Life with four school children

Yes, all four are in full-time education now.  Sophie, who 18 months ago would not let me leave the room has taken to school in a magnificent way.  She loves it, it has ignited something in her, and she is on the go constantly, amazing us with her speech, observations and zest for life.  In fact she is slightly sad at weekends when she can't go to school!!  What a turn around, and I am so proud that she has done all this in her own time, without coercion. 

They had to go dressed as a Roald Dahl character  the other day, who better to go as than "Sophie" from the BFG! 

 

Ethan went as the BFG and I made him is own Sophie doll to make him a giant.  However, he will not let me post a picture of him dressed up, and I respect that.

 

Luke has had his hair cut, in accordance with his new school's policy.  How grown up he now looks.  



Life with four children out the house has been "interesting".  I have been keeping busy, such as creating some Scooby Doo characters...

...preparing more wool for spinning, in order to fulfill another custom order...

...making brooches to sell at a Guild stall in November...

...making felted soap using the wonderful soap from Michelle over at Handmade Haven.

But I find it so difficult to get motivated.  I seem so much more productive when I have people around me.  I guess I haven't had this emptiness or "me" time to this degree for the last 14 years, and it will take some getting used to.  The frustrating thing is that I can't get down to the allotment in all this nice weather we have had due to injuring my knee a month ago, and still not being able to kneel down. 

Still finding the joy in the world around us though.  Just look at this web that spanned the double driveway and garden the other morning!! 

Wishing you all a wonderful autumn, and those adjusting to a new rythym, I know exactly how you feel!!

A thing of beauty?

 Our garden, over the years has descended into a garden of functionality and utility, rather than a thing of beauty.  Admittedly it has never been stunning.  It was full of hawthorn and bramble bushes when we moved in, but we did quite a bit when Luke was little.  But with four children, and three chickens the last few years have seen it become neglected. 

 The playhouse needs attention and a lick of paint, the trampoline, whilst loved by the children, definitely dominates the garden.

 The chickens wrecked the lawn...

 ...but, we have turned a corner.  The lawn is ree-seeded, and beginning to show signs of growing.

 There are little snippets of beauty in both the front and the back garden, which I hang on to, and hope that these little pockets of beauty will soon be more widespread.

 I have many ideas for how to create a garden I want to sit in again.  There will be challenges, especially with it being north facing, and having four children and a zonking big trampoline.  But if I can create a little haven I will be happy.

Plans include, repairing the playhouse, and making a stone path outside the door to the play house.  The mound of grass in front of the playhouse to become a mini wildflower meadow.  A grassed lawn, and possibly some decking close to the house as grass grows so poorly there.  Pots full of flowers, perhaps some bunting in the trees.

Whilst the children are off for Easter, I know that dragging them down the allotment will be impossible, so I will let the crops do their own thing for two weeks, whilst  I turn my attentions to our own garden.  Fingers crossed eh?

Snow

 Yay, it snowed!!  I was getting rather sceptical that it would snow, but yesterday afternoon it started, and once the snow got to a useable depth the children (and cat) where out in it!  Plenty of snowballs, plenty of throwing!

 Sophie was out in it for much longer than I could manage, and thoroughly enjoyed herself. 

 It was Gimli's first experience of the stuff, and he seems to like snow far more than rain!  He was chasing around in it, pouncing and thoroughly enjoying himself.

 Ethan was wrapped up nice and warm, but I think we will have to invest in some better gloves.  Sophie has inherited his old gloves we had for Lapland, and Alec's gloves that Ethan has inherited are now numbering one!  What's the bet though, at this time of year you cannot buy gloves in the shops, they'll be getting ready for spring and summer now!! 

One ironic moment, in amidst the snowstorm was the sound of the parakeet.  Not sure what he made of it all, but he's still around!

 And then, completely unrelated to the snow, the other night the moon was utterly fabulous, so bright in the sky and so clear.  My camera was nowwhere near up to the job, and I so wished I had a telescope at that moment.  But I thought I'd still put my measly photo here, just to remind me of the splendour I saw that night.

Hope you are able to enjoy this seasonal weather.  Ethan was hoping that Father Christmas would pay another visit, seeing as it was snowing.  Sorry Ethan!

Limbo

 We have felt very much in limbo this last week.  Preparing for Jean's funeral, not really knowing what the future holds for us, but at the same time trying to keep things as normal as possible for the children.  The children had a few days off from school, and went back at varying times last week, as and when they felt able.  One of the days off we got the air drying clay out.  They have made some sculptures to give to their
teachers, and I have been experimenting with an idea for Aisling Designs, my experiment is the next picture.

