Fun with Kids & Crafting at Christmas

The build up to Christmas seems to have lasted a very long time this year, and it's been wonderful.  4 years old seems to be the perfect age for anticipation, excitement and a deeper level of understanding than at 3.

One of the things we did this year was a Christmas party for the kids friends.  We had nine kids between 4 & 0, and had lots of fun with nativity stickers, decorating Christmas star biscuits, pin the tail on the camel and a nativity story with decorated toilet rolls ;-) followed by lunch.



 









 We're off to the Cathedral shortly for their crib service, and then having friends round to watch Mary Poppins before bedtime.

We've also had lots of fun making things, from recycling an old desk, to making reindeer hot chocolate with winter challenges attached, knitted bracelets, glittery fudge, knitted mini stockings and beetroot chocolate brownies.

And we've even recycled the Christmas cake decorations from my childhood, on our homemade cake this year.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2013!

Cow Day 5

For those that made it to Cow Day 5 today, here are the answers to the quiz:

How many stomachs has a cow got?
4

How long does the average cow spend eating each day?
6 hours

Old cows in India sometimes have their own nursing homes.
True

How soon can a newborn calf walk on it's own?
1 hour

How many days does it take for milk to get from a cow to the shop?
2 days

A cow can produce 10,500 pints of milk a year.  How many cows could the houses from here (44 Duncan Road) to Albert Road need?
2 cows (1 cow can supply about 22 families)

So what is Cow Day?

Five years ago a friend was trying to build a more wholesome less-consumerist component into the kids festive frenzy, and Cow Day was born.  So for one day each December they have an open house and try and raise enough money to buy some animals for families in the two-thirds 'majority' world who need it.  People bring cakes to sell in the cafe, Waitrose provides veg for a great soup lunch, people bring games, come in fancy dress, get involved in a promises raffle and much more.

Last year's 'Cow Day 4' involved 23 households/65 people and raised an impressive £375 that equated to 15 goats for families who needed them (all the cows were sold out!), purchased from the Oxfam present catalogue.

Countdown to 2013 and a new rhythm

So this post has been a long time in development, but at last I've gotten around to putting something down about my plans for 2013.

This year has been fascinating in many ways, and back in July I felt really challenged to make some monumental changes to my work pattern.  Throughout the year I've been trying to put more trust in God and rely less on money and other things, and I'm not that surprised that I've been led to the point of giving up a regular salary, but that didn't mean the decision came that easily.

In 2008 we spent a lot of time questioning where we should live, and very clearly we came to the decision of Southsea (sorry Highlands & Bristol ;-), and that started us on a year and a half journey to the house that we now own and live in.  I really felt that we ended up in this house for a reason, and ever since we moved to the area I've felt challenged to explore building more community, having lots of ideas, but little time to get on and try them.  I've lived in much more deprived areas, and somehow community seems easier to come by, but the more well off areas need it just as much.  We were born to be in community, and careers and mortgages often don't help us find time to connect with those around us.

Anyhow, back in July I decided that I needed to make more time available in my life to do some of the ideas that I'd been thinking of, and the only thing that was movable was the job.  The reality is that I still need to earn money, and to free up time to do some of the things, I still need some child-free time.  But we took the leap of faith that somehow God would help on that front, and I decided to hand in my notice. About 2 weeks after deciding that, I got offered a very flexible job with a charity that I already do some work for, and as ever, God pulled it out of the bag!

So the 3rd December is my final day working for the Council, and I'll then be embarking on a range of things in 2013 in the Wimbledon Park Patch area.  I think we need to become more connected as locational communities and there is already lots of connecting going on, but still plenty more possible!  I'm going to start with little things, but at least start, rather than just dream.

Things I'm going to explore are:

• connecting into the old people's home on our street (a hidden community with so much richness...how do we link them more into our community, what can we offer them, and what can they offer us?)
• connect with new uni students when they arrive in Sept (have seen an idea where you put on a free curry for them, and introduce them to neighbours)
• develop the herb network idea further (am planning on turning our whole front yard into a herb garden (not just the gate posts) so anyone can pop by and take a picking for their cooking, and hoping to get others involved...we have one neighbour who grows amazing coriander each summer!)
• spend some time just walking around our streets more, chatting with people, connecting, seeing where doors open
• invite our elderly neighbours in for a cuppa
• organise a 'Big Lunch' event in the park this summer.

