Progress

So, our build hasn't started, but us due to start on Monday, but ironically the old gamekeeper's house on the neighbouring estate that we have to drive by everyday was torn down yesterday so the retiring managing director of Gleneagles can build his retirement home. Sort of exciting to see progress on their build and know that ours should be starting very soon!

Undercover friends

Yes, the lump in her bed was Charlie, who was well put out  that she is now sleeping in a shed with the other dogs, and comes in to sulk during the day.

Reading?

So today Ailsa was the most content, happy, chattering little girl just happy to play around the house while I unpacked boxes and put stuff away. About 2 pm I stuck my head in her door to see what she was up to....great! She was looking at books I thought......

Mr cool

Someone loved the hat Georgia made for him at the pizza restaurant.

Great moments

So although this picture isn't in focus, I had to take it for two reasons...one, Fergus insisted on wearing a 'dada' shirt so he could have a place to put his mobile phone. It was very funny and in total daddy style, throughout the day he'd pull out his (old unused) phone, glance at the screen, then promptly return it to his chest pocket. The other reason is he caught Charlie, put her in the little car and then pushed her all over the house (until he stopped here to look at the tv and she recognised the opportunity to runaway).

Meercats!

The aquarium (with our voucher) was a big hit!

The neighbourhood gang

We took off with some neighbour kids for a dog walk adventure during the holidays

Entertainment

we've spent every weekend for the past three moving into the little house--so dump runs to get rid of stuff, boxing stuff and moving stuff we won't need for a while to the farm. Grannie has been great at babysitting to let us get stuff done. Better than any toys though, this Saturday she had a pile of log chips again. On went the outdoor suits and the digging, building and climbing began...they all got into the action.

Questionable parenting practices

The other afternoon I found the girls eating these berries from a tree in the garden. Isla informed me she knew she shouldn't eat unidentified berries, but she said Ailsa loved them and they'd picked cups of them. The second day, as I was out doing yardwork and decides that perhaps I should be a little more concerned about this (as now they were feeding them to Fergus)--but also realizing that no one had gotten sick or died in the previous 12 hours--we emailed a picture to daddy who promptly informed us they were elderberries and suggested we go pick them and make wine (that would be a great thing to explain to isla's primary teacher! "guess what I did over my holidays?" haahaa) we stuck to eating them, but from our view of the tree in the 'new' house, we can see there are gobs of them and the birds love that bush!

More meercats

I've been practicing my French braiding so despite her protests that I was going to make her look stupid and she insisted on wearing a hat, by lunchtime she'd relented and agreed to be seen in public with her 'heidi hair'. I was kind of proud that im getting better :)

Animal park

We went to the animal park and in addition to the excitement of finding 'golden tatties' (historically this week was a school holiday so kids could help pick potatoes), the kids got to hold chicks.

Homemade pizza

With daddy away, we made pizza dough and each girl had the job of making one pizza for the family but could do whatever they wanted with the other half of the dough. They were very proud of their hand kneading and creations.

Unfocused portrait shots

We had a little photo session too one afternoon in the rain.

Hill climbing

(and rollie polling down)

Baby cappachinos

The kids all enjoyed their pizzas and foamed milk (with chocolate sprinkles)

St andrews

We took fergus's crush to the aquarium with us out in st Andrews.

School holidays

Nothing livens  up your school holidays like a trip to Dull! (kids love it though as it has the best gold panning anywhere!)

My sleeping partner

Dad was away to Wales, so someone decided to sleep with me....a bed that is 200cm wide and she fell asleep on my pillow!

Day 20

We are moving house and trying to pack...as it is school holidays mum bought a giant craft pack to help entertain the kids. Today it is candle making and the kids all seem to be enjoying it. Fergus is just full of the cold and yesterday pulled a wooden motorcycle onto his head, cutting his face just below his eye and the tip of his nose. He looks rough.

Moving

We (prematurely) gave away our baby bath...so someone who had rubbed pizza all thru his hair at lunch and then had a stinky nappy, desperately needed a bath...we improvised and used our sink. He hated it until I showed him the mirror, after that he loved it.
Kiwi has run away again...we took her for a walk in the park and Ailsa let go of her lead and she went straight under the shipping container. Its now been 5 hours and still no sign of her.

Lunch

School holiday week. After a morning of packing and moving stuff to the 'new" (old) house, I promised the kids pizza....but when we got to town the place had shut down! We went to the authentic Italian place instead. The kids loved the pizza, pasta and the fact we were the only English speakers in the place. They were just unhappy we were in the UK, and not America, so small glasses and no refills. (but cool bendy straws)

St Charlie, again

We bought TEN boxes of Lucky Charms from our favourite American importer store (they were on sale here)---and the box was almost as popular as the cereal. The kids took turns stuffing Charlie in it, then feeding her sausage bits they stole off the stove while we were preparing dinner....the dog is smarter than she looks...she gets HANDSOMELY rewarded for all she puts up with!

Ah, the family "library"

We like to encourage literacy in our house......at all times, in all places :)
(She was studying the local paper because her mate in Crieff is in Primary 1 and her picture was in the paper)

A family trip to Glasgow

For mom's birthday we surprised the kids with a trip to the theatre to see "Hairy McClary". They LOVED it!