BubbaChic

Planky

Planky is the name Maddy (as a toddler) gave to My Dad. His grandparent name was meant to be Grampy, but unable to pronounce that she called him Planky - and now it has stuck! We all find this to be very cute and still get great amusement out of it - especially on the occassions that Maddy shortens it to 'Plank' to get his attention.

Today marks a very special Birthday for my Dad and I just wanted to let him know how much we love him. I, being his daughter have known him longer than anyone else in my little family and I can boast of his many talents and skills like cooking - he makes a mean tomato/chilli sauce and his full english breakfast always hit the mark on a saturday morning.

His quiet and focus when undertaking any project has always been a source of wonder to me and I have often found myself staring at him whilst he is deep in though, undertaking different tasks.

His hard work has always provided for his family, even when the times got tough and the economy got tougher....and all of this whilst remaining so handsome and with all his own hair ;o) 

Although his talents may not always fit the image that many of his friends have of him - as a hardened biker (with was it 8 or 9 bikes to prove it?) it makes makes being his daughter even more special, that we, the family, know, appreciate and get to benefit from his soft nature and unwaivering love for his family.

God knew what he was doing when he chose you to be my Dad and for that I thank him every day. Sorry I can't be with you in person to share your birthday Dad x x x

Free Art!

Go Check this out, seriously....there are some wonderful (and free) prints available!

Spring Break

Oh I love spring break - mornings spent in jammies, basking in the sunshine of the impending spring! No routines, no buses to catch or schools to get to on time...just uncomplicated chilling.

So far this week we have kept a close eye on the daffodils....

Spent some quite time with our new baby - who is really coming out of her shell and is eager to get out of the bedroom and explore the house! She is also eager to follow poor-Jasper around, who is still a little bemused that there is an exact tiny replica of himself waiting to jump out at him as soon as he enters the bedroom. Our other little fluffy house guest is far more shy and prefers to watch the antics from a distance.

The slow and relaxed pace of the house has even enabled me to fit in a pedicure this week...courtesy of Maddy and Josh - so if you even wondered what a pedicure by a 4 year old and a 6 year old would look like, wonder no more!

8 New Fluffy Paws...

Were added to our home on Sunday! Yay!

I traveled down to Oklahoma City to collect our new little girly Birman - named Jasmine by Miss Maddy (Much to the amusement of my brother back in England, who thought it a little strange that we would name a cat Jasmine when we had a cat named Jasmine in England he asked me 'What are you going to do if you have another daughter - call her Maddy?' )

I drove to OKC on my own - something I was a little pensive about - but having had a whole 3 hours in the car ON MY OWN!! listening to MY MUSIC!! I have decided that I am more than prepared to do the journey on my own again! It was a little strange not having to turn around to the back seat to split up squabbles, hand out snacks and change DVDs - but I think I could get use to it once in a while ;o)

On arriving in OKC, I was asked if I could in fact take Jasmine's Sister (Namely Daisy by Miss Maddy) home too until she can find a new owner. She is a little shy it seems and needs lots of patience and love to bring her out of herself.

So we have one new beautiful little lady called Jasmine - she is as cute as a button and is a show-quality Birman Girl - and her lil sis Daisy, who is equally as cute! When they have both settled in and ventured out from under the bed, I will snap some shots, until then you will just have to see the little flashes of fluff here and there that we get to see....

He's in good company...

Josh and Maddy both got presents given to them on Daddy's return home from England. The presents were from all the Grandparents back in the UK and we eagerly opened up and played with/eaten/tried on!

Joshua in particular is very taken with a bathrobe/dressing gown which Nanny and Planky sent over for him....he is so taken with it in fact, that he insisted on sleeping in it and also wearing it to pre-school!

I am the first to admit that I tend to baby my boy - he is still my baby as he is our last baby - but I have recently started to try and encourage him to do things like choose his clothes/dress himself in an attempt to treat him less like a baby and more like the little boy that he is! So today, when he decided to wear his dressing gown to pre-school - what could I say??!

Josh: Mama, I am going to wear this to school (holding dressing gown)

Me: ummmm, Josh thats for when you get up in the morning, not really wearing out of the house

Josh: But its fluffy - no one else has a fluffy coat like this!

Me: Perhaps you could take it in for show and tell today?

Josh: Yep, I am going to wear it until show and tell!

So my boy did indeed wear his dressing gown to school - and whilst for one second I may have been a little worried about his expression of himself through his clothing, on entering the pre-school a little boy was walking towards us, fully dressed with an inflatable swimming ring around his head. Suddenly Josh seemed to be in good company!

Waiting for Spring

There are signs of spring started to appear in our corner of Oklahoma, sunny days when the short-sleeved t-shirts are starting to come out occasionally.

 

Its usually around this time, that Mads starts to get itchy feet about getting some *things* (any *things*) planted. So, we recently took a trip to the garden centre, where Mads and Josh got to pick which veggies they would like to grow this year. The seeds were eagerly planted that afternoon and have remained on our kitchen table basking in the sunlight since.

I am enjoying the excitement of the kiddies checking them every morning (and afternoon, and evening..) and squealing at their growth. Its a learning curve for me - I have yet to grow anything which doesn't die after a few weeks of inproper care - but I am going to try my best this year at keeping these little treasures growing!

We also have started putting together our spring nature table - that always makes the house feel more like spring, even on the days when it returns to being cold and very winter-like.

There is a very special new addition to the nature table today - he arrived, hand-delivered by a very dashing mailman (Mr B) as a Birthday gift from my Mum and Dad in England. Meet - Mr Fox!! oh, how I love him already!!!

He is handmade and completely exquisite!!! I saw him a while ago on this Talented Lady's Website and fell in love. There is something so charming and English about this old fox!! So my sweet Parents bought him for my Birthday.

I think he is settling in well, Poppy is keeping him company and showing him around...isn't he adorable!

Dinner - Freaky Style

Had to share a photo of dinner, how to do it here

The children approved (not to sure Mr B was that impressed though!)

Winner of Miss Martha!

Results are in, Mr Random Number Generator has been consulted and number 3 was picked!

Maranda: *Awe, she is so cute:) My little Elizabeth would love her.*

Maranda - I have emailed you (via your blog) so as soon as you get back to me she can be on her way to you!!

Best Friends

 

...and now en route to their new home! aren't they cute!

   
   

A Letter