tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65685902011-08-11T13:07:53.399+01:00My BlogKirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comBlogger681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1109803111244418652005-03-02T22:29:00.000Z2005-03-02T22:38:31.246Z

I was listening to a programme on the radio this week about how tsunami victims who have lost their homes and jobs are rebuilding a life for themselves with help from schemes supported by their governments. One example was of a group of women who are making baskets out of plastic strips that are used to secure parcels. Some of the baskets are being sold on ebay, one of which can be seen here.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1109111832797658252005-02-22T22:31:00.000Z2005-02-22T22:44:53.396Z

I have lost my voice, it went yesterday whilst teaching. Today I cannot talk normally at all, only whisper, and it's been quite thought provoking.Of course it was the subject of great hilarity at work with comments like, "well it's going to be quiet in here today then!" and I'm sure you can imagine the rest. We had fun with it. It's amazing how many other people start whispering when in

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1109020814897009142005-02-21T21:13:00.000Z2005-02-21T21:20:14.896Z

This article is a couple of weeks old but it seems that ketchup contains lycopene which helps protect you against a few different sorts of cancers. Well actually all tomatoes products do, but organic ketchup in particular has a high amount. Aparently the darker the colour the ketchup the more lycopene they are likely to contain.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1108901989791356712005-02-20T11:56:00.000Z2005-02-20T12:39:44.000Z

Should folic acid be added to all flour? Folic acid significantly reduces birth defects when taken before conceiving and during the early stages of pregnancy, but it seems that the rate of defects isn't dropping in the uk because people are not taking the supplements! Is it that people don't know (you need to take it before conceiving, so even if the midwife tells you at your first appointment,

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1108896773292985142005-02-19T22:30:00.000Z2005-02-20T10:55:02.503Z

This is the poncho that I knitted for Nicolette. I'm very pleased with the way it came out, I made it big on purpose as she is growing really quickly, and it is big enough to wear over jumpers now, and hopefully will be the right size to wear instead of a jumper nearer the summer. She was very pleased with it. Katie on the other hand will not wear hers as she is going through a stage!I am

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1108679460511414262005-02-17T22:13:00.000Z2005-02-18T08:39:31.563Z

Katie and Nicolette just love tv, so a tv dinner is a real treat!Why play with the toys when you can sit in the box!Posing for the camera!That tiara really suits you Grandad!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1108734811892323302005-02-17T13:49:00.000Z2005-02-18T14:50:38.883Z

This is clever, a theif was caught by a webcam while he burgled a house. The story advises you to have the pictures automatically upload to your webspace in case your pc is stolen too!Read about it here.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1105265162116195632005-01-09T09:56:00.000Z2005-01-09T10:06:02.116Z

The Motley Fool (which is a money advising website) has pledged to give 15 pence for every person who clicks on their link. Go to this page and scroll down to the bottom, and click on the word "here" that is highlighted. You do not need to register or anything, just a click will do it.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1104963235158468022004-12-31T22:09:00.000Z2005-01-05T22:13:55.156Z

Staring Katie and Nicolette Steve has posted this on his blog already, but I wanted to put it here on mine as a record of our Christmas (which was lovely by the way). As a present for all our relatives my friend and I "directed" Katie and Nicolette in our version of the "Christmas Story". The girls mostly enjoyed making the video, and are certainly very pleased with the results, Katie at one

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1102544816675643722004-12-08T22:20:00.000Z2004-12-09T09:19:08.263Z

I am nice so I'll be looking out for some presents on Christmas morning. :0) Kirsty Sparrow: "Was pretty nice at times yesterday. Needs to practice picking up more often and making bed." Go to Santa's Official Newsletter and click on "Sanata's List" at the top, put in your name and see if Santa will be visiting you this year!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1102373334076866432004-12-06T22:43:00.000Z2004-12-06T22:54:55.510Z

It's nearly Christmas and I'm getting really excited! The tree is up and sort of decorated - the girls tend to undecorate it again! We have started buying presents, and I am making Christmas cards with Katie. And there is a row of six houses just around the corner from us that are com-pletely covered with Christmas lights, including santa and his reindeer on the front lawn! I love Christmas.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1101974771353917502004-12-02T08:05:00.000Z2004-12-02T08:06:11.353Z

I am intrigued to read this New Scientist article which talks about research into nurture versus nature of people being nice, or put another way socially responsible. A survey conducted of twins seems to suggest that upbringing does play some part in this - which is a surprise to scientists. It seems most personality traits seem to be purely gene driven. As a teacher I have seen that parents who

