Bye Bye Santa

Is that it? Has Christmas really been and gone already? I'm still having problems staying up to speed with events. How come time's going so fast? It's not fair! At this rate I'll be 64 thinking I'm only 37!!! Slow down time!

Everyone's in bed apart from me. Amazingly, Annabelle went to sleep on Mark in Sylvie's bed. WOW that's never happened before - quite a shock and also really bloomin' liberating!

Today has been lovely. Oh it was fab to see the girls when they woke up wondering if Santa had been or not. The first things Sylvie said was, 'I'm going downstairs' then she was off like a whippet!!!

Oh, here's Mark. He wants to channel hop so I'd best finish this tomorrow.

Good night and Merry Christmas to anyone who may be reading this!!!!

Christmas Eve

Two down, one still bouncing, but still that's good going for us.  Bea usually goes to sleep pretty quickly, but not tonight.  I think she's really excited about Santa. 

We've had a lovely day.  We went into Durham and had a potter about then came home, cooked the turkey, read some stories and did some colouring in.  Actually, Mark and the girls did that, I went for a nap!  I woke up feeling like a rancid animal had died in my mouth and remembered why going to sleep during the day is NOT a good idea! 

The girls have sprinkled reindeer dust in the back garden to entice Rudolf and Santa to stop at our house.  They've had a bubble bath and had their hair washed and dried and they're all dressed in lovely festive PJs waiting for the morning to arrive!  I allowed them to open one present from Aunty Emma.  It's a huge tube thing from IKEA that they can climb through.  I have no idea where in our house it's going to fit - I think Emma is delusional about the size of our lounge, but still, the kids LOVE the tube so cheers Emmaline!!!  It kept them busy while I dragged the bags of presents in from the garage to the utility room ready to sort when the kids eventually go to bed, (come on Bea - SLEEEEEPPPPPPP).

I'm dying to eat some Stilton and grapes but all I seem to have consumed today is fat and sugar and I can't help feeling that if I top my guts up with even more of the same then I might be ill!!! 

Where has this week gone?

I'm blogging this evening for two reasons; Mark has gone to the pub and I don't want to sit dribbling in front of the tele, (the children are all asleep - I know, a major miracle!!!) and I need to reflect on what we've done over the last week so I can get my head 'round where the time has gone.  HOW IS IT FRIDAY????

So, Monday and most of Tuesday I was working - oh yes, it seems like eons ago but it was just the other day.

I had my very own Christmas party on Tuesday night - I went to IKEA with Emma.  Wooo hoooo - living the high life or what?  Actually, we had a really nice time.  We had a coffee, bought loads of little things that we didn't need, then headed home satisfied with our evening out of the house and with our random, pointless purchases!!! I actually went to buy a wooden cot for Bea's dolls but when I saw it I wasn't impressed so decided not to.  Everything else I picked up Emma warned me not to buy as she'd already it bought it for the girls for Christmas.  My gorgeous, generous, lovely friend.  She's wonderful; not just because she buys my girls nice presents of course, (though that helps!).

Wednesday, we met our gorgeous friends at the Botanic Gardens and swopped Christmas pressies then my dad came down to visit. I made a delicious meal to celebrate Anna's birthday and the Solstice. Later I sewed a carrier that's been waiting on my 'to do' list for the last seven months whilst watching The Inbetweeners on DVD, (ooo so funny)!  I almost forgot that it was Annabelle's birthday and of course, the Winter Solstice and Yule!!! 

Thursday - yesterday, erm, oh yes, er, I have no idea.  What did we do??  Dropped the carrier off at Sarah's house then went to Beamish with dad which felt like a bit of a chore!   Nothing was really fitting together yesterday.  Sylvie was in a foul mood, I was all over the place and Bea was really whiney.  However, we got through it!  A couple of rides on the Steam Gallopers seemed to lighten the mood but by then it was home time!   After Beamish we went up to my dads house.  I faffed around on the Internet, used his printer to print out reams of stuff from this fantastic website where I buy lots of resources then came home and relaxed!

