Where we’d love to live…

We’ve been thinking about it a lot more recently, (although its something we have had in mind since 12 days of being together) we’d love to move to Cornwall, specifically St Ives but I think that would be less realistic!

I always went there on holiday as a child (somethimes twice a year), and our first ‘couple’ holiday was there as well!

Maybe one day! I’d love my kids to grow up somewhere like that, rather than the area where we currently live.

More memories!

Well following on from my previous post on the memory boxes for the kids bedroom, I have taken the shoebox which Jake’s first shoes were in and decided to make it a bit more special.

Here is the outside of the box:

and here is the inside (complete with Jake’s ever so cute first pair of shoes!)

I’ve included a ’scrapbook’ type layout inside the lid to make it a bit more special!

A bit of a challenge!

Well, the kids room budget has almost ran out and there isn’t enough for a nice chair (had one of those nice ‘nursing chairs’ in mind – you know the kind with a nice footstool as well?) Although I suppose there wasn’t really any room for one of those. anyway I have an old chair my nan gave me, and it’s going to need a bit (actually A LOT) of work – but I think it will do the job! So it is my current ‘project’ and here’s a picture of what I have to work with:

It’s not really much to look at at the moment, infact i’m pretty sure it’s older than me (by a long way), I shall get the sewing machine out and see what I can do!

Mastocytosis/Kids from Fame!!

My son has a condition called ‘Mastocytosis’ it’s quite rare (actually very rare! So click the link and learn somemore about it!!) he has the Paedeatric version so hopefully should grow out of it by  puberty. His body produces too many mast cells and there are so many things we have to watch out for, too hot, too cold, friction to the skin, different additives and preservatives, chemicals on new clothes to name just a few (these are Jake’s triggers, everyone with masto is effected by different things). When Jake has a reaction his skin flushes and blisters, he has headaches, stomach aches, upset stomach etc and there is a chance that if too much histamine is released he could go into anaphylactic shock so he takes a lot of watching!

Anyway to keep him cool in bed he sleeps in just a bodysuit, however when he gets up and is having his breakfast his legs often get cold and blister, therefore after looking round other blogs I came up with the solution! Home made leg warmers – great for wearing until I get him dressed – body stays cool legs stay warm!

 

Here’s the link to the tutorial http://everythingyourmamamade.com/2008/01/21/make-your-own-baby-leg-warmers/ I love this blog there is some great stuff on there!

Yummy Picnic Snack

Today we are going to ‘Enginuity‘ in Ironbridge – just something to keep the kids entertained for the afternoon as its been raining for days and they need to get out!

I’ve made some nice granola/flapjack style slices to take as part of a picnic to give them something sweer and some energy but without any E numbers!!

 

Here’s the Recipe, they are so quick to make I did then whilst making breakfast!

Ingredients:

• 200g Porridge Oats
• 150g Dried fruit (e.g sultanas, dried apricots, dried cranberries, cherries etc)
• 50g Dessicated Coconut
• 25g Chopped nuts (nice with Brazil nuts – but I’ve missed out as Jake has lots of allergies and i’m not sure on nuts yet!)
• 2 tbsp Golden Syrup
• 75g Butter
• 75g Demerara Sugar

1. Line a shallow square tin or dish with baking paper and preheat the oven (180 degrees C / Gass mark 4)
2. Mix together in a large mixing bowl the oats, fruit, coconut and nuts.
3. Heat the golden syrup, butter and sugar over a gentle heat until all melted together
4. Stir the butter mixture into the dried mixture until mixed together thoroughly
5. Tip mixture onto baking tray and press down evenly
6. Bake in the oven for approx 30 mins until golden.
7. Wait until thouroughly cooled to cut

Enjoy!

Relearning an old craft!

When I was at school I used to make lots and lots of Friendship bracelets with my best friend, then in the school holidays we’d sell them at car boot sales etc with other stuff we had made like hair scrunchies and jewelery and we actually made quite a bit of money – when i say quite a bit – I mean an okish amount to keep us in magazines, cds and nail polish throughout the holidays!

Well I decided to have a go at it again today. I was awake REALLY early and couldn’t get back to sleep and there was some wool by my bed and not a lot else to do! I’m semi-addicted now and need to make quite a few I think to get it out of my system! I have discovered I am just not as patient as I used to be! I seem to remember I used to do all different patterns – but i’m affraid I can not remember how!

