365+1 - Day 366

reflect

I have really enjoyed this challenge and getting to know some lovely people along the way, thank you susie for doing the daily prompts for us and Jen, Anne and Kathi for giving us a new blog for 2013.

I maybe should reflect more but I tend to look forward instead of back.
2013 will see me return to the open university to study level 2 childhood and with this in mind I am going to try and do a project life style album in the hope of it being quicker, hmmm. I have finished my December daily album but I still need to finish my 2012 album- I only got to month of July so still a lot to do.

My parents house is we hope ok from the water. It hasnt quite reached the back door, in previous years its has been a pond in the grass but my dad did a gully this year for the water to come down to the drain, unfortunately its been a lot more rain the they have had before. Others are a lot worse though so they are hopefully going to be very lucky.


A college for you, the flash of the camera reflecting on the mirror and our living room spotlight reflected on the window. I am sure the cat does lots of reflecting in her sleep, lol.
I have then made two of the photos bigger....


more rain.
Look forward to seeing you all over on the new blog :)

365- Day 365

end

only one more day, I have got into a good routine with this challenge and it will be sad to see it finish....but I am looking forward to the new blog and challenge for 2013.


Is there an end to the rainbow??? Daniel took this photo for me with his camera he got for Christmas.

Evie, Harry and I went to my mums this afternoon to give the boys some time on their computers. We saw my dads new puppy....his dog died in August and he so missed having a sheepdog around him, so this is Katie


She is so cute and full of mischief- just like Harry really, lol.
This is the back garden...


not as bad as some have it I know....there is a public footpath down the left side and you need wellies to walk it. Under the plastic is the dog kennel...think it will be awhile before it can be put up.

365- Day 364

free choice

Remember the post yesterday about changes and I mentioned the living room...well it was decided that this weekend the decoration from Christmas would come down. Richard made a start and took the paper chains down from the ceiling....it wasnt long before I spotted this.

Near to the spotlight (thats another change....we moved here to find the owners thought spotlights in a room would be good- they are awful for light) the blu tac took some ceiling away with it....more to add to the list!

Harry has been enjoying playing with the garage Father Christmas brought for him

and a cuddle with dad


He likes chocolate too....


The thank you letter have been done, this year at school they used a company where the children do the art work and then they are made into cards- we choose to do thank you cards

Evie drew the snowman and Daniel did the tree, presents and Father Christmas....Daniel wrote in them and then Evie added her bit...


Sorry for being photo heavy and not great quality, they were taken with my phone. I have a flickr app and its quick and easy to upload. Just one more thing to share....have you seen stuido calico have a polaroid die cut? It made me think that I should be easily able to do a similar thing with my cricut and sure cuts a lot, so I had a play, got Richard to help and finally managed to do this...


I was quite impressed, lol...and did a few more now I know how.

365- Day 363

something you'd change....

so how long have you got???

quite a bit I would like to change, the weather....we have a bit of flooding round here in Yorkshire but luckily we are ok, my mum has water coming close to her back door though. On things I could change but dont have the money would be to move or extend...neither an option at the moment. Inside I would like to decorate but its a case of where to start....for example the living room. The carpet needs changing but we could do with another fire and sofa so then it all gets a bit expensive and no point in just changing the carpet and then changing the fire.



A while ago I showed a picture of where the cat had attacked the sofa, well its also used the fire surround as a scratching post. I have stuck parcel tape over to try and discourage the cat, lol

I am sure we are all like this or have things we would like to be able to change.....one day :)

365- Day 362

Special

I have been thinking about this prompt most of the day....the only thing that I keep coming back to is how special time is...we have all noticed it more by taking part in this challenge.

So I have looked back at photos from a year ago. December 2011, Harry was christened aged nearly 5 months. Daniel and Evie were both christened in the December month too as they were 3 months old....Harry needed to wait until the football season was finished so thats why he was christened later :)





Seeing Father Christmas 2011 and then below 2012, for you to compare :)



and finally how Harry has grown....

365- Day 360 & 361

something on your table and delight.





