An Autumnal walk to school

Before these clouds came across the light on the leaves was wonderful.

The leaves were swirling around and falling off the trees.

This is our favourite Autumn tree on the school run.  Mine anyway.  The kids prefer the beech & Hornbeam beyond it that is on common land & ripe for climbing.  All in all, a lovely school run today.

Thank you for your comments on how to get the jelly out of the mould.  I will attempt to make a bunny for baby Roo's 2nd Birthday this week.  

Fashion Design Day

Our local village has set up a fantastic charity to provide things for the kids to do, to fill the gap in the village plan about facilities for local children.  Whilst not actually my village it is where we go to our favourite toddler group.  During the summer they put on a climbing day, taster classes in street dance & karate amongst others that my kids attended.  On top of that they only ask for a donation as they have worked really hard to get funding.  A very dynamic bunch of women!

I went along to the cheese & wine evening, & said I would be willing to help on the Fashion Design Day in half term.  Somehow along the line that has transpired to me co-organising the whole thing!  So next week I have to look like I know what I am doing in front of 15 plus pre-adolscents & teenagers.  I have bought this book which is fab and thrifted a big bag of Tshirts at jumble sales. 

Also have a bag of sparkly jumble donated by one of the dynamic women. Luckily this wonderful site is providing all sorts of inspiration.  Marisa is making marvellous things with dresses most of us would overlook as hideous.  She's even got on NY telly!  Check her out, she's really amusing as well as enthusiastic.  I am not sure we will be able to replicate some of her efforts at the fashion day, but its really given me some ideas to help the kids.

Tomorrow I have to go to Fabric Land with my co-organiser to buy sparkly things to add to the clothes.  Its a tough life. 

I am hoping for a bit of this sort of effort as modelled by my dear daughter earlier this year!

One day she will be mine!

I am soo excited.  This lovely shed/summer house is coming to me to grace my allotment.  It may be needing cut down to size to appease the allotment stazi, but it is going to shelter me & mine from an unexpected rain shower. Or brewing up a warming soup on a cold day using something I have just picked, on the gas cooker I have yet to buy.  To store my tools and bits so I don't have to lug stuff each time I go down.   To make a cozy corner to read in, take a nap, play barbies & trucks.
Oh such lovely dreams.  At the moment she is in pieces, heavy heavy pieces, horizontal on some pallets on our plot.  Beloved and I are now horizontal in heavy heavy pieces on the sofa.  She will be rebuilt another day.

Bunny love

Whats a small boy to do when he's managed to snag one of these bunnies whilst thrifting?

Some of this stuff goes in here.  Some goes in our mouths.

Oh big brother you are so wise.

This is the bit that freaks Mummy out.  Careful now, don't rest it on the jug...

In to the bunny it goes.  Leave it in the fridge overnight & eat straight from the mould.  Of course, why would you wait for Mummy to get round to trying to flip it? 

Question. Should we grease the mould before putting jelly in?  It has been so many years (read decades actually - don't think I've done this since childhood) and I really can't remember.  And being the font of all kitchen knowledge to this 6 year old I am feeling a little off pedastool.

And not a well one amongst them!

Oh dear.  Keepapi Cottage is being systematically soaked in tea tree oil to try to rid us of various bugs that seem to be meandering their way through us.  I have had the final child off school for 3 days with the D&V bug although he has stuck with the D part.  He's finally starting to eat again tonight.  Daddyman comes home and crashes out on the sofa with him.  Bini is sniffling.  Baby is mostly fine but still a bit grotty nappywise.  And I am rather shattered!  No one is really poorly, but not enjoying full health!

At least the boys are still managing to find some smiles!

Mummy, I've made a cake

On the weekend the kids get themselves up & we lie in till babe wakes up.  Last weekend I was woken up by Bini wispering to me 'Mummy, I've made a cake, but haven't put it in the oven.'  She took Roo as he had woken up & I promised to be down shortly.  A few minutes later this is what I came down to...

His hair was covered from putting his head in the bowl when the spoon wasn't up to the job. Whilst behind him, the finishing touches were going on with the cake.

Aprons were not a la mode on this morning, not when there are a handy pair of pajama shorts to wipe your hands on.  My dear sweet boy can mess up any outfit in the blink of an eye once food gets involved.  I try so hard to get napkins & aprons used but fear I am trying to push water uphill.

A recipe was sort of followed.  Self raising flour was not used but some baking powder or bicarb ( I never did get to the bottom of that mystery) was put in.  Consequently the cake rose slightly and then fell back exhausted.  A bit like me, then.

Oh yes, they did eat the cake.  Bini even waited till Daddy went down the shops to get some cream.  Tintin just ploughed on in.  Its flatness didn't bother them, but the packets of self raising flour has been noted now for future reference.  We'll see what next weekend brings.



Its Draining again!

Oh yes!  My lovely boys dug re-dug the ditches in the allotment this weekend.  We had fun watching the water drain away as they met up.  It was so gloriously hot that bare flesh was exposed and even tanned. 
I don't think I would be able to get any further work out of them if I posted pics of this so will leave you with one of the happier moments from the kids.