Louise's Challenge

Before I went on holiday Louise set us the challenge of using doodling on a layout - I had also set myself the challenge of doing my first minibook so decided to combine the two and had such fun!! It took just over an hour and was soooo satisfying. Sophie helped with the doodling and we filled a 12x12 sheet then cut it up - the photos are from the last year and really sum up what a big character Benjamin is. Think I am hooked on doodling and minibooks so thanks Louise!!

More photos!!

Loved the Otter and Owl Sanctuary - Ben spent ages watching the otters play in the water.

Ben got very cross!! can't remember why!!

He discovered his shadow for the first time and had a long incomprehensible conversation with it!!

Then Sophie got angry - can't remember why!!

The Mitchells on holiday!!!

Had a fantastic holiday in Sussex then the New Forest - took far too many pics as usual - the rapid burst function does make me snap happy but at least I get a chance of some classic shots of the children having fun!!

Oh and a cute toad!!

I've been tagged!! by Jems - who said some really nice things about me on her blog - think someone better check her temperature?? Now I have to find someone to tag back and since my teamies are the only blogs I follow and they are all done will look at some new inspiration and talent!!

First my attempt at last week's TT - did do this at the crop last Wednesday but taken until tonight for me to be able to find it again to take photo!- the challenge was to lift a fab LO by teamie Monika - I pretty much copied her sketch but used 4 photos instead of 3 and made a girlie page - thanks for the inspiration Monika. Next another story telling layout from last summer hols - was determined to get last year's photos finished before we go again but not looking likely! Wasn't happy with how this layout was progressing and was getting sick of looking at the same pics and just moving stuff around so stuck it down to get on with the next - now quite pleased!

and finally HS:MS prompt today was 'eyes' - Louise did a fab sandpit photo so I decided to think laterally and saw the cotton reel and needle on the desk and attempted a pic of the eye of the needle - tricky especially in bad light and when knacekered - but anyway here we have 'eye'

Next prompt was 'smile' this is what Ben does when I ask him to smile now!!
Then 'fat' - which is what I will be ( well fatter cos already fat) if I dont keep away from the biscuit tin - which is calling me now as I type!!

and then 'bloom' - everything in the garden is looking a bit tired - battered by the heavy rain then scorched by the sun - except this gorgeous pink hydrangea which is looking better than ever this year.

right up to date now - off to look at today's prompt then need to take Tom for his eyetest - he is quite excited and went to bed muttering 'big day tomorrow better get some sleep' ! :)

HS:MS is back !! so I have a bit of actching up to do - here are the first three - summer - just LOVE Ben in that hat - bought one for Tom too but he wont wear it :( Breakfast - dont remember to give it to him everyday but he loves me when I do - this is what George gets if he is good!!
and foil - boring pic but couldnt work out what else to try!!

By the way - really pleased with myself for geting a new fancy header but cant work out how to get the size right to fit in the previous title's outline - any ideas?? and would love some more fancy stuff to add - slideshows etc so any recommendations would be great!

OK couldnt find the details of template size anywhere but have continued to fiddle with size and looks a bit better!

have just found out MS:HS is back - so have 5 photos to catch up on - had promised myself would do daily prompts when they came back but didnt know they were up yet - anyhow have the first and will get the rest later and post - looking as fun as ever :)

another great day out!

Went to West Witton to the stables to see John's horses - he has a part share in a horse (probably 2 legs!) and now one leg of another - the children coped really well with a lot of hanging around and enjoyed patting the horses and watching them run round - Tom was the only one brave enough to have his photo taken - with the new horse Aces Four (I think!!)
Then we (without John) went on to Big Cow Little Sheep or is it Big Sheep Little Cow - well one is big and one small!! Odd farm tourist attraction - badly signposted and couldnt find the entrance but once in really enthusiastic staff and some interesting sites as well as a playbarn which the children loved. All three braved the astroslide - blurred photo cos I was sooo nervous about my little boy being up there without me. He also went on the vertical drop slide but wouldn't get out of the ballpool at the bottom so we had to leave.
On the farm tour they got the chance to wash a pig!!
A great fun day - exhausted today!!

Summer fun

Fun few days out with John and the children - had planned to update with photos but too shattered. Friday we went to Eureka - return trip for me and the children but John had never been - it was great fun - a year on Tom especially got so much from it and really enjoyed especially the body zone and Sophie enjoyed being a postwoman delivering post round the square. Much busier than the last time we went but still great. Everyone went to sleep on the way back so bedtime was a bit frantic. Then yesterday we went to see the falcons at Thorp perrow and had a lovely picnic.

Romantic trip to London

Just back from the most romantic trip to London. John organised it to celebrate our wedding anniversary - can it really be 9 years already?? We flew to London and were collected by chauffeaur driven BMW complete with aircon, bottled water and copies of OK and HELLO. The hotel was fabulous and we went for a meal to The Criterion then on to see Phantom of the Opera which deservedly got a standing ovation and made me cry buckets. Thankfully the children really behaved themselves for Mum and Ben seems to have even slept well - miracle!! Back to reality now tho as got to make Tom's first school holiday the best ever!

catch up and new prompt

Finally had a chance to catch up... Barry's prompt was 'stationary' - I have loads and loads of paper lying around so chose one colourful pile. Louise picked 'wheel' - we have so many toy cars I have lost count - this one tripped me up this morning so got picked for a photo.
Then Barry had 'coins' - I raided Tom's stash of pirate treasure to take a pic of some gold.
And the new prompt for today is 'mess' - this picture is blurry as I was shaking with rage having tidied this room just a few hours before - aaarrrggghhhhh!!