I didnt manage to take a photo of our table as I didnt see the prompt until evening.
We have a few faces of delight yesterday. I was pleased my grandma decided to join us for dinner, she wasnt going to come but then thought about it and changed her mind- the reason? she might not be here next year....you have to laugh at her thought process! She is 89.

just to add- bottom pic grandma, harry, my mum, daniel and evie, lol

365- Day 359

mouth watering

Happy Christmas Eve everyone.

I have done a little baking today, meringues, brandy snaps and a battenburg





The children are in bed after sprinkling reindeer food....


and leaving a treat for father christmas and rudolf.....

365- Day 358

festive

I finished Harrys vest top today...Anne I wish I did knit quicker :)



Not great photos as he wont keep still for 2 mins.

Festive? I got the Christmas hats out for a photo :)



Evie wasnt as miserable as she looks! She did have a mouth full of sweets though, lol

365- Day 357

something green

when I saw the prompt this morning I thought I would be taking a photo of a sprout. I dont like them, but Richard and Daniel do, we have grown some at the allotment and I thought Richard and Daniel would have gone today to get some....but its been raining all day so they didnt bother going.

I have had to have another think about my green photo for today...I finished my socks last night and they have green in them...


I am nearly finished with a tank top for Harry, which has a green border on it...


and we have got a rose for Richards mum....I am not too sure about the glitter on it, but its got green leaves...



Sorry about the photo quality- its my phone :)

right I am going to try and finish the tank top.

365- Day 356

something red

The children had the last day at school before Christmas today. They had a non uniform fun day, in the morning Daniels class took games in to play, I dont know what Evie did and then in the afternoon they had a disco.

They came home with things they had made at school this term and a few things were red.

Evie had sewn a red stocking


These are Christmas cards from them both and a card that Daniel had done some sewing on- its a stocking too :)


I just wanted to share this with you, Daniel did his version of the 12 days of christmas...hope you can read it.


We did the Tesco shop this afternoon and it was mad, so hope I dont need to go again before Christmas....and I am so lucking forward to a lie in tomorrow :)

365- Day 355

something you want



Just got back from the school nativity in Church. Here is my angel....something I want, for all my children to be happy. :)

365- Day 354

drink

It must be christmas time, we have J2O in the cupboard. Daniel and I like to drink this.



Harry and I went to the toddler Chistmas party this morning he did really well. He ate loads and then had a sleep this afternoon, while I watched the bake off masterclass xmas special and knitted :)

365- Day 353

slippers

We don't tend to wear slippers, the kids have never got into the habit even though they have been given them...they tend to go round the house with their socks on. I like to wear my crocs...in winter I have my knitted socks over normal socks then my crocs- to keep my toes cosy. Richard went through slippers like I don't know what, at the moment he has a huge pair of socks that I knitted for him, he wanted thicker yarn then the normal sock 4ply so I did them in double knitting but couldnt find a mens size so I made it up, lol and well they turned out big even- he has already got a hole in them! Like I said I don't know how he does it, lol...I am trying to convience him into crocs but he wont have it.



So here is Evie's, mine and Richard footwear/slipper choice.

Evie made a card at Rainbows last week and has just given it to us to open.


It was the last Rainbows last week so it will be an easier Wedsnesday tomorrow. Harry has his Christmas party at toddlers in the morning, then Evie is at dance club after school then the night is at home :)

365- Day 352

grey

It was a grey start to the day



Harry had his hair cut before picking up Evie and Daniel from school- he looks so different.



He did really well though and sat quite still- just looking every now and again to see what was going on.

365- Day 351

wealth

I am feeling a lot better today thank you. We went to visit Father Christmas at the local garden centre this morning. Now I am sure Father Christmas has a wealth of knowledge...he didn't even need to write down what the children would like for Christmas :)

Harry walked straight over to see him which was lovely and we got some good pictures.





Big day tomorrow- Harry gets his first hair cut.

