A long time since the last visit!

I must first apologise for the time between the last post and this one! There have been several big events in our lives from either end of the emotion spectrum and so blogging has been the last thing on my mind! I feel that I am back now and the mojo has returned! :)

The first major event happened the day after the last post... on a routine visit to the GP I was discovered to be pregnant with baby number 2! To say that this was a shock is an understatement!! I had recently been told at Christmas that my chances of conceiving another baby were at best, very slim... but lo and behold... a little blue line appeared in a test!! I was over the moon but have had a very up and down pregnancy so far - all is well with us both - just not the easiest pregnancy!

Then my Dad has been very ill since Christmas really with a heart issue that they cannot seem to regulate... this resulted in a major stroke two weeks ago. This has hit us all hard as at 64 years old he is very young to have this. His age has rescued him recovery wise and he seems to be on the best path now.

These wonderful summer holidays have passed so quickly and are too fast! DS begins school in a weeks time... a poignant moment that is both happy and sad for me! My little baby boy is growing up rapidly and at a pace that I can't seem to keep up with but at the same time I am excited as he enters a major stage in his life. The uniform buying has been staggered and so not too traumatic.

We have had a variety of different days out over the holidays (in local area as one of my problems is that my pelvis has become partially dislocated)... fun and laughter has abounded and we have loved it... here are a selection of pictures detailing our adventures:

Painting a wooden train that we built.

 

Cooking a variety of things has featured very heavily on the list of activities!

Gingerbread this time!

 

Messing around on the beach...

Enjoying a lovely train ride from a local station to Plymouth.

Sat on the platform waiting for the train.

Conquering a massive fear of owls by flying one!!!

Stroking the Eagle Owl...

 

Finding out the new arrival is another boy! 

Proud of his carrots from the veg patch :)

 

Art time making a race track with Mummy...

 

The next few days are going to be filled with memory making activities and the flurry that accompanies the beginning of school term! I am not returning to work this term due to pregnancy related issues so I have a term to enjoy and relax before the baby arrives... plenty of time for craft things! :)

 

I am currently working on a blanket for 'Jellybean' and will reveal the results soon... I will be back with another Ta Da moment tomorrow revealing the blanket that I have made for a friends imminent mini arrival!

Until tomorrow....

Buckets and Spades

Living in Cornwall is not something that I take for granted... I appreciate the fact that we are very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. I love it and intend to make DS understand how special it is too...

Yesterday we woke up to gorgeous blue skies and decided there and then that we would go to the beach! I had changed my work hours this week and so had an unexpected Thursday off... a rare treat! We packed the car with the necessary items that DS deemed essential for his day on the beach and off we went.

As a child I was raised on the north coast of Cornwall and so this is really where I feel complete - I am 'at home' when on these beaches and cliffs! We gave DS the option of where he would like to go and he announced without hesitation that he would like to visit 'Padstow Beach'... by this he means Trevone. It is a cove just outside of Padstow with large car parks and not too many people normally! It is where I spent large parts of my childhood and teenage years and so there was a definate approval from myself and Nanny (my Mum) who was with us for the day!

We arrived to find that the beach was deserted and we had it to ourselves! What a treat!! We chose the spot for on which to deposit our belongings and then set out to make a camp.... There was very little wind and the day was perfect. Sunny and gorgeous.

 

 

DS immedialty set about damming the river! He wanted to try and reroute the course it was following... we spent ages doing this and the pride he felt when he had created his own 'rock pool' was imense! He then proceded to do what all little boys love to do and splash! I was covered but it was a fantastic.

Throughout the day we built a sandcastle city, rerouted the river, dug for buried treasure, paddled in the water, went rock pooling and had an enormous amount of fun - for no money at all!!!

 

It was such a special day... I love spending time with DS and Nanny and making memories. I have spent many many many times on that beach and have plenty of my own memories but yesterday was one of the most special that I have had. It was just such a simple and perfect day in every way.

Until next time....

Easter Egg Hunts and a Ta-Da Moment!!

I love family holiday days! Easter is a little less stressful in this house than Christmas and so we have so far had a low key and relaxed time together.

It began yesterday with an Easter Egg hunt at Cotehele - this is a National Trust house that is very close to where we live. It is a beautiful place to visit and the gardens are spectacular - more especially now with the carpets of daffodils that are everywhere....

 

 

They are so beautiful and they were holding their trumpets high up to the gorgeous sunshine!

Looking for clues around the grounds of the house...

DS decided that we needed a salute before continuing on the egg trail!

 

 

 DS and I were hot on the trail and we found some time for posing for the camera! These hedges seperate the formal gardens from the orchards... these are full of gorgous apple trees that in the spring are adorned with beautiful blossom.

 

 

 In the 'Mother Orchard' there are beautful sculputres such as this wooden horse...

