A couple of pictures from Mum and Dad's house on Conference weekend that I forgot about.

The top one makes me laugh... it is typically Harry.

We went to the Conways for dinner today - and to the Chatterton's for Emerson's first birthday party yesterday...what a wonderful weekend... and I didn't have to cook once!!
Anna - here is a link to that other fabric shop I was talking about!
http://www.fabricrehab.co.uk/index.php

Well after 2 weeks in the garden, the kids have all gone back to school and everything in now planted! I even planted potatoes in the gaps in the flower beds!

Harry built this garage yesterday (the cars are buried deep underneath!) He was quite proud of it.

Spot the Difference... (9am and 10.30am)

That should last them till the Summer holidays now! (I didn't want to cut Harry's - I loved it - but he wanted to be like Jack and Tom)

Latest Family Portrait Pictures! (total riot as usual)

Not a good advert for the latest Bob the Builder magazine:

Looks like this is going to be a very boring gardening blog from now on...

Another day of digging in the garden yesterday - our extra 2 tonnes of soil came, and we filled the 2ND raised bed, planted the onion sets, plus Lucy and I dug out a big trench that will be for runner beans, and filled it with compost, then dug out some more in front of the shed for more rhubarb. I also made a step in front of the shed, from really nice, old smooth bricks we've found around the garden (it's in picture above - I really like it!). More digging then - some grotty grass that I then returfed. The problem with all the digging is that it's in horrible clay - really hard work. I'm starting to get fed up of digging now... Scott's back at work today for a break. We'll have to do a bit more yet though, because the kids and I went into town today and I bought some raspberry and blackcurrant plants...
Better clear up the house now for Mum, Dad and Grandma coming tomorrow!
I am loving the whole gardening thing - even if nothing grows! ( Quite likely, due to the boys habit to play football in the garden - the plants will get v. squashed if the habit carries on!) Lucy

More Mud

Another day in the garden yesterday. We went to the garden centre in the morning and got some plants and a new mini greenhouse, then spent the rest of the day planting. I am very proud of our new tomatoes and strawberries (I'm pretty sure we have dragged that strawberry planter round in at least the last 2 house moves without ever having used it), and Lucy and Jack have dug out their little plots on front of the shed and planted their own rhubarb and strawberry plants (you can see them behind Harry above...Also, spot our Easter egg packaging cloches!) Got some sweet peas in too and divided up a little pot of geraniums into 20 separate plants! We've planted up one of the raised beds too now with courgettes, cabbages and broccoli. If we ever actually get to eat anything we have grown I am going to be ridiculously proud!! Hopefully another 2 tonnes of soil are coming today.

Harry was just a total muddy wet mess yesterday. He looked like a bandit most the day with mud smeared across his eyes. He's a bit cleaner in the pictures above, after playing with the hose pipe...Thanks for our Easter chocolate everyone!!

A Spot of Gardening...

Chopping down a couple of trees. We want to plant more fruit trees later.Pushing the trampoline back, and re-shaping the apple tree.Chopping up the old chairs, and burning lots of branches etc.Dad making the masterpiece raised vegetable beds to go on the cleared out flower beds (I am VERY excited about these!!)Just a few tonnes of mud to move... (only 3 days late!)The fixed back fence (and side fence), levelled and turfed back lawn, new trellis and nearly filled raised beds
We didn't have enough mud to finish off the 2nd bed - too much of it was plastered to the kids and our carpets, ha ha... Another 2 tonnes should do it, then we get to do the best bit - planting!!

Get Scott!

Harry wanted to take photos - do you like his modern art version of me?! he also wanted me to take photos of him...

Scott has got his own blog! (see link on right - it's a tongue twister) He was mocking the nice messages I had got from some other crafting bloggers, and he said he wanted to leave some crafty messages too, only more along the lines of "This card is rubbish". I said he had to have a blog to leave messages (not strictly true) but he got a blog anyway. Not that he will ever leave mean messages, but to serve him right I think we should all leave him loverley sweet crafty messages on his blog. I have already sent him two. He he he...

MMR

Oh dear. Harry had his MMR2 immunisation today, plus another one with about 50 diseases in the name. I had explained it to him in advance, but knew he would still get really upset - I know what he is like - he hates any adults that he doesn't know very well, talking to him or having anything to do with him, never mind sticking a needle in each arm! He lay stiff as a board on the waiting room floor when it was our turn, and then I really struggled to hold him still for the injections - he fought! Oh well, it's done now. I'd also said he could choose something from the sweet shop after, and all he wanted was some hallowed chewing gum. After explaining for about five minutes that he could NOT swallow it, I gave him a half a stick and within about 5 seconds he had swallowed it... More crying then because he thought he had been naughty. Not his fault - 3 is too young - my fault!
Seeing him on the trampoline this afternoon with Lucy and her friend Hanna (who Harry is in love with) I would say he had got over the trauma OK.
I also had Jack off school today. It must be a nasty bug we have had, for Jack to get it. He hardly gets anything and has only had about 4 or 5 sick days off school ever.
Scott's just gone to the gym. He says he might do a few exercises before going to the sauna...

(For anyone following the exciting lost school uniform saga (ie. Mum), one of Jack's shirts has miraculously appeared, and the pair of trousers was found crumpled up at the back of the wardrobe... He has now managed to lose a jumper though. No progress on Lucy's jumpers - good job I only got them from the charity shop or I might be more cheesed off)

Since the telly blew up, everyone is keen on the lap top!