

It's pouring now and feels like October more than August. Many of the neighbours have their woodstoves going. We lit our fireplace on Sunday to try and dry things out, but the smell of autumn is in the air. September is almost upon us.

Isla is also enjoying singing! She can sing "Ba Ba Blacksheep" by herself and if you stop at the right spots will fill in the words to "Miss Molly had a dolly." Dad has also taught her the alphabet song which she thoroughly enjoys. Today she noticed that Lucy doesn't walk she "hops" like Tigger (Lucy is the three legged lab)...so she sings "Hop Little Rabbitt" to her as we walk the dogs. It's sort of cute in a very un-PC way.

Due to onamountapia, our fish is now named Bob....cause that's what fishes say...the other one (she hasn't noticed there are two others) is Sally....a nickname we use for Isla and also the minister at church....heeheehee...we're taking suggestions for the second (female) guppy....Isla wants to call it "Isla" but we thought that was a little confusing for her...her favourite name is Emily (after her friend up the street) but again, a little weird to name your fish after your playmate and aunt and doll....

Sunny Days

We had BEAUTIFUL weather yesterday and with our latest 9 month electricity bill in hand (gag, gag--they "forgot" to send us one before that), we decided to hang out laundry instead of using the dryer. Who knew one could spend an entire morning hanging out clothes, rotating them into the sunniest spot, taking clothes pegs away from the dogs and chasing Isla from pulling the pole away from the line?? you can!

Isla unfortunately has a nasty cold and is very clogged up, but is very happy to run around outside and wipe her own nose on her shirt...very ladylike :) Perhaps we should buy some Kleenex today.

By 6pm we had two MASSIVE loads of laundry done and dried, tea made, the dogs walked and some vacuuming done. A productive day. That left Alisdair time to go fishing and he was successful AGAIN. Good thing he gives all these fish to Adam to smoke as we're not great fans of trout and this is the fourth time in a week he's brought one home.

Think today we'll stick close to home, maybe clean the mudroom and let Isla get more sleep. Luckily when she woke up at 10pm last night she was happy enough to play with Charlie and the fish.

Looks like another nice day today. Shame all the laundry is done. Maybe I'll pull apart beds just for the fun of it. Can't possibly waste a nice day in Scotland.

Family Pictures

Auntie Loni, Madeleine, Haylee and Auntie Erin

The Maughan Boys (and Alisdair) showing their "guns".....ah, like father (Derek), like son....
The much more civilised girls...
A family shot

This was Isla on the tourbus in Newcastle in May when we went down on the train to see Auntie Erin for the day (Yes, in lovely NEWCASTLE...ooooohhhh...ahhhhh)

You'll remember that we took a family trip to Utah/Wyoming this summer. Auntie Erin just sent some of her pictures. We thought we'd share.

New Fun

A Double Rainbow over a hide on shoot day.
On our way home from the Post Office we saw that a neighbour had this kids toy in their skip. We asked if we could have it, the lady said "sure" and Isla has a new toy. It's loads of fun and great to put rocks in!
Isla loves Playdough (thanks Kat!) Kiwi...our royal dog keeping watch over internet use :)

Although it's technically August, it's felt more like October around here this week. In Isla's world however, it's been more like December as she's been the happy receipient of mom's eBay shopping. This week she got a new play centre that she seems to really enjoy. In an effort to keep her out of trouble, the chicken coop, Cassie's kennel and the dog's water in the mudroom we found her a climbing centre with a slide near Dundee. Although the man selling it assured Alisdair it would take two people and about two hours with the complete instructions to set up, within 6 minutes of getting it in the backyard it was together and Isla was all over it. It's good fun although a little more dangerous than mom anticipated, but it's on soft, squishy, mossy, wet grass, so hopefully we'll not have any major tramas from falling off it. Plus, Isla has added her garden Buddah to it so with any Eastern spirituality/karma, it should be really safe :)

Isla also got FISH this week. Alisdair used to be really into keeping fish and actually made his own tank as a kid with a glass cutter and silicone and it still works. We went and dug it out of Grannie's loft (attic) last weekend, gave it a try during the week and Isla was so thrilled with just watching the water bubble, we thought fish would be a big hit. We have three little lady guppies and one male...so we'll see what we end up with in the tank after a few weeks. Although we haven't named them yet, Isla said "Night, Night" to them on her way to bed this evening.

