It's beginning to look at lot like .....

Christmas!!!!

My little workshop and my elves (ho ho ho!) is in full Christmas swing with all sorts of lovely creations under way...







































I am launching a new range of baby/children's items as I have started doing the Baby & Children's markets up here, plus with teaching wee ones I get to know what is what and what is needed and what is not, lol. So I have some BuzyBaby dribble bibs waiting to be finished off and have added baby personalised onsies to the custom tee range. Another new range is the 'mummy and me' tote bags, these are made from durable cotton duck so you can get rid of all those carrier bags and help the environment and loot stylish in the process!!I already did a load of aprons and 'tool' tidies last year, these are great and can be used for all kinds of arts and craft stuff, as well as a grown up version for make up brushes etc.. I also need to finish of some tooth fairy pillows as had a couple of orders in and these usually do really well at the craft fairs...

















So, lets talk about CHRISTMAS!!! Well, I have 6, potentially, 7 craft fairs coming up.. I am going to be a buzy little bee and have been making loads of gorgeous Christmas creations. I am still doing the personalised stockings and sacks that did so well last year. But I have also added some new ranges... a more 'modern' stocking, Christmas bunting, a Christmas version of my quilted patchwork cushion, a whole load of new feltie friends to join the Christmas menagerie .. and loads more. I am really pleased with progress, although my to do list is still huge.. I am trying not to get stressed.... I still have a load of custom orders to do on top of this, so I am trying to put all my previous time management training to good use!

I realised yesterday, than there leave little time for me to actually get the tree up, and make my house literally look like Christmas's threw up, haha .. the only possible free day is 28th November, so that is when Christmas will officially hit home.. ho ho ho!

I did 8 hours sewing today - so I am taking the night off, enjoying a glass of wine and some sky+ catch up!!

Night all
xx

314 days ......

until we are back in Florida ... I moved our holiday forward from October to September, but at £300-400 saving on flights it just had to be done.. I am naughty and will be taking Ethan out of school. But he is still young, and this years holiday was last academic year and next years will be next academic year ... so just have to make sure he has minimal days off this year!! I also bought our flights yesterday ... ok, so i was a little (well a LOT) sick in my mouth when i read out my debit card details, I can tell you ... but at least that is everything booked now!!! I am planning all our dining options (we are staying onsite in Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and Disney were offering free dining!!) .. so it gives us a rough plan for our days .. I have between now and 18th March to finalise this, then I can book all our ADRs (Advanced Dining Requests) .. planning a Disney trip can quickly become addictive... I have read 3 guidebooks and am on the DIBB daily!!! So exciting!! Plus I think Deb, Geoff and Joshua want to go back the following year, kind of think the wish they were coming next year now :-(( so looks like we will be going in 2013 too!!! Bonus... (travelling with my sis = mega cheap virgin flights and an upgrade :-)

I have also pretty much finished my Christmas shopping... bought all the wrapping elements yesterday too. Need to get organised as I have 5 craft fairs so far, so need to spend that time getting organised, whilst still allowing time to enjoy the festivities!!

I am currently chilling with my coffee, before i head up to school for the walking club... the sun is streaming in and making it glaringly obvious that i need to clean my windows .. oh and it sounds like one of the cats has been sick .. o the glamorous life i lead, lol!!!

Enjoy your Friday everyone!!
xx

sanity????

Ethan went off to school fine and dandy this morning, i was a bit displeased with the dark morning, but we soon got into the swing of it... I now sit here with STUFF everywhere as I have about 10 (no lie) workmen in my wee house doing a massive rewiring job.... they came at 8am, and will prob be here until about 4.30/5pm ... I was hoping to do some scrapping, as I will have no tv/wireless etc as soon as they turn the electric off ... but my wee office has become the dumping ground... i suspect I will be moved from room to room... a little nomad with my laptop (as long as my battery lasts!!) ... pray for my sanity!

oops!!!

so it looks like it nearly 3 weeks since i last blogged .. sorry .. that is what happened in the holidays, sidetracked!! But forgive me a little, I was away for 10 days of that and the signal is a bit pants up there.. haha!

