Wallace Monument

Despite being here more than 6 years, I've not been up the Wallace Monument (it's quite expensive usually!), but a couple of weeks ago they were doing a free admissions day, and Miriam was due a treat, so the two of us went up to take a look. Miriam was very good on the narrow and very busy stairs. We went straight to the top for a look, and after a couple of minutes Miriam was done with "the view" so we went to the lower levels where there are now a few child-friendly activities. A bit different to usual and she had a great time - so much so that Naomi asked to go to Stirling Castle for her treat the following week - and Miriam now wants to go to the Castle too!

Our house will be just about visible in the distance to the left here.

One of the activities was to design a shield on a table, that then got projected onto this life-size one.

Miriam wanted a photo next to the floodlights!

We had a quick stop in the giftshop on the way out and Miriam got a very brightly coloured lollipop!

Naomi's baking treat

A while back we changed the "treats" for Naomi and Miriam away from being based on rewarding good behaviour (this seeming to matter less for them - we now use "screen time" as both reward and punishment); so now every other week they just always get some one-to-one time with a parent of their choice. Two weeks ago Naomi picked me, and rather than the usual request for McDonalds, we did some baking together instead: chocolate eclairs! Very nice indeed. We were pleased with them anyway, and they were gone in a very short time.

Assortment of goings-on

 Time for a catch-up on various goings-on of the past few months.

Esther has been really coming into her own the past wee while. As well as talking, she has really got the hang of play - both by herself and with her big sisters.

Though she can get pretty tired and grumpy when she wants to! In this respect it's like she's been two for nearly a year already.

The last of our peppers from last year's successful crop. Yum.

I'm trying to cultivate some cuttings from a cherry tree at my Mum's house. This one looked like it was going well but, it turned out, not so much. I have some more now that seem to be doing better.

Which of these apparent cupboards at the university is actually a suite of four classrooms?
These are the places to schedule meetings if you don't want anyone to attend!

(It's the door at the end by the way)

Stirling weather continues to accentuate the scenery

A cheesy date night. Note done one of those for a while :)

...and now a selection of treats. Naomi and Miriam now have a slightly different reward scheme - they have tablet/screen time which can be given and taken away - so to ensure some one-to-one time with one of their parents we just do that for them every other week. Lydia still has a button jar but the rules have changed a wee bit.

Treat time! Lydia filled her button jar and took me to a cafe a couple of weeks ago. 

 

Pirates seems to be a theme in the house just now. We'll return to that shortly.

WAFFLE BREAKFAST!

I thought the frost on our lawn looked pretty cool.
(in two senses...)

 

Burns' Night saw the Wallace monument lit up blue. 

Another brilliant photo - Naomi trying a new hairdo in front of her bed light.

Naomi is also learning cello - here she is practising.

Costumes for World Book Day. Naomi is Streaker the dog from The Hundred Mile An Hour Dog; Miriam is Cassie the fairy, from Even Fairies Need Glasses.

The girls also now all have sequin cushions and like to make pictures with them.

Hyacinths in our front garden. Lovely.

I think I've mentioned our weather station before - we got it from the Space Centre in Leicester last year - now it has a permanent home on our fence. Which makes sense as the weather here is pretty changeable.

A tiring day of school over, I just enjoyed the girls having a wee bit of a rest.

We also had a brief trip to IKEA. Naomi and Miriam have been complaining about their beds for the past couple of months - largely because they have got bigger and the free mattresses that came with the bunk were somewhat bumpy. So we got some new mattresses, and enjoyed the phenomenon that is the IKEA rolled up mattress. Yes, really a sprung mattress all rolled up.

Two mattresses in the boot of our car, along with some other stuff! We also fitted in 7 people as Grandma is visiting.

IKEA == Swedish Meatballs for lunch!

We might as well make a day out of it. The girls got to go to IKEA soft play too.

Hurray!

One of the mattresses unfurled and another about to start. A few hours later and you really can't tell the difference. They are very comfortable now.

I love the instructions for these things!