Four generations of ladies. My beautiful inspirational Grandma, my amazing Mummy, Myself, and my little tinker all in one shot....one moment in time.
Yes it's a bad photo, no one's looking where they should be, but it sums up us all perfectly, always chatting, never quite in sync and just a bit chaotic.
1. Today I got in a taxi with a different driver to usual, I am fairly convinced I will be seeing him on the next round of x factor auditions - he was singing at the top of his voice and clearly thought he was Elton John.
2. We borrowed a 'Tots tv' dvd front he library in February, Willow absolutely loves it, but thought it was time to take it back, only 3 months overdue, but like I said she loved it and with no late fees for kids it was a no brainer ! We had to have quite a distinct over the top saying 'goodbye' to it as we gave it to the librarian so she knows i'm not lying when I tell her tomorrow that we haven't got it anymore. Why I didn't just copy it onto our laptop I don't know, but my strict copyright morals got the better of me........may live to regret that decision.
3. Sunshine is great, but suncream on kids is a right pain - no?
4. This time last year we went to Snowdonia, We had a very lovely holiday and got some weather not dissimilar to this week. Here's my girl just 8 months old, chewing on a lump of cheese at the foot of Tryfan.
It was in the middle of some of the worst few months of my life - sounds dramatic but is true. I was so exhausted and just a bit of a wreck, the few days staying there were like a tonic for me, and I can't wait to go back for a second helping ! Hoping to go back to this spot for another picnic in the sunshine....Don't think there will be as much chance to sit down as last year tho ey :) Run Daddy, run !
5. We'r having a Jubilee picnic on Monday, will it rain or not, that is the question ?
6. Cadbury's chocolate fingers, just delicious, after a trip to the library a whole packet was eaten by my good self and my little chocolate loving child.
7. When Willow woke up this morning, the first thing she asked me for were ' boons'. Balloons, balloons everywhere - 3 packets bought and blown up in one week. A nice bit of inexpensive entertainment !
8. We have spent a record amount on food in our house this month. We spend more than average as I can't really do much food prep so we buy quite a bit of pre prepared veg and easy to cook things, but man it's got expensive. We won't starve, but there are over a billion people worldwide who eat only one meal a day.....A billion. I hadn't quite realised the enormity of the problem of the rise in food prices on the developing world, but a clever man on radio 4 got me up to speed this week, and it is really bad. Really really bad.
9. Been gargling TCP again to try to show my tonsils who's boss, and my goodness it STINKS !!
10. And lastly I will leave you with a photo of one of my closest friends, my morning cup of tea.
Head on over to these blogs and you might find a ten on tuesday, or something else fun to read !
Today, this little character has entered a new phase, the tantrum. You wouldn't know from this picture though ey ?
Only mild ones so far, crying - not screaming, and a kind of crazy waggly dance (similar to those weird wooden toys where you press the bottom and the donkey thing collapses ) which signifies annoyance and distain for the fact I said 'no'
Today it was that we couldn't walk downstairs to get the letter from the mat cos we needed to go up the other stairs to get dressed.
Not impressed. Not at all.
The letter on the mat became her companion, as if i'd parted them never to be re united. It was in fact a stinky letter addressed to me, telling me bad news, but that's another story.
I have to say I like it that she's like this though. Yes it is quite annoying and inconvenient, but I love it that my girl knows what she wants, and has the freedom to express how she's feeling - Well until I kind of raised my voice and then tempted her upstairs with the promise of watching an episode of 'tiny' on the tv in mummy's room. ......you see that's just how good I am at this.................TV bribery all the way *hangs her head in shame*
I'm sure there will be more of them, then there will be a few years where they cease, then she'll be a teenager and it'll all start again.
This week's theme is 'Fun' I have taken a few photos this week, but none capture the word quite like this one !
I did take it last autumn, so apologise for the repeat view, but it really does capture my little girlie having 'fun' she just loves the swing !
I'm sure she'll hate this photo when she's older, but it captures her personality wonderfully.
If you want to see more entries into this week's 'see it snap it love it', just click on the badge thingame below. Join in too if you fancy it. Everyone is welcome !
