YIPPEEEEEE!!!!!

I have had a GREAT day! It started out with a paddy from Robert and me thinking "Oh No, not another day of screaming!" BUT it went quite the opposite.

Richard started playschool (Kindergarten) and although I left him there screaming they got him quiet after 10 minutes and when I went to pick him up at 11am, I managed to speak to the girls without being seen by him or Robert and they said he was doing great, so we agreed that I would sneak away again and pick him up together with Robert at 12!! How is that for a first day! When Robert started, he escaped and was half way home when they caught up with him, and Richard seemed to have quite enjoyed himself. He told me "I cried for Mummy", but he also told me "Gaby read a story, it good!" So cute! And such a relief - but I shouldn't jump too much for joy yet, he might not want to go for a second day in a row!

In the afternoon, Robert went shopping! He had 10 Euros from Nanna, for having learnt how to keep his mouth shut when chewing (now doesn't that sound funny when it is writing! But we had to make it a good thing to do, so that it can now become a brilliant habit! Anyway, off we went with his 10 Euros to the toy shop, for - guess what - YEP yet another jigsaw! This one has 3 puzzles with 49 pieces of Tractors! He's a real little boy! He is so proud of it. And Richard spent his 1 Euro from Nanna on a book all about what goes on on a road. He read it in the car all the way home and carried around until bedtime, so he was very pleased too!
On the way home from the shops we went to a playground (again) this was in a different village this time though, so it was all new to them. The weather was so warm, we didn't have hats on, that made a pleasant change. Once back home we of course had to do our new jigsaw. Quite difficult (the box did say 5+ and Robert is only 3,5!) but he did most of it on his own. And even Richard managed to get quite a bit of one together!

They are tucked up in bed now, and I have just checked my emails for the hundreth time today. And YES I MADE it to ROUND 4 of the JFTSOI CT Contest! Yippee! (Can you see me doing my happy dance!) - I know everyone made it, but I am still excited about it. AND its LIZ's kit (Handle with Care) and I LOVE her kits. All I have to do now is find the perfect pictures and of course a perfect layout!

I did a layout at lunchtime whilst the kids were having their snooze, I will post it later.
So all in all a very good day (with a couple of unnecessay paddies from Robert, oh and one just before bedtime from Richard, but they bounced off of me today!)

Credits:
Rumble Boy - Rosemade Designs

Oh, I forgot to tell you about yesterday, that was a lovely day too, we went to visit my parents and there saw my cousin Heather and her fiancé Joe, who are here for a few days. We all went on a walk to the "little house in the woods" for a drink and who would have guessed a play on the playground. Well poor little Richard. He thought it was a great idea. But silly Mummy should have taken the pram, we had his Bobby car with us, and he rode it, but his legs got tired so he walked, then he wanted to be carried, it took us forever to get there. But going back. First he had a piggy back, then a carry, then he walked 5m, then he sat down on his Bobby car.
Finally my Dad took his camera strap off the camera fixed it to the Bobby car and we pulled him. Then he had another walk and a carry! Needless to say he slept well! I'll put a picture on here when I get downstairs. Canon will be pleased to know just how much weight their straps can pull!!!


Oh here are a couple of playground pictures from Saturday! Got about 98 more but that would be a bit much for on here!

Robert the next David Beckham

Richard and me

Bye 4 now

PS: We all made it to round 4 of the contest, cause 3 people dropped out. They didn't say why, but I had noticed that, I was busy watching the competition!

A nice and relaxed day!

We spent the morning enjoying oneanother's company, playing with the kids, doing jigsaws (a little bit of TV) and when I started cooking, Florian took the boys out in the garden, where they dug the soil over in the greenhouse! Not that I am anywhere close to planting anything in there, it doesn't have a heater, its just a summer one. But they had fun. Not sure whether I will plant anything, we don't know when we will be moving, so I probably could, but from what I have heard from neighbours we could have problems selling the house, for a price we would need. I didn't need to know that, I was so optimistic, till yesterday, and now that neighbour has brought me back down to earth with a bang.
We can't move until we sell. And we have to make at least what we paid for it. And according to this neighbour, a house around the corner was sold for well under what we paid for ours and it was bigger! Oh well, not really worth worrying about now, cause we have to wait for the probation time to be up first and that isn't till June. But I had hoped we would all be back together in 2008!

This afternoon we went to the playground with the boys and took some great pictures (at least I hope they are). I won't get to scrap them tonight though, its Florian's turn on the computer downstairs, but I might put a couple on here as they are.

Right all is quiet here now, must have really worn them out all that football (soccer) and swinging and sliding plus we walked there and back!

