Slow

Oh yes we have been taking things slowly here. I dont think i can remember a christmas quite like it really. Just not actually going out of the house unless totally neccessary and i have loved it.

We have titivated with things that needed sorting, like my crochet basket and the children's drawing boxes. We have done a little gardening and made some space on the book shelf for some more of the girls new books, but apart from that we have been mainly staying in our pj's til gone 11, eating way too many chocolates and endulging in christmas tv.

 Today we did venture out to my dad's house and then on to Dunelm, where i bought some gorgeous throws for our sofas and a blanket that is in the exact shade i would like in the livingroom ( i have managed to convince Ian this week that we need to redecorate and carpet the front room  and so i am not planning mentally how i would love it to be!!) and following that i have been lounging on the sofa this evening watching catch up christmas tv snuggly and warm.

 Ian is driving all the way to Devon and back to take Callum home as we speak. It has been a joy to have him with us for the last 2 weeks and we were all sad to see him go. Roll on Easter.

So how have you been spending this luxurous week off? I am looking forward to taking the decorations down on new years day and being ruthless with the toys that we actually need/ want in our toy corner where the tree is at the moment. Emily is very excited about making it into a "home corner" with their new portable cooker and tea sets etc. I am hoping i will have enough energy to get settled before we go back to school on Wednesday and the stress begins again.

x

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

We have had a lovely relaxing christmas here and i hope you have too. Full of tradition and of course excitement, far to many toys and far too much food! Great!!!

 On christmas eve we went for a walk to give the ducks their christmas present and also to get some fresh air.... there was also an oppertunity for Lucy to have a go on Emily's old scooter before Father Christmas comes tomorrow! For Christmas this year she would like "teeties and a scooter"!

 We made our first ever christmas cake and decorated it with some of the old decorations from my nan's tin. I hope it tastes as good as hers used to!

 We fed the reindeer some very special food before going to bed. (thank you sophie for helping us make it!)

 This year there were 3 stokings to put out for father Christmas as we have the pleasure of callum staying with us. He usually comes after christmas so it was a real joy to have him experience christmas with us!

 7AM Christmas morning! better than our normal wake up time!!

 And yes Father Christmas did bring a scooter for lucy. Infact Emily got one too from auntie Linda.

 Christmas dinner at home this year! Delicious and all the better as i did not cook it! Ian is a master at roasts and i would not like to interfer!!

"merry christbus" Lucy said all the way through the meal! she just loved it!

Emily is 5!

well almost! As  i write this  I was in tremendous labour pains, pushing as i recall and at 8:05pm, Emily was born! oh that feeling of holding your first born in your arms is just like nothing else in the world is it! hmmm.

And how she has grown! Today was weird as it was the first birthday she (or lucy for that matter) has had where she has not been with me/ us. i could not wait to get her home this evening! i really missed her today.I mean we did see her during the day today as it was her first nativity play too and reception were singing . Oh it was lovely, so beautiful and simple. We really enjoyed it.

this jumper was one of her presents today. I tisf from frugi (organic company) and i just love it! wish i could have one!

And of course there was a birthday crown which she wore all day today at school. notice the crocheted flowers!

All in all i think she had a good day. It always makes us mothers a little sad at the end of a birthday doesnt it as it certainly makes me thnk "where has that year gone?" and "how i wish time would still for longer"

Happy birthday to my baby.

Birthday weekend.

This weekend we celebrated Emily's birthday with a little tea party for a few of her friends from  her class. It was lovely, really special to have such lovely girls come. The theme was fairies and before everyone arrived we gave Emily her main birthday present early - well it just would not have been the same with out it! A tinkerbell outfit! Oh my how she has loved it! She has worn it non stop all weekend along with her tinkerbell slippers that her mummy made! She just loves it. So pleased. (also pleased about the price!, i got it at an NCT sale in October for £3.50 - looks brand new to me! The funniest part being that i did not realise until she put it on, it has flashing lights in the front, very gentle twinkling pixie dust light, that she also loves!!)

Anyway, back to the party. We decorated fairy wands and pixie dust glass bottles, as well as played pass the parcel and musical bumps. The girls were so excited to be in each others company and were happy playing some of the time. even ending up colouring in on the floor by the time it was home time.

Another bargain - little glass bottles with a cork topper, £1 for 3 !! - pixi dust bottles!

The cake was a little bit of a cop out for me, a number 5 in cupcakes, but oh was my life easier!

The rest of the weekend was spent at home with family and friends coming to visit and stay for tea. Lots of present opening, all of which were lovely! Emily's actual birthday is not until Tuesday but seeing as this will be the first year she will be at school, the actual day will be low key. Obviously it is the last week of term, christmas madness, nativity play on her birthday also and daddy is working in the evening so it will be just us girls for tea. - When i said to her this morning what would you like for tea on your birthday, you can choose, would you like spaghetti or pizza.... i would like cucumber, and ham and jacket potato!!! ha!!!

Steiner Advent fair.

I cant tell you how long i have been looking forward to going to this. Having never been before i could only have expectations but it was all i hoped it would be.

 First stall that we came to was the advent gardens. The girls loved making their own mini gardens complete with  wool and felt gnome!

 There was a childrens market for children who were 11 or younger. No adults alowed! With a sense of intrepidation i went both of girls in with £1 and they came back from the magical room full of fairy lights and fir trees with a bag of special goodies including  some wooden spoon puppets and a tiny paper box to keep treasures in.

 The sweet stall was amazing and the attention to detail in every room along with the simplicity was just beautiful

 There was a gingerbread house room!!

 and the girls enjoyed playing in grounds and then we went for a cup of tea in the steiner diner!

 Emily loved the music that the children sang and the instruments they were playing.

 Mummy had a little shop too and picked up some beautiful bits for our season table... a beautiful wooden stand for pictures to be displayed in, a clever but simple tree and a gnome on a sledge for hanging on the christmas tree.

Lucy was a little over zealous with her watering can you tell!
All in all it was everything i hoped it might be, i loved it and could have stayed for longer. I cant wait for the easter one now!

Nanny's chair

Last summer when we were clearing out my nan and grandads house, i inherited this chair. It always sat in my nans bedroom with her cushion in it. We decided it would be a lovely addition to the girls bedrom. It was but the poor thing had more use than it had had for a long time, possibly ever, and it broke. Keen to keep it i decided to put an MDF base on with a foam cushion and then staple the chosen material (laura Ashley) on top.

And yes we are very pleased with the results! It is now really sturdy and with a fresh coat of pink paint it matches the room beautifully and it will last for another good few years.