On Saturday we had some friends come over in the afternoon to go sledging with. Their two boys had a lsedge which had sat for two years doing nothing so were really desperate to give it a run out. Where they live in Lancaster they had no snowjust ice! The kids all had great fun, the sledge runs were really icey and fast, Kevin (their dad) set to work building an igloo with Eilidh which ended up looking really good. A few hours later, after me and Trixi had given into the cold and gone indoors they all appeared back for hot chocolate and biscuits before heading home. Four tired kids (and parents!)

Sunday we went off to church, Ben decided he didn't want to go into his group so went into church with Dave and behaved brilliantly! I was roped into helping with the littlies as someone was away and then home for a quiet afternoon in front of the telly watching Madagascar

Eilidh had an appointment at the hospital physio on Monday for her leg. I hate these appointments, there always seems to be about three people there all talking amongst themselves about Eilidh and pretty much ignoring anyone else! I tend to get 'het' up and never think to ask the right questions while I'm there and the questions I do ask seem to get the reaction that it's not their department and I have to ask the consultant!!?? Anyway the upshot is that her leg isn't any better, she's now going to be referred to a paediatrician so we will have three seperate appointments, no doubt in different hospitals for them all to say the same thing...GRRRRRR! So from what I can gather we see the physio about her shoe rise and if it needs changing, the consultant for any other questions and the paediatrician about goodness knows what???? I was also really wound up because the physio turned around and asked about her reading and writing and asked her to bring in a story or something she has written next time we see them. WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH HER LEG????????? Eilidh turned around and told her she had the reading age of an 11 year old and she didn't like writing but could do it when she wanted to so I somehow don't think they will getting anything from her for the next appointment and I certainly won't be making her!!

Anyway.. another quiet day today, making Christmas cards (at last!), listening to story CD's whilst painting and playing with the Magnetix. Eilidh has posters put up all around our house for a play she will be putting on about Robin Hood on the 19th so if anyone wants to come??!!

The snow is still hanging on! We did a bit more sledging and snow man building yesterday and today was Cookery group. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!! Me and Eilidh made some Petits Fours(?), little chocolate fancy sweets in those little sweet cases. First we had to brush chocolate round each one to make a casing and then filled them up with a mixture of chocolate, cream and Rum Essence. When they cool down they have a hard chocolate outside with a sort of soft chocolate fudgy filling. Not very easy to describe but they are scrummy. I think we will make some more as little pressies for our neighbours and friends.

Ben didn't join in (as usual!) I sometimes wish I could chop myself in half so I could do something with him while Eilidh wants to get on with stuff in the group. He doesn't really settle in any group situation, we have even been told by his group at church that if he doesn't settle down soon they may have to chuck him out (said very nicely and politely of course and not quite in those words!?) That would be a first....being excluded from Sunday school....just makes me even more sure of the reasons for NOT sending him to school. I really feel that he may be somewhere on the Autistic Spectrum but don't really know what to do about it.

Anyway.... tomorrow we have NO cottages to do...Hurray!

The snow stayed all of today for a change! We popped to the library this morning and then headed home to play in the snow! The kids had great fun sledging down the hill in the field opposite, very handy having a perfect sledging place so near to the house! I even had a go and I hadn't quite realised how fast you could go until then!!

Then back indoors to a nice warm fire and watching Wall-E on DVD. The kids have wanted to see this for ages and amazingly we managed to get it out of the library this morning...Hooray!

Ben doing his impression of a fly in a spiders web! This was the boys way of amusing themselves while the girls did the craft show!

We woke up to a white world this morning, unfortunately I had to go out to do one of the cottages today so after finishing the ironing we headed off. Stupidly I decided to take one of the back lanes to get to the main road which was like an ice rink and ended up doing a rather elegant skid and then getting stuck going up a really small hill! Fortunately the car eventually made it up and we went at snails pace all the way along and breathed a sigh of relief when we got to the end. I should have known better as I did something similar last year down the same lane....dur!! Ben thought it was fun though!

