Yesterday I went Visiting Teaching (basically going to visit other ladies from church, sharing a spiritual message with them and being there for them when needed! It's a great way to make sure everyone is cared for.) So the last lady we visited I have only known a relatively short time but we get on pretty well. Generally Eliza and Alice come too, Alice is at that stage of wanting to play with anything that may be breakable wheras Eliza is pretty chilled out. I think Eliza got in this lady's good books one day when she left a daisy on her doorstep when we walked by one day and she wasn't in. She did infact notice the daisy and wondered where it came from as their is no grass near the front of her house! Anyway, you may wonder what this is leading to but as we were leaving I told Eliza to wave goodbye (we were about 30m from the house at this point) and Eliza goes one step further and at the top of her voice shouts out 'Goodbye Stinky!'. Of course I was mortified but couldn't help start laughing hysterically! Luckily the lady thought it was funny too as I told her it was more of a term of endearment....she is in a phase of calling everything and everyone stinky or some similar word. Nice, way to build a good relationship Eliza!
Esther came home with a 'deputy headteacher's award' sticker yesterday - I didn't know who the deputy head is! Turns out it is no other than scary Mr Frost! She got it for being good in wassembly (no not a spelling mistake, that's actually how Esther pronounces it, along with being very 'incited' about things rather than being excited....) and apparently 1 other boy from year 2 got one also. I wondered if it were part of his 'let's show that I'm actually nice' tatic so Esther wouldn't be scared of him. It is working! I asked her if she liked him now and she said 'I'm getting used to him' so woo hoo, things are going in the right direction!
Alice was sitting in the high chair tonight singing her version of agadoo do do, wish I could have recorded it because it was hilarious!! Esther had to learn the chorus as part of her school's 50th anniversary when they celebrated the 80's and every now and again we all have a little sing and dance to it so I guess Alice likes that one! She has started a funny dance when we crank the music up the kitchen too, it involves a lot of knee bending and arm flapping. Need a video of that too.
It's half-term holidays now! Role on the fun!
Friday, 27 May 2011
Dressing your truth
We've been having a bit of fun recently with a book called 'Dressing your Truth'. A couple of my friends at church had learnt all about it and shared their experiences with us. It identifies 4 types of women based on physical features, body language, personality and behavioural tendencies. We had a clothes swap party one night (they are the best thing ever - take along the clothes you don't wear, and take home some new ones, give the left over clothes to a women's refuge or to charity shop etc - I've been to 2 and got a great new wardrobe without spending a penny!) and my friend brought along the book and tried to let everyone find out their 'type' though she had already figured out what she thought most of us were! She was pretty spot on with me. Here are the 4 types:
Any guesses what type I am? Alright, I know you are dying to know so I'll tell you... I'm a type 2 with type 1 secondary. It's funny because reading the descriptions I actually felt like I understood some things about myself that I didn't quite see before and understand why I do and feel the way I do sometimes. I did not expect it to be honest!! Now I know why I wear some things in my wardrobe more often than others and why I feel more comfortable in some than others! In all honesty I'm not going to go out and buy a new wardrobe but it will probably affect the way I shop in the future. Some of my friends have cleansed their wardrobes of clothes that aren't their type! I'm not quite at that stage yet! Plus when you have figured out your type with the help of the book you then have to pay to take the online course. I know enough to get by I think even though it would be fun to know what it actually advised as the best thing for me to wear.
So if you are looking for a new style or don't know what to wear then look no further!
P.S. some of the makeover's on the website are scary!!!
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Quilt #2
I had this really gorgeous fabric in my stash for a while and finally decided with to do with it. I'm making a quilt for Alice. The fabric is Hunky Dory by Moda and I saw the design here . It was so quick and easy to make compared to the last but that could be more because I had a table I can leave my sewing machine on now so I don't need the hassle of getting it out then putting it away all in one night! It is a really simple design plus it uses charm packs so even easier - less cutting, I like it! It's been ready to quilt for a few weeks now,wadding in, backing on, but I'm waiting on a different foot for my sewing machine which won't be here for a few weeks yet. So tempted to hand quilt but I don't want to start that mamoth task! We'll see if I can resist... maybe I should tackle the ironing... I haven't actually spent anytime ironing since we moved house except the odd shirt for Ben (he usually does his own, doesn't have to wear them for work though). I think those clothes in the ironing pile are ones I could lived without, I have so far - maybe I should give them away et voila - no need to iron! 
My favourite bit, the cute little flower!
Bex came over one Saturday and aswell as taking somefamily pictures (more to come on that...) I made her finish her silk blind she started about 5 years ago for her room! She is buying a new bedroom set to celebrate and painting in there too - it's going to look fabulous! By the way, see those hideous light fittings above Bex's head? They HAVE to go!
