Where to Start...?!?

This is what happens when I leave over 2 weeks between posts...I don't know where to start! Am going to have to rely on the photos I've taken to jog my memory and you might want to grab yourself a cuppa - you could be in for a long read!

Better start with Harry's birthday. Our little boy is now 4 which seems very grown up all of a sudden. Got his Nursery letter through today confirming he'll be starting at Ellie and James's school in August - scary!! He's a force of nature our Harry - strong willed, funny and with nothing to learn. My Mum reckons he's been here before and my Dad always says "There's only one Harry..." Thank goodness for that!! He didn't talk until he was around 20 months - he had ongoing hearing problems from birth so we used sign language to ease the frustration he felt trying to communicate. Now, he won't stop talking and since he got his hearing aids a few months back his speech has improved so much.

His birthday was during the week so at Playgroup, he brought in little chocolate cakes for his friends to share. We went out for dinner that evening but as we were about to start I got a phonecall from my Mum saying that my Granny had been taken into hospital with a problem with her heart...this started days of worrying, travelling up to Elgin to visit her, trying to get her to take it a bit easier and all realising that (despite what she might think) Granny Ruby is not invincible. She never stops despite being 79, she is a lovely Granny and we all adore her. She makes me laugh, is always on hand for cooking/sewing advice and makes the best pancakes ever. She is home now thankfully and says she's resting but I highly doubt it...!

This was all mixed in with getting ready for Harry's party, a bag pack at M&S on the Saturday for Playgroup, a study group which was supposed to be at our house but with all that was going on was held at Ellie's friend's house (thanks Catriona!), my friend's Mum's funeral in Edinburgh which we sadly couldn't attend and the usual mini dramas that family life brings!! Anyway, here's the preparations underway for the Race Car party...

Went to bed exhausted but in the morning it was Mother's Day and I was woken up with a lovely surprise...

...breakfast in bed!

Got some special cards too...

...and some lovely presents.

Got a bit of a lie in with my book but once I got up, I hit the ground running - party time! We set up 4 race tracks and the kids were split into 4 teams and all had team t-shirts to wear. Four Dads, including Paul were the Race Marshalls and took their team around the tracks making notes on how they were driving, best crash, fastest lap time and who improved the most. They had a great time, especially the girls! Everyone got their photo taken on the 'podium' and there were prizes for each team. Here are some piccies from the afternoon...

After everyone had gone, Harry opened his presents...there seemed to be a bit of a theme going on with some of them!

Can't wait till Toy Story 3 comes out!

Got the March pages of the 365 Challenge completed - yay! Determined to be more organised with April's!

Wrote 'march' over and over again to create the ribbon for the bunting...

...and stuck down the top edge of each triangle.

Not been much more creating going on but did do a mini art journal in a fit of frustration the other day. It certainly helped me work a few things out and start to ease some the negative stuff that I was trying to deal with. It's not something to be shared in detail but it should be included in this post as it's been an important part of my week.

It's a very small notebook that happened to fall off a shelf in my study at just the right time. I grabbed a handful of pens and wrote down an emotion or a feeling that I wanted to work through on each page. Didn't use any images, just doodled and journalled.

In hindsight, I should have glued a few pages together as they are quite thin but I'll go back and cover them, maybe with an image. Have signed up for Dina Wakley's Art Jounalling 101 which started yesterday. Would have loved to have made it to her class at AFTH but am looking forward to learning some of her techniques. Will post the results of the first lesson soon!

Ellie and I did a bit more work on her 7 Gypsies printers tray last week...

...nothing's stuck down yet so it can be tweaked till she's happy with it.

We made a little CK shop by cutting down a postcard I picked up in the Windsor branch and adding a punched canopy.

This section lifts up so secret notes can be left or the odd sweetie hidden!

Having so much fun doing this with her and seeing it all develop and change. I think we'll be sad when it's finally done - if that ever happens!

A few other things to share...almost done, honest!

One of Harry's favourite birthday presents - a Buzz Lightyear Hot Wheels track - hours of fun!

Race Marshall Molly shouting Ready, Steady, Go! in her own unique style...

Pretty flowers from Kirsti

Posted this jewellery hanger a while back - it's now loaded!

Paul spent the weekend in Dublin with some mates and went to see the Scotland v Ireland Rugby match - Scotland won!!!

He brought me back some Red Roses bath oil - love it. Reminds me of the 'perfume' I would try to make with roses from my Granny's garden when I was little - only better!

Saw this on Home Shopping Spy a few weeks back and have been dreaming about it ever since...I want one!

We were going to build a wooden summer house this summer but now we are on the lookout for an old caravan to restore!

Ooh - hot off the press! The postie's just been to deliver this - the prize I won off the Bo Bunny blog back in January!

Finally, the lovely Lesley has been blogging for almost a year and to celebrate she's having a giveaway! Hop on over to see her and leave a nice comment...you'll make her day and might win some gorgeous things! Also Elaine is celebrating her first year as a Stampin' Up demonstrator and it's her actual birthday soon too so she is giving away a fabby selection of products. Good luck!

Off to wipe more noses and dose more Calpol - Harry and Molly have horrible colds...poor babies. Have a lovely week - almost the holidays!! xx