Book Day

Today was Book Day or something like that, and Jack was meant to go to school dressed as a book character. He thought he could only go as a character by Roald Dahl or Charles Dickens - so we chose Oliver Twist (though it turns out he could have gone as anyone from loads of different authors). Anyway, this was him, and this was also what he looked like while we went on our 6 monthly visit to the dentist this morning!

Everyone's teeth are very good, except Scott who had to have a small filling. The kids decided he shouldn't have any more 'sweetie days'. (Our kids' week goes: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sweetie-day, Sunday.)

Lucy was off school yesterday and Monday - still not great but back at school today. She's been helping with meals still though - here's last night's pudding - sticky orange steamed pudding, with an orange sauce.

Yesterday morning I drove to playgroup and parked there, walked Tom to school nearby and Harry back to playgroup, and then walked home with a friend. She even asked if I was driving home and I said no -totally forgot I'd driven - then got home and saw there was no car there. My memory is ridiculous!

Also yesterday, Harry had his Swine Flu immunisation. I couldn't make up my mind if he should when we first got the letter, and he ended up missing that session, but they put him on this next one and I decided to go for it. It was a major improvement on Harry's last immunisation - when he lay on the waiting room floor prostrate and yelling his head off... he'd decided he would be brave this time and was - including watching the needle going in, and not a single word of complaint. He is a funny little soul. Hard to believe he starts school this year. We were looking at some older photo albums the other day and it almost got me feeling broody - being reminded how old they are all getting.

HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

I just wanted to celebrate 60 years of the best Dad on the planet being around! These aren't exactly representative - just ones I like from my laptop..Dad's team

Dad's handiwork - the Yellow Peril

Dad's next grand handiwork... the extension! (Skip a few years!)

Dad and Mum's new toy!

Dad is always so calm and genteel... ...and he has a love of blowtorches...

All Dad's fault

A few more toys

Even later in life Dad is still acquiring new skills - conversing in fluent French with the locals!

Happy Birthday Dad - love you xxx

Our Boys

Lucy was off school again today - still got a sore throat and bad stomach. I wasn't feeling too great either. Had to swap my playgroup duty, and then Harry didn't go to playgroup either - he never wants to go when someone else is off school.

We didn't go to church again yesterday - just dropped off Jack and Tom. No blizzard this week, instead we had flooding! Water was literally gushing down off the fields, and then last night Scott noticed that the tiny town next to us was in headlines in the national press because of its Flood Warning. I mentioned on Facebook that we had better stop skiving church. Or next week it will be a plague of locusts or something.

Took some pics of the boys this afternoon.
Jack. He was killing himself laughing at dinner tonight, telling us about in his maths class when his friend Richard was asked what a particular 3D shape was, and he answered 'a Toblerone'...glad he's so easily amused! (We were then trying to think of what chocolate could be used for other 3D shapes...)Serious Tom. It's good - the kids are so used to me taking photos now that they just ignore me, so I get some natural ones of them.

Harry playing with some playdough that he got given at a party. He was actually given it about 2 weeks ago, but he wouldn't use it because he said he was saving it for his kids! I offered to make him some playdough this morning, but he said - no, he'd use his kids'...

On Thursday, a friend of Lucy's came round for tea and they did some homework together - designing a 'Green Town'. I'm not sure that it was meant to be this big or in model form, but they had fun doing it, and I liked the details they added.
Yesterday didn't turn out as expected.
It was going to be a quiet day, with a bit of book club book reading, and ironing.

First of all Lucy was ill (bad cold and feeling sick/dizzy), so she was off school.

Whilst dropping Harry off at playgroup I was reminded that he was meant to be going to a birthday party miles away all afternoon, so I had to make arrangements for someone to take him, because I didn't want to leave Lucy for that long.

When I got home there was a knock at the door, and it was a builder asking if he could come and start work. (I had asked him a couple of weeks ago if he could do some coving in the kitchen and bathroom, but hadn't been given a date.) So a mad scramble to clear out the kitchen etc. so he could begin straight away.

Then sorting out a present and card to take up to playgroup and see Harry off.

I tried to read my book club book then (for that evening), but the builder was pretty chatty, telling me that he would like to be in a book club himself, and also finish off writing Dickens' last book, one day.

I felt ill - same dizziness as Lucy.

Picked up Tom (Harry on scooter - me running to keep up), then picked up Jack and the two Emilys who he normally walks with, from drama club and dropped everyone home.

The builder left at 5.20pm, leaving me 40 minutes to clear everywhere up and start on dinner for the missionaries who were coming over at 6pm.

Did that, then some more last minute speed reading till the kids' bedtime.

Walked round to a friend's house, who gave me a lift to book club. (I never did finish the book in time.)

Got back at midnight after a good discussion on secularism/Islam in Turkey.

Had a natter with Scott.

Today has been pretty quiet (thank goodness). Tom went to the cinema with Shane and Dawn in the morning, and I popped out for a bit to pick up and drop off approx. 350 servings of desserts for tonight's Gold & Green Ball (VERY slowly driving round corners and over speed bumps...)

