DEAR SIR/MADAM

Sorry for my absence but it seems life has caught up with me!

Last week at school, was Peter Pan week. It was to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The kids watched the movies and did treasure maps etc and on Friday the kids got to dress up as a character from the book. Well lucky for me the Pirate costume came in handy again for Avie and Caitlyn the big one wanted to dress a a Lost Boy/Girl. So it was throw on anything and add a bit of dirt and she was ready (nice and simple).

Well they both seemed to have had a great time and nearly every kid in the school dressed up as Peter Pan, Hook, Tinkerbell, Wendy etc and even the teachers joined in.

CAITLYNS BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY WAS GREAT!!!!

All the kids had a 'splashing' time! (sorry lol). There were 21 in the end and they had relay races, biggest splash competitions, musical statues (lot harder when its in the water) - just loads of games and it was so much fun.

I couldn't take any photos of the kids at the swimming because of the new rules and I would have had to get every parent to sign a form to state that it was OK to take the photos - so in the end I just left it.

We got Caitlyn a mobile phone as she has pestered us for ages about getting one, we also got her the PlayStation 2 High School Musical Sing Star (wish we hadn't!!!! - my ears are killing me LOL). My best mate got her some clothes and a ticket to go see High School Musical - The Musical in July at Manchester. She also got a watch from her little sister, and from her friends loads of craft stuff, clothes, picture frames, chocolates, books and she got quite a bit of money. So all in all i think she had a great 10th Birthday.

So now we have Avies birthday to look forward to on Saturday. She will be the grand old age of 5! So she is having a party on the Monday at Wacky Warehouse which is great as I really don't have to do anything! The only problem with her is she doesn't know what she wants so I am really struggling with what to get her present wise!!

FIRST OF ALL

HAPPY NEW YEAR
I cant believe its the 8th of January already and I havent posted anything since the 7th December. How bad is that?

Have been very busy here at home with Crimbo and such. Kids had a wonderful time (spoilt rotten again). This picture was taken on Christmas Eve when they were both in great moods (that doesnt happen here much!)



I have actually managed to make some cards as well - which is rare for me at the moment.



The paper is from a DCWV Paper Stack that I got at Christmas from my dad.



This card I made for the lady who owns my LCS - hope she likes it! Her birthday was today. She is such a lovely lady. If you are reading this Vicky I hope you had a wonderful day - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!



I dont know the maker of this paper but I thought it was gorgeous.

HELLOOOOOOOO

I'm back - naughty me haven't blogged again! Where does all the time go? Just been so busy lately and not managed to get on here to do anything.

First off here are piccies of my 2 daughters on Halloween - youngest as a ghost pirate (I was determined she would get more use out of this outfit) and the eldest as a psycho doctor - that was her description not mine. Both of them did really well with all the treats they got and I am being honest - I did pinch a few of them yummy!

The 1st of November was also Caitlyns Monster Mash Disco at school where she dressed the same but her description changed to Zombie Doctor. Found some really cool tatoos of wounds and stuck one on her head with some fake skin and added lots of yellow, green, blue and black face paint. Then I splattered her with fake blood. She was so happy, she was voted the grossest (sp?) at the disco.

SNOW WHITE WITH A PATIENT

Today at school was BOOK DAY where the kids got to dress up in costumes regarding books that they are reading or have read.



My little one Avie wanted to go as Snow White and I was so grateful that one of my neighbours lent me this dress for her - I did have to take it up a bit (about 2 inches) but my neighbour said that it was no problem.

Now Caitlyn was different all together. They are reading a book at school called COOL (hope I am correct) which is about doctors, nurses, patients and a dog! I did order her a Doctors outfit but because of the postal strike guess what it never arrived - so off she went this morning as a patient. I gave her a black eye (please don't phone social services) by using really dark eyeshadow and then using a yellow felt tip pen for some realistic bruising. Ripped up hubby's old apron (chef by trade) for the bandage and used my red felt tips for the blood.

Last year Caitlyn won in her year with her costume which I had made with paper mache and shaped it into a really big alien head with brains to match. I will have to dig it out - as i don't throw anything away. But somehow I dont think she will win this time as half the girls in her class turned up looking exactly the same as her.

NO CRAFTING TODAY

I managed to get a photo of Caitlyn today while she was in the back garden. She usually likes her photo being taken - but not today! It was WAY to bright for her.

I thought I would add a photo of my 2 boys Shep & Joe my Border Collies. Shep is the one on the left and he is the father of Joe. Shep is 21 months old and Joe is 7 months.

Been a very quiet day today not really done much. Managed to get to my LCS and bought some new blades, some glue and some ribbon.

TAKING PHOTOS

Here is Avie taking a photo of me with her Barbie Camera. She just loves going round clicking away - even though its just a toy one. I had to trick her so I could get a photo of her without her camera stuck to her face. I might talk to hubby about getting her a small digi one for crimbo.

I also had a phonecall from the school this moring at 10.50am to say that Caitlyn had been sick. She is at home now and seems alright - she is sat in the front room curled up on the sofa watching some telly (cant be too ill!!!!!).

FREEDOM

Caitlyn just had to be in the picture!

Well two and a half hours of it!

My little Avie started school this morning and was she on a high. She bounced out of bed at 7 and ran into her sisters room singing 'Caitlyn get up I'm going to Reception' - it really did put a smile on my face.

We got to the school at 8.50am (10 minutes early) and she started playing with her friends (Zoe being the main one) from the nursery. When it was time to go in they all went and found their pegs and then had to go and self register themselves in. As soon a Avie had done this off she was playing with the Playdoh. Not a tear in sight from either of us!!!

When I picked her up at 11.30 she came out with a big smile on her face telling me how much she enjoyed it and that she cant wait till tomorrow. Have to say as soon as we got home the uniform was straight in the wash as she was covered in little red splashes from painting.

So all in all it was a good morning for both of us - so lets hope it carries on and we have no problems.

PIRATES AHOY

Avie was invited to Nathans 5th Birthday Party yesterday (Saturday) and the theme was Pirates.

All the kids were dressed up (a few as Captain Jack Sparrow) and they all looked great. You will have to forgive me but I didn't take my camera (no change for me then). I managed to get some of Avie before she left and I thought she looked so cute.

The sword by the way was a last minute thing (trust me). I found last years Halloween Scythe which was promptly cut down. I changed the handle on it with a bit of double sided sticky tape and some gold and brown ribbon, the result wasn't too bad - in other words it lasted the party and never fell apart.

WAVING BYE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME

WERE MY WORDS TODAY

My eldest daughter Caitlyn was off to school this morning with a face as long as her arm. She wasn't too happy about going back - but as I said to her TUFF! When she got home though she said her new teacher was OK and it was great to see her mates again. I was just glad her day turned out better than she thought it would.
My youngest Avie doesn't start until next week, and then she is only there for the morning sessions, the week after that afternoons, then she starts on the 26th September FULL TIME - I am not counting the days, hours or minutes YET!!!

Well today also seen me waving my dad off on his jollies. The lucky so and so is off to Singapore for 4 weeks. As I am typing this he should be in the air now. The first leg of the flight is 7.5 hours to Dubai with a stop over of a couple of hours then another 7.5 hours to Singapore. Hope he copes well without a ciggy!!!!! He said he would ring me tomorrow when he gets there, so hopefully I will get a call about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I will miss him loads, he comes and sees me and the kids nearly every day when he can. But its the kids, they adore him and my eldest is not looking forward to 4 weeks without seeing him. If you get chance to read this dad the kids, me & Paul send our love and have a fab time and also say hi to Catherine and Derek.