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1101972934158647402004-12-01T23:54:00.000Z2004-12-02T07:35:34.156Z

I went on a trip to a sewage plant with work this week! (I have a wonderfully varied job!) It was fascinating. The water is seperated from anything more solid, and only takes 12 hours from coming into the plant, being cleaned, and sent back out into a nearby stream. And at the moment it is all done using only natural processes and no chemicals. The non-water waste is put in a big vat to "cook"

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1101760884325014832004-11-29T20:40:00.000Z2004-12-02T07:25:01.283Z

Well it is on my blog at least. We did have some snow one evening last week but it was all gone by the morning. Katie really wants it to snow so that she can make a snowman like she did last year. Did you know that although every snowflake is unique they mostly fall into a category for their overall shape, and that it is someone's job to do this! http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1101162434499580942004-11-22T22:24:00.000Z2004-11-22T22:27:14.500Z

Cool - chocolate stops coughing, I'll have to try that! My throat does feel a little irritated . . . ;0) http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996699

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1099814808589506322004-11-07T07:55:00.000Z2004-11-07T08:06:48.590Z

"Is it nearly Christmas?" asked Katie yesterday. "Almost!" I said. It seems to be approaching very rapidly now anyway. I have started shopping for and making presents - I would really like to save on the last minute rush so I've set a target of having all the presents prepared by the end of November. Katie was three in October so I'm really looking forward to doing lots of crafts with her to

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1099474775044275522004-11-02T09:36:00.000Z2004-11-03T09:39:35.043Z

That it is impossible to lick chocolate off your own elbow?

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1099040180072342862004-10-28T09:19:00.000+01:002004-10-29T09:56:20.073+01:00

This is amazing ... real live (well alive once!) Hobbits. Little people who were about three foot tall who lived on Flores island 12000 years ago and were possibly wiped out by a volcano. They might even have lived on different parts of the island until very recently... check it out here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11220313%255E2702,00.html http://

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1098907938861332442004-10-27T21:10:00.000+01:002004-10-27T21:12:18.860+01:00

It's a lunar eclipse this evening (in the UK) but unfortunately it is right in the middle of the night! Still one of the girls is likely to be up and wake us then anyway! :0) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6307233/ This gives really good information about it.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1090881095801308292004-07-26T23:12:00.000+01:002004-07-26T23:31:35.800+01:00

I haven't posted pictures for ages, mainly because we couldn't find the charger for our camera! But also because I just haven't had the motivation to find the time to blog. But anyway, the camera is again in use so be ready to see me go a little mad with it over the next few days! :) Here's a picture of Nicolette who is now nine months old eating her breakfast of shreddies. And here is

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1090277940864801552004-07-19T23:47:00.000+01:002004-07-19T23:59:00.863+01:00

It was the last evening of our parenting course with Pete and Alison. We were given these beatitudes for parents which are quite fun and quite true!   Blessed are the parents who can laugh at themselves, for their children will laugh with them and not at them.   Blessed are those who can see the world with the freshness and excitement of a small child, for they will always be young at heart.

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1090091573615563152004-07-17T19:46:00.000+01:002004-07-17T20:12:53.616+01:00

We watched a programme on BBC 1 on Thursday where an incredibly brave man joined the BNP for 6 months to uncover the true inside running of the party.  It was frightening and unbelievable the things that BNP members were saying, and the people there cheering them on.  Here is a BBC article about the programme...   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3896213.stm   And the worrying thing is the

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1088197466206572262004-06-25T21:40:00.000+01:002004-06-25T22:07:30.716+01:00

I am having an evening by myself as Steve is out at kinship, and have been enjoying working in the garden. But when I came in to watch big brother I discovered that the kettle is not working! The light comes on but 5 minutes later the water is no warmer. What do I do? How do I make a cup of tea with no kettle? After several minutes of watching tv lamenting over my broken kettle and lack of a hot

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1088028414893805112004-06-23T22:52:00.000+01:002004-06-23T23:06:54.893+01:00

At the moment my job involves a lot of driving, going between schools running K'NEX challenges. I'm really enjoying it, I've been listening to radio 4 who have loads of short programmes on just about every subject it seems. Last week I learned that the Vatican have a $3 million telescope in Arizona that they use amongst other things to study the origins of the universe. How unlikely is that?

