Cat birthdays, a walk in the woods and a very big expedition

Pob and Monty become another year older this week. Isla made them both cards with feathers on and pictures of a mouse, a bird and a rabbit that she thought they would like. We gave the cats a new toy and lots of strokes throughout the day as well as a few extra biscuits!

We have been going for some nice little walks in the sunshine. Isla pretends we have to watch out for gruffalos in the woods and we all enjoyed seeing the ponies and feeding them some hay. Their names are Millie, Cherry and Crystal. Although sometimes I call the two ponies Cheska and Binky when I forget what they are really called.

It has been great to sit out in the garden, and Evie likes playing on the rug as well as in the ball pit.

Yesterday we visited Westonbirt Arboretum and walked around looking at Gruffalo trail signs. These weren't really that exciting and the ambience of the lovely forest was spoilt a bit by the noise of motocross a few fields away! The new playground with brilliant pirate ship was excellent and Isla really enjoyed it. The trees in the arboretum were as amazing as ever, with lots of camellias and magnolias out in flower. Just spotted one or two colourful rhododendrons. We had a picnic lunch and Isla put some tiles on a wooden shelter.

Today we went for a short wander to the shop to replenish our salami stocks (Isla's favourite food along with grapes) and met our friend with her two dogs. She reminded us about a nice walk past a sewerage works nearby and so we thought we'd try that out in the afternoon after some pizza and a good old jump on the trampoline. The walk took a couple of hours and Isla managed it with lots of piggy backs and a shoulder carry, while Evie had her first ride in the back pack carrier and fell asleep towards the end. We saw lots of animals on our walk: cows, sheep and horses. We found some pond skaters in a puddle and Isla said "look at those wrigglers in the sea". 

Our reward at the end of the walk was an ice lolly - Isla's first of the year!

Christmas Time!

Just before Christmas day, we made a chocolate yule log with Nigella's recipe to take for our Christmas day meal. Isla enjoyed making fingerprints in the icing sugar snow and checking it tasted ok.

On Christmas morning, Isla woke up at 6ish and came to ask us about some things she had been thinking about. She asked about when we could go for bike rides together and also about what tigers eat. Then we thought we should remind her it was a special day and that maybe we should go and see if Father Christmas had been to visit us. He had!

Pob and Monty really enjoyed their gifts! and became kittens again for the morning.

I woke Evie up so she didn't miss out on too much of her first Christmas. She seemed to like her new colourful rings!

Isla quickly got her new train set opened up and put a railway track together.

A little bit later on, Isla served Daddy at her post office, where he needed a new tax disc.

Evie had a relaxing snooze before we headed over to Granny Margaret and Grandad David's for the rest of our Christmas Day.

Everyone enjoyed their Christmas lunch:

Back home, we enjoyed the rest of Andrew's time off.

Granny Ilene and Grandpa Alan came to stay for New Year. Here is Isla helping open Evie's Christmas present from Uncle Peter:

Isla loves serving everybody in her post office shop. Evie needed some stamps and popped to the shop for them, which is handily in our living room.

Constructing an amazing gingerbread house that Granny Ilene baked: 

Isla sprouts a puff pastry moustache while eating Rudolph pie:

Back to normal after Christmas, Evie tried out the door bouncer and enjoyed it lots! She generally spins around in it at the moment.

Evie has started sitting in the high chair for the first time this week, while Isla has moved onto an adult low chair. Evie likes sitting and examining her toys, as well as learning to drop them on the floor with a loud bang, whilst we are eating.

We've been going for walks between rain storms. The muddy puddles produced by the storms have been great fun.

Evie has started sitting in a proper buggy rather than the pram, and much prefers being able to see everything around her on our walks and whilst going to toddler group and pre-school.

We visited the park today as it was a sunny morning. Isla really enjoyed it, especially the swings, roundabout and see-saw. Evie had a snooze in the buggy after a while.

Evie enjoyed sitting in the buggy while we had a meal out. Isla was very lucky to have ice cream and also a bambinocino after her pizza!