Monday, 8 December 2008

Going for Green!!!!

The school Esmé's Nursery is attached to, is going for their Green Eco-Schools award. The staff and kids seem to be backing it enthuastically and on Saturday James and I were getting stuck in too!
Some of the older pupils have drawn up plans for the area we cleared. They are planing to plant a Sunflower field, Wheat or Barley fields(?, not sure which) and have a Bee and Butterfly Garden.










While we were busy outside, it was all go at the Christmas Craft Fair. Marta launched her 'Marta's Eco-crafts' business, making and selling funky handcrafted items, made from recycled materials. Cool isn't it, well done Marta!
Marta's boys and Esmé were giving her lots of support and help!!!!

Many thanks to David for the photos!




Saturday, 6 December 2008

Sledging Fun

Esmé had great fun in the snow and ice in Glen Lethnot today. Unfortunately on her last run the sledge tipped and she scraped her face and split her  lip :(  She was very brave though and is now covered in arnika cream. 

Esmé comic genius!


Just to prove how easy comic life is to use Esmé made this. She selected all of the components and did the dragging and dropping. The only part I did was the typing and saving.

James.


Thursday, 4 December 2008

So what happened?


No snow fell here last night, I had grand plans for snowy fun on my day off, but no, it didn't happen :(

I had even imagined all the Dundee schools being off and James being able to enjoy the snow too. However, the schools were open and the rain seems to be bringing the winter wonderland to an end for the moment, even the carpark at James' work is turning to slush.
 
There is one thing for certain, there must have been thousands of disappointed faces looking across the classrooms today, from both sides of the teachers desk!!!

(Last Sunday was cold and very crisp. Barry mill was still thick with frost after midday)

Saturday, 22 November 2008

It's snowing.....

Wow, I know it was forecast for wintry showers, but I really didn't expect to waken up to a blanket of snow covering the garden! Esmé was utterly delighted, til the temper tantrum anyway. Ahhh to be 4 years old....

It was oh so cold, bbbrrr. Beautiful though...













We had a glorious walk last weekend in the last autumn sun, through Craigmill Den and back along the beach. It was sunny with a chill to the air, but definitely still warm enough to linger and beach comb!














In contrast, today definitely heralded arrival of winter! It was freezing, literally, we didn't even make it down to the beach!

Could we be in for a white Christmas? Who is to say, but it is guaranteed to be the number question from my pupils on Monday.
Note to self...keep an eye on those synoptic charts....

Monday, 10 November 2008

Fabulous, fizzing fireworks.

Surely everyone loves fireworks? We do, James, Esmé and I are all big fireworks fans. Without a doubt the best fireworks which James and I have been to are the Edinburgh Festival Fireworks ~ totally amazing, if you ever get the chance, go!















Back to this year, we were spoilt, we went to the Coastguard fireworks and then on Guy Fawkes Night we went up to Next Generation and met up with Simon and Eleanor, and Su, Mark and Benjamin. After soup and stovies the fun began.

















The only bad thing about the fireworks was that Margaret was poorly and unable to come along. It really was a shame, especially since she organised our fireworks evening!

I am however please to report that she is on the mend ~ get well soon Margaret xx

Monday, 3 November 2008

Busy weekend for birthday girl!!!!

Esmé turned 4 on Thursday and we seem to have been celebrating ever since!

Esmé was delighted to have Alex round to show her new big girl Lego off to and everyone at nursery sang Happy Birthday to her.

Aunts, Uncles, Grannies and Granda popped in to help Esmé blow out her candles on birthday cake number 1.

To be honest it really doesn't feel like 4 years since we were bathing her in a basin on the same table featured in the picture!








Friday was Halloween, I really did want Esmé to be born on Halloween, but when it came to it, that was never going to happen.....
Esmé had her nursery Halloween party and dressed up in her pumpkin dress and got plenty of party game practise for Sunday.
I did dress up as a witch for work, but was gutted that I forgot my broom stick...
I still managed to forget it when we popped into the Abourkir's kids party in the evening :(

We had our annual family outing to the Carnoustie fireworks on Saturday, this year followed by soup at OC's.

Hopefully there will still be fireworks and a torchlit procession to go to next year, but lack of donations last year had put this years fireworks in jeopardy. There have been a alot of people trying to raise money to support the fireworks and hopefully more people made contributions this year.

It really would be a sad day if this tradition came to an end.







Sunday was party time. Friends and family were invited to Esmé's fancy dress Halloween birthday party. There was a fabulous fancy dress turn out amongst the children and the 'big kids' effort was pretty good too! A big well done to the all the winners, but especially to the Ghostbusters in the adult/big kid category!!! (May I add that Indian Jones was one of our favourites.) Once more we had fantastic selection of carved pumpkins for the pumpkin competition - well done everyone. So much easier than the dreaded turnip scooping our childhood...
The party was huge, busy, noisy and a bit mad. I think everybody enjoyed themselves, Esmé certainly did. There is no way we could have pulled it off had it not have been for the help and support we received. Like the Oscars there are too many people to thank everyone by name, but must say a special thank you to Granny Sheona and Granny Phyllis, Auntie Dawn and Marta.

Esmé has received so many lovely presents she has truly been spoilt, Esmé sends a big thank you.

So we are almost back to normality, whatever that is in our house, but we still have the fireworks on November 5th to look forward too!!!!