Premier Inn Hotel at Corby is relatively new and very nice, I recommend it lovely breakfasts and food, staff very friendly and helpful with dad and wheelchair so recommended for the disabled and people with children as family friendly. Checked out this morning. After we checked out we went to Brixworth Country Park. Lovely place for families recommended! Good disabled paths for a disabled scooter, children took their scooters but needed to be carried accross some of the paths as they were bumpy, wheelchairs might struggle as slightly up hill on way back. cafe/ toilets and a great park for children only £2.60 to park so great family fun and a cheap day out. Laugh of the day!! Olivia "mummy I am feeding the bunnies down Peter rabbits bunny hole with these chocolate drops!!" Aka rabbit dropping urgh!! My darling little girl You are so funny you make mummy laugh! Said good bye to nanny and grandad and went to Tesco to get fresh lunchbox things as unfortunately back to school. Dont know where the 6 weeks have gone. We broke up from school went to Disneyland Paris came home had Brendyns birthday and his party at RAFCosford. Nanny and grandad stayed over, made some wine had 2 birthday parties different weekends and went to Rutland water and that is it is time to go back. Got back home unpacked put the shopping away and had hot dogs and snacks for tea for fun and quickness, got the scalextric out and watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Was a fun evening we all chilled. Brendyn went up to bed and read his story to himself and I gave Olivia a cuddle and story to settle her down to sleep, Richard did the packed lunches. I was pleased to see his new lunch bag and new water bottle thought they looked lovely. I normally do the lunches when were back in routine at 12pm. I find it easier to do our lunch and the boys lunch in one go. All the mess is in one place at one time, they have an ice pack in the bag so are kept fresh in the fridge, I found this easier to do it like this when Olivia was a baby, breast feeding and setting out on school walks 30 minutes before him going to school was too much of a rush in the morning and I was too tired last thing on a night.
I remember when I was little my mum used to stand in the kitchen saying "sandwiches, crisps, apple, cake, drink" It is funny as I find myself doing the same thing now, I open my mouth and my mum pops out, I check I haven't forgotten anything only froob (yoghurt in a tube) yoghurt raisins and a cheese straw. My mum always used to make the cakes homemade I was the only child at school with fresh homemade food most had dinners or pre packed food I thought as a child I missed out but now realise I had my lunch fresh and healthy and do the same for mine, Brendyn doesn't like school dinners so he eats his tea at home with us on an evening we all eat together if we can other than Thursdays which ate kids tea night as Brendyn has beavers. I thought I would mention the lunch for any new mums. I panicked first time Brendyn went to school I stood staring at his lunch box wondering what to put in, which is silly when I look back as I do it now second nature. Can't believe September is here how chilly it is, came home popped heating on and started discussing having a stove that we like at the Lake District and that we had in Penncricket Lane but gas. Looked before and no displays yet in b&q so will keep looking. Happy 40th birthday Kerry!! I made this granny square while watching tv last night, it was my first attempt so its a bit squiff so will have to keep practising to get it better, but so pleased I got there in the end.J Richard made us breakfast this morning we had poached egg on toast with cheese grated on the top, scrumptious!! I packed the children's case for our long weekend away till Tuesday, were staying at a Premier Inn hotel today with nanny and grandad at Rutland Water, I love it we used to go as a child and ride our bikes and visit the church so I have packed their scooters they are very excited. So keep an eye on this space and be back soon.... I was very excited when the delivery of name tags came through the door in June, now August the novality has wore off, I spent a long time sewing Olivia's name tags into her uniform and sticking little pink "Olivia" heel labels into her shoes and little pink labels on her water bottles, you guessed it she loves pink! Explaining to her she has to wear a red uniform and no it can't be pink with princesses on was slow and painful, tears and cuddles later, we got there she is now very excited to wear her "grown up princess uniform" As she is a big girl and that's why it's red! Phew!! If anyone else is having the same issue, we have got her trousers from Sainsburys as they have little princess type bows on so its thumbs up from Olivia, thank you Sanisburys. She looks so cute I am so proud of her even Brendyn said its a shame his baby sister has grown up. I must admit now the job is out the way I am pleased its all done and ready and excited but nervous for her all at the same time as she starts nursery school. Just the school shop and Brendyn's jumper to sort they think it might be in tomorrow, failing that will deliver it to the school. I could have knitted it by now!! Well I couldn't, but not the point, they have had 8 weeks from when we paid for the order!! Basically the teachers decided as the children broke up from school to change the uniform, new logo new tie and design and me being somewhat an organised person had got most of it in June!! So not very patient now that still can't tick it off my list. Never mind it's not the end of the world. Spent what was left of the morning writing my christmas present list out. I usually get the children back to school and they settle in and before you know it, it is October and nearly half term and Christmas on the doorstep, although I get excited and think of Christmas and Christmas crafts and gifts for people all year round actually sorting it all out is a task. I don't buy any presents