1. I did what every other parent did today and went out and bought a new paddling pool, to my surprise there were still some left. The crazy thing that takes us brits over when the sun comes out and Mr - 20 degrees comes to visit. Love it.
2. Willow however was more interested in her 'booons' than her pool, so we didn't put water in it, just sat in it with balloons. This however averted the usual 'sun longer sabotage', so I go to recline while she played with her chair and balloons......bliss.
3. You know you are spending too much time with a toddler, when you hear yourself say 'The helicopter has gone home for his tea' ! - if only you could ask the police helicopter to come back for another fly around.
4. As mentioned above, helicopters are big news in our house, Thomas and Percy have been shunned for Harold, there is a lot of harold love in our house this week. But to be fair he can fly, so give him his due.
( Only old skool ringo star narrated Thomas the Tank makes it onto our screens....can't bear the new channel 5 one) #itsjustwrong
5. I did a thing this evening I often want to, but never actually do. I went for a drive through the countryside, a walk would've been nice, but a drive hit the spot. Bit of open farmland cleared my mind perfectly. Although I'm sure that's what my Grandparents do on a sunny evening ' go for a drive ' oh.dear.me.
6. Moam Stripes how I love you......seriously wonderful sugar hit. I dare not look at the ingredients.
7. I was annoyed recently cos the slugs ate our little pea plants which Willow and I were growing in the garden. I then read this and a few other articles, which highlight the crippling problems of when crops fail, 100's of thousands of children in Mali alone eat only one basic meal a day. So I ate frozen peas with huge thankfulness. When my crops fail it really doesn't matter. Not at all.
8. This week I pulled weeds out of the plant boarder next to our drive. This time last year I distinctly remember just looking at them, without the energy to get dressed let alone do even a little bit of weeding.
For being able to do just a teeny bit of weeding I am thankful :)
9. When you start having to double up on pegs, really, you just need to buy some more. There shouldn't be double pegging.
10. And I will leave you with this blast from the 90s....... Good advice from Baz.
On our honeymoon, I remember having a 'thinking moment'. My thinking moments often involve a bit of bible reading too, although not always, but often. I was pretty ill with CFS on our honeymoon, yeah weddings are tiring, try doing one with cfs and you kind of get an emotional wreck of an exhausted lady. I sat there thinking to myself how on earth I was going to be someones wife, when I often needed to spend most of the day in bed. Yeah I guess on a honeymoon staying in bed is a good thing, but you know the sort of staying in bed I'm talking about isn't the fun type ! Anyway........ I read this verse in the bible from Proverbs. It's talking about what it is to be a wife of 'noble character' now my friends, I skipped past the parts which talk about being 'energetic and strong', ( oh and the weaving of rugs ! ) and stumbled onto this verse
'She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.' ...Proverbs 31:25
Well it kind of hit me right in the face. I realised for me, my challenge was to laugh in the present moment, without fear of tomorrow. What impact my health would have on me, our marriage, our lives and dreams together. There was fear around money, careers, kids, all those things, cos none of them have worked out for me as I'd hoped, but this has been a verse which has kind of been my little anchor for the past 6 years. I may not be able to be energetic and weave rugs, but I I can laugh in the now without fear of the future. I don't always manage it, and these past 18 months, to be honest I have probably come furthest from this being true for me. On friday someone gave me a notepad, and this verse was printed on the back. I haven't read it for a year or so, it was my reminder, my reminder that with God I can laugh and not be fearful of the future. It's my verse. God help me, help me to remember it when all I feel is fear, replace it with hope and laughter.
So, today I sit and write, with no particular theme in mind, but just to say 'hi' to my lil ol blog. This week has been a good one, I have enjoyed it.
A friend has visited, one who I really care for, and have known since I was a lanky Dr Martin boot wearing teenager bouncing around with all the enthusiasm of a tigger on speed. We sat, she pregnant, me a little weak round the edges, chatting, laughing and of course our running commentary on the world continued where we left off last time. This used to be putting the world to rights, but has now more developed into a running commentary on how we just don't know anything, and the more we plod along, the more we realise we really don't know anything. (we of course knew everything when we were 15 though) Then there was a train which took her away, but Willow is still walking round the house saying 'sarah weeze'. I think she has made a new friend.
