BaronessBlack

My darling children.....

2012-01-24T14:25:00.000-08:00

....at their very best!

Stuff that I'm watching and reading

2012-01-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

Of course, I spend a lot of time watching these:
and reading what they write!
However messy and disorganised it is. (Where on earth do they get that from?!)
We've finally cleared up from Christmas!
And we're back on track for 2012! (God Bless The Fly Lady - she truly has a vocation!)

Also, I'm loving this one:
And then this:

And as a (mostly) vegetarian, this made me laugh:

Apart from that, not much else going on!

Happy Christmas, everyone!

2011-12-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas, and every blessing for 2012!

This is an Icon called 'Stella Maris; Our Lady, the Star of the Sea', a Neo-Coptic icon written for the Apostleship of the Sea by Dr Stephane René.

And, something else to think about at this time of year:
(PS. It's worth reading out loud, and slowly)

What The Donkey Saw
by
U.A. Fanthorpe

No room in the inn, of course,
And not that much in the stable
What with the shepherds, Magi, Mary,
Joseph, the heavenly host –
Not to mention the baby
Using our manger as a cot.
You couldn’t have squeezed another cherub in
For love or money.
Still, in spite of the overcrowding,
I did my best to make them feel wanted.
I could see the baby and I
Would be going places together.

Thinking about economics

2011-11-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

So, apparently, the 80's are back!
Funny headgear,
and leg warmers!
Two of Guy's favourite things: Mikey the kitten, and his Dinosaur film!
We had a lovely half-term, which finished with a surprise visit from Grandad!
On a more serious note; we've been talking more and more about the Occupy Wall Street/Occupy the London Stock Exchange movements.
I've read some really interesting articles such as this one, and watched some interesting speakers. And, yet, I'm still trying to find out what I can do to tread lightly and live simply. The Mother has some good ideas, and I am enjoying making our own dishwasher and washing detergent. My recipes go something like this:
Recipe for Liquid Laundry detergent

2 1/4 Cup Liquid Castile Soap
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Glycerin
3/4 Cup Water
10-15 Drops Essential oil (If you use Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap, you can get tea-tree, peppermint, etc. which have antibacterial qualities, so you don't need to add the essential oil).

Combine all the ingredients, put them in an empty laundry container – done!
Shake before using. Use 1/4 cup for small loads, 1/2 cup for larger or very dirty loads.
Recipe for Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup Washing soda
1 cup Borax (you can still get it in the UK, but it's hard to find! E-bay and Amazon are probably your best bet!)
½ cup salt
½ cup citric acid
 
Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar or tupperware (This is important! Otherwise it absorbs moisture and goes down to mush!).
Use one tablespoon per load. Add vinegar to the rinse aid dispenser for the best results.

McMama makes a homemade washing powder which looks fairly simple, too.

Although, I'm still trying to work out - Are banks really bad? If so, how can I function in today's society without a bank account?
If the 1% are getting paid more than ever before and paying less taxes than ever before, what are they doing with the money? Why is it not trickling back down into the economy?
What is the appropriate response for St. Paul's cathedral to the protesters, who now say they want to stay camped there until after Christmas? And what, indeed, would Jesus do with the current state of the global economy?

Here we are again!

2011-10-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

So. We finally got around to Phoebe's birthday treat - Yay!
We took some friends to the cinema, to see Mr Popper's Penguins. Which is a good movie for a bunch of 6/7/8 year old boys and girls (some of whom don't have English as their first language). Lots of physical humour!

and then to a restaurant for lunch.

And we've been out and about enjoying the autumn.

In other news; I've been trying to work out how I feel about the Occupy Wall Street/Occupy the London Stock Exchange movements.
Partly like this:

But mostly, I think, like this:

Pic of the week

2011-10-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

One boy and his kitten!

Guy has a small fluffy kitten called Mikey. He is very happy about this!

Ingrained habits!

2011-10-08T16:32:00.001-07:00

Walking to work this morning, I saw this:
It's the branch of a tree which grew through the fence. But now the tree has been cut down and there's just this little bit remaining. Maybe they can't remove it without damaging the fence?
Anyway, it made me think about habits - the good and the bad, and how ingrained they become in us, so that sometimes we carry on doing this long after the original reason has passed.

Phoebe's Birthday Picnic

2011-10-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this is OCTOBER in ENGLAND!
As it was Phoebe's birthday, she asked to go for a bike ride and a picnic by the river.
Okay, I look strange in this picture because I am squinting into the sun. Again, seriously! Sun. Bright sun. At four o'clock on a Sunday afternoon - incredible!

And it wasn't long before the children were stripping off and in the water.

In OCTOBER, I know!
Hope you guys had good weather!

