Monty has an op and Evie sleeps in random places

Monty was very poorly yesterday and had to go to the emergency vet. We were very worried about him. He had a huge abscess on his side which the vet drained. Now he is not a completely black cat but has a big white patch for a little while, and also wears a special Elizabethan collar sometimes. He is getting much better now.

Evie has been having the odd sleep in different places, and has been trying out Isla's new goggles.

We've also been out and about doing this and that!

Isla made a treasure map and Evie made a pirate ship out of play dough.

They did some painting and Evie turned blue!

Isla has been doing lots of new things at school. They have been making pictures of themselves on the computer, doing play dough disco, having P.E. outside with a new teacher and having music with a different teacher too. Isla was the class helper on Friday (the 'star' pupil) and helped put out a candle in assembly as well as getting to sit in the green chair and wear a special badge.

Ice cream pizza

Isla has had day two and day three at school so finished her first half-week. She says that she is definitely in need of a day off, so lucky it is the weekend tomorrow! She has been playing hopscotch and using the 'big children's' climbing frame in the main playground while the rest of the school is in lessons. She has been playing 'pass the squeeze' and 'pass the smile' games with her classmates, painting faces and writing names on leaves. She has also been playing mums and babies with her friends, looking for ants in sunflowers and learning where everything is in her new school. She's met her buddy from an older class who used to be our neighbour and will help her settle in even more. She has had some more snacks (milk and a tomato (?!) on day two and milk and raisins on day three). She's done loads in just the past three mornings and I am very proud of her.

In the mornings, Evie has been making chocolate biscuits and going to rhyme time at the library. Evie sometimes asks where Isla is and misses her. Although Isla's absence means there is much much more chocolate biscuit dough for her to eat!

When Isla's been around, they've been investigating stuff in the garden (fighting over the tomatoes, collecting lots of flowers, squirting water pistols...)

After an episode of Umizoomi (new favourite programme), we made ice cream pizzas using a biscuit, ice cream and sweets.

Evie stayed up late last night making a train out of Duplo:

This afternoon we did some colouring, watched some Paw Patrol and made a squirrel out of wooden blocks:

Isla and Evie pretended to go camping (can you see the campfire?!).

And then we read some 'Fantastic Mr Fox'. They have just found the chicken house and are on their way to outwit the horrible farmers even more! Goodnight!

First Day at School

Isla started school today! Here she is in her uniform this morning:

And here she is on her way to school:

She came running out the gate to give us a hug when she finished, saying that she loved her morning at school. She had drawn a picture, played games with beads, had a tour of the school and had snack (milk and a carrot!) and a story. Tomorrow she has to take in something from home to play with, and she is considering taking Baa Baa with her.

Mucking about outside

In the last week of the summer holidays, we've been out and about quite a bit.

We went to Tyntesfield with our friends:

Here is our tallest sunflower:

Doing some baking:

Making some collages:

Visiting friends and driving dumper trucks:

Playing in giant sandpits:

Releasing our butterfly friends which hatched from our pet chrysalises:

Snacking on tomatoes fresh from the plant:

Going for many walks in the puddles:

Pulling funny faces:

We had a super-duper last minute trip to Essex to visit Granny Ilene, Grandpa Alan and Uncle Peter. 

We visited Mark's Hall near Braintree which has an arboretum and walled garden. There was a sculpture trail for us to investigate. Isla loves a good trail!

Isla enjoyed 'going fishing' or pond dipping in Granny's pond. She found lots of tadpoles.

We enjoyed playing in the field at the back: