The Buckingham Blog

On Saturday it was sunny so we went to Dobbies and then on to Hazlehead Park.  We took our scooters, but I didn't want to take mine out the car and decided to run instead.  Kory scooted on his one. 

First we went through all the trees and Kory used his camera to take some pictures. 

Then we got to my favourite area in the park - the play bit.  It was a bit muddy and dirty but we managed to have some fun too. 

It was a bit cold so we went to explore the rest of the park for a while, before heading back to the car.  It's nice to get to the park again, maybe spring will be here soon. 

When we got home we had hot ribena to heat us up and Kory had a snuggle with Mummy on the couch reading one of Daddy's work books.  I think he might turn into a geek too.  Just as well me and Mummy are both girls.

Love
Krystal
xxxxxxx

P.S.  When we grow up, we want to be.......trees!!

Yeah yeah it's been a while.  I just didn't have much to say, so didn't bother.  I can't remember what we've done other than what's in the photos.  So here you go!

Trip to Duthie Park

We let Kory have our old camera one day last week, and Krystal got a camera for Christmas from Grandpa & Tricia, so in order to use them, we headed to the Winter Gardens as it was so cold yet we needed out the house.  They had great fun taking pics.

A strange plant above a door that looked like a moose!

Krystal's First Bike Ride

Last Sunday was the first day there was nothing on the ground and nothing falling from the sky since Christmas.  So James took the kids out on their bikes, Krystal for the first time.  From what I gather it was an *interesting* outing ending in tears over cold hands!

Dressing Up

With all the being in the house recently, the kids have taken to dressing up loads.  With talk of the upcoming swine flu jabs, the favourite is doctors and nurses where they inject one another!

Burns Supper

Today being Burns Day, I made the kids a burns Supper tonight.  James and I are both on a diet so we had something else.  Kory wanted to know if it could be Burns Day every week because he loved the haggis!

Other Stuff!

The face krystal pulls when she is angry!  it does nothing but make me laugh!!

Photo's I took of the kids for part of a project, but I like them.

Julie.xx

After the temperature dropping to -8C last night, we got up to find the snow still there.  No surprises there then!  The surprise came when  driving down to Brechin when the car thermometer was at -5.5C.  Eeeek!  While that's not unusual in Aberdeen, it's normally at night, not just after 10am!

Anyway, we were all frozen by the time we walked from the car to the train.  But as usual I made everyone pose for some official blog photos (ha ha!)  I even managed to be in one for a change to prove I do actually go on outings.

We found our seats and the journey began.  Kory and Krystal were very excited when Santa entered the coach we were in.  He seemed to take forever to get from the other end to where we were as well. 

He was actually very authentic - naturally fat, and his beard/hair certainly couldn't be pulled off!  Must have taken him ages to grow that lot. He might have washed his breakfast off his coat though! 

He chatted to the kids for ages too. 

His Mrs Clause was very funny.  I think he was being specific about which gifts he wanted to give each child, and she was getting annoyed at him.  I thought she was going to ram a croquet set up his bum at one point!! 

The journey back seemed to take forever, once they had seen Santa, we all just wanted a heat, we couldn't feel our feet at all.   

We came home and had some warm soup for lunch.  Then Kory was desperate to go outside and have a snowball fight.  Of course Krystal wanted to join in and then Coral was in on it too.  I know i'll have plenty chances when snow falls on weekdays further into winter, so I stayed inside! 

We had an early dinner, then James and Kory took Coral back to the airport.  Aside from the sub-zero temperatures, it was a nice weekend, just a shame Chad couldn't join us.  Which is the reason for quite this many photos today, so he can see what we did. 

Julie.xx

P.S.  This morning's sunrise over the snowy rooftops....

It's been a busy time and I can't remember everything we've done.  One day last week we got to decorate some gingerbread snowmen with some icing.  Krystal did hers all white and I used the blue icing for mine.   We were allowed to eat them after dinner and they were very yummy.

I went to the usual boxing and nursery where we are learning lots of Christmas songs for our concert.  I've been teaching Krystal the songs too and she really likes them. 

We also started opening our advent calendars last week.  Krystal had a Princess one and I had a Transformers one that Grandpa got us. 

We also have a new wooden one this year that Mummy & Daddy got us.  We take turns of opening it.  Each door has a little wooden decoration in it which we hang on one of the hooks round the outside. 

On Saturday we had tickets to go to the cinema to see Planet 51 - it was Krystal's first time going to the cinema, so we got some sweeties.  While we waited to go in we found this board with Alvin and the Chipmunks on it.  We love the first film, so can't wait to see the next one. 