Harry and I made marble cake for tea, with ganache on top (Melted chocolate & double cream)

Here is my hole-in-the-middle cake tin. It used to be my Granny's and I remember her making marble cakes in it. The tin is one of the things I asked to keep after she had died, whilst I was pregnant with Harry.

Someone appears to have stolen my piece of cake.
Lucy and Harry this evening - Harry never changed out his pyjamas all day...Lucy is still looking a bit ill.And a quiet evening now too - Scott is bidding on surfboards on ebay and I am falling asleep...

Harry and I didn't go to church on Sunday - he was flagging, and the rash he had in the holidays has really messed up his skin - the kids were saying he looked like a zombie - flaky white skin and really red eye sockets! We drove the older kids to church though, and that was a fun trip! It was snowing quite a bit and the roads were covered - very slippery. We didn't go over 30mph the whole way.

Here is Harry a few minutes before he told me his name was now "Headband-Dan Harry Billy Bracken Jack Cryer". I can't remember the kids' normal names half the time, never mind that!

He made me laugh too, with "My poos can talk, and they make me play." ie. I don't want any more of my cereal - I'm going to the toilet now, and I'm not coming back to finish it." Hmmm. On Monday Harry was feeling a bit more lively, and we ended up having a friend round whose Mum was feeling rough. They got on with some stamping, and then saw me sewing on the machine and wanted to have a go too, so with them controlling the treddle we made them a cushion each. Talk about proud... they did not put those cushions down for the rest of the day, even on the school run to pick up their big brothers. On Tuesday I went to my second quilting class up at church - there was no power in the building, so not much sewing going on, but still plenty to learn.

In the evening the Young Men (the 12-18 yr old lads in the Youth programme from church) came over with a couple of Leaders to practise some cooking skills. We had a good time and produced some very edible food! (I showed them omelettes.)

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day and I didn't feel that great, but had a good laugh as ever at book club in the evening.

Everyone else is doing fine. Lucy hasn't been around much - she's been in her room reading the Twilight books - I think she's old enough to now. She is loving them!

Harry and Tom are keeping their room very tidy - even found the beds made this morning!! It's nice to be able to actually walk round their room, not have to jump over the piles of mess.

Jack and Scott have just been getting on with things - business as usual. Scott's been out Sunday, Tuesday, last night and tonight, but we've been having fun planning our driving route for America - think we have it sussed now, and I'm starting to get excited!

I've got to get on with some reading now, to finish my book off for my other book club tomorrow night.

Half-term survived!

On Thursday, Lucy got invited out for the day (and then ended up not being home till later this morning! She went on a couple of sleepovers - 1am and 3am bedtimes... oh joy)
The boys have got on pretty well with each other - lots of lovely imaginative play with lego and playmobil going on. Harry developed a rash all over him on Thursday morning, but seemed fine in himself. He made me laugh yesterday - was wondering round the house calling for Lucy and muttering to himself about where she was 'hiding'. He missed her, I think.

Also on Thursday friends came over, and then stayed for tea - I like it when things happen unplanned! The house was a tip though, which I made a lot worse whilst making tea. Leek & Potato Soup was on the menu, and I picked the leeks out the garden (while it was snowing - so pretty). The leeks have been growing there since last Easter! And they were only this big! We used the entire crop for one pan of soup!! (It tasted good though.)I am loving this winter so much - normally by this time of the year I am fed up of it and ready for spring, but I have enjoyed the cold and especially the snow, and feel like we have had a proper winter. Yesterday our new mattresses came and I built the beds - here's the first one up, with the boys in (I've told them that we can have a family sleepover one day - 3 per bed and a midnight feast! Kids very keen, Scott less so.) I got injured though - I touched a screw head just after I had electric screw-drivered it in, and it was boiling hot - I now have a Philips screw-head shape branded into my thumb tip.

Anyway, so now there is very little in our room except beds - but oh what comfort... (That's my fillering on the wall by the way - getting ready to decorate.)

Also yesterday some fabric I was waiting for arrived, so now I have finished the top of Lucy's quilt. I've also been working on another quilt (See my craft blog for pics.)

Today, more chaos upstairs - Tom wanted to share rooms with Harry, so he has swapped with Jack, who is happy to have his own room. 3 bin bags of recycling/charity shop stuff/RUBBISH.

Everywhere is looking spick and span now though.

Scott also made a trip to the dump - after we managed to fit a kingsize mattress into our car (without opening the boot - because it still does not open!) - quite a feat.

Jack and Tom got haircuts today. I've been putting it off for ages, and asked Scott if he would take the boys with him to the hairdressers instead. Scott said he could do, but it would cost quite a bit, and wouldn't I rather do it and spend the money on quilting fabric? OK! It only took me about 15 minutes in the end. I love Scott's logical view on life!

I don't think Harry and I will make it to church tomorrow. I thought his rash was going, but now it's gone blotchy and itchy and he is a poorly boy. Poor little thing.