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1086821915971842522004-06-09T23:42:00.000+01:002004-06-09T23:58:35.970+01:00

At 8 months old today, Nicolette ate her first "grown up" meal. The girls had tea at a friends house, and they all ate fish fingers, chips and peas. Nicolette thought she was very clever to be eating the same as the bigger girls and kept looking at me with her biggest 'look at me mummy I'm doing something new' grin. Nicolette is also almost crawling - she gets onto hands and knees and wriggles

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1086353194499504372004-06-04T13:36:00.000+01:002004-06-04T17:50:20.233+01:00

I take a glass of water to bed with me as I am often thirsty in the night when I am woken up by the children. Every morning our cat Buffy comes upstairs (she gets shut downstairs at night because of Nicolette), checks out the glass, and if there is any left she has a good long drink. I know she does this now as I catch her at it some mornings, and I make sure that I don't drink any water once all

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1086038823984216292004-05-31T22:16:00.000+01:002004-05-31T22:27:03.983+01:00

It's been a great day, I've finished all my chores, and I am now sitting at the computer with my cup of cointreau coffee (possibly my most favourite drink ever)with a whole 45 minutes to use as I choose before I go to bed. We have had a wonderful day at Ragley Hall near Alcester, where a few people from church met up today. Once I had gotten over the stress of packing for the day and getting us

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1085951533986488562004-05-30T22:08:00.000+01:002004-05-30T22:12:13.986+01:00

I've had an excellent day with a little shopping (of the entertainment kind) this morning and then an afternoon and evening in the garden just generally tidying things up and playing with the girls in between. Parts of the garden look lovely now although other parts don't! ;0) And now I'm back on ebay again looking for a cheap baby walker for Nicolette who is absolutely desperate to walk and is

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1085506845862110892004-05-25T18:18:00.000+01:002004-05-25T21:11:23.866+01:00

I went to the freezer at lunchtime looking for something to eat to find a broken beer bottle in there! We are very good at putting things in and forgetting they are there but normally we get away with it. This bottle however had shattered into tiny fragments that were spread quite far so I ended up throwing a lot of opened stuff out! Luckily it was mostly vegetable so it won't cost too much to

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1085516615689802122004-05-24T21:12:00.000+01:002004-05-25T21:23:35.690+01:00

We have had a busy weekend visiting people. We spent Friday evening and Saturday at my brother's house bidding farewell to a friend who is emigrating (or hoping to) to Canada. He went on Sunday and has been told that he has a month to find a job otherwise he will have to leave. We spent Saturday night at home and then went down to Bristol to stay with Steve's parents and spend some time with

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1085134354122129572004-05-21T11:01:00.000+01:002004-05-21T11:12:34.123+01:00

Katie (2 1/2 years) and Nicolette (7 months) co-exist quite happily at the moment with few problems, indeed they like each other very much and often play together. However we caught a glimpse into what we have to come when Katie suddenly complained at the top of her voice "no, that's not fair!" We weren't looking at that moment but I think that Nicolette had taken a toy from her! We have also

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1084315403967694542004-05-11T23:41:00.000+01:002004-05-11T23:43:23.966+01:00

I've just taken this quiz from Rachel's quiz site: You are a MASTER of the English language! While your English is not exactly perfect,you are still more grammatically correct thanjust about every American. Still, there isalways room for improvement... How grammatically sound are you? brought to you by Quizilla

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1084219773797919302004-05-10T20:59:00.000+01:002004-05-10T21:10:42.513+01:00

Katie and Nicolette are wonderful well behaved children (as can be expected for their ages!) but when Steve is out for the evening they turn into two little ear-drum-splitting monsters. Steve left at quarter to eight, and now at nine o'clock and two cold cups of tea later I am finally sitting down at the computer. Nicolette can just be left to cry if she is just objecting to going to bed, but

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1084137512951635542004-05-09T22:11:00.000+01:002004-05-09T22:23:04.076+01:00

The dress is finished (well not quite, I just need three buttons and I can't find my button tin) and I really like it, although it is very wide and not very long.I think it should be just about wearable now, and still fit her in the autumn when it gets cold again.... and then she can wear it the next year as a sweater! ;0) It's really very wide!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1083937750549669402004-05-07T12:14:00.000+01:002004-05-07T14:53:38.090+01:00

