Michelle's chickpeas

January Joy

2012-02-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned before, last year was a rotter for us. But not wanting all the rubbishy things that happened in that year to stay in our thoughts and therefore making everything go that way, we made a list each on New Years Eve of all the things that had made the year so hard and then put them on the fire, watched them go up in flames and then lit a candle.
Then it turned to 2012 and I have been brimming with Joy and Happiness ever since (well, sometimes I slump a little, but so far everything is going our way!)
We have BIG news too.......

We have made the decision to move to Australia! It has been a long decision making process, but our life looks a lot better over there than here. Many reasons, to name a few, Tristans job prospects are greater out there, I can study to be a midwife, and the weather, of course! Obviously we will miss our families like mad, and it was very hard telling them, but hopefully they will visit lots (I would love it if my mum and dad retired out there, but thats another adventure, I need to concentrate on this one first!)

Tristan is Aussie and so are the boys, so it is just me that has to go through the huge amounts of paperwork, but the end of my list is near and we should be submitting the application very soon, then its just fingers crossed for 6 months!

Other news...
Reuben has moved from Zelda School to a mainstream preschool, much closer to home and he LOVES it! At Zeldas he would just plod along and play on his own a lot, which is not Reuben. At his new school he is the centre of attention and loves playing with everyone there. It is so lovely to see him beaming and fully enjoying himself when I come to pick him up.

Rowan asked to go to school, so we went and had a look at a small local school, which he loved because they had a lego table, but when he heard he would have to go every day he decided he will wait till Australia to go to school! Rowans best freind has just started flexi schooling after being home edded for a year, so Rowan though no one went to school on a Friday!

Rowans home ed journey has progressed a lot, as we now have two days with Reu at preschool, Rowan can do academic things that he likes. He enjoys science projects and workbooks and stuff, as well as much lego building, computer games and superhero battles!

I am also on a mission to loose that baby weight, Rowan is 5 and Reu is almost 4, its time it went now! So I have been on a diet rehaul, getting rid of those less healthy choices and making sure our food is as free from crap as possible. I am not brave enough to put up my actual weight, but I am happy with the amount that is coming off!

So overall January was a month of big decisions being announced and feeling the joy and positivity in everything and its still there! Looking forward to another month of this!

I will leave you with some photos of our New Years Day Walk....


Both boys got metal detctors for Christmas, no luck on this beach though other than a beer can!

Rowan showing off his rock climbing skills, and scaring Mummy!

He would not stop till he got to the top!

And very proud of himself he was too!


Another cliff to be conquered!


Anything my big brother can do, I can too!

A very proud Reuben!

Sunset from our garden

Christmas puzzles, of course Australia had to go in first!

2011 in pictures

2011-12-31T14:19:00.000-08:00

What a year, to be honest I can't wait for the new year to start, so full of dreams. goals and positivity, this year was very hard, but when I look back over the photos their were good times too.....

Busy times

2011-12-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

The house is filled with christmas music, excited shreiks of children, singing of carols, crafting and much festive cheer. I am feeling on top of things one minute, then the next I am overwhelmed by all those things I haven't put on my list!
We are having all the family round here for christmas day, I am doing lunch for all. We are not a very big family, so the total is only 8, including the children.

Decorating day, helped by Reuben in his wetsuit and a ninja turtle!

Dressing the tree, all done this year by the boys, I refrained from re-organising it!

Two sleeping tigers after the home ed xmas party

My delivery of oils and such for making presents

Card writing

Fudge making

Superhero capes all finished and ready for their stockings


Our very efficent wrapping station!

So I just have the veg prep tomorrow and all of the kids wrapping to do tonight, then I'm sorted!

Merry Christmas everyone xx

I'm still here

2011-12-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I was last on here! We had a great time on holiday (oh gosh, it seems like such a long time ago!), it exceeded expectations and we all had a fantastic time, despite most of us getting poorly. We enjoyed theme parks, great food, beautiful weather, sunny beaches, amazing wildlife (we even heard a alligator roar in the wild, that was awesome!). However, we do have over 1000 photos to sort out and I just have not had the time to get it done, not with Christmas presents to make, but I do promise that after the festive season is over I will post up some photos.

Life has been so hectic since getting back, Tristans work has just been crazy and we have hardly seen him in the daylight and we have been super busy with home ed stuff, and on top of that trying to plan for christmas with no money. I didn't want that to sound moany but it does, its just bit whirlwindy at the moment. We are waiting for some proper cold winter weather to come to make us slow down!

Anyway I will leave with a photo of the boys, this is what happens when you ask them to smile nicely for a photo for relatives for christmas.......

For sale stuff

2011-12-05T08:20:00.001-08:00


Hand woven ladies shirt, size small

Frugi jumper, age 2-3

Frugi top, age 2-3

Frugi trousers, age 2-3

Awesome Autumn

2011-10-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note so I can remember those really sweet things my children say because soon they will be grown up and talking properly.

Rowan says everything is Awesome!
Reuben tries to copy by saying everything is Autumn!

Bless ;)

Holiday Time

2011-10-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

For ages now we have a had a big family holiday booked. Its my Mums 60th birthday and she wants to go to Disneyland with the grandchildren. So we are all off, thats my mum, dad, brother, me, Tris and the boys tomorrow for 3 weeks.

Everyone is very excited, it is going to be full on, but fun.

The boys were talking over breakfast the other day and they listed amongst themselves the top 3 things they were looking forward to;
1. They can play computer games on the plane without having to ask anyone!
2. The villa we are renting has a games room and they can't wait to play in it!
3. Reuben can wear sandals!

Easily pleased are my kids!

Its official!

2011-10-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

Whilst Reuben has had his first day at ‘school’ Rowan has become of ‘school age’ this September, so we are officially Home Educators.

Our days and weeks haven’t really changed much. We do keep one day a week free for activities that we want to do at home, usually an experiment of Rowans choice.

We have made ‘Our Big Busy List’ – a big list of fun things we have previously enjoyed doing and want to do again and other things we have seen and would like to do ourselves. And we plan to do these over the next few months.

So far we are having lots of fun, Rowan loves all things to do with reading, maths and science, so making sure he is getting a wide range of cool and educational stuff is easy.

First Day At 'School'

2011-10-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

It was Reubens first day at his preschool that Rowan had previously attended. When Rowan went there he was never very into it, but Reuben absolutely loves it.

The night before his first day, he put his little bag on his back after tea and wore until bedtime!

He proudly wore it to the car in the morning to go off for school. He looks so grown up.

The preschool is a lovely little steiner inspired school that is in a yurt on a farm. It is very sweet and he was always sad to leave Rowan there and not stay himself.

His first day was great, he really enjoyed himself. Rowan and I went for a walk around the farm which the yurt is situated on and we could hear Reuben shouting and laughing with the other children!

He only goes one day a week, and after only 3 sessions he is already more than happy to go for a full day.

Home Ed stuff

2011-10-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago at our home ed group we made a clay oven, which was great fun. The following week we made bread to cook in the oven, which had limited success, well the bread rose! But everyone really enjoyed themselves.


Shoes off, Trousers off and get squelching! It felt remarkably theraupeutic!

Rowan with his feet in the mix

We made a solid sand dome, then covered it in newspaper. The final step was putting the clay mixture all over the outside

The finished oven. I haven't got a photo of it dried and with the door in, but will try to get one when I next go there.

Birthdays, Caravans, Caves, Trees and Safari

2011-10-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Well that about sums up September! In the beginning of the month we went away in a friends caravan for a week to Wiltshire. It was Rowans 5th birthday whilst we were away, we visited Longleat Safari Park and went to a woodland show.

