The last few days of school

Rebe's class, she is on the bottom right

Today is Rebe's last day of school before a gloriously long summer holiday (oh boy I can't wait). These last few days we have spent some time getting ready for the last day...


We have baked a Wise Old Owl cake for her to take in and share with the rest of her class

She has been drawing pictures and making cards for her teachers. Benny has also drawn a picture of Mr Murphy (isn't it cool, it's his first person drawing).

In her quiet time, when the boys are in bed, Rebe and I have been working on a Mr Murphy doll that she wanted to make for him as a gift. I have also gotten mugs printed with the picture she drew of him (and another of the teaching assistant) as a thank you gift.

For Rebe the end of this year is bitter sweet, she's excited about having time off and she's excited about becoming a Senior Infant, but she told me she is sad she won't be a Junior anymore, she will miss her teacher. I'm so glad it has ben such a fun and happy time for her and that school is working so well for her :-)

We have also been...

...eating peas straight from the plant

...swinging, oh lots of swinging. Bubs and Man gave Joa this great swing for his Birthday (you can see how much he loves it).

...finding odd Tiger bird chicks, who have gotten lost and have no mother or father or owner and who have built a nest in the tire swing.

....doing lots of chopping.

I have finally found a great solution to the chopping problem. My kids (and I'm sure all kids) really want to help in the kitchen and I love them to help, but we have had the old 'sharp knife' dilema for years... you know, blunt knives don't chop and sharp knives chop things they aren't meant to. Anyway, I found these and they work brilliantly, they aren't sharp and yet they chop even raw carrots :-)

...Rebe's been collecting bugs and marking them off in her book, and when they are not in her book she's adding them to the back herself.

...and we have been eating bubas.

Most normal people call them frozen smoothies, or cool pops or such like. The kids have always enjoyed these, but have found holding them too cold. All my napkins and tea towels were used as protection for their little hands to stop them from getting too cold. I came across this great idea, and we decided to make our own buba holders. Benny picked his fabric (an old felted wool sweater) and we sewed on a button (to make it glamorous) and then machined the sides. It works brilliantly and Benny is oh so proud of his sewing.

Now we welcome the break from school and I hope we will also get some much longed for spells of warm sunshine.

hugs x

A Mouse's Tale

A story... (My Mouse) by Rebe **the following story is in Rebe's own words, she often processes life events is through writing stories about them**

Once upon a time Tiny caught a mouse and I saved it.
I put my wellies on and climbed through the hole in the fence into the field. I scared Tiny away.

(look at the utter concern and tenderness on her face...my heart melts!)

I got him in my hands very gently. I got a box that had an old blue tits nest in it. I wanted to put him in it to keep him safe but...

... he ran up my sleeve.

He wouldn't come back out so I had to take off my dress. He was curled up inside it.

I gently lifted him into the box and he scurried under the nest. I put a plate on top of it like a lid and put him in the utility room while I ate my dinner.

After dinner I took him into the garden.

I really wanted to keep him.

My daddy told me that I couldn't, that he was a wild animal and it was kinder to let him go.

I found a gap in the hedge and gently lifted him out of the box.

I gave him a last little cuddle and then I let him go. He stopped on my hand just long enough to say 'Thank you'.

That night as I went to bed I felt very sad about it, but I was glad that I saved his life and then gave him his life back.

Benny's Bofday

Oh how time flies! How can it be that my wee baby boy is 3 years old already! a few days old

chocolate fondue for his 1st Birthday (a classic Benny photo) 2nd Birthday

And now here he is a big three person...

Rebe couldn't wait to give him his present. She made him a really cool Dogger t-shirt.

He's so delighted with it and wore it all day long.


We had planned a fishing trip for him, just him and Andy with his own little flask and things, but the weather was so bad, we resorted to plan B: reading Dogger, a 'bit watch lelly' and making birthday cake.

I always love baking with the kids.

And they love it just as much.

Lambie cake :-)


When Rebe came home from school we had his birthday party.

blowing out his candles

opening presents

fabulous wooden cars from his aunt and uncle

a very sweet little tea set to go with all the other kitchen things Bubs and Man sent.

The nearly finished play kitchen. It has had so much play already and Andy and I are really pleased with it, but probably not as pleased as the children are :-)

After presents we had the birthday feast, pizza rolls, cris-mis-mis-mis-mis (crisps), little sausages and of course Lambie cake.