My somewhat obsessive nature has led me to using every spare moment of my time (which isn't actually that much :0) ) with knitting, but I've very nearly finished the dress so here I am! I have had a wonderful couple of weeks at work, my new job is really cool and so much less stressful than teaching! Steve on the other hand has had a less than great time looking after Nicolette who has really

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1083159126042115432004-04-28T13:43:00.000+01:002004-04-28T14:36:57.950+01:00

I haven't posted in a while - I've been knitting! I'm not a superfast knitter so the dress for Nicolette is taking ages! Here is a picture of it so far showing a sleeve and the skirt. (Sorry it's a bit fuzzy.) We had a bit of a heatwave over the weekend with shorts and t-shirt weather, and I was a bit worried that I am knitting a wooly dress that wouldn't get worn, but it's ok, it's cold and

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1082804114482227602004-04-24T11:41:00.000+01:002004-04-24T12:00:34.170+01:00

If you are a regular reader you may know that Steve and I have both been jobless for a short time. I registered again with my supply agency (substitute teaching) and have been waiting for term to get going so that I could start earning money. I have applied for two jobs but heard nothing yet about them. And then at the beginning of the week a friend from church phoned and asked if I would be

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1082552529801956022004-04-21T13:55:00.000+01:002004-04-21T14:07:25.576+01:00

Steve got this from some other people:... 1. Grab the nearest book. 2. Open the book to page 23. 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the text of the sentence as a comment on my blog. 5. Post the text of the sentence on your own blog, along with these instructions. So here is mine:- "My mouse hovered over the link." From Dave Gorman's Googlewack Adventure. I think that's quite an appropriate

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1082327168915829462004-04-18T23:16:00.000+01:002004-04-18T23:31:38.653+01:00

I have started this new knitting project for Nicolette. This is an old pattern (can you tell!) that my mum pulled out of a magazine to knit when I was a baby but she never actually got round to making it. I am going to make it a slightly more decent length. I may have chosen the colours that it is pictured in but I found some yarn for 79p a ball and who can argue with that price. It is knitted

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1082153187601759382004-04-16T22:57:00.000+01:002004-04-16T23:20:16.090+01:00

We have been in Bristol for a few days having a holiday and here are the pictures: This is on the beach at Western-Super-Mare, they are sitting in a boat that Steve made. This is at the SeaLife Centre at Weston... ... as is this one. And this is a little fairground ride. This is Katie and Nicolette with their Great Grandad who lives in Bristol. While we were there we also flew a kite

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1081504415719743312004-04-09T10:41:00.000+01:002004-04-09T12:56:38.856+01:00

The idealistic speechwriter is well-liked by just about everyone. He's known for his excellent writing, sense of humor, and tendency to be clutzy. Although being younger than the rest of the staff, he's often treated as so, much to his dismay. :: Which West Wing character are you? :: West Wing is my favourate programme at the moment. It is a drama set in the White House about the people that

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1081290166854452742004-04-06T23:19:00.000+01:002004-04-06T23:26:32.670+01:00

Had an excellent day today, went to the Botanical Gardens and saw our friends who are back from a stay in Bristol. Had a nice relaxing evening, which included watching the last episode of West Wing series three which we have recently bought on dvd. It is officially the best programme ever according to me!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1081090896323697622004-04-04T10:45:00.000+01:002004-04-04T16:10:34.466+01:00

I am trying to decide on a picture to put on the front of Nicolette's jumper. The jumper is a pinky-red and black, and on the black bit I want to knit in a really simple design like a flower or something using the pinky-red colour. I'm using these colours because I wanted to use up some of my many oddments of yarn rather than buying new ones. I'm also making it in a really odd way by knitting the

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1081069676552124112004-04-04T09:45:00.000+01:002004-04-04T10:13:39.810+01:00

This was in the Daily Mail on Tuesday, on a page written entirely by readers. I have tried to find the article online but I think you have to pay to subscribe! Here are some of the best bits: A Christian: You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbour. A Socialist: You have two cows. The Government takes one and gives it to your neighbour. A Communist: You have two cows. The

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080858785850869242004-04-01T23:25:00.000+01:002004-04-01T23:40:56.110+01:00

I finally installed the bookcase I made into the girls' room today and I'm so pleased with it. Katie was a little less that certain, in fact she told me she didn't like it! But I think it's just the suprise element of a change in her room. I'm sure she'll come round. The room is really coming along now (it should be, we started it before Nicolette was born!) and since I'm showing off a little

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080727710489571032004-03-31T11:03:00.000+01:002004-03-31T11:12:07.513+01:00