Fun places that are bad for my waistline!

2011-09-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

We went to St. Giles' Fair, which was slightly quieter than usual due to 'inclement' weather!

Prior to going to the fair, we went out for pizza. We asked for some chopped mozzarella or avocado for Tabby. And they brought out this: baby-food Pizza Express style (it was quite a big plate, and they didn't charge us for it!).
We visited Aunty Sox in London, who took us to Chocodeli which is one of the best chocolate shops ANYWHERE! Here we are pondering which ice-cream to have:
The train that you can see above Ken's head was actually moving round the shop - how cool?

So pretty!

An 'in-tents' experience

2011-09-05T15:42:00.001-07:00

Well, we've been spending a lot of time outside: I had some plastic closhes for keeping the slugs away from baby plants, but the children decided they were space helmets!

We also decided that the tents could use an airing!
So, to check we had all the bits and pieces, and that nothing was broken or damaged, we set them up on the lawn.
I should really have chosen a dark night with the rain lashing down. Some how it seemed just too easy pitching the tents in the back garden on a sunny summer's day!

Tabby has a particular penchant for giraffes.
So you can imagine her excitement when we found out that the Cotswold Wildlife Park now has giraffes!
In other news; the other day while in the bath, Guy informed me that he'd found the brain (I think he meant vein) in his male appendage! Of course, I'm pleased he's identified it early - a lot of men I know are still doing their thinking with 'that' brain!

What I did on my holiday!

2011-08-16T14:41:00.001-07:00

Well, every morning we'd get our wetsuits on;

Then, we'd walk to the end of the garden, down a small path, and onto the beach.The low tide was quite early in the morning. The weather was really good, these photos are just taken early on, before the sun came out!
Phoebe found LOTS of dead crabs! I have high hopes of a career in pathology for her!
There was lots of shell-seeking and rock-pooling!
The rock pools were full of surprises!
Because the whole beach was covered at high tide, the beach was washed clean every day.
And, of course, we'd swim!
The sea was lovely and calm - but COLD!

Daddy and daughter in the sea!

2011-08-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

We've just come back from holiday in Ireland. This was taken on the little private beach below the house we were staying in. The sea was cold, which is why Ken's wearing his wetsuit, but strangely still, like swimming in a lake.

Aarrgh! Too much on!

2011-07-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we have to find some time to drive to the cargo terminal of the airport to pick up all of these for Grand-Doug.
And I'm beginning to think my children may spend too much time in the car anyway!
Everything is becoming a boat at the moment. But this does seem to be a game they can all play together.
I went to the end of term/Goodbye assembly. Lovely! These things always make me cry!

I've also been attending lots of job interviews, school governor's meetings, selling LOADS of stuff on e-bay to raise funds for the church, cooking and baking for our neighbours who have just brought their baby home. And yet, I don't think I'm doing anything as well as I could and should be doing it.
A case in point, I knocked the lawnmower onto the lowest setting and didn't notice until I'd done a first, very wonky strip!

However, my double chocolate pancakes did turn out well! Yum!

Pondering Child Sponsorship

2011-06-14T03:55:00.000-07:00

I listened to a really interesting program on the radio the other day which examined whether sponsoring children was a good or bad idea.
I know many people who sponsor people; including some whose blogs I follow MckMama, and Angie who have been to visit the children they sponsor.
This is Tenzin;

He is a Tibetan boy in exile in Dharamasala in India. We pay for his schooling in a Tibetan school.
I feel that it is important that the Tibetan people have a chance to retain their cultural identity, to speak in their own language, to know and express themselves through their music, art, and traditions. And most of all, I believe their message of peaceful, non-violent opposition is worthy of much more attention than it gets from the wider world. (If you would like to know more about the situation in Tibet, I would urge you to read the book For Tibet, with love: A beginners Guide to changing the world by the lovely Isabel Losada. It's a good and very easy read!)
However, I don't send cards or presents to Tenzin, nor do I write to him.
I'm now wondering whether I should.

What do you think? Should we just give money to communities, rather than singling out individuals? Or, having made a commitment to an individual, is it then our duty to give not just financially but to make a personal connection? Should we be going to visit our sponsored children? Or is that simply creating an unnecessary carbon footprint, and when we get there using up precious resources which the local population need?
What really is the best way to help?

This is what passes for entertainment round here!

2011-06-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Apparently my daughter likes dancing on tables.

I wonder where she got that from.........

Pony parties!

2011-05-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

This week we went a pony birthday party!
Everyone got to ride
Phoebe,

And Guy,

And even Tabby!