My favourite bit, the cute little flower!
Bex came over one Saturday and aswell as taking somefamily pictures (more to come on that...) I made her finish her silk blind she started about 5 years ago for her room! She is buying a new bedroom set to celebrate and painting in there too - it's going to look fabulous! By the way, see those hideous light fittings above Bex's head? They HAVE to go!
May Day
Esther's school had their 5th Annual May Day celebration where each year (only 1 class per year) learns a country dance and performs to parents. The oldest class (year 6) get to dance around the maypole and this year did it really well - they have to weave in and out and halfway through turn back around and unweave themsleves. Easy! Or so you would think! This year there were no tangles but in other years apparently they had got into a bit of a mess! Every class did their dance well except poor year 1's who had just got a new teacher as their's had gone on maternity leave (how inconsiderate! just kidding...) so the kids got in a real mess which is easy to do after 3 weeks off and having a teacher who doesn't know it so well... Here are the year 6's:
In the morning Esther had told me she could wear whatever she liked but since I hadn't been told so by the school (a pretty vague letter) I made her wear her uniform and take some normal clothes in case. Turns out I should have believed her and also should have had some say in the clothes she picked but nevermind- she was happy! Her class did a dance with scarves to the theme song of Tikkabilla. Some of the boys cracked me up - they were soooooooooo not into waving silky scarves around! (Esther is in the brown dress with pink trousers)
At the end the the whole school did the Pat-a-cake Polka. I was really impressed with the older kids being willing to dance with the little ones, especially the older boys! I think the school really fosters a feeling within the kids to help each other and connect the different year groups together. It was really sweet.
I've got pictures of me doing country dancing at school when I was probably a little older than Esther and I love that she gets to experience it too! I think they should have a parents dance next year....! Ben would run a mile!
In the morning Esther had told me she could wear whatever she liked but since I hadn't been told so by the school (a pretty vague letter) I made her wear her uniform and take some normal clothes in case. Turns out I should have believed her and also should have had some say in the clothes she picked but nevermind- she was happy! Her class did a dance with scarves to the theme song of Tikkabilla. Some of the boys cracked me up - they were soooooooooo not into waving silky scarves around! (Esther is in the brown dress with pink trousers)
At the end the the whole school did the Pat-a-cake Polka. I was really impressed with the older kids being willing to dance with the little ones, especially the older boys! I think the school really fosters a feeling within the kids to help each other and connect the different year groups together. It was really sweet.
I've got pictures of me doing country dancing at school when I was probably a little older than Esther and I love that she gets to experience it too! I think they should have a parents dance next year....! Ben would run a mile!
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Everything and anything!
So I haven't blogged in a while... but I have been meaning to. Where to start... the kids are watching Tangled and Alice is sleeping, the house is acceptable, no pressing jobs so here goes!
SO firstly we had what seemed like a looooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng Easter holiday - Esther was at school only 2 days in 3 weeks. We spent the first week or so around the house having picnics in the garden and trips to nowhere special but it was fun and relaxing. Then we had an afternoon visit from Ben's bro Dan and his wife Nat and their lovely baby Lucy (who smiled when I picked her up so we know she's a good baby...!) along with Ben's Grandma Shaw before heading off up north to my mum and dad's for Easter. We had the best stay there! The older girls slept in my mum and dad's room with them as there was more space so we only had Alice in with us. We even got out for a date - woo hoo! Easter Sunday Alice started walking! The day before we'd been to an open air museum and we'd let her walk around alot holding our hands and I think it spurred her on to do it herself. She is pretty confident now and always chooses to walk instead of crawl.
The Royal Wedding! Loved it! Ben had to work (on a bank holiday, just wrong) so I enticed the girls to sit and watch it.I had it on from 8am with a little break to give the girls a bath but I couldn't stop watching every minute of the build up, loved the trees, the flowers, the dress, the bridesmaids and even the speech the Bishop of London gave - one bit I really liked - he said marriage had the power to transform each person but not if one of the people had the intention of 'reforming' the other. I almost wish I'd gone to London and been there for the hype and excitment but I suppose it wasbetter to be able to see every detail, even those I didn't know I wanted to see, at home in the comfort of my living room!