Mark did quite a bit of reading with Sylvie this morning while Bea and Anna enjoyed some quality colouring in time!!  Dad came down and we were going to go to the Botanic Gardens but instead we braved the crowds at the Arnison Centre as dad needed a bit of shopping.  It was quite nice actually.
I LOVE this time of year.  I love the crowds, I love that people can ram you with their trolley and instead of wanting to kill them you can turn 'round and smile 'cause it's Christmas.  I love that everyone's busy thinking about other people - gifts they're going to give, food they're going to cook.  I love having to wrap up in coats and scarves and how cute the girls look in their woolly hats and gloves.  I ADORE well dressed Christmas trees and all of the effort people go to to light up this dark time of year.  I also love that once the shortest day has been and gone it's time for the sun to creep slowly back into our lives.
It seems as though everything is either dead or dying, but it's not.  The trees are budding and coming to life - growing and storing energy ready to spring forth with green glory at the turn of the year.  The birds are starting to couple up ready to bring new life into the world.  Spring bulbs are starting to peek through the earth, making themselves ready, storing the energy they'll need to dazzle us with their beauty in early Spring.  So much to enjoy in the present and so much to look forward to.  Yes, I LOVE this time of year.  I love seeing the Robins in the garden feeding from the seed cakes we made for them and I totally love all of the trash on the television!  Oh yes indeed. 

It's Christmas Eve tomorrow and I'm so excited - it's my favourite day of the year.  We'll have a nice breakfast together then we'll put our warm clothes on and go for a walk.  There are carols in the Cathedral at 3pm so I think we might head up there then we'll head home and prepare for Santa.
The girls will have new PJs to wear and some lovely bubbly bath.  We've got sparkly reindeer food to put out in the garden and we've bought, (not made I'm afraid!) mince pies and carrots to keep Santa and his Reindeer happy!  Oooooo I can't wait. 

Christmas trip to Beamish

I don't think I need to type anything here, just need to show you the photos.  What a fab place and an excellent day.  I love Christmas!!

This moment

My baby girl is two tomorrow and I can't quite believe it!
She's got lots of teeth, her hair is so long that it hangs in her eyes. 
She can speak, she can open the doors and somehow she can climb onto the drawers in Sylvie's bedroom.  How can she do all this when she's still my tiny little baby who nurses and needs me for most hours of the day and night?  This tiny girl who curls up beside me and feeds to sleep looking just like she did when she was new born?
She was 9lbs born, the biggest of the three girls yet now she seems so tiny!  So delicate and fragile yet strong and capable, especially when it comes to fighting the other two off things that she's claimed as 'mine'. 
She was born at home in the lights of the Christmas tree.  A 10 hour labour, every second of it worth the prize at the end.  My black haired, olive skinned beauty, (who is now pale, blond and brown eyed!).  Her little blue fists all curled up and her tiny, tiny feet so perfect and wrinkly!!!
She was awake for ages after she was born.  Her little eyes looking around but not seeing anything.
I was relieved when she came out.  Her labour was the hardest of the three.  It kept me still.  I couldn't move - every move I made threatened to tear me in two - body and soul. It wasn't just a physical pain, the strength of the rushes ripped right through me and out of me pinning my feet to the spot. I couldn't keep on top of the waves, they kept pulling me under and taking away my breath and my ability to think but instead of giving in I tried to fight them and kept trying to move even though they were telling me to stay right where I was! She was worth every moment of it, and so much more!

Her birth is so joyous yet at the same time tinged with sadness.  My mother wanted to be with me for the birth but she was very ill at the time.  Four weeks later, my mother died - such a shock.  Very unexpected.  Annie was four weeks old and was with us in the hospital room with my mum until the very end.  Although this was a time of immense sadness - a black pit of horror that I've never known and never want to know again, Annabelle was a shining light throughout, always making me smile and feel hopeful.  My mother would have loved her as much as I do and as much as her dad and her sisters do.  Gorgeous little Annie, my birthday girl. 

Happy birthday beautiful girl.
I love you.

Ear Ache

My poor big girl has dreadful ear ache and it's not letting her drift off to sleep.