We celebrated Rowans birthday before we went away with family and his best friend with a BBQ in our garden and his proper cake!

First day in the caravan, it was so nice to be in a caravan, especially as the weather was very rubbish!

Our camp

Note to self: I must stop pulling cross eyed faces in photos!

Wookey Hole Caves. The boys loved the caves and the story of the witch, although they were more impressed by the lights!

Cavewoman Tristan!

Caveboy Rowan

Reuben on his favourite dinosaur

At Wookey Hole, they had an old school amusement arcade. In which they had this amazing mirror maze, it was really so good, we went in it quite a few times. Reuben did the classic running straight bang into a mirror!

Wells Cathedral

Longleat Safari Park

This ickle baba zebra was only 4 days old

These pesky monkeys ate our wiper squirter jet nozzle thingimies!

Tris was just as excited by this beefsteak fungus as he was the tigers whose encloser it was in!

Rowans birthday table all ready for the birthday boy

The last photo of 4 year old Rowan

Birthday boy

Remote control monster truck bought much fun!

The woodland show.

This machine costs £250,000! And my boys were sat in it with very muddy boots on!

The white horse

Reuben looked out of his window and said he could see the horse. then got out of the car and suddenly realised what we were talking about, he was talking about the real horses in the field!

Remote control monster truck fun

Our nightly campfire was lovley

Happy birthday to Rowan

Catching up with old friends

We had such a lovely week away, Tristan works so hard when we are at home, that it sometimes feels like we don't ever get much time to spend as a family. The whole week away was just wonderful. The weather was a bit rotten for most of the time, but we all had so much fun. It has been named the 'Whoa!' holiday as everything we did bought cries of 'Whoa!' from everyone!

Well there goes the summer, I'd better get blogging!

2011-09-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

Wowzers! I knew I hadn't blogged for a while, but I didn't realise it was over a month ago!
I never seem to manage to keep up with blogging through the summer months, so much going on, and the boys go to bed much later, so I don't get much of a chance to get on the computer.
But they have gone off to sleep before 9 o'clock tonight, so I plan to do a bit of a catch up beofre sitting down with my chamomile tea and getting on with christmas knitting!

Our first festival of the summer, holifair - a little local affair. The sun mostly shone, we tried out our new ~~mansion~~ tent and had a fun time


Tris turned into the childrens entertainer, more and more children came up to join his merry dancing! Rowan at this point was mesmorized, sitting at the front watching the band. He usually shys away from too loud music, but he knows the drummer and that gave him the confidence to sit right at the front.

Capoeria - the hypnotic drumming the were doing sent both boys promptly to sleep!

A spot of DIY, brighting up a very dull bit of hallway wall

Reuben admiring his and Rowans art gallery

I know we live close to the beach, but sometimes its fun to have a beach in your garden!

8th Wedding anniversary - We went to a puppet show with the boys, then went out on the weekend to watch an open air play

This mountain was part of our garden beach, it was an egyptians pyramid, then a mountain for lego men and many more things that shamefully I cannot remember!

Random chicken shot!

Family fun day at St Agnes

Second festival - Aeon, Day two. Day one was so wet we hid in the tent until it stopped raining!

A friend had made this wagon for pulling the kids around in. People were amazed at it and kept stopping us asking if they were all my children! they did look like a little blonde tribe!

Zorbing! Can you tell by that grin how much he enjoyed it?

Rowans other love - Devil sticks

Making a bow and arrow

We camped with a lot of friends this time, which makes a big difference. The boys had a fab time, in fact it was probably their best ever festival

Rowan wanted me to paint his face as a golden spiderman, mmm I'm not sure about the outcome, but he was impressed!

And Reuben wanted a green spiderman?!

Reuben found the real face painting lady, not rubbishy mum and dad!

this moment

2011-07-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Joining in with Soulemama for the first time this week

July - in photos

2011-07-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

I know July hasn't finished yet, but here is this months antics so far........

A Teenage ninja turtle and his sidekick taking apart a broken bubble machine to see how it worked!

Rowan has a long list of experiments and activities he would like to do from his encyclopedia, this week it was Prehistoric Landscape

The finished product. He was very proud to have put rocks from Nannys drive in there! ("I knew he must be collecting them for some reason", she said!)

Beautiful sunset from our garden

The same evening

First harvest, carrots, onions and wet garlic

Monster Rhubarb!

Al fresco painting

Sandpit fun

This is the chickens favorite spot in this warm weather, they have dug the grass out from under the bush and created their own dust bath. Everyday when I pick the laundry in they are laid out throwing dust under their wings having a good old roll around!

A day at the beach - a lovely little cove that only locals know about. It was busy this weekend, about 10 groups down there, just how we like it!

Rowan and Tristan have a new hobby - Rock climbing. Tristan has started a course at a local indoor climbing centre with my brother and some friends. So whenever we go out for a walk he starts looking for boulders to climb. Then Rowan starts joining in and then decided that he would like to have a go at bouldering at the centre. He loved it, but was very certain that he did not want to go anywhere near the ropes and harnesses, but he would like to go freeclimbing on the boulders every week. So the second week going, he tells Tristan which wall he wants to climb and up he goes, no worries.

Rowan is an extremly cautious child, he has only really started wanting to climb trees and other high things and jump off recently. So when he climbs he thinks very seriously about every move before he makes it, this is proving to be an excellent skill when rock climbing.

Big carrots! I have never had any luck with carrots. I never know why, but every year I try and they allude me. But not this year, look at that beauty! I am very excited. Sad, I know, but it is very exciting for me!

We are really enjoying our harvests this year, this lot became a lovely salad with omlettes from the chooks, backyard meals, I like it!

Two cheeky pixies - in the veggy patch eating the peas!

A trip to Truro museum to see the new exhibition proved to be great fun. It was full of knights costumes from films, like Gladiator and stuff like that. I am not really into epic, battle films, so I didn't really know about the films they were from, but you could try some of the bits on. Really heavy helmets and sheilds. And of course there were costumes for the kids too! When looking at these photos earlier I couldn't work out which knight this was until I looked at the next photo..

Sir Reuben

Sir Rowan

And of course, there had to be a battle!

Sports Day

2011-07-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Even though Rowan and Reuben are home educated they still had a chance to join in on 2 Sports Days this year. Reuben wasn't up for joining in, but Rowan loved it. He was not bothered at all about winning, he just loved running with the other children! He would happily run along with a huge, silly smile on his face! I am gutted I didn't get any photos, I was too busy cheering!

Anyway the first Sports Day was at Rowans old waldorf-ish preschool, he took part in everything he could and happily received a gold medal for taking part (now a prized possesion)

Then we held one at our home ed group. It ended up with only 3 of them wanting to race, Rowan was up against his best friend and another girl his age. They were both very determined to win and did win most races, Rowan happily coming in last. Until the dressing up race that is... The other 2 were so set on winning they couldn't get dressed as they were rushing and then there was Rowan, slowly and calmly getting dressed as he went along the track, not caring if he won or not, then he ambled across the finish line fully clothed, whilst everyone else was in a pickle! It was a real case of the Tortoise and The Hare!

Forest School

2011-07-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

For the last 4 weeks, Rowan has been attending a forest school that we have arranged for some of the local home ed kids.

It has been quite a journey so far for Rowan as this is probably the first time he has been involved in group activities without the support of either me or Tris.

The first week he was hesitant and reluctant, but we stayed nearby and the leaders noticed his reluctance and helped him into the activities. He seemed to enjoy it.

The following week was great, his confidence soared, he trusted the leaders, he was having fun, he even played with children he had never played with before.