This was the excitment that he felt having finished the trail - I suspect it was the thought of his chocolate treat!

More views of beautiful daffodils...

Ah ha! The Prize!

Well, that was yesterday and then today we repeated a similar activitiy at home with a home made Easter Egg hunt! My Dad had worked hard to hide eggs in the garden and then DS and I had to find them! In amongst beautifulspring bulbs!

 

 

DH and DS happy at what they had found in the garden!

Happy grins - I think they thought they were going to eat it all in one go! How wrong they were!!

Then this afternoon I have managed to complete my latest crochet project! I had hooked my way to finishing this earlier in the week but couldn't find the stuffing! After much searching in cupboards I discovered it and so spent time this afternoon just finishing it off!
I love the colours and simplicity of this design that I found on Bunny Mummy's Blog. I LOVE reading her blog and anticipate her updates frequently. When I found this pattern a couple of weeks ago I knew I had to undertake it....

I would like to do it in other colours too and explore the options that I can do... maybe one in different shades of pinks and reds? I am trying to decide where to hang it... I think a new home on my bookcase is perfect but the light is too dark in the cottage for photographing it in there! I so wanted to show you the finished piece hanging up... so I took it into the porch and displayed on the front door!

Then the door bell! I really am pleased with this... I love it!

 

So I am wondering, how are you all spending Easter...? Anyone else crocheting/knitting/spinning/ being crafty in general....?

Until later...

Pirate Adventures....

DS has recently become more and more interested and loving playing pirates!

He loves to watch this programme on t.v. and it is the latest 'hit' with him:

 

Yesterday whilst in Plymouth city centre we saw lots and lots of different toys associated with this programme but all were for such huge amounts of money! I explained to DS that maybe we could make some of the things ourselves... so the job this morning is to make a treasure map and sword for him to use in imaginary play. I am planning on using foil and card for the sword and good old pen and paper for the map.

 

Next will be the outfit that he also wanted to have to play with.... I am on the lookout for an old waistcoat and white shirt... I am convinced that I have some red fabric to be able to make the bandanna!

 

We will reveal the results when he have finished....

Until later...

Garden of Eden

On Sunday it was Mothering Sunday here in the UK and so we packed up our car and made our way to The Eden Project. Their website can be found here. We are lucky enough that this amazing place is less than 40 mins from our house and we LOVE going here. There is something different each time we go and trust me, we are regular visitors. Each winter (from just before Christmas until about Feb half term) they offer all locals a reduced entry pass. This means you get entry for one or two years for a HUGE reduction in the cost. We spent £10.00 last year and we got two years admission for that! It means that our visits there only normally cost the fuel (as we normally take a picnic!).
As it was Mother's Day we decided to treat ourselves to lunch... they have amazing food in a bakery/buffet style restaurant. You choose your main componant of your meal - of which there is a massive selection - and then you have unlimited salad, potatoes and bread to add to you meal! It was delicious. Children are also well catered for with lunch bags for them too.

You start your journey at the top of the entrance to the site with amazing views over the whole place but I forgot to take a photo at this point as DS was desperate to get onto the tractor that takes you to the bottom!
As you reach the bottom (which you can walk too if you prefer!) there are huge gardens and exhibits throughout... we particularly love the bumble bee...

 

 

There are two biomes at Eden - a tropical one and a temperate one. We always go into the tropical one too as sometimes it can be very very hot and the temperate one is a good leveller after the heat!

The plants are amazing and there are some huge impressive species...

 

 

We stood on the bridge for a rare family shot where we are all smiling and not pulling any funny faces...

 

DS loves this place and always learns something new everytime he goes!

 

The trees in the biomes are now so tall that they have to use a hot air balloon to look after them! DS and DH would love a turn in it!

 

DS loves to look in all the structures too!

 

There is an amazing waterfall that falls from the top of the biome to the bottom lake - it gets better as you climb up the biome.

 

Gorgeous flowers adorn the walls and plants as you walk around...

 

Another view of the waterfall - this time higher up.

 

We then moved onto the Temperate Biome... this one is much dryer heat where they have oranges and olives growing...

 

In the spring they have the best displays of tulips - not really shown to their best here.

 

I love the storyteller's chair and we all had a go at sitting in there and telling each other a tale... DS loved it so much!

 

There are displays of amazing crops that you can see growing throughout the biome - these chillis look amazing and as I love heat in my food I was very interested in this display...

 

Although they come with a very stark warning!!!

 

All in all we had a magnificent day and I really enjoyed Mothering Sunday. It is so special to spend time together as a family and I treasure these family days. Where are your favourite places to visit? Particularly in wet weather?

 

 DS loves everyone together and it is a honour to spend the day with him. He has been poorly today with an ear infection so there is has been a trawl through the DVD collection of Disney films and I have enjoyed some hooky time! I will be back tomorrow with news of that!

 

Until later...