Mark took the three little ones to his parent's house today so that I could do some work.  This is our regular Saturday routine.  He came home earlier than usual and I was suprised to see Sylvie in floods of tears.  She's got dreadful ear ache.  I wish I could do more to help her but I have no idea...  The pain seems to be coming in waves. 
She's got a hot water bottle that she wants to press against her ear and I've given her some paracetamol to try and calm the pain so that she can sleep but really, I don't think they're making any difference.  I'm wondering if a bag of chopped onions would do the trick but I'm not sure if that's for colds and stuff. 

Just forgot to mention - I've discovered the fabulous joy that is the modern audio book!  I'm presently 4 hrs 20 into The Lady of the Rivers by Philipa Gregory...  it's playing now.  I LOVE it!  I love being able to listen while I'm sewing...  wooo hooooo.
I joined up to  this site for the free trial. 

This Moment...

This Moment

Sylvie picked the last remaining flower in the garden and gave it to me.  Kind of tragic, but lovely at the same time.  The garden's still full of colour, lovely red berries on the holy bush, loads of winter jasmine and a few other random things that I don't know the name of but mainly it's just full of mud!  We made some bird feeders the other day, (lard and seeds, yum yum!!!) and I think hanging them outside was the first time we'd been into the garden in well over two months.  If the gate was on it might be more appealing but given Bea's past determination to escape from her home at any given opportunity I'm kind of reluctant to let them out there when there's an open portal into 'another world'... i.e. a gateway without a gate!! 
She hasn't tried to run away for a while... perhaps she's grown out of it or perhaps she's just given up.  I found her crouching behind Brain's greenhouse many a time over the summer...  little tinker!

Today has been ooooohh sooooooooooooo longggggg.  It was Mark's Christmas party.  He promised me that he'd be home by 6pm so I could work.  Of course I knew he wouldn't be!  He arrived home at 7.30, slurring his words, telling me what an excellent afternoon he'd had but importantly of all he brought Chinese food in with him.  I'm now hiding in my bedroom typing away on the lap top hoping that none of the kids come upstairs!!!  Stayyyy aaawayyyyyyyy today has been too long!!!

We haven't actually done anything today - literally, nothing.  Sylvie wasn't dressed until after lunch and I didn't have a shower until 5.30pm.  I think we've all quite enjoyed today though.  No pressure, no pace, just lots of TV and space!  Lovely.   The girls spent ages looking out of the window at the snow.  Yes, it snowed and it was very, very beautiful but it just didn't last long enough to lay down a good covering.  Are we going to have a white Christmas?  I bloomin' well hope so!  I'll be gutted if there's no welly weather.    I hate going out in the snow; I'm terrified of falling over and won't drive the car but still, from the warmth and safety of my own home I LOVE it!!! 

I suppose I'd better go and sort out my work for the weekend.  I need to know what I'm doing and the order I'm going to do it in so that I feel organised and able to crack on first thing.  If I faff about in the morning I won't get the best out of the day so, organisation is the key!  I have got another three carriers to make before Christmas and I just want to finish them off so I can have a bit of a break!  I love sewing, but still, I'd rather spend the Christmas holidays with my family instead of waving them off from the sewing room window! 

                                                                 

So here I am writing a bit more while the onions that I'll add to our lasagna are 'sweating' away in the pan. 
Mark's been a total stress head the last two evenings.  Last night he blamed me for the mess upstairs...  (in the room where he sleeps) and the night before he blamed me for being responsible for the entire spectrum of challenging, annoying behaviour that our girls can dole out.  Of course he said these things in the heat of the moment.  I was sewing which is my work but I presume that because I Player was on and I wasn't with the kids Mark must have thought that I was 'relaxing'... er, no dear...  relaxing is doing what you want, not doing stuff to a deadline for other people who are paying you money.
Anyway, today I've decided to keep a log of what we actually do when he's not here and so far the list of 'activities' and general jobs is quite long! 
I take multi tasking as far as it can go - that's a fact.  Even while blogging I'm cooking the tea.... 
So, my list.  Here it is...  Now this may bore you to tears so if you have little patience I recommend that you look away now...

So what happens when you’re not around husband?