The 3rd week, however it all seemed to go pear shaped. Rowan had his first lesson in how nasty children can be. I don't know what was said as Rowan doesn't want to talk about it, but one of his friends said something horrible to Rowan, which really upset him, then just as he was getting over that another freind said something, at that Rowan just wanted and needed to go home. He is so sensitive that when children start to gang up and be horrible he gets really upset, also I think as he is so big for his age, people tend to forget he is 1-2 years younger than most of his friends.

So, I was not looking forward to the session this week, thinking he wouldn't want to go. But he was fine, the group was smaller, which helped and the 'gang warfare' of the previous week wasn't apparent and after the intial helping in he loved it. He even joined in! Which is a huge thing for Rowan, he is a 'sit on the side and watch' kinda boy.

So 2 more sessions to, what shall they bring? Hopefully more of this confident and happy Rowan.

Massive blog update!

2011-07-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, I knew I hadn't had a chance to update this for a while but I didn't realise it was almost a month! I have lso many photos and so much to write about I don't think I will manage it all!

I think I will finish last month with some photos....
So here's the end of June

Rowan has had an amazing fascination in extreme weather, so we have been finding loads of experiments to do. This was a tornado (his favourite extreme weather!) in a bottle

The tornado! Hours of fun!

Making blue ice cubes for another experiment

The blue is the ice and the red is the warm water, it was quite amazing to watch as the blue swirled under the red, but really hard to get a good photo of!

First proper day at the beach, unfortunatley it ended in a parking ticket!

Reuben climbed right to the top of this cliff and then started to throw little stones off, one of them hitting a lady! Oops! She told him off when he got down, but not for throwing stones for climbing the cliff as he will hurt himself! I was not very impressed with that!

Rowan has become so confident in the water this year, last year he would run as soon as the wave touched his toes, now he spends ages in the sea. Reuben did get dunked by a wave and had a bit of a shock though!

Eggbert, the cheekiest chicken around!

Big mama

R2D2 and Fluff. I do so love having these lovely ladies in our garden, although if they could just stop pooing on the patio that would be great!

One of the many rainbows of the summer!

The boys had a day out with Daddy as myself and a friend went to Bristol to a q&a session with Sandra Dodd, an unschooling lady from USA (more on that later),

They went to Lappa Valley, a theme park place with loads of steam trains

And these are the photos i come home to!

And the last shot of June, the back of Reubens head! I love it though, just look at those scrumptious locks!

Fathers Day

2011-06-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

The boys put loads of effort into making little things for Tristan on Fathers Day, they coloured in some frames that we had printed off the computer and stuck photos in, made cards, learnt a song to sing to Daddy and made him a lego space station!

Rowan did all this writing himself, just asking occasionally what letter comes next. I love the way his y's curl around so flamboyantly.

A picture of Daddy, complete with glasses, hair, tickles on his chin, ears and rather large and sticky out cheeks!

a rare family day out

2011-06-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

It was chucking it down one Saturday morning, but Tristan had no work and we had no other plans, so I announced that we were going to the woods, did the boys want to walk or bike ride? Rowan suddenly said he was going to ride his pedal bike all the way to the otter bridge as he could do that! This was the first time Rowan had not mentioned needing his balance bike, so we chucked the bikes in the boot, donned our waterproofs and off we went.
By the time we got there the sun had come out and we all had a lovely day

Reuben: " Mummy look, those ducks are friends with that squirrel and they are having a feast together on that grass"

Toy trains and stuff

2011-06-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

I have been planning some trips and visits for the home ed group and the other week we went to a vintage toy and mining museum.
http://www.moseleymuseum.com/home.html
It was bizarre and everyone loved it. It was basically a bunch of old boys playing with their amazing collection of toy trains and they are more than happy for people to come and have a look and show some interest. They also have loads of toys they have built using mecano and also a large collection of mining artefacts, a reconditioned mining train, their own track to ride the train on and even a reconstruction of a coal mine!
The kids loved it (and the dads too!)and most really want to go back again!

Cuteness

2011-06-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

On a trip to Helston boating lake Reuben and I saw these cygnets and just had to stop and watch them waddling along. Until mama swan got out of the water!

Broody chook!

2011-06-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Eggbert, Rowans chicken disapeared. It was a day when Rowan was out with Nanny and Grandad and I went out to collect eggs. the hens were all out in the garden, but Eggy was nowhere to be seen. I got the corn cup and tapped out a tune with my ring on the cup which normally gets them all running to my feet. They all came on cue, but still no Eggy. I went out and around the block, not that she could actually get out but I couldn't find her anywhere. I even asked the builders around the back if they had seen a big, black chicken!
So when Rowan got home i explained that Eggy was missing and she may have built a nest somewhere, but as she had only been laying for about 2 weeks we thought this unlikely. Rowan said very calmly, "Maybe a fox has got her". He didn't seem that bothered, but he was straight out the back looking in under every bush and tree in the garden. Still no Eggy. Then all of a sudden she comes bouncing across the garden as if nothing had happened!
We were all very relieved but still non the wiser. That was until the following evening when something made me climb over a heap of old chicken wire right at the back of the garden to then catch out of the corner of my eye a nest, very well hidden in the base of a multi stemmed Sycamore tree. In the nest were 7 eggs!
I felt really bad taking away her eggs, but thats what is recommended with a broody hen and as we have no cockeral it seemed pointless leaving her sit on them.
She seemed to take it ok, and has gone back to laying in the coop again.
They are funny creatures these chickens!

Busy times

2011-06-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

Time just seems to fly by at the moment and I don't get a chance to get on here as much as would like to, and I keep forgetting to take out my camera, so not being inspired by loads of photos backed up on the camera to post has meant I have been neglecting my blog recently. I do find it hard to find the time to write anything on here too. Tris has taken the boys to the park for a pasty picnic whilst I stay here and rest as I have done my back in! So I thought I will catch up on here.

So what have we been doing? Tris came back from Scotland after climbing mountains through blizzards and generally having a great time. The boys were very excited to wake up in the morning to come into my room and find Daddy in bed.

We went to the Fal River festival, which was very busy, we caught the end of a puppet show, which we saw last year but it is very funny and the boys really love it, and we popped into the maritime museum again, but it was bit too packed and full of half term kids and activites.

We went to a local PYO farm and picked some strawberries, very yummy. rowan was very serious in his role as cheif strawberry picker and wouldn't eat any as they were to take home, whereas Reu didn't want to put any in the basket 'no these are for my tummy!'

We went to an inflatable session at the swimming pool where Rowan overcame yet more fears and went on a big inflatable crocodile thing and went down a big slide into deep water and loved it. His swimming has come on so much. I have been making sure we go every week and he absolutley loves it, I am still amazed at how confident in the water he is - Its great!

We have been meeting up weekly at our home ed group, but most weeks it has just been us and Rowans best friend, which is fun but not what we hoped for. We have, however, managed to organise a lot of trips out this term which so far seem to be popular.

Yesterday we went to the Royal Cornwall Show, which is the biggest agricultural show here in the year. Again, I didn't take my camera, but I hope to get some photos from my friend. We all had a great day, apart from frequently losing Rowan (he has gone from never leaving your side to seeing something and just wandering off to it). We saw a motorbike stunt show, which i think was the highlight for the older boys and we also saw the chooks, goats, bees, rabbits and lots of tractors and the biggest machines ever!

So that about all we have been doing. I have been trying to be more relaxed with the children recently, which I think is making life a bit easier, but I think I will watch this space before commenting too much on that!

Rowan in the maritime museum

Reuben chose the Octonauts comic the other day and inside was the instructions for making the Octopod (The Octonauts HQ). We had to go to the shops to buy yogurt pots in the correct shape - Rowan likes to follow the instructions excatly, and we had to buy a shop bought trifle!