So nothing ground breaking or earth shattering, but a first step.  Encouragingly I've been talking with several local people over the past few months about it, and there is a genuine interest amongst everyone to get involved and do more.

I believe we were made to live in community with God and each other, and that we need to be more creative in how we rely on God and each other, rather than just looking to money or the public sector to keep things going.  This time of austerity is a time of opportunity, and people seem really open to ideas of doing things a bit differently.  I feel that God is somehow involved in the timing of this, and we'll have to see what happens next.  
Life is never dull with God!!

If only my friend played a drum!

A friend turned 40 last week, and as she was having a joint party with her 6 year old on Saturday, I offered to make her birthday cake.  It's no fun making your own cake...especially when you have someone elses to make as well!

Then the news came, that she was thinking of doing a 'Cello' birthday cake, as that's the main instrument that she plays (and is very good at it!).  It turned into more of an engineeering challenge, than a baking one, and inspired by the Great British Bake Off, I decided to attempt a 'Show Stopper'.

Below is a brief plan of how I went about it, just in case any mad fool is out there, googling 'How to Make a Cello Birthday Cake'!

Just in case it didn't look great, I figured it should taste great, so I used Delia's 'Chocolate Beer Cake' recipe.  I designed it round two different size circle tins, and one rectangular one.

So the first evening was logistically making a design, template, working out quantities of ingredients, and making a base big enough to hold the completed cake.  (A kitchen shelf, some florist plastic wrap and an old LP (happening to feature a cello solo of course ;-)

The second evening was the bake, only challenge here was a bowl big enough to make a triple batch of mixture and working out how to split it across the tins, to give an even height over it all.  (Thanks Alice for the lend of the Kitchen Mixer!)

The third evening was construction and decorate.  I used raspberry jam in the sandwich, and coated the whole thing with the cake recipe's covering.  However, I made one batch with plain choc, and two with milk, to have a variance of colours.  (Note to self, needed an extra batch of milk version, as a bit tight on quantity.)

The bridge was a marshmallow sweet, the knobs on the end, were also bits of marshmallow dipped in chocolate and on cocktail sticks.  And the strings were initially caramel laces from IKEA, but over night they snapped in multiple places, so I then had to improvise the next morning and cook some spaghetti and use that (this also strunk a bit during the day as it dried out, so needs some more thought...if I'm ever mad enough to do something like this again).

Thankfully it tasted good, and got great feedback on the day.

After all that, the homemade gift that I gave her seems rather simple, but I had fun making the label with my Grandma's old typewriter (planning to use that again, although a bit of a sticky 'S').

A keepsake jar,

to put art exhibtion/show tickets in

(fun to reflect on)

Old & New working in harmony

"How much?!? I could make that!"

I started a folder a few months back, which contains clippings from catalogues and magazines, of items that I believe I could make relatively easily, and that would cost a lot less (if you discount woman-hours of course). 

And at last I've gotten around to making my first item from the clippings.  Little Benjamin was born a few weeks ago, and I've seen so many taggies around, and my eldest always loved the labels on toys (such much so that bunny's has been sucked off entirely), that I decided to make him one.  (I found this site via Pinterest, which gave a brief tutorial on how to do it, which also gave me some extra courage http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2010/11/make-it-taggie-blanket-for-baby/ )

We had a baby's sleeping bag with a lovely horse on it, and the zip was broken, so I started with that; asked round friends for odds and ends of ribbon, and between us we came up with enough bits to get cracking.

There was one false start, when I pinned the ribbons on the wrong way (wouldn't have been very exciting with them all inside and inaccessible), but once that was sorted the whole thing probably only took about an hour to make...not bad for a first attempt.  And so lovely to have Grandma's sewing machine out with a purpose again. 




So with one entirely recycled taggie delivered, I've now just got to find some ideas that I can do for a wedding present, a 40th birthday, not to mention Christmas!  All ideas gratefully recieved ;-)

Fun in the Woods

Can you guess what it is?

  The kids and I had a great couple of days at Grandma's earlier this week.  

And with the sun shining, the local countryside, and a bit of creativity

the kids had an amazing time!

The first afternoon we turned a IKEA storage box into a paddling pool, 

and had fun with water, paint brushes, stacking cups, kitchen funnels and grass

 (a real treat when all we have is a paved back yard at the back of our house).

 

And the second day we did a 3km wood walk to a local farm 

(with a few animals to see, a small play park and a cafe).  