until the October half term holiday, we don't go away as I spend the week shopping get it all done in one go, wrap it pile it up and write my cards out last weekend in November when we put the tree up glass of sherry christmas music on and I get into the Christmas spirit, literally!! I try to make it that everyone has their cards on and from the 1st December which is when ours and most people I know put their Christmas tree up. Personally I can't wait for the cards to pile in and decorate our home with loving wishes. (Now I am getting very excited) I found that buying things as I saw them I would end up with not only no space in storage boxes under my bed, but over buying and forgetting who got what and why I had got it for them, as by the time came, they had already brought one or was given one. When we moved into our home being brand new I also found there wasn't much storage, thankfully Richard cleverly throughout the house over 8 years on the 16th December has given me lots of storage, but with all the craft items and children's toys I have filled all of it!! Come on you can never have enough storage!! So we decided it would be better to spend half term sorting it out stressful week but as we go back to school and people are panicking about it nearly being Christmas and dreading it and stressed, shops get busier and prices go up I can relax and look forward to it and concentrate on the food the fun side and going to craft fairs, so we all enjoy the festivities and stress isn't a factor. (Well until Christmas Day and doing the dinner!) So I have 35 people to buy for so I have written a list of who for, what to get and where from. I also make a note throughout the year back of my diary if someone mentions they haven't got or need something and if they haven't got it by October then I try and get it for them. I find this helps you can go straight to the shop and pick it up job done or get it delivered so havent got to go out at all. I also find it helps me as I am asthmatic if left to close to Christmas I might have a cold short of breath for a week and chest infection, shops are the last places I need to be also as silly as it sounds but shops are crammed with more people towards the end of the year and winter more germs so more illnesses around and as much as I try to live life without thinking of me having "a life threatening disease" I have and I have to be careful. So with that said list written and ideas buzzing round my head I can now sit and watch the children out in the garden and enjoy a nice cup of tea. After children have played in the garden, played with Lego and I have read them 3 stories, Olivia is now cutting an old Tesco catalogue up and sticking the cut out pieces to a piece of paper making a Christmas list I think by the looks of things, Brendyn is now playing on Friv if you have kids this website has great games, at school on winter days he plays this so it's a school recommended website so you can rest assured they will be safe and the content is ok. Richard got back from work at 3pm and cut the lawn and a foot off the hedge its been done 3 times this year can't believe how much it has grown. We sat outside on the patio for a while then came in for family film night had pizza, garlic bread and onion rings. (As pictured) I am very lucky to own one of these vintage collectors pieces. When I was at nursery I used to love making things out of junk modelling, drawing and all crafts, at primary school I loved crafting it might have been hexagon mats and wood sticks with paper weaving round to make small baskets, cork mats stencilled and painted or make and paint your own pottery. I went onto knitting, cross stitches and decoupage, until the present day where If it can be made i will craft it! Thankfully my husband being brought up a lot of the time by his nan has taken up the love of crafts as well, both his parents crafted/craft things to this day. My mother in law is fantastic at what she has created she inspires me and I hope one day to be at least half as good as she is. My mum still knits she can't do decoupage anymore unfortunately as she has arthritis in her hands and carpal tunnel, so she crafts in the garden instead turning it into a work of art. So I am very blessed being brought up with craft and having it all around me. I loved crafting and have crafted all my life, my parents being older I never watched tv much, other than the odd Sooty and Thomas The Tank or Postman Pat. I don't really re call any other programmes. They used to say " it kills your brain cells" and "kids today should learn something to pass on from one generation to another" (I believe this today and say the same to my children) It would be tragic if crafts and traditions died off. So instead my childhood consisted of either siting and writing pages of maths and sums for fun, I used to love it,my mum being a company accountant pushed maths on me a lot I used to play cards and dominoes with my dad backgammon and draughts and monopoly all teaching me maths skills. In primary school my maths was fantastic for quick adding up, ( not sure what happened as I detest maths!!) We were always learning something, so one day my dad found the sewing machine in their loft which is like Aladins cave as its huge there is a single bed up there and storage cupboards all the way around it's full of junk like anyone's loft but to me it's like Aladins cave always a story with every interesting piece. I love my parents being older they have so many fascinating stories and always have something interesting to tell us either war related or history, how things were, or places my dad travelled to. So my dad gave me this sewing machine that was his mums saying in dads style "probably no good have a play anyway keep you quite for a bit, we can always get you one for Christmas if its no good" I loved it, it was hand held no electric, that was it!!! I had the crafting bug before secondary school I was making little cushions little bags it was fantastic right up to my 21st