But we were all very impressed with the finished Octopod. It has been played with loads

Oh, and of course our clever chooks need a mention - they are all layers now!

First camp of the year

2011-06-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

We bought a new tent earlier this year as our older one was just not big enough for a family of four and a family of fours stuff and playing children on a rainy wet morning! We have been saying 'this weekend we will test it' for ages and something kept coming up. But the other weekend we managaed to test it out.

We only went to campsite about 5 miles away, as we could only go for the one night and had to pop back to shut the chickens in their run, but it was a beautiful, sunny, very warm day and overall we had a great time. It was so lovely to see the boys just having fun and enjoying each others company in a field with hardly any toys or other influences.
They were constantly making up games to play in the relativley empty campsite.

The tent was great, it felt very strange being in a large tent and we didn't realise when we bought it that it had 2 seperate bedrooms, which wasn't so good, but by the time we all fell asleep after toasting marshmallows then watching some fireworks lit by the campers next to us, no one cared where they slept!

The next day, however was tough, as we all had a lot less sleep than normal, it was very hot and we had to pack up to go home. We treid to ride our bikes to the beach, but it just didn't work out like that!

The new tent

Happy rowan on the swing next to our tent

This boy sure loves camping!

All that fresh air makes one very sleepy!

Reuben was very excited by something!

'Take a photo of me doing this mum!'

Mummy and Reuben taken by Rowan

Self portrait taken by Rowan

Reuben being his usual silly self!

More ninja poses!

Happy skipping children!

Rowan decided to make up a game trying to throw a small ball into the bucket and if you missed you had to put your hands to your eyes and sigh very very loudly!

So next camping will be further away from home and longer (9 days and 10 nights is Rowans request!)

Yes!

2011-05-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yes was todays theme and hopefully most days to come. I have been reading Dayna Martins book Radical Unschooling and it has really made me think. You know sometimes you pick up a book or bump into someone or hear something on the radio that is just the right thing for that moment, well being lent this book is like that for me.

Over the last few weeks I have been feeling like I am losing my way with parenting. I had turned into shouty mama, who didn’t want mess in the house and said “No!” all the time. This isn’t how I wanted to parent, this isn’t how I wanted my children to be bought up – being afraid of making any mess because mama will get angry and shout. Rowan had learnt to shout back and scream in my face. Harsh, but made me realise.

This week Tris has been away and its given me time in the evenings to think about how we parent and how happy the children are or not as the case may be(I am always thinking about this, just with having no company after the children are in bed my thought are more intense).

So I realised that I had to change something, somewhere and that something was my attitude – lighten up Michelle! Then after thinking like this I was lent this book and although similar to other books I have read this one seemed to ring more bells.

So today I woke up and thought, we have no plans let’s just see what happens, but the one thing that isn’t going to happen is me saying no and shouting.

Well, I did shout a little at the very end of the day, but the rest of the day was happy and fun.

It was a cold and drizzley day and the boys wanted to watch iplayer, so we all sat down to watch some childrens telly. Then I suggested going to video shop after a trip to the supermarket. The boys agreed, but the first thing they said was, “Can we have a comic?”

Now before I would have said no, or maybe and then tried to persuade them to go for one that doesn’t come with ten tons of plastic crap or a Ben 10 one (Ben 10 is a big bug bear of mine, but hey that’s my issue, Rowan really likes him), so I said “of course you can choose a comic.”

Then when we get there Reuben wants to go on the Noddy car outside, now I know I have said no to no, but I only have so much money, so I explained that if he went on Noddy there wouldn’t be any money left for a comic, so he decided to look at the comics first (he choose a comic and had a pretend go on Noddy later).

In the supermarket they were great, whizzing down the aisles that were empty, helping me find things and generally being happy kids (an old man even said how wonderful and happy they were!) I have always made food shopping with both of them an issue as they always want want want, but today they didn’t ask for anything other than comics and raspberries, oh and Dennis the menace bun mix. I have never bought a ready made cake mix in my life, but they wanted to know what it was, so I suggested buying it and finding out. The boys were delighted!

The rest of the day pretty much followed suit, they agreed on a DVD - Teenage mutant ninja turtles – again before I would have swayed their choice to something non violent etc etc, but its their choice and I planned on watching it with them.

We made buns, the boys ate 5 each! (they were very small!)

The DVD was loved and prompted a huge amount of role play after – lots of jumping off chairs being superhero turtles!

Then we had really loud music and a good dancing session.

After tea we did a bit in the garden, well I did whilst the boys continued being ninja turtles, then they went to bed very happy.

I can spend all my time enforcing my ideals on them – no violence, no sugary junk food, no plastic toys etc etc, but at the end of the day all I am doing is making them think but why and even giving them explanations it is still going to make it taboo and more exciting for them to want it. I know if I was told no as a child it made it much more desirable.

So heres to YES and trusting my children to know what they want.

May in photos

2011-05-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

In training with Tris doing some coastal footpath walking - rewarded with a funny face ice cream at Chapel Porth

Lighthouse exhibition at the national maritime museum - the boys loved this lighthouse kitchen

cooking seagulls eggs!

Rowan got really into learning semiphore, he did his name and even remebered it when we got home

There is also an exhibtion on polar explorations. We all love the Capatin Scott stories. The boys dressed up in real cold weather gear, this coat was amazing!

Roly poly time

Tris gave some walnut wood to a local wood carver as he gets so much wood he doesn't know what to do with it all, so in return the guy carved us a salad bowl (only thing is its so large it makes a big salad look tiny!)

Tris broke his hand, so has been off work for 6 weeks, at first he was a bit lost but he soon got into pottering about and making stuff. He made these shelves for Reuben

Tris' birthday cake. I wanted to keep it simple, but the boys had other ideas!

Rowan trying to eat cake with a fork!

Some birthday air guitaring

Salad crops from the garden

More of Tris' handiwork

the last seeds sown

The first crop of salad leaves

Conquering fear

2011-05-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of weeks Rowans general mood seems to have changed. He usually struggles with a lot of day to day things, having major meltdowns at the slightest thing. But recently he seems to be dealing with things a lot better, of course he still has meltdowns that are louder and more extreme than a lot of children but that’s Rowan. They do seem to be getting less extreme at present.

Another thing that has become more noticeable is his confidence. Rowan used to be very quiet around people he didn’t know really well and he also used to be quite fearful of things, ie; climbing trees, swimming, falling off things. Well this week two people have noticed and said to me how much more confident around people Rowan has become, he will talk to other adults and children he doesn’t know confidently and is even learning to use someone’s name to get their attention.

Also this week he swam! This is quite amazing for Rowan, he has had a healthy fear of the water for a while now and after a few swimming lessons (which he really disliked the teacher) he really didn’t want to be in the water without armbands on. I was fine with this in theory, but living in Cornwall learning to swim is quite important as we are surrounded by water in most places. Anyway this week we went swimming with his best friend, who can swim a little bit. Rowan jumped straight in and half way through he realised he had just swam! “Mummy, I just put my head in the water, kicked my arms and my legs and swam!” Well to say he was proud of himself was an understatement! The boy did not stop diving under and swimming. And that is from no lessons, no pressure, just swimming around him and letting him play alongside people swimming. It is so amazing to see your child conquer a fear, and for him to do it at his pace too.