This is a photo of us in the cinema, it's a bit rubbish, because Mummy didn't want to put the flash on inside the cinema.  I had really wanted to see the film, but I didn't like it much, it was a bit scary with the soldiers and the one eyed aliens.  Krystal liked it though.  She's a girl and that makes her tough!

Then on Sunday we went to Union Square to look in the new Marks & Spencers.  It was huge and Mummy loved all the house stuff.  We walked past the new cinema in there too and look what we found, big models of the Chipmunks!  Lots better than the cardboard ones. 

And here are a few of Mummy's photo's that we sometimes stop to get! 

On Friday when I went with Mummy to collect Kory from nursery, he had a friend with him.  His name is Jim and he's nearly the same size as me!  He has a friend called Rosie who was going home for the weekend with one of the girls from nursery.  Jim was going to join us in the things we were doing at the weekend. 

Our Saturday was spent playing games mostly.  I went shopping with Mummy while Kory and Daddy went to Maria's house to fix their computer. 

At night time Mummy went out to a ladies night.  I can't wait to be big enough to go to one of them. 

On Sunday we went into town to see the Santa parade and to see his reindeers.  We wore our Christmas hairbands with Santa's and Snowmen on them.  I really liked the man dressed up as a reindeer too, but Mummy and Daddy thought it was strange. 

After the parade, we went to get Daddy some new shoes and then for some lunch.  It was yummy!  We then bumped into Matthew and his family, went to the car to get warmer jackets and then went back to Union Street to wait for the Christmas lights to go on.  We had some glo sticks and sweeties and it was fun.

We watched the parade and dance to the music and saw Santa again.  We had a really nice day.  And I think Jim had fun too! 

Today was an extra day off and we spent it doing fun things.  Well me and Kory did, while Mummy did cleaning and stuff.  Then we all went out after lunch and then the best bit was making cake.  Banana cake.  And it was really yummy!

Love
Krystal
xxxxxxx

Last Thursday was Guy Fawkes night - so we headed down to Aberdeen beach early in the day.  I parked at Kory's boxing and he went to his class.   Then James came to meet us and we headed to Pizza Hut to get something to eat.  The kids loved it; colouring in their hats, stuffing themselves full of pizza and macaroni cheese and then of course they had space for the all you can eat ice cream! 

We managed to kill enough time there that we only had time to walk back to the car, get the sparklers then find a spot to use them before the fireworks started.  No standing around in the cold like 2 years ago and no almost missing them like last year!  This was the first time we've let the kids have sparklers and they were a hit!

While we were doing them, a guy with a big huge camera came over and asked if he could take a photo of us for the local paper.  It appeared on Friday and you can see it on their website (and here's the photo)

 I'd also picked up cheap Glo-sticks for them, and they absolutely loved them.  Saved buying £5 bits of nonsense they sell at these events.  They were dancing with them the whole way through and had people round about laughing as they looked like a couple of ravers!

The fireworks themselves were much better this year than in previous years.  They were put to music which made them more interesting than lots of "oooh" and "aaah" noises. 

By the time we got home it was pretty late, Kory and Krystal were exhausted too but a fun time was had by us all.

We've not been up to an awful lot else.  Christmas shopping at the weekend, and just the usual weekday stuff with the kids.  Not very exciting!

Julie.xx

Krystal posing and having her hair spiked at bathtime!

I'm sure we've done more in the school holidays, but Mummy seems to mostly have photos of us in parks.  We went to Johnstone Gardens one afternoon last week, but the ground was wet so we couldn't play on the swings and the slide. 

Instead we played a game of "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" like the show we went to see a few weeks ago.  We were going over mountains and through swamps and everything.  It was fun.

At the weekend, Mummy took be to the cinema to see "Up" in 3D.  We had to wear glasses again.  It was good how things come out to you.  It was a bit silly, the old man's house took off with lots of balloons.  While we were there, Daddy took Krystal swimming which she enjoyed too. 

On Sunday we did some things with Daddy while Mummy did a wee bit more Christmas shopping.  We did play-doh and Moonsand.  Mummy never does Moonsand with us.  Now Daddy understands why!

Yesterday we had a lazy morning and then went to take our books back to the library and choose some more.  We got 5 this time each as well as 2 DVD's. 

Today started off a bit yucky outside and I had a runny nose so didn't want to go to boxing.  So we weren't going to go out, but then it got a bit brighter and we decided to go leaf collecting at Hazlehead Park. 