Barry's prompt on Monday was 'stationary' I havent forgotten just waiting for batteries to recharge after yesterday's sports-day-photo-taking-frenzy. My prompt was 'knob' - got some strange comments from Louise and Jemma that I really don't understand so will have to ask them to explain to me ? Here is my 'knobs' photo ..........................................................................






















My fancy new 12 knob cooker!

Ok now i am getting behind - got 'stationary' from barry to do and i think it is my turn so gonna say 'knobs' (as my photo prompt not just cos i want to say knobs!!) and post a piccie tomorrow when sober :)

Louise's photo prompt for today was 'needle' which had me completely flumoxed until dh pointed out that one of the many trees on the estate is a pine - so here we have some pine 'needles'. Thanks for the prompt Louise - made me go and take pics I never would of thought of - quite pleased with them too!!

Managed to get my open university exam submitted today - great relief!! hope I pass after all this. The other course has set us the job of taking pics with movement - typically it rained today every time I suggested the children run round the garden for me and the castle is too untidy at the moment for them to run round in doors so will have to try later in the week. Unusual sight in the village yesterday - a group of local teenagers decided to walk the length of the village through the 'moats' at the house fronts - most were wearing boots but some of the boys just trainers - bet their mums were thrilled!!

photo prompt

Very late with my photo for barry's prompt which was 'beans' - unispiring photo too - sorry!!

My prompt for today - late as well - is 'art'

Louise gave us a photo promt today - zip - when i got my camera bag I was really disappointed at it's dull blue/black appearance so bought a fancy pink handbag charm to attach to the zip to brighten it up!!

My MS:HS last letter was 's' so I chose snake - this guy has been part of our lives at the castle for a few years now and he is a firm favourite with everyone including the dog.

The veg in the kitchen garden is doing brilliantly - with all the rain we have been having I havent checked it recently so got a lovely surprise when i saw pods on my peas - simple pleasures!! we also have our first little marrow!!

Really manic day here - Sophie had her school visit, Tom is still poorly and now has a weird rash but seems better in himself - good but means he needs entertaining! Ben had playgroup and I had to do parent duty so all shattered - that's my excuse for a late photo and prompt!! first the prompt was hoover - well ours is lost somewhere and never used by me anyway as being aristocracy we have cleaners to do menial work at the castle - so have taken a pic of the very dusty children's dyson. My prompt for today is 'light' and I have taken a pic of one of our many chandeliers here at the castle - this one is adorned with handmade fairies Sophie and I made to decorate the room for her party! so it is unique and probably very valuable - lol!!

Continuing the we-live-in-a-castle myth for Jems - here's the children's paintbrushes drying in a cut glass crystal vase!!

What a day!!!

Tom's been off school with a high temp and being very male he is milking it for all it's worth - been running around after him all day - he is in bed already tho and asleep so must be feeling grim. Off to find inspiration for today's prompt - brush.

My turn for a photo prompt - will take the pic later once I have woken up a bit. My prompt is 'shoes'. Sophie and I wear shoes as little as possible we much prefer bare feet but if we do wear shoes they have to be pretty!! - what do you wear on your feet??

Sophie's favourite shoes this year - her sandals.

Wow - three posts in one day - wont keep this up I promise - Louise has on her blog her 'needs' - so following her instructions I put Nikki needs into google and came up with

I need - your help
a nap
a bath
someone like pete
a little sunshine
to be brought down a few
the heating on
a friend
a loving home
to go jump off a cliff
someone to take care of me
an outfit
a psychiatrist not a show!!!

seems I am either a stray dog looking for a home or a scandalous celebrity whose entry in the urban dictionary is unrepeatable!!!!!

ok it still wont let me post more than one picture without mucking everything up - so here is my 3 x great grandmother Charlotte Pearson nee barnes in 1866 aged 20

Busy day today - so far we have - played computer games, watched the first bionicle movie (Tom is now watching it for a second time) done a simple layout of the trip to Tropical World, kind of decided on the entries for the end of course assessment for the open uni course I am doing, done painting with masking tape masks with Sophie and Ben and baked a banana and walnut loaf for the playgroup summer fair - phew exhausted!! lunch now then the children want to do more baking and I need to take some photos - prompt from Barry is cutlery and think I know what to try :)




With three young children lots of the cutlery in our house is brightly coloured plastic. I did plan to take a picture of the canteen of bone handled fish knives to continue the illusion to jems that I live in a castle but they didnt look good so it was plastic kids things instead!

Cannot figure out for the life of me how to put more than one photo in a post - hmmm - try again

Anyway - Louise gave us the prompt of 'clock' - here is our resident time turtle - he doesnt understand GMT summertime etc so is pointing at 6pm but other than that he keeps pretty good time for a stone turtle!

From the my space:her space blog I chose the word 'table'. This little bistro table was bought a couple of summers ago with the idea that Mum and I would sit at it drinking tea in the afternoon while the children played - the reality is we spend the afternoon rubbing bruises, sorting out quarrels, getting drinks, helping them to climb, pushing them on the swing --- anything other than relaxing really!

OK here goes - having a trial run putting a photo on my blog - cant be that hard if Louise and jems manage to do it - hehe - if this doesnt work I am going to sulk big time!!

going to blog more - promise

Ok - going to really tackle this blog milarky and learn how to put photos on etc - oops children fighting again it will have to wait

haircut day

everyone in the house has had a haircut today including the dog. George is a black cocker spaniel - very hairy and is currently being shaved to make him comfy for the summer - off to pick him up now. Ben had his first hair cut today as well - sad to see the baby curls go but he looks great