The 52 Project 17/52

We got to the temple - yeh! I love how the boys particularly Ben  at the moment get so excited to go. It's especially sweet as the reality is they get to go and sit in the distribution centre for 2 and a half hours whilst Mum or Dad go inside!

Then Mum makes them have a few photos in front of the temple which quite honestly they could do without doing but she cannot!

  

This is the best family one we got haha! 

The Webbs were there too and made great companions for the boys. It's so much easier when there are playmates around and as a group they attracted other children also trapped in the confinements of the distribution lounge!

We also had the pleasure of lovely Louise's company. She is truly good and without guile as described in a talk this past conference.

On the way home I popped in to see Grandma who has been really sick this week. It was nice to just spend a few moments with her. I love that they moved to Chorley so that we can just bob in to see them when we go to the temple. It's totally a blessing of temple attendance for me.

When we arrived home we all snuggled on the sofa and watch Midnight at the Museum 3, then Nathan went out with some fellow Peter pan types to watch the new Avengers film. A lovely day. 

Back to school 2014

Back to school.

There is a slight chill in the air. 

The sun has set by 8.

I am wistful about the end of summer for another year but at the same time ready for the autumn.

School runs take a little longer as we have to allow for Blackberry picking along the path and this year Seth has his hand outstretched for his share. 

We had a lovely summer holiday. A nice balance of doing and chilling and now we're ready to be back into the school routine.

Our theme for the year is -

 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb. 

(the scripture goes on)

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones

Psalm 16:24

This an area we want to work on as a family, using kind words and speaking in a nice way to one another and those around us.   

On the last day of the holidays my true loves gave to me..

 a feeling of sadness. As I watch them play at Selby park, I felt sad. Sad that the holidays were coming to an end, we've had a great time. We've had time to slow down, time for lazy mornings or lazy afternoons  and sometimes both, time for impromptu trips to the park or baking with whatever's in the cupboard, time to spend with family and friends and plenty of time for each other. 

We've been to two  family weddings and on a holiday to Northern Ireland, we've been to the temple 3 times, been to the beach three times.  There have been bare bums a plenty as Ben has begun potty training and more often than not Joseph has be found without shorts on just because.. well just because??! and neither of them are fussed about wearing shoes outside. Some days have been cold and rainy, others warm and dry but everyday they've been all mine and  I've loved it and I think they've loved it too.  

Photo collage of our last day - 

Hide n seek,  

traditional swing photo - not sure Joseph will fit into this type much longer,

photo shoot with Joseph lol!, 

uniform try on, 

Back to school celebratory meal of Sausage, chips n beans with Ice cream factory dessert as requested by Joseph, Dad taught the boys what to do with squirty cream

We decided to have a theme for the school year, something that we want the boys to really focus on at school and nursery and that is to 'Be Kind'  I stitched it late at night and have discovered that I need to be more kind with myself as it's obviously not straight and it really bothers me, no really it does :)

After tea Nathan gave Joseph a lovely blessing to help him during his school year. Joseph sat really still and seemed to grasp that this was something special for him. 

On holiday I...

This was the homework Joseph had to take to school with him (yes of course he did it all by himself)

A trip for two

On New Year's day Evening, Nathan and I went to Lancaster for a night and day away. It was great to be back in my University City and it seems crazy that almost a decade has passed, since I lived there. 

Ashton (Thashton as we used to call it) Memorial Building

 There were some changes to the town centre but most things were the same, including the old door and old curtains which could have done with being replaced back in 2000/2002 when I lived at 19 Balmoral Rd !! ( I wonder if Rosemary still owns it?)

St Martin's College, which when I was there was part of the University of Lancaster is now The University of Cumbria.

I lived in Waddell Hall South, in the room, middle row, second in on the right.

And 18 Dallas Rd has now got a bright yellow door (there is still a VW campervan parked nearby as there always used to be, just a different one). I think it is the landlord stamping mark as a few houses around the city had the same striking paintwork.

We had a walk around the city then drove to Bowness in Windermere. One of the many things I always loved about Lancaster was its proximity to the lLkes and also the Dales. I guess I was especially lucky that Jane had Mindy and we were able to go places and explore whenever we wanted, which we often did - happy times. 

What in the evening and the following day turned into a huge storm, was already brewing when we got there. It put our plans to have a nice walk into touch.Instead we had to force ourselves to enjoy a  Thai lunch (Tiger Prawn Green Curry for me and Pork Sweet n Sour for Nath) and do some shopping (new boots for my birthday and a cream snood) - oh the hardship.

