There goes April!

April is nearly over already and since I've been too busy to post anything the last couple of weeks it's time for a mammoth post, as much to remind myself in the future of what happened this month as anything else!

 

For the most part it was a beautiful month weather-wise.

 

 

While we were away for around 10 days on our Easter break we enjoyed our first visit of the year to the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also while we were away, we spent a bit of time with my husband's old bachelor uncle.

 

He came along for a spot of golfing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and we spent some time at his croft house, where he has lived since he was born!

 

 

 

 

 

The croft goes down to the Dornoch firth and the boys did a spot of beach combing there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No holiday is complete without visiting some coffee shops!

 

 

Sometimes sitting outdoors...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and sometimes sitting indoors...

 

 

 

 

...looking out over the famous golf course.

 

 

 

 

 

I think Fraser (1) may be a bit of an animal lover like Calum (12). He just loved going out with Calum to look after our friends' sheep!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we returned home it was all hands to work.

 

Dad had taken some extra days off and we had decided it would be a good chance to paint the bedrooms. All three of them. At the same time.

 

It wasn't as mad and crazy as that might sound though!

 

The boys all mucked in to help.

 

Calum, Ally (5) and David (9) all helped paint their room...

 

 

 

 

And James (15) painted his room on his own without any help.

 

 

 

 

Some people did get messier than others!

 

 

 

I helped with painting our room whenever Fraser was napping.

 

 

 

I might do a proper reveal of the boys rooms another time, but here is a peek at Calum, David and Ally's room. They chose the colour themselves and I think it looks great!

 

 

 

 

Fraser likes Ally's bed as he can climb onto it easily and play!

 

 

 

 

 

Painting over and done with, April also saw:

 

- us hosting our first barbecue of the year.

 

 

 

- a trip to watch the shinty and catch up with old friends.

 

 

 

 

- Auntie Anna's birthday barbecue and the cake Calum made for her.

 

 

 

 

- more beautiful weather and the chance to add another vegetable bed to the garden.

 

 

 

 

- Fraser discovered his love for the water table and hose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- we came across some crazy amigos at our church's fundraising Mexican supper evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And just in case we got too used to the lovely weather, April also reminded us that we live in Scotland and summer is still a way off!

 

 

 

 

 

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Holiday Mode

The Easter holidays are in full swing here.

 

We are spending the first week of the holidays at the house of friends of ours while they are away on holiday themselves. Don't they live in a beautiful spot?

 

 

 

The weather has finally been playing ball, and apart from some rain today, it has been warm and sunny since we came. That's right, not just sunshine, but there was warmth in the sunshine, and so there has been lots of outdoor play.

 

 

 

And indoor too!

 

 

 

There is a countryside ranger centre in the village here, where Ally (5) dressed up like a forestry worker and did some lovely Easter colouring in.

 

 

 

 

Fraser (1) also tried his hand at colouring in, with a little help from Calum (12).

 

 

 

We spent our Easter holidays here two years ago, and that time the boys took part in an activity at the centre where they made animals out of willow and tissue paper. The ranger said that they would use some of them to decorate the centre. We couldn't believe that James and Calum's animals were still hanging up in the window two years later!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been making the most of the good weather by getting out to the many beautiful forest walks round about.

 

On Saturday dad had some work today so I took the boys on one of the hill trails. I was thankful that James (15) was able to help carry Fraser in the backpack!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been quite a stormy winter this year, with a lot of high winds, and you can see this in all the forests around here. The boys' most favourite walk through a gorge has been closed because of the damage caused to the trees and paths, as have some other walks. Even in the walks that are open you can see lots of fallen trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While staying at our friends' house, Calum has been left in charge of looking after the sheep - a job that he is relishing, as is his little helper!

 

 

 

Fraser loves the sheep and stands at the gate shouting at them. The sheep come right up to the gate because they know they are about to be fed and he isn't scared of them at all. He just stands his ground shouting his sheep noise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every time we holiday up here we spend time with my husband's uncle who took us out to dinner last night.

 

It was also catch up time today when my flatmate from uni days, who was my chief bridesmaid too, came round for a visit. I can scarcely believe that it will be 20 years this autumn since we first met, when I moved to the city to start my music degree. Back in those days we would sit up chatting about anything and everything until far too late into the night. It was good to catch up today. We don't see each other very often but when we do get together it's like it hasn't been that long at all, if that makes any sense!

 

And that's been our holiday so far.

 

Tomorrow the sunshine is set to return and we are planning another day with great uncle Willie. We might do a spot of fishing with him so perhaps there will be fish on the menu for dinner tomorrow!

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