Normal family life - as normal as it can be!

I am so glad to be back after not being around due to Alfie's leg, however the cast is off! 

Friday was the last day for me to be in school with him; the teaching staff have been so wonderful letting me hang around, being very patient with the situation and I have really enjoyed being part of the school day, helping out where I can.

He is getting around much better and was even on his trike on Saturday afternoon!

So today he is in school for his first full day!!

I am now working on getting back to my usual routine; this means looking after the house, more cooking from scratch than I have been doing of late but also, on a selfish note, having some time to myself. Hence, getting the blog back on track; a bit wordy but then I can tell you where I am at!

I am considering volunteering at school in the future, once I have got back to normal. (I know I keep going on about it but it has made things very stressful not being able to be at home to do regular jobs and I have been very tired at times.)

That time to myself does also mean doing a bit in the front garden - I have a gift voucher from my birthday to spend. But I also have a journal to complete and send to the States by the middle of October so need to get on with that ASAP! I hope to have my couple of days to work on my blog and to get into my paper crafting properly again. 
 

Halloween is only round the corner and I want to make a few new decorations. I know it is something more celebrated by the US but the kids really enjoy it and I love any excuse to decorate!

Then December 8 and 9 is the next craft fair and I'm really looking forward to that - more details to follow for your diary! I have to look at what stock I already have and think of a few new ideas to hopefully make some sales. This also means looking at cakes and bakes etc, too. I have almost finished my Christmas Planner which I can't wait to show you so I need to crack on with that as well.

Right, that will do for now and I will see you later in the week.x

 

Getting back to routine - almost! 

Last Saturday I visited the Autumn Fair in Uppermill being run by the wonderful Saddleworth Creative Network ,of which I am a member. I bought this lovely gift for a friend made by the very talented Susan Vickers. 

 

Check out her fantastic altered art and fab Steampunk items here.

 I really missed not taking part in this one but look out for our next event on December 8th and 9th to get all your Christmas goodies - details to follow soon but I will be there on the Sunday!!

Now the boys are in school again and in a bit of a routine (?) I've decided to pitch for journal orders and also for cakes and bakes. I have posted on my Cards, Cakes and Bakes Facebook page, see the link on the right, and on Twitter. I am also planning the contents of hampers to make to order like I did last year (one of my hampers was one of the first photos I posted on my blog) so will give details of that soon, too.

The weather has been a little up and down recently but here are my boys playing together  beautifully and having tea outside last Saturday amongst all the, gladly pegged out, washing like today!

Well, that is all I have time for at the moment, apart from to say my boy Harry was a big six years old on Wednesday. How gorgeous is he?

See you next week, soon will be back on track.xx
 

What a privilege!

Well, I am not really catching my breath as I was just about to put! I have Fallen Apple Chutney on the cooker. Plan on putting a few jars away to put in Christmas Hampers and some in our cupboard, too, of course! That is bubbling away whilst I do this post, and publish it instead of leaving it to add to later - there's my rambling!! 

The boys returned to school on Tuesday for the Autumn Term 2012. 
How gorgeous do they look?

It is all very exciting with Harry getting to do a lot more in Year One. His book bag came home on Tuesday with instructions and explanations of what he will be expected to do in the coming months. We have a meeting with his teacher next week which we are looking forward to. I am not a pushy mother but I do actively encourage Harry in his learning, as I will with Alfie, so we have set his desk up in his bedroom and made it a good place for study and learning. I could have done better at school myself so I enjoy giving him help and encouragement.

Alfie is coping very well with his leg in class and says a lot that he likes Reception, with a big smile on his face! It is just me that is bushwhacked with having to remain in his transition sessions each day! 

However, I have to say that it is such a privilege to be able to see how the children are developing right from the start. I feel so honoured that I have that early insight to other people's children, as well as my own. I am trying to tell parents when the children do something that was a real wow moment, if I see something I am sure they would love to hear. And it was lovely to hear that one of the little girls had said to her mum "I like Alfie Houghton's mum". Bless!!!

Talking of Christmas, I did mention it earlier, I am mow advertising Christmas Journals. These are based on the other journals I have done, A5 size, sprial-bound with blank pages as these can be used for planners or planners which also include memories, keepsakes, however you like to use them and remember Christmas. 

These are images of a mock up front cover of one. As with all my journals they are one offs so no two will be the same, but you can guarantee they will all be interesting and hopefully beautiful to look at.   

Well I do not want the chutney to spoil so will leave this as it is and catch up with you again soon.xx

Busy, busy, busy. 

We made our trip to the school outfitters on Tuesday and are all set for the big day now.

Alfie had his x-ray on Wednesday and he is still not allowed to put weight on it. However, plans have been made for me to stay during his transition sessions and we will review it after that. Not how I envisaged the start of big boys school but never mind.