All is good, we had a lovely time up with Nanny. I got us all kitted out for winter ( i am prepared for full-on snow like last year, so think all new snow gear.. boots, gloves, waterproof trousers, thermals etc).. i also got some nice knitwear and a few more dresses, plus lots of lovely new tights. I am big into navy at the moment, and M&S also had some lovely knitted, ribbed style grey tights, they will be vv cosy! I also managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done, so I am on target, which is great and will hopefully aid a stress-free, relaxed Christmas. I just need to remember to get the flu jag in plenty time, as I don't want a repeat of the past 2 winters :-((

So my new term started back and i have lots of lovely new, tiny babies ... so cute! One of my good friends is also about to pop, i am sooooo hoping she is having a girl (whom i might steal!!). I have also been really busy with all the Christmas stock preparations. I have also been adding lots of children's/baby bits and bobs as I am now doing a series of Children & Baby markets up here, so appliqued onsies to go with my customised tees, dribble bibs, play mats, more aprons. I need to make a start on the lavender cushions as 2kg of the most gorgeous lavender got delivered while I was away and is currently making my airing cupboard smell wonderful and fragrant!

Ethan has been at Centre Parcs with Daddy all this week, i have been getting updates and photos .. horse riding, roller blading, fencing... he is having a ball but i will be glad when he is home.

I am now going to chill for the rest of the evening as i spent all of today sewing and i have now come over really, really tired. I also think it is this new sofa, it is soooo comfy, and we can completely stretch out on it and chill ... looking forward to lots of snugly nights with my boys next week!

Right, I have some Dexter to catch up on. I promise to be back sooner than 3 weeks!!
em xx

Time passes when you are busy doing something else ...

There i was on a roll with blogging and then i get sidetracked and forget ... sorry! Anyway, I have snatched a few minutes to get it done...

Well, hands up who has been enjoying the wonderful weather we have been experiencing? I had to dig out our freshly packed away summer clothes, it is all very confusing. As long as we don't have a hot Christmas I will be happy. Although weather predictions are that it will snow from late October until February ... ??!!! I am happy in all weathers... I have kind of had enough sun now, and would like autumn back now please as i bought some lovely CK-inspired tights last week and i would very much like to wear them!

Anyway... i have kind of been swallowed up my the BuzyMums creating machine ... Christmas stock is coming together.















But as fast as I am making it, people are ordering it. However I guess that is the point, duh! I also got a commission to make 4 pairs of curtains, lovely rich colours and the most gorg fabric, nice and heavy. Inspiring me to change my mind on the plans i had for my new living room ones, yet again! That is the 'downside' of my job, so much beautiful fabric passes thorough my hands, i am a bit like a child in a sweetshop.....

I have also volunteered to help run the school walking club, children need a minimum of 60minutes exercise a day and all that jazz. We had our training on Friday and took our first group of children out, it was great fun. I even get my own whistle, which took me back to my days as a Rainbow Guide leader .. sigh, i miss that ... do i have anymore free hours to volunteer again??!!? We are lucky here as we have lots of lovely walks right on our doorstep. We have green spaces, the beach, the woods, coastal paths, old cobbled streets, watchtowers, graveyards (spooky!), a wonderful park. The children really enjoyed it, so much so that we actually have a waiting list for places. We start properly the first week back after the October holidays. Can't wait!

The most important event this week, was that my lovely little Joshua turned 3!











It really is a strange thing, how quickly time passes. I always get a sense of this. I mean 3 years really isn't that long. He is still all sparkly and new. But it is a lifetime... how can he be 3 and yet? But then hasn't he always been here? I really am so lucky. He is like my own son and we have a special bond. Small sweet things, I taught him to say 'I love you'... He just adores Ethan, which he can finally pronounce, although it sounds more like 'Efun' .. v sweet. I hadn't noticed this before, but my auntie who was round the night before his birthday and she was commenting on his speech (she is a social worker, with a background in child behaviour/psychology.. so she knows all about 'kids'!) and his language skills etc and that he has a little English accent. My sister in law and my brother both sound Scottish, so he has picked up his accent form me and Ethan! From all the time we spend with him. This made me so proud, lol, how much we have rubbed off on him, the impact we have had on him, shaped him into the perfect wee boy he is! I hadn't really thought about it before... but that was a 'visible' reminder!

