Merry Christmas

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas Day.

We had so much fun, it is brilliant having children on Christmas day, Jacob helped Daniel open his presents. It was all far too exciting, he just didn't know what to play with first.

We have however missed our pre-children Boxing Day, which used to consist of staying bed until lunch time and watching Christmas television whilst eating chocolates.

Christmas Cards

This year I made Christmas cards with Jacob. We made six. It was so easy, I bought a kit from the Early Learning Centre. There was no gluing involved, everything was self-adhesive.

He really enjoyed adding the gemstone stickers

Here are the finished cards.

As we only made six they were reserved for grandparents, his auntie and his god parents. I hope they all like them.

For Sale...

...is what the new sign outside my house says. We only decided a few weeks ago that we wanted to move somewhere a bit bigger. We then spent a frantic week and a half clearing and cleaning our house ready for photographs and any potential viewings.

This photo is my "can't live without" craft stuff. I can't quite believe how much went into storage (Jacob calls storage "Daddy's big cupboard"). I'm now being very discplined, every time I finish with something it goes straight back away onto this shelf. It feels weird being so organised and tidy.

I wonder how long it will last ;)

Special Delivery

A couple of weeks ago, when Jacob was poorly, I opened the door to the postman. He had a parcel for me.

I opened it up and inside,underneath the tissue paper was...

A lovely delicious collection of m&m's. Now, those of you in the UK will know that we don't get many different types of m&m's, often just the milk chocolate and the peanut. So I was super excited to receive the premiums (especially as husband doesn't really like dark choc or mint) and peanut butter, which I always request when anyone I know goes to the USA.

So, I would just like to say a huge THANK YOU to Deb over at the fabulous PaperTurtle blog (check it out lovely craft and yummy treats) for her randon act of kindness. It made me smile all day.

On another note,can't believe it is Christmas on Friday. I still have shopping to buy.

On a final note. Well done Chris and Ola, very deserving winners last night on Strictly Come Dancing.

Christmas Cactus

As promised, something a little christmassy.....

This is my beautiful poinsettia. I just love it and am determined to keep it alive well into the New Year. (I'm the opposite of green fingered).

Come On Daddy

I managed to complete another layout yesterday afternoon while Mike was in charge of the boys. These photos were taken on a trip to Chester Zoo. Jacob loves running from one animal enclosure to another calling "Come on Daddy".  It was dark when I photographed it looks much better in real life.

I used Sketch 21 from Lets capture these sketches blog. Thaks for a fab sketch. I'm just loving all the fabulous challenge blogs at the moment.

Dare 153

Have you seen The Dares? As soon as I saw the "Don't Stop" dare I thought of these photos of Jacob and his friends running and collapsing in a heap on the floor.

Pencil Lines : Sketch 164

Another early morning layout. Not as early as usual, as it was light by the time I was ready to photograph.

I used sketch 164 courtesy of the fabulous Pencil lines sketch challenge blog.

I love this photo of Mike and Jacob. It was taken earlier this year on a day out to Knowsley Safari Park. After we had done the Safari drive we went for a nature walk in the woodland.

Do you like my hand cut scallop at the bottom (any excuse to get my craft knife out).

A Poorly Boy

It's ages since I've blogged. I've got loads to blog about as well, so not sure why I've been so rubbish!

Last week I had a poorly Jacob.

He started with a temperature on the Saturday after swimming and didn't really improve over the next few days, which is very rare. On the Tuesday I took him to the doctors. We got sent to Children's Assessment Unit at our local hospital. He was very brave, there was medicine, oxygen and an x-ray. They diagnosed him with a chest infection and we were sent home with antibiotics.

Jacob, was not a huge fan of the medicine and it became an ordeal and a two person job to get him to take it. Anyway normal service has been resumed this week, back to nursery (hoorah).

Daniel was very good while I was focusing on his poorly big brother. He is getting into a lovely sleeping routine now and will go down for naps in the day. Sometimes short and sometimes long. We have lots of smiles when he is awake and he is now in his 3-6months clothes. How time flies.

Well, that is enough to read for one post. I'll be back with more stuff, including some Christmassy stuff, scrapbooking stuff and a lovely parcel that arrived last week.

Squashy Soup

Jacob has recently decided he will eat soup.

As part of weaning you spend so much time trying to progress from smooth pureed vegetables, to small lumps, to food that can be chewed to eating family meals. It is then a bit odd trying to get them to eat soup, which in our house, is essentially pureed vegetables mixed with stock.

Squashy Soup, is roasted butternut squash soup. Jacob helped make it. He likes dipping his bread.

I mixed the squash with a tsp ginger and a tbsp of garam masala and then roasted it in olive oil for about 40 mins, then I blended it with vegetable stock, easy.

November 16th Challenge : The Studio

I saw this challenge on the Studio (thank you Google Reader) and thought I would have a go. There were three parts to it. Title should include a number.

Use eyelets

Complete your journaling in a list style

I was up at 6:30am this morning, to feed the baby. He went back to sleep but I decided to stay up and make the most of all the boys still being asleep. It was lovely scrapping first thing in the morning.

I used one of the scrapagogo kits to make this layout, which included this fab journaling stamp, I stamped this out 4 times, They are things he has learnt, things he likes to do, his friends and some of his significant injuries (he is a little accident prone - at one point we were signing the nursery accident book weekly!)