Esther had a bit of trouble going back to school after the holidays. She got to the point of faking stomach ache and crying from the moment she woke up and also before bed. It reached a peak 2 weeks ago and I had a good old cry about it. I just didn't know what to do. I'd prayed, fasted, she'd had a blessing, I'd tried to think of every way to help her but it was getting worse and worse. Then on the way to school I had told her that the day could go quicker if she was happy so I challenged her to try it and told her that only she could choose to be happy,no-one else could make her happy. It turns out she listened to me and tried it and ran out telling me it worked! I took the opportunity to speak to her teacher about the situation and she told me Esther had told her she was scared of one of the junior kids teachers, Mr Frost. Esther had mentioned it a while ago but I didn''t think much of it.Turns out he told off some of the children(not Esther) in her class during an assembly because they were misbehaving and now she asks the teacher every play time which teachers are on duty incase he is on duty. Poor Esther, poor Mr Frost! Thankfully things turned around from then on though she still says she doesn't want to go but doesn't cry anymore.
Ben finally got an employee to replace him in his old job so I think Ben can see light at the end of the tunnel. He's been doing 2 jobs for over a year now.
Eliza is sitting next to me and wanted me to write her name. She is doing well, loves playgroup and loves riding her scooter. She is hilarious and makes me laugh with her crazy imagination. She is starting to write her name now. She can do a kinda recognisable E l i -I think it needs a bit more work before we attempt the rest!
We have matching curtains in the living room/dinning room! Oh life's little pleasures!
My mum came to stay so I could get on top of the things that need doing in the house. We now have a respectable spare room once I sorted out all the stuff that needed to go in the loft. The downstairs toilet is now a downstairs toilet/art studio for the girls since it's pretty big plus we had nowhere else for the easel to fit. Aren't mum's the best?!
I have got some pictures to post so that's the next job!
SO firstly we had what seemed like a looooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng Easter holiday - Esther was at school only 2 days in 3 weeks. We spent the first week or so around the house having picnics in the garden and trips to nowhere special but it was fun and relaxing. Then we had an afternoon visit from Ben's bro Dan and his wife Nat and their lovely baby Lucy (who smiled when I picked her up so we know she's a good baby...!) along with Ben's Grandma Shaw before heading off up north to my mum and dad's for Easter. We had the best stay there! The older girls slept in my mum and dad's room with them as there was more space so we only had Alice in with us. We even got out for a date - woo hoo! Easter Sunday Alice started walking! The day before we'd been to an open air museum and we'd let her walk around alot holding our hands and I think it spurred her on to do it herself. She is pretty confident now and always chooses to walk instead of crawl.
The Royal Wedding! Loved it! Ben had to work (on a bank holiday, just wrong) so I enticed the girls to sit and watch it.I had it on from 8am with a little break to give the girls a bath but I couldn't stop watching every minute of the build up, loved the trees, the flowers, the dress, the bridesmaids and even the speech the Bishop of London gave - one bit I really liked - he said marriage had the power to transform each person but not if one of the people had the intention of 'reforming' the other. I almost wish I'd gone to London and been there for the hype and excitment but I suppose it wasbetter to be able to see every detail, even those I didn't know I wanted to see, at home in the comfort of my living room!
Esther had a bit of trouble going back to school after the holidays. She got to the point of faking stomach ache and crying from the moment she woke up and also before bed. It reached a peak 2 weeks ago and I had a good old cry about it. I just didn't know what to do. I'd prayed, fasted, she'd had a blessing, I'd tried to think of every way to help her but it was getting worse and worse. Then on the way to school I had told her that the day could go quicker if she was happy so I challenged her to try it and told her that only she could choose to be happy,no-one else could make her happy. It turns out she listened to me and tried it and ran out telling me it worked! I took the opportunity to speak to her teacher about the situation and she told me Esther had told her she was scared of one of the junior kids teachers, Mr Frost. Esther had mentioned it a while ago but I didn''t think much of it.Turns out he told off some of the children(not Esther) in her class during an assembly because they were misbehaving and now she asks the teacher every play time which teachers are on duty incase he is on duty. Poor Esther, poor Mr Frost! Thankfully things turned around from then on though she still says she doesn't want to go but doesn't cry anymore.
Ben finally got an employee to replace him in his old job so I think Ben can see light at the end of the tunnel. He's been doing 2 jobs for over a year now.
Eliza is sitting next to me and wanted me to write her name. She is doing well, loves playgroup and loves riding her scooter. She is hilarious and makes me laugh with her crazy imagination. She is starting to write her name now. She can do a kinda recognisable E l i -I think it needs a bit more work before we attempt the rest!
We have matching curtains in the living room/dinning room! Oh life's little pleasures!
My mum came to stay so I could get on top of the things that need doing in the house. We now have a respectable spare room once I sorted out all the stuff that needed to go in the loft. The downstairs toilet is now a downstairs toilet/art studio for the girls since it's pretty big plus we had nowhere else for the easel to fit. Aren't mum's the best?!
I have got some pictures to post so that's the next job!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)