We had a lovely evening celebrating his birthday. Lots of special people, bubbly and of course I was the one running around the garden with all the kids in the dark and teaching them the 'bean' game on the trampoline .. their favourite was 'baked beans' go figure, lol! I love evenings like that. Laughter, love, friendship and family! xx

I am now on 'holiday' for 2 weeks, well a holiday from classes, not sewing! A much needed holiday as i really haven't stopped since we got back from Florida! Our new furniture comes tomorrow, I haven't organised this very well as we are getting the whole house rewired .. so more upheaval... Anyway, it will all be beautiful in the end. Then I am a parent volunteer for Ethan's school trip on Tuesday and then it is Parents Evening on Wednesday. I am looking forward to this. I love to hear how he has been getting on, to look in his drawer and see all his work, lol. Thankfully Daddy is coming to as he always remembers to ask the important things. Then on Thursday we are going up to my Nanny's for 10 days! I am beyond excited about this. We just LOVE it up there. It is glorious. The scenery, the trees, the space, the garden, and most importantly my nanny... we LOVE her. Can't wait. She is then coming back down with us and staying here for 4 days.. so lots of extra Nanny time. Ethan is going to Centre Parcs, so I can have her all to myself mmwwahahaha!

So, I had better sign off now as i have an order of 6 cushions that i need to get done and delivered for tomorrow.... and I really should get dressed! And in case you were wondering is is 369 days away ....
em x

it's dreich out today ....

If you are Scottish you will know what this means ;-) .... safe to say that is is autumnal here today and as i type this from a warm and cosy spot on my living room sofa I can see all the leaves on the trees... green, yellow, orange, some even red... beautiful! But dreich!!

I have been sewing up a storm all day, working on the Christmas bunting. I like to do it in stages ... first cut out all the pennant fronts, then the backs, then pin, then sew then all, then make the bias binding, then sew up the bunting ... I prefer to do it all this way as it means less stopping and starting.. although some of the stages are a tad zzzzzz .. yesterday I cut out over 200 triangles!! But it is all starting to come together and look beautiful. Orders keep flooding in and I am so glad that I started now.

Daddy picked Ethan up from school, so I didn't even have to leave the house, popping in for monkey and a change out of uniform. He is coming back post Dr Who tomorrow as Daddy has another run.. so we will get to spend another Sunday together. I can't wait. Think we will head along to St Andrews with friends, explore the beach, make use of our very neglected Historic Scotland passes and have tea in Pizza Express!

Tonight I am going to chill, eat lovely food, catch up on my Sky+ and have a wee glass of wine. Got a customer coming round in the morning to look at fabric samples for an order, then it will be back to the sewing...hohoho!

Right, I have the school uniform to iron (yes it is washed and dried already!!)
Em xx

Very lucky

yes, as the title says I am a very lucky girl .. no I didn't win the euromillions jackpot (over £120 mill!!)... lots of small things. But the sweetest in the early mornings when I have been up with the sun and creating into the wee hours the night before, is that I don't have to do the school run in the morning!

Recently (pretty much anytime I need it) Ethan has been getting picked up by Lucy (well, not literally Lucy as she is only 7, lol!) on their way to school. This is fantastic, a huge help on the mornings when i am teaching or when we have Joshua... this morning I have a very special meeting at 11, so I am still chilling in bed with the laptop. I have been up since 6.00 and saw to Ethan getting ready, prepared a nutritious packed lunch and delicious breakfast. Have done 2 loads of laundry and cleaned the bathroom .. but it is just nice to do it and not rushing around like a banshee!