 

6km and a 3 year old aren't normally a great combination, 

but 

we played pooh sticks in a ford

spotted insects

investioated a dead frog

saw tiny piglets

got chased by chickens, and chased chickens (guess which child did which!)

jumped in muddy puddles

took photos of amazing fungi

picked blackberries

and chased each other up slopes.  

A priceless day!

The photo at the top just shows the top of this fungi

End of the Summer Update

What summer?  You might well ask! 

We ended August off well yesterday with a day out with the Smiths.  We rode our bikes to the Hayling Island Ferry, had a boat trip across and then cycled along to the beach near 'Inn on the Beach'.  Had a great time playing in the sea and on the beach and enjoyed a picnic lunch and a BBQ Sausage kids tea, before cycling back to the boat and then on home.   A great local day out!  (So much richness, so near by!)

Just 5 more loads to go!

I've made it through the mammoth pile of washing after Greenbelt (I truely appreciate the washing machine and love it lots!!), washed mud from wellies and the buggy and just about got the house back to normal.  I'm now keeping my eye out for a bigger tent to get on pre-loved websites or through anyone we might know.

I've got a bit further on my running schedule and Andy also took up running this week.  It's a great free exercise, and I'm amazed at the amount of people paying to be shouted at military-style, down on the seafront and common to get fit.  Give me a quiet run any day!

Money

Changing bank accounts is progressing (slightly slowly), and the kids accounts are all set-up.  Our new Co-Op account is complete, and I'm now just waiting for their switching team to work their magic on all our DDs etc.  I'm now also starting the task of setting up our new ISAs, now I've got a new current account to link them too.

I've registered for a water meter, which should be installed in the next 3 months.  I doubt we'll get any savings from it, but I want to have more connection with this precious resource, and have more responsibility over how we use it.  

Giving

I got a letter from World Vision this week, saying that our sponsored child had moved away (not uncommon as families move for work or to be nearer other family members), so now we have to get a new child to sponsor.  I found it really sad news, and it brought back quite a few miscarriage emotions.  Irrelevant of the money that we send, M & I have sent letters and pictures to Grace, we've prayed for her, and we have her picture up in our bedroom and kitchen, and have spent lots of time talking about where she lives and how our lives are different.  It feels like a real loss, and I can't bring myself to take her picture down.  Even if the money can't get it her, our prayers can still.  But it does feel rather like losing a child again, and yet again I realise that I'd be useless as a foster parent and adoption is definitely more for me.

September

I have one more week off with the kids, which will include a visit to Grandma's.  And then it's back to work and nursery routine.  I'm also feeling the need to start planning Christmas gifts as when you make them all, you really do need a big lead time, so that might be quite a focus this autumn.  And I need to spend some time thinking about some changes for 2013 (watch this space), not to mention deciding on a school of M for Sept 2013.  How time flies! 

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/

So I'm back from my first Greenbelt experience with kids!  We made it and both kids had a brilliant time.  M can't understand why Daddy didn't come, as camping is the best!  We're all missing it today, and we definitely found so much richness in having less around us.

There is something so wonderful about camping (even in the mad wind and rain that we had!).  Living outdoors, breakfast on the grass, cooking on a small stove, friends within peg throwing distance, small spaces in the vast outside space!  It's been quite hard coming back.  A hot shower was good, although it did feel quite strange to be that clean (I can see why people in the past weren't convinced it was the way forward), there's quite a comfort in being a little bit dirty.  And my soft bed seemed obscenely comfy, and I really missed being snuggled between my two gorgeous children all night.  I'm also not convinced that our electic kettle boils any faster than our gas stove kettle.  And I can't just open the tent flap and let the kids out....they'd be squashed by a car too quickly!

We also had such great shared experiences during the days there.  An amazing show of 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark' by the Blunderbus Theatre Company; Duggie Dug Dug; Playsongs Plus (I highly recommend their CDs for pre-school kids); Weapons of Sound (including lots of dancing in mad rain!); drumming workshops; circus skills; Shane Claiborne; Ruth Valerio; an amazing Sunday Communion gathering with everyone on site (actually in the sunshine!); The Imagined Village; and finally the mammoth task of packing up, as no cars were allowed on site due to the mud, so everything had to be walked off site!  Great community spirit, smiles, help and hard graft!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-19397826

We caught up with old friends; the Elliots, Clare Helmsley, Steve Howarth and had a great time with our local buddies; Reeves, Jacobs & Matt.