Here's Guy and Mia eating their sandwiches while waiting to ride.
Guy's pre-school has some chicks which they hatched from eggs.
Guy has named his - 'Chicken Pox'. An original name!
Here's Grand-Doug doing his horse whisperer!
And taking Guy to the pub for lunch. Sometimes Oxford is ridiculously picturesque!
And lastly, half-term means we get to see some of our school-age friends during the day. Here's Tabby showing her toys to Jade.

Hope you all have a lovely half-term!

The view from here....

2011-05-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I took while we were coming home from school the other day:

Nice, huh?

Another perfect day!

2011-05-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Remember this, anyone?

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!

2011-04-25T11:34:00.001-07:00

“Христос Воскрес!” “Christ has risen!”
“Воистину воскрес!” He has risen, indeed!
Here we are listening to our Paschal sermon.
And on Easter Sunday - there's chocolate for breakfast!

Deprived of chocolate (and chocolate milk) for Lent, and it takes on a whole new significance!
Creating chocolate houses for their chicks took the best part of two hours!
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Penguins on Good Friday!

2011-04-23T01:19:00.001-07:00

Good Friday is a Bank Holiday so we had a free day.
Strangely, all the children were a bit bored with picnics (and to be fair, we have kind of worked through all the vegan picnic options!). So we went ice-skating instead!

Phoebe decided she wanted a penguin to take on the ice. This worked quite well, as I'm running around after Tabby, so Ken has to manage both of the older ones on the ice.She's doesn't really need it, but she was having so much fun we felt bad taking it off her!

So, my tip for a beautiful, warm, sunny Good Friday? Check out the ice skating rink!

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you just love it if they really did this?

I'm back! I'm back! Don't go!

2011-04-07T02:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, sorry I'm so completely useless at keeping up to date!
So far, since I last posted, we've had a house move, a funeral, a couple of bouts of illness, some pregnancy announcements, and some vistors!
Also, it's Lent, which tends to be quite a difficult time anyway.
Here are the children on the stairs at church:Well, we've moved back to the old house!
Farewell, Black Grange! Hello Black Towers!
Thank you to all the lovely people who came and helped us move!
Paul and Tara are off to South Africa to get married, so there were suitable celebrations!
And Grand-Doug, who this blog is supposed to be written for (although he never actually reads it!) was back from India.

Thank goodness for the good weather. Our walk to school is easier and increasingly enjoyable!
And only one more week of school!
Sadly, we've also had a sad loss. Our friend and neighbour Barbara Mastrud died on the 21st of March. Phoebe, Tabby and I went to the funeral which, in the way of Orthodox services was lovely but also very, very intense. I wondered how Phoebe was going to cope with seeing Barbara for the last time. I spent most of the funeral at the back of the church with Tabby, while Phoebe stayed with some of the other older children at the front. At the end of the service, I asked her if she would like me to take her up to kiss Barbara goodbye (as is the custom in the Orthodox church), she replied that she'd already kissed Barbara and said goodbye on her own!
I sometimes wonder with my children whether it's that they don't understand things, or that I don't understand them!
Goodbye Barbara. May your memory be eternal!

And, of course, it was Guy's birthday - FOUR YEARS OLD! Wow, that went quickly!

Well, it was a toss-up between a superhero cake ( eg. One with one of Guy's action figures bursting out of it), or a piñata cake (eg. Hard chocolate shell filled with crispie cakes, mini eggs, brownies, etc.) which you hit until it breaks open.
The superhero cake won out in the end - I had high hopes of doing something like this, but time got the better of me!
(Although Ken made some rather unkind comments about Ironman rising triumphant from the sewage works!)
And I made different coloured layers ('cos I'm a good Mum and I care!).

Tabby is growing at a rate of knots! And is lovely in every respect, except her inability to sleep!
Still, I had 27 years of sleeping through the night, I probably shouldn't complain!

So that's it! We're all still here and life continues apace!
Hope you're all well!

Things Guy says!

2011-03-02T05:32:00.001-08:00

This morning driving home from the school run, Guy said " You know what makes me happy, Mummy? Talking about spiders!"

We went to Blenheim over the weekend to blow the cobwebs away and stretch our legs.
As we came around the corner, Guy said "Oh wow! Look!"
So we looked, assuming that he was referring to a shaft of light penetrating the cloud and lighting up the ornamental gardens.
But, no. The next sentence was "Look at the size of that puddle!"
He's easily pleased!

So are we, really!

Bad habits!

2011-02-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

Tabby-Kat has a new habit.
Which is to empty everything out of a bottom drawer.

So that she can sit in it!

This is infuriating!

But also extremely endearing!

Menu Planning

2011-02-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

This is my fridge:(ignore the hideous curtains - it's a rented house. What can I say?)

