Pinch, Punch, First of the Month.....

....and no returns

(I did start writing this post at about 9am this morning but have only just got around to finishing it off! So apologies for it being past the midday cutoff)

November is here!

I love the beginning of the month, it heralds a fresh start, new beginnings

and, as we start counting down towards December, this month is going to be super busy.

I feel a list coming on!

I have blog swaps to start and finish,  as well as a few makes that I would like to start just for me. I also take part in craft swaps over on Facebook, trading talents with others, it's a great way to add handmade gifts that you don't make yourself to your Christmas Lists or, as I do, to decorate our home.

If any of you would ever like to trade talents with me then just let me know as I think I love swapping more than I do selling my makes!

I'll be posting the Cracker Swap partners tomorrow so there is still a little time to join in, 

please feel free to add the button below to your blog and share the swap amongst your friends.

We are back to school tomorrow and our week and a bit of the half term break has been a mix of lazy days and family fun.

We have enjoyed a trip to the Sealife Centre in  London.

Pumpkin Carving in our local country park.

Building a Lancaster Bomber!

 Finishing off the week with a Light Party at our daughter's church.

As well as watching movies, playing board games and some much needed rest and relaxation.

Phew! I'm exhausted after all that lot but I am also excited for what the month of November is going to bring.

My Little Street Urchin

On Wednesday Tomas' school held a Victorian day where all the children, staff and parent helpers dressed in victorian clothes and met Florence Nightingale. Looking at all the things that Tomas made he had a whale of a time. 

Here he is dressed as a street urchin complete with dirty face.

and here are my favourite makes of the day, a victorian birthday card painted by Tomas and a gold locket with a picture of his Dad and a lock of hair! For those of you that have seen photos of Paul he has a number one haircut all over and is ginger so I'm not entirely sure whose hair that is!!!

Back to School and a Birthday Celebration

Today all three of my children went back to school

this was about the best picture I could get of them!!!

Today was also Jack's 15th Birthday

presents at this age are minimal when money is wanted instead.

We did enjoy a delicious meal out tonight although he was a little embarrassed when the waitress bought his apple pie out complete with candles and we all say happy birthday!!!

Here is the birthday boy tucking into his ribs, he has turned a little camera shy so wouldn't even look at the camera, and although I would love to share some of his baby and toddler photos with you I know he wouldn't be very happy with me so this one will have to do.

He is a son to make his parents proud and is growing into a wonderful young man.

Happy Birthday Jacko!

P.S Thank you for you helpful comments on my last post, thankfully I swapped today's fasting day to Wednesday so I was able to enjoy some delicious food tonight but I do have to say I'm finding the fasting days easier than the non fasting days at the moment, calorie counting to 500 is so much easier than to 1200, or is that just me?

The month of May.......

The month of May has been a busy one for us and this had left little time for blogging but I'm hoping that as things settle down I will have more time to write.

May started with a big celebration as our daughter Rachel celebrated her 16th birthday on the 1st.

Followed by a tea party and fun in the garden the next day 

before heading off to youth group with her friends. 

Tomas needed an explorer jacket for a jungle day at school so I made this reversible jacket with some fabric that I had originally intended to use for Jack's safari themed bedroom and never got round to!!!

He is now nearly 15 so I don't think it will get used.

The following week was Rachel's last day at school as she went on study leave before her exams started. This is a big day at her school and it is tradition to arrive in some sort of fancy dress and strange transportation. It also meant I had to make three alien headbands.

I went along and watched as flash cars, buses, land trains, skateboards, bikes and even a steam engine arrived, cheered on by the rest of the school and watched by us parents.

Rachel's group of friends decided on a Toy Story theme as Buzz Lightyear had been their mascot since year 7. The school then put on a Leaver's Breakfast for the students where old photos are shown and both teachers and students perform on stage and certificates are handed out. It was all over by midday and then it was off to Pizza Hut for a celebratory lunch before getting back home to crack on with revision as exams started on the Monday!

Rachel has been working hard and is already half way through her exams as I write but it does mean she has monopoly of the computer and blog writing on my phone isn't great.

Probably like the rest of the country we did get a glimpse of the sun and had a lovely few days where we even had the sprinkler out

but unfortunately this half term week has been quite grey and miserable so there have been lots of lazy days at home although we did enjoy feeding the ducks at Writtle yesterday.

For some unknown reason a man at the pond decided to catch and pick up one of the ducks and the big goose at the top of my photos tried to protect it and all the ducklings on the grass, served him right as it just seemed like a senseless thing to do!

After a good feed, of breads, rolls and croissants, this duck decided it was time for a bath.

It was a lovely way to spend a hour and gave Rachel a bit of peace and quiet at home for her revision.

Jack has had a nasty cough this week and paired with the bad weather this has meant quite a bit of time has been spent talking to and playing with friends on the playstation. For those of you with teenage boys how do you balance the time spent on these games? I'm not a big fan so have a tendency to call time on it but I do appreciate that these games aren't a quick thing either???

Finally, it's not often you find photos of me here on my blog and after about 100 attempts at a selfie (!!**???) I think I finally managed it.

Here is me sporting my new hair do. 

Simple Pleasures

I'm trying to get back into regular blogging again and not just about my makes so I thought I would share our simple pleasures moment on Bank Holiday Monday.

It's easy to forget

when you are caught up in everyday life

the simple pleasures 

and sometimes 

you just need to sit down

and make daisy chains

for no other reason than

- it's a fun thing to do.

A Birthday Celebration

Yesterday Tomas celebrated his 6th Birthday, 

it only seems like yesterday he was a babe in arms  

 a toothy toddler

an adorable pre schooler 

growing and learning

finding his way

and make us smile every day.

Tomas is such a sweet natured cheeky chappy who seems to have mastered the art of sarcasm at a very early age!!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful boy I hope you enjoy your party on Sunday and that mummy doesn't ruin the cake!

Let The Sunshine In...

We have definitely been letting the sunshine in this weekend. I can't believe how much blue skies and sunshine can lift the spirit. I'd really lost my photography mojo these past few months and I really didn't think there was anything to photograph in the garden but a half hour wander round the garden and I found these beauties.

These remind me of pinwheels

The shadows cast by the sun made a welcome change.

Apart from getting reacquainted with my camera I have spent the weekend tidying my workroom (it really needed it - again!!) and as a family we have enjoyed spending time in the garden. 

I think Tomas was out there all day today, 

sunglasses were the order of the day!

digging for treasure, 

bouncing on the trampoline, playing hockey, rugby and rounders and zooming about in his go-kart. 

Meanwhile I enjoyed a spot of gardening, well just collecting fallen branches and twigs and thinking about what I would like to do in the garden this year. 

The bigger boys stayed in to watch the rugby but unfortunately it wasn't to be and Wales lost against England. 

I really feel that spring is really on it's way and although it is a bit grey today I realise that the sun is there waiting to pop out and shine for us again.