An amazing time of richness, and M didn't want to leave, wanted to go back today, or for her birthday (would be a pretty cold weekend in November!).

Finding richness in less blogging time?

Image from: http://www.genderacrossborders.com/2010/04/26/what-does-blogging-mean-to-you/

So it's almost a month since my last blog post, and ironically there has been more to write about in the past month than in the whole of the past year.  However, it's a watch this space on most of it, all will be revealed before the end of this mad year!

But the last few weeks have definitely been rich.  The sun and the olympics came to Britain, and the summer holidays have meant that regular kids groups all get cancelled, so I've been finding more creative ways to occupy the kids.

A few months back I mentioned the National Trust's '50 things to do before you're 11 and 3/4', and we haven't even started on that list yet, but I've had a great time with the kids:

• at the Men's Modern Pentathlon and going on four trains
• finding beasties in Creech Wood
• swimming in the sea
• painting beach huts (with water)
• meeting farm yard animals
• balloon modelling in the library
• spotting amazing butterflies in the Butterfly house
• bouncing on a bouncy castle 
• seeing how high we can really go on the swings in our local park
• eating more meals outside than inside
• planning this week's Greenbelt adventure!

And with the exception of the Olympics and Greenbelt, they've been free activities and all done with lovely friends.

Our lives are very rich and we are blessed by living in an amazing city...wouldn't want to be anywhere else!

Loaves & Fishes....with a bit of dessert thrown in!

Little is much when God is in it

So in the past 24 hours we have been given 5 mackerel, 16kg of bread flour (and a lovely evening chat with a friend) and a bag of rhubarb...what lovely friends and work collegues we have...we are very blessed.

And it reminded me of the last littlies kids church that we had at our house before the school holidays when we were talking about sharing, and how the little boy shared his lunch (loaves and fishes) and ended up being part of a miracle that fed thousands.  (Today's equivalent would be...no food for anyone at the opening ceremony tomorrow night...don't worry, I've got my cheese sarnies and a pick of ready salted, quick prayer and pass it round, and round, and round....).

The rhubarb was just a nice addition, to remind me that God can't be put in a box, and loves to bless his children.  A great God and great friends...we were made to be together!

Putting my money where my mouth is!

So at last I'm starting to move our money!

How many years have I been thinking about doing it?  How many times have I started to investigate options?  Well, I think this time it's really going to happen.

In other areas of our life I'm really passionate about what happens to our waste, where our food is sourced from, what I spend my time doing, what I let the children be exposed to, so how come it's taken so long to get round to acting on what impact my money is having on others whilst we're not using it!  It's mind boggling really, and I'm sure that most of it is down to a lack of knowledge on what actually happens with our money that's sitting in accounts.  And part of me feels that it's just something in the ether, so it can't really be having an impact on world food prices, the arms trade, gambling businesses taking out loans, the list goes on.

So a few weeks ago I started asking others what they knew about good places to keep our money, and with a little delay due to the madness and sadness of life currently, I've started the journey of switching. 

• We're setting up small saving accounts for the kids, mostly for money that is given to us for them, and at this stage of life they really don't have many needs.  They're going to have Triodos Children's Saving accounts...they may not make the highest rate of interest (although they ain't bad), but at least we are clear who they are lending to, and we agree with the basic principles.
• For the occasions when we have some savings, I'm looking at Triodos ISAs and their saving accounts.
• And for the day-to-day current account, we're moving to the Co-Ops online bank...smile

We've decided on these due their ethical basis, and I've been astounded by the principles that triodos state on their website, here's what they say:

We're 100% ethical.

We only lend our savers' money to people and organisations who are working to make a positive impact - culturally, socially and environmentally. 

We only lend real money.

We only lend money entrusted to us by our savers, and not a penny more. In a climate that's seen so many banks around us thrown into turmoil, our approach has enabled us to remain solid and stable.

We're totally transparent.

We're completely open about how we use our customers' money. And you can see for yourself exactly who we lend to on our website.

And the 'who we lend to' tool...is amazing!  I could look at where we live and see who they've lent to locally, and there are some fascinating businesses that I've discovered.  Check it out!  (I'm not on commission, honest...it's just so refreshing to see something simple, that makes sense, and that fits with some better values.)