Up at 7.15am.
Shower
Make my bed

Kids playing in bedroom.
Downloaded ITunes
Squared up downstairs, rescued Bea from on top of the drawers twice.
Sorted my clothes for the day and kids clothes for the day
Put a load in the washing machine and emptied dryer
Got kids to pick up tin of lego that bea had thrown down the stairs
Breakfast.  Rice crispies and Weetabix with hot milk
Me – toast and coffee – just about to make it
On hold for brekkie as kids want to talk about the world map on the wall.  Where do we live?  Where is the coldest place and how do we get there etc. etc. 
Kettle on toast in, wipe down table and put clean table cloth on.  Thinking about which Story of the World story we’ll do this morning and whether to put the tea in the slow cooker or not as Sarah is coming this afternoon  rinse dishes in the sink and make girls half a chocolate spread sandwich each.
Sort out box of elastic bands for Bea to play with.  Wrestle huge cup of water from Anna.
Coffee and toast?  Looks promising.
Oh, at this point I’m still not wearing any trousers.
Smile and feel immense joy as I’m buttering my toast as the girls as singing together while playing with elastic bands, ‘twinkle, twinkle little star’…
Breast fed Anna while having toast and coffee.  Watched S and B playing with their elasticated animals!
Wash up
Dress two children then listen as Sylvie starts talking about letters.
9am – Sylvie reads Peter and Jane 1b to me and finishes the book.
Dress Annabelle
15 min Circle time – light the advent candles.  Advent song.  Sit on floor with candles.

Story – The Elves and the shoemaker – focusing on kindness.
Short talk about St Lucia and light and why we use/need light.
Free play. 
Washing in dryer
9.40  Sort out maths sheets to work on for Sylvie and colouring things for Bea and Anna

Kettle on.  Time for coffee and a mince pie while big ones play and I psyche myself up for the three of them around the table… perhaps we should have a walk first?  Ah, can’t do this as my trousers are in the dryer
Clean all teeth
Put another wash in
Headache forming due to lack of sleep – the usual.
10.30 Sylvie has done three pages of maths workbook and has lost interest.  Started colouring in instead.
Trousers still drying!!!  Sun is shining calling us outside.
10.45 Watching Polar Express.  They asked for this to go on.
Making tea for this evening and sorting what we’re having for lunch as Sarah and Greta are coming over for the afternoon.

So there you have it.  Funnily enough, dear husband, I haven't yet had time to put the clean sheets on your bed or to tidy up the lego in the bedroom YET AGAIN. 

I'm thankful for so many things about our lives that the mess in the bedroom that we never really go into other than to sleep doesn't bother me, (today at least).  We're so lucky to live in a free society where you can say and write want you want and not live in fear of torturous punishments for sharing your views.  We've got technology coming out of our ears, (not sure how much of a blessing this is when it's taken for granted).  We are surrounded by beauty and we don't have to send our children to school - though if we want to we have an adequate education system which we can work with to help it suit our children's needs.  Mark and I are both employed and have a roof over our heads and cupboards full of food.

I've learnt from the death of my mother that really all you need it love but my goodness, I'm so grateful for all of the extras that make daily life easier!

Right, I'm off to stir some onions... 

 

Deck the halls

fab day today.
Went up to PC world with dad this morning and ended up coming home with a new laptop - the very one I'm using now funnily enough.
Dropped him off then headed back into Durham for our home education meet up at the Cathedral. Totally fab, so glad we went.
We gathered at the entrance then headed to the cloisters for the story of the Nativity from the point of a view of a little shepherd boy. All of the children were sitting on chairs snuggled under blankets which was such a lovely touch. The cathedral education staff had hung fairy lights around where the storyteller was sitting and there were tea lights glowing. ah it was perfect. Cold but snuggly and very interesting.
The lady who told the story was very, very good. A real 'storyteller'.
We moved on to the education room where we made some lovely angels - white card covered in sequins. Who could ask for more?
Some of the mamas headed to flat white for a coffee but me and mine went home via the sandwich shop.
A good day was had by all!!!!