It is great to have a small support network of mums at the school. It is reciprocal too, for 3 days this week we have had Lucy after school. Today we are going into town as I need to take Ethan to Clarks for new wellies and some yummy M&S foodhall goodness. So I said I would take them to the bad place (McDonalds!).... I have lots of issues with children eating here. I swore when E was born that I would never take him, and i managed to stick to that until he was nearly 4... but it is hard...they lure children in. BUT it isn't a regular occurrence, and day to day he has a very healthy diet...so a little bit of badness isn't going to kill him! (he made me laugh yesterday. I get his packed lunch organised the night before, except fruit/yogurt and sandwich , which i do in the morning. and i was asking him what fruit bar he wanted as we had just been to the health food shop to stock up. I also got some lovely sugar free fruit lollies as a treat and he said one of them. I said NO, that you couldn't take sweets for break...my argument is that at 10.30 it is too close to breakfast for sweets! he then told me that everyone else has crips, chocolate, sweets like wine gums etc, some even have mini bottles of fizzy!!!!! ... and there was him with his 100% dried fruit snack, lol... I suddenly got flashbacks to my childhood... everything brown. Brown rice, brown bread, brown pita bread...nothing refined or processed! So today as a treat I let him take some crips - baked crips, so at least they are not THAT bad...! So i am still the hippy farm girl at heart. I guess I have my parents to thank for that!).


This week also saw the anniversary of 9/11... we all remember where we were ...! It is still so raw. So shocking. I still gasp, sobbing big fat tears of sorrow. So painful. All those people.. those mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends ... people who just never came home! It has been really hard trying to explain it to Ethan. As it really doesn't make any sense.. still. But we need to remember, it has changed the world we live in... a scary, sad world... hard to explain that to a child without frightening them .. . But it is a day we should never, ever forget!





I have been really busy making Christmas stock this past week. I don't want a repeat of last year, when my every waking moment was spent sewing and getting stressed (although thankful for the orders). So I have started early. I want to get the samples done so I can take pictures and start promoting... but once again facebook is an excellent tool... I already have orders for 4 personalised tees, 2 sets of Christmas bunting, 6 personalised decorations, 2 Christmas cushions and 2 Santa sacks... and i literally only put a few sneak photos..ho ho ho ...My very own Santa's grotto!













I am also taking part in this craft event this weekend ... it is all online - so pop along and have a look. Lots of beautiful things to tempt you! (blogger not letting my upload the photo - will try again in a mo!)

Right, I had better shift it..have a great day everyone. The sun is out here, so I am happy!
Em x

Windy Wednesday

... I really shouldn't of bothered doing my hair this morn, as I looked like a banshee by the time we had been blown up the road to class ... ach well.. I shall just call it my 'autumnal look'! Despite yesterday being v wintery, today is actually nice and sunny, albeit V windy.

Joshua has just fallen asleep on the sofa, I will let him nap for 20 mins or so.. while I do some blogging and sort through my recent photobox delivery. As well as more photos, I also got a beautiful photo-book, that i made using some (i have over 700!!) photos from Florida! It is lovely, a real coffee table book and i am definitely going to be making more of these as it is a great way to preserve and present the memories!!

That is me finished teaching for the week, although I still have some design work and some sewing bits to do. I have also been commissioned to make 200 invites, so need to get cracking on that... but just now i am enjoying sitting here and enjoying the sunshine...It is bound to turn colder soon, so tomorrow I am off to our new and improved M&S to stock up my autumnal wardrobe as they have some gorgeous dresses and knitwear in .. and I do so love Markies :-)
I am also looking forward to Friday, my first day of all-to-myself peace for over a week! Much needed, and then on Friday evening Ethan and I will have one of our 'family-date-nights'... we try and do these every Friday that he isn't going to his dads... Basically at suppertime, so when he has had tea, is bathed and in pjs.. we prepare a wee feast and some cocktails (me, wine. Him a made up concoction of freshly squeezed juice and ice) and snuggle under a quilt and watch something like Miranda or Outnumbered, which are our 'family' favourite comedy sitcoms!