Thursday morning I made lemon curd for the Delph Show this coming Saturday; on Friday baked a cake for the same.  

Friday evening I had a really lovely night out with some of the mums from school and extended friends of others.

I planted out my Christmas harvest potato tubers, complete with homegrown compost, on Friday afternoon.

If you fancy doing the same you need to get them in by the end of the first week of September. Here is a link that will help you achieve home grown potatoes for the Christmas table!

How to have home-grown potatoes for Christmas.

Also purchased some bulbs, amongst them were Tulip Arabian Mystery

 

and these beautiful Anemones


All can be planted out between now and November and the first should flower from about April.


This morning I made Thyme flavoured soda bread with a poppy seed crust, again for the Delph Show and I went along today and look what happened!

OMG. I was so chuffed, can't explain! It is a great little local show and so happy with myself. 

Here are more lovely pictures from the day.

Well done little man Seb Daw.

Can't manage any more of a post than this today.xx

~Summer hols are nearly over!~

Well, just a week left before the boys are back to school and we are making sure the scrap books we started at the beginning of the Olympics are up to date. 

Negotiations are ongoing regarding Alfie being at school - should be no problem with the wheelchair they say. (However we really hope he will be allowed to put weight on it after the Wednesday x-ray.)

Requests have been made to promote Daisy Nook Farmers Market. Go along and support this new initiative if you can.


Saturday morning we took a trip for an over night stay at Nana's, near Chester.

We had a look round the shops, with Alfie in the wheelchair which was really useful, including a wonderful vintage shop, Becniks Wonder Emporium. (I have even more respect now for those who have to look after wheelchair-bound people on a regular basis.) Then hubby went to play golf whilst me and the boys went to Nana's for a sandwich lunch. 

On Sunday morning we went out for coffee and then to Greenacres Animal Park and had a great time petting and feeding some of the small animals.


 After a lovely pub lunch we left Nana's and headed for home; ahh, there IS no place like home! 

That is about it for this post. Busy getting ready for back to school so hope to post better next week and must do some baking!.x

Holiday Cut Short!

Well, we came home from Flamingo Land a little early and with one certain little boy with a spectacular spiral fracture of a broken leg! Yes, Alfie Boo Houghton has finally done what I expected a long time ago - a visit to A and E, and then some!

See here my boy taking it easy on the sofa! We head off to the Fracture Clinic on Wednesday to have a more sturdy plaster put on. what fun starting big boys school in a cast. As somebody said, the teachers will certainly know his name very quickly!

On Thursday we decided to have Movie Night so I made popcorn cartons, we had marshmallows and I made some tickets the boys had to show at the beginning and when they wanted a drink!

We all sat down together and watched Diary of A Wimpy Kid with Harry on his beanbag, Alfie on the sofa and us on the floor.  It was great family fun, if a bit gross here and there!

On Saturday afternoon Harry and I went to the Denshaw Flower Show to support this local event and to see if I had managed to win a prize. Harry spent some time on the park outside and I had a chat with a few people but, no joy, as was not lucky enough to win a prize; plan to try my luck at the Delph Show on September 1st!

Here is a quick reminder of the next fantastic event run by the very wonderful Saddleworth Creative Network.

The first time one of the Network's events has run over two days. Should be a wonderful showcase of local talent. Bring the family for a great day out.

 

I am advertising the sale of Summer Goody Boxes on my Facebook page and these are available to order until September 8th priced at £15 - great if you are planning a picnic treat or family gathering. They will be similar to the hamper I put together for the  School Summer Fair at Delph school; a posted a picture of it on my blog in June.

All for now, just getting though the last couple of weeks of holidays before getting the boys ready for school.x

Lose ends before our holiday.

Well, I have been quite busy the last couple of days getting ready for the holiday, we leave at 8am tomorrow. But I have had time to do other stuff as well. My chives in the front garden are growing so well that I thought it was such a shame to lose them by just cutting them back. So, I looked on the internet and found a way to dry them in the microwave - witness below the process. Cool huh?

I laid the chives on kitchen paper, covered them over with it and then put them in the microwave on full power for 1 minute. They come out just perfectly dried then I snipped them and put them in a jar!

The boys had a couple of friends round for cake and ice cream on Friday so I made an almond pound cake with cranberries and fresh lemonade, too. Just gorgeous on a hot day! 

Plus I have also been making lemon curd for the Denshaw show next weekend. This is the first time I have entered anything like this. I delivered it plus a papercraft entry to a friend on Friday, to take on my behalf, so wish me luck and I will report back.

Yesterday afternoon I did a bit of weeding and also planted our wedding favours in the garden from the wedding we attended at the end of June. They were our name cards that had flower seeds within the card. I really hope they come up before the end of summer. 

 I think they are just a mixture of cutting flowers.

Well, that is it until after next weekend when I will hopefully telling you about the fun we had in some sun at Scarborough.xx