end of month round up!

It seems like the last day of the month is a good time to recap on my New Years Resolutions. If I revisit them regularly I may manage to keep them. Well perhaps....

My resolutions were listed here. So lets see how are they going?

1) I have managed to send both children to school on tag days in their own clothes, a major achievement as I had not managed this since September.
Housework, I have settled into my routines and am managing, mostly, to keep on top.

2)Item 1 is definitely helping with this. I feel like I have had more time to play and just be with the children. Which is fab.

3) I haven't actually made any yet, although I ordered some swatches from here for both of the children's room, and the kitchen. So once they arrive I can plan these more.

4) I have managed to alter this dress for Stephanie, and repaired several other items of clothing, this counts as make more clothes, right?

5) I have totally paid off one more of my old debts. I now only have the larger ones left, so this will now be a slower process as I need to arrange payment plans etc. But definitely am getting there.


I have also made progress on this quilt I am going to complete it before Stephanie's birthday, what do you mean I have mentioned this already?- a few times!?

So my plans for February;
1) work more on the quilt.
2) plan the garden veg for this year
3) alter the dress I bought for myself in the sales.
4) start to make Stephanie's party bags
5) Start some of the home furnishing makes.

Hmm I think, given that I am also completing a research project for uni in February and taking my skills tests I think that will do for now.

Children can cook.

My children love to cook; always have. They love to come in the kitchen and help when I cook, they love to offer their suggestions of what to cook. Sometimes like today they go in the kitchen and cook and I don't go out until I am called. Usually just as whatever their master piece is, is cooked. They like me to check.

This is today's offering. It was very tasty.

I know many people will read this and think she lets the children cook on their own? My argument is they know how to cook, they know how to use the cooker safely as they have always helped me in the kitchen. I have gradually baked away while they are cooking so they can have more freedom. They know I am only in the next room and will shout if they need anything. 

Dylan is now 12 and has been able to cook a proper meal since he was 7. Stephanie is 4 and looks as if she is going to be able to do the same. I am proud of their ability to cook real food. It is something which is important it is a life skill. 

this moment- during a fab visit to an amazing school

{THIS MOMENT}


{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see
 
 

{THIS MOMENT}

this post was inspired by soulemama if you are inspired take a swing by her blog to link to your own :-)

relaxation

I have spent the an hour or so this evening making hexagons for the quilt. The is something relaxing/ therapeutic about sitting and doing something so simple and easy whilst watching TV. I also like to watch the pile of square fabric shrink as the hexagon pile grows.

At the end of a full day in university it is nice to spend some time to sit. I am also able to consider the research I need to complete in the next month.

a growth spurt

Do you remember the hexagon charm quilt I began last summer? Yes it took me a while to remember it as well. I have seemed to have a love of sewing it, yet I do it in bursts. I blogged about it saying I would have it done by Christmas. AHEM well that didn't happen.

This is how far I had got prior to this week;

 This is how it looks tonight;

I decided last weekend that I WILL finish it as a birthday present for Stephanie. I have spent at least an hour a night working on it this week. I have ran out of little hexagons to sew on now, so need to go and find more materials and make some more. Will check in again next Sunday with some more progress on this.

this moment.

{THIS MOMENT}


{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

This post was inspired by soulemama if you are inspired take a swing by her blog to link to your own :-)

look at this.............

That's right, the weather today was perfect for drying washing. I was very pleased and managed to get 2 loads dry outside today. I LOVE the smell of line-dried washing.

We went on our weekly walk this afternoon the children wanted to go back to Shorne wood and try a different walk. Today was the red walk, we found lots of trees to climb, and even a rope swing which we all had fun playing on. It costs £2.50 a time to park at this woods (not complaining) but obviously being the children's favourite woods to go to it's adding up. So I decided to bit the bullet today and bought an annual pass. This is really good value it cost £35 for the year, but there are 17 different country parks near where we live that we can use it in. So over the year thats quite a saving.

When we got home I surprised Stephanie by finally putting up her princess curtains, I have been promising her all month I will do it soon. So while she was glued to Dancing on Ice I put it up for her.

She was very surprised and happy when I sent her up to bed and found it up. Why do I put off these little DIY jobs, they really don't take more than 5 mins. Next on the list is the TV shelf for Dylan's bedroom........