Christmas 2013

We took some photos on Christmas eve, being silly, lol




One of the presents Evie asked father christmas for was a tiger onsie...harry also got one, so here they are together.



We had a good Christmas although Harry had a cold, so was a little off it, my mum and dad came for dinner....but I wasnt very good at taking photos, so nothing else to show you of the day.
Hope you all had a good Chistmas and enjoy 2014!

Learning - Saturday

Lottie had her friend (my sister in laws dog) Molly round to play, they went for a walk together and Lottie got very dirty. It was time for Lottie to have her first bath, not something I was looking forward to....
we didn't take photos of the event as I didn't think it would be a wise time to take photos...but who would have guess, she was fine. The bath went well and very little mess :)
She took some drying though, good job we had the fire going.

I know she doesn't look very happy- but this is a normal look, lol

Learning - Friday

I learnt to make bread for the first time today- I thought it was going horribly wrong as it was very very sticky

Before it went in the oven and when it came out...

it wasn't actually too bad....apparently, according to DH it needed more salt, but it was edible, so that's a start. I don't think I will be in a rush to make it again though as my arm was aching, lol

It seems The Open University likes to play a little trick on us, after yesterdays email to say our result would be delayed, I saw on facebook this morning others saying they had got there result. I logged onto the website....


So I got 49% in my exam, I needed 40% to pass, so I was pleased I passed but disappointed it brought my overall module grade to a pass 4, with the assignments being a 78%- grade 2 pass....but its a pass which I wasn't expected after the exam, so onwards and upwards!

learning- Thursday

Today I have learnt to be patient, our module results should have been available tomorrow, but this morning I received this email....the results have been delayed, so I will have to wait a little longer now to see how I did in the exam that seems ages ago now.

Learning - Wednesday

I learnt today that the minimum wage rose in October, it will be a small difference in our pay packets :)

Thank you for all your lovely comments and welcoming me back.

Tuesday

learn-



I go out to work this afternoon and a small two year old can empty a toy box, into a neat pile on top of a bean bag....why?, because he can :)

Quote week with Lynne

LEARNING
“ Anyone who keeps learning stays young” Henry Ford
“You cannot open a book without learning something” Confucious



Monday- When its cold outside, its lovely to be sat inside knitting in front of a warm fire.

AWOL & No Limits

Sorry I have been away for sometime from blogland. No good excuse just life getting in the way. I had the childhood module exam, starting a new module of equality, participation and inclusion, a car breaking down and without it for 4 weeks and the usual child chaos!!

I am still waiting for my exam results and this is certainly  case of no limits, I hate exams but managed to go through with it- as for each course getting myself nearer to a degree, most days I am struggling at the moment.
The car had a computer (ecu) fault and once we got it back I just wanted rid of it, I crashed it last year and I had fallen out of love with it. I was very stressed trying to find another car- our budget was poor and I wanted a decent car. In the end I found a Hyundai i30, its a little small for 3 kids but will be ok when Harry goes into the next stage car seat....so once the car problem was solved I felt a little better.

As for Annes, no limits, I do put limits onto myself and its silly really, we can do most things when we put our selves out of our comfort zone. I am enjoying my knitting still and managed to make a hat with a simple two colour pattern, I surprised myself how much I enjoyed it. I now want to have a go at spinning yarn, but that will have to wait until after Christmas.

quote week and holiday fun.

I apoligise now, a photo heavy post...I intended to do two posts this week but time has not allowed. Richard had this week off work and my assignment was due. I have managed to submit it but my word count is not what it should have been so we will see what result I get. Only the exam left for this course, then on to the next course in October...
On Friday after tea we took Lottie to the beach.



On Bank holiday Monday we went back to the beach, we went with my sister in law, her family and dog too. Evie got buried...




...but escaped




We finally have a red tomato,


black and white photos do not work for tomatoes, lol.

“When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and White you photograph their souls” Ted Grant

Lynnes challenge, while I sat on the bench outside, cheeky chap made an appearance!


On Wednesday we went to a local farm, we all had a great time.






Afterwards we went to the café and Daniel got a knickerbokerglory, we did not think he would manage it all.


Evie had a strawberry melba, she didn't manage to eat it all, but I enjoyed helping :)




He did finish it!!



and for the past 3 nights I have been messing with this....can you see the bit near the pen, the holes do not line up with the ones under neath....so I have undone it and got back to where I was a few nights ago (I had already taken it back once) so fingers crossed 3rd time lucky it will work out right this time!

nostalgia

Over on luckysnapping we have been asked the following questions.

your parents' jobs, how life has changed

My mum was a bank clerk, she finished work before my brother was due to be born and she never returned. She became a housewife instead. My dad started work on leaving school at a local turkey farm which he continued until he retired only recently. He worked for many different companies but his job always stayed the same. He didn't finish work and then stay home he had a small holding so worked permanently. He has land for crops and sheep, so we never had holidays away as the animals still needed looking after....even on Christmas day dad would go and sort whatever needed sorting. He still has the small holding even though he is retired, I don't think he will ever want to give it up.

your first job, the mistakes you made!