So now I've just got to get through the process of moving.  I'll let you know how the journey of switching is...they have teams to help do all the direct debit moves etc apparently...so fingers crosses.

Bubbling ideas on community

So sadly this time last week my Grandpa died.  And the journey through grief is a strange one.  As well as times of deep sadness; the challenges of explaining death to a 3 year old; normal life continuing and a few days away to look after some pigs, sheep and chickens; the past week has also had my mind buzzing with ideas.  I'm not sure I'd necessarily put it down to a 'seize life while you have it' thought, but it does feel like a shift is happening.  Lots of small ideas I've had bubbling for ages, seem to be coming to the front of my mind a lot more, and I'm struggling to hold back and not just get on with things.

So what am I going on about...

I believe that we were made to be in community and living our lives with others is a really rich life experience.  When we lived in North End, and before kids, we used to have foreign students living with us, as well as a lodger, and there were so many things that I loved about living with a wider group of individuals.

I also know that we have ended up in the house in Southsea for a reason.  And I've had a few different experiences throughout my life of living in developping or deprived areas, and in all these places community seemed much more visable/graspable.  Needs were far more obvious and it was simply far easier to get connected with our neighbours.  Where we live now is not a deprived ward (although there are some obvious pockets of 'need' close by); has quite a mix of people; and everyone seems very nice (which of course there is nothing wrong with).  But I feel we could be far more creative, far more linked locally, source more things locally, have more power collectively to influence things, share far more things, care far more for each other...and find far more richness in connecting with our neighbours.

I'm aware of loads of examples of community and neighbourhood development/building in areas of the city/country and world where there are far more evident basic needs...but not aware of it so much in the more affluent areas.  But we're missing out on so much!  So although we know lots of lovely people around us, and share a lot of our lives with many of them, I am really hungering for more.

I've had a variety of ideas germinating over the past months, and I'm feeling the need to stop thinking and start doing, to see if there is life in the ideas.  (And I should note that these aren't all my ideas, but many have come through conversations with others...don't want to take the credit, but happy to take responsibility for the mistakes).

So to give you a flavour:

• how do we connect with those that live in the care home on our street
• how do we connect with the students that arrive in the neighbourhood each year
• how do we connect with people behind our closed front doors...does anyone else want to connect more? (especially in this madly busy world)
• could we do a 'Big Lunch' in the park next year?
• how can we use some of the websites available to connect people and their skills and possessions in the neighbouring streets?
• how do we get a better picture of the 'Wimbledon Park Patch'?
• is there any mileage in buying in a co-operative format for organic staple goods?
• how do we help build up our local shops (do we really want them to die off and just have mass chains...aren't we proud of our local independents)....worth looking at 'Independents' Day in Portsmouth next year?
• are there better places to bank with?  Local credit unions/building societies?
• as Government decreases, how can we empower ourselves to solve some local problems and not always expect someone else to sort it out?
• would some kind of flexible cafe work in the park to attract more people to hang-out and connect (cross-generationally)
• what can we do locally to recycle and compost more?

 Wow...that's quite terrifying when I read that back!

(Tonight I've set up a Facebook group 'Wimbledon Park Patch' and am going to try and connect as many people in the area into that as possible to start with and test some ideas...let me know if you want to join). 

I've been really encouraged by the July readings in 'Common Prayer - a liturgy for ordinary radicals'....here's just a bit from the month's introduction:

So much of our culture is built around moving away from people rather than closer to them.  In many of the wealthiest coutnries in the world, we have lost the sense of a village.  And we have some of the highest rates of home ownership and some of the highest rates of depression.  We are some of the wealthiest and loneliest societies the world has ever seen.  We live in a mobile culture in which people are used to moving every few years, and in which many folks will uproot without question to move for a higher-paying job.

Commitment to a people and a place is one of the countercultural values at the heart of the gospel.  It means recapturing the notion of the parish, a word which shares a root with parochial, meaning 'localised and particular'.  Many folks today are learning from village cultures, where people often have fewer resources but more life and joy.

Movements of new urbanism are helping to cultivate spaces for shared lives.  People in one cul-de-sac began to rethink suburban sprawl and started sharing stuff.  They decided each home didn't need a washer and dryer and a lawn mower.  So one family agreed to have the laundry machines, and another had all the lawn equipment, and so on.  Before long, they were homeschooling their kids together and providing hospitality to the homeless with all the energy and resources that were freed up by sharing. When people make choices like these, life starts to look like a village, and a village is a beautiful thing.

