Illusio.net » Orla

#1/52 Weeks: Hearts and Flowers

Lorrie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:29:18 +0000

My first picture for my 52 Week Project. Orla sitting at my desk drawing hearts and flowers. This is her favourite thing, to get in my workroom and mess with my stuff. My workroom/studio is very much my inner sanctum and generally she is now allowed in there. However, behind her on one wall of my studio, is all her work, paintings and drawings, so what can I say. She makes her presence felt everywhere

#46/52 Something to be thankful for…

Lorrie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:13:01 +0000

I am so behind with my 52 Week Project, it doesn’t bear thinking about. Reasons being, life, life, busy, busy, things to do etc, etc, etc. However, recently my little girl was quite poorly. It’s been quite a while since she was ‘proper’ ill. I suppose in some ways Luke and I had relaxed somewhat since the days of the horrific fevers after she had pneumonia, lulled if you like. Anyway, she was a very poorly girl. Off school for two weeks and despite that she is back there now, still pale and fretful. But, I cannot express the joy one feels when you see the love of your life on the mend, smiling again and looking happy. To illustrate this, here is my week 46 piccy, my Orla, sitting on her pink bed, pretty in pink and clutching all her ‘Puffs’ made by the lovely Kittypinkstars‘.

Week 36/52: Message from Orla

Lorrie — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 08:52:29 +0000

I found this on my keyboard from Orla. Says it all really…

Week 35/52: Drusilla’s Park

Lorrie — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 09:00:31 +0000

Luke had some time off for the last week of the school holiday, so we decided to tak Orla to Drusilla’s Park in East Sussex. Now, we usually go to Fishers Farm Park, but we have been meaning to go and check out Drusilla’s for years, plus it had a little Thomas train which looked pretty cool, so away we went. It was a long drive for Orla, past Brighton, lots of traffic jams etc, and finally, got to Drusilla’s. It was naturally very crowded. We did the zoo part first, ate, then the rest of the park.

Verdict: I don’t much like it. I thought that despite the best intentions of the park, that many of the enclosures in the zoo were far too small for many of the animals, though no doubt they meet the standard requirement of acceptance. But, the zoo activities for the children are excellent. The food was absolutely dire, and I mean dire! Luke described the place as ‘obesity central’. A harsh observation no doubt. But, whilst I have some sympathy for people with eating issues, what I have little tolerance and charity for, is seeing the children going the same way as their parents. In this day and age, NO one is ignorant about food and what constitutes good and bad eating habits. Some of the parents I saw at this place want smacking…REALLY hard.

Also, there was no green space anywhere, and in fact the picnic area was astro turfed. I think that’s where Fishers Farm Park has the definite advantage, as it has lots of green space. The whole park was pretty densely constructed. The play areas were excellent though, lots of climbing, nets, towers, slides etc, but, all hard flooring. In fairness to Drusilla’s it had lots of very good features, activities and thinks to do for the children. However, what was irksome, was that despite a hefty ticket price, we still had to pay extra for some of the features. Not good. So, it was good to check it out, but back to Fishers Farm Park I think for us next time.

Week 32/52: Orla’s Mummy Picture

Lorrie — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:38:46 +0000

Sadly, I missed week 31 as I was so busy, busy, busy. But, I decided to add this as my ‘Week 32′. This was drawn by my lovely Orla. We taped a roll of wallpaper to the floor, Orla drew around me and coloured it in. She was very particular about my clothes and insisted my top be flowery and colourful as that is how she sees me. Love my girl.

Week 22/52 Weeks: Butterfly Trinket Box

Lorrie — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:54:55 +0000

Things that make me happiest? Doing ‘Lick and Stick’ with my girl. When Orla had her sixth birthday, I asked people to buy her art and craft things, which they did. This was one of the craft projects, which we did together. A ‘Butterfly Trinket Box’, and unlike most of the kits, it didn’t take hours to dry between each stage. I did all the cutting and Orla did most of the sticking and we chose what would go where together. It was a lot of fun and looks very pretty. It now has pride of place on her ‘fairy’ shelf in her bedroom.

Week 16 of 52: Easter Bunny

Lorrie — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:21:29 +0000

The Easter Bunny came to our house, oh yes he did. Anyway, the half term school holiday culminated in Easter. We had a FABULOUS half term and Easter, the best in years in fact. Me and my girl did loads of stuff, days out, friends over, picnics in the garden, swimming, and then a fabulous Easter weekend which saw us utterly over run with Easter Eggs. Luke bought one for me and Orla, and the lovely Lindt bunny featured here bought for me by my lovely friend, Nicola Humphries. So, I decided that it would be my #17/52 weeks piccy.

Orla loved every minute, though we had to ration the Easter eggs a bit, as she was in danger of chocolate overload. Given that she doesn’t have sweets as a regular thing, we have to be careful…as she can go a bit mental after sweet feast.

Week 14 of 52 Weeks: Orla Ballerina

Lorrie — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:13:41 +0000

I didn’t have time to do a post last week unfortunately. This week also I was not able to take a picture of the subject I wished to feature. But, this Saturday we did get to go to Orla’s last ballet class as it was the end of term. This is an event that her Daddy and me look forward to immensely as parents are not allowed to attend class and watch as it distracts the children. But, parents are allowed to attend the last class of term. I can’t express the joy it gives me watching her skip, dance and prance, and seeing how much she enjoys it. So, here she is.

Week 11 of 52 Weeks: The Beach at Bognor

Lorrie — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:05:35 +0000

Today we took a very rare visit to Bognor, so Orla could spend her voucher money at a toy shop there, and then went to visit our lovely friend Carol (who wont allow me to post a piccy of her) and Orla’s designated Aunty, so she could give Orla her birthday pressie. We then walked down to the beach. It was one of those odd days, not cold, but not that warm either..still good to get out in the fresh air. But, Carol still made Orla a little sand castle to her delight, so much so in fact that Orla bawled her eyes that that we had to leave it behind. She was only consoled by the fact that I took a picture of it. We led her away, gave her a cuddle and Daddy bought her a chocolate egg.

She is a funny little soul.

Orla’s Birthday Party

Lorrie — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:28:42 +0000

Orla had her sixth birthday party on Saturday and it was fab, fab, fab. We held it at the local sports centre, and included soft play, squashy blocks, mad shapes, a bouncy castle, all sorts, plus a couple of Daddy’s chasing all the littleuns around. My sisterinlaw and niece came to help. Luke did all the food to his usual excellence. Orla thoroughly enjoyed it and was very well behaved and gracious. The only ownership she displayed was over her cake.

It was a tiring but lovely day. Here a some photos…