I've just taken this online IQ test for fun whilst eating my breakfast. I scored 131 - wow, I must be a genius or something! ;o) On a slightly different note, we are watching cbeebies (tv for pre-school age) and the presenter said that there was a picture available on the website to print out and colour in. Katie imediately got up and went over to the computer, pointed to the printer and asked

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080685509396205562004-03-30T23:14:00.000+01:002004-03-30T23:28:45.530+01:00

I'm a big fan of this blogging thing. So much so that I spend (waste!) hours looking at random blogs, or would if I didn't have two children, it's really a few minutes here and there during the day when I can sneak onto the computer. I love the recently updated blogs section on the blogger home page. So I was really pleased just now to find this page http://www.blogger.com/changes.g which appears

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080595728670498812004-03-29T22:19:00.000+01:002004-03-29T22:32:23.326+01:00

Had a really good day today. We went to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery which was interesting with a toddler! Did a bit of general wandering around and drinking tea and bought the third season of the West Wing which was released on dvd today. I felt very pleased with myself that I was organised enough to take a packed lunch (buying lunch really ups the price of a day out!) and Katie loves

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080512964024016272004-03-28T23:24:00.000+01:002004-03-28T23:32:57.356+01:00

Steve, who has just redesigned his blog completely in CSS, has helped me to redo mine in the same. Because we can (!) and in the hopes that my blog loads more quickly. I don't know about you, but sometimes it takes absolutely ages to load for me. Hopefully this will have helped with that as I wouldn't like to make you wait to read my words of wisdom! ;o)

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080472062870861322004-03-28T11:37:00.000+01:002004-03-28T12:14:47.983+01:00

I was reading the New Scientist magazine this week and am amazed to discover that people are cutting down trees from the bottom of reservoirs to dry out and sell to be used as regular wood. Apparently the trees don't rot because that requires oxygen. So they are just thouroughly wet and can be used normally after standing in water for decades. The article talks about how divers have been cutting

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080259964566439582004-03-26T00:05:00.000Z2004-03-26T00:16:14.110Z

Steve just called me upstairs to where he and and Katie are playing even though it's nearly midnight, but that's what happens when you have a nap in the day! :0) As I went up he wispered to me to give Katie a hug and tell her that I love her, which I did and she said "love you". It's the first time she's said it! It's so cool!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080258056988431572004-03-25T23:23:00.000Z2004-03-25T23:47:53.340Z

I have been out today and ordered a book of baby sign language. I have read and heard a lot about it being a wonderful way to enable your baby to communicate long before they can speak. When Katie was a baby she developed her own sort of sign language, sort of miming what she wanted, or wanted you to do, that was amazing, but it was limited very much to physical things around her. It would be

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1080140679271500832004-03-24T15:00:00.000Z2004-03-24T15:09:07.966Z

Katie has just come downstairs with her two dolls Ella and Katie-doll (she was called Katie on the lable when we got her!) She announced with a beaming cheeky sort of smile that they were going to play hide and seek and proceded to put the dolls in the hall sat on the bottom stair. She then came back in the lounge and covered her eyes with her hands and counted "1, 2, 3, 4, 5". Then off she ran

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079866527180478922004-03-21T10:52:00.000Z2004-03-21T10:58:49.890Z

Whilst reading about food safety and the freezer a few minutes ago (never sure whether I can re-freeze previously frozen food once it is cooked) I found this little piece of trivia on a food reference website:- Real Baby Food. When U.S. companies begin marketing their products in Africa, it is common practice to have a picture on the label of what is inside, since most people there can not read

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079793204679401852004-03-20T14:26:00.000Z2004-03-20T14:36:46.530Z

I'm having a lazy parent day. The girls sat in front of the tv all morning watching videos while I painted my bookcase which is finally almost finished. Then after lunch I said I would take them out, but katie doesn't want to go so she is playing on her slide and watching tv again while I sit at the computer with Nicolette on my lap beaming up at me. Tv really is a wonderful invention. Is it a

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079691789064437792004-03-19T10:18:00.000Z2004-03-19T10:26:29.450Z

It's been raining since I got up on and off, but we've just had the most incredibly hard windy stormy five minutes. It was absolutely torrential and even moved the little tikes playhouse slightly, you may know that these are really quite heavy! We also completely lost our satelite signal - in the middle of the teletubbies no less. Tragic!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079567221735860052004-03-17T23:33:00.000Z2004-03-17T23:50:19.983Z

