A little better than before

This morning started really slowly and i was worried that my mojo had vanished but with forced effort and a couple of mince pies it gradually returned.

The weather is lovely but the ground is soaking and there are floods everywhere so I'm not sure if we will be in our out today.

So far we have....

Made some fresh play dough which bea has made into a willy tree... Hume, yes.

Made some Cgristmas trees. I saw this on PInterest and I am trusting that when the glue has dried I'll be able to pull the 'trees' off the polysterene cones. Who knows eh...

We have also made a 'winter Sylvie'. I have drawn around Sylvie and the kids are painting winter clothes on her! We are going to make a scarfe and stuff when she's dry.
All good eh!?

Last night I made the first 2012 batch of Gibson mince pies. There were a lot more than this but they are lush so I'm busy digesting a couple as I type!

I also had a go at making some Nutella and sea salt fudge but it didn't set so I've turned it into decadent mega sweet choccies! delish!

Due to the levels of productivity the house is a shit hole but hey, we are happy.

Oh, also, yesterday, while the girls were playing I made them all a brushed cotton nightie each. It's impossible to find good length nighties in decent warm fabric so they now have mama made ones. They are gorgeous and so quick ans easy to make.
I think I may end up addicted!

gramophone?

Called at dad's house today to find him listening to this...

You never quite know what he's going to pull out of the loft!!

A Happy Sigh and a Smile

What a lovely morning. Today has been the kind of day that I class as 'good'.
There hasn't been any 'schoolwork' as such, (though judging by what I saw on a visit to the local school I'm kind of pleased about that!) but there has been lots of learning! I feel so proud and happy, relaxed and thankful. I need to trust my children more. I need to trust that they will chose what is right for them and that they will not grow up to be illiterate.
Anyway, the ins and outs of that comment are for another post, probably one where I have use if the lap top.

Sylvie has been learnt to sew. She spent about two hours, maybe less, sewing and singing and actually ENJOYING herself. I find it so hard to find new things that she wants to do but this small project, with huge implications for future activities, has really tickled her fancy!

Bea has been drawing and telling stories....

... And helping me to make play dough!

From this....

... to this in about eight minutes!

I dug the aqua beads out this morning too but they were a bit of a flop. Oh well!

I have been really under the weather since Friday with a painful case of Sinusitis. The girls were with their grandparents Monday and yesterday so it feels like today is the first time I've had with then in ages!
Still feeling rough but not half as bad as I was!

Tattoo

I think I'm having a prelude to a midlife crisis. I really want another tattoo.
If I was thin with good arms ai'd have a sleeve done but as I'm not I'm thinking inner arm again. Ooooo but it's so painful. I don't know. Nice to dream though and to flick through Pinterest!

I like these designs and many, many more paticularly tats that look like water colours.
Hmmmm, we shall see!

Peanuts and a camper van

Inspired to make peanut brittle.
Thanks Claire and Hayley!

My latest charity shop find. Emma and I are having a £10 Christmas and our local charity shop has been a fab source of inspiration so far!

Pancakes for Breakfast

I am feeling very rough this mornng so I thought Pancakes would be a quick and easy treat or breakfast. What a fool! Somehow there's piles of washing up!

Sylvie ate breakfast depressed as a Princess, now she's a ballerina. How nice.

Oooo the other two have come downstairs dressed up too! Excellent.

Plans for today are very, erm, none existant. As usual when Mark's had the children over the weekend, (I was working all day yesterday whilst sneezing and feeling very sorry for myself) the place is a tip but I will avoid tidying up at all costs. Its too early to think about that....
The girls are playing pirates and princesses, 'making a film'. Before one of them gets too rough and they pile on each other crying and screaming with little fists flying I am going to have a shower whilst thinking about the day!
I recon the Botanic Gardens and a nature notebook are in order. Its a baeutiful day.

My Poor Baby... no party cake

We went to Tom's third birthday party yesterday up at Whitehall Farm in Northumberland. The weather was beautiful, the place was fab and there was lots of hustle and bustle. Bea seemed veryyyy tired. She didn't want any birthday cake which set alarm bells off in my head. She started asking to go home after we'd only been there for a couple of hours, (she didn't even want to hit the soft play!!!)... We DID come home and although she didn't sleep in the car which was a bit strange, she spent the rest of the afternoon and all night in bed! She's OK this morning - she looks a bit brighter but now I'M FULL of cold and feel dreadful. I was up all night willing myself not to be sick so it would seem that we're sharing some kind of bug! Happy days eh!!!! Who knows what tomorrow will bring.