There is (starting at 12 o'clock and going clockwise) A card of the Icon of St Nicholas, our parish saint (and who doesn't love St. Nicholas?), my weekly TO DO list, some magnets, an article on 'De-cluttering your life' (because intention is everything!), more magnets, our weekly menu, and an affirmation on Motherhood from The Mother Magazine.
Sacha over at braindribbles posed an interesting question; How can you feed your young children a good and varied diet, when the fact that you have young children leaves you very little time to cook and prepare food?
Our answer is a menu. It has to tie-in with the whole family, and be flexible. But, so far it's working for us.

Monday: All the children have had a hot lunch at school/pre-school/nursery, so in the evening we have pitta bread, houmous, olives, etc. If we have plenty of time I can chop up some veg for crudities, and if the weather's nice we can eat in the garden. If time is tight and we're running late I can still toast pittas straight from the freezer. And I like not having to cook on Mondays.

Tuesday: Phoebe has gymnastics 5-6pm. So when she gets home from school, instead of juice and biscuits I give the children a burger or hot dog. It gives Phoebe a bit of an energy boost before gymnastics, and it means that if the other children fall asleep on the way home, I can put them to bed and not worry that they'll wake up hungry in the middle of the night. If they're still hungry when we get home they can always have more.

Wednesday: Curry and rice (or sometimes noodles). This one is infinitely variable!

Thursday: The children cook dinner on Thursday which means that it's always some sort of pasta bake. Which is fine. Everyone likes pasta. And I like getting the children into the habit of pulling their weight.

Friday: Soup and snacks. Which again can be as exciting or boring as you want. It can be a good way to use up left-overs, or spare vegetables.

Saturday: We usually have pancakes or waffles for breakfast quite late, so we often don't have lunch. Then we have Risotto (of some sort, not always pea!) as an easy, early supper.

Then Sunday, we don't have anything special lined up - Crazy, huh?!
In other news, Tabby went for her eye tests this week.
They put the drops in which make her eyes HUGE! I took her to the cafe afterwards. Here she is eating a currant bun.
And here's a Bushbaby: Spot the difference!There was a profound statement from the parking machine on the way out of the Eye Hospital.
Change is possible. Oh, yes, it is!

Rest in Peace, Keith.

2011-02-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

This is Keith.
He is my father’s oldest and best friend. He has been my honorary Godfather and official legal guardian (for when my parents were over-seas) for my whole life. For some of my childhood, when I used to spend half-term holidays and long weekends with him and his wife, I spent almost as much time with Keith as I did with my father.

He worked with my father in bomb disposal when they were in the army. He was blown up in Northern Ireland, but survived the blast. When he recovered, he went into business and became renowned for turning failing businesses around. And, when necessary, closing them down.
He gave my sister and many of our friends their first job.
He often said that he felt he could so easily have died in the bomb blast, that every day was a bonus.
He gave the eulogy at my grandmother’s funeral.
Although he was unable to fly planes, he found out that he could fly microlights. This became a driving passion for him; first competing, then eventually becoming the President of the British Microlight Aircraft Association.

He was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in the autumn of 2009, and died on Friday the 4th of February 2011.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

-John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Rest in Peace, Keith. And may your memory be eternal.

Lots going on!

2011-02-04T02:07:00.001-08:00

Time for making marmalade!

We ate pizza for lunch while the marmalade boiled.
Then we went out for a walk/bike ride around the village.We sold my car back to the dealers that we'd bought it from originally.

So, goodbye Ford S-Max
And, Hello 807!
Needless to say, Tabby-Kat has already been sick in it!
In other news; we've exchanged contracts on our house! And we're due to complete on the 14th (please! Please! PLEASE!)

The view from here....

2011-01-30T12:45:00.001-08:00

Ken was looking for the ironing board. I was hoping he was going to do some ironing. Sadly - not!

How children learn

2011-01-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Isn't this fascinating?

A tale of Two Christmases!

2011-01-08T03:42:00.001-08:00

Here are some deer prints we found in Grandma's garden on Christmas morning! The children were MOST impressed!
This one looks a bit like Edvard Munch's The Scream. No?

Here's Tabby toddling round Grandma's kitchen while we get Christmas dinner ready.

Guy got three, count 'em, THREE! Roarasauruses from his doting Godfather - happy boy!

This is the children's Parish Play;
Phoebe was the shop-keeper.
Based on this book. The story is about how Alexi and his sister learn from their babuskha that their Russian village church has been closed for sixty years, the resourceful young children decide to prepare it for a Christmas miracle.It's particularly relevant for us, partly because St. Nicholas is our Parish Saint, but also because our new church had been deconsecrated and used as a factory, before we bought it and returned it to being a place of worship. You can read all about it, and see the photos here.
Then New Year's Day with Nanny and Grandad, brother and sister in law, and baby Jack!

