Skywatch Friday - As I went a wandering

Lots more off white skies this week (I keep reminding myself that behind the clouds there is blue sky).  On my numerous getting-out-of-the-house hikes I've taken loads of photos and can't chose between them so here's a bit of a mixed bag.....

Another shot of the cloud factory.

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Just call me Forrest Grump

I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself, the cast has lost it's novelty (for me and everyone else), the January doldrums have hit everyone hard and all this has been topped up with a lovely dose of hormones. So I'm trying to walk it off. I have dusted off my walking boots and pedometer and hit the tow paths, farm tracks and forest trails.  It seems to be working - I've hardly shouted at all for the last couple of days! 

I never thought I would ever say this but I'm looking forward to going back to work.  My job can be really stressful but being at home everyday is a different type of stress. I like having people ask my opinion on things, I like talking to different people everyday, I like not feeling guilty that the house is a tip (I'm at work don't you know!).   I took Euan to a local toddler group last week - I first went to it when Anya was a toddler. It was really nice to catch up with everyone but after the first half hour, it was just like Groundhog Day (how many old films can I get in!), in 6 years nothing had changed apart from a few faces.  That's how I've been feeling the whole time I've been off.  So, I think the best thing about work is how it makes me appreciate my time off.

We finally got to meet the new family member - baby Jacob just about survived his first encounter with his big cousins, I'm not sure if who was more scared, him or me.  Euan chanted "very gentle" as he poked him all over.

Here's another collage of the edible Jacob - is it possible to tell that I've discovered a new gadget (thanks Meeks at Juggling Motherhood) - I have managed to waste hours playing on Picasa!

Quote of the week - "Granny, are you going to be a princess when you grow up?" "Why aren't there any houses or grass on the Motorway?" ~ Patrick was on good form this week!

Thought of the week - "Babies are such a nice way to start people" ~ Don Herrold

Off-white-Sky-watch Friday

This week the sky has been various shades of white - not even interesting grey. That's when I could see it through mist, rain and yet more snow! The photo below was taken when I escaped the house for a long hike and demonstrates the off whiteness of the sky nicely.

This photo of a couple of visitors to our garden was taken last month - it's a reminder that blue skies are possible even in midwinter! Try flying around the world and spotting a sky you like by clicking on the button below.

Snow more snow

The past week has pretty much been based around the house. I can't drive and the kids have had two days off school with the snow. The novelty of the plaster cast has evaporated. The silver lining is that I get five weeks off work, I have had a great lazy sofa day with Auntie Jax, I have found out that I've got some lovely friends and the whole thing has made me truly thankful to Mr GHD(I wish he would now invent single handed straighteners!). Here's my lovely blue cast - (toyed with purple but had that last time) - not brave enough to show my grim hair to the world!

We went for a very cold walk at the weekend to get everyone out of the house - it was one of those days where everyone was moany and Tim was jet lagged. The children were bribed with sweets to get them around! Roll on summer - Patch is searching the trees for leaves (as he knows that then it will be his birthday), Anya asked to go to school on Friday rather than be stranded at home and we all need some sunshine.

Skywatch Friday - The cloud factory

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How to get plastered or a lesson in typing left handed

I'm feeling very sorry for myself at the moment. I have a plaster on my right hand after a nasty ice related incident. No - not something fun like sledging, but de-icing the car! Tim's in the USA for a week, I'm not able to drive, so can't get Euan to nursery, it's still really icy under foot so I'm pretty much house bound. On the positive side, at least I don't have to go to work and Euan and I have been enjoying playing shop and repeatedly reading the Christmas Charlie and Lola books.

Not many chances of photos in the past week (these were taken after school on Friday - they are a bit shaky but I think I could be forgiven as it was shortly after I'd broken my wrist and was as yet undiagnosed!).

Saturday was mainly spent at A&E, rather than the planned visit to get my fix of newborn cuddles (and for the kids to be introduced to the cow field - the best place in the world for sledging). Sunday was one of Patches best friends party's (soft play hell - no magician!) - it was a bit a family trip to let off steam. Well 2010 can only get better.

Quote of the week - "Ta-da" ~ Euan on production of a no.2 on his potty.

Thought for the week - “On the occasion of every accident that befalls you, remember to turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use” ~ Epictetus

Learning point of the week - When Tim says "it's just that you're not very good with pain", don't believe him! The two examples I can think of are 1. 30 minutes before Euan was born and 2. Shortly after hurting my wrist.

Skywatch Friday - not so short sharp shock

These photos were taken on the last day of freedom before my return to work. I'm glad I had my thermals on. The rest of the UK (and Europe as Tim is currently stuck waiting for the Train home from Paris) seems to be snowed in, it has been really cold here but we've (much to the children's misery) only had a dusting of snow - no more than a couple of centimetres. I've been trying to ENJOY the icy drive to work and the sight of children sledging on the way (see last post) - I'm hoping we can use our new Christmas sledge at the weekend.