Then there was the bit in-between wednesday and when my sister arrived on Friday night...............
There was playing, sleeping, tv and painting.......painting is the new thing in our house don't you know. It is requested at breakfast, lunch and tea..........It's a good job I don't mind painting mess, I am at home with painting mess.
Sister arrived. I rested, she played with the little one, then there were chats, and a film 'Salt' - it's a good one if you like a spy thriller type thing with Angelina Jolie jumping around, gun in hand and the world to save. For a slightly hippyish, arty loving kind of lady, I'm quite partial to a bit of spy, world saving shoot em up kind of films......everyone has a dark side I'm told.
Trip to the safari park, the monkeys jumped on the cars with their willies hanging out.....not a good look.
Then it was now, right now.
It's been a more busy week than usual, it's been lovely. Lovely people, lovely things, lovely times.
I have one of my favourite people visiting us this week, so a brief entry, as if the truth be told, I want to natter to her not have my head in my computer !!! So today it will be 8 not 10 :)
1. Gonna start off with this..... never ceases to make me smile.
2. My little tyke has discovered imaginative play in a big way over the last few weeks, lots of imaginary cups of tea, dolly being fed with various foodstuffs and teds being told to do 'wee wees' in the toy saucepan - which I would like to point out, has not been learnt through observation.
3. Sun coming out has made me smile, obvious but thought it was worth pointing out.
4. A few friends are planning a small Queen's jubilee picnic and I'm thinking we might need some of these ?
5. And maybe a table like this ?
6. Having deliberating over curtains for weeks, turns out the poles don't fit as some clever architect built a cupboard door in the wrong place - silly architects ruining all my plans.
7. I like to read the blog momastery and really liked this post...... Very American, so some of it won't apply to my little girl as she navigates her teenage years one day, but it does confirm my suspicions what we should in fact move to a remote ranch during her teenage years. This was one of my favourite excerpts :
'And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.'
8. Willow was up early this morning - only yesterday I was thinking how pleased I was that she was still happy to lie in bed and chatter to herself til 8am - SPOKETOOSOON - doh.
Linking in with the other ladies. Check out their blogs and maybe even a ten on tuesday !
The sun came out, so we went out. ( I couldn't be bothered to faffle about with editing any of these, so here they are straight from the camera - as they fell out, blurry and all. )
Lovely Saturday trip to the park
Flower sniffing is taken very seriously in our house.
Sleepsuit still on, 8am Sunday morning........ note from the editor - Hat and Wellies chosen by model.
Just incase you were wondering what is in the bowl so lovingly carried around the garden.....
On Thursday night, lured in by the clear skies, I decided that Friday morning Willow and I would boycott playgroup. We would instead, be replacing this tried and tested way of spending a morning with a toddler, for some ' get out for a bit of fresh air ', not the swings, but where there is grass and leaves and 'wild' things. At this time of year that's what I feel we should be doing isn't it ? While playgroup is great, it kind of feels like more of a wintery activity.
Underterred by the rain we set off on Friday morning, of course it poured down. We do live near a lovely little woodland with a stream running through it, but i'm not altogether sure it's not a meeting place for weirdos.....lots of cars parked at odd times of the day ! Overly paranoid ?................. maybe, but I do have quite a good 'weird person radar' so for now I will go with my gut on this one. So instead we headed for a nearby playing field.
Looking at these photos you might think what a lovely and worthwhile time we had, the truth however is we were there for about 5 minutes, Willow cried cos her hands were cold, and refused to want to do anything other climb back in her pushchair, so I cut my loses and phoned a taxi to collect us. However the new lady in the taxi office wasn't accepting my explanation of where we were 'by the fishing lake kind of near that field with a playground', so I was standing there in the rain with a crying child...not the best morning of my life. But not the worst either, there has to be worse things !
We eventually made it home, wet and a bit cheesed off.
Moral of the story....... should've gone to playgroup !
So this week, my 'ten on tuesday' kind of passed me by, as Tuesday was monday - you know that thing when the bank holiday gets you all confused.....well that's what happened. So here is a photographic offering instead.......
This week's theme on 'see it snap it love it' is 'Love' talk about a broad topic.......... but a lovely one ( do you see what I did there?!) I liked linking in last week, so thought i'd give it another go !
