Sunday 26 February 2012

Jenny


On Saturday, I checked my facebook and messaged a happy birthday to Jenny. An hour or so later I had a message from her asking if she could pop in on her way to Manchester the next day. It was so nice to see her. Jenny is one of those friends who though you don't see from year to year there's just something there that is meaningful and relaxed. I remember meeting Jenny at a young women's camp, I'd gone with Aunty Linda and Rachel. Jenny was in the next tent and we just hit it off. I distinctly remember feeling like we'd known each other for ages and we we're meant to be friends. We kept in touch through a few letters which in the end petered out. Then in 1998 when my plans to study Physiotherapy did not come to be, I ended up going through clearing and getting a place at St Martin's, I heard through the grapevine that a Jenny from Preston was also going there, it certainly confirmed that the decision to go to Lancaster over Ripon was the right one. Initially as I was offered a place off campus sharing a room which I declined and so was given  a room in a flat with 6 students from Cyprus. A week in and realising that the room next to Jenny was empty, I was able to transfer into there and we spent our first year of university sharing a flat, which in turn is how I met Alice Moon and then through her I met Jane. 

It was great catching up.


It was a little hectic as the missionaries and Eric were also over for tea. Ben took a liking to Eric's flat cap and he looks super cute in it :)


Cheese - I think Aunty Jane would love this photo.


Just something else I want to remember from today is Joseph giving his dog the sacrament, he did it with a slurp and then had the sacrament himself, it made me and Mike silently chuckle :)

Natalie and Dan's wedding


On Friday, Natalie and Dan got married. It was lovely to be there. She looked stunning and they looked really happy. Dan's sister Hannah had done an amazing job organising the decorating of the hall, her attention to detail was fab.  Mayan and I blatantly  begged for it to be left so we could use it for the RS birthday party we have coming up on Thursday (prior to asking Mayan could be found taking cupcake toppers and putting them in her pocket :)) 


The beautiful bride 


German tradition to cut a heart and walk through it as husband and wife.


First dance


Solitary Chinese lantern 


Nathan was very pleased to get to do another wedding (even though he may not look it on this photo - this was the fourth attempt :)



Friday 24 February 2012

When all is quiet downstairs..


... you just know you're in for something worth taking a photo of.


I'm actually quite taken back that he was trying to clear up the mess he'd made with the salad cream.


Though he did need help getting it out of his hair, not sure what the thought process was when he decided to put it there??!


'Hoping for spring' making.


I came across this pattern for a peg bag in this book, I bought from the works for £1.99 - big smiles :)  I'm really pleased with the end result and have 3 more all cut up and ready to sew. These are this year's birthday presents for my sisters. I'm not sure how excited one should really get about a peg bag but I can't wait to get out and use it :) 





Thursday 23 February 2012

Why I Blog



Just a couple of things I want to write down and remember-

Ben is learning how to say prayers. It is just the sweetest thing. I love how he says some words really clearly like 'Christ' and 'Please' and then other words in his own way like 'Can-coo' and 'Fawer'. Joseph likes to be involved in the teaching of Ben how to say prayers. This too is one of the sweetest things. He says the words so Ben can copy or he'll copy the words I say and then Ben copies him copying me :) Needless to say that blessing the food takes a while. Joseph always likes to say a prayer and then Ben will say one too - I love it and I'm sure Heavenly Father does too.

Today was the first time in a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng time that the boys went out together to play in the garden. It felt sooooooo nice. 'Goodbye winter, please?' and 'Hello Spring, PLEASE!'

The boys have taken to sleeping in the same bed. Joseph is having some nightmares and likes Ben close for protection, I think. I love to see them together and the thought keeps crossing my mind that the best thing I'll ever give them is each other. Brothers are great and though having them close has been and still is quite, no really tiring, it really was the best timing.


Saturday 18 February 2012

Deer Walk


So I think it's pretty clear from this post here and here that I love Skipwith Common. This morning I went there at 7:30am (- yep am)  to go on a guided deer walk. Nic and Imogen came with me, which was really nice. There was no guarantee that we would see some, but the group got lucky and we caught view of a herd of about 30, including 3 stags - squint  and you can just see the white of them in the distance . OK we were quite a way from them but people shared their binoculars and we got a good sight.


