Foodie penpals

Foodie penpals!! I joined in with this idea last year and then took some time out - but decided I needed to get my head back in the foodie game and got myself signed back up with Carol Anne at this is rock salt.
This month I was the lucky recipient of a parcel from Amanda of yammieeats.blogspot.co.uk
- she went to loads of effort for me, even drawing my recipe cards and I was THRILLED! Thank you Amanda xxx

Amanda had wrapped everything up for me with ribbon and it made the whole package very festive.

These PB&J bars lasted all of 2 seconds - we all ate and enjoyed these!!

 

 Thanks again Amanda, really appreciate your thought and care!!

I sent a parcel to Elyse, at www.sweetelyseblog.com and I hope she enjoyed her parcel - the kidlets helped me pick treats for her boys!

Where did the week go?

The kidlets broke up for summer a week ago and I don't know where the time has gone. Paul is now on two weeks annual leave, and we begin our exciting adventures around England tomorrow - I go first on a much longed for girly road trip to Glastonbury with Lucy. Over night. Like growed ups! I am looking forward to being able enough to climb the Tor, seeing what the Goddess Conference has to offer, chalice well, spending 36 hours with Lucy and eating amazing foood.. To name but a few!

Anyway, I shall recount my adventures once I am back. I just wanted to quickly update some pics of the last few days and then yell from the top of my lungs 'I WENT OUT ON MY BIKE TODAY, ON THE MAIN ROADS AND I DIDN'T DIE! HA HA!'. I am taking my bike to Wales this weekend, when we go for Paul's Half Ironman 'The Eirias' with other friends of ours, Jo and Dylan. Dylan is joining Paul in the Half Ironman and Jo and I shall spend some time cycling and enjoying the event - my parents are having the kidlets for two nights. More being growed ups!

Anyway, the three main activities I wanted to blog about in the last week - a trip to the very local (and only just discovered!) adventure play ground, the beach last Sunday, and the In-tech science museum today.. We saw a space show in the planetarium and it totally blew my mind. Just amazing!

Then the beach - Paul wanted a sea swim and the kidlets got stuck in,

 

Today we went to the Science Museum and planetarium and it was just fab - I'm not sure which of us enjoyed it more. Lochie has requested his birthday there this year with friends, so I will be looking into their party packages!

Here Paul and I were having a brain wave contest to see who could move a little ball.. He won several times.. Clearly my brain was on other things!!


So Clanettes, we're off for a few days. I'll see you on the flip side.
Thanks for reading xxx

Started

Summer has officially started! I was going to call this blog post 'Finished!' but Lochie, peering over my shoulder, made the wise comment that school might have finished, but it just means that the summer has started.. Very true!

I like planning, I like knowing roughly what is going to happen and when. Call it a personality quirk. But it pleased me no end when the Bigs jumped on my summer planning idea and their journals after school this afternoon! Yay!  So we spent some time planning, arranging and decorating.. Everyone is very excited for the next few weeks.

This is the A3 'calendar' I put together yesterday. Lochie wrote in our current planned activities and Bebe decorated the bottom. I don't know if you can make out all our plans, but the 2 red coloured weeks show Paul's annual leave. Lochie has asked that we add new activities to it as we go along, and that we cross off days as they go so that he knows where we are in the 6 weeks. Fine by me!

Then I produced the scrap books - each pack has two books in.

An immediate hit! They have already filled in their first entry for 'start' of the holidays. Niamh was not so bothered with hers, I knew that would be the case - she is after all only 2 - but I also know that there will be days when she wants to colour the same as the Bigs.

(Please also note, I have blogged 3 days in a row now.. UH OH!! I'M BACKKK!)

Last day of term

Tomorrow is the last day of the school year and the biglets break up for the summer - 6 weeks off! They both had very specific ideas about what they wanted to do for their teachers to say thank you. Sadly, I said no to all their ideas. I think I have mentioned before that I am very much trying to teach them that homemade is the the best type of gift - and this is no exception.

 They are both very crafty - probably nurture over nature there, so once they were in the swing of it, it was no problem and Lochie went to town. He chose to make a turtle out of pipe cleaners and pom poms and his card reflected that.

Bebe went with a pink flamingo and a drawing in her envelope.

This is the first summer that they are both aware of having a 6 week break and that we have different activities planned. I have mocked up an A3 calendar to show the days of the 6 weeks. I hope it will be a good way for them to recognise time passing - to accept that some days will be free and without plans! I am going to ask them to fill it in on Wednesday and then we can cross days off as we move through the summer.
Similarly, Sainsburys were doing a 'Big book of Summer' which I couldn't resist. It is basically a scrap book pack, with stickers, with a second book of activity ideas. I know Lochie in particular will enjoy journaling this summer!

As of this Friday, Paul is on annual leave for 2 weeks and we are cramming a lot into our time.. I am going on a road trip to Glastonbury with Lucy, then we are dropping the kidlets with my parents for 3 days whilst Paul and I go to Wales with friends for a half Iron man. During the second week of Paul's annual leave we are camping for 3 nights with other friends for Lughnasadh, our annual August camp, and then Paul and I are handfasting (marrying) Elle and Johny the day after we are home..
Phew! A busy couple of weeks - I CAN NOT WAIT!