Bye 4 now

Oh - PS: Florian liked the layout, but did think it slightly very pink! It is, but you have to be different sometimes, and why not pink for the husband.

We've been kissing...

goats again! Well, the boys tried too, not me! We went to the zoo (a very small one) this afternoon and fed the llamas, horses, goats, sheep, donkey and then run out of food! So the rabbits, guinea pigs, deer, cockatoo and kangaroos went hungry, well that's what my kids thought. Mean Mummy wouldn't buy them anymore food! But so much went in streams and mud puddles and no where near the animals, that I opted not to buy anymore. But we did have a good time. It had been a while since we had been, so it wasn't boring for them. And the weather was brilliant, sunny all day today, that does wonders for the soul!
We met with a friend and her two boys, so whilst the boys were running wild, throwing food for the animals, we had a good old natter, that does one good too. And when we got home ....

Daddy was home! Again he got a great reception, and had to do two jigsaws at the same time, one with Richard and one with Robert. Not an easy task, but they weren't complaining.
Its great to have him home again. Does us all good. However he does like using my computer when he gets home, so whether I'll get any scrapping done is doubtful. But I will try, this page isn't colourful enough, not enough layouts here. Don't you think!?

Credits:
February's Mini to Marvelous by Alma Scrap Design Habits
Quote from "Love Song" by The Cure

Well I did it, I got two layouts done, one is for my SIL's Birthday tomorrow (she won't let me post her family on the Internet, so I can't share that one) and this one above I did to conquer two challenges the Mini to Marvelous at Scrap Digi Style and for the Lyrics Challenge at DSO. Haven't shown Florian it yet, we'll soon see what he thinks.
Bye 4 now

A new moon - not aliens!

Thanks girls for thinking of the moon. I think you are right. I was new moon and that has similar effects on the boys as a full moon. I used to think all that about the moon was a load of rubbish. Then I had kids. Robert doesn't sleep well at full moon and Richard at new moon! Unbelievable and so the misbehaving may well have something to do with it.
Today was a bit better, but then again so was the weather. Kindergarden took Robert and the rest of the kids for an hour long walk in the morning and we went to the playground this afternoon, so that blew any cobwebs away, and did us some good, after being stuck in doors for days!

Mum had her Xrays for her lungs today, and all is well!!! Yippee! Didn't really doubt it, but there is always that niggling feeling you have and you worry - its a "Mum" thing! So good news there!

What else is new - I got 4 pages of my photobook for my Grandma done, I am finding it difficult this time. My brother takes a lot less pictures of his girls than I do of my boys and then trying to even the book out, so that it is not all Robert and Richard is very difficult. But I have to do it, and I have to do it by Valentines Day if I want the 14% discount. So again no scrapping tonight (well, maybe if I get 4 more pages done quickly:) we'll see!) I agree Leigh, scrapping is very therapeutic and relaxing, takes your mind off things - just great, so glad I happened upon it 3 months ago. Seems like longer than that now.
Right all is quiet here, so if I hurry up downstairs and get started on the book, maybe I can get scrapping, I still haven't had a chance to use the kit of Liz's I bought (no Mum treated me too, thanks Mum!)
Bye 4 now

Abducted by Aliens

At least that is what I think must have happened to the two little angels I had Monday and Tuesday! Cause today they had been exchanged by two screaming little monsters. Robert had his first paddy this morning before breakfast. He decided that getting dressed was not an option, so when I went ahead and GOT him dressed he screamed about it non stop for 25 (!) minutes!!! What a start to the day.
Once back home from Kindergarden, I sat them in front of the TV whilst I cooked dinner. Not normally a problem. Dinner was ready before the programme they were watching was. I decided to be good to them, and didn't make them turn it off before it had finished, but I am wishing I had now. Because when I did turn it off, AFTER it had finished. Robert had his second paddy of the day! This time he screamed non stop for 20 (!) minutes. And refused to touch his dinner. In the end so Richard and I could eat in peace he was taken to his room, where he continued to scream.
What a nightmare.
And in the afternoon it was Richards turn for paddies! Once because Robert wouldn't share the cards from a memory game and at tea time for 20(!) because I wouldn't let him peel/peal (how do you spell that?!) an egg! If he at least liked egg, I would have, but he only ever wants to peal them, and not eat them! He finally gave in and ate his tea - at least that was OK.
But enough ranting about my kids - if the aliens are reading this. I really enjoyed my boys yesterday and Monday can I have them back PLEASE!!!

Bye 4 now

Another non-shouting day!