On Sunday I was still really tired after being at the craft fair all day on Saturday so Dave took the kids off for the monthly Home Ed walk. This was before it had snowed down here but they had a lovely sunny day for it and went up Dixon Heights which is a hill not far from here and ended up in snow anyway! They got home very cold and tired and spent the rest of the day in front of the fire.

Yesterday we took some boxes of stuff to our favourite charity shop at Shap (the only one around here that does'nt charge extortionate prices!) and then had some fish and chips at the best chippy! We managed to bump into our friend Kate (and Florence) up there so we took the kids up to the playground for a run around before heading home. They only lasted five minutes because it was sooooo cold!

There have been a few cars skidding and revving up our road tonight so I think we may be staying in tomorrow! Dave was busy working outdoors last week doing decorating and has come down with a horrible cold, he was snowed off today but we shall have to see how it goes this week. Ladders and ice don't really mix!

Phew! I know it's been ages but I've been a bit distracted with making lots of things for my first craft fair and had lots of late nights doing it! It went really well, made a little bit of money and people seemed quite happy with all the things so not bad at all! Hopefully I can get my head back around writing this blog this week but at the moment I am pooped!!

I just can't seem to get on top of the blog at the moment but here is another catch up!

Last Sunday we were meant to be going for a walk with our Home Ed group, unfortunately we were late and missed the start so decided to go for a wander ourselves and see if we could catch up with them. We didn't... but we had a lovely walk in the sunshine and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves anyway!Dave has been working most of the week as the weather has been pretty good, unfortunately any money he has made has gone on catching up on bills from when he couldn't work!

Wednesday was Bonfire night and we went up to Kendal Castle to watch the big firework display, the kids were wrapped up in hats and ear muffs but even with Dave's hands clamped over his ears, Ben couldn't cope with the noise and was jumping and screwing his eyes tight shut every time one went off! Dave ended up taking him back to the car while me and Eilidh enjoyed the rest.

Thursday was the felting day at the Home Ed group. I had organised this so anyone could come along and make whatever they wanted and have a social time as well. We had a huge panic as the wool had still not turned up in the morning but it fortunately arrived just in time!! Everyone had a good time, Eilidh made a bonfire felt picture which she designed herself, and a little bag which was great, I was really impressed. Ben made an underwater felt picture and even Dave got into the act and made himself some slippers!! Well, the slippers have ended up being mine as they came out a bit too small but they are lovely and cosy warm!! He has been busy making himself a pair at home which he is proudly wearing at the moment with plastic bags inside as they are still wet!! It seemed to go well and I there were some lovely felted goodies going home with people.

Not much else has happened as we are having to conserve fuel as we are completely skint (what's new??) so the kids are having quiet days at home. Today was spent tidying Eilidhs room, doing the washing, looking at the Solar System, doing a Planet puzzle, playing Operation, working on the computer, making up a play for Christmas Day (!?), playing schools (ha, ha!) ,doing some workbooks, making lunch and reading. Phew, it always feels like we haven't done much but I guess we do!!!

I have signed myself up for a Christmas Craft Fayre at the end of the month so I have been busy trying to figure out what will sell and making some Christmassy things as well as scarves etc to go on my stall. My brain has been whirring all week and I am just waiting for our money to come through to get really going!

Holiday Club finished on Thursday and the kids all went home with their musical instruments and felted planets and lots of other spacey bits and peices! Although exhausting it was great fun and all the kids did a great job with the crafts. Ben struggled with one of the days as one of his groups leaders had told him off and made him sit down with the group when he wanted to come and see me, didn't go down too well and he refused to go back to his group the next day!! I was quite annoyed as they had actually picked him up and taken him back which obviously freaked him out a bit. After the evening Space Supper on Wednesday I managed to persuade him to go back and join in and he was settled in again for Thursday thankfully! Despite this, both Eilidh and Ben really enjoyed themselves and are already asking when next years is!!

Not much else has happened as it's been a busy week all round.