So I not sure if I'll end up just being known as some mad local woman, but I think the ideas have been bubbling for too long now, and not having the time is just not good enough anymore!


So watch this space...and if you've read this, feel free to comment if you do have any thoughts/wisdom/ideas or home truths to tell me ;-)

A light topic today - death!

OK...so this might be my weirdest post yet...and as over the months it's become evident that others are reading this, and it's not just my journal of my year, some of you may start looking at me oddly after reading this...but here goes.

So it's not the normal way that I start a month; pondering death.  But I've been thinking about it quite a bit recently and this weekend as my Grandpa had an operation to literally save his life, and as I read an article in the Guardian's weekend Family section I thought I'd share my ponderings.

Ian Whitwham was writing about the recent death of his father-in-law and how we just don't seem to know how to mourn effectively in our culture today...an interesting read, and a great tribute to his father-in-law.  Click here to read it.  And I tend to agree with him.

One of the stages of death that I find the hardest, is the time between death and a funeral.  There is something about the body of a loved one, being stored somewhere clinical, cold and lifeless, that I really struggle with.  I'm sure in the past (and probably currently in other areas of the world), the body would be kept somewhere in the family home, and I kind of like that idea.

I realise that it's just their body and I do believe that their soul has journeyed on, and I feel comfortable in my faith that I'll catch up with them again someday.  But they've spent their life taking care of themselves, and as part of my family or community I've also been involved in taking care of them.  So to leave them in some storage place, just seems wrong.

I also think that the majority of people look peaceful in death (obviously this is slightly dependent on the manner of death), but I'd kind of like to be able to sit near them and talk out some of my thoughts/feelings about them leaving the rest of us.  So I'm not suggesting open caskets, but I don't think I'd be too freaked out by it.  And maybe, looking after each other in that final farewell stage, would help us all talk about them and our loss more?

Now admittedly I haven't obviously tried any of this out, as it's just not the done thing.  But I have to confess that I've started to wonder if it's the kind of option one can request?  Is there a law that dead people have to be stored elsewhere until their burial or cremation?

Wow...so that's quite random to read through and hit 'publish'....but in my year of finding richness in less, I wonder if we might find more richness in facing death a bit more, sharing in it, and having less involvement from people that temporarily hide it away for us.  (And sorry...no images with this post...my mind was blank on that one!)

Should I be finding richness in cress?

So how do places like West Dean have kitchen gardens that look so immaculate...with not a slug or snail eaten vegetable in sight?!?!

So far this year M & I have grown 5 edible radishes and a selection of herbs.  The apples are doing OK, but the tomatoes and beans are looking small and the rest of the garden has been eaten by our slimey enemies.  Grampy was visiting this week and put it down to the bad soil, so I'm going to try and feed them more, and see if that helps.  Next year he'll be here to help, and maybe we'll be feeding the street with our produce.

But the good news is that we are having success in the house, and from a suprising source.  McDonalds are currently giving out cress kits in their kids meals.  Within 2 days we have leaves emerging and I'm seriously wondering whether we should try just covering our garden in cress...maybe my seed choice was the issue?  Should I be finding richness in cress?

No time to blog!

So it's almost a month since my last blog post, and it's not that I've decided a don't want to write stuff about the year anymore, it's just the lack of time free to sit down and write! It's becoming a recurrent theme, how making things and trying to do things differently is taking more time, and I definitely feel the biggest learning from this whole experience is the truth in the statement that 'time is money', but there is definitely more richness in relying on it less!  So what's been going on in May?

Beach Hut Fun
After about 6 years on the waiting list, we got to the top and now rent a Beach Hut (or Sun hut to be more correct, as it's just back from the beach and we have the prom, road and a great patch of grass between us and the beach).  We've only had it for about a month now, but have already had so much fun down there with a whole host of people, we're definitely glad with took the plunge (as it's not a cheap experiment!).

In the hot days the kids have loved paddling, and as we don't have much of a garden at home, and certainly no grass, the novelty of a giant expanse of grass to run around and crawl on has been brilliant.  We've also had lots of fun doing art things, and generally hanging out with friends and eating together.  We've also met some lovely new neighbours and even a previous neighbour from our days in North End is now a neighbour again!  So if you're in the area...come and join us!