Maybe i am more relaxed about Florian being away all week, or the kids have. Either way, it is good! Hardly any need to tell either of them off. Even teatime was a pleasure tonight. Both ate there toast and crisps up without playing with it. Even asked for more, and then both had a banana! Wow!
Whatever it is I am finally getting right again, I hope it sticks around! Richard has a cough, the sniffles and a fever today. So no Kindergarden for him, it is not worth him starting when he is ill. So we went shopping together, he was so cute there despite being ill. He had his own little trolley and did the shopping on his own, I wasn't even allowed to put anything in the trolley it all had to be handled by him first! So cute.

I finished my layout for the CT Contest on JFTSIO at lunchtime. I will be uploading it later tonight, and then I will post it here too. (I checked in the last round and it is OK to do that as long as I post it at JFTSOI first!) I really enjoyed this kit, I had so many ideas, but I can only enter one layout!

Credits:
Sahara Sands by RoseMade Designs

Right, Richard has finally stopped singing to himself, perhaps that means he is asleep. I will wait just a little while longer (going to pop and see Leigh and Liz - hi girls!) and then its downstairs to work on my Grandma's belated Xmas present ( a photobook of all her great-grandchildren!)
Bye 4 now

I made it!...

to Round 3 at JFTSOI's contest!! I honestly wasn't expecting it, so it was a great start to the morning. I checked as soon as the boys were awake. I will be working on something this evening. The kit we got is beautiful its from Rosemade Designs and is called "Sahara Sands".

We then had a very nice day together. Florian of course left early this morning on a train to Augsburg. But the boys had my undivided attention virtually all day. I did manage to get the washing and cooking done, but other than that we did jigsaws again. Played a sort of memory game. We did go shopping in the morning, but I made that into a game, and I didn't have to shout nearly all day. That did make a change.

We all have a runny nose today, so we didn't go to any more carnival things today, although they were going on all around here. I wasn't too sad about that, one parade and one party is quite enough for me!

Right as soon as the boys have quenched their thirst. They have both had me refill their beakers twice in 20 minutes! then I will be off downstairs to get the creative juices flowing.
Bye 4 now

Carnival

We opted for the warmer version of carnival today - we went to an indoor kids carnival party, as opposed to an outdoor parade. Robert loved it there, Richard was scared and had a fever. So he and Florian went home earlier. But Robert and I stayed and danced away - well, Robert spun himself round and round my finger!
And that was basically today. In the morning we all did jigsaws, at one point we had 9 completed jigsaws on the floor around us. Robert was doing Thomas the tank engine ones, and Richard Bob the builder. I am really impressed with both of them. Robert did a 64 (!) piece one, almost completely without help. And Richard did 20 piece ones without my help! Wow!

Oh, I put my old secretary suits on Ebay after lunch - that is 6 different auctions, then we also put on one of Florian's old suits. We'll see if we can get something for them. It will be fun watching it this coming week anyway.

Tonight JFTSOI decide who goes through to Round 3. I have had great fun so far, and would love to make it further, but the other girls there are good at it too. I prefer a simpler layout where the pictures show up better, but if they are looking for someone who can use most of the kit on one layout, then maybe I am not the right one for the job. We'll see, tomorrow morning I should find out.

All is quiet here, must have worn the boys out at the party.
Bye 4 now

Relaxing day today!

And that even though the kids were around. Florian is doing the boys good. Robert is changed, he hardly whined at all today, and nearly did as he was told. It was such a joy, not to be shouting all the time.
In the morning we all did jigsaws. Robert is really good at them, and Richard is getting there. He can do his 6 and 9 piece Noddy Jigsaw all on his own. Not bad for a 2-year-old!
The afternoon we took yet another trip to the bakers and this time not a single paddy from Robert, he actually enjoyed himself there. So did I, it made such a change from the last time we went.

We are finally all over the tummy bug and back to eating normal, shame that Richard now has a VERY runny nose. Hopefully it is just a new tooth coming, I don't need another dose of sickness!

Bye 4 now

Kindergarden and other things...

Today was Richard's first day at Kindergarden. We thought it would be great, cause only one day then weekend, BUT today Carnival came to Kindergarden, and with it lots of loud noisy kids and Kindergarden teachers in costume! Not Richards cup of tea. He stayed crying for an hour then they called me to come and pick him up again. Luckily Robert was having fun and let Richard go home without him. At home he soon cheered up. Hopefully when everyone looks their normal self, he will come round to enjoying it there. Tuesday is our next try as Monday Kindergarden is closed because of carnival.

Yesterday we all took Nanna back home, and whilst I went and had my hair recoloured, Mum looked after the boys, who apparently behaved themselves. Just joking they love being at Mum and Dad's and when I got in 5 minutes after "Pop", they weren't interested in me, they were too busy having a cuddle with Pop!

Bye 4 now