Silent Sunday Snaps!

Happy Easter! 

A Typical Saturday!

Saturdays are always a very busy day in our house but today was a little bit quieter than normal.

Ruby usually attends ballet classes at a village down the road from us; she absolutely loves it and has made so many friends. Ruby is currently practicing for her very first show! To Ruby's disappointment, ballet was not on this week due to Easter holidays.

Hubbie went out early with my step dad to get some bits for our garden, so it was just the girls and I; we didn't have much time so we just played with the duplo and dollies.

We are very fortunate there is a grammar school close to where we live that has a swimming pool; both of the girls attend lessons there on Saturday afternoons. Ruby is very confident in the water but has a long way to go; I regret waiting until she was 3 years old to start her on swimming lessons. I think this is the reason that we started Lottie on swimming lessons at just 8 weeks old is so she can get the hang of it a lot quicker. Lottie loves the water and is not fazed in the slightest about water being poured on her head or being splashed.

Taken before Lottie's very 1st swimming lesson!

We didn't plan any activities today but enjoyed playing in the playroom and watching Tangled whilst hubbie and my step dad did lots of work in the garden to make sure its ready to be enjoyed and played in come summer time.

I am thinking of writing about different subjects on Saturdays and wondered what everyone thought I should blog about? I am already thinking about Hyperemesis, Reflux, Breastfeeding and Baby wearing but what else?

It certainly is a Good Friday with Cakes and Crafts!

Today really did not feel like Friday, it felt more like a Saturday; I think this was because hubbie was at home yesterday and we also did the weekly food shop a day early.

Over breakfast, Ruby was still talking about how she loved The Ugly Duckling and didn't like the naughty wolf who tried to eat the duckling; we decided that we should make chocolate nests and put eggs in them! (Also very fitting for Easter!)

It amazes me that there are so many different recipes to make chocolate nests, some people use rice krispies, cornflakes or even shreddies. We made our nests out of cornflakes and added mini eggs! 

Making nests are so easy, all we did was measure out 50g of butter, 100g of chocolate, 100g of cornflakes and 3 tablespoons of golden syrup. Firstly melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup over a low heat, once melted take off the heat and add the cornflakes, mix together and spoon into cake cases, add a mini egg and allow them to set in the fridge.

So easy to make, but eaten way too quickly! 

After lunch, the girls and I watched finding Nemo whilst hubbie did a little bit of gardening. We could see him through the playroom window, he did work really hard today. We haven't really touched the garden since the playroom was added as we haven't had the time because of Lottie's arrival. 

After watching Nemo, I suggested to Ruby maybe we should make a fish and so we got all the craft bits out and did some good old sticking and glueing with anything and everything. 

We had lots of fun and Nemo is now hanging from the playroom ceiling! 

Today was certainly a very productive day and a very good, Good Friday! 

The Ugly Duckling!

Today was mummy and Ruby day, whilst daddy stayed at home with Lottie. Just after Christmas we had a girlie day and went to see The tiger who came for tea; and today was not too different as we went to see The Ugly Duckling.

The Ugly Duckling is a very well known story of  ...

"A poor duckling who is lonely and fed-up, shunned by those around her who see her as too ugly to fit in. She tries to make friends with fellow ducklings as well as with frogs, cats and even a fox, but realising she is not like any of these animals, she is left sad and alone. Follow the duckling on her journey as she overcomes her troubles and turns into a beautiful swan, beginning a happy new life."

This is ugly duckling with a little bit of a difference as it is the Northern Ballets first production aimed at children. Ruby absolutely loved it and so did I; she gave me a running momentary on what was happening and as soon as the lights came on; after it had finished she told me "Mummy that was amazing". Her face said it all for me as it was priceless to see her light up with excitement. 

What's also very good about this production is that the show lasts approximately 45 minutes so just enough time for little ones without being too long. Tickets were priced at £5 per person which I thought was really good value for money. We saw ugly duckling at the curve in Leicester but it is touring around the UK, and I would highly recommend it. 

You can see here where ugly duckling is being performed -


http://northernballet.com/index.php?q=ugly-duckling


If you are not near any of the locations then on Monday CBebbies will be showing a very similar production with Mr Bloom; Ruby and I will definitely be watching this!

Nana's Fun House!

Today the girls and I went over to my mum's (aka Nana to the girls). Nana's house is amazing as there is always so much to see and do, she also makes the best cup of tea too!

Nana's house is only a short car journey from our house but at times it feels too far; since having the girls I would really like to be nearer. Her house has two real fire places that were perfect to sit next to as it was so cold outside! Even the cat was curled up asleep when we arrived! 