 I had about a week where the thoughts of doing any crafting just seemed so wrong, and the bunting that I had started just lay there neglcted.  It is coming together now, my crafting has returned for now, here is a glimpse of the order for Sarah.

 What brought the crafting mojo back?  My father in law giving me all of Jean's wool.  I had told myself I would not get any more wool, as I really should be spinning it myself, but I felt so honoured to have Jean's wool.  I then thought it would be lovely to make something for my Father in Law with this wool.  So I have embarked on a mammoth project of a granny stripe blanket.  I'm hoping it will offer him some comfort, as well as being my personal memorial to her.

As for Stuart, he has been looking after his Dad in such a wonderful, caring way.  Staying with him, ensuring everything is dealt with, reminiscing til the early hours of the morning.  Being a wonderful legacy to his Mum.

In other news, Gimli has been making himself very much at home, with plenty of adventures (yes, that's my cello case is sat on top of!) and finding comfort in the many forms, especially a big bag of alpaca fleece!

I know this new normal will be turned upside down again by Friday, which is when Jean's funeral is. I cannot think beyond that at the moment, but have a feeling that flexibility and the here and now is what will be most important.

May I introduce...

 Gimli! The cutest little bundle of fluff ever! 

A chance conversation at Breastfeeding Support group last Monday got the wheels turning. I mentioned to Stuart that a woman at the group had got a long haired kitten that was going to be ready for a new home any day now, and he suggested we got in touch with her. 

Lots of secrecy, a viewing whilst the boys were at school.  Then buying food, litter, and digging out all the old cat things we had kept just in case we were ever blessed with another cat.  Resulted in some wonderfully surprised children when they came home from school.  Stuart had said that we had a surprise for them at home, they were thinking along the lines of sweets, or perhaps a game.  When they came in and I asked them not to dump their bags down in the usual place, as their surprise had just taken up residence under the shoe rack, the look on their faces was classic.  The excitement, the puzzle, the questions!  Is it a pet? Yes.  A puppy? No Alec not a puppy.  A hamster?  No. A kitten?  Yes!!!

 I retrieved Gimli and introduced him to the family, but really all he wanted to do was sleep and hide.  He seemed happiest in the dining room, as that is where the kittens had been kept with their mother. But as the evening wore on, he started to play, and then another nap, play some more, another nap! A bit of an explore followed by yet another nap!

 The children are lovely with him.  And last night as they were going to bed, they were so grateful for us getting them a kitten.  I can see that Gimli is never going to be short of playmates!

Welcome to the family Gimli!

A sense of urgency

There seems to be alot of people struggling at this time of year, either with weather, illness, or just life. So I feel a bit guilty that things are going well at the moment! I do long for the new growing season, but this year I am reminding myself of the chaos that comes with suddenly needing to do loads of things outside as well as inside, I always feel split in two, and never do anything particularly well. So this year, I am using this lull to its greatest potential. To get as much done and straight as possible now so I hopefully have less pulling me to do things inside once the growing season starts.

I want to get my head around this spinning lark! And really get to grips with my cello. That alone would keep me busy, but they are the treats I give myself when I have got on with a few household management tasks that are LONG overdue. I don't think I have ever washed any of the curtains in the house (and we've been here for nearly 11 years! URGH!!) so that is another thing to get done.

I am grateful for this natural lull in life, I don't think I could manage everything without it, but I am also determined to make the most of fewer immediate demands, and enjoy the luxury of sitting crafting, or tackling a job that has been long neglected, as well as spending much more time doing whatever the children fancy. Whilst on one hand it seems very relaxed, there is also a sense of urgency to get all these things done now the days are lengthening, and the ground starts stirring.

Half-term and Halloween

So, recently I have noticed that alot of my posts have not really included much about the children. Probably as they were at school! Well, I thought I would show you what we had been up to over half term. You have already seen our trip to Slimbridge. This is what the rest of the week looked like.

Playing with cardboard boxes...
Lots of lego building...

Drum practice...

Making pictures with domino run pieces

Making domino runs

Castle building

Candle making

Candle-lit music filled evenings, that were enjoyed by all never wanting to forget them

Pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie from our own homegrown pumpkin.

WarHammer and sewing, can you actually see the dining table?

Glass lantern making

Pumpkin carving

And alot of excitement about "Halloween on the Green". Our communal halloween party.

So there we have it. Proof that the children are still around, having a whale of a time, chilling out, doing there own thing, and requesting not to go out anywhere!