Disaster

Tonight was the night I'd been looking forward to for weeks - well ever since our last craft night when we decided that next time we'd learn to crochet. I have a gorgeous book on crochet, I have a hook and lots of wool and a willingness to learn, I'm obsessed with looking at blogs on crochet and drool over the beautiful blankets people have made and dream that one day I'll be able to make something half as nice. Well after tonight that dream will never be reality we were all useless - we watched some YouTube tutorials and just couldn't get the hang of it. I'm not giving up though I think I will invest in a bigger hook and try again - surely I'm intelligent enough to handle a hook and some wool?

Ironing or making?

Well making has won. The ironing can wait for another night I'm starting my newest project. I saw some great paper in the shop and had to buy it I had an idea in mind straight away. I wonder how long it'll take me to finish it - unfortunately til at least the weekend as I need to buy one essential thing.

Contentment

As I don't normally work Fridays this has been a 4 day weekend for me and I've had the best time with the monkeys. Don't get me wrong we've had moments of utter giddiness and madness but I think 1 trip each to the naughty step over 4 days shows things have been really calm. I made no plans to see friends at night as I wanted to have time to recharge and collapse on the sofa ready for the next day and that along with some plans meant we made it through the weekend.
We've been to a friends for tea, went to visit another friend and her little girl, went shopping for blue monkeys school shoes and a naughty Mc D's with some more friends, then off to a birthday party with all our friends - the monkeys ran around for 4 hours no wonder they collapsed into bed last night. We've ended the weekend today with a house day - I got some adult company when my friend popped in for a brew but apart from that we have entertained ourselves with some drawing, coin rubbing, play doughing or and of course baking - we made yummy flapjacks.
Both monkeys are now in bed and I'm toasting a successful weekend with a glass of wine, and some posh cheese and crackers.
I feel utter contentment as I sit here in a peaceful, tidy (I've managed to keep it sorted all weekend) house. The monkeys are happy and that makes me happy - it's taken time for all of us to settle but when blue monkey sang "3 is the magic number" which is our theme tune - I knew he was ok.

Another little crafty thing

A couple of months ago I made 2 heart pictures and since then I've wanted to make a Butterfly one. I started it a while ago punching out all the shapes and joining them together, this morning I decided to see if I'd be able to finish it with the 2 monkeys pottering round. The monkeys do not miss anything and when I sat down with all my bits and pieces they both ran to join me at the table - blue monkey passed me each individual butterfly and pink monkey sat there asking 101 questions but between us we got it finished - which was a miracle and a joy all rolled into one. This is going to be hung in pink monkeys bedroom.

Concentration

This picture is very rare in my house - the 2 monkeys don't stay still for long. No fighting, screaming, giddiness -I think it lasted for about 10 minutes and I enjoyed every second. They are both so beautiful.

Fabulous Turkey

Oh what a week - good and a little bit of bad (but I'll not dwell on the bad). Turkey was fantastic - the weather was gorgeous, everyone was lovely i definately want to go back. I spent lazy days lying by the pool or on the beach - I did like every woman there read 50 shade of grey - I had a Turkish bath and massage which was gorgeous, I managed not to get sunburnt, went on a sunset cruise, watched those braver than me para glide and land on the beach. Missed the monkeys but made the most of the very rare time of complete relaxation and I've come home refreshed and ready for lots of new challenges.

Now it's the start of the bank holiday weekend, so 4 days with the monkeys we've got lots of things that need doing but also lots of fun planned. It's only 1 week to go until blue monkey starts at school and I just can't believe it!

Olympic closing

Well I'm not sure what happened in our house last night but I do know that we had fun. Blue monkey somehow has the energy of a Duracell bunny and last night he stayed up watching the Olympic closing ceremony til 11pm. I did put him to bed just before it started but he was wide awake and excited so it was me, him and the blanket on the sofa watching it. I had to drink a large glass of wine to give me patience to deal with the 1001 questions he had but we loved it. That was a very very big treat for him last night and as I'm going away today I wanted us to have as many cuddles as possible.
So yes I'm off for some sunshine - without the monkeys - i'm excited and scared and sad in equal measure - but I know they are going to well looked after and have fun with their Daddy and I need to take this opportunity to recharge and come back happier than ever. I'm so excited - hopefully my next post will be about how amazing my holiday was!

Lovely weekend

Phew the Friday bug seemed to disappear after a half decent nights sleep.
Blue monkey had his swimming lesson on Saturday morning and although he can't swim yet I know it won't be long til he can. Then we went to Heatom Park in the afternoon we took a blanket and met our friends there - we didn't know but there was a little music festival on so we sat in the sunshine eating ice creams, listening to music and watching our 3 monkeys dance and play then it was off for a big walk round the park it was a lovely afternoon.
Today the sun has come out once again so this time we all headed to Burrs for a picnic and mini Olympics, although after a race and the shot it everyone was more interested in the food and climbing the "mountain" well all apart from pink monkey who wanted to sit on my knee and watch - thank goodness one of my monkeys is calm!! Then it was off to hunt for the wooden trolls in the wood, then play hide and seek in the stone circle, all that fresh air and exercise meant both monkeys fell fast asleep in the car.
Then it was off to Southern monkeys for homemade moussaka - yummy - that girl is a secret domestic goddess! The kids ran riot in the garden - their climbing frame is amazing it keeps them entertained for hours.
Tonight is the last night of the Olympics, pink monkey is asleep and blue monkey is tucked up in my bed watching the telly whilst I pack for an adventure of my own ....

Happiness and illness

This morning started stupidly early as is always the case in this house - if we make it to 6am I class it as a lie in. Plus pink monkey was up quite a bit in the night so I put my tiredness down to that.
Anyway we made birthday cards for Nanna - pink monkey loves glitter, glue and colour, blue monkey just wanted to put stickers everywhere. Then we headed outside to make the most of the sunshine and had a dinosaur hunt in the garden. By the time it got to lunch i'd felt like we'd done a full day and I was more desperate for a nap than the monkeys.
Unfortunately it seems like I've got a bug and I'm hoping that a half decent nights sleep and a 6am wake up will sort me out. Otherwise it's going to be a very long weekend.

And another one

So a few days ago I managed to finally finish my first book of the year and now I've just read my second. The Hunger Games was addictive from the beginning - I've read it at every possible opportunity and made me remember just what it's like to read a book you can't put down. Luckily I've got the whole trilogy to read plus I've just treated myself to a kindle so my 12 books might just get read this year.

It was a lovely weekend - afternoon tea at the Radisson with mum, aunty and cousins. Saturday night out with friends then Sunday a lazy morning an important chore and finally a walk and ice creams.

Handmade photo frames

Our monthly craft nights are getting more popular - there was 3 of us this week (and will be 4 next time). This week we made mosaic photo frames - we just ordered little kits from good old eBay we had to cut up the tiles then decide on the pattern. After us all umming and arghing about patterns and colours E said best thing was to just start sticking ... and what good advice it was. After a couple of hours we had 3 lovely photo frames - I just need to decide on a picture to go into mine.