A walk wi' the bairns

Yesterday we took advantage of the sunny weather and took the kids up Stac Pollaidh for the first time. We all made it up as far as was safe and were thrilled when they reached the top.

It's 613m (2008 ft) high needless to say we are proud of them walking all the way unaided with the exception of Fin who was only carried about 1/3 of the way. We played lots of games and sang lots of songs to distract them from their weariness and they excelled. Dave and I forgot to put the suncream on so we all ended up with a little too much sun but it's nice to have a rosy complexion right?

Visitors

We had a wee visit from my Auntie Shona, Uncle Malcolm & their dog Norman this week. I don't seem to have many photos but here's the couple that I did take. We had some nice walks in and around the village and enjoyed getting to know one another a bit better. They'd exhausted Fin so much that he fell asleep in the bath! It was lovely to spend one on one time with them and we hope to see them again soon, although we can't guarantee the the weather would be so outstanding again.

- Joe wearing Uncle Malcolm's hat-

- Fin sleeping in the bath -

Easter Holidays

The holidays passed in a flash but we managed to squeeze lots in. The first week of the holidays Dave spent half the week in bed with a flu like bug that both Fin and I had the previous two weeks. I tried to let the fact that we had planned to tile our en-suite bathroom that week go, and give him some TLC and keep the kids out of his way. He eventually got started and managed to take half the wall down when he removed a few of the old tiles which were already there. The short version is he's started but not NOT finished...yet!

The second week we travelled down via Oban to visit family in Perth and Fife. We spent Saturday night and Sunday morning visiting McCaig's folley, Dunstaffnage Castle & The bridge over the Atlantic before going to church and heading over to Perth. The rest of the week was spent around Stanley, Edinburgh and the Trossachs. The kids had a wee game of Crazy golf in Stanley and decided they liked the third hole best, see below.

Wednesday we spent the day with my parents and went to Castle Campbell in Dollar.

We stayed a lot longer than planned due to Finlay dropping his backpack full of his favourite cars down a deep gorge...

below John Knox's pulpit, and Dave insisting on retrieving it by removing his trousers and wading up the river in his underpants! (you can ask him for the full version).
Thursday was the long drive home again to get ready for school starting back the following week.

Easter

Here's a few snaps we took over Easter weekend. The kids had fun decorating their eggs and rolling them down the hill although Fin was a bit bewildered with what was going on! I also took a photo of some daffodils in the gadren, one of my favourite flowers. I also took the opportunity to update the family on how the kids looked these days!

Well Done Joe

Joe came home recently and asked if he could have a Buff which was £17.99! We explained that we thought this was a lot of money to be spending on a scarf and that we didn't think we could justify such an expense but that if he could save his pocket money and work harder around the house then he could earn enough money to buy it himself. A few weeks later (after a couple of visits from the tooth fairy, extra work around the house and foregoing his usual Saturday morning trip down to get a sweetie from the paper shop with Dad) he had earned enough money to buy it himself. When we ordered it they sent the wrong one so I phoned to explain and they said they'd send him the right one and he could keep the one they'd sent by mistake so he was doubly thrilled! We're so proud of him, Joe's a hard worker and when he sets his mind to it nothing can stop him.

I made this!

I recently attended a creative textile embroidery course here in Ullapool where I spent 6 evenings learning new techniques and different ways of using my very basic and old sewing machine to make out of the ordinary designs. I was totally out of my confort zone but loved it and felt inspired to nourish my creative side more often, although the sewing machine hasn't moved since! Here's the first of many products which I hope to create.

Valentine's Day

We thought you'd like to see the lovely cards and biscuits that were made on Valentine's Day for us. The kids had each made me a card and Dave and I had each bought a card, I was treated to breakfast in bed which resulted in orange juice on the duvet and Fin made these lovely heart shaped biscuits at nursery in the morning. The family all came home for lunch together and in the evening Dave resisted the temptation of playing footie for 2 hours so he could woo me with a romantic comedy and some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. It was a lovely sunny day and we all had a great time.

