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Wednesday 29 May 2013

Hi, I was just wondering...

I'm relatively new to Blogspot and I'm not sure that I am using it correctly or to its fullest potential. I am amazed however to see so many people looking at the blog - properly amazed! The majority of the page views are to look at the Wonka Party; it was very cool to make all the stuff, my hubby is awesome!!!

I know there are a few people following the blog but for some reason it only tells me there is one follower...why is that? I can't find anything about how to fix it either. 

If you are following the blog, would you mind letting me know by putting a wee comment on the bottom? Thanks.

Pam x

Tuesday 28 May 2013

January to May 2013

Where has the time gone? I am actually a bit scared because time just keeps whizzing past!!

So that I don't forget or miss things out, I'll just add a bunch of pictures to remind us what we've been up to.
  
 

 January

Daddy and Heather made a Gingerbread House one morning when I had a fabulous long lie (thanks Ian)
 
Ok, this next pictures is really weird - and it's not photo-shopped or anything. Heather got a face sticker set from Santa (the idea is that you stick features on blank faces to make funny looking people). Heather thought it would be funny to stick them on herself - I helped with the eyebrows), It was just too funny so we had to take a picture!





Heather and Evan had fun for almost 40 minutes with a baking tray, some flour and some utensils...note to self - will use this on rainy days!



Heather has a reward/ consequence system we call the' star-jar'. When she is good, helpful or kind, she a pom-pom (if she is naughty then one is removed). The aim is to fill the jar and earn a treat for herself. It actually works! For her first full jar she earned herself a Merida dress. Evan wanted in on the action too and so had a turn with the cape...it was like a scene from 'Dungeons and Dragons' !








Beecraigs Country Park

A winter walk at Beecraigs Country Park. We were wrapped up from top-to-toe and we were still freezing. The walk only lasted about 25 minutes then we quickly retreated to the warmth of the car! Before we did though, we enjoyed watching the ducks slipping on the ice and falling through the cracks in the ice. Funny for us...not so much for the ducks!



Ian isn't smiling because he was so cold and telling me to hurry up!





The icy lake at Beecraigs

  

February

Briarlands


Yet another freezing cold day. We met up with our good friends the McGaugie's and Caley's for a fun day out at Briarlands. (we were the only people there!) The bouncy pillows were a hit as always but I really had a hard time accepting that it had it had to be done without shoes on - it was so cold and wet. By the end, most of us were bare foot as our socks were soaked. Oh yeh, the Steel family had forgotten their spare socks...ooops!


 
 
 


Becca, Ben and Heather having fun on the bouncy pillows

 
 Evan looking like he should be part of the RNLI...now where is that lifeboat?
 
 




Abbie and Evan


 
Fun in the tractors and cars
 
 

 
 
 

Excited by my new willies!

Playing in the garden in my new willies!
















  I love that he gets more excited with every picture. Evan smiling for all his worth!

March

Grampa's Birthday


All the grandchildren (minus Alec who was sleeping down at the farm). Hannah and Granny had made cupcakes for Grampa's Birthday. This was the moment that they were all going to help him blow out the candles - Hannah didn't want a false start and so restrained David!





 The gorgeous girls.
 

 Balloon fun!



Grampa had to get back to the animals so we all jumped at the chance to take a quick peek at the new lambs and calves.



My beautiful boys
 
 

 
 The newest additions to the farm


April

Heather received her Book Bug bag from Nursery and got to work straight away drawing a self portrait on the art book. I am amazed at how good her drawings are - all of a sudden she went from drawing squiggles and lines to drawing people! Well done, wee one!


Ooooo, she also copied her name onto the book.




Easter Bonnet time

I knew there was a reason that we needed a glue gun (not just for gluing pool noodles into Willy Wonka lollipops!)Daddy was in charge of the hot glue gun (I had a quick turn and managed to burn my finger)



Evan had fun and tried to join in but, I'll be honest, he just ate the tissue paper)


 
 

Easter Sunday

 The eggs and treats arrived from Granny and Grampa



 



Heather tried to eat her little egg - she is the only child I know that doesn't like chocolate (with the exception of a Kit Kat)


It didn't take long for Evan to get the chocolate everywhere.


We went to the Falkirk Wheel on Easter Sunday to join in with the fun things. There was a treasure hunt, face painting, cookie decorating, animals and other stuff too (I can't remember them all) This was H decorating her cookie.


 

Painting pots & planting seeds

 
Another fun evening in the Steel house. We bought some little pots from the garden centre and decorated them with paint, glitter, stickers and little wooden bugs. The next day we planted sunflower seeds in them. Sadly, I have to report, none of the seeds made it.  Partly because of the weather and partly because Evan kept tipping them out.
 
 
 



 

Muiravonside Country Park

 
A sunny Sunday (still a freezing one though - when is Spring/ Summer coming?) and we took ourselves to Muiravonside to see the animals. Daddy had fun taking pictures - some arty shots. I guess it is a bit of a 'busman's holiday' for him.
 
 



Happy Heather. A rare shot of H when she is smiling - she's not a fan of having her photo taken.

 
 

 Big Pigs


 

 


Spring cake decorating


Rory, Ben, Abbie, Eleanor (she was sleeping), Evan and Heather doing some cake decorating.
 


 
 


Rory





Ben having loads of fun eating the icing.



Little sister Abbie had fun too - check out the very purple mouth




Heather demolished several cakes (all children were on a sugar high for most of the afternoon...sorry Becca and Claire)



 Evan "look Mum, no hands!"




 
 
 

May


Granma's 65th Birthday

 We had a little tea party at Granma's house for her 65th Birthday. There was party food, cake, singing and some disguises!


Cam (the oldest grandchild) sporting his disguise


Granma opens her parcels




 I love that Granma can't hide her excitement (now I know where I get it from)



When I took these photos, I thought they were really good. That was until I uploaded it and realised that Evan has a mouthful of crisps!

Jenny and Heather - the giggly girls


Daddy turns 40!!

For Ian's BIG Birthday (as I like to call it) we had several plans.

Instead of a cake for his 40th, Ian wanted 40 doughnuts from Krispy Kreme...well, they only sell them in dozens SO we had to buy 48!!!!!






Saturday 4th May
So, at 8.30am, Heather and Ian went through to Edinburgh to buy a whean of doughnuts. H went in her jammies (this made her very excited).

We had a family lunch with the Steels at Scott's in Troon. It was lovely and all 5 kids were really great - we kept them busy with colouring in, stickers and (my final weapon) glow in the dark necklaces!

After the lunch, we went back to the farm for cake. Granny did NOT disappoint! Oh, we also brought a dozen doughnuts. Elasticated waistbands would have been a good idea.

Ian and Heather had picked up some Krispy Kreme hats and balloons in the morning. Granny added some note pads, pens and tea towels to complete the waitress looks. The girls had so much fun taking tea and coffee orders and then running through to Granny in the kitchen with the order.














 

 

 


Here comes the cake!




 
 

 
Auntie Janice and baby Alec
 

 






 



In the evening, the Fulton-Bournes and the Rices came over for take away and doughnuts.

Sunday 5th May
Child free for 2 days! Ian and I headed off to Gleneagles. We were booked in for afternoon tea followed by a relaxing dinner and a lazy night drinking cocktails in the bar. Next morning we stuffed ourselves silly at the fabulous buffet breakfast (incredible) and then headed to the Spa for most of the day. It was BLISS!

Happy Birthday to the best husband in the whole world. I know I am so lucky to have you and I love you endlessly. xxx