French Knots

Shilly shallying

So I've started selling Phoenix Cards and my first event is coffee and cake for some friends at my house. Humm better have a big tidy up and maybe even break out the hoover......

  

or I could recover my kitchen chairs in some snazzy spotty fabric.

And the bathroom is looking a bit messy with the children's bath toys lying around. I need a slugis I think to fit on the little shelf at the end of the bath. Yes, that's much better.

Ok what else? Dusting? No I'll make some nice labels so everyone knows what sort of cards are in each basket.

Good job The Big Sister is rustling up some apple cake or I'd have another reason to put off tidying up.

Have a lovely weekend, doing the little things that please you.

   

3rd time lucky!

We've finally had a sunny week away in the caravan. As Mrs Moog commented Croyde and Woolacombe are lovely, especially on a bright and sunny autumn day. It was a windy week but mild and warm so we could explore the beaches and get out and about. We spent more time on the beach than we did on our summer hols! My Little Helper thought all the surfers were super cool and used his savings to buy a skimboard ready for use on a beach with slighty less surf - he's not a great swimmer yet.

  I love to sit and watch the world go by, enjoying a picnic and watching the children play. The Baby Brother wriggled his toes in the sand and busied himself growing his second tooth, slow down little man! He's 6 months old already and in another 10 minutes he'll be a year old!

 

So many pretty villages with chocolate box cottages but it must be heaving in the summer.

We went to Lynton and rode the Cliff railway which is a splendid bit of Victorian engineering affording super views and saving you from a heart attack as you climb back up.

 

We had a day out at The Big Sheep watching sheep shearing, learning about different breeds and enjoying a sheepdog demonstration. They also have a playbarn with huge slides, usually the sort of noisy place I avoid like the plague but the children loved it and spent ages racing down the deathslides. They persuaded me to have a go - once I was sitting perched on the edge looking over the vertical drop all I could think of was broken bones and how far away the nearest hospital might be! I gathered my courage and as my 6 and 10 year old children had done it without palpitations, launched myself off the edge......ssssssssshhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!! just about sums it up!

We spent a day mooching round Illfracombe, which figured large in a story my Grandma used to tell about visiting my Popsie there during the war and the guns being fired from the cliffs making the wardrobe jump about in her room at the guest house.

 A traditional family holiday, beach, paddling, fish and chips, ice cream, evening games of Junior Scrabble, reading and relaxing. Wonderful!

Little things

One of the joys of blogging is recording the little things, everyday life, happens in your home and in mine. The cement that holds childhood memories. The moments I want to smile over when I'm 80.

My Little Helper discussing footie ' We're playing Tottenburg this weekend'

The Big Sister ' No that's a cake!'

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My Little Helper discussing 'I gotta feeling' By the Black Eyed Peas which has been our song of the summer, wherever we've been it's been playing.

( which has a few lines that go - Lets paint the town
We'll shut it down
Let's burn the roof
And then we'll do it again )

' burn the roof?, are they making extra bedrooms or building flats Mummy?'

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The Big Sister's growing passion for baking

  Loving the Jaffa cake and Malteaser decorations!

 

And her apple cake is dangerously moreish! 

                                                  ***

The Baby Brother's pink cheeks and fist gnawing were a giveaway - the first little tooth is just visible in his gum! Goodness, wasn't he was only born 5 minutes ago not 5 months.

The sun is shining so I'm going to take my 'still got a gummy smile, but not for long' little fella for a walk.

A celebration

After my aforementioned night of no sleep I spent Saturday rushing through a to do list in preparation for The Baby Brother's Christening on Sunday, cake, flowers, tablecloths to iron. Thank goodness for the energy rush provided by the wonderful Mr Cadbury!

 

I covered jam jars with pretty fabric from a recycled pillowcase, held in place with raffia. The asters gave each table a cheerful touch and I used my collection of hand embroidered cloths, the ones that are too nice to chop up!

Sunday was an early start as the Christenings are during the 9.30 family service and first I had to set up the hall in the Cricket Club. The Big Sister and I sat in the car park at 8am as arranged and waited.....waited....waited, eventually I barked a message into their answer machine and dashed home to put on my glad rags. With visions of our family and friends arriving at the gloomy hall going round in my head I rang again just before 9, phew the cleaner was there and The Big Sister and I dashed back, dragged tables and chairs into place, whizzed the tablecloth and flowers around and screeched back home on two wheels.

Naturally my purple face set off my outfit to a 't' ! The Baby Brother looked a picture in our antique family gown and, as I hoped he didn't drool on it too much, worked out it must be about 100 years old. It is a lovingly made confection of silk, embroidery and lace worn by my children, myself and my siblings, my Mum and her brother and Grandma and her brothers. A connection with the past, with other Mothers before me and those dearly loved who are no longer here.