birthday when devasted the needle broke so they replaced it, my friends were going out to clubs/pubs having new outfits, sleeping most the day and being barmaids/shop work by evening and all I wanted to do was stay at home and craft something. so now with a brand new Brother sewing machine electric, it didn't quite have the excitement of my vintage one it was too shiny and new and too easy but I created far more as like today was fast paced, I still have both to this day. 18 years ago I made my own curtains, a duvet with my mother in laws help and a friend taught me how to make a plain light pink dress but it had darts in and a zip and I struggled so my mother in law helped me finish it, I proudly wore it to a wedding and for the first time wore shoes and not doc martins I felt so grown up. So this morning I thought I wonder if Brendyn is interested in having a play I wonder if I could get a needle I wonder mmm.... On the net I found this picture of the place in 1946. Research is amazing now we have the Internet. So if anyone has a vintage sewing machine with no label on I.e not a Singer. Then google it!! Luckily for me I had some labels and a little help in finding out what I needed to know. For anyone interested, a little history lesson. The company was founded in 1935 the factory was built on the site of an old bottling works in a pre war era, during the Second World War the company switched to manufacturing parts for guns, after the war there was a shortage for sewing machines. People who could afford Singer sewing machines could wait up to a year for one to come into stock. So in 1946 the first Essex Miniature Sewing Machine was born and it came in colour! maroon! It was a copy of the Singer and they according to my research were Singers first competitors. And so the industry began. I love history and the "old days" so as I read about my little sewing machine that I had hours of fun on as a child, I get nostalgic imagining my nan crafting and what did she make and the excitement of having something so lovely in a sad time of war and rations. Did she enjoy using it and have the crafting bug? or was she frustrated and having to make things quickly to just get the job done? unfortunately she died when she was 51 so my dad doesn't know and I never met her. so unanswered questions. So I am proud that when i dust it, it is a piece of history what it was then and what it is to me. And if I find a needle what it will be for my children's future. Watching this film and ironing. Olivia's comments " has it started yet? Is this it? Where are the princesses" bless her. Richard cooked tea Mediterranean chicken spicy rice, and I cooked kids cheese pasta and sweet corn. Watched Ben & Holly and they went to bed I am crocheting and Rich is knitting while watching tv. The kitchen smells like a brewery just stirred the wine this is the re run now, the wine in the demijohns is bubbling nicely. Children playing lovely together with wood and bits and bolts building brendyn found his workbench out I was going to give to charity and he decided to re use it, lots of hammering going on though think now is a good time to clean our ensuite and bedroom, am great full 3 floors up as can't hear it up here. :0) Cut Brendyn and Olivia's hair before we go on holiday and back to school, usually my friend Joanne cuts it but we haven't had chance to meet up over the holidays so thought I would have a go myself. We had lots of fun making the paper mâché they are drying now we will paint them tomorrow. It's been dull and cool today so children only played in garden for a bit, got washing in and watched this film we like to relax after a fun filled day with a film at 3pm and calm down have cuddles, before cooking tea ready for daddy to come home. While we're watching the film I am crocheting again I guess you could say I am "hooked" this time I am trying to make a doily my nan used to make delicate ones from cotton or linen but as I am learning self taught from the Internet I am using wool as its cheap and forgiving for my mistakes. Richard has gone to Tesco after work shopping as were away for a long weekend so managed to finish my doily/plant pot holder while We wait for him to come home, have made spaghetti bolognaise and garlic bread for tea. Just the 3 of us today daddy at work nanny and grandad back home so we had a chilled lazy morning, I hung washing out and grass was wet with dew so children watched a barbie film on sky while waiting for it to warm up outside, I filled my new diary in for 2014. I got it when we went to the garden centre as I can put next years holiday in now and the paperwork to go with it so I don't loose it from now till then. Having a quite day today got washing in and played frisbee with Brendyn. Started to make the paper mâché he had of Mark and Michelle for his birthday but he wanted to play outside and not get hands dirty so we have got to this stage with it. This evening I have an asthma check/review At the drs so for quickness will have the gammon from the roast Sunday, potatoes and veg. Happy bank holiday everyone I made bacon, egg on croissants for everyone for breakfast mmmm After pegging my washing out on such a beautiful day we went to a local forest where they have a fairy tree and village and Brendyn rode his bike Olivia peddled a trike and daddy pushed it, nanny and I walked it was lovely walking through the trees it was very busy with it being a bank holiday people were galloping by with horses and a group of people had hired segway's which looked good fun! We stopped at the cafe and nanny treated us to icecreams. Came home got my washing in and nanny and daddy played frisbe in the garden with the children while I cleared up after having lunch. 