It was very windy but we had great fun getting leaves in our bags of all different colours and shapes. 

We walked around the sculptures...

...played with helicopters...

...and went to the rose garden, Mummy told us all about this statue.  it's for the men who died in a fire on an oil rig a long time ago before we were born.  But Mummy and Daddy remember it happening.  It was fun to hide behind anyway. 

We went to the park after for a quick play and then Mummy helped us climb trees!

We collected Daddy after his work and came home to put the leaves to dry.  They'll be for some craft things later in the week I hope!

Love
Kory
xxxx

Today we took the kids to the theatre.  We only found out on Wednesday that this show was in Aberdeen and got tickets.  It's based on the childrens' book of the same name.

Although it was rather low budget, the kids loved it, Krystal especially.  She was clapping and shouting at the right bits which was very cute.  I'm so glad we have kids we can take to things like this and know they won't bash the people round about us or spend the whole time jumping about like some others there. 

It was such a lovely day today that when we came home we spent the afternoon in the garden.  Kory & Krystal are playing so well together now, lots of imagination and make believe. 

Just this afternoon the "house" in the garden was an ice cream van - where one served the other who came and delivered James and I ice creams, and Burger King drive through window where we were brought chicken nuggets and chips!! 

It was another lovely family day like last weekend. 

Julie.xx

We’ve had loads of fun these few days.  On Sunday morning we went swimming to the beach where the blue chute is.  I was so excited to show Daddy it as he’d not seen me going on it.  We went on it lots of times, played in the waves and I practised my jumping in wit hout anyone catching me.  

Yesterday was our usual busy Monday, I had nursery, then rising 5’s while Mummy ironed and did post office things.  Then after rising 5’s we went to the library to get some new books.  We also got a few DVD’s this time.  But they are all a bit old.  

Today I went to nursery in the morning, then we had a chilled out lunch.  Once we had finished we got ready for boxing and then went to the doctors for Mummy’s appointment.  She was very happy when we left so I think it went well.  

I had great fun at my boxing class and I managed to win one of my circuit trials, even over the big boys so I was very excited about that.

Daddy came to meet us after for a special treat…we went to Pizza Hut for dinner.  Something to do with half price food, but it was yummy.  Me and Krystal got pepperoni pizza to share and salad bowls with swords (breadsticks)!

The man who was serving us brought an extra drink too, so Krystal got her first fizzy juice.  Mummy tried not to give it to her as she’s too young, but Krystal wasn’t very happy once she’d seen it.  

This was the view out to sea when we came out of Pizza Hut.  Very beautiful I think.

We've had a very fun 2 days.  Yesterday morning, Mummy and I took Kory to the hospital for his eye clinic appointment.  There were lots of toys there and in the room when he had his teast, there were lots of Dora stickers all over the wall.  He did his test and the doctor spoke to Mummy.  She said that unfortunately she couldn't discharge kory yet as his eye is still a bit squint and he's to go back in another 6 months to see if it is any better and get a different test. 

When we got home Mummy did some of her housework while we played and then it was time to do some painting.  We had sponges for printing, stencils and brushes.  And Mummy even showed us how to make butterflies by folding the paper in half. 

We painted for ages and ages, had great fun and only made a little bit of a mess!

Today was a very fun day too.  After our trip to Brechin Castle Centre that went very wrong a few weeks ago (the parents forgot to lock the front door so we had to go home!) we went back today.  It was a bit confusing when we tried to pay because there was some Viking convention on today and the lady didn't know if we wanted to go to it or not. 

Once we got in, we played in the park and I was milking the pretend cow.  

We went a walk around the outside of the coutry park and we saw this Highland Cow.  Mummy likes them, she thinks they are lovely, but I think they look scary. 

We stopped for a rest in a wee hut that we found, which helped my little legs. 

Once we had seen all of the animals, we went to play on the tractors and to dig in the sandpit for treasure.  Kory and I were throwing sand all over the place which was really good fun. 

We had a little look around the gift shop and Christmas shop before heading back to the car.  Instead of going home, we went to Brewsters for our dinner which was yummy. 

Tonight I am going to sleep without my sleeping bag for the first time since I was a baby.  I've got a new big girl quilt with butterflies on the cover.  Gran bought this for me before I was even born.  It looks really comfy and I am so grown up now.  Soon I'll be as big as Kory!

And lastly - here is Mummy being a big kid on the bouncy pillows.  These were great fun for us all!!

Krystal
xxxxxxx