Alisdair has been off driving the Hagland on the past two weekend shoots and has had some beautiful views of the Scottish countryside, including this double rainbow. He's gotten soaked a few times, but taken some nice pictures.

Mom is still trying to get her jaw dealt with (she said she hurt it during labour. The Drs claim it's an old injury caused by a blow to the head that was just exacerbated by labour. Her cartilage is completely out of place and worn away.) This week we finally saw the Oral Surgeon at Perth who had all the results from her scans, MRIs and all that. He still thinks putting a metal plate in her head is a good idea....she doesn't however...so she's off to try and get a second opinion and find someone in the UK who is into something a little less invasive. Not the week to ask her her opinion of the NHS in comparison to American healthcare...but she sure is glad they have BUPA and now knows how to get to Harley Street in London (thanks to her LASIK eye surgery). Speaking of, her eyes are BRILLIANT still and she is enjoying all the wonders of being able to see. The other night she just laid in bed staring around at all the things she could never see without her glasses...like streetlights (they were a big blur of light before), the cornices, lights, etc..AMAZING!!! That and the shower is being kept cleaner, now that she can see it!

More Life and Times of Isla

They've been working on the lane infront of the old house as the heavy trucks are causing it to fall into the burn.
Isla running around in her wet suit LOVING the freedom of the Games Park
Isla and Fiona...what 2 year olds do for fun...Isla was so wet we had to strip her down to her diaper, and put her legs in mom's sweatshirt arms and wrap her up to get home so we could bathe her...she was in her glory in all that water...

Our first time with Playdough. Surprisingly, little went near her mouth, although her hair was pretty blue by the end. The next activity of the day was giving the dogs a bath, so it all worked out just fine. She doesn't like her Peter Rabbit smock though...


Our Sunday Walk with Daddy...still learning how to do Blackberry pictures imported into the blog...I'll get the hand sooner or later...
Friday is Toddlers' in the town hall. At the end of the session Shona takes the kids up the far end and sings with them while all the mothers try and get the toys cleaned up. The favourite of the entire group is "Five fat peas in a pea-pod press.." the giant "BANG" at the end is a hit with all ages. That's Isla in the middle, hanging on Shona's EVERY word. They learn "The wheels on the tractor go round and round" as well. The Farmer says "Shut that gate, shut that gate.." that always makes mom laugh...only in Scotland!

Shooting season has begun, so that means more time for Mom and Isla to entertain ourselves while Alisdair is off. Isla has had quite a few play dates and gotten in quite a bit of mischief. This morning mom found her on the main road in front of the house! Guess it's time to lock the front garden gate. She's also had a lot of fun diving in mud puddles in the playpark, digging in rabbit holes in the Highland Games Park and chasing Charlie around.

Two more pictures

Her straw hat looks pretty beat up, because it is. We got it in Naples but it's been everywhere. Great for sun and London in August. She has matching camo crocs like Alisdair.

Isla thought the camera add in the Black Cab was real and kept saying "cheese" in front of it...kind of funny...that and trying to open the door with her foot...
Isla making faces....she wore her keychain bracelet for hours of fun...Thanks Auntie Erin! We're sure glad to be back from our 24 hours in The City though and Charlie was all ready for us.

"Off to London to visit The Queen"

So, Tuesday morning we were off...back to London for Kenna's eye surgery. Grannie came along to babysit Isla and Kenna, once her eyes were done and it was a very good thing! Isla did the trip with minimal sleep and Kenna's eyes were pretty stingy after surgery.

Isla enjoyed the trip and the very crochety man on the flight, once we arrived at Heathrow said she was the most pleasant little kid he had ever sat next to. Thanks to Peppa Pig's sticker book, a bag of grapes and a few other goodies in her bag, Isla enjoyed the flight and wasn't too restless. She did however walk around London for two days with random Peppa Pig sparkly stickers on her head....this however was not a big enough clue for well meaning strangers to constantly tell her what a cute little boy she was.

Picture above is Isla's new toys from Hamley's (the UK's version of FAO Schwartz).
It is the only place over here I've ever seen Fisher Price toys like this barn, which is the 50th anniversary edition of the one we had as kids (however the new one has been hit by Health and Safety and the door to the barn doesn't open or make the cow noise and the Little People are bigger, so they don't fit down your windpipe...(if you're 17 months old). We also got the talking colour book, thinking it would be okay on the plane but after "purple" 15 times before we ever took off we decided it was best to put it away before our fellow travellers ripped it away from us...
Isla and Grannie on Duke Street, in front of a cool old church. We stayed at Grosvenor Square Marriott, right by the US Embassy and the flat that Alisdair's parents used to own. Funny to think Grannie did this walk 28 years ago with Alisdair in a pram. Grannie was VERY handy to have in London as we didn't need to use any maps, she just knew where everything was and how to get there quickly.