 

 

To sleep....

....perchance to not be woken up every 5 minutes!

10.30 to bed, late night watching Strictly!

11.02 The Baby Brother wakes crying

1.56  He wakes again and has a huge feed

3.04 My Little Helper wakes up crying

4.27 Mr FK kicks me hard and mumbles ' sorry, was dreaming I was playing football' after I dig him in the ribs

5.25 The smoke alarm outside the bedroom door tests itself. I can't go back to sleep just in case the house really is burning down and am running through how to carry all 3 children at once in my head. 

Tonight I'm going to camp somewhere peaceful, like the hard shoulder of the motorway. 

Wibble, wobble...

.......gone!!

 

My Little Helper lost his first two teeth and had a visit from the Tooth Fairy, she left him a pound for each tooth which he spent on two more fish. Patrick and Squidward!

Late summer

Yes summer seems to have arrived at last, the last two days have been glorious! I've been washing and enjoying the sight of it flapping in the sunshine on the line and it's certainly good for the spirits. The Baby Brother and I have been out walking, he's loving watching the trees and sky roll past above him as he coos and gurgles and his busy feet dance.

 

The children are slowly getting to grips with the new school routine and we're trying to remember which day is PE, when the Big Sister has football practise and when My Little Helper goes to Beavers and swimming. Oh life is a social whirl........for them!

 

My Little Helper won this goldfish - Goldie, of course - at a family fun day. I thought it would only last a day or two but it seems to be made of stern stuff and is withstanding his enthusiastic love! Naturally Spongebob was the only decorating choice for a six year old.

I really enjoyed making this cushion, playing around with colour combinations and chopping up my hoard of recycled fabrics. There's a pair of jeans, tablecloth and a pillowcase ready for a new life.

  

The Big Sister has discovered a love of cake making and she's old enough to do it all herself now - I only need to help eat it! Mmm

Have a lovely weekend, make time for fun in the sun while it lasts. 

Another year older

This time last year as I celebrated my 40th birthday a wonderful thing happened

 

a precious little bundle started life. I know he was my birthday present as Mr FK was working away the rest of the week ( sorry TMI!).

I feel so lucky to be able to enjoy a new baby again, sleepless nights,saggy body or sick on my shoulder are nothing compared to the joy of his little face as it looks at me and MR FK, at his brother and sister, at the world around him. And he smiles! SMILES! At everyone and everything ( though I like to think he saves his bestest smiles for his Mama!), such a happy little man, happy to be here, happy to see you. Such a sweet disposition and  our little treasure.

Oh yes, I'm delighted to celebrate the passing of another year, such a wonderful, blessed year.

6!

My Little Helper is six, not so little any more. A wild bouncy castle party with 24 over excited sugar fuelled children having fun - wine in the fridge at home for tired parents later on! Wonderful fun, lots of boys toys - Bionicals, Neo shifters, Catcha Beast - so many things I'd never heard of plus some old favs, Lego, a propellor plane and a bird feeder.

 

Bunting, party tea and pass the parcel - seen countless times by the church hall over the years, timeless fun for all of us.

 

The BB snuggled in the jumper I knitted, snuggled in love.

Birthday season

July is a busy birthday month, with 12 family and friends celebrating this month. I've been nipping to the sewing machine while The Baby Brother naps and enjoying making some presents.

 

A felt birthday crown for my youngest nephew's first birthday, inspired by Soulemama. 

The Big Sister has been counting down the days to her birthday as she was allowed to get her ears ' pierst' ( as she wrote in an email to her Godmother!). 10, double figures, such a milestone. Followed by the cinema and a no-sleepover with her friends. Huge excitment, she was so grown up sitting in the chair wanting to get it done but full of trepidation. I was so proud of her, 1,2 3, done! We also had a look round the shops, just the two of us. We don't often go shopping together as the house is so full of stuff we don't need to add to it but browsing in Accesorize with my big girl was lovely. Even though I learnt I have no taste and no idea of what's cool - oh well, nothing new there!

 

My Little Helper has his birthday next week so we are celebrating with his friends in the church hall this weekend, with a bouncy castle and part games. Pass the parcel, What time is it Mr Wolf, musical bumps, all the old traditional favourites. I just need to find a SpongeBob SquarePants cake or my life wont be worth living! 

The Baby Brother is growing fast and is developing some yummy podge on his arms and legs. So kissable! Strangely enough I'm not that keen on my own podge for some reason!

 

ps, we are having a week away at Bolton Le Sands near Carnforth on a campsite right by the sea, it's not far from home ( phew, packing for 5 now!) but far enough away for me not to know the area. Does anyone know any nice places to visit/beaches/towns etc? Thanks.