Then today we went for a bike ride at our local woods. Another fear of Rowans. He learnt to ride a bike from using a balance bike and at his own pace moved onto a pedal bike, but one fall off his bike and he wants his balance bike again. The last time we took bikes to the woods he fell off and since then has never wanted to go back to the woods and also only wants his balance bike. So today we agreed on going to the woods and I took both bikes. When we got there I suggested he ride his pedal bike to the squirrels and we can come back for his balance bike if he still wants it. He reluctantly agreed and then was off like a shot! We reached the squirrels and he said he wants his balance bike, so I pointed out that we would have to go all the way back to car park and get it, to which he replied “Actually mum, I don’t!” and was off again. In fact he zoomed off so quick I lost him! He shot past the path we were meant to take and headed off out of sight towards the bigger walks. I must say I did panic, especially as at the time Reuben was having one of his I can’t walk moments! I figured he must have carried on and ran shouting his name, then I heard his little voice saying something. I told him to wait where he was and we eventually found him and I was so relieved to have not lost him and also so proud of him that he rode his bike so far that I had to give him the biggest hug ever! And all he could say was “Mummy, I learnt how to stand up on my pedals like my Daddy!”

And to top all of that he climbed really high in a tree too!

Reuben is 3

2011-05-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Last week it was Boos birthday, a great big 3! It was the first year that he has really cared about it and he was very excited about becoming a 'Big Boy'. When asked what he wanted for his birthday he would just reply "A number 3 cake", then a few days before his actual birthday he suddenly said, "Actually, I would like a present all wrapped up, and a present for Rowan, and my Mummy and my Daddy" Bless him! He is so loving and caring he couldn't possibly hog the limelight and be the only one getting the attention and presents. On the day he made sure that Rowan always helped him to unwrap each parcel.

He had a lovely day, pressies in bed, a trip to Dairyland with friends, which he loved as there was loads of baby animals for stroking and he went on the Demon drop! Then we came home for a bbq with family, the his amazing number 3 cake and then he sat up and watched a DVD with Nanny and Grandad whilst me and Tris went out (It was Tris' birthday the day before Reubens)

I can't believe he is 3 already, where does it go? Part of me is a bit sad my baby is growing up so fast, but the other part of me feels blessed to have such an amazing, caring, loving and funny son.

Happy Birthday Reuben you crazy little chickpea xxx

Reubens birthday breakfast table

Every year I make the boys cards with a photo from each month of the last year, its lovely for them to look back, although Reuben did ask "whos that?" a couple of times!

Superhero cows at Dairyland!

They do a session called 'pat a pet' that Reu really wanted to do (I think it was stroking rabbits etc) but on our way there we came across a zip wire and by the time everyone had finished on that 'pat a pet' had finished, but Reu was quite happy stroking anything he could find, wether it was real or not!

BBQ in the garden

The amazing number 3 blueberry cake

Happy Birthday Boo xx

Catch up time

2011-05-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well April passed in another blur and May is almost gone too! Life seems to be a bit of a whirlwind at present and no sooner has a week started than it has ended and it is next week already! I honestly don’t know how people manage to work when they have children, how on earth do you get anything done?

So what have we been doing? The boys have been full of energy, we have had two birthdays, visited museums, home ed group trips out, gardening and I have been feeling so tired by the time the evening gets here when the boys are all tucked up in bed and all my jobs are done (well, not all of them, that would be the day!) all I can do is sit in my armchair with a cup of chamomile tea, so blogging has taken a break.

But this last week, all birthdays over, I have rested (after a weekend of being so tired and poorly all I could do was sleep) and I feel the need to get all the photos off the camera and get up to date. Tris has gone away for a week on a walking holiday with some friends to the Isle of Skye and the Caladonian forest, so I have the computer all to myself.

Here is a mishmash of Aprils antics...


Rock pool ramble at St Agnes with the Cornwall wildlife trust, Rowan and I caught a blenny!

Tris and Reuben caught a little crab

Rowan eating an ice cream whilst sitting on a whale vertebrae

Good Friday Cockle picking. Rowan being buried in the sand whilst we waitied for the tide to go out.

Tis an bit of a tradition to head to certain beaches around the Helford for a bit of cockle and mussel picking on Good Friday. After a bit of confusion as to which beach we were meant to be going to, we turned up amongst hundreds to search the sandy/muddy banks as the tide went out to look for cockles. The cockles were a bit hard to find, whereas the mussels, well there were so many that if they weren't bigger than the palm of your hand you had to throw them back. We went back to a freinds that evening and cooked them all up, very nice to! it was a lovley family fun day out with free food to boot!

Leaving nests out for the easter bunny

Wow, teeny, tiny, shiny eggs! (Rowan left his nest in the woodstore and I put in 5 little shiny wrapped chocolate eggs before going to bed and when we got up in the morning his were all gone! Fortunatley I went out before him and I hadn't eaten all of the left over ones the night before!)

Don't my children look happy first thing in the morning! I think this was "Mum, just let us eat the eggs and stop taking photos!"

A trip to Glendurgan gardens on Easter Monday for an easter egg trail

Gnarly trees and bluebells

Rowan and his friend seeing if they could reach around the big old tree

In these gardens there is a big old maze, Rowan was so excited about going into a real maze and he was so good at it, he didn't get lost once (unlike Tris!)

Give the boy a map and a stick and he is ahppy!

The bluebell fairy

Learning to forage

And loving it

Reuben getting his dose of vitamin D

Easter face painting

A Sunny Sunday

2011-04-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Picnic at Men-An-Tol

The wishing tree near Madron wishing well (The well was said to have healing powers, but unfortunatly someone has diverted the river and the well is dry, the lane covered with dog poo and the chapel was filled with a family sitting around smoking - how healing?!) However the tree was magical

'Stirring up the soup'

New home ed group

2011-04-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

We used to meet at a early years home ed group on a Friday, but since the beginning of this year that has sort of fallen apart, but people are still wanting to do something. So some of us have got together and have started to build a group up at one of the families farm. Last Friday was our first session. It consisted of a bit of cleaning and moving furniture. A bit of hay bail throwing and rolling (mostly Reuben!), some board games, some playground type games and generally a lot of running around and fun. Thought I would share some photos.

The front of the barn with the giants bench

Hay bail, dressing up fun!

Running and leaping

Board games and resources cupboard.

Time for a game!

It feels really positive. The space is great, loads of room for running and letting off steam and a nice room at the back of the barn for indoorsy stuff. Just need a few more poeple and a few bits here and there and it could be really good. The kids loved it!

Some more of the ordinary

2011-04-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

Our first blueberry blossom

The weather has been glorious recently, so we have been out enjoying the garden. We have sown some seeds but so far haven't really got that much done. But it has just been lovely to spend the days outside.

Playing a game of superheros with dandelions and grass as the superheros!

Tristan has built me a raised bed this year, so far I have sown carrots, radishes, onions and garlic. The blackcurrants and rhubarb behind are doing really well

We are loving having the chooks. Unfortunatly Gammy had to go, it wouldn't be long until the neighbours complained. However the girls seem much happier without him as he was quite a bully to them. Anyway, this is Eggbert (Rowans chicken) who is apparently a boy that will lay an egg as Rowan doesn't want a girl chicken! I love the way her black feathers shine kind of greeny iridescence.

In this photo is R2D2 (Reuebens bird), Fluff (Daddys bird) and Big Mama (no surprises that she is my one!). Fluff and Big Mama are laying us an egg most days now and they are yum yum! We did have a bit of an issue with their poo though and even though it is lovely to have them roaming around our garden, we have fenced them off now as their poos are huge and very frequent! Will try to get a decent photo of their area and put it up.

We have a lot of helicopters flying over us as there is a navy base about 10 miles away, but this one was quite unusual and caused a lot of excitement.

Easter crafts

Our first half dozen!


The first crop of rhubarb, in my new basket (it is quite sad how excited i got over using it, but I did and I loved it!)

Lovely Mothers Day

2011-04-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

Morning cuddles and tea in bed

A lovely selection of cards, a beautiful plant, a hanging basket liner and (my favourite) a little basket for collecting eggs and veg from the garden

The inside of Rowans card. He wrote this all by himself, Tristan just told him how to spell it.