Birthday Baking

I couldn't resist taking these pictures of Fin helping clean up after making a chocolate birthday cake for a friend's birthday this week...I think he's inherited Dave's ideas of tidying!

Sledging smiles

We had our first snow fall of the season so took the kids sledging for the first time this year. Here's a few snaps of the family.

January

Most of January saw the usual miserable weather here, but we managed to wrap up and get out between the showers once or twice.

- Achmelvich Beach -

- Ullapool Hill -

Merry Christmas!

Here's a few snaps of our Christmas morning at home with the kids. We thought we were in for our first very early Christmas morning with the kids when Joe appeared at 11pm on Christmas Eve to ask if it was time to go and see if Santa had been yet! After a disturbed night with several visits from Mhairi and Joe we went down stairs around 7am to start the day. All Fin wanted was a new Doc Hudson to replace the other 3 he had lost but once he got into the swing of it his list kept growing. By the time Christmas morning had come he'd opened several presents so was thrilled to actually be allowed to open them as I struggled to keep up with the notebook and pen madly trying to make a note of who got what from whom.

- Joe with his new guitar -

- Mhairi, Joe and Fin with blankets made by Auntie Missy and Auntie Katie -

- Joe and Fin enjoying the wrapping as much as the presents -

It was nice to be able to catch up with family on the phone in the evening and spend some quality time with my mum and dad over the festive season, we just wish we could be together more often. We miss you all very much.

Barcelona

Dave and I managed to get away for a long weekend to Barcelona. We left on Thursday for three nights. We visited Montjuic, see picture above, took a trip on a few cable cars and went to see the fountains at night. Dave had to attend a Spanish teachers conference on Friday and Saturday while I relaxed and stepped out of my comfort zone.

We had been there two years ago and I had done all the touristy sights then so this time I decided to visit Montserrat, a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine monastery/mountain retreat about one hour North West of Barcelona by train.

It was fantastic and felt good to be able to get there and back without my handsome Spanish speaking guide by my side although I did feel a bit lonely at times. I'd forgotten what a nice treat it is to have a few days together without the children.

What a dummy mummy

After putting off the visit from the dummy fairy for way too long fearing she might have to return it to the original owner we finally had a visit from her last week. I was dreading it as Fin had held on to his dummy for more than a year longer than Mhairi or Joe ever got to and he was really attached to it. However, my fears were all for nothing as he moved on without it...he never even asked for it for about a week. The dummy fairy left a wee note along with a new Lightning McQueen and a Harry book telling him that his dummy would be given to a baby who needed it. All we need now is a visit from the I can sleep through the night...IN MY OWN BED fairy!

Flying Visit from Dodo & Tiff

Dodo and Tiff arrived on Friday afternoon after a long haul flight from America for a week long whistle stop tour of Scotland. They came straight up after getting off the plane so they could spend as much time as possible with the kids over the weekend. It was great to see them again and share many happy memories, past and present, and for them to meet the whole family. Unfortunately it didn't stop raining much the whole time they were here but they enjoyed themselves regardless.

Saturday morning Dave cooked pancakes before we took a wee tour of our village to show them where we live. In the afternoon we tried to get Tiff to keep up the family tradition of taking a dook in the ocean as a intiation into the family but she was having none of it, so Dodo took her place.

It looked freezing but the boys said it was warmer than they expected...We took their word for it! Saturday evening I asked for volunteers to help in Primary as my two cousellers were both away and I was alone in Primary. Tiff volunteered to teach Joe and Dodo took Fin into nursery, I loved having lots of my family at church with me.

Sunday we headed to church and took Tiff sightseeing afterwards. We stopped off at Clava Cairns, Culloden, Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle before heading home for dinner. It was great to see them and we appreciated them sacrificing their time and money to visit us in Scotland. We just wish they lived closer so we could see them more often.