I survived the first week!

Its the end of the first week of the holidays and i am still here! Its has been a busy week, which is the plan to keep everyone happy and occupied. Paul had a few days off before the holidays started so we took the two litte ones to the Sea life Centre, we go at least once a year and as the oldest two had just visited with the school we thought we would go whilst they were still at school. We had a great time and its wonderful to see the joy on Freds face as if hes seeing it all for the first time, which to him he probably is as last time he was a lot smaller and asleep in a sling for the entire time, a bit like Alex this time. New word  "fishy" has been said a lot, which is good as he hasn't been as quick to speak as the other were but we are getting there now.

Then the day came, the kids were so excited as they went to school. So i thought i would treat them. As it was a really hot day i set the paddling pool up which was a task as it had a puncture, but i got there in the end, i took them ice lollys to eat on the way home and invited some of there friend from down the street to a little last day of tern party, which went down well.

We had  a Gala on Saturday the last of the season, which we won Best Queens Float.

Monday we went to a Sports Day at a local park the was organised by the Childrens Centre. We took a picnic and did a treasure trail and there was games and football training by the local football club.

On Wednesday we went to another event organised by the Children Centre which was there 7th birthday party, they had face painting, a bouncy castle, balloon man, plus games and crafts.. oh and a big cake and it was all free, but we did spend some money on the tombola and won 7 prizes including a coffee machine!

As its been so hot i have been sitting out the evenings with a little drink my favorite

Barcardi and coke and my knitting or my blanket i am working on.

As well as all this i have re decorated Ewans room and am now just waiting for the carpet to be fitted next week and have been making and freezing mushy food for Alex as i have just started to wean him

Fred has been enjoying standing at our window watching the progress of the new football pitches, all those diggers and JCBs are like heaven to a two year old and me as its keeping him busy.

As you can see the first week off has been so busy but despite all this i have had the usually whinging that they are bored even after we have been out all day. Never mind i do my best and they can't be entertained 24/7!

On to week 2

bye for now xx

Molly's 5th Birthday

Last Sunday was Molly's 5th Birthday. She wanted a Madhatters Party. Madhatters is a sort play center near where we live, we go there at least once a week after school or on a rainy day and as its virtually opposite the school we must go to 15 party's there a year at least! So i put on my thinking cap and persuaded her to try something new.

I found a gorgeous little function room at the local football club and hired an entertainer called Twisty Paul. Next my favorite bit..... i sat down and started going through pintrest for ideas!

Molly love Minnie Mouse at the moment so that would be the theme and i just needed some ideas.
I took bits and pieces from diffrent pictures and things i had made in the past and came up with some good ideas. I ordered everything i would need and thought i will have plenty time to make everything and will enjoy it.

Cue three days before the party and Paul is away with work for the week and i had only just finished Molly's room so as usual everything is left to the last minute and i wonder why i didn't just order all the generic Minnie stuff you can buy from anywhere.. that right i don't like to take the easy route!

So here's some of the stuff i made

 Balloon holders made from jam jars glue and glitter paint

 The sweet Trees were fab but they took about an hour to put the sweets on, plus painting the ears, making the bases with plaster of paris and wrapping the bases.

Everybody commented on them and i even have a few orders for other party. At the end i let them all dig in. Ewans wants them for his party now.

 The plates were just plaon Black and i used card for the ears and crape paper for the bows. 

 After i made the cake i used some of the painted ears and added Molly  and 5 in dimonds

 To make life easier i served hotdogs out of the slowcooker, cheap easy and everybody loves Hot Diggity Dogs

 I was going to have Balloons filled with helium but the cost was really high so i brought the sticks for the balloons and made holders. Everybody could take one home after.

Party Bags, Just spotty sweet bags with circles cut out of stiff black card which took me forever to cut out and i could hardly move my hand for hours after. i found some little bows to put on them which saved me tying them out of ribbon. I also brought some stickers to close them once they were filled which said thank you for coming to my party love Molly

The Party was a big sucess and Molly loved it, Can't believe she is 5 already.

Bye xxx

Molly's New Room & Owl Rug

As Molly has everything and even she couldn't think of anything she wanted for her birthday we decided to decorate her room. It hadn't been done she she was a baby, just adapted a bit. As we now have four children and only a three bedroom house she would need to share with one of the boys and we decided it would be the littlest Alex, who is still with us a the moment but will move in with Molly eventually.