Nicolette rolled over for the first time by herself today. She has been nearly there for a couple of weeks, but not quite managing to move her arm out of the way. She was playing on the floor on her back and Steve looked over to see her on her front so we quizzed Katie because she often rolls her back and forth! but she said she hadn't. We turned her over again and again she ended up on her front

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079393154039653592004-03-15T22:55:00.000Z2004-03-15T23:29:32.890Z

We have two wonderful daughters who bring us so much pleasure. Katie is just at the age and has enough language that we are really seeing how much she understands about the people and the world around her, and just how caring she is and concerned for others, and we continue to experience the "ah, she's so amazing!" factor on a daily basis. For example a couple of nights ago I was cuddling her in

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079264914511857402004-03-14T11:38:00.000Z2004-03-14T11:59:36.610Z

Steve and I have been talking about parenting and how much more relaxed we are with Nicolette than we were with Katie. It's not that we were particularly panicy parents with Katie, in fact we were relaxed compared to a lot of other new parents we knew, but still we are so much more so with Nicolette. It does kind of help that she is so laid back and content all the time (excpet when hungry!) that

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079210520325026342004-03-13T20:25:00.000Z2004-03-13T20:47:13.733Z

I would like to say a (belated - I have only just remembered to ask Steve how to make links) thank you to Havdala for linking to me. I feel like a proper blogger now, my husband Steve has linked to me of course but that sort of doesn't count. Anyway, I'm very excited :0)

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079194855411079462004-03-13T16:18:00.000Z2004-03-13T16:24:08.043Z

Well I went in and resigned yesterday and they couln't have been nicer, so it's done and there's no going back now, I'll have to start looking for jobs!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1079045005676998322004-03-11T22:33:00.000Z2004-03-11T22:47:00.873Z

I have for many reasons decided to change jobs. I have been a teacher for almost seven years but mostly due to the stress levels of the career have decided to change to something different for the time being - particularly while our children are small. I would really love the sort of job that you turn up at, make a real difference, and then go home and forget about it - unlike teaching where I

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078945395368929382004-03-10T18:48:00.000Z2004-03-10T19:06:24.200Z

We had a lovely day today. We pottered about our local shops and bought a couple of things we needed and then we were drawn into a coffee shop, a starbucks copycat, by the lovely aroma of coffee. As it turns out we both had tea but there you go! Katie was asleep so we were able to just sit and take in the atmosphere and talk. Katie is brilliant when we take her out but it's never the same with an

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078797008099295262004-03-09T01:47:00.000Z2004-03-09T01:53:50.606Z

I have had an idea for a project for at least six weeks and today I was finally able to start it. I am making a kind of bookcase/box for Nicolette and Katie's room out of mdf. It's only just started really - it's got a long way to go, but it's very exciting to see it take shape. As a result it is now 1.50am so I am off to bed - goodnight!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078654999587034432004-03-07T10:15:00.000Z2004-03-07T10:26:23.530Z

We've both been really tired lately (we're not very good at going to bed early) and this morning Steve got up with the girls and I had a lie-in. He has now taken them to the tip to get rid of some rubbish and so I'm sitting here in peace enjoying a leisurely breakfast and doing a spot of ebaying - my favourite hobby! I can spend (or should I say waste?) hours just window shopping for bargains. I

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078609743829529992004-03-06T21:46:00.000Z2004-03-12T23:36:08.763Z

This is my family Steve my husband and my little girls Katie who is 29 months and Nicolette who is just about 5 months. They love to sit together on Steve's lap like this and he can't get away with holding one and not the other!

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078527298274099042004-03-05T22:41:00.000Z2004-03-05T22:57:59.780Z

Nicolette will be five months old next week and has just reached that wonderful stage of looking at somebody and just bursting into fits of uncontrolable tears - even when the person is one of her grandparents who she knows fairly well (it's happened to three out of four of them now!) They don't even have to pick her up, just come near and talk to her! And yet a stranger at a toddler group will

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6568590.post-1078442374037765042004-03-04T23:14:00.000Z2004-03-04T23:23:09.186Z

Wow - I have a blog! What shall I write? After a long evening of trying to get my template looking just right, perforated by frequent visits (about every ten minutes or so) upstairs to our two year old who is having a lot of bad dreams at the moment, I feel rather worn and less than inspired. Oh well - there's always tomorrow! :o)

Kirstyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431800065720925238noreply@blogger.com