Isn't he a handsome chap?
Then our Parish Children's Christmas party.
Here's Fr Stephen demonstrating how to play Musical statues.
The last dancers standing!
And the clergy judging the musical chairs.
And Tabby-Kat!

Here's Tabby under the tree for Eastern Orthodox Christmas!

A story from Phoebe!

2011-01-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

You may have heard this one before, but I like this version!

This week in pictures

2010-12-21T14:35:00.001-08:00

A cold girl walking home after the car got stuck in the snow.
Tabby-Kat on the move in her leopard suit.
And a shepherd.

A digital Nativity

2010-12-16T04:48:00.000-08:00

Mother Hen and her chicks

2010-12-14T15:33:00.001-08:00

This weekend we celebrated a birthday lunch with some old friends.
Just for once someone else was taking the pictures - so here I am!
With my chicks!
Phoebe's been watching Scoobie-Doo, so is currently noting down everything in her notebook (with diagrams!)

Personally, I suspect Old Man Withers may be behind it all..........

Our walk to school

2010-12-06T12:27:00.001-08:00

I've often noticed mounting blocks (for getting on horses) around the area on the route we take to walk to school.

It's only now that the foliage has died back enough, I was able to read this notice:

Which makes sense! I'd never thought before of the many problems the urban equestrian would have to face!

We went to Blenheim Palace for the Living Crafts for Christmas fair. Which was lovely, but too many people for any of my pictures to come out well! This is us escaping to the hospitality Lounge (which I don't think anyone else knew about!) for free drinks!
And watched some of the Christmas circus acts.

Then it was off to the Woodstock Arms for Sunday Roast dinner in front of a roaring fire!

Well, okay, it's not roaring in this picture - but it was nice and warm!
And lovely food! Check out their menu. I can personally recommend the Chantilly Dark Chocolate Cheesecake.

Phoebe competed in her first gymnastics competition! No medals, but she tried hard and really enjoyed it.

We went skating again!

2010-11-20T16:02:00.001-08:00

It's getting to be a habit!
Also we have to get in a few sessions before the ice-skating rink closes down for maitenance work!
Guy's ready!

Phoebe's ready!
And they're off!

The only problem is that Mummy and Tabby are stuck on the side-lines.
Still, it won't be too before we're both on the ice with the rest of the family!

Winter comes on little grey feet!

2010-11-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

The days are definitely getting shorter now. We went out for a bike ride after lunch at Grandma's and already the skies were darkening.
Not that it slows us down at all!

We are certainly having to wear more clothes, even inside!

As it was my birthday, we left sleeping children with Grandma

And went out
For a lovely Thai meal!

My birthday presents!

Mama Leopard, Baby Leopard

2010-11-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again!

2010-10-23T10:36:00.001-07:00

The time for making spooky spiders.
And for face-painting.

And for all of our cats/Kats to snooze in the autumn sun.

The Phoebe-Bug is SIX!

2010-10-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

And we celebrated with a trip to the ice-rink:

Some of the parents seemed to enjoy themselves more than their children!
Some skaters were more confident than others!

But everyone seemed to gain confidence by the end of our session.

And we finished with pizza and birthday cake!

Happy Birthday Phoebe!

Normal service to be resumed shortly

2010-10-03T02:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone so long!
Will resume normal service shortly.
In the meantime, here's some music:

Well, it's the holidays.....

2010-08-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

so we went to the fair! (This is the worlds smallest village fair)

Grandma read us stories,
And fed us lovely food.
And we went to dinner with our friends,

And some Canadian friends gave us this lovely outfit.
What can you say, except 'eh?'.

And after long, hot, busy days - we sleep.

And there is nothing more lovely than sleeping children!

Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Garrison Keillor

2010-07-19T03:23:00.001-07:00

Many children!

Many babies!

Many thanks!

Ah, the British!

2010-07-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Just in case we weren't conforming enough to stereotype;try this!
www.thechapolympiad.com

On a more personal note;

I found this poem the other day - isn't it lovely? And accurate!

Photographs
By Fran Landesman

Photographs are smiles that last forever
Snowmen that can never melt away
Birthday celebrations caught in amber
Rescued from the vaults of yesterday

Faces that were once more dear than diamonds
Boys who kept you up until the dawn
Houses filled with bicycles and babies
Ghosts who left their shadows on the lawn

Photographs are holes in time’s grey curtain
Through them we can peek into the past
Call upon our parents and our children
Pop a cork with members of the cast

There they are, the days of jazz and joy-rides
Snaps of magic moments lit by laughs
If you ever find my house on fire
Leave the silver
Take the photographs

Sorry for being so lax!