In the last month, I've also become more and more aware of the passing of time, and that pre-school days will be gone in just over a year's time, so I'm really wanting to have some great time having fun with the kids, as well as having good time with them, whilst dealing with the rest of life....they've good at helping out round the house, and it's not all about fun-fun-fun.  But the beach hut has been great for more focused time with them, as I can't disappear to just put on another wash load.  The challenge of this, is that I then need to fit even more into evenings as the jobs still need doing, so sleep has definitely been lacking this month.  Finding the right balance is the biggest challenge of all motherhood days I think.

Devon
We had 5 days in Devon, thanks to a friend of my Mum's who lets us her holiday home.  Sadly just before the weather became amazing, but had fun with Grandma at a farm, on the beach and at the house.

Gardening

Tomatoes alive inside!

We've continued to try and grow things in the garden, but with the exception of radishes and apples, the slugs seem to be feasting on all the rest, so it's not a great success currently.  I planted out tomatoes and broad beans yesterday, that have done really well inside, but we wait to see if they get eaten before they have a chance to get even bigger :-(  Orange peel, coffee grounds, egg shells and organic slug pellets seem to have little effect on Pompey gastropods.
Also the compost bin and Bokashis seem to have been the perfect breeding ground for fruit flies, which means I'm becoming a very good aim with rolled up newspaper, and my daughter enjoys the blood smears that appear all over the kitchen cupboard doors...dead and alive have become quite focused topics in our house.

Gifts

More cut out people cards

And I still continue to try and make gifts as much as possible, although people are getting more and more belated presents with each passing month.  Men & boys really seem to be the main challenge, although I'm hoping I have a current idea that can run to several boys over the coming months...am just awaiting feedback from the first little chap to get it.  Homemade experiment kits....check this out: http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/lavalamp.php  

So May hasn't been a quiet month, and when you add normal household chores, helping family house hunt, mad weeks at work, Governor duties and keeping kids occupied, it's little wonder that there is ever any time to sit down and blog!

Fall in Love with the Recorder!

I've been really amazed by the effect that giving up TV for lent has had on the following weeks.  There is really very little now that I'm prepared to watch, and I only turn it on if I actually want to watch something, rather than just when I'm in that room.

Programmes that I've previously watched, just aren't watchable anymore, whether it's that the content is too extreme (from comments on FB from others, I don't think I'm the only person not watching Silent Witness anymore), or it just seems pretty pointless.

And yet, I'm discovering some really amazing things on TV that previously I wouldn't have given any time to.  This week when I did the ironing on Friday night, I watched the BBC Young Musician of the Year, Woodwind Final.  Sadly I turned on too late for the first competitor - the recorder, but heard some amazing music on the saxaphone, clarinet, bassoon & flute.  I couldn't believe it at the end when the recorder won, and I hadn't watched it, so I then saw it on iPlayer.  She was amazing!  

Links below - honestly, I'd be amazed if you didn't like the last short piece at least!

The whole recorder section 

The last short piece, which is totally captivating

Why didn't we get to play stuff like that at school?

And recently I've also learnt lots about the 'Cold Chain' with Ewan McGregor, showing how even children in the most unconneted parts of the world are receiving vaccines.

I'm not sure why I'd never have watched these kinds of programmes before, but I get some entertainment and learn new things, which are actually real, rather than based on imagined fear and violence.

I was really challenged when I started watching TV again by Phillipians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

And I'm not sure where the thought started, but it seems to be the test by which I start and continue to watch the few things that I do nowadays.  Certainly not what I was expecting the result of a TV fast to be, when I started back on Ash Wednesday!

Childhood Challenges

Get free images here

So this week I introduced my 3 year old to Hopscotch.  She's really into numbers and hopping at the moment, so it was a bit of a no brainer.  But it got me wondering how many of our kids have played it and how many other things, that past generations have come up with, are they missing?

The National Trust launched a new programme last week, called '50 things to do before you're 11 and 3/4'.  Lots of it is quite simple stuff, but some things will definitely take us a while to cross off.  You can see the list here.

And find out more here from the National Trust here.

It also got me thinking about a new small gift idea for kids.  I could add a 'Childhood Challenge' to their cards.  Here are some examples:

'Before you're 4, learn how to play hopscotch' (and include a piece of chalk), 'Before you're 3, grow some cress' (include a sheet of toilet paper and some seeds), 'Come egg rolling with me this Easter', 'Set fire to a leaf using a magnifying glass' (not sure their parents will thank me for that, but at least I didn't suggest a small creature or sibling ;-)

Am always on the lookout for other creative, outdoor, simple ideas...suggestions on a postcard.

