Take It Easy

The Joy of Christmas Past

 

Today we took a trip to The Ulster Folk Museum for their 'Christmas Past' event. Oh my, what fun we had!! We tried mulled Ginger wine at the Craft Fair-it's just the ticket for Christmas day with mince pies! We posted our letters to Santa and had them collected by the busy man himself. It was so cute to see all the kids chasing him down the street & getting so excited and then shy to meet him!

We watched weaving, carol singing and a blacksmith at work. We made Christmas decorations. We visited as many of the cute old fashioned houses/buildings as Cameron's little legs could walk to. We caught up with old friends - the horses from our Summer visit and Ruby the biggest pig we've ever seen! Also our human friends happened to be there with their family too, that made the day!

Ewan's favourite spot was McCusker's pub, where there were mince pies and mulled wine. Laura and Cam watched through the LandLord's peep hole!:

 
 
 Laura's favourite was the bank (ha)!! Not much different from nowadays!

 
My absolute favourite was the Nationa school. We had managed to miss this exhibit during our Summer trip, so delighted to stumble across it, especially since the fire behind the teachers desk was roaring!!

 
 
 
I think we are going to make this one of our Christmas traditions - it is so festive and a great way of getting out in the fresh air after weeks of freezing weather!!

What Christmas fun are you up to?

 

You Know It's Christmas When........

the local garden centre gets out the huge plastic Santa..........

 

{ Had you given up on me? I had! But I'm a woman of fluctuations - I like to keep you on your toes!! I may be back - watch this space!! }

You know it's summer when........

...you get to eat breakfast in the living room while watching cartoons

..it rains on the first day of the holidays

..all around you can hear children squabbling

..your children are eating you out of house and home

..you have sunsine and torrential rain within minutes of each other

..you can have all day adventures at fun places

..you get to see more of your fun friends!

(..you can blog twice in one week!)

It's Not The End.......It's Just The Beginning!

Now, from the evidence below you might be excused for thinking that Cameron didn't have a good year at nursery school. What rubbish. He had a blast. Unlike Maddie though, he made connections with certain pupils not the teachers. He liked the lovely ladies fine (mostly if they allowed him to play outside and didn't make him do tasks) but he liked the kids better. Just look at the body language below:

Hehe -I can just hear him complaining!! 'Don't make me mummy'

 

Any how, we've been leaving off children to these lovely, patient, caring ladies for two years on the trot, and our time is finally coming to an end. Wednesday marks the end of nursery school for the Stronge's. But fret not, for while we are sad to say goodbye to these ladies, Cameron is saying 'hello' to this lovely lady:

Mrs Welsh. Oh how she has inspired Maddie this year. With her guitar playing and songs about such things as 'curly wurly wurly wurly intestines' and different body parts. Her stories and 'learning through play' and in a big class of 32 too. She has encouraged her to write, read, count, manipulate numbers, eat fruit, and skip (a new skill this month). In September Maddie is moving on to Miss Orr's class (she taught me you know) and Cameron is going to have the honour of being in Mrs Welsh's much smaller class (19) - we cannot wait! Things will be so much easier - the kids will be in the same building, have the same holidays, appear in the same concerts and share a playground at breaktime. Perfect!

So for now, goodbye to the lovely Castleeagh Nursery, and hello to the summer holidays!!
 

Making Hay While The Sun Shines

Boy have we been busy recently. The weather has been so great (mostly) that we have been out and about enjoying ourselves. We got the paddling pool out for the first time in 2 years. The kids just loved it, mummy enjoyed the peace while they splashed about soaking each other (and the washing on the line)!

We have also been experimenting with camping. Our first night out was in a three-man tent. Ewan was not comfortable - but the kids and I were snug as bugs in sleeping bags. We have since upgraded to a 6-man version complete with living area. It had it's maiden voyage last night - pure camping luxury! I cooked Ewan his Father's day breakfast on our little stove (bacon sandwiches and coffee), wasn't he spoiled! So far we have ventured to Portstewart and Portrush, I think we are going to have to give the rest of Northern Ireland a chance, and then the sky's the limit!!

PS if you are interested in camping,  a cool new store (one of those that has everything and more) just opened at Holywood Exchange. Check out Decathlon's website!

