New Year, more blogging!

Hello All,

Another blog I hear you cry? Well Hannah and I have pledged to do the blog every week and take turn about doing it so hopefully the regular blogging should continue!

So anyway it's been a busy week for us. Hannah's working lots to catch up with the work she couldn't do when she was ill and also I was in London one day so we don't know where the week has gone!

Holly is getting on well at the nursery and Natalie is getting more hyper by the day, see picture above!

We've had a good weekend as Grannie Toys and Granda were through. It's was Grannie's birthday today so they came through on Saturday to go and see Starlight Express at night and stay at a nearby hotel. Apparently the show was good but a bit different! Holly and Natalie are sporting their presents from the show below (there was a 3D bit apparently!):

Natalie had also chosen a Teletubbies cake for Grannie so here's a photo of the girls helping her blow out the candles:

After Grannie and Granda left the girls had a sleep then we went outside for a bit as it was a very nice day here. Here's Nat helping me wash the car:

That's about it really. The girls all seem to be coming down with a cold which is not too good, so we'll be keeping a close eye on Holly in particular.

Anyway till the next blog.....

Bye

Ian

Birthdays and Bikes!

Hi everyone, 3 blogs in a week are you impressed?! I am sure Mum will be!! Well another busy week for us, filled with norovirus (me!), school (Holly), work (Ian and me!) and Pebbles (Holly mostly but Me and Nat on Friday for duty!) The weekend has been just as busy too...

As most of you will know it was Ian's 29th birthday yesterday so we planned to have a quiet day all together, which has been very rare recently. It was a lovely winter's day so decided to take the girls down to Duthie Park so they could go their Bikes for the first time. They were both really excited and Natalie was saying 'Bike' all the way there. So here are some photos from that...

Holly on her bike with some help from Daddy

Both girls on bikes

Nat looking chuffed with her new head gear

Nat on a boingy thing in the park

After a stop off at Burger King (where Nat ate a WHOLE burger!) we came home and Mum came up with the tea which she had cooked for Ian's birthday meal (thanks Mum!). Whilst Mum was here we gave Ian his Football Cake, which Holly insisted I buy for him.

I went wedding dress shopping for a couple of hours then once the girls were sleeping we had our yummy tea and watched Ocean's 13, which was very good, I recommend it!

So today was another busy day, the girls had 2 birthday parties to go to for 2 of the wee boys from Pebbles. In the morning we went to Brewster's for William's party which was good fun, here is Nat with her balloon afterwards, she was well chuffed with it.

In the afternoon we went to Dizzee Rascal's in Laurencekirk for Sam's party. Natalie LOVED it, she kept wandering about saying 'More Play, More Play' and went mental when we had to leave. Holly had a good time too, but was tired out as she is still building her strength after being ill. We took Matthew as Angela and Martin had visitors, he had a great time playing with Inee (as he calls Ian!)

On the treadmill

Holly on the play stepper

So that was our weekend. Another busy week ahead, when will things ever calm down?

Hannah

It's off to school I go.....

Well after her terrible start to 2008, Holly headed off to school nursery today, where she will be going every afternoon until July then every morning until she starts Primary 1 (too scary to think about!!)

I have been hit by this horrible stomach bug that is doing the rounds, so have been bedded for the past 2 days. So Ian got to take Holly for her first session today, which was just for an hour which he stayed for. Holly has been looking forward to going for ages, as she knows that Matthew goes so was very excited that it was finally her turn to go too! Here she is in her smock that Matthew's Nanny very kindly made for her.....

During her visit Holly played with the water and did some sticking glitter with her new teacher, Mrs May. Ian spoke to Mrs May and had to go through her history to date. The class she is in is just small, only 16 kids at the moment, so Ian said is was lovely and peaceful, he couldn't believe how quiet it was.

She goes back tomorrow on her own for an hour and for the rest of the week, then starts properly next week if she settles in OK.

Well I just wanted to post this as it is such an important day for Holly, her first day of proper education. How did that happen?!

Hannah

I was ill, honest!

Hi all.

