A day at the park

Took the kids to the park today. They had a great time (despite Fergus's face). 

A little bit of home

Daddy is back from America--and brought us something back :). Dryer sheets--how we love American laundry products! 

Art

Now we have a table full of recycled paper covered with 3-d art we can colour if it dries :) 

Feeling Better

We felt well enough this morning for some crafts--Goop---cornflour & water...strangest substance on earth and a precursor to high school chemistry discussions on bonding :). 

Adventures

I think if Home Ec teachers really wanted kids to learn to sew and enjoy it, they should make more super hero costumes.  Made this today for Ailsa's little friend. Used all kinds of new stitches and played with features I'd never explored on my machine. Had a great time. (All the children are peacefully slumbering thanks to their medicines. Doctor Said it was the best thing for them!)

Creative Art

Ailsa has discovered that if she puts a pencil on a piece of paper during our drives and lets it 'write' over the bumps and curves she can make 'fun' art.

I thought it quite creative! 

Productive Glimmers

With the kids having been sick all week, it's not been a very productive one (unless you could prescriptions per visit to the dr's office ;). I did finish this bag for a friend's daughter's birthday. It's reversable--and the second time I e made the pattern--I'm getting better at it! Maybe next time I'll get it all right :) 

Do you want to build a snowman??

The snow was great while it lasted, which was only until about 4pm :(

But we were super impressed that isla rolled this ball up the driveway for her snowman! Ailsa was sick and slept the whole day, and the birthday boy preferred to stay indoors watching Thomas the train movies. 

Accomplishments

Someone is very proud of her magnet organising ability.

Mom finished two more projects before she caught the germs!

House of Germs

Everyone is sick :(

White-outs

The weather outside is frightful...but we have a wood stove, and a generator and a Fireman Sam birthday Cake...the girls were dancing in snow barefoot when they got up and Isla realised it was a snow day. (Make that a 'sew day' for mum ;)

Gifts for your birthday

Ailsa got up early this morning and vomited all over me....then wanted to watch the iPad. Fergus overfilled his nappy, needed a bath and then remembered it was his birthday-so he ran down and opened his presents before anyone else got there. isla slept in, thrilled at the storm and the fact we are snowed in. What a morning!  Daddy can't get out to work--and it's quite fun having him home with us.

Our windows are triple glazed so no heat escaping but lots of snow sticking to it with high winds. 

Ribena! The greatest gift!!!

Isla made him an Olaf snowman out of pom-poms and a Lego house for it.

Crusty windows

Many of the ground floor windows are encrusted....'snow blows wild on the mountain side, not a footprint to be seen....' Who knows what the morning will bring?! We are ready to try the hill, but realise we might have to leave the cars at the bottom and walk up. Should have bought a snowblower :)

Snowy Tuesday's

Woke up to snow today and have had some really heavy squalls at times. I kept the little two home from school rather than face pick-up if it gets worse (as it is forecast to). We have some VERY impressive snow drifts on our hill and think perhaps it's time for snow poles to mark the driveway...no way a delivery man will make it up and I'm doubting the postie can either (although he is a little nutty so I'm sure will try).

The trampoline's new home

See the large black circle??? 

Thanks Mom!

Useful Christmas gifts...thanks Mom! Windy hills can be painful when walking the dogs in snow 

Unhappy possessions

We can only assume our trampoline isn't happy up here, as it made another run for freedom--helped by winds near 80mph....on Friday night it flew down the hill to the burn and on Saturday night flipped up.... We've learned our lesson about trampolines in winter up here.. It snapped the ropes it was tied down and to the Gabions with and smashed the gutter on the house....it's still dark this morning so we don't know where it is and we are due another week of bad storms with wind. It's so noisy outside, but thankfully inside there isn't a breeze at all and we've no movement of the structure of the house. Dad did well building this 'fortress' on a very exposed site. 

More Christmas Sewing

As it should have arrived by now to our cousin, I can post this cuddly quilt I finished over the Christmas holiday

Another quilt

Just finished this for Isla's old nursery teachers who had a baby (in October--I admit, red faced :). Steve is now the director at the other kids' nature nursery 

That time of year

I joked today that we never got a height chart put in our house, but can compare the kids' heights in the shed from the fence levels.

We went down today for an early birthday present for Fergus and dad, but before we could eat, some very hungry lambies needed tended to! The girls were only too willing to help. 

Sleepless nights

For once it wasn't a 4 year old who kept us upast night. Crazy winds and awful rain and ice made me question our decision to build a house on the side of a hill. I think our trampoline might be to edinburgh my now! 

Joyful moments

Check it out....4:20pm and still light!!! Yipee!!!! The darkness of winter is lifting :)

Super productive holidays

We had a long list of chores to get thru this week, (with daddy home during daylight hours).  We've gotten a TON done; wood stacked, the guest room turned into a playroom, potty training Fergus--still a work in progress, quilting, stock replenishment for work, Dog poo off the lawn, some plants put in the ground, lots of cleaning and tidying, some good walks, household stuff dealt with, a family swim, trips to Grannie's, and today we moved the trampoline up the hill (one side on mum's back & dad carrying the other side) and got it tied down to the gabions and screwed into the ground--even finding my 'blew away mop bucket' down the embankment when I went to chase the blown away stuff.

We've found lost excema lotion--in Ailsa's closet from our trip last summer--and lots of other treasures. The kids went to the panto with Neighbour Anne and got two new DVDs they are loving (most of our others were scratched beyond use so had to be chucked--and a lesson in 'DVD care' was given.) Who knew owning two DVDs could be so exciting!  Isla 'found' £13 in her tidying and thoroughly enjoyed her 'after Christmas bargain' shopping at Sainsbury's for Hello Kitty garb 

What a 'holiday!'

Odd moments

Between potty training Fergus and realising that my days of changing nappies for almost 7 years is almost over (hoorah!) and now dropping he and Ailsa off for a morning of nursery--and wondering what in the world to do by myself (for one of the few times in almost 7 years)...such freedom!!!! (Such quiet!!!)

Walking

The great thing about holidays is Alisdair is home during daylight hours! I went for a Great walk with Charlie and Cassie--(Kiwi was only happy when we turned around to take her home!). Cold but clear when we were out--although a snow squall started about 10 minutes after I got back.