Oh my goodness, where does the time go? Here's what we've been up to since I last posted. Apologies, this is a very, very long post!

Callum got his hair cut, this is only his 3rd 'barbers' haircut in nearly three years!

 

Matthew had his School 'Potted' Sports Day - a variation on the normal sports day where the children were split into 20 teams and have 20 games to complete and earn points. Not the normal running races here (although they did have the egg and spoon race), more of an emphasis on team work and having fun. Matthew however didn't have much fun and cried several times. He only returned to school that week after having chickenpox and I don't think he was feeling quite up for it! He did get 5 extra points for his team in the penalty shoot out game because the goalie unfortunately bowled Matthew head over heels when he throw the ball back!

 

Made Matthew dressing up costume number one; a Pirate outfit for a party. All along Matthew said he didn't want to dress up, he's not really into that. Then an hour before the party on the way home from school he told me that he'd changed his mind and did want to dress up! Luckily I had pirate themed fabric at home from making pirate bunting, so in half an hour I sewed him a shirt, made a bandana and a cutlass out of cardboard, brown packing tape and foil. Not bad, eh?

For the first time for 4/5 weeks I was able to take both boys to see my Mum and Dad. They haven't had chickenpox, so we had to keep the infectious one away. Here they are on Grandad's ride-on mower; pretty cool that Dad lets Matthew steer it at the age of 5. I haven't even driven it yet! They love it and always ask if they can "go for a ride on the Grandad's tractor" whenever we go over. Thank's Dad!

I did a school fair which wasn't as good as I'd hoped - guess I'm better sticking to craft fairs in the future. Did however see Howard from Take That, his daughter goes to the school, so I'm told which is why he was there. Sorry no photos! I did get an order for 2 1/2 metres of small multi-coloured bunting for a playhouse. Looks really cute but trying to get a decent photo of it when it's pouring with rain outside in tricky. Do you like my new 'Hearts & Flowers' labels - decided to try white on blue this time (yes I've used all 72 of the last lot already!), pretty pleased with them - makes everything look so much more professional.

Went on a school field trip with Matthew's year. Hats off to you teachers, I couldn't be watching out to all those kids everyday!

More illness, will we ever be totally well again? Callum had a skin infection - just finished a course of anti-biotics. Matthew had to visit the Doctors, which turned into a trip to the hospital for a potential operation that day. Thankfully it wasn't what the doctor thought and turned out to be an infection, probably related to the chickenpox virus. We returned home that day. He is well again now.

As promised, I made the boys bunting for their bedrooms. Matthew had asked for bunting in Yellow, Red, Green and Blue which I made and I let Callum choose his from what I had already made (ok slightly cheating there!). He would have liked to have the pink bunting, stating "I yike pink!" (still can't pronounce his L's), but I persuaded him into the cowboy themed red and blue bunting!

Our house got a spruce up when my Dad very, very kindly came over for two days to paint the woodwork - thank you so much! Just in time too, as the last few days it has poured down. Here's Callum holding the ladder for Grandad!

Dressing up costume number two - a Rabbit for the school's summer production 'Rock the Boat' (Noah's Ark). Matthew wanted to be a brown rabbit , so I made him a top and trousers in brown soft furry fabric with a white tail and tummy. Coincidentially the 'girl' rabbit was also brown, they looked very cute as they went in two-by-two! Jeff and I went to see the production today, so I have photos for you. I forgot and ran out of time to take a photo of Matthew before he took the costume to school last week.

At the weekend we went to Cheltenham, we love this place, we'd love it even more if we could go without the kids! Great shopping, beautiful buildings, lovely parks. Unfortunately it takes us nearly 3 hours to get there because Matthew gets car sick. No he wasn't sick this time, but complained of a funny tummy just 2 minutes from our house! Jeff bought an in-car DVD system for occupy the boys, which it did, but alas didn't take Matthew's mind off his tummy. They watched Cars on the way there - finally they have got into Cars, I been wanting an excuse to buy those cute wee cars! We can use the DVD player anywhere, not just in the car - it even has a rechargable battery pack so potentially I could watch a movie in the garden, if I had the time! Here's a picture of them watching Ice Age on the way home.

I got some shopping time to myself - thanks Jeff, really appreciated that! I spent both time and money in Pod (was my favourite shop in Cheltenham) until Cath Kidston came to town! Oh my, I had butterflies in the tummy as I approached the shop - I have never 'actually' been into a Cath Kidston shop before. I had to take photos of both shops, which I imagine will feature on a scrapbook layout in due course!

And finally I did a scrapbook page based on last weeks Pencil Lines sketch, which my very good friend Janine featured on. The layout tells the story of Callum and 'Urp's'. This is what he says when he pretends he has the burps, or the 'urp's' as he calls it.

And with that I am all caught up, yippee!