Ivan's Cabin (Scanner experiment)

Jack's 10th Birthday!

Jack says this was his best birthday ever, so I think he had a good day! Mum, Dad and Grandma came at lunch, and Dad and I got to go and see Tom in his school play - he was great - including singing his solo bit! When Jack got home (I think he ran most the way) he had a good play with all his new lego, and gameboy (cheap & cheerful - no DS's in this household...yet), then decorated his cake. I thought I was going to be making Monster Cake III, but Jack wanted to do his own. It didn't take too much to persuade me. The finished cake. It is Bel-Air (France house), though I don't think that was the original plan - it evolved...

Jack also got to choose tea - pizza and chips. He said a while ago that if we gave him £10, he wouldn't bother with a party this year. BARGAIN!! A good day all round!

Playmobil rules!

The Playmobil that Harry got for his birthday has already been a good investment - we have hardly seen the boys all day - they have been upstairs playing with it! Scott and I have been relaxing and Lucy has been busy with my camera.
We took a few family photos on the tripod as soon as Scott got back in from church, because his Mum would like a family one for Christmas. I threatened the kids to behave for the first few, then let them do what they do best - look like a bunch of nutters (see new blog header!). We are keeping the photo for Meg and Dave secret though. This was another one. Lucy's photography:

Lucy getting an 'artistic angle' of the dining room.

And finally one I took of Scott and Harry playing Downfall 'Harry version' (ie. there's no such thing as 'turns', and Harry peers round your side whenever he wants)

Happy 4th Birthday Harry!

Harry a couple of days ago during the cake baking...Harry our youngest is 4 today, and had his birthday party this afternoon, along with 12 playgroup friends. I have been working like a loony for a couple of days (finishing some decorating/cleaning/baking), but it was worth it - I think we had a lovely party, though Harry kept disappearing upstairs to play with his new Playmobil - big hit!!
Here is Harry with Monster Cake IILucy is happy because she finally finished her advent calendar - she hand sewed all the numbers on and has been at it for a few days now. She purposely hasn't made it Christmassy because she wants to use it for her birthday too.

Harry and Tom getting down to some serious playing this evening.

Thanks ever so much to anyone who bought Harry a present! He is a happy chappy.

Happy December!

John just sent me this (link)... Harry has now made me play it seven times in a row! We are both sitting here laughing!

(Later....) I have just been having a play around too, and come up with these...

John & Hannah

John & Grandma

I haven't spent ALL day on the computer by the way - have also glossed a door, scraped paint and made Harry's birthday cake etc!

Not much really

I'm sitting here, feeling a bit rubbish with a cold coming on, just fiddling about on the computer. Can't be bothered to read or do anything really. Just some odd photos from the last day or two...
The boys watching 'You've been Framed' on telly last night. Lucy wanted some fabric to make an advent calendar, this afternoon, and it's all in plastic tubs under my bed, so I was helping her get it out and choose some. I came across some fabric I had forgotten about that one of the Mum's from school gave me ages ago. I was thinking it might make a good table cloth - maybe for the Ward Christmas party, so Lucy was helping me see how long it was - and she says 'I feel like the Statue of Liberty!' It made me laugh because Mum and Dad have a photo of my little sister posing as the Statue of Liberty too (though wearing somewhat less... sorry Katy!)

Scott's Mum & Dad sent the kids some money to buy chocolate advent calendars, a few days ago. The kids couldn't see any they liked (all sold out?), so we bought a big tin of chocolates for them and they are making their own. It's been fun seeing what they have come up with. Lucy is making a fabric wall hanging with pockets, and little numbers embroidered on; Jack has made a castle out of a cereal box, with a draw bridge that you pull down and get a sweet out of every day; Tom has hung a bag of sweets from a wooden coathanger that he is decorating all Christmassy. I'll have to come up with something for Harry. Noone got many advent chocolates last year because Harry went round and ate everyone's on about day 3.

Scott called for Tom to come and get his teeth cleaned tonight, and he came with this sign sello-taped to his head. Scott commended him for coming up with such a labour-saving device...

There has been lots of 'creativity' (ie. total mess) this weekend, what with making calendars, invites for Harry's birthday party, cards etc. and I finally finished off my Relief-Society-Christmas-craft-evening-wall-hanging thing. We also got a great new book on making felt and fabric Christmas decorations. Harry got me to sew a little blue and orange felt penguin for him, and Tom drew a template for, cut out and stitched this little snowman all by himself! His stitching has improved loads even since doing that monster thing.

My wall hanging.

I took my camera on the school run yesterday, to get some shots of Harry with his new scooter. We had to add the crash helmet, though he isn't falling off quite so much now. It cracks me up how he scoots faster and faster (no smooth gliding going on), then just before total wipe-out he leaps off and has to run along side as fast as possible for a moment...

He has gone from moaning about walking to school, to crying if we have to go in the car now, so success! (sort of!) Just playing around this evening after tea.

Also I will mention that I am now a Playmobil junky. The kids asked for some pieces for their birthdays and Christmas, and I have been on Ebay bidding like a loony for the last couple of days -both sets of Grandparents have given me free reign to get presents from them too! Now the parcels are arriving and I am like a kid! I can't wait for them to open them!