Rain Rain Go Away!

With the end of the summer holidays nearing the end there is a definite chill to the air.  I would prefer not to have been woken up this early but when I got up at 6.30 this morning it was only 12 degrees outside.

There are lots of positives about being a teacher but I am starting to come to the conclusion that the holidays are too long as I have almost managed to convince myself that I no longer work.  However unfortunately this is not the case and it is now dawning on me that on Tuesday I will have to walk back through the school gates!

The weather has been pretty shocking over the last couple of days.  One minute it is raining cats and dogs and freezing and the next its brilliant sunshine and you are sweltering under your fleece.

This is exactly what happened on Thursday when I took Mimi to Dover.  We went to see if there were any baby joules clothes on sale at De Bradelei Wharf.  Mike had gone the day before and said that there were loads.  However I am not sure what he was looking at because we couldn't find much.  It was all for children about 3 years older than Mimi.

By the time we came out of De Bradelei Wharf it was seriously warm and the sun was shining.  So we decided to go for a walk along the promenade.  Mimi insisted on pushing Mr Doggy in the buggy.  She was really cute, we had to stop every few mins to check that he was ok.

If you look carefully in the photos you can just about see Dover Castle on top of the hill.

It was so bright I could hardly see anything.  When we set off from home it was dull so I hadn't bothered with my sunglasses.

Mimi made a horrible mess with her ice cream and we were chased by a swarm of wasps that were in her hair and sitting on her hands.  A swarm might be a slight exaggeration but there were at least 5 or more.  In the end I had to literally throw her in the buggy and run with her to get away from them.

Then Friday evening my mum came to babysit for Mimi and we went down to see some friends for the most amazing supper.  Slow roasted belly pork.  It was seriously delicious.  When people talk about Belly Pork it always brings back horrid memories of the pork my mum use to do.  But this has made me a convert and I am off to try a belly pork recipe I found in this months Women & Home Feel Good Food.

On Friday I came across pininterest.  I have heard people talking about it on other blogs but I finally got the gist of it on Friday and I have to say I have become quite addicted with it ever since.  I have come across some great people, new blogs and great ideas for both, home and school.   One of the best ideas I have come across in ages is this organisation system.  So simple yet so effective.  I am definitely going to be using this from now on.

Check it out on Jen & Jakes Blog.

After a lovely evening and not too much alcohol we set off early for a trip to Canterbury as I had my hair cut at 8.30am.  I go to this really cute hairdressers called the Chair.  As I have really curly hair in the past I have really struggled to find someone who can cut my hair well and this is the first place I have been where they know how to deal with it.  Then I had my eyes tested at Vision Express (they had sent me a free voucher plus £50 off).  I have really noticed that when I am tiered I struggle with my vision and have to squint lots.  I find it difficult to read in bed and after a while on the computer I notice it.  Anyway the upshot is that my eyes are ok, but they are just on the edge.  So  I decided that I would get a pair.  However they first pointed me towards these great glasses but at £395 a pair not including the lenses, I thought that they were having a laugh.  Eventually I did find a pair that were considerably cheaper and with my free eye test voucher and £50 off they seemed much more reasonable.

Final choice.  Very similar to the Tiffany ones but at a third of the price!

After a few other errands we were home by 11.30 which in Mikes book is a good shopping trip!  Mike was supposed to go on a sailing expedition with the sailing club but just as he left to go to the club a huge thunderstorm came through with squalling winds.  Hence he didn't go and was then under my feet for the afternoon.  Had I known I would have gone to Canterbury on my own.

In the afternoon I made a jacket for my note book.  I have been struggling to find a good note book for the start of the new year.  

Then last night in an effort to be more economical and waste less (we had some left over Gammon in the fridge) I made a Ham, Peas and Cream Pasta for dinner.  It was a slight adaptation on the recipe I found in The Geometry of Pasta book.

Now on a very different note I have just been to the toilet to find a "WHOLE" toilet roll stuck down there!  I wonder who did that?

I wish this weather would decide what it's up to.  In between all these showers we have eventually managed to get outside to finish potting our planters.  Mimi even managed to persuade me to get the paddling pool out.  When the sun comes out it has been surprisingly warm.

Mimi helping with the planting

Not sure who's taking a photo of who

I think we have finally cracked the potty training.  We have had no accidents for the last few days and she has even started to wake me up in the night so that she can go for a wee wee.

I did find it really hard going but I am pleased that I stuck with it.  Once she realised that she had to use the potty it only took us a couple of days.  However we still have an issue with public toilets so we have to take our portable potty with us.

Today Mimi's little friend came round for lunch.  They were so cute sitting together at the table.  They kept copying one another.

Mimi taking "MR Doggy" for a walk

Where has the summer gone?

Yesterday we woke up to shining sun and a beautiful clear blue sky.  Having checked the weather forecast I decided that Monday was the day to spend in the garden catching up with my weeding and potting the fab terracotta planters Mike managed to pick up on ebay.  A steal at £10 for the three.

