Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope that you are all enjoying the holidays and that Santa brought you all some lovely presents.

The girls had a lovely couple of days - Christmas day at our's and Boxing day at my parents' house. We had a great time - all 14 of us!

Leah and Evie enjoyed opening their presents (even if Leah didn't like everything we got - think I should've given her the best presents last. Note to self to do that next year)

Leah got a sledge from Richard's parents which they both enjoyed playing with.

Evie certainly liked it!

Boxing day was spent with family as I said, and Leah enjoyed being with her little cousin Amelia. She's 10 weeks old now, but still as tiny as a little doll - and has a full head of hair!

I did my annual dress up and made the effort for a couple of days. I even wore a dress each time. You have to make the effort at Christmas, don't you?

Of course, we had far too much to eat as usual, and the kids tucked in. Although I must day Leah was far more interested in the crackers than her dinner.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Preparing for Christmas

The last few days before Christmas are always busy, let alone when you're youngest isn't sleeping due to an ear infection. Luckily the antibiotics seem to be working, so we're in for a better Christmas than it could have been.

The tree is up and decorated, although parents of young children know how tempting it is for the kiddlies to mess with the tree. I'm constantly redressing it where Leah has been fiddling to make it 'better'!

We madesome decorative presents to go on the tree this year, from mini cereal boxes, wrapping paper and ribbon.So easy yey so effective. They look great although I haven't been able to photograph them well enough yet.

I even put my sewing skills (?) to the test this year and made one - yes one - felt bauble. TA DA!

Today Leah and I made some very tasty mince pies, and even though I told her that raw pastry was not very nice, she didn't believe me and went ahead and ate it. It was spat out and left on the worktop - need I say more?

They are very tasty anyway, especially with a cup of tea. Not bad for my own pastry making skills - the chicken liver pate is being made tomorrow. Wish me luck!

We had a big dump of snow of saturday, and I managed to get into the garden quite soon after to take some photos.

The apple tree looked so pretty I just had to show you the picture of this snow covered branch.

An experience with complaining

it's not often that I complain, but whilst knitting this hoodie for Evie I noticed a real difference in colour between the balls of yarn I purchased, all of which were in the same colour and dye lot.

I didn't quite know who to contact so on Thursday night I e-mailed Sirdar and explained how the colour was different from ball to ball, and hoped for the best. You can see from the photo below how the colour is slightly different, and unfortunately, enough to notice in my opinion.



I received an e-mail back Friday morning, saying that they were sorry I had found a problem and they would send me a prepaid label to send the yarn back for examination.

I didn't read the e-mail until later in the day, and as I had half knitted the hoodie I explained that I was rather reluctant to send anything off and would they accept some photos of the problem.

Due to the time I sent the e-mail I didn't receive a reply until Monday, and when they did they said that photos would do fine. I sent them over and within an hour they sent another replying saying that they would replace the yarn I had bought with any other yarn to the same value.

So I chose some yarn and it arrived this morning!

The moral if the story is that don't be afraid to complain as there are some very good companies out there with very efficient and competent customer service.

Meet the jolly tots!

I just wanted to show you some of the jolly tots I have knitted recently from the wonderful pattern from Dollytime over on Flutterby patch.

They really are a joy to knit and they are so much fun.


One has plaits....

and the other has cute curly hair. Leah has received them in her advent calendar - although at the moment she is a bit more taken by the sweeties!

I've also knitted these little bootees to keep Evie's toes warm in this cold weather we have been having of late. They stay on better than some other bootees I've knitted which is a bonus.

She's now ten months old and loves having a chew on toast and marmite as well as eating scrambled egg from the chooks. Unfortunately she has a cold at the moment as well as teething, so you can imagine that we are having some problems at bed time with her. Hopefully not for too long!

Some snowy garden pictures

My garden always looks so different in the snow. I think everywhere does under the blanket of whiteness.

This crow was waiting for me to go indoors so he could eat some of the goodies I put our for all the birds. I love watching to see what appears in the garden.

Yum, yum, yum!

I really haven't a clue what this plant is, but under the white I could see some yellow bits poking out and though it looked rather stunning!

A walk in the snow

Thursday afternoon, after spending all morning at home with the girls, I decided to go for a walk to the seafront to see the seaside in the snow. I had no chance of taking the pushchair, so I strapped Evie to me, and leah and I braved the cold.

I really loved the beach huts in the snow.....

....they just look so serene and peaceful.

Leah liked looking out to sea, although we couldn't see that much really.

And of course jumping in the snow to see how deep it was!

Aaaarrrrgghhhhhh - SNOW!!!!

I didn't believe the weather forecasters last night when they said there was going to be more snow. I was wrong - as always!

Leah's pre school is shut today, so I am pulling my hair out trying to think what she might like to do. I think it will be some painting and sticking today!

This is the view from my front door.


I've only ventured out in the back garden enough to defrost the bird bath and to give the birds some food. Going to be drinking lots of tea today!! (and hoping to do some knitting too)

Lots and lots of finished knitting

I have been trying to finish my WIPs before starting anything new, so there are a few new things I have to show you. I am real impatient knitter and can't wait to start a new project, so I was really pleased I managed to get these finished.

There is a Moebius scarf for my Mum - although not knitted traditionally as a moebius design. It is knitted, twisted and the ends grafted together. This was knitted in Louisa Harding Kashmir DK.

A neckwarmer for somebody for Christmas (not decided yet) knitted in Debbie Bliss cashmerino chunky. Even better that it took just one ball.

A pink cardigan for Evie from Sirdar Snuggly Kisses DK.......

.....and another that I must have started about 5 years ago and never thought I would finish!

The yarn is discontinued (and probably has been for ages) but has a really nice effect and is good and warm for the current weather.

Another cardigan for Evie, this time in Patons 4ply, which is another lovely soft yarn, and most importantly very easy to wash too.

Bless her funny face!

Finally a baby hat and mitten set requested by my sister for her neighbour's grandchild. i hope she remembers the liquorice allsorts she promised for my troubles!!

I am just hoping that it doesn't decide to snow now. i went horse riding this morning and thought my toes were going to drop off!

Pussy Cat, Pussy cat, Where have you been....?

Well not quite to London to visit the Queen, but to Norfolk instead, to Sandringham to visit the Queen.

But she wasn't in, should've phoned first I think.

We had a lovely time anyway, especially as the seasons were changing and the leaves were falling from the trees.

Such fun!

Even when not all of your children will pose nicely for a photo either!

catch me if you can!!!

We stayed in Hunstanton for the weekend and had a lovely walk along the promenade on Sunday, even if it was alittle too much for the youngest. She always looks so cute asleep, as do they all.

We took a trip to the sealife rescue centre and Leah loved it there.

We saw seals, otters, sharks, lots of fish and penguins.

Afterwards we had a few rides on a big slide....

.....with Mummy

and daddy.

Then back to the caravan to feed the ducks. A good time was had by all.

Clever Girl!

Little Evie has been crawling for exactly a week and three days now and she loves being able to get about. Leah is a very good teacher and encourages her to follow her everywhere.

She can make it to the kitchen from the front room - via the dining room - in one go without collapsing in a heap half way through which we are very proud of :o)

She can also make it to the bathroom from our bedroom whilst exploringh Leah's room in the process. There really is no stopping her now.......

See what I can do!! I'l be walking next, hee hee hee!!