Fancy dress

2011-04-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

It was Tristans cousins 40th birthday the other weekend and his wife had organised a surprise fancy dress party for him. It was an 80's theme! So instantly thinking leg warmers, shell suits etc, but that seemed very boring to us. So after a lot of thought I went as a goth and Tris went as Vyvian from the Young Ones!

Tris looked great, he put a lot of effort into his costume, unfortunatly we used hair wax on his mohican and it took over a week to get it out!

Everyone else did go in a shell suit with a mullet wig or in leggings and leg warmers. It was hideous really!!

Double yoker!

2011-04-12T01:38:00.000-07:00

Well after only a week of having our lovely chooks, Big Mama laid an egg that we thought looked like a potato! Rowan was shocked when he collected it, weighing twice as much as her normal ones we were all hoping it was double yoker and upon cracking it, it was! You have never known so much excitment over an egg, but it was like party time here. Rowan even phoned Nanny to tell her!

Morocco Day 7 - Essaouira - Marrakesh - Bristol

2011-04-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Home time. We got a reasonable time bus back to Marrakesh (10am), found a fantastic tagine stall near the bus station, then made our way to the airport to head back to Bristol. We didn't land until 9pm, then we had to drive back to Cornwall. A very long day.

From the bus window

Passing market day

waiting for the airport bus

"MOROCCO!"

Comfy free sofas in the airport. We half expected someone to come and ask us for some dirham!

Rowans airport photo. I love the reflection

Marrakesh from the air

Rowan loved the fact that he was level with the moon!

Nervous flyers beware - Rowan likes to read the saftey information very loudly over and over again! He was very interested in what false teeth were and why you had to take them out if the plane crashed!

Seatbelts on!

Morocco Day 6 - Essaouira

2011-04-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Bought return bus tickets to Marrakesh, went for last cannon riding, a little bit of souvenir shopping (not much as it was really quite expensive), last seaside drink.

At the cannons on the last night a young Morrocan man came up to me after watching the kids for a while and said, " I love the way your children are, they are just so happy!" This is always nice to hear, but in Morocco it seemed to us that children were seen and not heard. We often felt like people were growling at us because our children can be quite noisy. We lost count of the times that the hotel receptionist shouted "Shhhh!" at them even when they weren't being overly loud! So it was really nice to hear someone realise that they aren't just noisy they are nosiy because they are free and happy!

A rare family photo (note to self - do more of these!)

The boys favourite buskers - Saucepan man and his band!

It was actually an old hubcap balanced on his head, but we called it a saucepan! Reuben still likes to pretend to be saucepan man!

T'was a bit chilly! Beautiful sky though!

Morocco Day 5 - Essaouira

2011-04-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

More of the same really, except we found cannons! Every corner of the wall had a rampart complete with cannons. Well what more can be said, a 2 and a 4 year old boy and cannons that you could just climb over and pretend to boom - hours of fun!!

I got some rare time to myself whilst Tris and the boys charged around the rampart. Whilst sitting looking out to see I got distracted by the seagulls. Living in Cornwall we are used to seagulls being scavengers that steal your pasty from your hand! But the Essaouira seagulls were not like that, they were beautiful and shiny and you didn't have to hide your food if you ate near them. I came up with the theory that they were so well fed from the fish guts that get thrown over the side by the fishermen that they don't need to steal tourists food, who knows but they could do with teaching the Cornish ones how to behave!

BOOM!

The view from our hotel window

The hotel roof terrace

You can;t really see in this photo, but I am shouting at Tris to stop taking photos as a Moroccan woman is trying to kiss Rowan! They all take a shine to the boys blond hair and want to kiss them and take their photos. Rowan hates it, Reuben on the other hand loves it!

There was a small alley where there are lots of woodworking workshops. Tris bought a chess set from this man (one a bit smaller that this one!)

Rowan has a new hobby - sunset photograhpy

Morocco Day 4 - Essaouira

2011-04-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

Our days in Essaouria were spent eating, playing on the beach, playing in the park, walking through the town, afternoon napping, sunset watching and a bit more eating!

Eating dates in the window


The biggest puddle in the world. On our first night in Essaouira there was a big storm and the following morning many, many puddles.

Trying not to step on the cracks!

Watching a football match on the beach

More pancakes!

Rowans photos of the seagulls

Morocco Day 3 - Marrakesh - Essaouira

2011-04-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Well it really is about time I finished our holiday photos!

Day 3 saw us get up very early and get a taxi to the bus station. The boys didn't enjoy being woken up so early and did object very loudly about being prised from their beds and out into the chilly morning to walk to find a taxi! But after only a short walk a taxi appeared, someone was looking down on us!
We made it to the bus station in plenty of time, bought our tickets to Essaouira and sat down for coffee and croissants until it was time to depart.

The journey wasn't too long, about 3 hours. We travelled across desert with little villages along the way. For a while the amazing Atlas mountains were looming on the horizon through the mist.

Then we arrived at Essaouira, a fishing town. Like Marrakesh, it is a walled city, but much cleaner and quieter. The roads in the town were wide, unlike Marrakesh and the police enforced the no vehicles rule, so no motorised vehicles at all were allowed inside the walls. This was great for the kids, they could just run down the streets. We hired a barrow man ( a man and a large wheelbarrow) to get Rowan and our bags to out hotel, Reuben wouldn't go anywhere near the man or his barrow! Then we checked in and headed straight to the beach. Shoes and socks off, feeling the warm sand between out toes felt wonderful. The boys played happily for ages, then we headed back to watch the fishermen bring in their catch (which happened to be a huge shark), then a bit of sunset viewing, food and bed.

View from bus window, you can just see the mountains in the distance

A cheeky monkey we found on the bus!

Yippee, beach!

Awww, look at his hair (I miss his beautiful long locks)

Big boat or tiny child? (a bit of both, but the boat was huge!)

It took 8 men to get this shark out of the tiny litle wooden boat it came in on. I have no idea how they would have gotten it into the boat in the first place.

Rowan was amazed and had to touch it

Gammy - he or she?

2011-03-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

So Gammy, our chook with the gammy legs is possibly a cockeral!

Unfortunatley he will have to go if he is, as our relationship with the neighbours isn't the best, a crowing cockeral will add fuel to the fire!

Not a great shot of Gammy, but next to Big Mama, you can see how different he/she looks

Gammy

Say hello to our new family members....

2011-03-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

These lovely ladies came to our garden on Saturday. They have spent all weekend in their run (which is too small for them, so some adujustments are needed) and today they were let loose on the garden and they loved it!

So, introducing: Eggbert (black one), R2D2 (white one), Gammy (Buff one, name due to her gammy leg), Fluff (buff one) and Big Mama (the other buff one).

It is really lovely having them in our garden and watching their personalities grow and change depending on wether they are in the run or out in the garden. Hopefully they will be out most of the time.

Big Mama has pleased everyone by laying two eggs in two days. We were told that although she had started laying she would probably stop due to the move and not to expect any eggs for a week or 2. And lo and behold she did lay on her first morning. The boys keep checking the nest boxes every hour or less and Rowan found the egg. He came running into the house holding it so carefully, letting everyone have a hold and a feel, saying "feel how warm and smooth it is!" We had to fry it and share it out!

The first egg

Since then she has laid again, so everyone is happy! Rowan has especially taken a shine to them and can be seen chasing them around the garden trying to stroke them.

A bit of a catch up

2011-03-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks seem to have flown by, with trying to getting the garden ready for planting, getting the chicken run ready for the new arrivals, trying to de-clutter the house, Rowans trip to hospital and just everyday busy life, I feel like I have not stopped I haven't even taken many photos. Oh well spring always seems to have a busy-ing effect on me.

