What have I been up to today?

I've finally managed to get around to editing Hannah's pictures. I'm so incredibly sorry it's taken so long. This year really has been crazy. I just couldn't let these lovely pictures sit around on my computer and not do anything with them. I'll put them all on disc tomorrow. I am so pleased with how they came out and it feels so good to be doing something with photography again. Now off to look after Jarom and mke dinner for Tayler before I pick him up from school - it's Beavers tonight!

Autumn and my boys...

This picture was actually taken a year ago. We've got to get the camera out again, we should probably make an annual trip to the woods every Autumn to take pictures. The boys love the change in the seasons and Autumn is actually one of their favourites - Birthdays, Halloween, cosiness at home, Bonfire night and Carnival. Jarom especially loves it because it's his birthday.

Jarom turned 9 on Saturday. Can't believe it, he's growing up so fast. He chose to celebrate simply with a day of fun for himself, his best buddie Jordan from school and Tayler. We went bowling, then the cinema, Burger King for lunch and Pizza Hut for dinner. He was very blessed with lots of great gifts - games for his Nintendo, A fish tank, Star Wars figures, a jumper, books and even some spending money. He hasn't actually got any fish yet, he came down with a fairly nasty tummy bug, (Tayler had it the week before) and hasn't been able to get to the pet shop to choose his fish. I'm sure he'll be better soon. He's really good at being a poorly person, even when he's at his roughest he'll be cracking a joke and very lighthearted about everything. He's just happy to be tucked up with blankets and pillows and the remote control for the TV.

Christmas gifts for my brother and sister

These arrived in the post this morning and I couldn't resist snapping a picture. I'm really pleased with them. They were produced by Snapfish, and I think they've turned out really well. Snapfish had an offer on their book maker, so I took advantage of it, especially as I was planning this project for Kate and Rich for Christmas anyway, it means they're done nice and early.

I have become the keeper of the family photographs, a responsibility that I love, organising, sorting, categorizing and placing in albums, I love it. But I hate hogging all the pictures, I think it's important that everyone has copies. So Christmas and Birthday presents for the next few years for my brother and sister are sorted. This album will be the first of many, I'm sure. It's an album of pictures of mum, spanning her lifetime.

I love looking at each of these pictures and I feel really close to mum when I do. It's wonderful to remember through pictures. We can often feel sad remembering the last few months of mum's life, when she was so poorly, it feels good to remember that it wasn't always like that. All the amazing things mum accumplished in her life and all she did for others and for our family. I really hope these albums will be something to treasure. I'm sure they will prompt laughter and many tears on Christmas morning. Got to get them wrapped now, can't believe the shops haven't started selling Christmas paper yet!

The nursery

It just occurred to me that I haven't posted pictures of the incredible job Jason did on the nursery room. I don't really have any before pictures, but this is the completed room. I must admit it's the only fully completed room in the house, but it makes me feel good to have this room finished.

So, as you can see it's not pink. Jason striped and painted the walls Crown ivory cream, the border, mobile and cot bumper were from mama's and papa's. I wasn't going to do the whole themed baby room thing, they can look dated so quickly, but I thought this was subtle enough. I also know how much Jarom and Tayler love Winnie and Pooh, they find it very comforting and love having the original A.A. Milne stories and poems read to them. The cot was from Mothercare, I got it when it was on offer in the summer, and the shelf was from Blooming Marvelous, I felt it went well with the other items in the room.


I particularly love the picture of Jesus, it was the one hung in our living room, but we thought it was time for a change down there and the colours go so nicely in the nursery room. I also love the Beatrix Potter plate and money box, they were mine from when I was younger and they have a lot of sentimental value. Mum and Dad had them in their home until recently, but Dad is having to bring everything with him when he comes so I found the perfect home for them.

So we're pretty much ready for baby number 3, I even found some of the boys old clothes and babygrows I didn't realise I had. They're washed and ready to go. I couldn't resist the stripy outfit that's currently hanging on the shelf in the nursery - how cute! It's from Next.

Oh, and by the way we've chosen a name - Nathanel! I'm really happy with it. It didn't take long for me to decide. We did hold a baby naming competition - Jason was routing for 'Austin', Jarom liked 'Charlie' and Tayler's choice was 'Snoopy'. Needless to say, I won! Nathanel means 'Gift from God' and everytime I think about that it makes me feel good. So there you have it. Just can't wait till Christmas when this little man should arrive.

What a cool Beaver!

This boy just loves Beavers. His friend Jordon (who has recently graduated to Cubs) gave him a hat and t-shirt and we bought a jumper to match. He was so proud of wearing it to Beavers last night. He wanted me to take a whole load of pictures whilst he jumped and danced around his bedroom. This one was the coolest of the bunch with him just about to snap his fingers, he insisted on wearing his cap like that - 'it looks better this way'. He is loving all his after-school activities right now. Beavers on a Wednesday and football on a Friday playing for Bristol Rovers under 6's.

Unfortunately last night he came down with a bug which will keep him away from football and school for a few days. Poor little man, he just keeps picking these things up. It hasn't dulled his spirits though, he's still as talkative as ever, just wouldn't stop talking to all our workmen this morning. Tuesday's comments from Tayler were the most poignant, he said what we were all thinking, his comments were directed to our very nice builder - "Hi Dan, how are you doing? Hey, when are you going to finish the building work? Because my Grandpa is coming, and he doesn't want to sleep there!" Currently we have some very nice walls but no roof on our extension, and we're all hoping the work will pick up a little as we need to be finished in about 6 weeks. I should have been posting pictures of the progress, but I must admit I've been closing my eyes to the mess and destruction going on outside.