Tuesday 24 September 2013

September

School has begun again, new term, new start. But what's this?

 I appear to have a full on child of five. How did that happen then? Look at that teeny 3 year old on the left, surely that was only yesterday, when he was heading off to nursery and then coming home with a painting of a yellow digger and asking where the tree was on HIS jumper mummy, eliciting a midweek trip to the uniform shop.
He has a lovely teacher again this year, who I handily know a little from outside of school, and can therefore skip the authority figure awkwardness at parents evening next month. He's enjoying it so far and hasn't yet complained at the conspicuous lack of toys in his classroom - a fairly big change from reception last year. His reading ability is improving which is brilliant, we have far fewer frustrations when he's sounding out (a...n...d............ I stop myself from snapping AND. It's AND.) and he can actually remember the beginning of the story at the end, because it wasn't half an hour ago. I love books and I want him to love books too, so I try and let it be a fun experience.

We've had some fun baking. I found a cake pop baking tray in our farm shop yonks ago and thought we'd finally try it out for a spotty cake.

 Not bad, though I'm not sure quite why that red spot rose quite so much. I slightly over filled the cake pop tray, and this greeted me when I took off the top half:
There was a bit of carving involved! the problem is there's nothing stopping the top rising away with the cake. I might have to bodge some sort of fix for it. We made rainbow fairy cakes too, super easy, and if you line the bowls with a sandwich bag before adding mix and colour you don't have ti wash up a millionty things and you have a makeshift piping bag to squirt the layers in so it doesn't make a huge drippy mess on the tins.
 Also best tip - use paste food colouring. that yellow layer in fact has green liquid colouring in it as a test. I might as well not have bothered.

Last weekend we went to Leeds on the train. The boys were in their element and Sam almost passed out in Leeds train station, to be surrounded by trains and lifts and escalators was just his idea of heaven.

Other news, Henry finally let me take a picture of a full on grin.
Normally he spots the camera and goes into a serious brow furrow, which is frankly hilarious. He's currently 15 weeks, and 18lbs 9oz. He's quite a heft, but I still get to snuggle hands free, and I have a new carrier, thanks to kind birthday donations.
Why yes, I am a geek. What makes you ask ;)

I will really try to be better at blogging, but in the interest of keeping it real, having 3 children is HARD. Especially with one potty training, and the wee one having a cough/cold that keeps him up. This morning I was pouring out milk. I opened the bottle and poured, and nothing. Nada. So I looked at it in puzzlement and shook the not-empty bottle. It took me about 30 seconds before I realised I hadn't taken the foil off. It's a real shame Sam no longer naps.

I do have plans to try out these five recipes from Rachel's blog. I think it'll do WONDERS for my diet, but I'm in a baking mood, and it's unstoppable. Sorry waist.


Update: This blog has now moved to www.undomesticaited.wordpress.com - Hope to see you over there!

Thursday 5 September 2013

Family Holiday Episode Two - the countryside

 On their way to the holiday house, Mum and Dad found this gorgeous little river, full of waterfalls, so on the Friday when the weather wasn't really good enough for the beach they took us back to it. It was completely gorgeous, and fun for my little rock hoppers!


 There was a sign above the door on this wheelhouse that said open, though we didn't find out what it actually was. I just thought it was completely gorgeous, townie that I am.
 The boys were incredibly excited by these holes in the bridge, as you *might* be able to tell. It was actually a handy holding place as they couldn't get down to run off!

 See, good rock-hopping spot! Though it was pretty much only accessible by...
 This rather ordinary looking, but quite scary, bridge. It was only maybe 10 feet from the ground, but incredibly narrow. The gaps were quite big, so you had to look at your feet, and I had Henry on my front so you sort of have to plan 3 steps in advance. Mum refused to cross it altogether.
It was heaven, especially as no one fell in. We took a short walk upstream, Sam was excited by several passing dogs and Ethan had great fun throwing in stones with Daddy and sticks with Grandma.

The garden at the house was incredible, perfectly made for small boys. It was deceptively large, with trees and bushes, large rocks and a bridge, brilliant for hide and seek and playing monsters with Uncle Jonny. The house itself was also lovely, enormous (fairly necessary, as there were nine of us), beautifully furnished, and a better equipped kitchen than mine, seriously, the oven needed a degree to work it. We never really figured it out, something about telling it what you were cooking?!

All in all, we had a pretty fabulous time. So much fun and good company, I'm still on a comedown!

 
The way home was very peaceful ;)

Update: This blog has now moved to www.undomesticaited.wordpress.com - Hope to see you over there!

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Family Holiday episode one, the beach!

 We had a wonderful family holiday this summer, In Aberporth, near Cardigan in west Wales. We were really lucky and had two glorious days and one very good day to be spent on the beach. It was a teeny local beach and quite quiet. We arrived in town on Saturday and had a quick shop stop, and back to the lovely house we were staying in, Then on Sunday after church and dinner we popped down to check it out.

 Sam loving it with Aunty Jessie
 Ethan exploring with Grandma

The boys were ecstatic, sand and sea, it was all they desired! The beach also had a small stream running down the side so they had a nice shallowish place to play.


 This was my view several times a day as I fed the Hen-beast, and it was lovely. I really believe that a day at the beach is pretty unbeatable for feeling content. It's like letting out a big breath you didn't know you were holding. I think there's a piece of me in the sea, I crave it. Jess and I swam out twice, the first day we were there it was pretty bracing, but still good. The second time the sun was streaming down all day and the water (well the top foot or so of it) was actually fairly warm, and we swam out to the last buoy and back and had a lovely chat doing it.



 Here you can see the remains of several dam attempts. It was blocked off successfully several times to let the stream fill, but moving water (and small children) will not be stopped.
 They spent all day running around and wearing themselves out, building and splashing and digging and laughing. It was wonderful.
It also meant they were exhausted by bedtime. So much so that several times in the week Sam actually asked to go to bed, where they snuggled up to watch the ipad and then fell asleep.


Update: This blog has now moved to www.undomesticaited.wordpress.com - Hope to see you over there!