Love these daft wee traditions!
Right .. need to wake my little monkey
Yiasu
xx

Sunday snuggles

Afternoon everyone

I write this from my sofa, snuggling next to Ethan while we (well mostly he) watch Alvin and the Chipmunk's (the squeekquel)... it has been really nice to have this sneaky little extra day with him, as we have been really busy and had Joshua all last week.

So sometimes it is just lovely to have some one on one time with my boy. Daddy was running the great Scottish run today, so E came home post-Dr who (how scary was that!!?) last night and we have very much made the most of today!

We had snuggles this morn and then went down to the park to blow the cobwebs away, obviously since it is nearly autumn, the sun is out in full force today and it is lovely and sunny with clear blue skies! Then we came home and got creative. Part of his homework (and he has LOTS .. writing exercises, word wall, reading, maths, spelling test) was for their medicine project, to create a magical medicine. Design something and create a 3d model and write up some information on it. Obviously Daddy and I both do homework with Ethan (although Daddy to be honest does more than me as homework is from Friday to Tuesday, so it falls on his days!) but whenever there is a creative element this is strictly my job! So today we created 2 magical medicines .. Mr Muscle (which makes you strong) and Army (a medicine which helps you to grow extra arms!)... this kind of exercise is great fun, Ethan has an incredible imagination and he is extremely creative (wonder where he gets that from?!) so it was lovely to work with him....we are currently waiting on some glitter drying and then we are going to adorn some buttons with hot glue!

Then we did the regular Sunday packed lunch bake off (he actually prefers to take in my baking to things like kitkats, bless!), made some chicken soup, pear and apple crumble and some scones... i did all the boring bits like ironing. Tended to our tomato, chili and herb garden (blooming and fruitful are two words that come to mind!!). We read some of our Roald Dahl books and now we are having a much needed chill.

We get Joshua again tomorrow, until Thursday so another busy week. But I finished off and delivered an order yesterday. So that takes some of the pressure off.. which means hopefully it wont be so frantic and I can (fingers crossed) get some scrapping done. I need to catch up on Document 2011 and LSNED ... am also waiting on my Studio Calico kit, this months looks lovely so can't wait to get to grips with it...

Right, I need to get off here and get back to some boy cuddles.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
em x

Connections ....

I live in a fairly large town .. but sometimes it seems so small (partly probably due to living in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen in the past). Small in the sense that it is always amazing how connected everyone is to each other - in a 6 degrees of Kevin bacon-kind of way...everyone knows each other. This is also highlighted because of my job, you would be surprising how pretty much everybody I have taught has some connection to someone else I have taught ....

Part of me loves that feeling of connection I have to people .. friends and obviously family, places, memories. I am still friends with a lot of my school friends, (my sister-in-law being one of them), and this week I have been fortunate enough to meet up with two of my longest and best, one lives in Madrid and one in Yorkshire.

There is just something about being with someone that has known you, and i mean every side of you, since you were 12/13 ... good and bad, warts and all...pre-dating children, relationships. It is funny to reminisce .. see yourself through their eyes (I was apparently viewed as an arty, confident free spirit , when in my head i was an angst ridden - ugly duckling) , get their recollections, their interpretations on the past .... their memories of my mum (the coolest mum, hip, pretty, young...but to me she was Adena to my Saffy....a nightmare!) .. they all remember Nanny, they all remember my parties ( I had legendary parties...!!) ..

Maybe it is because I am a sap, maybe because of my childhood ... but memories and connections to people are so important to me...bonds, loyalty...love. All these things which shape us....

But then there is also the part of me that likes to isolate myself from those all-knowing connections ... I am a firecly independent and self reliant person, so sometimes i like to duck out and keep my head low ... something which can be hard to do in a town where everyone knows your name ... lol!!

Friends old and new are important .... friends keep us sane... and I love all of mine. Thank you xx

Footsteps ...

Nothing really major to post .. it is Friday morning and i have my first day off this week. Although I have just had a couple of new sewing commissions in, one for a load of items for a soon to be born baby boys nursery.... super cute and bound to make me broody!