There are so many toys at nana's but today Ruby played with some dolls; she has started to turn into a little girly girl since I had Lottie and loves to treat them as her babies! 

Lottie on the other hand was quite happy to sit and pick up duplo and try to eat it! 

After a cup of tea and a hot cross bun, nana suggested we go outside to help with some jobs. Ruby loves being outdoors and being able to run around, fortunately nana has 16 acres so plenty of space to play! 

We started off by feeding the chickens and collecting eggs.

We went poo picking in the horses field.

Whilst in the horses field we saw their was ice in the water so Ruby used her spade to attempt to break it. Normally when Ruby is near water she ends up drenched as she has so much fun but thankfully today she wasn't! 

We played with the small amount of snow left and mixed the horses food. 

 Finally before we went inside we filled the horses hay nets with fresh hay. 

It may have been cold outside but we had a lovely time playing outside at nanas.

An evening without the girls!

Not as fun as the title sounds but after a action packed day yesterday, I had an evening appointment at the hospital for an MRI scan. I have been having pains in my knee for a number of years and recently it has started to become more and more painful; I have to take strong painkillers most days and the pain often keeps me awake at night.

I was slightly apprehensive about the scan as I have never had an MRI before; I was scared that I might feel claustrophobic and be unable to complete the scan. My main concern however, was leaving the girls! I have never left the girls for any great length of time; sometimes hubbie will take them food shopping or my mum may have them for 30 minutes whilst I have doctors appointments, but every night I have put them to bed; last night was the first night that I was not able to do that.

We are very blessed that Lottie's godmother agreed to babysit the girls; she is someone I trust 100%; she is the lady who helped to bring both girls into the world so I knew deep down they would be well looked after.

As soon as we left the house it felt very very odd not having the girls with me, I felt lost and like part of me was missing; I really did not like it. When we arrived at the hospital I filled out all the necessary safety paperwork for the scan; fortunately I had done my research and wasn't wearing any metal so I was able to keep my own clothes on. Hubbie was allowed to stay with me during the scan which was of great comfort and he kept me distracted as the machine was very noisy. I could feel the magnets pulling on my knee and I had to have it positioned in a brace during the scan so that it was kept in one place. I did find it uncomfortable but overall the scan was not as bad as I thought it would be. 

We were back home within a couple of hours and both girls were fast asleep. As soon as Lottie's godmother had left hubbie and I ran upstairs and gave our girls lots of sleepy cuddles and kisses. It may have only been a couple of hours but I felt so lost without the girls! I love my girls so much.

Bubbles!

Ruby loves bubbles and even more so since she has started to learn to swim, she loves blowing bubbles under the water! So today we decided to make bubble paintings!

They are so easy to do all you need is some paint, water, washing up liquid, a straw, some paper and a couple of mugs or bowls. All you do is mix the paint, water and washing up liquid and use a straw to blow bubbles.

Ruby loved mixing all the bits together and her face was a picture when she saw how big the bubbles grew and grew. Even Lottie enjoyed watching too!

I think Ruby must have thought at one point she was having a drink as she ended up with paint around her mouth!

And here are the end products -

After lunch we were going to go outside to blow bubbles but its too cold so we stayed indoors and blew bubbles. Lottie was not too sure what to make of the bubbles but Ruby on the other hand loved following and catching them.

Easter Cards!

I am normally quite a clean freak and hate mess well today I decided we were going to get paint, glue, sweet wrappers, tissue paper anything I could find and make Easter cards for family. Why we never did art and craft things before amazes me as Ruby and I had so much finger painting, sticking and glueing, it brought back memories of my own childhood. We had a fantastic time and now I can't wait to go out and buy loads of art and craft bits. Can anyone recommend where is good to go? Also what are basics any art box should have?

And the finished cards!

My 1st blog!

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the blogging world and wanted to introduce myself and my daughters. My name is Kimberley and I live in Leicestershire with my husband and 2 little princesses Ruby who is going to be 4 in July and Lottie who is currently 8 months old.

Ruby (Left) and Lottie (Right)

I've decided to write a blog following the very tragic and shocking news on the passing of Matilda Mae at just 9 months old from SIDS. I have never met Matilda or her family but feel I have learnt so much from Jennie (Matilda's mother), I now hold my girls and hug them so much, I tell them constantly I love them and how proud of them I am. I have learnt that children are only little for such a short space of time so I'm making steps to create childhood memories that the girls shall remember and treasure forever.