October Birthdays and Homeschool Group Museum Trip

I am finally taking a moment to update this blog! Over the past several weeks, I'm usually grabbing my psychology text books and notebook and pen whenever I need to sit down (i.e. giving Fergus a feed and putting him to sleep). And it's not like I don't have any studying to do ... but I just felt like getting my blog  up to date before I have photos from *three* birthdays that need to go on here! Abigail is turning 10 this week - can't believe I've almost reached the stage of having a child with a double digit age. 

We've had  nearly 2 weeks of poorly kids - aches, sore throat, cough, fever, chills, etc. For some reason, it's only the youngest 3 who really came down with it. Clement seemed to have it slightly, but didn't really suffer too much. Whereas Elijah had it the worst, and was miserable for 10 days! He spent a good bit of a week just lying on the couch under his duvet. Fergus was the last one to get it and has needed a lot of cuddles from his mama, which of course makes it a bit more tricky to look after everyone else! So thankful for slings and being able to wear him on my back when he just needs to be next to me! :-)

Starting to feel better here - "If you're happy and you know it, clap your feet!" :-)

 

 

In the middle of October, Deborah turned 5! :-) She requested a big doll, and was very pleased with this one here!

Opening presents

She had the very specific request of cupcakes with YELLOW ladybirds (ladybugs) on top! :-P Which, of course meant that I couldn't just buy them ready made! lol But thankfully a bit of searching online and I managed to get an idea for making these with fondant icing, and the birthday girl was very happy! :-)

Birthday girl and cakes

Then a couple of weeks later, Fergus turned 1! :-) It seems like just yesterday he was born - not sure how a whole year has passed! I can't imagine life without him - he brings such joy to everyone! :-)

Funny face while playing with birthday presents!

He loved this present of squeaky eggs best, which some friends gave him! :-)

Birthday boy and his cake!

Clumsy cake, but when the recipient is only 1 year old, you can get away with it! ;-)

He loved the marshmallows and thought they were great for picking off and putting back on.

While I was baking his cake, coming to see me in the kitchen! :-)

:-)

Not sure what all the fuss is about, but thinking about it all! :-)

Some late night playing one evening, when all the other children were asleep! ;-)

Just hanging out with his mama! :-)

Brothers!

I'm a big boy now - I can ride Elijah's Scuttle Bug bike! :-)

We've had *beautiful* weather this autumn - nicer weather, more sunshine, and even some warmer days than in the summer! It's been wonderful! It is finally getting a bit colder now. Though we've only today put the wood stove on for the first time, so really can't complain.

Also in October, we had a "school trip" with our homeschool group to a museum of childhood, where the children got to see and learn about all things Victorian! They all had a wonderful time together!

Listening to the museum lady's talk

Girls dressing up

Clement and Benjamin!

The older children having an educational activity session with the lady

Abigail always loves to dress up!

Afterwards they enjoyed the outdoors beyond the museum

Victorian games

Elijah outside the museum

And this was Elijah over the recent spell of illness. As I said, he was like this for the best part of 10 days! It's such a relief to have him feeling well again!

And now I'd better get this published, and do some chores - or cook dinner, or 1,000 other possible things that need to be done! :-)

September in Photos

I was realising that I had a number of photos from last month - esp from a couple of Saturdays when we had a day out to see some buildings as part of the free admission "Doors Open Days". So figured I should upload them here before too many weeks had passed.

 

We were in Inverness the first Saturday - we got to visit Inverness Castle and see the court rooms and jail cells there.

One of the rooms of the court

Stairs in Inverness Castle

Benjamin being silly! :-P

Walking in circles

Peter and the oldest 5! :-)

Inside the Old High Church in Inverness

Huge building

First edition 1611 Bible on display in the church

Enjoying the walk in Inverness

Elijah enjoyed the walk too!

Inverness Castle (photo out of order here)

The following week we were in Cromarty! :-) Cromarty Lighthouse - designed by Robert Louis Stevenson's uncle, Alan Stevenson. Was decommissioned in 2005.

Looking out from the top of the lighthouse across the Cromarty Firth and oil rigs out there, near Nigg. We live way over on the other side of the water, and to the right (I think!). Not in view in this photo - but to get to Cromarty, it means driving alllll the way around the water! :-)

Looking towards Nigg Hill

Next to the light house, some ramps leading down to the Old Buoy Store. Deborah and Elijah thought it was like a fun maze!

Cromarty Courthouse Museum

Deborah and Elijah in the courthouse museum

Court room in the museum

These girls always love a chance to dress up! :-)

And Benjamin *never* misses a chance to bomb a photo! :-P

And again! Cheeky boy!

Outside the Hugh Miller museum - on a hunt to spot things with their eyes in the courtyard behind the museum!

Hugh Miller's birthplace cottage is the house in the background here

Looking at Hugh Miller's books and writings on display

Hugh Miller's first attempt at journalism at the age of 17.

Clement loved the fossils!

Deborah did too!

Fossils

A bedroom in Hugh Miller's birthplace house (next door to the museum)

Elijah loved this very tiny room

And the garden too!

The Hugh Miller Institute (Cromarty's library is here!), built in 1902 or so, with money from Andrew Carnegie.

Fergus enjoying Cromarty from the comfort & safety of his mama's back! ;-)

Fergus is 11 months old! :-) Which means it's not very many weeks until his first birthday!

Best of friends! :-)

The exciting moment when you realise that you have another child who is able to properly read a book to a younger sibling! :-) She's still in the early stages of reading - and only a first stage reading book. BUT she was properly reading the words! :-)

Fergus had us laughing last night - he didn't seem to approve of finger foods! ;-) He wanted to make sure his chicken nuggets were put onto his spoon before he ate them! LOL

Much better! ;-)

It's a hard life being short! Fergus enjoyed standing on a cushion on top of a box of toys so he could look out the windows!

One final photo - something to keep my mind occupied over the coming months! ;-) All these years and 6 kids later, and I've decided to become a student again! Yes, I probably AM crazy - but I've jumped in and done it! I'm taking a course with the Open University - Investigating Psychology, which is the first required course for their  BSc (Honours) Psychology degree programme. I've no idea if I'll manage to carry on with enough courses to complete a degree, but here's my  first step taken by enrolling in my first course! I've applied to transfer credit from past study at college in Texas, and *hope* that some of it will count towards the degree. I'm hopeful that this course together with my past study might just be the first year of the degree! But still waiting to hear what they decide when they review my transcripts. For now, these books are keeping me busy! :-)