I had a new baby start at class this week, although he was 10 weeks old, he was so small and precious and i got to snuggle him for ages at coffee time! I really do love children, I have been like this since i was a little girl. I am the oldest of many grandchildren in our family and i have always had the mothering role. I know I wanted to be a mummy from about the age of 6. Since i was a child, anywhere and everywhere i go, if there are ever any children, they all seem to gravitate towards me. I just love interacting with them, making them laugh, getting down on their level and communicating with them.. a combo of Mary Poppins and (kind version of) the Pied Piper... which is why i love my job. It is like i have all these extra 'babies' ... some of my very first babies are all starting school nursery. I feel so proud and grateful for the time i have had with them, but sad to see them grow up and move on. Luckily I have made a great many friend through teaching and still see lots of my little ones regularly on a social basis... so fear not!! I know that I am very fortunate, I have a job which means I can work it around the needs of my family, i can devote myself to Ethan and Joshua, but when I am working it is fun! I love all the laughter, their imagination, their innocence. Yesterday I had Ethan, Joshua and Lucy (every 3 weeks I have her for 3 days after school) ... they made 'dens', jumped off the sofa onto piles of cushions, we baked, planted seeds, they told me funny made up stories! Granted I am exhausted by the end of the day, but all that doesn't matter. It was FUN! (I am not saying I am perfect, far from it!! I get cross, I get grumpy, I am tired, I do let ethan watch TV sometimes, I do bribe with chocolate, lol! But I know that they are only 'mine' for a short time and I want to savour every moment with them, before they go off to make footsteps of their own!).

There is a crispness to the air today (although that may be partly due to the fact that on our way home from the school run a mummy friend and I stood chatting until 10 ... so i was a bit cold when i came in!!) .. and it is making me thing of making pies, hot chocolate and new winter clothes.... I love the change in seasons, all the associated traditions, the new phase. The only thing I don't like is the dark nights and mornings ... makes the whole day seem shorter. But it also means lots more time for snuggling under a handmade quilt, cosy time together.

I do feel all 'fuzzy and happy' at the moment .. every now and then I stop and feel the happiness wash over me, nothing major, nothing outstanding .. just life. As I have said so many times before it is the small things.... But there are also lots of big things coming up. Lots of friends are having babies, which i am SO looking forward to. Then Halloween, holidays (going back up to Nanny's in October!!), Christmas. But it is also just stopping to take a moment to enjoy! Enjoy your family, enjoy your life, enjoy making your footsteps, whether they be big or small!

Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day class starts in September, I really enjoyed doing this in the past. (and i really did learn lots about myself!)... so need to do some prep work on that today!

So, I hope today is god to you!
em xx

Older

I have had a birthday .. i am now on the wrong side of thirty as my lovely friend Katy put it, cheers doll! LOL .. Ethan is also now in P3.... I feel older, i feel time passing.... but I guess older and wiser and with lots more adventure along the way!!

So this is the sight that greeted me on the morning of the first day back at school

Apparently Sam (from iCarly) had cut her own hair and this inspired Ethan to do the same!!!! Thankfully with some hair wax, I was able to transform him into this, more presentable and appropriate for the first day of new school term!

So schools (well in Scotland) are back, I have had my birthday ... that can mean only one thing..... planning for Halloween and CHRISTMAS!!! I am dying to put up all the lovely decorations I got when in American and at Disney. It is sad to see a year fly bay so quickly, but it I think back, lots of great things have happened and I am sure the next 4 months will bring just as much!

I have a much needed day to chill and craft today, am waiting on a host of deliveries and have some much needed scrapping to do! I FINALLY got my Florida photos developed...

So I am off to sit at my desk, and probably get side-tracked by Disney planing, only 416 days until we go, lol! Here is a photo of the boys to warm the cockles ... (for some reason it is not letting me add this photo .. will try later!)

Love
em xx

Lazy summer days

Oh I do so love the sunshine!
Just chilling out, catching some rays. Everything seems better in the sunshine! We have been really lucky with the weather up here recently (watch this, I've probably jinxed it and it will rain tomorrow! Lol!). The sun is just so positive, it makes me happy, invigorated, feeling free....I know I sound daft.