We needed a theme that would suit a boy and girl and also the different ages, 5 and a baby. I let molly help me pick and together we chose a woodland theme. We brought some gorgeous Curtain Fabric with Owls and foxes and a large tree sticker for the wall, i got matching quilt covers for them, one of which i will make into a cot quilt for Alex. We treated Molly to a mid sleeper bed mainly so we could store her toys underneath to save on space. I painted the Walls a Natural Twine color (well that's what it said on the tin!). I managed to fine a lampshade that almost matched the curtain fabric.

After all this i felt it needed a home made touch so i made some bunting for round the walls. Whilst i was doing all this i saw an image of a crochet owl rug and new that i had to make one as it would finish it off and i really enjoyed making the last one that i have in my bathroom so its any excuse really.

So here it is, though i will have to make some more things for when Alex moves in including Owl blankets for the beds in winter and an Owl mobile for above the cot.

Thornton Gala 2014 Part 1

Where do i start, I still feel a little bit overwhelmed by the gala and how it went.

It all started for me when i was about 6 years old and the sunday school i attended picked me to be in the retinue for there rose queen. Months of float decorating followed and finally the day arrived and i can remember being sat on the float in my frilly dress, white gloves and a parasol in hand completely giddy and in awe of all the crowds of people stood on the streets waving and cheering as we passed. I was part of the parade that i had watched every year and it was so exciting. The route was about 7 miles long i believe and it was a highly anticipated event. Hundreds of people took part in either groups walking, on floats or just a couple of friends dressing up. I was in it several times over the next few years and was very lucky that each time it was a glorious sunny day.

Fast forward to June last year, due to a lack of volunteers the parade was cancelled. Over the years due to council red tape and health and safety, less people helping and a lack of interest from parents the parade route had been made much smaller and the parade its self had shrunk. Due to an outcry from the community a meeting was organised by the Gala committee to discuss the reasons the parade had been cancelled and to hopefully recruit new members. That is when i heard about the Gala committee and decided to go along to the meeting.
Lots of people turned up to that meeting, some were really angry and blamed the committee for not doing enough, suggestions were given but ultimately lots of them had already been tried and due to there only being several members it was difficult. The only solution was more people to help. After that meeting 13 new people including me came to the next meeting. We have meetings once a month then twice a month for the 2 months before gala day. But the numbers dwindled each time and only a few of us stayed on and became committee members. We all agreed that we would like to make the parade bigger and better this year and to take the route back to the area it had began nearly 115 years ago. The chairman Debbie and her husband worked tirelessly to make this happen and it paid off as the council approved the new route.

Whilst all this was going on Molly and Ewan were chosen to be in the retinue for the Gala Queen for 2014 so all the parents have to get together and design and make the float. For me this was bliss sticking and gluing whilst having a little drink. we met every Tuesday evening from April till Gala day in June. we had to pick a theme and we chose The Secret Garden.

In the last few weeks there was so much going on i think Paul wondered what was going on as i seemed to be out a few nights a week. We did leaflet drops for the new route, putting up posters on the lamppost. Getting the stage ready, rehearsals for the day organizing the stalls. I never realised how much work goes into these events but the team is really great and to be honest it was fun.

We really made a huge effort to try and get all the local schools involved, i had kept up the pressure at our kids school to get involved and others did the same. It did feel like people wanted it more this year because it had been cancelled the year before.

In the week before it was manic i had loads to do and was so excited, its like being a kid again.
Then finally the day dawned and we were ready to go, we all met on the field at 8am

I was doing the catering for the vips and committee members so had been up late the night before and super early making food.

Our float arrived and it was the first time that most of the committe had seen it.

The theme we had chosen was The secret garden. The new Queen and the retinue was also all dress up for the first time.

Finally the field was all set up and we just had to wait and hope that people would come and join in the parade.

The sun was out and it was so warm at at 10 am people started to arrive for judging.. and they kept on coming! we were so pleased we had more people than we had expected there were 100 people from my kids school alone and another three local schools were also in the parade. There were kids in fancy dress trailers and prams that had been decorated the turn out was fantastic and the committee had to work twice as hard to get everyone ready to set off.

 My job was to Marshall one of the roads so i was lucky enough ti be able to watch the parade so i was stood waiting for the parade and we could here the pipeband in the distance before we could see it

Finally the parade passed and i recorded it. It took a full 10 minutes to pass it was the longest and best parade we had in years and i have to admit i felt a little teary and very proud that i have been part of it.

After the parade the new Queen was crowned and we all headed to the fair.

I wish i had taken more photos of the day but i was so busy and wrapped up in the moment and enjoying a fantastic family and community day.

bye for now x