Summer Holidays :)

School finished for the summer yesterday at lunchtime :)

Daniel goes into his last year of primary school,

David into P5 and Fi into her pre-school year of nursery

after the holidays - time has seriously flown by.

 

Reading My mix of six I was inspired to put together a summertime

basket with some bits and pieces which will hopefully go some way

towards keeping my 3 occupied during the next 7 weeks.

 

Some new outdoor games - bats, balls 16ft skipping rope, cola and

mentos for a little experiment, different bits and pieces of sweets, poker set,

giant mashmallows. ice lolly kit, colouring stuff, a treasure trail, poker kit!!

and some mp3 books for our road trip.

 

Daniel has some bits and pieces planned with The Busy Project, David is

booked in for some days at Summer Camp run at the local community centre,

both boys have a week at Golf camp and we also have two weeks family

holiday in Wales - something tells me its going to be a fairly busy/quick 7 weeks.

Back on track

It's been busy here the last couple of weeks.  Last weekend Iain turned 40,

on Saturday we had our family over to celebrate :)

 

 

the week running up to the party was lost in preparations, mainly of the

cooking and baking variety.  This past week was lost in a lovely hotel and spa.

We disappeared for a couple of nights to Barony Castle in the Scottish Borders

- thanks to nannie who moved in and looked after our children,

the washing and the ironing :)

We had a lovely few days, a wee visit to the historic village of Peebles,

the Polish Map of Scotland which were in the grounds of the hotel,

a visit to Traquair House with lunch in the Traquair Arms, lovely food

and Traquair beer on draft for the birthday boy, I got to drive back!

Lots of time lounging, reading, using the Jacuzzi and the sauna,

cooked breakfasts and lovely 3 course meals.

 

 

We took a trip to see my sister and hubby at their new house,

(its lovely having them 40mins drive from us rather than 2 1/2hrs away) 

they live in a gorgeous part of the country which we have visited

lots, we took them up to the Bracklinn Falls.

 

 

 

It's back to reality this week, with meals all planned out

(I'm trying to use up things from the freezer)

 

Meatballs and spaghetti

Ham/tuna salad

Pulled pork / burgers / chips and salad

Soup and pudding

Chilli with rice, sour cream and tortilla chips

Chicken Kebabs

Chicken Pie and Veggies

I have a few different things on this week

and am hoping to get on with a few orders,

a couple of crafty presents and

knock some things off the to do list.

Spring clean swap

I've been joining in with the Craftblogclub on twitter on a Tuesday evening. An 1hr and 1/2 of twitter craft chat.  As part of that I signed up to take part in a Spring Clean Swap, the challenge to create something using just stuff you have already.  No problem when you have far too much craft stuff!  I made Kay - http://kaygetscrafty.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/something-special/ a fabric basket, I glad she liked it and has already found a use for it.

During this week my swap present from Kay arrived.  

A beautiful 'family' cross stitch which she designed.  I love it, it's so lovely to receive something someone has made especially for me, thanks Kay.

I really enjoyed taking part in the swap challenge, and it's been great to read the blogs as the swaps have been received, hopefully there will be something else happening soon.  

Making Fabric Baskets

Yesterday was an inservice day so no school,

it was fairly bright and sunny so we packed up

a picnic and headed to The Kelpies and Helix Park.  

 

My three are all at different stages, Daniel is quickly approaching

the teenage years, happy to stay in his bedroom all day particularly

if that also means he's attached to a laptop or Xbox,

David likes to be active/amused and

Fiona at 4 is happy to do whatever.

 

They had a great time and even although it wasn't that warm the

boys did go in for a paddle! Its definitely somewhere we will go again.

 

I've been busy this week making fabric baskets.

I made one as part of the Spring Clean Swap for the #craftblogclub

Kay blogged about the one I made for her, very glad to say that she liked it.

My Spring Clean Swap pressie arrived this morning

I'll blog all about it tomorrow :)

 

These baskets are all for 'customers' the first two have to get

fabric notebook covers to match the second two are bound for a

school classroom (love the brightness of these I hope they get well used). 

 

 

 

 

Start to another week

Its been a holiday weekend this past weekend, Saturday we got lots of jobs done

inside and out, more fence painting (still lots to do :( ) and the cars were washed.

Yesterday I went off to B&Q and bought 3 fence slats, Iain cut them in half,

they are now painted and pinned to the fence ready for me to paint a huge daisy

onto them - a little bit of outside art.

Meals are planned for this week and the shopping is done -

Spaghetti bolognese

Lentil soup with crusty bread and pudding

Sausage and Chorizo Casserole with rice

Enchiladas and Salad

Tuna noodle casserole

 

I've got a few things to get done this week, looking forward to making

some more fabric baskets, a couple of notebook covers and

hopefully more painting of my outside art.

Tomorrow is an I service day so kids still off school we're planning to go to The Helix

(http://www.thehelix.co.uk/discover-helix/the-kelpies/) 

We've seen the Kelpies from the road but this will be our first visit to the park :)

Creative Wednesday

I've really enjoyed linking up with Caroline for

Creative Challenge for the last few weeks.

 

Its my mil's birthday today so Monday I got work and

finished the cushion I was making for her.

