Is That Spring I Spy?

Hands up who thought that not only was winter never going to end, but that we'd actually entered a new Ice Age?! After the worst winter in donkeys, I think most of us had forgotten what sunshine actually looked like! However, it's been really rather pleasant weatherwise the past couple of weeks and it looks like Spring (my favourite season, yay!) may just be around the corner.

Cindy has taken to her 'reclining in the sun' spot on the windowsill:

We finally have a lone crocus in the graden. OK, so it looks a bit sad all on it's own but I can see others on the way:

For the past few days, both the washing and the kids have been chucked out in the garden (think Em may have got a bit too excited by the sun with the shorts though, not quite yet Em!):

And, joy of joys, it's actually light enough and above sub-zero for long enough to get in the craft room and do some scrapping:

After a bit of a scrapping drought, I ran off this springy-coloured layout in an hour:

Of course, it helps to have a lovely subject to scrap, my wonderful Grandad!

Here's hoping that, in true UK style, we haven't peaked already and are resigned to a Spring of grey clouds!

Charity Update

First of all, we've had excellent news this week. Remember the little boy I sponsor in Haiti? Well we got a letter to say he's alive and safe! Yay! So relieved he's OK.

My little charity giving daughter adopted her panda. It's a giant female panda in China called Zhu Xiong (nope, I've no idea how to pronounce it either!). We got it through the WWF and I'd definately recommend it for introducing kids to charity as they get a picture and cuddly toy of their chosen animal, plus updates 3 times a year. Emily's panda is currently at the post office as I missed the postman by 30 seconds, but will post a pic of Zhu once we get it!

Finally, my sister has asked me to post on her behalf. She's doing something called the Ribbon Walk in June in aid of Breast Cancer Care. If you are able to sponsor her, then please go here. Good luck our kid!

8 Days After 8!

OK, so I don't think I've ever gone 2 whole weeks without blogging before! Lots going on round here but normal blogging service has now been resumed and I am here to bore you stupid on a regular basis yet again!

I can't believe it's taken me 8 days to blog about Em's birthday - usually I'm on here on the day - but better late than never. Yes, my little baby girl turned 8 last week...yes, that's 8! On the day we went out for tea with both Emily's grndmothers and both her aunties: Xander was a little star and loved having Gwandma, Nanna, Auntie Gemma and Auntie Zoe there:

It was a really nice night, though Rob and I were both out of the restaurant when they all sang happy birthday to her, typical:

Emily got her fave cd of the moment, Alexandra Burke, so we've had a lot of dancing:

Last Saturday she went to the pictures with a few girls from school:

And then on to Maccy D's for lunch:

Then afterwards we had a couple of friends over:

On Sunday I took her out to spend her birthday money. The usual 5 hours queuing up in Build-A-Bear (though have to admit, I LOVE that shop!) and she bought a game for her DS. Then I think I had the proudest mummy moment ever: she said "Mummy, I've decided that I want to give some of my birthday money to charity!". OMG, how unbelievably proud of her were we? It's a cliche but kids have it too good these days, and it's so nice that she can see past the DS and Wii and realise just how fortunate she is. So, she's going to adopt a panda from WWF, she said she'd thought of horses but she can see them every week and check they're OK whereas she worries about animals she can't see. Bless her!

Penguin Boy!

We've been away at Center Parcs this week. Pics are pretty much the same as the other 3 billion times we've been though may have a few to share later. However, yesterday I was sat by the pool reading my book while the others went whizzing down slides, in waves machines etc when Xander came for a bit of quiet time and I got these lovely pics:

Wistful Penguin Boy:

Tired '7 Mile Stare' Penguin Boy:

Sneaky Penguin Boy:

Mischievous Penguin Boy:

Defiant Penguin Boy:

I can see a scrapbooking layout coming on!

At Least The Fish Loves Me!

There's nothing like a good Valentine's Day to make you feel like the most UNloved person in the world!

Although we'd agreed no cards or anything, you always kind of hope that your other half will do what they do for the rest of the year and completely ignore you! However, alas, no Interflora deliveries here yesterday!

Emily added to the unloving when she made Daddy and Xander both a Valentine card at school the other day. Er, ahem, what am I, chopped liver?!

I did go out and buy myself a little Valentine's present: a brand new shiny pap pap! I finally admitted that little old Fiesa ain't ever coming back so went out and bought a new car that I'm hoping to learn to love. It's very shiny so hopefully we can be friends!

Finally, I did get a bit of love at tea time. The kids had fish fingers and I chucked myself a tuna steak in the oven. It was only when I took it out the oven that I noticed it looked like this:

Hurray! Someone loves me, even if it is a dead fish!

Xandanory

That boy of mine doesn't half make me laugh!

Like most kids, he has one book that he reads over and over and over again. At the moment it's The Very Hungry Catterpillar (which I also loved as a kid!). We've read it that many times to him that he knows it off by heart. So tonight, rather than Rob read him a bedtime story, Xander read us all one!

So sit back and enjoy The Very Hungry Catterpillar, as read by Xander

Goodbye Old Friend

Bit of a sad day for me today. My lovely old trusty Fiesta went to the big metal scrapyard in the sky:
Thanks to some of Britain's finest criminals, my poor car was broken beyond repair so it was finally written off on Friday and today the scrapmen came and took it away. :(

I loved that car. I'd had it for 6 years and it had always been reliable (well, apart from once, but that isn't bad in 6 years!). I liked how it drove, it felt safe for the kids and it played my Slash and Foos cds at a very loud volume! It took us on lots of holidays (including it's first foreign holiday last year!) and even brought my son home from the hospital. So, I am so sad to see it go. Goodbye little Fiesta, we've had some good times!

So, the hunt is now on for a new pap-pap. It's like a mine field out there, with dodgy dealers, cars missing airbags (which begs the question what scrapes the car's been in!) and the fact I loathe car salesmen! Not sure anything will ever measure up to my little Fiesta though but I'll just have to learn to love again!