3pm nanny and grandad are going back home now so we followed them half way to a currys shop as nanny us and my brothers family are all buying grandad an iPad for his birthday he will be 80! for Christmas we had all brought him a 7" one but he likes our 10" and is easier to see so nanny is having that one and we are getting him a 10" am very proud of my dad for an 80 year old he does his own Tesco shop online, he can email and book premier inn holidays up and brought a lawn mower online very proud of him. well done dad!! Got home from currys and had a glass of wine outside while waiting for tea to cook sat in the sun and the children played it was lovely and quite but I think they just stopped that peace, bless them I love hearing them giggle. Having curry for tea for quickness as been a busy day, had such a lovely day spending it with family we are very lucky and blessed. Had chicken curry for tea children had sausage mash and beans. Once children were in bed we watched falling sky's, Rich is knitting me a scarf black and sparkly and I crocheted. My phone tinkled and it was a message from nanny Jenny inviting us through Facebook to her birthday party, we accepted and are looking forward to it. Happy 18 years Richard!! We have been together 18 years today! Nanny and grandad stayed over night, I made everyone an omelette and toast for breakfast. We all had fun making homemade lanterns from jam jars and decorated them the children loved doing this and so did nanny. Then we went to a local garden centre had a coffee, I brought Richard a purple plant. Came home and put a gammon joint in the oven, I love a Sunday roast, sometimes I slow cook gammon for quickness but its really tasty when roasted. While dinner cooked we took the trampoline down to let the grass grow back before the winter. Mum helped us tidy the garden up at the back that the trampoline has covered up since spring, Richard planted the new plant I brought him. We all came in and had our Sunday roast and cheesecake for desert, everyone said it was delicious so I was pleased. Yay! 2 weeks and I have managed to continue with the blog I am surprising myself. After showers this morning all sat round dining room table having lazy morning, breakfast, chatting and laughing about this and that, it's nice to sit as a family and chill no rushing no work or school. However we do have to go out soon for Gabriella's party, Happy 4th birthday Gabriella have a fab day! When we get back nanny and grandad should be here children excited they are staying over for the bank holiday, dad is helping us put the homemade wine into demijohns. I am hoping we have done everything right when he comes as it has a live yeast, so fingers crossed that we haven't managed to kill it so far, I feel as if we have had a little pet to nurture and care for daily a bit like when I make the Herman-German friendship cake which I intend to start again soon for my friends considering Autumn is around the corner, I love the house smelling of yummy food so watch this space! We haven't gone away this bank holiday weekend as we have the homemade wine on the go and also had Gabriella's party in the diary but we are hoping to go away soon before the 6 weeks holidays are over. I don't follow patterns now with the flowers either I have learnt the patterns off by heart or I am making them up as I go along and they are a new species. The party was lovely they are at a nice age now so we sat and had a coffee While they played and chatted to the other mums and dads, peppa pig made an appearance Olivia was excited as she had peppa pig at her party can't believe that was nearly a year ago time flies. Nanny and grandad are here I did a fillet of chicken, bacon, egg salad with garlic bread for tea washed down with a nice bottle of wine. Just had breakfast and children have far too much energy they are doing gangnam style in their pjs funny site they make me laugh. Spent the morning doing housework top to bottom changing beds and tidying children's bedrooms up, so now going to sit and chill for a while radio on just had lunch and were making necklaces. I made a beaded bracelet in red and black to tie our door net back, our kitchen is black white and red, we chose these colours from a shield we have that was given to us From the Maasai Mara Tribe when we were in Kenya on our honeymoon. Kenya was an amazing country and experience. So we were inspired, so other then the downstairs bathroom all our downstairs is themed with travel experiences and the Kenya colours and ornaments we brought back that hold special memories, from all over the world that we hope to keep on collecting for the rest of our life, there are so many interesting countries and cultures it would be such a waste to not see and experience them and to keep going back to the same old place, like when I was a child it was Cornwall every year and for my husband the Lakes, as I have said before we love the Lakes and will deffiently return year after year. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love Cornwall and we intend to go back next year with our timeshare, but as a child we knew what was coming there were no surprises and we had visited all the local attractions over and over again, it was more like a 2nd home then a holiday. So I guess what I am saying is its lovely to enjoy going back to places and re living memories but its also exciting adventurous and fantastic to do so much more!! Life is too short and there is a world out there waiting to be explored. This is one of the necklaces I made the others will be pictured under creations. This is fantastic I am so pleased with it Richard made this by using a pyrography kit that his mum brought him for Christmas, we had been after one for a few years and hadn't found one and luckily she did. We have put this on our cabinet in the dining room that holds some of our special memories from the casts of our children's hands and feet, to school projects brought home and special items, one of the pieces is a pipe from my grandad it's the only memory I have of him. All in all had a very busy fun and productive day so we are now having our family night pizza and a film. |
Categories
All
AuthorHi! Welcome to Brenoli's thank you for joining us, I hope you enjoy reading and come back for more. Archives
July 2015
|