Children In Need

It's Children In Need today. The tag line is "Do Something Different" so this year I baked Pudsey Bear's favourite muffins. I'm now pedaling my wares shamelessly wherever I go to raise money.

I bought the muffin cases from Lakeland last week and split them with my friends, so hopefully we should raise a few quid for Chidren in Need.

Double Chocolate Chip and Banana Muffins

I made two batches, the first came out really well.

Unfortunately I forgot to put sugar in the second batch, so they are relying on the natural sweetness of the banana (oops).

I've finished

I'm not normally a person who finishes things, so this is a major achievement for me (and hopefully a sign of things to come!) I've really enjoyed this project, thanks Shimelle for a fabulous class.

So, here is the 30th September. When asked to eat some chicken, Jacob replied, "No daddy I like rice"

I also managed to complete a 12x12 layout last night as well. This is based on a sketch from the September :BE INSPIRED creativity prompt from the blog A Matter of Memories.

These photos were taken earlier this year at the Valley of the Monkeys in France.

Cooking and Baking

Something very strange is happening. I think it might have something to do with living in a male dominated household. I just want to cook and bake all the time. I've made cake, shortbread, biscuits, soup and pasta sauce in the last week alone.

These are the cupcakes I made last week. I slightly overfilled the cases, so I cut the tops off before I iced them. They were so easy to make, put all ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Topped off with lemon butter cream icing. I had the girlie cake chicks round last week so fortunately they were able to help me polish them off.

It's Children in Need here in the UK this Friday. I have 25 Pudsey Bear cake cases. So, I shall be making cakes this week and accepting donations for them. Not decided what flavour to make yet.

Fruit & Veg

We had our first organic fruit and veg box delivered on Friday. It was on the step when we got up.

We had been thinking about ordering it for a while, but we have recently decided to try and eat more fruit and veg.

Delicious looking apples and bananas

Broccoli

Potatoes, red onions, pomegranates

Carrots and green cabbage.

I worked out how much it would've cost to buy this fruit and veg from the supermarket and it was about 50p more. We have said we will buy one box a week until Christmas and if we can use it all then we shall carry on into the New Year.

We had some of the veg and potatoes for tea followed by a pomegranate. I was quite surprised how much Jacob enjoyed it.

A very Industrious Day

I've had a brilliant day today. Just me and three friends locked in my conservatory scrapping. I completed 7 pages of my learn something new everyday album. Only one day left to scrap and then I've finished.

19th September is about my amazing sister. She is the most fabulous auntie and completely adored by Jacob. She took Jacob swimming for us just after Daniel was born. She has been a great support and I love her so much.

24th September. I love this photo, it was taken by the medical photographer, Jenny at the Countess of Chester hospital. When we had Daniel we were asked by one our midwives, Helen if we would be on the front of the home birth leaflet that she had put together. We said yes. I saw Helen yesterday and she said that they are currently at the printers. I can't quite believe we are going to be on a leaflet.

25th September. The thought of giving Daniel formula milk made me feel sick, a failure, a terrible mum etc etc. However, by this point Daniel was feeding all the time, I wasn't getting any sleep, I just felt awful, so we took the plunge and gave him some formula. The world didn't end, my child had a full tummy, I got some rest and I don't feel a failure.

26th September. I found keeping a journal through September extremely cathartic, especially after Daniel was born. I've managed to capture how I was feeling then. The plan was to continue post September, I haven't!

27th September. How cute are my boys! This was the day when we first heard "Jacob hold" He loves holding Daniel. We thought that maybe the novelty of having a baby brother would wear off quite quickly but it hasn't.

28th September. One of the huge blessings of being part of Christ Church is the fabulous meal rota. After having a baby food is delivered to your house every day for a week. We had the most delicious meals delivered each day. However, my friends from one of my house groups hadn't been included in the rota, so sent me an email asking if they could cook for us. "Please say yes" it said, so we said yes. Thank you fabulous friends

29th September. I love autumn and all the colours. After spending a couple of week pretty much in the house with my newborn, it was a bit of a surprise to see those beautiful reds, oranges and yellows in the trees. I can't believe I missed the start of autumn.

So, only one more day to do. I'm going to try to sneak off tomorrow and get it done. I can't wait to get on with some 12x12 layouts before JYC starts.

Some Colour...

...to brighten up your Thursday.

I was chatting with my mum today and we got onto the subject of the Sony Bravia adverts. I remembered the balls one and the one with the paint, but I'd never seen the bunnies before. So, we went on the internet (what would we do without it) and found it.

Hope you like it too.

Sunflowers & Not Sleeping

So, here are a couple more Learn Something New Everyday layouts. 22nd and 23rd September.

The 22nd was the first day I had left the house properly since Daniel had been born. After several sleepless nights and hormonal crying, it was so lovely to see the sunflowers we had planted all tall and smiling in the afternoon sun. I can't wait to grow more next year.

The 23rd was a day that followed a night of little sleep. I went back to bed mid-morning but couldn't get to sleep. So instead of getting upset and in a tizz with myself I got my book out (nothing too highbrow - chicklit) and just rested and read for a couple of hours. Although I had not been to sleep I still felt so much better.

I don't really like this layout though. I think I may need to re-visit once I've finished.

So, I'm nearly there. I'm off to print the last batch of pictures now.