365- Day 350

blanket



Not a great photo but the children each have a blanket of their own from a local company Mr mole blankets https://www.mrmoleblankets.co.uk/

Still not feeling great, i am thinking it might be man flu :)

Here is the recipe for millionaires shortbread, its from my grandma.

chocolate caramel squares/millionaires shortbread

for the shortbread base

6oz plain flour

3oz caster sugar

6oz butter

2oz cornflour

for the filling

4oz margarine

4oz soft brown sugar

2 level tablespoonfuls golden syrup

1 small tin condensed milk

a few drops vanilla essence

for the top

4oz plain dessert chocolate

a shallow tin 7 in square

Method

Grease the tin. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the caster sugar and cornflour then the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Kneed into a ball. Press it well into the base of the tin, making it as even as possible. Bake in a moderate oven- 180 degrees- for 25 mins. Leave to cool in the tin.

Put the margarine, sugar, syrup and condensed milk into a pan and stir it over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring it to the boil stirring continuously, boil the mixture for seven mins. Add vanilla, beat wek and pour it onto the shortbread base. Leave the mixture to cool and set before coating it with chocolate.

Melt the chocolate then spread evenly over the filling.

When the chocolate is quite set, cut the mixture.

365- Day 349

health

I do not feel very healthy at the moment with this cold....


They say to feed a cold don't they?? so a little snack while Harry is in bed, some millionaires shortbread I made at the weekend :)

It is not as cold today, we had a little frost this morning but now its pouring down with rain and quite windy.

365- Day 348

edible

I am starting with a cold and hardly slept last night....so an early night for me.
Very cold and icy today....on the school run Richard said it got to minus 6....we have some sparrows at our bird feeder too :)



Evie came back from school with some biscuits she had made.


I had the present and it tasted lovely :)

365- Day 347

obligations

I needed to go to the opticians this afternoon so that was an obligation and I suppose its an obligation to look after ourselves...I got a prescription and have ordered a new pair of glasses.



I thought another obligation- especially when its so cold is to feed the birds....so I sent Richard out to fill up the bird feeder, lol


Harry got some new shoes, so he looks very smart now. Evie had the last rainbow meeting before Christmas so it was party night- kids all in bed now and I am having a sit down :)

365- Day 346

look up

first I thought I would show you Evie's pink tree, that I was too late to take a photo of last night. The angel on the top of the tree is one Daniel made at nursery so its a few years old now :) The pink star, Evie and I made last year or the year before and there is a little christmas tree hanging at the bottom, I think Evie made it at school.


When Daniel and Evie came home from school they opened the Christmas cards they had got from their friends at school, then they had some real post to open....


It was a reply from Father Christmas! :)

So on to my 'look up' photos...

A photo looking up at Evies tree....looks very strange from this angle. Evie and Daniel swapped bedrooms when Harry was old enough to leave our room....so in Evie's bedroom is a left over from when it was Daniels- glow in the dark planets and dinosaurs. Then in Daniels room we have his dreamcatcher which he made at school a few years ago.

I made a few cards with the stamp I showed you all yesterday so I thought I would take a picture of the cards...they are very simple and quick to do....


I stamp the image with versamark and then using embossing powder....the left card is white embossed then I have used the ink blender over the image, the one on the right is just silver embossed and thats it....no fancy cards but I dont mind quick and simple :)

365- Day 345

tree

Today I had a mental list of what I wanted to get done...I have nearly finished it just need to do a few christmas cards, but I feel like I havent had 2 mins to sit down. Harry has a runny nose and is feeling a bit under the weather...so looks like he is getting a cold.

I have already taken a photo of our christmas tree so wont bore you with that again and the tree oustide is very boring. It was too late when I thought of Evies pink tree in her bedroom as she and Harry were settling down....so I thought of the tree stamp I am using on my christmas cards.

365- Day 344

lights

This morning I took Daniel to a mini hockey tournament, he only had 2, 20 min games to play...good job too. The car said 7 degrees, it looked a nice day, no ice on the car etc....but it was freezing. A very cold wind...by the end of the games I couldnt feel my toes or fingers. I had put leggings on under my jeans and the usual scarf, gloves, hat etc....I was so pleased to get home. Daniel enjoyed the game, they lost the first game but won the second.

I have already taken a picture of our christmas tree, so I thought I would take a photo of the candle I bought a couple of weeks ago. While we were sitting having tea I thought the street light shining through our back door looked quite nice too.