Well as everyone probably knows we've had a rubbish start to the year with Holly being hospitalised for 5 days with a severe respitory infection. However about 1 hour after getting home last Sunday Holly was high as a kite and has been ever since - must be the drugs! She's absolutely fine now, though does get tired quite easily, and in fact is generally in a better mood and better behaved then she's ever been. So I'm thinking she's either so glad not to be in the hospital or it's the antibiotics she's on. Here's hoping it's the former or we'll be in trouble come next weekend!

Speaking of the drugs, we promised Holly a dress up Stephanie ( from kids TV show Lazy Town, like I needed to tell you!) outfit if she would take her medicine and eat up etc in Hospital so once she was out we had to come up with the goods -see picture above!

That's it really. Holly is off to start nursery ( 1 week late due to her illness) on Tuesday at Charleston school so that's pretty exciting, more fun for Holly & more peace for Mummy - everyone's a winner!!!!!

I'll sign off with a 'covert' picture taken in the kids hospital (phone was on flightmode). It really wasn't that bad in there as you can see - for medicinal purposes only honest!

Ian

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone and a belated Merry Christmas. Another long time since a post, I have had some complaints so I am sorry!! November and December are just a blur we have been so busy. Holly had a 3rd Birthday Party with Liam on the 9th December, which was quite mad, there were 30+ children there, yikes!! Holly had heaps of Christmas things on in December so we were busy with that too. And of course it was her actual birthday on the 22nd which we spent in Lossiemouth. Anyway here are a few photos from that...

Holly on her new Barbie Scooter from Granny and Grandpa

Cheeky Natalie

Holly at her Birthday tea

Holly's 4th Birthday cake (not 4th birthday, 4th cake!)

Girls and Granny Doggie

We were back in Aberdeen from Sunday for Christmas but it really hasn't been a good time, Holly and Natalie have been very poorly, Nat is over it now, but Holly is still very ill, we are very worried about her, and are just hoping she will pick up tomorrow. If not we will be back on to NHS 24. Anyway this is the only 2 decent photos from Christmas of Natalie...

Nat opening one of her many presents.

More Cheeky Nat....this time on her Barbie Trike she got from Santa.

Finally this is a photo of Holly and Natalie I took before Christmas for putting in their Christmas Cards.

Sorry I don't have more to say than this, just I am sure you don't all want to hear our woes.

Bye for Now,

Hannah X

Wedding in Dunblane

Hello Everyone! This weekend has been very exciting, we have been at our friend's Kathryn and Steven's wedding down in Dunblane / Bridge of Allan. We set off yesterday morning first thing and got there about 11.30, hoping to get in to our room, but there was a bit of a delay. Once we got in, we got ready in record speed as we had to get to the church for 1pm!! Anyway we made it there just before the bride! Here are the girls before we left.....

The girls weren't too keen on being in the church, so we spent most of the time outside with them. Here is the new Mr and Mrs Johnstone leaving the church.....

After the service we went back to the hotel, here are the girls looking pretty in their gorgeous dresses....

We had a lovely meal and the girls had fun playing with the other boys and girls. Here is Holly with Kathryn...

And with Daddy....

And with her new found friend, Andrew, who she had great fun with (ssshhh don't tell Matthew she was with another man!!!)

The girls were shattered by 9 (and so were we after spending the day chasing after them) so we all crashed out. This morning we went for breakfast which the girls thought was great fun, then headed off home via a play centre in Perth to let the kids run off some steam, but they were both pretty tired after their busy day.

Well that's it for now

Hannah X

Fairy Princesses!

Hi All, this is not a proper blog, I don't have time right now, but know I haven't posted for ages again so am quickly putting up a photo of the girls taken today before they went to Niamh's Birthday Party, don't they look gorgeous?!

We have been so so busy recently, with Birthday Parties, Halloween etc etc as well as Ian and I having a life too (unusual I know!)

Promise I will put photos up soon,

Hannah X

Lots of Piccies!

Hi Everyone!! Wow it's been ages since I've done a blog, so got lots of photos to share! So here we go...