2010-07-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy time, so I'll run through the highlights!
We went for proper afternoon tea with Marianna and Lara. Doesn't it look lovely? I can recommend the cake - it was fantastic!

After tea, Marianna cuddled Tabby-Kat;

While Lara bravely endured Guy's piano playing!
He stopped half way through to take his top off!
And we went out to a cafe with Guy and Ita, and received lots of comments about twins!
Sometimes you can see the similarities;
and sometimes the differences!

The horses continue to enjoy Phoebe tender ministrations, and the apples she sometimes brings them!
Guy and Ita took their friend Claudia to Blenheim - and much ice-cream was eaten!
And Tabby-Kat continues to be a contented lady of leisure, and has particularly enjoyed lying on the grass in the dappled sunshine on these lazy, hazy days.

That's it for now! I'll try to have something more interesting to post soon!

I do like to be beside the seaside!

2010-06-20T00:07:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went to visit Nanny and Grandad by the sea. We went for a very nice lunch, then sailed Grandad's boat on the lagoon.
Three generations of Black boys playing with their toys!

Then, off to the beach;

The dark clouds came.......and then went again!

Very tired children by the end of the day!

What's going on in the house right now;

2010-06-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Daddy's doing bedtime. It goes something like this:

Happy Days!

2010-06-07T04:22:00.001-07:00

Well, this half-term we've been to Waddesdon Manor
to meet up with Sacha, Peter, Clare, and Alice. Here are Tabby-Kat and Alice snoozing in the shade.
Clare and Tabby
Tabby, Phoebe and Guy getting ready for yet another picnic!
This doesn't look like much, but this is a strawberry milkshake made with fresh strawberries that were picked from the fields behind the cafe an hour or two ago, and it's the best and most delicious cold drink on a hot day in the whole, wide world!

Here's the sand pit and play area at Blackberry Farm.

As you can imagine the Country Cafe at Blackberry (Pick your own) Farm gets pretty busy over half term.

And, just for a change from endless picnics, we bought a cucumber and picked some strawberries at Blackberry Farm, and made strawberry ice-cream and cucumber sandwiches.
And Barbara came to tea!

Summer in Oxford!

2010-05-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

This picture tells you all you need to know about summer in the UK.
Shorts and snow boots!Here are a couple of pictures of butterflies that Phoebe took;

Guy: Daddy, you're a tiger!
Ken: Am I? Why's that then?
Guy: Because you have stripes on your forehead.
Ken: Hmmmm....

Phoebe was asking who the bronze busts were in the restaurant this evening. We explained they were the owners and founders of the restaurant. 'Did they have arms and bodies?' she asked. 'Yes,' we replied. 'And was their skin brown like K, and N, and R (naming some of her friends)?'
We had to admit we didn't know.
I hadn't realised that Phoebe thought that all bronzes were representations of people of colour!

Busy, Busy Bee!

2010-05-31T03:15:00.001-07:00

This past week has been hot and busy!
The Tabby-Kat continues to delight her adoring public!
We went to the splash park with our lovely friends. And Guy had the time of his life running around with the big boys!

And the horses continue to benefit from the apples and carrot sticks from Phoebe's lunch box.

We're all enjoying the walk to and from school. There's something new each day! Aren't these pretty?

Happiness is.......

2010-05-15T16:05:00.001-07:00

When you're a three year old boy, a chocolate ice-cream and a train ride through the palace gardens are just about as good as life gets!

'Nuff said!

The newly illumined Tabitha Kathryn!

2010-05-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

Running late!

2010-05-02T00:05:00.001-07:00

So, here's the little bundle who's making us late these days.

It's particularly difficult to get everyone up and out of bed in the mornings!

Or to get Guy and Ita to leave places on time.

The other day, they were so reluctant to take off their dressing-up clothes, that I ended up doing the school pick up with Spiderman and a witch princess!

Again, apologies for the length of time it takes me to post these days!

Isn't this beautiful?

2010-04-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a lovely ad?

Fritilary Picnic

2010-04-16T15:03:00.001-07:00

This Thursday, Anastasia organized a walk and picnic for us.
Here are the photos:
We walked out of the back of Magdalen College;

And round to see the deer!
You may have to enlarge this one to get a proper view!
All of us watching the deer!
Smiling children in the April sunshine!

The main reason I have difficulty getting out of bed!

2010-04-06T01:05:00.001-07:00

You can disagree with me, but I think there's nothing quite as warm, and cosy, and soft, and lovely as a sleeping baby!