The mystery of the disappearing book

I’ve lost a book! I’ve obviously left it somewhere as it is definitely not in the house. I’d nearly finished it as well. It was really interesting ‘Extreme Motherhood -The Triplet Diaries’ by Jackie Clune. Has any one spotted it lurking somewhere?

 I shall have to keep an eye out for another copy, did I mention my awkwardness when it comes to book buying? I never buy books new – I rescue old ones (they need to be recycled they areso expensive new)! For some reason our local charity shop gets millions of books in and sells them off to ‘get rid off them’ as they have too many. Although they were looking a mess all over the house so have restricted myself to Hardbacks as they look nicer and withstand being re-read a few times and I can’t stand getting rid of them! I am currently waiting for Mr Annaboo to put some shelves up in the lounge so I can get them high up out of the way of my toddler who fancies himself as a bit of a ‘mini picasso’ and tries to draw in them constantly!

Anyway back to the book, its brilliant – the woman deserves a medal giving birth to 4 kids in the space of 19 months – and i’m worrying about 2?????  So…. I shall post a proper review when I find another copy and finish the last chapter.

What an exciting day!

Well, what a nice day so far! First off we went Baby shopping and finally gave in and bought our new pushchair. We’ve been very hesitant for the last 6 months looking at this pushchair and not wanting to get it as it is so expensive, but we need a smallish double and really wanted on which will go back to a single buggy when Jake stops using it.

We’ve had the Blue Camo Phil & Ted E3 Sport, we’ve got to wait 10days for it to come in so hopefully the baby will stay put until then! We finally made the decision and got it for two reasons 1) there are only 4 weeks left! 2) there was £150 off the price!

He’s a picture:

Also when I got home the postman had been and bought me these

There is a ‘Wishlist’ packet from rosie posie with some really cute address labels! I’ve wanted some for ages! Anothe ‘wishlist’ packet this time from Toni with the cutest pink decorated matchbox filled with really cute pink and yellow buttons – I love buttons! Also a really nice postcard for the ’share your world’ swap from Sue a.k.a Reddirt Royal of Pilbara, Austrailia and it looks so nice there! I would love to go to Austrailia. Maybe one day!

Share your World Postcard (Swap)

This swap is called ‘Share your world’ basically everyone has 5 people to send a postcard to, each card must be from the town (or nearest town) you live in and have some interesting facts about where you live on it.

Here is my ‘interesting information’ on Wolverhampton:

Wolverhampton is a city in the centre of England, it has a population of 236,600. Wolverhampton is famous for  musical acts such as Slade, Cornershop, Babylon Zoo, Goldie and Jamelia. Also Sports Stars Billy Wright, Steve Bull, Tessa Sanderson & Denise Lewis. Historically, Wolverhampton is the location of England’s first automatic traffic lights in Princes Square, Wolverhampton in 1927.

Hopefully my swap partners in Brazil, Malaysia & USA will find it interesting! (Wow I hope I get some back from such varied far afield places!) they should have received them by now – I left this a while until I blogged in case they saw this first and it ruined the swap for them!

Super Mail day!

Today was the perfect mail day, two brilliant packages, one swap letter and no bills!

First off I received my package for the One envelope scavenger hunt. Thanks Laura for an absolutely brilliant package it was lots of fun to open ad go through – you had some really good Ideas!

This is what was included

• Something to stick – Some really cute Snow White Stickers
• Something from your Country – A nice postcard
• Something Blue or purple – 2 blue balloons
• Something yellow, green or orange – A notecard
• Something tasty – A Strawberry and a peach tea bag
• Something made of paper – Some envelopes
• Something Fun – A Fortune Fish
• Something Pretty – A choker
• Something Handmade – A handmade bookmark
• Something you collect – ‘The Lord of the rings’ Pickers

Here’s a picture

 

Also was a surprise ‘wishlist’ package from Kerre with some fabric squares for my patchwork – I have some ideas for them all ready and can’t wait to start sewing! It also reminded me that I have a wishlist package sat on the table and haven’t posted it yet!!!

 Also, I got my letter for the ‘100 fear swap’ from Newt, Thanks its good to know I’m not the only one who easily found 100 fears!!