But I am all about being outside, I love exploring. Trees, walking in the woods, strolling along the beach, chilling in the garden, playing in the park. We do that in all weather, literally, sunshine to snow. But I prefer sunshine the best!








But I know that these lazy summer days are drawing to a close, which makes me sad. I love the relaxed pace, I love just hanging out with my boy. I so don't want him to go back to school. I want to keep him with me. That's one more (school) year gone... But at least it's not long until the October holidays, haha!








So the past few weeks have all been about summer and home. As well as getting out and about enjoying the holidays, we have been chilling at home, which has meant lots of baking! Mmmm, in the run up to the holiday, my baking sessions had lessened (bikini!!!) but now that has passed, I am free to bake (and eat!!). Our next trip is all booked, 7th October 2012 (am in full planning mode, and a tad addicted to DIBB!), but I've got plenty of time to indulge!! It is also about this time of year that I start to think about all the home projects that need doing.....I like to get the house all revamped and beautiful for Christmas..so am busy with curtains at the moment!

I am also a bit addicted to re-watching my Mad Men box-set, so I am currently wearing one of my beautiful vintage 1950s housecoats that I picked up at a fab little shop. It's that step between pjs and a dress, you feel relaxed, but still glam! Think I might just pop on my pearls for that added Betty Draper vibe!

Right my loves, I had better get on.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

remember to relax!

I think that is defo something I need to listen to, to remember and try and adhere to .... I am not the type pf woman who can just sit and do nothing, aimlessly watching hours of tv (I do watch TV, but usually whilst doing something else at the same time. I am an excellent multi-tasker!) .. there are always jobs to be done, things I feel guilty for ignoring (like washing up, ironing, cleaning my windows etc ...) so when I do sit down to relax, it tends to last about 10 minutes, then I think 'I will just quickly do X or Y' ... I am defo NOT a couch potato....life it way too short! But since we have been back from Florida, I literally haven't stopped. Now the holiday in itself (which was AMAZING!), wasn't exactly relaxing ... Disney is full on. Long, HOT days, lots of walking... the HEAT ... the walking etc etc ... but all worth it. But I don't feel like I have actually caught up with myself. Caught up on the 9 hour night flight, the jet lag ...

When we got home it was straight back into teaching for me and the last few days of school for Ethan. Then my nanny came to stay for 3 days, then nanny and Ethan went and then Joshua came for 4 days, then I was teaching, then it was Ethan's 7th Birthday (more on that later!) .... and then we are off to Nanny's for 10 days tomorrow! So today we are just chilling...think we will spend the entire day in our PJs. I still have laundry, ironing and housework to do ... but I will (try) and do it at a more relaxed pace. Just to let my body catch up!

I am also looking forward to some crafting projects coming up. I got lots of lovely fabric in Florida, and then Dunelm have a sale on, so got some gorg fabric, including quite a lot of soft furnishing fabric (need to make many new pairs of curtains!). I am making a baby quilt for a friends wee baby girl, I rarely do girly things, so this is very exciting. I am also redecorating Ethan's bedroom. So want to make him some new curtains and finish the quilt for Joshua's bed. As they were gearing up for 4th July when we were there, lots of the shops were selling US stuff. I found some wonderful little craft shops in Celebration (which is a beautiful little 'village' near Kissimmee) and got some mini US flags and some larger ones which I want to make into patchwork cushions and bunting for his new room. We are also getting a new sofa, a lovely L shaped one, so I am contemplating redecorating the living room while I am at it. I love the current colour, so maybe just a new coat to 'freshen' it!!

I am so in love with my wee house, me baby (big 7 year old) boy, my little life.. I just enjoy being here, for me it is all about the simple things... the vases of yellow and dark pink roses in all the rooms (gift from nanny), the smell of my yummy yankee candles burning (I bought loads in Florida, and then Debbie gave me two 22oz ones on return of her latest trip, to Orlando, lol!) ... a pile of fabric waiting to be cut up (bliss), the bowl of cherries I am currently munching or the smile from by brown eyes, gappy toothed boy ..... of course there are lots of things I would like, like winning the lottery ... haha! But I know that I am happy, Ethan is happy and loved and secure, my home is filled with love. And that is more important than anything else.

