It`s hot and I`m ironing!

What a change in the weather!
Today we had to go to town to get some money out and also to meet a lady, Lyn who does a lot for Biggin hill Romania GroupOne knitting group in particular gives me lots of jumpers and blankets to pass on to this lady. So we handed over 4 carrier bags, which also included knitted slippers which they had said they had a particular need of.
Then we went to another lady who through free cycle told us she had a washed sheep's fleece, it wasn't any good for spinning but would be good for stuffing. As Callum is always on the hunt for stuffing for the various toys he makes we made contact and said we would love it.
We then went to the library, just a quick trip today, we usually spend a couple of hours there but we`ve got so much to do I didn't want to take too long.
Edens spending the day ice-skating with a friend and then she has a rehearsal with the church band that she sometimes sings with at a Sunday evening service.
We had a quick lunch and I did an absolute load of ironing whilst Malc fitted a new thermostat housing to the van and also a window winder as the one my side had broken, the window kept slipping down whilst we were going along and I`ve finally got fed up with the rain coming in!
The boys have cleaned out all the rabbits after being bribed promised an ice-cream when they have finished. It`s extremely  hot out there so I think they deserve one.
Just tea to sort out and then hopefully a quiet evening. I may even sit out in the back garden to knit, I`ve nearly finished the baby's blanket so I`ll have to look out my next project!

Museum Trip

Today we went to the Priest House Museum. We have been there before but not for about five years.
We were aiming to go for their one adult admission and two children go free which would have cost £9-00, the ticket lasts a year. As everything goes though as it was school holidays that ticket wasn't available! Still it only cost £12 , so that wasn't bad for the day.
Today's theme was Transport.
We looked around the museum which has a functional Victorian kitchen, the boys made trains out of biscuits. Then we went to the Victorian schoolroom and they also have a mock up of a blacksmiths.
They have a new education centre which has been built since we went last. In there they had a load of tables set up with activities, so we spent 2 hours making paper boats and planes ( which were later tested out in the gardens)

 We also made pasta pictures of different modes of transport and made hot air balloons.

We had a picnic in their beautiful gardens, they also have lovely tea rooms which we didn`t go in as it usually  costs us a fortune.

If you zoom in on Soloman ( bottom left) you can see he`s doing the "loser" sign and poking his tongue out! Little monkey !
We then moved on to upstairs to look round some more of the museum, they have old toys from Victorian times up to about the 70`s. Malcolm and I both recognized some of the toys. Frightening !!
Then it was home for tea, afterwards Eden wanted me to dye her hair and  as I write this our local youth worker, Chris, has come round to practice the songs that they  are playing on their guitars on Sunday at church.
I`m hoping  to sit for a while now and maybe pick up my knitting needles!

Weekly shopping

I actually  like going on my weekly shop. I`ve been going to Asda for years and have got to know so many of the people who work there now.
I use to talk about shopping on my old blog, we use to go to the same checkout every week and the cashier was a lady called Helen. Unfortunately Helen died nearly two years ago now of cancer, we went to her funeral which she actually planned before she died.
Nowadays we have a lady called Jackie whose checkout we go to every week.
I usually have at least three of the boys with me and I wanted somebody who will interact with them, not shoot the shopping down through the scanner and have a bit of a chat with and Jackie fits the bill nicely.
We also have Lee, the boys call him their stepbrother which is hilarious as he`s coloured and has very dark coloured skin. I hope that`s a politically correct way to say it. We also have Wayne, who works in frozen veg, the kids call him Dad! Don`t  ask!
 We have tickle Tina, so called because she creeps up behind the boys and tickles them. There`s Dah, Janette, Heidi, Tony and Dave who all say hello, as well as a few that I don`t know the name of who greet us too. If I`m short on a boy or two they ask where they are.
This morning was no execption , I told Eden she could come shopping with me as a treat! She`s usually at school so she misses out. She was quite surprised at the number of staff who talk to us.
So well done to Asdas, I`ve written to their Head Office a couple of times to praise the staff there.
So shopping done we got home and unpacked, put everything away and had lunch.
Malc then went to the tip and offloaded our little freezer that stopped working a few days ago now.
I then went back to Asda with Eden to buy some stationery she needs for her end of year exams she`s taking when she goes back to school next week.
I also bought a couple of pairs of jeans and t-shirts for myself, I don`t buy clothes very often so it was quite a treat. I`d been given an Asda voucher way back for Mothers Day so I have now eventually used that.
Anyway I`m typing as I`m watching Springwatch, which I have to say has already been fascinating again this year.
So as much as I want to hold your attention to my amazing life, the draw of Chris Packam is strongly pulling me away!
Tomorrow we` re hoping to visit a little local museum,  so come back then and catch up!

