Happy Easter

This Easter we have staeted a few different traditions in our house. For the last 12 days we have been counting down to Easter by following this rather fab idea that i found here via Pinterest. Every day there is a new egg to open and "Each of the 12 eggs should hold a small trinket or conversation starter that will kind of fit in the egg. After you open the egg for that day, we read the story together in our Children’s Bible then talk a little bit about how the object relates to the story and how the story relates to our lives."

for instance day 10 had a walnut shell boat that Emily got at the Steiner fair at christmas. This was related to the story about Jesus calming the storm. Day 7 had a small bottle of perfume in it (which they now both love!) and this prompted us to read the story of Mary magdeline washing Jesus' feet in expensive perfume.

The whole thing has been a real hit. They have enjoyed opening the eggs and whilst we have not read the stories every day  I am hoping this has opened their eyes to the stories in the Bible.

We also made this tomb curtesy of Pinterest! Tonight we put day 1 egg in the tomb and closed the rock over the front. Inside Emily wrote how she would feel if she were there when Jesus died. She wrote "I would be sad". In the morning when they come down they will find that the rock has been moved and the egg is left open and empty as the tomb would have been on Easter morning.

 We bought some pastels this week. I had forgotten what an amazing material they are to draw with. So forgiving. Anyway after the Steiner spring fair last Saturday we came home and made easter egg pastel pictures. I love the one below as I started to do the rainbow on the right, Emily copied and then turned hers in to her own Monet picture. This was the first I knew about it but apparently they have been doing Monet's garden in school! Can you see the resemblance?

 And this afternoon we had an easter party for all of our girls. Full of fun including an easter egg race, lots of crafts and an easter egg hunt in Sophie' mum's garden!

Happy Easter everyone!

Finger Knitting and Earth hour

The girls have learnt how to finger knit in the last week or so. Well really they learnt how to do it in one afternoon. I taught Lucy and she taught Emily. How cute, a  three year old teaching a six year old! It all came about as i sat knitting the cardigan i started got myself in August! Lucy really, really wanted to join in. "i want to knit mummy" I think that as i have only just learnt how to do it at the age of 33, she might be just a little too small. It is however something i would like her to learn how to do.

Anyway i had been thinking about teaching them to finger knit for a while and we had a go, curtisy of Youtube!! Ha!Good old You tube, you really can learn to do almost anythin on there! Anyway Lucy picked it up really quickly. She is a maker, just like her mummy and her sister.

Both girls quickly learnt how to do it and made scalves. They even did it one day on the way to school!!

 Last Saturday was Earth hour - http://www.earthhour.org/ This means that across the country people, families and businesses joined together to turn off their lights, and all other forms of electricity. In school we held our own earth hour by turning off all electricity in our classrooms for one hour to really show the children how much electricity we use and waste. They loved it, how weird it is to be  a classroom these days with the computer and interactive whiteboard turned off!! Mad! Each of the children in KS1 went home with a jam jar lantern. Oh yes I wired 160 Jam jars that week! Now thats recycling for you!!

 At home we on Saturday we turned off all our electricity including the lights and lit many candles. The girls loved having a candlelit bath and a story read by candle light. There really is something about candles isnt there. Takes you back to how life was before electricity and makes you wonder how our lives have changed.

Tonight i am revelling in the thought that i now have two weeks off!! oh how i need those two weeks to refresh and replenish before the prospect of SATS and possible Ofsted! Yay - go my life!

I have just bought my first antique

Oh yes and I LOVE it!!!!!
This is where the girls have all of their arts and crafts stuff, all tucked away. I love the simplicity of it and the facts the shelves are not cluttered. It has really helped to open the room up and leave it clean and clear.
And a bargain at only £95.
I was going to paint it cream but actually, when we put it in place, i think the colour is quite nice :) Yay!!!!!!

recent makes

 Last week saw my cousins little boy turn Three. He is obsessed with Aeroplanes so i thought what better present than an airport play mat. Perfect for landing and taking off.

 I realised that i have not taken many photos of the girls cooking in recent month. We do still do lots of cooking there just is not a lot of evidence. This was Banana and honey cake. delicious!

 These two tops were for my friend Mary Jayne's little girl Abigail on her second birthday. I loved making the ladybird. The material was from a red scalf i found in the charity shop!

 We have been making cafes in the front room.... and i could not photograph all of the dens that Emily makes in a week. It could go on forever!

 This is a house warming present that I made for my Step sister who has recently branched out on her own with her children to a new rented house. She is very brave as the situation was not nice. However she is now blessed with a county house with views for miles. I made a selection of items for her home, things that she might not buy as not totally essential but that make a house a home. Pretty girly things like pink cupcake cases, a wooden peace dove, a picture frame, a shopping list pad, some cath Kidston style oven gloves and mugs and 4 love hearts that i made.

 Emily got a fabric paint set for her birthday!

 We made this little chappy!

oh and also some winter cakes!!

So there we are, our recent makes. There is another one to show, made by Emily but i do not have a photo of it. She has started to sew using the sewing basket we made up for her for christmas. Such a creative little thing.

Snow pictures

Snow is such wicked stuff until you get stuck in it! Fortunatly that did not happen to us this year (Olly Murrs at O2 driving home, middle of night ! well dirven Nicola!)

Healthy Snow men always make me smile! see the cucumber and grapes!! No carrots in the fridge!

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you all.

Here are a selection of pre and post Christmas activities in our house!!

Christmas party for all of my friends children!



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Father Christmas gave the girls this mermaid outfit. Clever little elves!

Nativity play!! E was a Sheep!

These were gifts for the lovely ladies that i work with. Another Pinterest Idea. 

Christmas Pj's

Emily is Six

Yes my first born little baby is Six. Can you believe how quickly that times has gone?

The first present she opened on her birthday morn was her Birthday crown! She put it straight on and did not take it off all day. Even at school she wore it. Bless her.
We had a lovely day and whilst we were both in school, we spent lunch together and then in the evening we had a birthday tea. Complete with Unicorn cake as requested!
She shared her toys and the opening of them with her sister in such a caring, thoughtful way. Each present was given attention and thank you's were abundant. I am very proud of her.

a couple of weeks ago we had her birthday party in a pottery painting place. The girls loved it. Such a calm and peaceful place.

So all in all Emily has had a lovely birthday and as my Dad said, "now you can find a home for all of these toys and get ready for a load more at christmas!"

x