Bonfire Night

Our own back yard celebration.
Fire pit, hot chocolate, marshmallows and a cheap box of fireworks from the Supermarket. Woo hooooo!

Where's the snow?

This was the view out of our living room window this time last year.
This year it's cold and there's been a tiny dusting of snow, but nothing like the past two years.
I can't wait for it to arrive. I don't know why. It's a total pain and it means being house bound as no doubt one of them won't want to walk in it, (!!!) but it's oh so pretty!!!!!

Halloween

Our lovely friend hosted a fantastic Halloween party that we all totally loved. The girlies dressed and had their face painted and just had the best time! We sat 'round a fire pit telling stories and toasting marshmallows. I don't know how Sylvie wasn't hypotermic after running 'round in her witches outfit all night. It just shows how much the weather's changed - its totally baltic out there now!

Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

I hosted on the 13th October. We read Madeline then made Eiffel Towers from pink waffers! It was a bit of trial of will as I'm sure the kids would rather have been eating the waffers, (they were rather tasty!!!).

18th October 2011

Zoe's turn to host this week. What a fab session! The children coloured in maps, sorted out North, South, East and West and generally had a jolly old time!

Five in a Row

4th October 2011






We had our first Five in a Row session today. Hayley hosted. She read 'Lentil' then the children set to work doing some taste tests!!! Salty, sweet, bitter and I can't even remember what the other one is! Ha! Well, there you go!!!! The little ones had a fab time.

More photo updates

Sylvie's pink birthday party! 5? How has that happened??!!!

A photo catch up

A great time had by all at Bamburgh Castle and the beach.







September days spent outside at the Botanic Gardens in Durham. See the sock on Bea's hand? She hurt herself and refused to remove the sock for an entire day.

Windy

Fabulous day in the sunshine and wind today.
We met up with our home ed buddies at the Botanic Gardens and felt the force of the winter winds as we wandered down through the gardens to the woods.
We got home at 2pm and the girls have been in the bath ever since. They're going to look like a couple of prunes by the time they've finished!!!
I've made a garlands for the mantlepiece and one for the dining table using cuttings from spruce and holly so all in all, a good, productive day!

Back, yet again!

I really must write here more often. I've felt like I shouldn't as I don't have many photos to match my posts but I'm sure that doesn't matter too much!
I've been having a right pang about parenting of late so I'm hoping that this blog will make me see all of the positives and fill me with gratitude for the life we have instead of thinking that perhaps the kids would be better off NOT being at home with me. I know, how mad is that? How ridiculous that a mother should think her children would be better off being looked after by the state for six hours every day...
Here's why...
I'm working really hard, all weekend and most evenings. This means that while I'm out of action Mark has to have sole responsibility for the children. It frustrates me that he's not very organised in his approach towards the kids and that he winds them up then they can't wind down then they end up cross with each other; you know the scenario, it's played out in most households across the country, or that I have no doubt. I think I've taken on too much work wise so next year I'm going to slow things down a bit.
I've done five wrap conversions in the last week and a half. The quality is top notch, I have no worries about that but I still think it's too much. There's no room for any movement! Now if I'd planned, prior to home educating that I would be working lots of hours a week that would be fine but my mission was always to put the children first, not work yet at the minute 'work' is in the forefront of my mind day and night because there's so much to do and so many deadlines to meet.
I'm not complaining... this is my own fault. I take the orders, I manage my time, I agree to deadlines so there's no one to blame but me. I adore sewing, I love making carriers for mamas who are going to really enjoy using them I just need to slow down a bit!!!!

Our FIAR co-op is coming together at my place this morning and I'm really looking forward to it. We didn't meet up last Tuesday. We were going to go to a mamas house to do an Advent Spiral but the weather was dire so it didn't work out. I wonde if we could do a quick improvised one in our back garden this arvo!!! You never know, do you!
We're going to the Botanic Gardens in the morning then it's the children's Christmas party on Thursday afternoon. Thursday evening I'm going to Emma's house to wrap Christmas pressies and have a jolly time with lots of stinky cheese! Woooo hooooo, can't wait. It's such an exciting time of year. I love having children!