And, Bless her, she sleeps a LOT! I'm sure this will come back round to bite me, but at the moment it's just SO GOOD!

My family and other animals!

2010-03-29T03:24:00.000-07:00

Our last Sunday without church!

2010-03-19T02:13:00.000-07:00

This was our last Sunday before going back to church (this Sunday is actually 39 days, rather than 40, but I think everyone will be understanding!). So we went to Blenheim Palace for a run-around in the Spring sunshine!
Here's the children's favourite tree:

Then we took the train......

...to the butterfly house!

Fun, huh?
But we're still looking forward to going back to church this Sunday!

This is what our life looks like right now!

2010-03-05T13:09:00.000-08:00

Well, Tabby-Kat has made her first trip to IKEA
But most of the time she's still spending asleep.
Here's Guy stroking her hand and head. He is very gentle with her, despite the slightly demonic look on his face!

And he still finds time for his friends!

However, he does find all this change very tiring!

Phoebe has been experimenting with the camera. This is Phoebe's portrait of Daddy,
And of Mummy!

This is Marianna, one of our friends from church.

Who made this beautiful blanket for Tabitha. Isn't it lovely?

Catch up!

2010-02-26T21:15:00.001-08:00

Well, the weather here is getting better, slowly! Because of the Cesarean, my particular Lenten penance is to walk everywhere (in all kinds of weather!) until the Doctor gives me the 'all clear' to drive.
You can imagine how much I enjoy the walk to school at the moment!

On the bright side, lots of our friends have been visiting us. At home, and at Grandma's where we've also been spending quite a lot of time recently!

Phoebe is loving being a big sister again, and having a baby to cuddle.
Daddy's behavior sometimes gives us cause for concern, though.......

So, here she is:

2010-02-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

Tabitha Kathryn at a few hours old!
It only took a few hours for her name to be abbreviated to Tabby-Kat!
The monobrow is a combination of her actual eyebrow and the forceps marks. Annoyingly, despite a long (22 hours) and mainly gentle labour, I got stuck at 6 cm (A-GAIN!), so we ended up with another Cesarean, and I got another infection, and we had to stay in hospital a-GAIN!
It seems my pelvic shape is triangular, which is called an 'android' pelvis, and can make it hard for a larger, posterior baby to turn during delivery to fit through. Which seems to be why we keep getting stuck in the same situation

Here's Michelle enthusing about spending time with someone less than 24 hours old!
At one day old in her hospital bassinet/fish tank thing.

Grandma and Auntie Sox admiring the newest addition.
By the third day in hospital we'd gone through all the girly baby-gros and she was into Guy's hand-me-down's. This nice blue one has cars on it!

Now, true to her name, the Tabby-Kat spends most of her time eating and dozing in front of the fire!
So, anyway, forgive me for my rather shoddy blogging record recently! I promise to do better!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it SNOW!

2010-01-06T03:37:00.000-08:00

Snow day (FINALLY!) so no school today! Instead, playing in the garden. (Yes, I know this is a pitiful amount of snow, but it's exciting for us!)

Carol singing!

2009-12-23T08:26:00.001-08:00

This week we did some carol singing in one of our local shopping centres

Here's Phoebe and Deacon Matthew rattling their collecting boxes to good effect!

Getting into the Spirit of Advent!

2009-12-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

Phoebe's School Christmas Bazaar was on Friday night, so we made Banana Brownies and Pumpkin Bread with Butterscotch Chips (Thank you Octomom!)

And Guy's Pre-school bake sale was on Saturday morning. We made Chocolate Logs and Iced Christmas Trees
Our new Ikea sofa-bed, assembled by my own fair hand, is being adequately tested!
And Phoebe is a cow in the school Nativity play. As every Nativity scene she has ever seen has a cow (or an Ox) in it, she feels this is a very authentic part.
Interestingly, it turns out one of her friends who told me he was an 'alien', turns out to have been an 'angel'! Easy mistake to make when you're five! Perhaps one extra-terrestrial messenger, is much like another?
I remember someone telling me once that horses can regulate the temperature in their feet independently, because they're herd animals. They might end up in the middle of the herd with three feet on dry ground, but one foot in a cold puddle. They could then send extra heat to the coldest hoof.
While this is impressive; I remember thinking at the time that it surely made most sense to develop the bit of the horse's brain that enables them to move somewhere where they're not standing in puddles!

I love watching the horses next to the school, but I don't think they're very intelligent animals!

Getting in the logs!

2009-12-01T02:04:00.001-08:00

There are some jobs that seem to work as team-building activities within families. For some it's cooking together, or tidying-up. For us it's bringing in and sorting, stacking, and storing firewood.

The story of my life this month!