Unfortunately things didn't go to plan.  We set off early to Tesco & B&Q to pick up a few bits a bag of compost and some plants.  When we went into Tesco the sun was still shining by the time we came out 20mins later the sun had all but disappeared.  By the time we got home it was raining.  Our plants are still sitting on the table outside well watered and waiting to be planted.

So instead of spending time in the garden Mimi helped me with some baking.  We made a great Coffee & Walnut Cake using the Nigel Slater recipe I found on the internet.

We haven't faired much better with the weather today either.  We had originally planned to go into London with Mike.  Mike had a meeting and we were going to meet him afterwards.  I really want to take Mimi on a train as she hasn't been on one before.  I also want to go and see the Miro exhibition at the Tate Modern before it finishes in September.  The Miro exhibition is the first one in the UK for 50 years. 

                                       

Needless to say having looked at the torrential rain that was forecast and the fact that I would have a toddler and a buggy in London I decided we would try and go another day and instead we went to Bluewater with Kate.  We didn't buy very much and the journey was pretty horrid with all of the spray on the road.  I did however managed to get some concealer and an eye liner from Space NK.  I really like Space NK but our nearest store outside of London is Bluewater.  I know you can order online, but unless you know exactly what you want it is difficult to see the correct colours on a computer.

1. Terry Touch-Expert Advanced Multi-Corrective Concealer Brush
2. Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner 

Mimi had fun jumping around in Hobbs.  I am not sure that I will be taking her to Bluewater again any-time soon. 

We had a lovely lunch at Leon.

We had the Chicken Curry, Falafel Lunch Box and Hummus and Flat Bread.  I was introduced by one of my really good friends from work and it quickly became one of my favourite places to eat.  They have also produced the most amazing cookbook.  Not only does it have some great in-store recipes but it is beautifully designed.

Finally we have Mimi modelling her new "Cat" PJ's from John Lewis.

Now for something I meant to show you the other day but totally forgot.  Check out these wild Poppies I found on the beach at the weekend.

   

Happy Days

This weekend we have

• Tidied the house and then trashed it again
• Had a BBQ
• Played in the paddling pool
• Drunk far too much alcohol
• Been eaten out of house and home
• Not ventured far from the house 
• had our first biting experience (Mimi was the one who got bitten!)
• And witnessed a true toddler melt down 

Aside from the above we have had a great weekend old friends, great company and great weather.

My old uni friend came down from London for the weekend with her little girl and her partner.  It was really good to catch up apart from Mimi being bitten the girls played together beautifully.  I love watching Mimi interacting with other children.  

We made it to the beach on Saturday and we attempted a trip down to the sailing club yesterday to watch Mike go sailing but L had a proper melt down.  (I thought Mimi could throw a good temper tantrum but by these standards Mimi is a pussy cat.)  So we had to turn back, at which point Mimi then kicked off because she didn't want to go home.  Mimi was easily placified with a jelly sweet and Tangled.  I think that L was just really tiered as she was ok once she had woken back up.

Once L woke up we all had the best retro lunch I have had in ages.  Fish-Finger sandwiches, chips,  chicken nuggets and white bread.  Yum Yum.  I used to live off fish-finger sandwiches when I was a child and they still form one of my favourite snacks.  Quite often when I am cooking them for Mimi I will chuck a few extra in for a sandwich.

Retro lunch in the garden

After our friends left I caught Daddy and Mimi taking a break on the sofa together.  They really made me laugh reading their papers together.

My Mum and Dad came up for a quick cup of tea and to collect their plant.  Mimi was most upset and kept asking why Grandma was taking Mummy's flowers.  Whilst they were here this really strange lady walked up the field stopped right outside our lounge window, clambered into the undergrowth and dug something up.  She them put what ever it was into a bag and then walked off with it.  Honestly!  We even went out in the garden to see what she was up to and she didn't even bat an eyelid.

Now why is it children wait until you have just dropped off to sleep when they decide that they are going to wake up?  Ever since we went camping back at the start of July Mimi's sleeping pattern has been knocked out.  Daddy made the fatal mistake of giving her some Milk and this appears to have set a really unhealthy precedent.  Also the Snail and Slug nightmares continue.  We have decided that there will be no more milk after bedtime from now on.

       

Mummy & Mimi Day

Check out my lovely new Liberty Print sketchbook my husband brought me today.

With Mike in London today we just had a Mummy & Mimi day.  I demonstrated my double standards and put Mimi in front of the TV on whilst I was in the shower.  If you are a regular reader of my blog you may remember that we had banned TV in the week as Mimi was developing square eyes.  I have however come down off my pedestal slightly.  When I am in the shower the little monkey has a tendency to run off; (we live in a bungalow).  By putting her on our bed in front of the TV I can see her from the shower.  Whilst writing this I am going to remind Mike about putting the baby gate up on our bedroom door.

With the weather being so good I decided we would go for a walk.  We quickly popped into town and then round to see Pa & J via the great flower lady where we brought some stunning flowers which Mimi insisted carrying and some beetroot.