My week in pictures

I have tried really hard this week to take a picture of one thing every day - sometimes a couple of things, sometimes just a 'selfie', but a picture nonetheless.

Its been a busy, HOT, one. I took an official stand this week, I drew a line in the sand (ok, there was no sand) but I did say 'enough is enough'. And whilst I can't share the details with you, and I may never be able to, I can say that I stood up for myself and whatever comes next, I did the right thing. Cryptic I know, but as I always say.. this is my blog.. about me! (If you know me personally, feel free to ask me next time I see you!)

Anyway.

Monday:
Look at the amazing tissues that Vikki treat me too. I do love a good skull!

Tuesday:
Zebra bunting for Elle's birthday! When I was recuperating, I knitted Lucy an 'Ugly cow horse' (what it lacked in beauty, it made up for in love!) anyway, at the time Elle jokingly challenged me to make her a zebra.. Zebra bunting much Elle?!

Wednesday:
I had lunch with Lucy today - they have now gone on holiday. Happy holiday Lucy!!
Bebe needed a super hero costume for school.. After a bit of faffing we hit upon the idea of mask.. Cue some cardboard, attached to some sunglasses.. and lots of glitter! As modelled by Niamh, mid photo bomb!

Thursday:
We took the toddlers to a local ruined Abby for a run around.

Friday:
Work!

Saturday:
Paul and Adam, with their charity hats on, came to the store and cycled on their turbo's for 6 hours to raise awareness for Neuroblastomo!!  Total combined mileage was 180.5!! And they raised over £150. They brought balloons, t shirts and an elephant costume.. Great!

Saturday night:
And in the evening, I went for a meal and cocktails to celebrate Elle's birthday, and non-hen night.

I always seem to wear this dress on a night out (like I go on many!!) but as Beyonce has Sacha Fierce, so I too have... Well, I'm not sure what her name is, but she deffo likes a tight leopard print dress and heels!

In league with Elle's hubby, Vikki and I set up a game of Mr and Mrs and obviously I needed my game show glasses and Bebe's barbie microphone..

 Cocktails...

 A selfie with Elle's sister, Sandy

 More cocktails..

Elle herself! HI ELLE! Loving your zebra corsage!

Sunday:
Ending on a bit of a high.. We had a fab family day today, and spent most of it swimming at Pauls gym. I went to the gym on my own late this afternoon and after my usual round of bike/cross trainer I hopped on the treadmill.. Its been a few weeks since I last tried and decided against running.. This Thursday sees me at 4 months post spinal fusion.. And today I ran. Ok, what I mean is I ran 1 min, walked 1 min, then ran 2mins, walked 1, ran 3 mins, walked 1 min.. and then continuously ran for 4 mins. That's 10 mins in total.. BLOODY AMAZING!! IN YOUR FACE SPINAL FUSION!!! I feel like this is something I can start building on maybe. It felt 'achievable' for the first time - rather than feeling like I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I'm not sure I'm making sense. But anyway. My fitness is good, my back felt solid, like I could train it to run again and 4 mins on the treadmill didn't kill me. Win!

I'm ending the week with another Selfie.

Personally I'm in a good place right now and I can't ask for more than that.
Thanks for reading xxx

The perfect pair

Our second breastfeeding blog poost went live on the Kiddicare site today... COmplete with photos from the old days - me feeding Bebe at a wedding in 2009 and me feeding Niamh on a cycling break in 2011!

Go take a look!!

http://blog.kiddicare.com/2013/07/booby-traps-the-truth-behind-breastfeeding-myths/

Weekend

Let me start by saying its been a HOT one! Our wall mounted thermometer showed 40 degrees C at 3pm this afternoon...! The kind of heat that hits you like a wall..!

Anyway. On Saturday I went to work like I 'always' do, this has become our norm and Paul and the kidlets have settled into their own routine on a Saturday. I had all my overtime paid last Friday and whilst obviously the money is a huge and massive bonus, I have realised that having a job is more than just money, and I am finding my sense of self worth. More than working the shop floor, which brings its own rewards, I am enjoying using my breastfeeding information sharing skills - Vikki and I are set to write our BF blog for Kiddicare right through to November (The next installment goes live very soon!) and we now have flyers on the shop floor.

In addition to the BF flyers, I littered the store with flyers for an event next Saturday that will see Paul and his colleague Adam, in their NB heroes guise, come into store for a charity cycle-athlon. 6 hours on a turbo trainer! KILLER if you ask me - and I know my turbo trainer.

Then on Sunday, Paul went to London to run the London 10K (also known as the British 10K - confusing!) so whilst he was running around London with his charity team, the kidlets and I set up a water slide in the garden.. then once they were amused, I, obviously, hopped on the turbo!

The water slide was a MASSIVE hit and amused them for most of the day - once they understood the action of propulsion that is!

Niamh likes to keep me company when I'm in the shed. And when I wasn't in the shed, I was busy with some sewing - to be revealed soon!

Only a week and a half to the 6 week summer holidays! I am looking forward to having no weekday routine.. I am dreading having no weekday routine :-)

Thanks for reading Clanettes x x