News, news, news!!
We have finally found a buyer for our house and accepted an offer on Monday of last week. Since then we have made one trip to the area of Oswestry to look at a couple of properties which unfortunately came to nothing.However, we have made appointments to see two more in Lampeter on Friday and we are very excited, especially about one of them!!
After the trip to Oswestry we have done a bit of thinking and come to some conclusions which have helped us make further decisions about the move.
Hubs and I were thinking we were looking for our forever home for ourselves and the boys but we realise now we need to be finding a family home for us and the boys and the idea of our full-on smallholding is not right for us just now. We don't mean the next place won't be an adventure because it will, but it will be a different adventure where we can all find new things to do as a family, me and hubs as a couple and the boys on their own or stuff to do together as well.
On the back of this I wanted to tell you about a book I am waiting to be delivered and it is called Stuffocation - Living More With Less. I heard about this book on the Chris Evans BBC2 breakfast show and then he interviewed the author. The main thrust of the idea is not to live your life through material possessions and stuff, but to live experientially so you fill your life with memories instead of stuff. We should be choosing not to invest our money in a new watch or a huge televison set but in memories of shared experieinces and time spent with family and friends.
I am a strong advocate of the 1970's childrens' programme - Why Don't You, switch off your TV and go do something less boring instead?! So many children don't know how to play - they have no imagination, needing it to be put on a plate screen in front of them. Fortunately my two can still have a certain amount of fun with an empty cardboard box and like to dress up amongst other things. This way of thinking has always been a big part of us moving and will continue to be so in whatever way that time is spent.
Therefore this is how I hope our new adventure will take shape when we settle into our new home, sooner rather than later if our buyer has anything to do with it!
I think that constritutes a good old ramble.
Will keep you updated on the move.xxx
Well, I don't promise this blog post will be too exciting but I just thought I would muse a little.
I have made a pot of coffee, my two little men have had lunch and are awaiting a playdate pal so now playing wth their Lego and hubs is putting together the cross trainer we have had delivered today!
I have reached my first major goal at my weight loss group and I am now one stone lighter than I was at the beginning of the year. Yay! Two more to go by the time we reach the summer hols, although it would be lovely to get to my wedding weight, the two extra stones off, by June 30 but not sure I can manage that. Soooo wish I had taken a picture when I started but I was not too keen on getting myself on camera. I have one snapped now to show when I lose the next stone!I have found one head shot from January too and you can see the difference there to now.
I have hit a slight plateau with my crafting. I think I mentioned at the beginning of the year that I cleared out a lot of my paper crafting things. I am not regretting it at all as I did keep some of the nicest stock which would be good for lots of projects, and have not gone out and replaced it all! However, I am having trouble focussing on a project or just something to work towards. However, I have taken out and received the first issue of my new subscription to Sew magazine. I really hope I can be inspired to get my bum in gear and make an effort to crete some items of clothing instead of bags and accessories, which I love, though. I am waiting for the free gift I get with the subs and that is a book by May Martin from The Great British Sewing Bee. I have read the reviews and it should be good for a still novice sewing fan like me!
Well, that is it for me as I have a little bit of ironing to do before our visitors come and to ready the triple chocolate cake I have bakedt o go with a brew!
I would really LOVE to hear how you are inspired when trying to start a new crafting project so do get in touch. xxx
According to the meteorological calendar yesterday was the first day of Spring! I had it on my calendar as March 20, but that apparently is according to the astronomical calendar!
Very pleased about that I must say as considering we have had snow today, again, I need to brighten up the house with my Spring decorations.
On a recent trip out I bought some of those strong paper/cardboard letters to spell out SPRING and they are for covering, painting or however you want to decorate them. Will have to get a wiggle on with them now!
Out shopping in an hour or so with the help of hubs' and his 4x4 as I got scared on the way back from the school run when the skidding tyre light came on!
Hoping to catch up with some emails to people today who I used to talk to on Twitter; still keeping in touch with a few. Plus other paperwork including checking when Jake's pet insurance runs out and reading the meters.
Must dash as need to get a couple of jobs done before the shopping.
I would really LOVE for you to tell me about your Spring decorations and o feel free to link to your blogs with pictures of the new season.
Louise.xx
I have just been catching up with last night's programme of The Great British Sewing Bee.
I was Googling about the patterns they use then ended up asking Tilly and the Buttons if she knew which ones they use. (You may remember Tilly was a contestant on the very first series of The Bee.) Whilst doing this I decided to link her blog to mine as she has written a fab post about the up-coming book linked to The Bee.