As you can imagine, selecting a photo was a tricky one, but this is what I decided on.
I think I've posted this on my blog before, but It deserves a second showing. For me this photo really does make me feel 'love' my compact family all in one shot, in the outdoors where i'm most happy.
I also really like the fact that they are actually staring at my brother and sister deliberating what to do with my other brother's walking boots as he might need them ? We only had one key for the holiday cottage we were in, so there were questions and decisions.....where should they be left so he'd see them when he returned from the shop buying firewood ?........ the saga of the walking boots..........it went on for quite a while and ended up that they left the wrong walking boots all along ! he he.
So it not only includes my husband and little girl, but my lovely, indecisive walking boot loving siblings who I think the world of and would be lost without. I LOVE THEM !
Willow's latest cute word is 'cuddle' which she pronounces 'tuddle' it really is the cutest thing she has done to date. Especially as she gives you a cuddle at totally random moments whilst saying it.
Melts my heart just a bit too much.
She does say quite a few of her words with an irish accent - she says 'out' like mrs doyle from father ted. 'Tuddle' is said with an accent befitting someone from eastenders...... considering she has one parent from Liverpool and one from Leicestershire I have no idea where she gets these things from.
The other night I found myself wanting to read a bit of bible, so I did what any self respecting biblical scholar would do, opened it and read what was on the page it fell open at. I was intending to thumb through to get to the psalms, (always a good place to read a little morsel of encouragement or a glimpse into God's character ) But I didn't make it that far, and instead read this ' Moses Gets New Stone Tablets' , now as you may have picked up, I am a quite partial to buying new things. But reading this made me smile - I am not entirely sure I would be all too pleased with new 'stone tablets'. However, as I delved deeper into this chunk of bible ( exodus 34 if your interested ) I discovered that these tablets were pretty cool ones !
Moses and his new shiny stone tablets, were all about God writing things on them for him and his people to live by. He goes up a mountain and talks to God, you know, like you do.
The first thing God says is
' I am the Lord, The Lord is a God who shows mercy, who is kind and doesn't become angry quickly, He is kind to thousands of people '
That's what you want to hear isn't it, at anytime, but especially when you're on a hill on your own with the creator of the world. Awesome stuff.
I could share lots of thoughts, but the ones which have stuck with me are these.....
Firstly I have been thinking a lot recently about how I live, what I do with my life/time/thoughts. And if I'm honest, at the moment I don't always feel very proud of the way I go about things, I'm often a bit grouchy, sometimes unkind and have very little patience for some people. But these words of the Lord's are not only lovely to know about His character, but kind of gave me a proverbial kick up the bum about how I could be, would love to be ( I won't use the word 'should' cos there are far too many 'shoulds' flying around these days ).
Then later on in the passage it talks about the sabbath day, about how even during times of sowing and bringing in the harvest, we need to have a total day of rest. I'm no farmer, but I'm pretty sure sowing times and harvest times are fairly crucial to your crop working out, so you know, if ever there was an excuse to pull a 7 day week I think that'd be it. So there are thoughts for me about that too, and how I want our family to incorporate this into our weekly routine.
As ever with me, there are few conclusions, but I felt so very in awe of the God I serve after reading this. My faith at the moment is the opposite of an armadillo, it's strong on the inside, at the core, but very soft and messy on the outside. I have more questions than answers, confusion instead of clarity, but reading things like this bring me back to the rock of what it's all about.
God is merciful, slow to anger, and kind to thousands of people.......................how wonderful is that ?
...................and how inspiring to be more like him.
But I have to say, I think I'd prefer a new pair of shoes than new stone tablets.
Willow and I went on a brief trip to my Mum and Dad's this week. She loves her Gramps and Grandma, or in her words pronounced 'bamps and bambaar'. She got lots of attention, played with lots of new toys, lots of space to run around, and the cherry on the cake, a train line right next to the house.....TRAIN! - every half hour or so.....she loves it.
Managed to get a few snaps on our trip to the park on a grey day.
Yes there is a high speed train within just a few feet of a kids play park, and yes the field the park is in is huge.............yet they put the park at the far end closest to the train line - how weird and stupid is that ?!