Here are some of the better ones that I managed to get on our compact -






I love this one of the deer and flock of birds.



One the way back the sun came out and the Skipwith colours sprung into all their glory.






To top it off as we were leaving, I spotted a rainbow





A really great way to start off the day. There is something special about catching a glance of animals wild and free.

The way we roll


Sometimes before bed we have a dance session, loud music and crazy moves :) 



This is actually a photo of Ben with Herbie not just a trolley - Herbie. He loves him and drags him everywhere at the the moment :)



Joseph turned photographer and I had to dance so he could take a photo.


Valentine's making


I had great fun making these salt dough decorations for Valentine's day, they really got the creative juices flowing again. I got the inspiration from here and here
Grandma gave me her collection of stamps before Christmas which I used them on some to make the patterned effect and my small alphabet stamps for the words.

My first batch ended up in the bin :( as they rose in the oven and cracked. The second batch I made thinner and baked on a lower heat for longer. I then spray painted and varnished them adding, lace from may favourite Haberdashery shop - Stefan's :) 






The card I made for Nathan .. can't beat a bit of Barry on Valentine's day 'Oh baby!'





I paired the decorations with some simple cards for secret valentines.


Thursday 9 February 2012

Don't eat Pete - OK

On Monday night during FHE a few things are becoming traditional : we sing popcorn popping, we do ring a ring a roses, we try to do a lesson, the boys are restless during the lesson - we keep trying  :) and Daddy brings sweets. This past Monday, Nathan was later home than usual so tea was late and hence FHE was late. It was almost 8 o'clock and yet we still proceeded with the game which followed a lesson on missionaries. The boys loved to look at the photos of Nathan as a missionary. 

Anyway, Nathan introduced the boys to 'Don't eat Pete' a favourite FHE game he used to play. The premis being that you put down a number of sweets on a grid (this time there were 16), one is secretly chosen to be called Pete. the person on tries to eat as many sweets without eating Pete and when they are about to eat Pete everyone else shouts DON'T EAT PETE. Their go is over and someone else gets a turn. Joseph went first and did very well, he got about 11 sweets, he ate about 4 and then without prompt put the rest back on the grid when his turn was over.

 
Ben's tactic was pick a sweet eat it, pick another sweet eat it..


 pick another sweet eat it..



 and so on and literally and so on and so on and so on..



and what would you know he managed to completely dodge Pete and ate all 15 other sweets lol!



 Nathan and I couldn't quite believe it how well he was doing and just let it roll :) Not sure how many 'good parenting' points we get for allowing our 2 year old to eat sweets at 8 o' clock but hey :)


Note - if you are wondering about the monstrosity in front of the fireplace (see photo 1) - that was my impulse buy last Monday night - a little Tykes Kitchen for £15 - I know bargain :) the boys loved it for FHE last week,  but we have absolutely no where to put it ( I obviously knew that before but went ahead anyway - duh)so presently it resides in Tom and Sharne's garage whilst I find someone else who wants it. Must learn to walk past things which are bargains that a) we do not have space for  b) don't need and c) don't actually really want.
 

Monday 6 February 2012

Snow Much Fun :)

Snow arrived in our neck of the woods on Saturday afternoon :)

The boys were really excited and Ben finally complied and put on his Bear hat without any resistance  - this called for a photo!


It's snow much fun to play when it's snowing! 




On Sunday when it had all settled, Daddy and the boys went out to  have snowball fights..




..build snow castles..



..play snow football..


(not entirely sure why Joseph needed to pull his trousers down?!)



.find the deepest snow to walk in..


.. go shopping?!..


.. and build a snowman which as you can see didn't turn out quite like they'd planned. Apparently the snow was too powdery and so would clumped together in order to make a traditional snowman so instead they made a snow face - Joseph was very pleased - small and simple things hey?!





The Saturday after the boys went round to Grays for some more snow fun which included...


...making a larger though by no means large snowman :)