Is homemade OK?

As I'm progressing through this year and trying to come up with more homemade ideas for gifts, I'm facing the question of whether giving people homemade things is OK.  Some things that I make, I'm quite happy to give people, especially when it comes to cards...I guess I expect them to end up in the bin after they've sat on shelves and mantlepieces anyway, and they'll be up there with lots of other cards and even hidden behind others, if people don't like them that much (or is it just me that orders cards in such a way ;-)

Here's one I made earlier...my brother-in-laws' first anniversary is today, and I was more than happy to give them this one, and even think it's quite good ;-)

Recycle old maps by cutting out shapes from relevant areas

But when it comes to the actual gift element, I'm finding it more of a challenge.  For some reason, giving a child something homemade and creative, rather than an expensive bit of wood carving, or, more likely, a piece of molded mass-created plastic, makes me feel more nervous.  Will the parents look at it and shudder, will it automatically end up in the bin?

And gifts for adults are quite a challenge too...I've reverted to making edible things, but even the Piccalilli I made the other day has left me wondering whether it's OK to give as a gift.  Having never eaten any before, or made it, it looks colourful, but what if it's disgusting!

I wonder if it's because we're now so used to shop bought stuff, and that ironically there is now a whole (pretty expensive) market for 'homemade' items, that have been made in someone elses home, but have an impressive quality about them.  And it's unrealistic to believe that my random attempts will match the quality of the cottage industry's supply of 'homemade' creations.

I've always invested lots of time in every gift I've ever bought...it's important to me that it shows that I value and love the person.  That I'm glad they're around and that the gift, hopefully conveys some of that.  But if the person doesn't like it, I'm not worried if they pass it on or recycle it in someway.  I'd much prefer that to it being in their house when they really don't like it, just for my benefit.  So I hope the same applies to my homemade gestures, and I need to stop being worried about gifts being labelled 'another Clare creation' in a negative way...and live in the 'it's the thought that counts' moment, and not feel that I'm being judged on it.  (There's definitely richness in this less stuff, but the cost is just different.)

Topsy Turvy Easter

So the weather got it all wrong this year...we had glorious sunshine on Friday and enjoyed sitting at the Hot Walls, and then had a slightly damp breakfast at the Beach Hut on Easter Sunday.  But it's been another good Easter weekend, and as ever started with a great veggie meal with the justice gang on Thursday evening.  Leaving that evening, via the quiet room with candles, thorns, nails, wood, a hammer etc, jogs the mind to think on what Jesus must have gone through that night before it all kicked off.  (And birth experiences have definitely helped bring something more to the empathy; facing something that you know has to happen, and can't avoid, the rest of the world being asleep etc.)

Sadly a little one year old's lack of sleep (think probably relating to first year jabs...all three in one sitting!), led to being very tired at 8am on the beach on Sunday, but it was great, as ever, to celebrate the world changing, and Jesus coming back to life.  It's been a great weekend of spending time with our Portsmouth family.

Start of Spring

It's been a while since my last post, and I'm not sure why that is; partly I haven't managed many free moments, and partly I'm not sure there's anything new to write about.  

Life ticks along, but some progress has gone on in the garden, thanks to some beautiful March weather.  The shed is in situ.  Lots of little seeds have been planted...am not filled with confidence that they'll be a giant harvest, but my little helper more than makes up for my fears...hope she's not too disappointed.

Work juggling, with poorly little people, household tasks, play groups and weekends with visitors has made life feel very full.  Lots of lovely moments hidden amidst lots of routine.

Recycling continues, but I need to work on the compost bin in the back yard.  It's a very enclosed space (even more so with the new shed now), and on warmer days, the aroma is a bit strong...reminds me a micro brewery!  I've found out that Lush recycle all plastic bottle tops, and we're now a disposable nappy free house (good, other than there's no room for error on the supply of clean terries!).

Gift making continues, with recently some Piccalli (a first) and more home-made cards.  I'm now trying to get a month ahead, as otherwise I'm feeling rather too much last minute pressure to create, but it's easier said than done.

Tiredness is definitely having an impact on the spring in my step (and it is a rainy morning as I type), but as with all journeys, the honeymoon period is over, and effort is now required to find deeper richness.