Back again!

I've been faffing on for ages thinking that I should start a new blog, but I've decided just to come back to this one. I've looked at the photos that are on here and I love 'em so why start a new somewhere else?

I think it's about a year since I last blogged. Crikey, so much has happened since then. Sylvie has grown up so much and is a fantastic big sister to Annabelle, who she adores. I didn't fill in any school application for her after Christmas so our home ed journey will probably take on a different shape in September which is when she would have been starting school.
Bea has turned into a little tinker and is giving us loads of grief at the moment. Just daft stuff like emptying flour everywhere, screeching a lot and generally being annoying. The other week she emptied 20 pints of milk onto the living room carpet - yes, 20, while I was upstairs settling Annabelle. I COULD NOT believe it, nor could I get the milk out of the carpet! As a result, we now have bare floor boards downstairs. Mark thinks it looks rustic, I think it just looks like we can't afford a carpet.

As for little Annabelle... well, what can I say. She's thriving. She's beautiful, funny, cheeky, milky, clever and just adorable. I love, love, love my little baby. Sylvie is also head over heels about her, Bea, on the other hand, really couldn't care less at the minute! I'm sure she'll change. Bea has no interest at all in other children yet. She's three and a half, her own girl and her own boss! Ack, she's quite quirky to say the least.

I've started my own business. Every weekend and most evenings I make slings! I do wrap conversions, mei tais, ring slings and other bits and pieces and I LOVE it. I have no idea how this will impact on our child tax credits and I'm not looking forward to finding out! It's fab to be able to do something creative for people who really appreciate it. I'm working with Sarah from Natural Connection to make a carrier to be raffled to help raise money for the desperate situation in East Africa at the mo. I hope we raise lots and lots!

As for home ed... I keep making plans then totally ignorning them. I've bought a couple of the Galore Park books which seem quite inspiring and I've also got into the Five in a Row books. Three of us mamas are going to be meeting weekly at each other's houses to work through projects in the five in a row books. Everyone from the local area has also agreed to meet fortnightly at the Botanic Gardens in Durham, somewhere we go very regularly. It's great - no dog pooh, nice walks, a bit of woodland and GOOD COFFEE!!! There's also an education centre/hut type thing which 'hopefully' we'll be able to have the keys to if it's not in use. How lucky are we??

So, all in all we're doing OK. Mum's ever present in her abscence and I keep thinking about what life would be like if she was here, which is no good for anyone! Plodding on though and loving the beauty of the here and now.

I'm reading, 'Buddism for Mothers' which is helping me to stay focussed on the present moment... gonna take a lot of practice, but enjoying the challenge.