Here is the link to Tilly's blog about the new book which helps you to sew Fashion With Fabric.
Just a quick post for today but hope you enjoy and find it useful.x
Hi! Just a reminder that if you are new to my blog, or not, you can sign up for it to be sent to your email box or you could always book mark it. I am not on Twitter or Facebook but would love people to keep in touch. Hope you do.xxx
Well, it has taken me a while to get back here but never mind.Hope you are happy to be reading a little about what I've been up to recently?
I purchased some pom pom makers and have begun a project to make a rug for the house we finally move to! I am not counting how many I have made so far, but the boys like emptying the bag to see where I'm up to - I have some way to go yet as you can see.
I have also begun sewing a pair of jimmers for myself. Inspired again by The Great British Sewing Bee of course. The fabric is yellow gingham winceyette kind of and cost me £1.50 from a charity shop - it's actually a cot blanket. I'm doing my best to take the pattern off a pair I already have so wish me luck as I have it cut out and hope to get them sewn some time this week. Photo of the finished item to follow later.
On Monday as part of my home organisation I decided to plan the boys' breakfasts as well as already planning their tea meals. Therefore yesterday morning I got up, had a bath in our bedroom bath which I really should do more often, then came down and made the batter for American style pancakes. I cannot do the crepe type so these work really well for us at breakfast or any time, soooo easy! Today was easy too, porridge and yoghurt tube for Alfie and peanut butter on Tiger bread for Harry also with a yoghurt tube.
I love baking, as you know, and I absolutely love having fresh things baked for breakfast so I am just about to make Lemon muffins to go with fruit salad for tomorrow morning. I've decided to just make half recipes of biscuits, cakes and bakes then I can regularly indulge my passion, things don't go to waste and the boys, and hubs, get a selection of yummy eats and treats!
We recently went to the dentist during half term and Alfie unfortunately has a tiny hole in one of his teeth. I was mortified but then pleased in a wierd way that it is caused by him eating so much fruit. The idea of planning the breakfasts along with other meals is so I can keep a handle on the amount he eats instead of him just diving into the fruit bowl at any time of the day, which seems to be the problem. Here are the job charts for the boys and my expanded meal planning sheet.
The boys went back to school on Monday and so I am getting back into my usual routine, just about. They have been asking for pocket money recently so we now have job charts on the fridge for tasks such as feeding Jake, helping with taking out the recycling, plus the usual like keeping rooms tidy. They are keen to earn some spending money now and for when we go away in the Summer holidays.
Corned beef hash for the boys' tea tonight; quick meal as we are going climbing I think. However last night we went to the first of two Judo sessions this week for extra practise in readiness for their next level belt grading on Sunday so they may pull a sickie and I can't say I would mind!
That's all for now so catch ya later!xxx
Hello!
Okay, January is properly back in full swing. My boys have just started their third week back at school, we are now into after school activities having gone back to both climbing and Judo plus I've attended my first Weight Watchers meetings of the year and have managed to lose 3lbs fo far. I'd like to give you a cooking tip about the fantastic Lasagne I make using a yummy white sauce of Quark - don't knock it 'till you've tried it - and fat freee fromage frais. Check out the result of my efforts!
This is such a versatile sauce as can be used for lots of things including said Lasagne plus Mousakka and fish pie.
My post Christmas home organisation/de-cluttering of various places and rooms and so far I am happy with what I have achieved. I have sorted, tidied and cleaned out under the kitchen sink, the baking tin/jar cupboard, the place I keep miscellaneous things like plastic and lunch boxes, flasks and spare ice cube trays, the shelves down to the cellar (cellar itself is a blue job for Jon!), crafting supplies and both the boys' rooms! Phew! January is such a cleansing month and one to seriously for looking forward and planning ahead.
On January 14 I cancelled my Twitter account and I'm more than happy about that. I really am done with too much technology; I am tired of contstantly looking down! I know this means I will be out of the loop with some things but if I was that bothered I wouldn'thave cancelled it.Some friends think we are crazy, saying we live in a soial media world, but our point is that you don't have to! The same day I was baking some blueberry and chocolate muffins. These are great for snacks and even for breakfast as there is only a little chocolate in them!
We have been to the theatre to see Spamalot and we had a fantastic meal at a fantastic Tapas bar in Manchester and I also had a nice girly lunch out which was lovely.
I am now caught up with my Post Circle and just yesterday have bought an ink pen, something I've been meaning to do for ages, to make my letters look a little more special!
I think I am all caught up now and look forward to seeing what the next few weeks bring us!
I look forward to any comments or contributions you might have to my ramblings!
Catch you later.xxx