We then walked home via the sheep in the field at the bottom of the road.

We have managed our first day of potty training without an accident.  Wow!!!!!  I think we may have finally got it!  Yippeeeeee.  I am so pleased we brought the potette fold away potty.


                                                         


I originally thought it was a bit expensive at £15.00 the bags are even more expensive.  However if you have a child who has a serious phobia of public toilets (she has always had it ever since she was little, I think its something to do with the lighting and the hand dryers) it is great.  The bags have little frogs in the bottom and an absorbent pad.  Mimi will now happily use it out and about so I think we are well on our way.

Whilst Mimi was asleep this afternoon I managed to complete the first (of many) panel for Mimi's new quilt.

Just before tea I said that Mimi could play with the play-doh.  I could hear her chatting away to herself.  When I looked to see what she was up to under the table she had a massive mouth of play-doh.  This is not unusual.  She loves licking it and eating it to the point where I think she isn't going to be allowed to play with it.  When I was a child play-doh was always really tough and cold, the new stuff is really squidgy and when wet becomes really sticky.  Does anyone else have the same problem? I know that its not a major issue as it is fairly edible, but even so.

Tomorrow we have my friend from Uni coming to stay with her little girl who is seriously cute.  However she has a serious allergy to all dairy products and eggs.  Has anyone got any good recipes I could make for the girls?

Not enough time in the day!

We are nearing the end of the summer holidays and I have been busy trying to cram in as many things as possible as I know that once I go back to work I just wont find the time.

So to save on having to upload endless photos I have decided to upload a mood board of some of the "little" projects I have started this week and some of the things that have inspired me.

My new book Material Obsession has arrived and I have decided which quilt I am going to set as part of my winter project. I am very excited about making it and I am determined to finish it.  I often start projects and loose interest in them and they sit untouched sometimes for years.  We have been out and brought the material and last night I finally managed to find some spare time to start cutting out some of the pieces.

Mike has very kindly taken Mimi out for a couple of hours so that I can get some things done.  The constant whining is really starting to get through to me and I am very grateful for the peace and quiet.

My desk and a cup of tea - ahh the peace!

I should really be sorting out my folders ready to go back to work, but instead I find myself sitting here updating my blog and avoiding my school work.

Since my last post we have been fairly busy.
We finished our stone project and I am quite pleased with the outcome.  Mimi did however manage to cover herself in permanent pens including a pair of her trousers!

We have been to see D&H again for more HTC CPD, and Mimi seems to have grasped the whole potty thing.  Yipppeeee.

Everyone down at my Mum & Dads has finally got over their stomach bug so we have eventually managed to catch up with my Dad.  Mimi loves her Pa and they spent a lovely afternoon messing about.  Its really great to see them playing together.  I am sure that my Dad was never like that with us.

Messing around with Pa

Oh no who is this with uncle J?

We spent some time in the garden enjoying an ice cream in the sun.  I don't know where the sun has gone this morning as it was distincly chilly when I went out earlier to hang the washing out.  A definite autumnal nip to the air!

And finally my new bracelet arrived from Etsy.  I think I may have to order some more of these for Christmas presents.  Anyone who has not taken a look at Etsy really should.  There are some great original gift ideas.

Only this morning I brought something on there.  I was checking out How about an Orange blog which had this fab article by twirling betty on using making tape to make magnets.  Following the links I have brought some masking tape with grey spots from Pretty Tape.

Happy Days

Wow what a lovely day.  Living so close to the beach we are just so lucky to be able to take full advantage of it.



Sunday

After waving goodbye to A we went to the beach to watch Daddy sailing.

We had a great morning romping all over the beach collecting pebbles and beach treasure.  However in the short space of time we were out Mimi managed to do a wee in the car seat, a wee on me and another wee just as we were about to get into the car (although most of this was caught in the potty!)  

Mimi left the house lovely and clean and in the space of a couple of hours look at the state of her. 

Mike then took Mimi down to the swings & slides on his bike.  

Today

I had already thought about painting some pebbles with Mimi, then last night when I was on the internet I came across a great article on Red Ted Art's Blog.  I had never thought of painting them and then drawing on them with Sharpie pens.  (The kids at school love Sharpie's for some bizarre reason).  So with today's project in mind we set out to collect all of the necessary resources.  First up we went up to Tesco to get the pens; which were half price!  Bargain!

Then having sent Mrs R a text message we went down to the beach again to collect pebbles and have a lovely picnic lunch.  Mrs R has two of the most beautiful girls, who are just great with Mimi.

Some of them were a either a little mad or brave depending on which way you want to look at it and went swimming.  However they weren't in too long as the tide was a bit too strong today.

Then whilst we were eating the chickens started clucking because they had laid some eggs.  The girls took Mimi off to have a look and this is what she came back with.  

A very proud Mimi with her freshly laid egg.

After an extended trip to the beach and a late lunch we finally got round to painting our stones ready for the Sharpie pens tomorrow.