Friday 26 January 2024

Time is whizzing past

 


I feel like the phrase 'blink and you miss it' is apt this week. We have had poorly children, job interviews, household drama and a garden shed burglary.

Poor Miss C - DD4 has had a really horrid case of conjunctivitis which we are just starting to win the battle with. It's needed a lot of vigilance to stop it getting worse or spreading to any other little Spurriers.

Tom, DH, is on the look out for a new job and has been attending some interviews including one for TESLA that latest almost half a day. So far he's had no luck getting a job offer but I just know there is job waiting around the corner for him.

In the house we have had to reshuffle some rooms and sleeping arrangements again. As the children are getting older our bedrooms needs are changing. We've made the decision to give up our living room for DS. So far it's a bit awkward but it's working.  Mostly.

And finally today I came home from the school run to find our garden shed has been riffled through by persons unknown. We only keep some garden toys, lawn chairs and the paddling pool in it so there was nothing to steal. They had a good poke around though to make sure 😡 it makes me feel a bit funny that somes one's been in our space though. You just know they tried our back door and windows while they were there too *shudder*


But onwards and forwards as they say. I've kept myself occupied by making the children all a little treat to enjoy after school. They deserve to celebrate the end of a long week to.

Don't you just love these snack cups too? In our house we call them Bups (Bowl-Cups). They are apparently quite trendy at the moment on Tiktok and the like, according to my teenager anyway. Its not I get told I'm on trend 🤣.


X X X

Sunday 7 January 2024

Starting tomorrow

 


Starting tomorrow I will be taking part in our church's 40 days of fasting and prayer. 

I'm planing to fast each day between 6am and 6pm, with Sundays off. The idea is to follow the podcasts and daily prayer guides to connect closer with God. To heat what He is trying to say to us about the upcoming year and about ourselves. 

I'm looking forward to the journey.

X x X

Thursday 4 January 2024

Whoops



Having finished my 15 knitted hearts project I fancied something a little different. Pinterest suggested a cute heart patterned ear warmer that DD3 said she liked. 

Firstly I'm not happy with my colour choices. The hearts are a lot easier to see on the photo than they are in real life which is annoying.


It's also maybe possible just a smidge on the small side 🤣🤣🤣

A lovely warm wristlet but definitely NOT a ear warmer for a 5 year old 🙈

Having looked at the pattern again I was supposed to use 8mm needles and not size 8 needles. Let's hope the next attempt goes a little bit more successfully!!!

X x X


Wednesday 3 January 2024

Enjoying some freedom


 This afternoon was my first little bit of child free time since the Christmas holidays began. After taking DD4 to preschool I met with my parents for coffee and cake in one of our favourite local cafes. I remembered to keep some mementos to add to my junk journal.


After our coffee and a catch up, we had a little wander around the towns charity shops before the schools finished for the day.
I found some very pretty Cath Kidston fold and mail stationary. I thought they would be useful for sending messages and for adding to my junk journal occasionally.


In Poundland I found some Christmas straws in their clearance section for 50p which I thought would be well suited to Valentines theme crafts.
In Tesco I found some Silver and Gold paper cups for 30p.
Together I think they'd look quite fetching on the dining table. I think I might decorate the cups a little more though. I quite like the idea of drawing hearts around them with a sharpie and marking them with the children's initials.  
I'll think on it and see what I can come up with.


In Iceland I was quite excited to discover the new chocolate orange variant for Easter. I had to treat myself to one 🥰
I've yet to find the elusive white chocolate orange though. If anyone spots one please pop me a comment and let me know where they are hiding. I am a woman on a mission 🤣

 Once home from the school run I found a bag by my front door. One of my neighbours had kindly given us a box of mince pies they didn't want and the softest brown shawl I think I've ever touched. I sent her a message thanking her for thinking of us. I'm not entirely sure she's human though between you and me.... she very kindly pops things by our door every so often if she thinks we can make use of them BUT not once has she ever set off my Ring doorbell camera while she does it. Bear in mind that my ring doorbell often sends me video clips of the bushes by the front gate slightly twitching in the breeze or cats walking along the fence.  Very odd. Possibly a vampire?

X x ☓ 

Monday 1 January 2024

Welcome 2024

 


Welcome 2024!

This year was the first time all 5 children made it to midnight. We slipped on our coats and slippers at midnight and watched some of the fireworks that were all around us. 

There didn't seem quite as many as previous years but what we saw were beautiful.



We spent the afternoon in the company of my brother and his family. We drank some tea in the cafe at Itchen Valley while our children enjoyed the indoor play area. 

Just as we decided to try a little walk through the woods, it started to rain. We hopped back into our cars and decided on a little visit to Haskins garden centre instead.

Tom (DH) kindly treated me to a beautiful pink petunia and a white African violet. The Violet was reduced to £1 with lots of new leaves and flowers buds growing. Both are currently living on my dining room table. 


Once home we had a nice dinner of Ham, egg and chips before the back to school bathing and hairwashes began for the older two children.  Tom gave DS a haircut while I settled the smallest two into bed with a story. 

Then I worked on my first journal page for 2024. I'm hoping to build up a sort of diary over the year filled with little mementos of our adventures. Today I saved an used coffee stirrer, empty sugar packet, till receipt and parking ticket. I added a few decorations that tied into the days adventures. I wished I picked up a leaf to include now but maybe I'll do that on another trip. 

My evening will be spent drinking tea and knitting little stuffed hearts for my Valentines day project. I need to make about 15 and so far I've made 9. 

Happy New Year 

X x X

Monday 25 September 2023

Getting into the swing of it

 As much as I still dislike it, I am getting used to having free time during the week while the children are all at school. 

This morning after I visited the community pantry and had sorted the house I realised I still had a few hours to myself before I needed to collect anyone.


I iced some hotdog rolls we were given yesterday for free. After I took this photo I iced the children's names on each of them so hopefully prevent some squabbles 🤣
I then found myself drifting over to my fabric stash drawer. I haven't even looked inside it for several months so I have spent a happy half hour laying all the bits of fabric out and reminding myself what I have.
I think I might try sewing a gift or two for the Christmas cupboard 🤔

X X x

 

Saturday 9 September 2023

Saturday

 


 We have completed our first week of back to school. Everyone seems to have had a nice time and though there's been a few hiccups here and there, it could have been much worse!  

 On Friday I survived my first solo day at home by scrubbing the family bathroom for a few hours. It made for a nice distraction and it felt good to just complete a big clean without being interrupted by little voices wanted snacks or help or entertainment.

I was hoping to get the children out of the house today to visit our local Pride festival, but everyone has slept badly for a third night during the heat wave and no one was very enthusiastic about going so we now spending the day at home relaxing instead. 

 One positive of the heat wave is that I'm staying up half the night reading because I'm to hot to sleep. I've been favouring the Kindle app on my phone over physical books so I can read in the dark without disturbing anyone who's trying to sleep more sucessfully than I am. 


X X X