Monday 28 January 2013

Pondering on a wet January evening

Tonight I am...

Listening to the beautiful sound of Foy Vance.
Feeling full after making and eating Rachel Allen's Chorizo and Chickpea soup (even the kids loved it!).

 Relieved our new wall art stickers work...with patience already being tested in the installation! (Check out my friends artwork in the background...love it!)


Knitting a prop for a newborn photographer friend.


Glad the ice has melted but not so pleased about the rain which has followed!

Still thinking about the film I watched last night 'Coco before Chanel' and not sure why I am still thinking about it!

What are you doing this evening?

Friday 18 January 2013

A cushion for Lj

Settling in for the evening I was about to open the novel I'm enjoying at the moment, 'The J. M. Barrie Ladies' Swimming Society', when I thought I would have a quick look on Pinterest first. Two hours later I still haven't opened my book but have completed a little project inspired by what I saw on Pinterest!







Lj paid me a visit from her bed mid way through cushion making and has now taken her new friend/cushion off to sleep beside her! I would love to sneak in and take a photo of the two of them in bed together but am afraid I will disturb her and have her up again.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Enduring or enjoying the snow?

This week we have had snow.

Lj sits comfortably in her new 'camping' chair (a Christmas present which has found its home in the lounge) announcing 'I hate snow, I like sunny days', MJ is outside with his brush trying to clear a path for the cars and I am watching from my window, while making origami dresses!








His brain keeps whirling!

On Sunday evening we put MJ to bed at his normal time but every half an hour or so for the next few hours he got up, complaining he could not sleep. This is very unlike him, normally he can be heard snoring just minutes after his light is turned out. Baffled by the evenings events M and I tried to think if he had eaten something which would stop him finding rest. His diet had been more or less normal. In the end I handed him (he has a cabin bed) his drawing pad, books on building, pencil and left his light on so he could do some drawing in bed. After 15mins I took them off him, turned off his light and within minutes could hear his familiar heavy and irregular breathing, indicating that he was fast asleep.

I now believe that his day had been too passive and he had not used his brain enough!

Just now, this is what he is up too...'inventing'!!!


and these are the drawings he does in bed at night.


A design for a hotel.


The plumbing for his house.


Stone house with interesting roof!


and something else that he is dreaming of building!

Tuesday 1 January 2013

Muddy Puddles

It could have something to do with 'Peppa Pig' that as I put Lj to bed the other night she sat up and said 'Oh Mummy, we forgot to jump in muddy puddles today.'



Today as we walked around Hatfield forest M was encouraging me to make some New Years resolutions. Meanwhile Lj was jumping in every muddy puddle she could find and MJ was standing by the edge of the puddle considering how deep, how wide and whether he could jump over it.

The experience has left me thinking about my life and the year ahead. Do I need to prioritise time for thinking, considering and planning or should I be more like my daughter and jump into whatever appears on my path without taking the time to think of the consequences. Today Lj ended up whining and having to be carried back to the car because her feet were wet and cold while MJ didn't have such issues...but then Lj had a few moments of great pleasure...yet I'm not sure MJ felt like he had missed out.

My personality is quite serious and cautious which sometimes makes me wonder if I'm missing out and whether I will regret my sensible life.

Yet when I think about what the Christian life should look like I am reminded of the song we were singing in the car on the way to the forest based on Galatians 5 v 22-23. 'The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.'. MJ asked the question 'What is the fruit of the Spirit' to which M replied 'They are the things which God would want our life to be full of'.

Perhaps I will stop considering a New Years resolution and whether I should jump in more muddy puddles but instead aim to display the 'Fruits of the Spirit' in 2013.

Happy New Year!