 

 

The little birds and some of the leaves are made

using fabric from our bridesmaid dresses :)

 

Thanks for running this link up, its been great seeing

the different ways everyone is being creative every week. 

 

Happy Easter Monday

We're all still on holiday today, I got back out a did 4k this morning
[a mix of running and walking so need to keep making myself getting out there],
with birthday celebrations yesterday and the boys had two different
golf things going on we left our Easter hunt and
decorating of boiled eggs until today.

 

 

We have a busy week ahead,

birthday celebrations continue through the week

and on Thursday afternoon

Fiona is having a tea party with 9 of her girl friends.

Lots of pink stuff, sandwiches and cakes,

party games and some crafting planned.

Our meals will hopefully look something like this - 

Pork and apple burgers with pasta and salad

Chicken something???

Chicken curry with rice and nan bread

Lasagna, garlic bread and salad

Sweet and sour pork

Pork with mushroom and cream sauce

linking up with -

I'm also hoping to finish new curtains for our kitchen/dining room,

I have the family tree cushion to finish,

garden fence painting (weather permitting)

and am also busy knitting a hot pink cardigan for Fi :)


 

Happy Birthday Fi xx

Happy Birthday Fi x

 

 

Four years ago today our little princess arrived. 

Up until the moment she was born I expected to have another boy [Ethan],

it took a while to get sorted in my head that Ethan wasn't real!!!

and that this little bundle was a girl - lots of dresses and pink cardigans.

Being a mum to a girl is very different from a mum to boys!!

 

 

2010

 

 

2014

 

She's changed our lives, in so many ways she is a complete mixture

of her brothers and in so many ways she is so completely different.

 

 

 

Fiona at 4 :) 

 

you love to colour and draw,

to craft (you would glitter and glue all day),

make hama bead creations,

read stories,

play kitchens,

build jigsaws,

go for walks with your pram,

ride your bike and play with a football. 

You love to watch movies and cuddle up on the sofa.

 

This you say -

'mum we love each other'

every night after dinner 'I'm on dishes'!!

 

You love pink and always want to wear leggings!!!

 

Happy Birthday Princess xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished :)

Still running behind with blog posts this week. 

We've had a mixed week this week. 

I enjoyed a day on my own on Monday :) 

David then spent 2 days at Active Schools Easter camp

when the rest of us hung around doing different bits and pieces. 

Iain finished for an extended long weekend on Wednesday night,

the boys went off to play golf for a while on Thursday

and on Friday we all went off to our local country park

where we had a walk through the woods and climbed

Cockelroy Hill (I found these photos online).

 

Today has been spent mostly about the house/garden,

the weather has been great we've managed to

eat every meal outside today :)

 

David and I nipped out this morning for some bits and pieces including

a piece of dowel to finish Fi's wigwam, part of her birthday presents for tomorrow. 

This afternoon has been cupcake making

(Fi's request for a birthday cake - cupcakes with pink icing!!)

and sewing the rest of the wigwam.

The boys and Fi went off for a walk up

through a local farm leaving me in peace.

 

My word this week has to be 'FINISHED' thankfully the wigwam is done

and our Easter holidays is all but over :( back to school on Tuesday.

 

Linking up with

  and

Meals for this week - 14/04/14!!! - a little bit late

Running well behind this week,

I was very fortunate to have the day to myself on Monday

- my children were away with granny and grandpa :) 

 I managed to fill the day with a trip to Ikea, Dunelm mill and B&Q

followed with an afternoon of knitting, crochet,

catch up tv and reading (with a little nap too).

 

Here's this weeks diners a little bit late,

 

Gammon Steak with rice salad and baked potatos

Chicken burgers with salad and pasta

Chicken chow mein

Jamie oliver beef hash

Chicken curry

Tortilla wrap pizzas

Roast pork

 

Its the second week of our Easter holidays

and we're enjoying a bit of spring weather which is good.

 

 

 

 

Poorly!!!

Fi has had a throat infection and cough this week, high temp

and refusing to drink took us to the doctors on Tuesday,

we left with a prescription some advice on painkillers

for her and also instruction that if little miss

didn't drink and go to the toilet during the morning

we'd need to go to hospital to get some fluids into her :( 

Thankfully although reluctant she did drink a bit

and no hospital trip required.

 

 

lots of napping - late in the afternoon :(

 

Although we've been home a lot we have been busy,

David's done a fair bit of baking and cooking, Daniels been building

and they have spent some time playing minecraft!!!

 

 

Yesterday we headed out for an afternoon at the beach (Aberdour is one of my favourite places)

armed with our Tesco meal deals had lunch - in the car! -

then a few hours playing about in the sand

(still a bit cold for the water although I imagine had we

packed towels and spare clothes for the boys they would have ended up wet).

 

So far this morning its been slow, Fi is playing kitchens the boys

have a friend over and I am cleaning the oven!!

oven cleaning!!

hovering

playing kitchen

hopefully this afternoon will see a wee bit wigwam creating

(planning this as part of Fi's birthday presents)

looking for nice recipes and meal planning

I need to get my finger out, loose a few pounds

and my bum out the door and exercise!!

 

Happy Friday :)

 

linking up with

and