Starting with a joke!

In my last post I said that two of the boys and I were mowing the front lawn. One of my neighbours went by and told me that I shouldn't mow the grass, he pours beer all over his. So I looked at him puzzled, he then said it saves on mowing because it comes up half cut!
 Boom, boom!
I thought that was quite funny!
 I`ve finished the chunky knit cardigan that I was doing, I`m really pleased with it. I`m thinking of doing a smaller one for this young ladies sister as it knitted up really quickly and I have some more pretty chunky wool.

That will be another Christmas present under my belt.
I`ve started a baby blanket for the lady who I knitted the baby cardigan and hat set for, I can`t post it as she pops in to read my blog occasionally, you`ll have to wait until she`s received them which won`t be for a few weeks as I`m going to do up a parcel and send it when I`ve got together a few items.
Today we went to Upton Park with the boys. The two youngest took their bikes so they could ride aro..und, we also took a ball and had a game of catch on the big field in front of the house.
They have a new play track which is brilliant, lots of wooden things for children to climb on and through.
They also have a plant shop which is really cheap anyway but today they had 25℅ off so I bought a pot of 7 raspberry canes for £4-20 which was great.
I`m now off to do some knitting , gone are the days when you had a good film on TV for the Bank Holiday, tonight we`ve got Britain's Got Talent which isn't really my thing
Luckily we`ve also got  Springwatch. Chris Packham is a favorite in our house.
So I`m off for a bit of nature!

Another cardigan and more baking

Here's the cardigan I started last night, it's for one of he children of the family I was saying about a couple of days ago.

 

It's chunky wool which is lovely because it grows so quickly.
Malc, Callum and Clark are at a table top sale this morning and as Soloman and Cody were playing so nicely in their bedroom I decided to do some more baking.

I made chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip muffins. Most of yesterdays batch of cooking has been eaten. Food doesn`t last long in this house!

Not keen on Fridays!

Fridays in our house are a nightmare. I want to wind down to the end of the week but we are rushing everywhere on Friday nights.
 I found this on frugalmum`s blog and decided to give them a go.

I took a picture of them whilst they were still in the dish. I greased the dish but they were a bit messy when I got them out.
I could try and use greaseproof paper next time but any tips gratefully received!
I also had some of these

So I made some of these

 

Blueberry muffins

 

I have finished the cardigan I was knitting.I have sown it up, just got to buy some buttons  and sew them on now.

Tonight Malc has Beavers with Clark and Cody, unfortunately it`s complicated by Eden having an after school rehearsal for ``Guys and Dolls``  so Malc has to leave Beavers and go and pick her up ( unless she gets on the school bus her school is 2 buses away)  He brings her home and then goes back to Beavers for the last hour. Usually Eden then has got Youth Club which she leaves for an hour after she gets home but thankfully tonight there isn`t any on. 

Malc then gets home and we have tea and he usually goes back to pick her up. It`s so much work making sure everyone knows what they are doing and getting everyone out on time.

I`ve spent the evening knitting some mittens and bootees to go with the baby cardigan and hat I knitted last week.

LA Visit

Our LA man came to see us this morning, we`ve had the same man from day one. He`s a retired Head teacher from our local school.
When he rang us to arrange a time to visit he told me this will be his last visit to us as he`s retiring for the second time!
 I usually write a paragraph on each subject to give to him and then each of the boys chats to him about their hobbies and interests. So Callum showed him his knitting, Clark showed him his crochet and lots of Cubs stuff. Soloman showed him his books about dinosaurs and planets and stars which he`s obsessed with and finally Cody had a chat about Beavers and the Tank Museum that we visited at the weekend.
So we will wait for his report and that will all be done for another year.
 He did say that he doesn't know who will be coming to see us next year as they keep losing staff so well have to wait and see what happens with that.
 I finished the back of the cardi last night and I`m halfway up the first sleeve so I think I`m going to have half an hour to myself whilst the boys are playing out in the garden.
Jacket potatoes with salad for tea so not a lot of work there!
 My kind of tea!