Of course a trip to Portrush is not complete without having a go on the hobby horses in Barry's amusements. Boy was Cameron keen to get in!

We met up with my sister and her hubster. They'd been cycling about up there all week & were looking all fit and tanned. Lucky them! What fun we had on the kiddies rides!

Such fun!!

Only 10 days till school's out for summer! I cant wait for more days like today, spending time together, laughing, excitement at simple things, just making memories.

Have a good week!

 

 
 

Phew, he's four!

Recently it would have been nice to have a pause button to stop time. It's been running away with us, a bit like a rollercoaster you can't get off! For the final insult my baby turned four. Wow. Seems like only yesterday that I was whisked through the Ulster hospital to have him. So much has happened since then, so many different stages. Cots have changed to toddler beds, now to cabin beds. Baby swings, to swing boats to tree houses. No more nappy bags to carry, now it's Ben10 toys I have to remember to bring everywhere. Play school to nursery school, and now both are nearly in primary school. Each stage has its own merits, along with their own drawbacks. I have enjoyed each one so much, I am so thankful for them all, but I am happy to be where I am now. It's getting so much easier. No more dribble covered bibs, or bottles to sterilise. Now its yoghurt raisins in the snack box not rice cakes. They can talk back now and they are becoming really interesting, challenging, spirited little individuals.

Cameron had very definite ideas about his birthday, he went through the party pieces catalogue with me, thoroughly, over the course of a week (I had to hide it in the end). Of course he wanted every theme in it but I managed to whittle him down to 'pirate'. We had pirate hats, eye patches, bunting and telescopes. Stickers and plates too. It did my heart good to hear 'ahoy me hearty' and 'walk the plank' being yelled in delight. I only had a couple of friends from Camerons school class and his best buds there. That was enough!

I made two batches of cupcakes with chocolate butter icing, they didn't last long. We had to have a Ben 10 cake (to go with his gazillion new figures). I'm hoping good fun was had by all, Cameron certainly enjoyed himself!

Today was his proper birthday. He got more presents with breakfast, his teachers and class had more cake and candles for him, a quick trip to the toy shop with mummy and more cake with his best bud Bradley. Totally exhausted, he complained going to bed, but after two minutes this was the state of him:

Too cute, both of them! Seems like it's exhausting being four!

Making Stuff

So I started this project the last week of the Easter holidays. I had planned a patchwork cover for my sewing machine. But, boy, is patchwork hard, fiddly and exhausting!! So after quilting one side I gave up. Until today that is. I was off school with the worst bunged up nose & sore head I've had in a long time. After a few doses of Beechams I felt well enough to sew up the non-patchwork sides. And voilà, cover completed! It's the most complicated thing I ever made, but it cheers me up no end. So much so I'm back to school tomorrow! No rest for the wicked!

Boo

I'm posting from my iPhone-isn't technology great!!
Thought i'd show you my new kitchen pictures-love them, they cheer me up no end! Have a great week!

{ Happy Easter }

The rain has eventually dried up (for a while) and we have been able to get out to play in the Spring sunshine. What a glorious day it is out there!

So, what have you been up to today? The kids painted their eggs this morning in a frenzy of paint, brushes and chocolate. Then we met up with the Finnegans and Mackeys for a yummy Easter feast after which we headed off to roll our eggs. Here are the before and after shots:

Tasteful egg holders we have around here (hehe)!

 
Chasing their eggs.

I then tortured the family with much posing for photos - I actually think they are quite used to it now and getting into the spirit! Check out some of my favourites:

Obviously this was taken by someone other than me as, for once, I am in the picture!

Fab day had by all, now we just need to come down from this sugar rush!!  

Been Making Stuff

Just took the most awful photos of some of my most recent scrapbook pages. I've actually made time for a fair few layouts - catching up on lost time!!

That green trim is my most favourite thing at the moment!!

This layout makes me laugh so much - & cross my legs, hehe!! It's bright pink in real life - told you they were awful photos!!

I took this photo as an update to my second ever blog post.  Also to cheer me up when all I could do was wallow on the sofa while my dodgy pelvis healed! That seems sooooo long ago, a bad dream really!!

What have you been making recently?