Gardenmama has done it again, such wonderful creations to give away.
http://gardenmama.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/11/imagine-childhood---two-part-giveaway.html#comment-6a01156f7e3eba970c012875ed456b970c
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Monday, 23 November 2009
Crafting
What a wonderful weekend filled with creativity.
Saturday was my Mother-in-laws birthday. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother, mother-in-law to us all, and all she wanted was to spend time with her family. We invited her and my Father-in-law over for tea, which was local minted lamb chops with roast potatoes, and lots of veg. Followed by a homegrown raspberry pavlova (apart from the cream and the sugar!), and birthday cake. I think it went down well (especially the pavlova!)
Sunday was far more relaxed, I finished a hat for Ethan for Christmas, an added challenge being that it being pure wool, that had been stored in the conservatory for a while, some moths had found it, and had a good munch! (Note to self, get some cedar balls!)
Stuart and the boys settled down to a WarHammer painting session, the looks of intense concentration on their faces were fantastic. Although Sophie wanted to join in, so needed entertaining elsewhere. In fact her frustration at the whole thing has prompted her to learn to climb onto the dining chairs, to try and join in! However, toddlers and fine detailed painting really do not go together!
A stupid realisation has struck both Stuart and I, we spend far too long online, to the detriment of the children. It really should have hit us ages ago, 4 young children and an online life do not go hand in hand, therefore, far less time online for us, and hopefully far more creativity at home. In fact our Christmas tree this year is going to be decorated with WarHammer dwarves painted as santa! That should add a certain "something" to it!
Saturday was my Mother-in-laws birthday. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother, mother-in-law to us all, and all she wanted was to spend time with her family. We invited her and my Father-in-law over for tea, which was local minted lamb chops with roast potatoes, and lots of veg. Followed by a homegrown raspberry pavlova (apart from the cream and the sugar!), and birthday cake. I think it went down well (especially the pavlova!)
Sunday was far more relaxed, I finished a hat for Ethan for Christmas, an added challenge being that it being pure wool, that had been stored in the conservatory for a while, some moths had found it, and had a good munch! (Note to self, get some cedar balls!)
Stuart and the boys settled down to a WarHammer painting session, the looks of intense concentration on their faces were fantastic. Although Sophie wanted to join in, so needed entertaining elsewhere. In fact her frustration at the whole thing has prompted her to learn to climb onto the dining chairs, to try and join in! However, toddlers and fine detailed painting really do not go together!
A stupid realisation has struck both Stuart and I, we spend far too long online, to the detriment of the children. It really should have hit us ages ago, 4 young children and an online life do not go hand in hand, therefore, far less time online for us, and hopefully far more creativity at home. In fact our Christmas tree this year is going to be decorated with WarHammer dwarves painted as santa! That should add a certain "something" to it!
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
money, money, money...
Whilst Alec was off from school yesterday recovering from a tummy upset, I thought it would be an interesting task to count all the loose change (2p's and 1p's) that have been accumulating over the years so we could put them to good use. In fact I told him we would split the total amount between the three boys.
I was suprised how he took to this, and he sat there for a good couple of hours in total piling up the coins into 10p groups. We looked at different ways of counting it all, i.e individually, in 10's, 50's etc. We looked at the dates which lead to a discussion about decimilisation. We looked at the changing pictures on the coins. But the thing he was most proud about was he did it all by himself.
To date he has counted £16.80 which is pretty impressive!
I was suprised how he took to this, and he sat there for a good couple of hours in total piling up the coins into 10p groups. We looked at different ways of counting it all, i.e individually, in 10's, 50's etc. We looked at the dates which lead to a discussion about decimilisation. We looked at the changing pictures on the coins. But the thing he was most proud about was he did it all by himself.
To date he has counted £16.80 which is pretty impressive!
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Eurgh!
This week has pretty much been a right-off. Sophie's cough has developed into a chest infection, and after a slight recovery on Wednesday I decided not to give her the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. However, she is now struggling so decided that breastmilk and cuddles is not enough and she is now on the antibiotics, much to her disgust!!
Ethan has been fighting some bug that gave him a temperature and some sickness. Alec has a tummy upset, and Stuart has had blocked ears!
Luke was rather upset at being the only one going to school, but at least he is healthy for now, if a little exhausted! He went to see Muse with Stuart on Tuesday, which kept him on a high for Wednesday despite the return home at midnight, but he definitely crashed and burned on Thursday!
I've heard alot about juicing recently, and years ago bought a book with various juicing recipes in. This has been brought out again this week in an attempt to stave off the inevitable illnesses, I haven't even offered the children any, as I'm pretty sure they wouldn't go for pepper and onion etc. If anyone has any child friendly immune boosting juice recipes I'd be grateful to hear of them!
I have been trying to sort everyone out and do a few things for myself too. I have finished off the longies for Sophie for Christmas, I just have to tie-dye them now. Doing some little knitted projects as and when I can, and trying to get my head around patterns etc for a big sewing session! Also managed to use some more of the cooking apples up to make 8 jars of apple chutney, in the slow cooker of all things!