Investiture

 Soloman was invested into Cubs tonight after being a Beaver for two years. Clark is his Sixer so he had to help invest him, which I thought was really sweet

what's on my needles?

A cardigan for my friends daughter. It looks pinkish in the picture, it's more of a salmon pink colour. I finished the baby cardi and matching hat and started on this last night. I'll post a picture when I've finished
Came down into the kitchen this morning only to find the small freezer had defrosted for some reason.The plug was partly out so I don't know if somebody has knocked it or if it's broken. I had to get stuff out really quick and put it in our big freezer, most of it was still frozen but there were some plums off our tree that I put in last year which were starting to defrost so I had to make a quick plum crumble before I went out this afternoon
 Went to my knit and natter group, there were 14 of us there, only one lady missing so it was quite " busy" with everyone showing off what they were knitting. I do love this group, it's so friendly with knitters ,crocheters and one lady there sits and does rag rugging.
Callum always comes with me and today was showing off a couple of dinosaurs that he's knitted.
I've got a chicken korma in the slow cooker and the rice is on so I'm off to dish up.
 Eden's got a skittles evening with her church cell group tonight and Malc, Clark and Soloman are off to Beavers. Soloman's being invested tonight so another proud Mummy moment coming up to post. If I remember I'll get Malc to take some pictures.

Malc made a cake

A lovely lemon one

 

I knew there was a reason I married him !

I want one!!

Posting on Clark's tablet again! I'm loving it ! I sooo want one!
I`d like to thank simplesuffolksmallholder for her comment yesterday.
 Actually got a lay-in this morning, well 9 o`clock which isn't bad for this house. I think it helped that we didn't get to bed until 11-30 last night as we watched Eurovision.
Housework was done, bacon sandwiches were eaten, I started the ironing, Callum asked to do some for me and as I wouldn't want to upset him I` ve let him carry on with some!
Clark is going to help me post a picture before he does his blog.
Soloman and Cody are peeling potatoes for a roast dinner, I bought a new peeler and they both like using it, in fact they fight over using it!
I`ve nearly finished the babys jumper I`m knitting so I`ll have to sort out something else to start, I`m spoilt for choice as one of my friends has 10 children and I always knit them something for Christmas, I`ve got one down and 9 to go! I try and knit presents for Christmas through the year to spread out the work.
So that particular family keep me busy!
I took a photo of the bed socks I knitted my sister for her birthday, it`s OK, she doesn't read my blog, so I can post the picture.

Eden has a Pentecoste celebration tonight with her church cell group. It involves a bonfire so I hope it stops raining for them.
Although you`ve probably read this post in two minutes flat you have no idea how long it has taken me to type, so I`d better get back to the ironing before Callum rings Childline and complains about child labour to them!

No Computer

I`ve not posted for ages as we have a virus on our main computer. I`m posting this on Clark's tablet.
We have been doing loads, unfortunately all my pictures were uploaded onto the main computer before it went nuts!
Today we went to a www.tankmuseum.org and had an amazing time. It`s great for four boys to explore.
Clark has posted loads of photos on his blog
I have got more and hope to post them when the computer is fixed.
We are still planting out in the garden, we`ve now planted out tomatoes, broad beans and more asparagus.
We have got our LA man coming on Tuesday  so I spent yesterday writing reports. He is now officially retiring so it's the last time we will see him. I don't think we will have any more visits after this, I will just send a report in each year, we`ve been doing this for seven years now, if they don't know the way we work by now then they never will!
 In knitting news I have just finished  some bed socks for my sister for her birthday and I'm now knitting a baby's jumper for a friend who is having a baby.
Callum has finished knitting his Octopus and is hoping to post pictures on his blog soon. He hasn't posted for a while, keep a lookout though he hopes to post in the next few days.
 Well this tablet is really impressing me, I think I am going to have to look into getting one for myself!
It's Eurovision tonight so we have some nibbles to munch on so I am off to take the mickey watch that!