To see some warmer skies and some even more snowy skies click on the button below

Spread the 'word'

I have been pondering on a post I read at Southern Institute for domestic arts and crafts for a while. She talked about an annual tradition at another blog by Ali Edwards (it seems nothing in the world of blog is original!) - it's all a bit arty and not really me but something in the idea grabbed me and I've been mulling it over. So here it goes:

Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2010?

It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a
feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find
something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word
or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

This is my word - ENJOY

I lead a pretty busy life, things tend to flash past in a whirl. I could definitely do with taking more time to enjoy what I have. So with that in mind I will:

ENJOY those moments that I would like to get over as quickly as possible, the biggy here is bathtime!
ENJOY all the lovely things in my life, my family, my home, my friends, my car, where I live rather than just living with them.
ENJOY having the 'me time' at work, even if it does get a bit stressy sometimes.
ENJOY wet Sunday afternoons - they can be a breather!
ENJOY the harrumph days too!
ENJOY what I have right now.

Making time to ENJOY reminds me of a poem I read when I had my first baby-

I hope when my children look back on today
They'll remember a mother who had time to play.
There will be years for cleaning and cooking
But children grow up while we're not looking.
Dusting and scrubbing can wait 'till tomorrow
For babies grow fast we learn to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep

In 2010 I will ENJOY my dirty house!

This is also probably a good time to welcome Jacob Duncan into the family, Auntie Kim finally had him at 9.11pm last night, weighing 7lb 15oz. I hope she does lots of ENJOYing this year xoxox

Skywatch Friday - cold turkey

These were taken on a very cold day between Christmas and New Year, we dragged the kids out on a walk to relieve the cabin fever!The pyramid is a scale model of a diamond - if it was life size it would be naked to the human eye and worth less than a penny. Tim don't get any ideas for next Christmas!

Celebrate the first (if very late) skywatch of 2010 by clicking on the button.

So much fun, so little time

I have managed to sneak the laptop out while we curled up in front of The Wizard of Oz (all 3 children are transfixed - who needs million pound computer wizardry when there is the greatest wizard of all!). We've had a pretty full on Christmas and New Year with much game playing, feasting, drinking, visiting and visitors, leaving very little time for whiling away the hours on here!

Christmas Eve signified the start of the partying (and the end of my cleaning/cooking anything I could catch hold of). Having escaped for 6 years it was our turn to host the annual Christmas Eve (Anya baby group) get together. The majority of my frantic housekeeping was undone in the hours they were here but it always makes for tired children keen to go to bed! Granny, Grandad, GG and Aunties Bags and Jax also made the party.

Christmas day had the earliest start yet with Anya and Patrick coming in to tell me that "he'd been" at 4am. I mumbled something about him coming to take the presents back if they didn't go to sleep for another hour! Auntie Jax had to go to work at 5.30 so we finally let them have their stockings then. Euan joined us later as he refused to get up!

Auntie Jax got back at 4pm when we opened the big presents (yes the kids CHOSE to wait!). We're still digesting favourite presents but Anya says she liked her football boots and Aston Villa away kit, Bucks says his favourite is "everything except not the mirror" (the said hand mirror was in his stocking, it says "you look like a beautiful princess" when a button is pressed, it is currently under his pillow for ease of access - I fear that peer pressure has reached my pink fairy loving son!), Euan is most protective over his big Thomas train but also must have his new Green eggs and ham story every night. I love my Hermes Nile perfume (no it doesn't smell like manky water) and my Kathy Lewis prints.

I'm quite amazed that we managed to have Christmas together at all, as the day before lots of roads had been closed by snow. We were also expecting a call from Auntie Kim about the imminent arrival of baby number two (due on the 22nd) - I suspect it's waiting for warmer weather as still not made an appearance.

Anya looks very please with herself here, the whole family share in her joy - another tooth has come out! We had a very dramatic evening on boxing day when the offending tooth wobbled inward and got stuck. She wouldn't let anyone touch it, she wouldn't touch it herself and couldn't close her mouth or swallow for a couple of hours - this meant having a towel to soak up the spit - it was a relief for everyone when it dropped out with no intervention!

New years eve was magic. We got the train to Birmingham to go and see George's Marvellous Medicine at the Old Rep, it was truly marvellous. Then having dragged Euan off the return train (he really loves trains), it was an 80s themed party to see 2010 in. The big children refused to give into sleep and Bucks was very proud that he stayed up later than the rest of his contemporaries (2am), the bigger kids refused to give up the 80s singstar (just call me Material Girl - and I was driving!). I'm paying the price today with a croaky throat.

This is a selection of the children at 11pm - they really didn't want a picture taken!

Quote of the season - "Ah, is that one of those willies?" ~ GG, not bad for an 85 year old - she meant Wii.

Thought of the week - "May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions" ~ Joey Adams