We went a drive out to Alford Country Park one Sunday, it was lovely there with lots of equipment for the girls to play on. We took a picnic which we ate rather quickly as it was quite cold and it felt like it was going to chuck it down rain!!

Holly and Daddy on the bouncy thingies!

Yummy Sandwich!

Tucking in to our lunch

Girls on the swings, amazingly they both like swings now, they used to hate them!

So we have just been up to our usual goings ons, Holly has been going to Pebbles which she still loves and is having a ball. Nat is coming on heaps, her talking is amazing (she said to Holly today 'That's My Mummy' when Holly was trying to have a hug with me, oh oh!!)

Here is a cute photo of Nat helping me with the washing, or just sitting in the washing basket really!

We went up to Lossie at the end of September and had a lovely time catching up with folk, although it was a bit sad too as we had George's funeral after he died suddenly.

Sarah and Mike were up the road too, Sarah and I went in to Elgin shopping and she bought the girls these ACE Peppa Pig outfits which has definitely made her the favourite Auntie!! Here they are in them, Holly is wearing Granny's Jewels!

I had a well needed weekend away with Angela, we went down to Glasgow to do some shopping and had a lovely italian meal. We stayed in the Thistle Hotel (free with my Tesco Clubcard Vouchers!) and I had the best nights sleep in years!! I did miss the girls heaps and heaps but they were fine as Grannie and Granda were through helping Ian out.

It was my 29th Birthday last Monday, yikes, the last year of my twenties!! We had a quiet day, just went down to Dizzee Rascals with the girls, Angela (who is VERY pregnant now) and Matthew. Here is me and the girls before we went...

Holly, Matthew, Ian and Nat in the background

Bouncing Nat!

Both of the girls (and Ian) have been poorly over the last week with this horrible cold bug that is going about. The girls took it really badly and were so fed up. Thank Goodness they are both doing a lot better now.

Yesterday it was a gorgeous Autumn Day so we went to Hazelhead Park, the girls had a great time....

Holly running to the park

Holly driving the car!

Nat and Daddy

Well that's it for now, we have such a busy time coming up now but will try and be back soon!

Hannah X

Down by the Farm!

Well it's taken me a good few days to do this again, but another busy week in the Stewart house!
So back to last week we were up to our usual things, then on Thursday Auntie Karen, Emma and Lucy came to visit us for the last time of this visit as they were heading home the next day. We went over to the airport to get them then they came here for tea. Whilst I was sorting tea, the girls all played with the Playdough, which Holly and Natalie were just delighted about.

Natalie with playdough Barney!!

We were really sad to see them go, especially Holly as she loves her cousins. She has been telling me she is going to Canada to play in Auntie Karen's garden on the swing ever since they left!

On Friday Ian was off for the day as I had to go and get a tooth out (one of my 4 baby teeth!) It wasn't a pleasant experience, but has healed up really quickly. On Saturday Grannie and Granda Toys were here, Granda and Ian had the patio and path to finish, which they did and it all looks great. The girls had lots of fun with Grannie as always.

On Sunday we went over to Doonies Miniture Farm which we have never been to before, even though it's only 5 minutes away. It was really nice, lots of animals to look at, this was my favourite, the fluffy sheep...

The girls weren't too taken with the animals though, they were both a bit scared. Natalie kept saying 'Not Nice' and Holly was saying 'I'm too scared' and we had to carry her round the place. They are both wee sensitive souls! There was a playpark there too, here is Holly doing some of her daredevil climbing........

The girls did eventually come round to the idea of the animals and here is Natalie delighted with the 'Baa-Baa' (please note most animals are baa-baas!!)

And Holly eventually touching one of the sheep....

This week has been back to normal really after the summer holidays, visitors etc. Holly is just loving Pebbles, it was 'Red Week' this week so she has been taking in red toys and wearing red ribbons in her hair. I am on duty on Monday so I will get to see exactly what they get up to. I was at the Pebbles AGM on Wednesday night and am now the Treasurer, oh oh what have I let myself in for!

Well that's it for now,

Hannah