However, due to Sophie being ill, she is wanting to be carried much more, and I have really noticed the effect on my pelvis following the SPD during my pregnancy. I guess it will always be a weakness, I just hope, as she is getting bigger now, I can carry on wearing her without too many repercussions.
The chickens are not laying regularly now, I guess with the awful light we have had, so we may get to a point soon where I have to buy eggs! And the poor allotment has not had a look in!
Ethan has been fighting some bug that gave him a temperature and some sickness. Alec has a tummy upset, and Stuart has had blocked ears!
Luke was rather upset at being the only one going to school, but at least he is healthy for now, if a little exhausted! He went to see Muse with Stuart on Tuesday, which kept him on a high for Wednesday despite the return home at midnight, but he definitely crashed and burned on Thursday!
I've heard alot about juicing recently, and years ago bought a book with various juicing recipes in. This has been brought out again this week in an attempt to stave off the inevitable illnesses, I haven't even offered the children any, as I'm pretty sure they wouldn't go for pepper and onion etc. If anyone has any child friendly immune boosting juice recipes I'd be grateful to hear of them!
I have been trying to sort everyone out and do a few things for myself too. I have finished off the longies for Sophie for Christmas, I just have to tie-dye them now. Doing some little knitted projects as and when I can, and trying to get my head around patterns etc for a big sewing session! Also managed to use some more of the cooking apples up to make 8 jars of apple chutney, in the slow cooker of all things!
However, due to Sophie being ill, she is wanting to be carried much more, and I have really noticed the effect on my pelvis following the SPD during my pregnancy. I guess it will always be a weakness, I just hope, as she is getting bigger now, I can carry on wearing her without too many repercussions.
The chickens are not laying regularly now, I guess with the awful light we have had, so we may get to a point soon where I have to buy eggs! And the poor allotment has not had a look in!
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Communication and music
I find this age of toddlerhood so amazing, they are absorbing everything, making sense of it, and copying. Sophie has many ways of making herself understood, from getting a cup and taking it to the fridge for some water, to nodding her head when she eats something tasty, to lying herself across my lap for a feed!
She now has one consistent word that she uses in context, and that is "goch" pronounced like scottish pronunciation of loch. It means "hot". She will declare something is goch and then sign "ouch". So now food, radiators and the oven are told they are "goch" on a regular basis!
She LOVES music, and does a lovely dance, and wiggle of her head whenever she hears any music. Although, she did make me laugh when she was jumping up and down quite energetically to the Foo Fighters the other night! It seems such an easy medium for toddlers to interact with, I hope her love of music continues.
I would love to have the space for a music room in our house, between us we have quite an array of instruments, from drums, djembe, clarinet, guitars, to keyboard and recorders. I would adore to get hold of a cello, one of my life long ambitions is to learn to play the cello, I just love the deep sound that seems to go straight to your heart. But I think the garage is destined to be a play room (interpret that as a WarHammer gaming room!) Do you think we have too many hobbies?!!
She now has one consistent word that she uses in context, and that is "goch" pronounced like scottish pronunciation of loch. It means "hot". She will declare something is goch and then sign "ouch". So now food, radiators and the oven are told they are "goch" on a regular basis!
She LOVES music, and does a lovely dance, and wiggle of her head whenever she hears any music. Although, she did make me laugh when she was jumping up and down quite energetically to the Foo Fighters the other night! It seems such an easy medium for toddlers to interact with, I hope her love of music continues.
I would love to have the space for a music room in our house, between us we have quite an array of instruments, from drums, djembe, clarinet, guitars, to keyboard and recorders. I would adore to get hold of a cello, one of my life long ambitions is to learn to play the cello, I just love the deep sound that seems to go straight to your heart. But I think the garage is destined to be a play room (interpret that as a WarHammer gaming room!) Do you think we have too many hobbies?!!
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Is it really worth it?
I seem to have spent alot of time recently doing fruitless things! Stuart mentioned the other day how I get very little return for all the effort I seem to put into things. On a day like today, it is really disheartening. From the NCT sale where I made £3.90 to baking cakes galore for Halloween and nothing getting touched.
It should be the enjoyment of the task that is all that is required to make something worthwhile, but is it worth it when it means you are exhausted and not spending time with the family. I am contemplating not bothering baking for things like this again, and just doing what other people do and pop to the shops, at least I've lost nothing in time.
When I am in a more positive frame of mind I can see past the "return" side of things and just appreciate the "doing" of it. It also makes me appreciate the effort that goes into the things around me, and how something that can look simple can have many hours of labour behind it.
However, when I'm in a mood like this, I just feel a little hard done by! I think I ought to go back to bed!
It should be the enjoyment of the task that is all that is required to make something worthwhile, but is it worth it when it means you are exhausted and not spending time with the family. I am contemplating not bothering baking for things like this again, and just doing what other people do and pop to the shops, at least I've lost nothing in time.
When I am in a more positive frame of mind I can see past the "return" side of things and just appreciate the "doing" of it. It also makes me appreciate the effort that goes into the things around me, and how something that can look simple can have many hours of labour behind it.
However, when I'm in a mood like this, I just feel a little hard done by! I think I ought to go back to bed!
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