Hamley's Toy Store (the morning after mom's surgery, hence the sunglasses). Isla liked the bubbles...and is a big fan of double decker busses.
Isla in Hyde Park admiring the ducks and Canadian Geese. Grannie took her there while mom had her surgery. Then they shared a burger on the way home.
Isla, our toddler (who no longer takes naps on exciting trips) on the London Heathrow Xpress train to Paddington with Grannie. 15 minutes from Heathrow to Central London...not too shabby!

Kenna's surgery went well, she just had to go back to the hotel and sit quietly with her eyes shut (in the dark) for three hours, but not sleep (from 6 to 9pm!). Unfortunately Isla was having none of going to bed when others were awake, so Grannie, showing signs of true sainthood, entertained her for those three hours with nothing more than the light from the bathroom. Isla's constant word "again"meant "This little piggie went to market" was probably done 25 times, along with playing "house" in the closet, unwrapping all the free toiletries, hiding all the bathroom washclothes in Isla's play bag and more Peppa Pig stickers in shoes, bags and on luggage. At nine, Kenna strapped on her ever attractive plastic night goggles and we all tried to sleep. Isla was up again around midnight and came to bed with mom....it was a long night for all, but by morning Kenna's eyes were healed. The Dr says that she's gone from -10.50 in one eye to 0 and -9.25 in the other eye to +1. They will most likely change a little back when they heal, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that she'll stay at bionic vision :) It's a whole new world when you don't need glasses and can see when you wake up in the morning! It was a very strange operation though, but we're just glad it's over and was successful.

Tomorrow Alisdair is off for the first day of shooting for the season. Beating the heather for grouse. Unfortunately it's supposed to be horrid weather! Ah, Scotland in August.

Pictures of the Handbag

She isn't looking down, she's watching Charlie...she also outgrew her old shoes in America, so has this new pair with LACES, a whole new world of fun in the car...
Her "Thoroghly Modern Millie" demur look...Mom is a big fan of clothes from The White Company in London and when they have super sales Isla gets fun stuff like the scarf and a matching shirt.

Because Auntie Erin asked, I took a picture of Isla, her scarf and her Handbag this morning....along with her latest fun, Donkey....a stellar buy at a yard sale for .20 that she LOVES! (Mostly because she can make donkey noises--we are looking for some where to take her in Scotland to see real donkeys, well besides Holyrood--heeheehee--that's the Parliament building for my non-Scottish friends)

The hat we got in Naples from a little French lady who was selling them in a street fair. She is especially partial to it as it has a large fake pearl (oooo lala).

Today we went with her friend Emily up to an indoor play centre called Noah's Ark. Isla had a great time being a little rough, learning to throw balls (from Samuel and Max) and trying to climb up the soft slide backwards. Now it's just time to do some housecleaning and pack for tomorrow's adventure to London!

Clever Isla

In case you've not picked it up, Isla is a pretty funny kid. Today however she was on a roll and made me laugh quite heartily....

Point1: We got up, she ate Malties (like wheat Chex) for breakfast with milk (over the weekend her 9 year old boyfriend Luke was down from Inverness--Neighbour Anne's nephew). Together they ate Cookie Crisp and milk (sitting on the same chair) and she's decided that she isn't a baby and can eat big kid food. Then we headed off to return Grannie's lawnmover. Isla insists on carrying a handbag now when we go places, and has a scarf like mom's...It's very funny to see her, handbag over her forearm, scarf on, following Grannie around. After that fun (and MANY grapes from Grannie's kitchen), we headed off to the grocery store. Just into the store, as mom was trying to go through her list of what we needed, Isla took the list, acted like she was reading it and said "Cheese"....."cheese" and would laugh.....she is SO definitely a Troup!!!

Point 2: We got home and she went down for a nap. It's a fairly warm day in Scotland and mom was wearing shorts and a tshirt to clean the house. I got two bathrooms cleaned and vacuuming done of the upstairs when she woke up. I went into change her and was sweating...She kept repeating "sweaty" and then came up with "hot" (one of her favourite words for food that is too warm)....she'd touch my head, say "hot/sweaty" and then decided to blow on me... (that's what you do with hot food!)