I wanted to finish my Morocco posts before putting up anything else, but they will have to wait for a bit.

Here is a catch up the last couple of weeks...

Spring flower painting. these really surprised me actually as Rowan is very reluctant at painting anything, he just likes to paint ramps! But one day I put a vase of daffodils on the table with green and yellow paint out and he decided to paint himself a daffodil!

And os course, Reuben had to aswell!

Our first batch of cornflour gloop. Both boys dislike getting their hands sticky, so they were quite hesitant at getting into the gloop, but as the afternoon progressed they would keep coming back to it a little at a time

Rowan had a break from glooping to bring the veggy box in. The veg box delivery here is a weekly excitment, the boys love going through it to see what we've got this week!

More glooping, this time the dinosaurs have been stuck on planet gloop!

This camelia is right outside the kitchen window, it is lovely to wash the dishes whilst looking at the delicate beautiful blooms

and this furry little fellow was having a wonderful time, completly covered in powdery white pollen. He was very sleepy and slow.

Bike washing

And bike riding, after bike washing of course!

Reuben kept going back and forth over this little rut in the ground, the first 2 times he did it, he fell over and really wacked himself, but after a quick Daddy cuddle he got straight back on and would not stop until he had it sussed! Sheer determination!

And Rowan made us all proud. He gets very fearful about riding his pedal bike, thinking he can't do it and wanst the security of his balance bike back. But after telling him I was really rubbish at riding bikes and always fall off, and pointing out that he is really good, he was on it like a shot and rode the whole way. even deciding to go 'off road' with Daddy on the way back going downhill and doing jumps!

Home again!

2011-03-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update, Rowan was discharged from hospital this evening. He is still wheezy and his oxygen levels were just above the ok level, but the bed was needed and we were all desperate to get home.

He is very excitied to get home and that mixed with his medication means we have a very hyper Rowan for the next few days, but thats better than a poorly Rowan. So lots of gentle home healing and rest for all of us for the next few days.

Poorly boy!

2011-03-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well we had a nice chilled out weekend, a friends birthday party, a trip to see some camels, fixing up the chicken house, finally finding the chooks we want (they come next Saturday).

Then yesterday afternoon Rowans snotty cold moved to his chest, a little cough makes an appearance and then last night his breathing became very fast again. So after an appointment at the docs, which I thought we would go straight home from, we ended up being transferred to hospital with Rowan having an asthma attack, his oxygen levels were very low and his heartrate really high.

He has been admitted for the night. He was doing much better when I left but still needing regular oxygen. Tris is there with him tonight. I am worn out and need to sleep but am also wide awake with worry!

He hasn't had any asthma for so long that I thought it had gone away, but alas it is still there :(

Morocco Day 2 - Marrakesh (Definatley not a vegetarian day!)

2011-03-07T06:11:00.000-08:00

So day 2 was a bit more chilled out. The weather wasn't as good which was a shame as the Atlas mountains' snowy peaks were visible for all of the day before and we didn't take any photos.

We didn't do too much today, a visit to a miniaret and gardens. We also went to another gardens but spent so long getting there (trying to avoid rip off taxi men and doing it ourselves - will we never learn!), that when we got there our enthusiam had been spent and we headed back to the square to watch some street entertainment. In the day the main square is filled with storytellers, snake charmers, musicians and the like. Some of it was quite fun to watch, some horrific, like the monkey trainers - they get their trained monkies to sit on tourists shoulders for photos! Rowan thought it was hillarious that they had put a nappy on one monkey, I thought it was sick!

Rowans arty shot of the Koutubai minaret

A storks nest on top of the arials - if you look closely you can see the baby storks head in the nest

A magician / storyteller in the Djeema-el-fna. Rowan was captivated, he was talking in Arabic, surrounded by Moroccan men and boys, we didn't understand a word, but Rowan would not leave until the man was finished

Sunset in the square. It really was an amazing place, I felt like I had been transported back in time, surrounded by men in cloaks, horse and carts, but then a motorbike would zoom past me!

The food stalls setting up

The food stalls are all set up in a particular order, so that all the stalls selling the same kind of food are together, the sweet stalls, the tagine stalls, the kebab stalls, the offal stalls! Whilst walking past the latter, Rowan noticed the steaming sheeps heads and brains and says he wants to eat a sheeps brain! He was not joking! So he sat down and the man boiled him a little sheeps brain, sprinkled it with cumin and gave it to Rowan. Well you can see from the photo how chufed he was, he loved it, kept saying Yum Yum! He made me try a bit, to which I gagged. Tris ate some and Reuben said No Way! In a way I was quite proud of Rowan - we eat meat, I have never shyed away from explaining to him where the meat we eat comes from and as far as he is concerned, if he eats meat from a sheep why is the brain any different! He then asked for the sheeps head after he finished the brain, but I swiftly moved him on!

On the eating of weird food, Tris had a bowl of snail soup!

Even Reuben tried a snail, but I think that was only as you got to poke it out with a cocktail stick

Snail soup man

A much nicer stall of dried fruit!

Rowan and his snail

A random last shot of Marrakesh, but Rowan could have watched this man iron all day and night. He was fascinated!

Morocco Day 1 - Marrakesh

2011-03-07T05:10:00.000-08:00

Well its about time I put up some photos from our holiday, after all we've been back for 3 weeks now!

We flew into Marrakesh from Bristol, the boys seemed to enjoy the journey but were also quite excitied about going somewhere new. Landing in the airport we dodged the dodgy taxi drivers and got on a much cheaper bus into the city. Marrakesh is an amazing looking city, surrounded by large red walls against the backdrop of the Atlas mountain range. We got off the bus by the Djeema-el-fna (the main square) and found someone who was willing to show us to our hotel for a small fee. He took us down alleys, through lanes and what seemed like all over the place to finally get to our hotel.

Upon arriving to the hotel we hit our first and possibly biggest hurdle, the lady spoke French and Arabic, and we spoke English! Fortunalty for us the manager turned up a bit later who did speak some English. But I really dislike not being able to converse with people in their own language, and felt really bad that I hadn't brushed up on my french a bit better before we left, but I was too busy!

Anyway after checking in and chilling out, we wrapped up (it is winter there too, and it was chilly in the evenings) and headed out to the main square again for some food and a quick look around.

In the evening in the Djeema-el-fna, all these food stalls appear, it is a very vibrant hustley and bustley, magical place. We had a tagine at one of the stalls.
Then we headed back as we knew it could all get a bit much for the boys after such a long journey.

So the following day we woke up (late for us at 8), but as breakfast wasn't served until 9 we went out for a morning stroll. We found the....


Orange juice stalls


The dried fruit stalls


More fruit and nuts

The poultry and egg souk


The early morning sun on the not so busy square


Quiet lanes


This was about 9am - it was so quiet, all the shops are still shut

Then we went for our breakfast, coffee, bread and orange juice in our very quiet riad. the riads are a traditional style of house, where all the rooms are situated around a central courtyard. Very pretty, but also very quiet! Or it was until we came along!

I am sure when children are told to be quiet they have to make themselves twice as noisy and silly!

So then we packed up our bag and headed out to see the souks and the city for the day, we didn't get far before we stopped for pancakes!

The street is livening up now

Reubens glasses face

Olive souk

Ben Yousef Mosque - Marrakesh museum

So many beautiful mosaics. Such attention to detail is put into everything

The courtyard of the museum (again another very quiet place!) with the giants lightshade!

Two very noisy jumping boys!

There was a long dark tunnel that was once used as a Hamman (a communal bath where they would have cleaned before going to pray - I think), the boys loved running up and down the tunnel turning on and off the lights and freaking out the other tourists!

