Old and new

It must be at least 8 years since I started this cross-stitch. In one of our moves it just got packed away and was never looked at again. Lately I have been teaching Rachel to cross-stitch so I decided it was time for this poor leopard to get finished. At first I thought that it was "almost finished" but after working quite a bit on it today I only managed to finish the right ear. So it is probably going to take a number of hours still to get it done. It makes me realize how many hours I have already invested into it though. So I will persevere and try and get it done. Perhaps even this year. :-)
And although this is not as old, Rachel has not been in her tree house for quite some time. So it was nice to see her up there again. She enjoyed some reading time up there today. She said it was lovely to be outside but also in the shade. It has been so hot lately and that includes being indoors.

Her previous "post bag" had broken, so she made a new one. She can't carry the book up when she climbs up the ladder, so she uses a bag on a string (which adds to the fun).

Something "new" is that Hannah has started resting her head on people and things. It is so cute. She is not as cuddly as Ruth is (more like her oldest sister Rachel), so we all enjoy any cuddles we can get from her.

Hannah's first story with Dad. Well, maybe not first book, but this was the first "normal" page book that she looked through. Up till now all the books that she looks at are board books.

This one is old and new. We bought this puzzle for Rachel a number of years back. It is a lovely "floor puzzle" of the story of Christmas. Ruth and I had built it a couple of times through the last two months but Ruth asked Dad to build it with her today.