Point 3: Outside playing with the dogs, she was watching the bubbles from her machine when she noticed the antlers over the back door...which she ever appropriately yelled "Deer!"......Oh, her father is so proud.....just before the Glorious 12th and every thing...

Unfortunately while looking for her shoes today she hit a picture that was leaning against the wall in the foyer, it fell over and cut her ankle...It was a little traumatic, but she was pretty happy when she got to sit in the sink in the Butler's pantry, drink out of a water bottle she found and have her foot washed over and over....Although she's very observant, she's also easily distracted....just like her mother :)

In other, slightly funny news, our doorbell rang at 8:30 this evening. It was the older man who lives next door (whose kid smokes A LOT of weed in their backyard and recently fell and broke his ankle at 2:30am while we suspect jumping off his front sidewalk onto the ground below, but that's another story--we're just happy it's been so quiet lately as normally he and his friends are out being "intellectual" well after midnight and if our windows are open, we can hear them).

Seems the father had just poured himself a beer (Belhaven), was about to drink it, when his wife came in the room and told him there was no way he was drinking it (he's on medication too)...so, he brought it over for Alisdair. He wasn't about to waste it.....Alisdair chuckled and took it. Neighbour Anne says we should give it to Kiwi or the chickens :) but then said she'd report us to the RSPA (Royal Society for the Protection of Animals)--she was kidding....(I think)....for now, it's sitting in the kitchen...

More August pictures

Couldn't remember if I'd put this picture up or not...Isla and Nutella (a new favourite). We've taken her binki away and her teeth are moving together. Hoorah!
Also, Isla pulling a Daisy Duke...the idea of the door being on the other side throws her most times....so she gives up and goes through the window. (those are her sheep wellies she likes to wear around)


More of Charlie's gymnastic talents in chasing bubbles. One of the best toys ever for £5 and some Fairy Liquid!

Isla's New Toys

Isla has now outgrown many of her "baby toys" and so we decided to get her some "toddler" toys, including a bubble machine and a Cozy Coupe. She and Charlie have a great time with these. Charlie tries to eat the bubbles and Isla laughs about it.
Charlie licking her lips as she chases a bubble to eat...almost head-first into the bin!
Also, our friend Laura who has some girls who are older, cleaned out their toys and Isla inherited some. She went through a day where she wore this bike helmet everywhere.
One day while mom was trying to make tea, Isla disappeared into the mud room. She was quiet (which should have been a sign) but when mom went to find her, she found Isla laying under Cassie just babbling away and having a great conversation with the dog....oh well... It's not the cleanest room in the house, but it meant tea got done on time!
We've also decided to let her help with chores. In addition to dusting she seems to think taking clothes out of the dryer is some magical fun. Whatever floats her boat I guess! If only we could teach her to fold them....and iron...but that might have to wait for her 2nd birthday :)

While Mom was in London for three days (well, two and 1/2--- the laser wouldn't calibrate on the day of surgery, despite being on the table and drugged up--so they pulled her off--phoned the company in Germany who said the best they could do was come out the next day--so Kenna hopped a quick train home from King's Cross (not before driving by Abbey Road accidentally and seeing everyone taking pictures as it was the anniversary of the alblum cover on Saturday and this was Thursday) , Grannie and Neighbour Anne babysat Isla. She had a fantastic time (and mom didn't mind getting a little break). Mom, Isla and Grannie will head down again on Wednesday for an overnight to have the surgery (fingers crossed).

Grannie's Birthday Dinner & London

Very randomly an opportunity came up quickly for Kenna to go to London to get her eyes operated on to improve her sight (lasik). She had to go down for three days in a row with days one and two being tests for suitability and the surgery on day three. Because the tests only took the afternoon, and it's August, she took the opportunity to do stuff you can only do in London in August (without a baby). So, a trip to see the State Rooms as Buckingham Palace and a tour of the Houses of Parliament. They were interesting tours.
Oliver Cromwell outside Westminister.
The back of Buckingham Palace and lots of Guinea Fowl on the lawn.

The trip to the CLA gamefair was followed by dinner out for Grannie's birthday. Uncle Michael and Claire came with us. The food took awhile and being prepared parents now, we had a bag 'o goodies for Isla to play with and eat. That included Apple Chips which Isla took more joy in feeding to Grannie than eating herself (hence the look on Grannie's face from being fed too many chips).