Just as the hailstone began :)

But even in the cold, wet, wind and hail it is still so beautiful.

It was fab to be able to walk around in our own time, hold hands and chat. We went back to Lancaster and dashed to get Nathan the Samsonite laptop case we'd seen in T K Maxx for his birthday. Back at the Travelodge we chilled watching Marley and Me,by the end of it , we were both sobbing  our eyes out and then laughing at the same time because we were both sobbing our eyes out!!

A lovely day - just the two of us x

3rd January - My Birthday

So like I mentioned before a storm was brewing and it came into it's full effect of my birthday :( I think last year I'd been spoilt, as we'd had a lovely cold but bright day and gone for a walk around Swinsty reservoir. I'd had the same expectation  for this year planning on a walk around the 12 days of Christmas walk,  at Bolton Abbey. It was a definite 'no goer' in the end we took the boys for a run around Monster Fun at Lister Mill and then had a chicken pie tea at Mum and Dad's - I'm 32 and never missed a birthday without seeing my Mum n Dad - I'm a lucky girl :)

New Year Walks

Yep so it's already mid February and I'm only jotting down a memory of our New Year's day walk now. Our digital camera is on the blink and whilst we save up for a fancy new one (not happening any time soon!!! It's on the list behind bathroom, laptop, holiday, car breakdown repairs( this has not happened but will undoubtably happen - I'm not a pessimist just a realist and I'm fine with car breakdowns - they're just part of life and they invariably happen whenever we're feeling like we have a little extra money to spare!!! )) So in the mean time I'm going all retro and using my film SLR. I recieved my developed films through the post yesterday and photos of this walk were in there - hence prodding my memory!

New Year's Day was cold but bright and dry. 'Why not start the year off with a walk somewhere nice?' I suggested.

We checked out the website - pushchairs walks and opted for a walk near Castle Howard suitable for all terrain pushchairs - 'I think our Push chair is an All Terrain Pushchair?!' I assured Nathan.

Wrapped up warm, wellies on, toilet trip made ( love having a newly toilet trained boy) and off we set.

Puddles Galore!!

Joesph was loving it. Ben was not!! About 10 metres into our walk he began to complain.

It may have had something to do with the muddy terrain making it extremely bumpy for him as he sat in our All Terrain Pushchair?!!! OK it became very apparent very soon that our pushchair aint no All Terrain Pushchair!!!...........

But we persevered!!

Ben also persevered with his complaining!

Nathan ended up being the gallant father and took off his coat to wrap Ben up in - maybe he was cold?? It didn't work and I had to refrain from doing a 'I told you so' to Nathan who was only wearing a polo shirt under his coat and I had said he should have worn a jumper but he said he'd be fine and now he was in the countryside, on the 1st of Jan, wearing only a polo shirt and it was really cold and I think I refrained from doing the ' I told you so' only it was many weeks ago now and I can't remember!!! (deep breath!)

Anyway it was sweet of him to do that.

We made it to the bridge to get the good veiw of Castle Howard as the walk description had stated.

Ben still complaining, Nathan set off at pace to get him back to the car - concerned we would get in trouble for disturbing the peace ( He makes a great noise when he gets going!!)

Joseph and I set off without much pace, enjoying the puddles and muddy terrain. Joseph decided at one point to go off track and enjoy the deeper mud in the fields and promptly getting stuck!! Daddy to the rescue again, though by this point he was kind of getting past the joys of the walk himself!

It maybe a slight exaggeration to say that(but it wasn't that much more)it was only 10 metres away from the car, when Ben stopped crying thanks to seeing some dogs!!

Walk numero duex, happened two days later on my Birthday - 3rd January (just in case I forget!). We walked around Swinsty reservoir with Granne and Grandad. Our pushchair was more than up to the task. Ben was happy, Joseph was happy though extremely leisurely in his approach to the pace. At first he was happy to chase a group of dogs, one of which nicked his sandwich but then the pace dipped further and as the sunlight was dipping fast, he ended up being put in the pushchair instead!

Here's to 2011 and hopefully many more memorable walks!

(Ben under happier circumstances on walk 2)

( I love the mittens Aunty Ann  knit the boys especially as there's lots of growing into room)

         (Joseph with sandwich before it was nicked!)

(Swinsty reservoir as the sun dips)