I think spending so much fantastic time with just Ethan on holiday made me fall in love with him all over again (not that i stopped loving him, if you get me!?), he is my greatest accomplishment... I can hardly believe he is 7. But I look at him, all brown and sun kissed like Mowgli from the jungle book, tall and skinny and stretching out with knobbly knees and missing teeth.... and I feel blessed! But I am conscious time stretching out in front of me.. he will be 8 and in P4 when we go to Florida next year ... time is passing so quickly and I don't want to to go by so fast ... just like the past 7 years have ... yikes, soon he will be 14!

So, I am going to try and remember to relax .....

have a great Friday everyone!
xx

Caught the Disney bug ...

well .. we are home, from an utterly amazing holiday.Everything was fab, we loved it, amazing. I have so much to share and so many photots... but this will have to be a quick post as I have Joshua (Debbie is back off to Orlando, sob, sob!!). School finished up here yesterday, so Ethan is off down to London with his dad for the week. I will next see him on Thurday, when it will be his 7th Birthday!!!!

The sun is shining today, so we are off to the park with friends later. I am doing a quick bit of final research as Ethan and I are returning to Florida next year, and I have found a great deal on a Disney hotel ... whoop!

Anyhoo, I will be back soon with photos and a better update!

Em xx

Excited much???!!!

I can't quite believe it is here ... that in a weeks time we will actually be flying to Florida.... yay!!! I have been so busy recently, and doing all the pre-holiday planning; what clothes to take etc.. that I had stopped the actual 'on trip' planning... There is a fab website that I am using (Allears.net) with loads of helpful tips and advice... from what to take, tips for toddlers, surviving the park and ALL the menus and prices of park dining (which is V helpful, and also not as horrifically expensive as i had previously thought!). I also have my guide book and the fab app for my iPhone. So it is time to get down and make some touring plans!!With 11 of us going, and not everyone taking a 14 day pass to all the Disney parks, there will be times when it is just E and I going to one of the parks (which is fine by me, as I do love time just me and my #1 boy!!). Chances are we will all spend lots of time together, and Debbie is keen to do some character dining with Joshua... But as a born organiser, who likes to be well prepared (in advance) I have booked some character dining for E and I; just in case!! Breakfast at WDW (Walt Disney World) where we will meet Pooh, piglet, tigger etc and lunch at Epcot where we will meet Mary P, Ariel (squeal), Belle (double squeal), Snow White, Cinderella etc ..... this has just made it very real and i am a tad excited!

I have so much still to do this week, but after last week and the craft fair yesterday I am doing nothing but chill today. Here are a few photos from last week;

J just after he got his stitches out and didn't flinch or cry.. brave boy!Some photos from (a very hot) Sports day!The boys snuggling post bath, pre bed watching UP!Joshua and I chilling, watching UP (again) whilst we waited from Mumma to get back from Japan and me teaching J to say 'cheesy balls' ... probably the funniest thing I have ever heard, lol!My stall at the craft fair yesterdayLast nights (much deserved) pizza and wine!!

I love the days I get to chill, today I slept until 11 and am still sitting in bed with my PJs, making plans! I plan to do a little scrapping later, catch up on Sky+ and more relaxing! There is no school Monday and Tuesday of this week, so E is having a long weekend with Daddy. I have classes on Tues and Wed and then it is final holiday prep for Thurs and Fri ... getting $, spray tans (so sad, and so Essex... and I know I go brown in 2 days... but I have a friend who runs a beauty business so she is coming to the house to spray tan me, deb, Geoff and Debbie's mum, hahahah so sad, lol!), relaxing massage, nails, waxing... ahh i am so good to me :-)

Right; I am going to make a coffee, munch on some fresh pineapple and make some more lists!

enjoy

Em xx