The afternoon was still pretty wet, so we did some drawing...

There's nothing as inspirational as a new set of pencils.

Then Joa was going mental, so I decided we should go out for a walk. We went into the woods and played on the little beach for ages making our own aquarium in a little rock pool and looking in other rock pools to find creatures to inhabit it.

It was lots of fun! We had Benny's favourite dinner (pasta pockets) and then we managed to skype with 'Witchart', Benny's idol and my little brother.

We ended the day with one of Benny's new stories in bed. All in all it was a pretty perfect day for Benny.

***I have felt pangs of guilt at times that I didn't do more for the boys this year. I made them very little and the play kitchen isn't finished (it still needs a tap and some hooks). I didn't have any kind of party for them with friends invited. I just needed to keep it small and simple this year, as small and simple as possible. I think they had fun though and it has been another lesson in letting go for me. For realising that my own dreams are too big sometimes and that the day will still be fun and special with just a few simple celebrations and allowing other people to do pretty much all of the gifting.

On a real plus side I have had 3 days filled with joy. It's been brilliant, I have felt nothing was a chore and I was very much in control of my own emotions. I have felt in touch and happy and have really enjoyed everyone and everything around me. It's my goal to feel like that every day of my life :-)***

hugs x

wan!

Ma wee bairn is wan! This day has come upon us so quickly. Little Joa is 1 whole year old today. Oh what a year it has been and what a joy this little one is. He is a blessing, he is so jolly and funny and sweet. He has amazing curls, says 'cat', he screams very loudly if Benny tries to take his toys away. He loves being outside, he loves playing instruments and listening to sounds. He is left hand dominant at the moment and is just a big bundle of squidgey yumminess!

A pile of presents on the birthday table

a special 'Happy Birthday' banner made with the help of 2 very special friends.



I finished Joa's cardi...

The wool is from my big stash. I actually knitted it from a pattern. I like it a lot and think I'll be making more of these.

I love the simplicity of the buttons :-)

Rebe wanted to make something for Joa too, so I helped her make these bean bags. She is so clever at deciding what to make and knowing how to make things. They have been played with all morning!

mmmm....maybe a jigsaw?


The older two also got un-birthday presents...

some VERY popular wind up snails

vegetable choppers, so they can really help make dinner properly

We had a real tea party when Rebe got home from school with crisps and sausage rolls and egg sandwiches.

And now we are just waiting for this little birthday boy to wake up from his nap so we can cut his cake...

yummy! carrot cake with chocolate buttons.

Happy Birthday my dear dear little boy xxx x

(on a wee excited side note I have just booked up my first yoga class for next wednesday whoop whoop)

Rebe's space

Since Benny was 1, he and Rebe have always shared a room. About a month ago Joa joined them in their bedroom and things quickly descended into bedtime madness. Joa wasn't the problem, it was the fact that Rebe and Benny messed around. I would hear them giggling and banging around for ages. I'd go upstairs and they would be either nude or wearing every pair of pyjamas they had or they would be inside their duvet covers, or bouncing on the bed. Sleep time was getting later and later and as a consequence we were all pretty grumpy.

So Andy and I decided that it was time for a change. We moved Rebe into her own room. She now also has a later bedtime (the boys about 7pm and Rebe 8pm). We do one bath time and one story time. After that the little boys get tucked into their beds and settle down very quickly. Rebe goes into her room and has her own special quiet time...

She has her own little desk for drawing and doing her Animal of Farthing Woods magazines given to her by our neighbour.

He window sill with her own plants and worms and of course her trophy :-)

Rebe appropriate books and the little lego

the dolls house

It works really well, bedtimes are more peaceful and more appropriate for everyone. Rebe also has the chance to play with the toys that will get destroyed by the little boys.

For the past week my best friend has been here visiting with her husband and gorgeous little son.

It's been wonderful. We have talked and laughed and picnicked and walked and gone to the pub and shared all the jobs. I have loved the time together, it's been great therapy and I also had the chance to go out with Andy one evening.

So peaceful (apart from the grumpy angler next to me ;-0)

Because I was so busy looking at all the beauty around me I managed to miss pretty much all of my bites...

apart from this one (the only fish caught na na na na na!!)

Can you believe this wee man is going to be 1 the day after tomorrow?

hugs x