Turning 10

So, funnily enough, Missy has never celebrated a birthday. Being a stray with an approximate age of 11 months to a year when we got her, it just made more sense to celebrate her Adoptiversary. That said, this year marks Missy turning ten, so naturally she had to have a birthday party.

We started with a photo shoot. She was unimpressed at the hat, bandana and card, but did like the tin of treats. The bandana stayed on for the weekend, but the hat was strictly for photos. 

Wee Ben and his human siblings stayed with us for the weekend (I mean, yeah, their parents were celebrating thier 20 year wedding anniversary, but let's be honest, they really cane for the party). The plan was to meet up with Maisie at a freedom field. A secure field meant that Wee Ben would be allowed off leash which is a real treat for him, and Maisie could race about to her hearts content without my brother worrying about her jumping into a river or rolling in something awful. 

It was abject chaos. Missy would play on the obstacles with the right motivation, Wee Ben was eventually bribed into joining in and Maisie only partook if a ball happened to be passing over at the same time. 

All dogs got a good run about, as did the teenagers. Mission accomplished. 

Then back to ours for tea and cake. 

You didn't think we'd leave the dogs out, did you? 

And yes. The dogs are being very tightly held onto! Maisie was ready to run across the table and take off with the chicken! 

Certainly a day to remember! 

Although the birthday girl is absolutely wiped out. Not a bad way to spend the weekend! 

Until next time! 

A Starry Weekend

Well, that was a quick weekend! It was a flitting visit down south my sisters to see my niece celebrate her 5th birthday. She had very nicely asked if her uncle could come and do magic for her party and, being absolutely wrapped around her cute little pinkie, we were more than happy to oblige her!

It was a cat themed party so, on a quest to fit as much about cats into the 30 minute routine as we could, we had a special kitten spell:

Paws! Whiskers! Tip of nose!

That's how kitten magic goes!

When chanted by more than 30 children, it was quite spectacular! And then there was a magic trick involving milk and magic appearing chocolate mice. All the kids and the helper grown ups had on cat ears and tails - I'd even managed to find the time to make myself a magic waistcoat to match hubby's coat and hat.

The highlight of the show though for me was the hand chopper (a portable guillotine for putting hands in rather than heads). After cries of delight at being asked to see a scary trick, the children were eager to see the hubby put his hand in. He chopped in two his (chocolate) finger with a truly spectacular snap and suddenly all those delighted faces turned to horror as a brave mum or dad was requested. It was a half beat too long before one child bravely volunteered his mother! The trick went perfectly afterwards and, barring the chocolate finger, no one was harmed!

My niece had a great time. Alongside the magic show there was colouring, pin the tail on the cat, kitten hoopla and even a beanbag toss whereby you had to feed the cat little knitted mice and fish. A great party and all the children (and parents) seemed to have a great time. My sister has posted all the awesome stuff to see here.

Missy wasn't left out. After a few hours in doggy daycare she was spoiled with doggy sushi and was even given a gift by my sister for putting up with all the craziness - so low and behold, the cowardly not-a-lion!

I really need to make a scarecrow and tin man outfit for my niece and nephew now! I wonder if I can talk my other niece into being Dorothy!

A very quick but awesome weekend!

Big Celebrations

Well, August is that month in my family, the one where everyone seems to have their birthday and every week has cake scheduled in it. With the hubby's birthday landing on the bank holiday Monday this year, my sister was able to manage a sneaky wee visit up with the promise of a big get together with the family, as well as tons of Aunty and Uncle time for us with her two.

Firstly, I was able to pass on the big sewing project I've been working on for my sisters birthday. I found this amazing print and just knew my sister needed a dress in it. With the whole family being cat daft (I'm working on my nephew to be in team dog), I couldn't resist the opportunity to make some matching pieces for the kids too. I have threatened a matching waistcoat for the brother in law (he did get a matching tie that I forgot to photograph!). Check out the AWESOME hat I got in return!

Saturday was a BBQ at my older sister's house as a small get together. We had originally intended on meeting for a dog walk at the kelpies first, but upon arrival discovered it completely full with no parking available. It didn't spoil the day as we had been running late to begin with, and afterwards, once the kids were safely in bed, we adults enjoyed a murder mystery party with friends. Alas, I was not the murderer, but with my false beard certainly got the kudos of the best costume! It's the first murder mystery we've had were people 'died' during the course of the meal! A good laugh!

Sunday was a packed itinerary! We started the day swimming and continued on the water theme with a very soggy doggy show as we attended the West Calder Dogs Trust fun day. After completely acing temptation alley and showing us all that old dogs can still learn new tricks at the agility, we all gave up during the egg and spoon race. Whilst we grown ups didn't mind the rain, it wasn't fair to keep the little ones put in it. So we decided to bring forward the family birthday bonanza.

A very soggy doggy - just imagine what the kids were like!

With four cakes on the table, there was certainly no shortage of treats! I tried to keep things varied with a nice marzipan sponge for my sister, the rocky road/white Christmas layer cake which was mine, the chocolate Dalek piñata cake (hubby's) and the sugar free monstrosity that was for my brother in law. The BIL was an honorary mention as his birthday had not been celebrated within the family and it was my first shot at making him a cake. Whilst making a fully sugar free dessert was a challenge, I was happy with the outcome - my niece enjoyed helping to decorate it and chose where to place the characters. I'll have a master baker out of her yet!

After the cake, we ushered the family out of the way and took the kids to the walking with dinosaurs arena show. I will be honest, I wasn't sure about taking a 15 month old to the show, but he was absolutely enthralled for the whole thing, and even cheered on the torosaurs during their battle!

We took hubby's birthday quiet. With such a late night the kids were understandably tired, so we gave the Kelpies another shot and this time were successful. It's the first time the play park has been quiet enough that I felt I could play in it myself, and I will say that it's a superb play park - even if most of us got stuck in the twisty slide! We followed that with soft play were we treated ourselves to hot chocolate and cake (yes, more cake) and watched my nephew figure out how to get onto a slide himself and go down.

Yesterday was home day for my sister. After a morning of reassembling the house (my niece was rubbing elbows with the boys in the man shed playing beetle drive - my sister did try to sneak in with the aforementioned false beard and was denied access!) we went trampolining. It was a good way to end the visit as the kids were tuckered out and there was no complaints about having to go home. my niece did try her hardest to convince her parents to stay longer, but with them both working the next day, there was little room for negotiation.

All in all a very good weekend! Missy is absolutely tuckered out from the affections of her cousins. She always impresses me no end with her absolute tolerance to the children. We are hoping to get visiting down to Manchester soon, so hopefully it won't be so long until we get together again!