This was the courtyard of the Ali Ben Yousef Merdersa, where students would have stayed when studying the Koran, hundreds of students would have stayed here at one time.

I felt very small as I stood in this magnificent courtyard, surrounded by beautiful mosaics and intricate carved cedar walls and balconies

Tristan and Rowan in window of the students bedrooms

Back through the souks - Very tired by this time!

The Dyers souk. I was really looking forward to going here to see them dying the wool and maybe buying some to bring home and knit something up, but by the time we got here I was so tired that I just wanted to sit down, so I saw a man dipping some wool into a huge vat of smelly, hot liquid ("its all natural madam" - Yeah, right!) and got a couple of photos then left for a well needed cuppa!

Finally, a chance to sit down, eat, drink and chill out - well kind of our omlettes were not cooked properly! Oh well, we managed to get them cooked eventually and after a very long day headed back to rest.

Shoe skating dinosaurs

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Rowan came back from our holiday with a tummy bug, which then got passed onto everyone else one by one, so for the last couple of weeks we have been avoiding other people and staying close to the bathroom! :( Anyway we are all better now, just a bit out of sorts, trying to find the flow from before holidays and illnesses. But we are getting there!

Last week was half term, as neither Rowan nor Reuben attends school this shouldn't make much difference but there was so much stuff going on, but being washed out from being poorly we decided to only go out to one activity, and that was at the Eden Project....

It was the last week of them having the ice rink there, so we went along to join an under 5's session, where they have no skates and there are loads of sledges etc. it was great fun, the boys loved it, although Reuben did complain that it was too cold to start with (the boy really doesn't like the cold, he is so his fathers son!). Then we headed off to the rainforest biome to see the main half term attraction - a moving, roaring baby T-Rex. Rowan got a bit side tracked on the way leading us off all over the place to cries of, "Mum, look theres loads of stuff up here" and "I just need to read that sign".

We eventualy made it to the biome and after a very slow amble around all the different exhibits and things to do, we dashed through the last bit, just in time to catch the dinosaur. It was pretty full on, there were lots of very scared children. It walked up the path and bashed Rowan in the face with his hind leg, which Rowan thought was the coolest thing ever, then we had to chase him to get another look. Reuben was bit unsure at first, but after seeing the mans legs and understanding that it was only a puppet he was fine. the second look at it, the dinosaur stopped and sniffed Rowan, to which he hesitantly stroked it, then it sniffed Reuben, he stroked it then it nuzzled him! They were both so chuffed! I didn't get any photos though as it was all a bit a rush.

The rest of the day we spent watching storytellers (which was a bit too panto for Rowans liking!), making rainforest charms and wandering around. Then just before leaving we went into the Core which is the sciency bit of the project. Rowan was absoultey fascinated, machines, inventions, buttons, wheels, allsorts of things to do. He could have spent hours in there alone!

We left after that, a very very long day, but much fun had.

Reuben on the ice bike

Rowan loved the diggers


Rowan pulling Reuben on the sledge

Stroking a giants wasps bottom


Rowan trying to pull the metal man

These willow tunnels were great fun, I would like to try to recreate one in the garden

Rowan loved all the interactive displays, pulling and pushing anything and everything. Note Rowans hair, very grown up hair cutting has happened!

Rainforest charm making, unfortunately Rowan has lost his

The Core - Rowans favourite bit

Especailly this one


Two cheeky monkeys i found on the bridge!

This weekend bought an end to the horrible drizzle we have had for the last week or so, cold winds but blue skies we had all weekend. On Saturday we headed off to Lands End, to see the end of the country. there is a horrible theme park thing there now, but that was not half as much fun as having a picnic surrounded by a flock of starlings, they were so tame, they came right up to us to get crumbs, it was quite amazing.

Captain Reuben steering the lifeboat

The beautiful sky

Happy boy!

Oh yeah, other big news.... Rowan has had all his lovely locks cut off. He looks about 2 years older now! I have just realised though that most photos of him since have been with his hat on, must put one up of his new hair!

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I just had a heart melting moment!

Whilst walking past the living room door I heard Rowan reading out loud, I peeked in through the crack in the door and Reuben was sat on Rowans lap listening to his big brother read to him. Then after the story they role played the characters, then Reuben said, "Another one please Rowan."

It is so sweet to see them enjoying something that has always been reserved for a grown up, and Reuben was so proud of his big bro!

14 years

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15 years ago I was 18 years old and I met Tristan at a party in a friends field. We were both into the ‘rave scene’ and became good friends. A year later we decided to take our relationship a stage further. We were already living in shared house together amongst other friends, who were all into the same things. We used to party hard, we had lots of fun but soon realised there was more to life, so we moved on together.

Last New Years Eve, I went out for the first time in 3 years to a party/rave, beforehand we met up with some old friends. One of these friends has a 2 year old daughter, who lives in another part of the country. He was talking of his split with her mum, when he said that they realised, when out of the stupor they had been in whilst they met and got together, that they had nothing in common and didn’t actually get on. This really struck me, so many of our friends have all got into relationships under the same circumstances and we were no different, but so few of them come right through that and settle into ‘normal’ life together enjoying each others company.

So I feel blessed that even though life was a haze back then I managed to find my soul mate, my lover, my husband and father of my children and still 14 years later we still enjoy each others company as much as we did then.

Happy Anniversary Tristan xx

Spring is coming!

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The air is warmer and I feel like we are finally coming out of our hibernation. Inspiration is coming back, we are outside more, getting things done, everyone is having ideas; I want to do this, I want to do that. It’s great!

Rowan and I spent the whole afternoon in the garden yesterday, clearing weeds and old dead plants making way for this years crop. It felt so good to be working outside in the fresh air and it was even warm enough to take off our coats!

Feeding the ducks and swans, but the swans were a bit agro that day, so we left them to it!

The squirrels in our local woods are so overfed on peanuts and white bread that they are now obese! Reuben still fancies his chances of catching one!

A new addition to the woods - Canadian Goose

We went for a day trip to a local theme park, but being winter only 5 things were open, one of which was a sand pit with diggers, need I say more!

Chinese New Year crafts - Reuben wanted to be a rabbit

Rowan is really into learning to read at th moment. He is now putting sentences together and spelling words out. He loves his workbooks too!

Reuben doing some pouring and scooping, which he got totally absorbed into.

Rowan painting his rocket

Chinese laterns

Rowan wanted to be a chinese lion/dragon

Skate ramps for mushroom skateboarding men!

Happy chickpeas!


Daddy has finally made a start on the boys playhouse down the bottom of our garden. With Rowans help they have cleared the area to be built upon.

It is so nice to feel the inspiration running through our veins again, I really do feel like I have been in hibernation these last few months.

We are off on holiday tomorrow for a week to Morrocco, for a quick blast of warmth and relaxation, camels, cous cous and dates! Rowan is so excited he even told a shop assistant this morning!

bits and bobs

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Reuben and Daddy on a wintery trip to the beach (New Years Day)

Rowan digging

Bike rides in the woods

More wintery beaches

Spaceship making

Daddy made the boys a toilet seat which has now been personalised

Spaceships

Yummy Sunday

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Rowan has had an ear infection this week and the doctors wanted to give him antibiotics again. So we got them, but they have sat in fridge untouched. Instead it gave me the well needed kick to get us back to feeling in tip top condition.

So its been healthy food all week, fresh juices and not so much wheat and dairy.

This morning we had some lovely spelt pancakes and kiwi and pear juice, mmmmm!


Rowan helping with the flipping


Breakfast


I decided I had to sort out the kitchen cupboards, which proved to be hours of fun for the boys!