I suppose my first job would have been babysitting, I got quite a lot of families I would baby sit for so most weekends I was out. I first 'employed' job was at safeway (supermarket)- as a crèche assistant.

your best job

It would have to be my current job- stay at home mum, although I do have an afternoon when I clean for a family- I really don't like this job but at the moment it works with our circumstances.

the dream job you wish you had

dream job, I have no idea...would be nice to win the lottery and not need to work but I think I would work as a volunteer doing something. I go into school one afternoon a week and love it, maybe more because I am not employed :)

the worst job you ever had

I suppose that has to be cleaning, I don't like doing my own cleaning so don't find it any more enjoyable doing someone elses :)

irrelevant

 

A mess! This is my desk and it needs a tidy desperately. It has even got more on since I took this picture. Monday= mess
My uni book- still trying to do the last assignment, a thank you card from Harry for his birthday present to grandma, which is still waiting to be delivered....and many other things that I really should get to the end of.

Thursday- thoughtful hugs with Lottie

Saturday- shopping

 

Evie wanted some lace up trainers so she could learn to fasten laces....

Daniel showed her how to tie them and it didn't take very long at all for her to pick it up.

Sorry I haven't managed all the days, I had this post in draft since yesterday and thought I had better get on and post it.
Anne, hope your holiday went well.

 

book

Sorry Joy for the car boot confusion...Richard and Daniel were doing a car boot- like your garage sales, taking a lot of unwanted things to sell from your car boot :) My nephew did well selling his computer games and made about £100, we sold about £50.

book

I like to read before sleeping and get the books from our library. I often reserve the ones I want to read, but I made a list of authors I like to read on my phone- just in case.

catch up

Finally my views picture...the front garden with leaves on that strange bush thing!




The back garden, with tomatoes growing and the lettuce in front which has had an attack from lottie- lottie likes to dig!!!


catch up- sweet,
not strictly sweet, but I like this yogurt.


Drink- Daniel found this in Tesco last week.


Daniels cousin is here tonight and he, Daniel and Richard are going early in the morning to do a car boot, lets hope the car comes home a lot lighter!!

stone

does anyone know the tv programme for children called in the night garden??

Well in the programme is a character called makka pakka

he collects stones, we have our own little makka pakka here....




He collects stones too!

time

a waste of time?


Since I have learnt how to do a screen shot here is one- playing solitaire or patience as I call it, on the phone.


Lottie having a quiet moment with Evie.

the view- green

Its not a colour I normally go for- I like turquoise though :)
I finished this cardi for myself last week.


and I have started this shawl, I took the photo last night under artificial light so the colours in the photo aren't great, but there is all shades of green/blue/grey.

the view

Richard was back at work today and as it was raining our view was staying indoors- well apart from taking lottie out.
We made some biscuits this morning, Harry did the teddy ones

and evie did the others. We had some apple in the freezer so Daniel did the crumble topping for our tea pudding.

The older two entertained themselves while Harry slept and I did some studying


I just have to share this photo with you, Harry loves to go in Lotties crate!

4th August- Day 7

We took Lottie to a local Dog Fun Day. We didn't enter her into any of the classes but had a good time socialising with other dogs. My sister in law and family came with her dog, so her daughter and Daniel did an agility course with Molly (lottie was too young to have a go)



Daniel really enjoyed taking her round the course :)
I was a bit disappointed that there was only one dog stall...I hoped to get lots of decent toys for Lottie.
We then came home and both dogs had a good run round the garden and then Lottie slept most of the afternoon. Daniel and Richard went to the allotment, Evie on the laptop and I did some uni work.

3rd August- Day 6

The day started with Evie's swimming lesson. We then went to my mum and dads to pick up a pressure washer. Our bin really smelt, with this new puppy doing lots of business!! So it was emptied yesterday and needed a good clean out and air freshener put it. So after we brought that home Richard cleaned the bin out. I looked on the internet as 'The Works' have a children's book offer of 10 books for £10. We then took the pressure washer back after dinner, went to have a look at the allotment and didn't do much of anything else. I wanted to bake but it was just too hot.
I did do some knitting though...I only had a few rows to do to finish my socks.

Ta da!!

2nd August 2013- Day 5

The last day of Richards holiday. Our annual ticket for The Deep ran out in April, so we got Tesco vouchers and went to The Deep today to get our new annual ticket. We were hoping the penguins would have arrived there by now, but sadly not. We still had a good morning as Harry loves to look and watch the fish.


In the afternoon Evie and I went to the library for the summer reading challenge- this year the topic is 'creepy house'. She choose her books to read for this week.

1st August, Day 4

Its HOT!
We went to a car boot this morning and Harry slept this afternoon...so I have done thank you cards, reading and tidying etc.
I took some photos in the car, Harry got a 'In the night garden book', which he was reading in the car and evie got a fuzzy picture to colour.


I couldn't manage to get a photo of all 3 together.- A very serious Daniel!


Don't quite know what happened here, but great looks :)




Lottie came with us and she did really well- very tired this afternoon though.