Discovering Autumn

Last Autumn Arthur was only a few months old and not really up to exploring and due to our family situation Tori didn’t have as many opportunities to explore the wonder of the changing seasons as I’d have liked.

This year I want to do my best to make up for that.

Tori gets a taste of the misty, cool mornings three times a week as we stroll to school and enjoys paddling through the puddles of fallen leaves and looking at the changes in the hedges as we walk. She even likes it when it’s raining because she gets to take her Minnie Mouse umbrella with her and tries to get away with splashing in the real puddles.

Arthur also loves the leaves and the puddles.

The other day Caius, English Folkfan and I took the Smalls to the park for a run about which quickly turned into the Smalls rolling in the leaves whilst Caius and I fooled around playing football very badly.

It was good to feel the cold air on our cheeks, run around in the sunshine and spend some time having simple outdoor family fun – you can’t beat the Autumn sun, drifts of leaves, a football and people you care about.

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(Many thanks to English Folkfan for the photos as I managed to go out without my camera)

 

Don’t Tweet The Bride

So, my boyfriend’s housemates are getting married next year.  It is destined to be awesome. (Seriously, the engagement party was epic - there was a ball-filled bouncy castle INSIDE a casino…)

However, Dom being Dom he is doing it all a little differently and Heather being mental brave awesome is letting him do things his way.

He needs your help.

I’ll let him explain why:

Up for it? Sign up at Don’t Tweet The Bride to lend a hand and keep up with all the inside news – remember, you’ll know more than Heather!

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Note: Dom didn’t ask me to write this post and definitely isn’t paying me to do it – I just think him and Heather are awesome and deserve the bestest day ever. Though, you know, if you happen to be reading, Dom, and are feeling generous some Click’n'Mix would never be unappreciated in this household…

Reasons To Be Cheerful 1, 2, 3!

It’s another week and time for another sit down and think about what things have made me cheerful this week and what 3 blessings count as extra special and make me smile every time.

1.

I had my 36 week check up with the midwife on Monday and everything is hunky dory with BabyBump as far as they’re concerned. BabyBump is also lovely and active and, although the whole tummy moving independently of me thing does freak me out just a little, it is also wonderfully reassuring. (I do have to not look at Bump sometimes when it’s really wriggling, I know I’m just being silly but it *is* a little weird…)

 

2.

I did some fiction writing this week and writing always makes me feel better in myself. (You can read it here – and I’d appreciate any feedback at all, even if you hate it…)

 

3.

Yesterday, Tori toddled up to me clutching her Disney Princess Football, offered it to me and said what sounded very distinctly like: ‘It’s a ball.’

I wasn’t entirely sure whether to burst with pride that she’d said a sentence utterly un-prompted or cry pathetically that my little baby isn’t so much of a baby any more.

I’ll go for the bursting option just because she will *always* be my baby and she makes me smile every day both when she shows me what she’s learning and when she does the silly things that show she hasn’t quite learned yet.

 

Closely inspecting my maternity notes after my appointment, she's going to be a good Big Sister...

Now click on the button at the top of the page and hop along to see everyone else’s reasons to be cheerful this week – there are so many little gems every week that remind you of even more things to be cheerful about! Thank you Michelle at Mummy From The Heart for running this fabulous meme

Cake bakes cakes!

Tori is 18 months old and today I decided it was time we had our first baking session together, especially as her nickname in our household is ‘Cake’. I wimped out at bit and used a pre-mix set but that was partly because it was on offer in the shop. Still, it was Tori’s first time so simple was good.

Aside from the fact that we both have stained red fingers from the food colouring we added to the icing to make it pink, we came out unscathed and the cakes are pretty good too – even if they totally aren’t Postman Pat ones any more because Tori ate the Postman Pat decoration things whilst the cupcakes were baking…luckily Mummy had a stash of sprinkles to improvise with.

So without further ado, I will let the pictures do the talking (excuse my rushed photoshopping…):

 

Mixing!!

 

Look Mummy! It went PINK!!!

 

Decorating time!

Look what I did!

And the all important Taste Test

 

NOM!

 

Cake, anyone?