2009-11-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

Being ill, pregnant, and busy is a really bad combination!
Most of the month so far has passed like this:

Halloween/Bonfire night Arts and Crafts Party!

2009-11-02T02:20:00.000-08:00

We had some friends round to do some vaguely Halloween-y/ Bonfire Night Arts and Crafts. We started off making cats and owls out of toilet rolls!
We made popcorn and stuffed it into vinyl gloves;
Of course, quite a lot got eaten - but popcorn counts as one of our 'five a day', so it's not all bad!
We made some chocolate refrigerator cake, then cut it into strips (logs),
And made bonfires!
We made spiders out of egg boxes and pipe-cleaners,

And painted them!

And we had Pumpkin soup, and Gingerbread with Apple Sauce for lunch! Yum!

What we've been up to....

2009-10-27T02:46:00.000-07:00

Firstly, and most importantly, Phoebe's Godfather came to visit!
Guy has decided that if even the horses are wearing their coats,
he will deign to wear his!

As the weather gets wetter the cats are spending more and more time indoors!
We went to Bicester Village - again!

Then down to London on the train,

And the tube,
To visit the dinosaurs!
Guy is equally frightened and fascinated by the dinosaurs! Particularly the animatronic ones!
Then back home in time for bed!

Something to get you in the mood for Sunday!

2009-10-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

A quick Sunday message from Phoebe:

SUCH a great weekend!

2009-10-12T06:21:00.001-07:00

We started by going shopping at Bicester Village - which is more fun than it sounds!
Then back to listen to some seriously energetic folk music!Phoebe was drawing the band as they were playing. Then she presented the band with her portraits at the end of their set. I think The Reverenzas have their first groupie!
How she thought she could get Guy to sleep is beyond me!
Anyway, after that we went swimming;

Then, on Sunday we went to play conkers in the drizzle with our MayBe friends.

As part of the service, we had five loaves and two small fishes. Here are the left-overs! Not quite twelve baskets full!

Then a quiet afternoon at home, followed by an early dinner at our local Pizza Restaurant with friends.

The boys enjoying their ice-cream and "coffee" (frothed milk)

A good time was had by all!

A modern re-working of a classic!

2009-10-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Phoebe learned a song about Goldilocks at school today.
Take it away Phoebs......

Phoebe's Fifth!

2009-10-02T00:11:00.000-07:00

Remember this cake from last year?

Well, after much discussion, Phoebe has eschewed options of mermaid cakes, Dora cakes, Disney princess cakes, butterfly cakes, and even Barbie cakes! No, what she has opted for is........
Exactly the same as last year!

Rapunzel is back in her tower, and all's right with the world!
Happy Fifth Birthday, Phoebe!

Next year's Black is....................a girl!

2009-09-24T14:54:00.002-07:00

Introducing......

So, this is our big news! The next baby Black, due at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb is female! So I'm now researching New Testament Saints names. How do we feel about Olympia? Or possibly Chloe? I'm open to suggestions!

This was something else that made me laugh this week!

I can't help wishing that I got recognition for the stuff I'm 'trying' to do, regardless of whether I actually succeed or not!

Things are certainly getting harder for me physically. I have noticed that
- changing the sheets on the top bunk
- bending over to put the laundry in the machine
- cycling up-hill when we're late for school
- chasing an unruly two year old
are all much, much harder one you're past 20 weeks pregnant!
(Well that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!)

Our journey to school!

2009-09-13T12:42:00.001-07:00

This is how Daddy gets to work in the morning. A 5 minute ride to the train station. A 50 minute train to London. And a 25 minute cycle through London's parks (mainly) to the office.
Guy helps with the folding bike - note the footwear!

And this is how we get to school

We cycle across the field;

Through the woodAnd we get to school in about 10 minutes. So even when it's raining, it's not too bad! Of course, I need to remind myself of this in the winter when it's cold and dark in the morning and the car is looking warm and dry!

My big schoolgirl! (At the end of the day - so she's looking scruffier than usual!)

After school; back over the bridge and into the wood,
Back through the wood,
Stopping only to feed left-over carrot sticks and apple chunks from lunch boxes to the horses.

The best bit about this is that we live 15 minutes walk from the centre of Oxford.

All the fun of the fair!

2009-09-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to St Giles Fair. A strange Oxford tradition which is equally attractive and repellant!Since the nineteenth century, St Giles' Fair has been held on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Sunday after St Giles' Day (1 September).This year the Fair is being held on 7 & 8 September.
It's a strange phenomenon. I don't know how many other fairs start with a service of blessing!

I think the person who best described it, is the wonderful Jan Morris.

It is the most boisterous of Oxford traditions, the profits of which go partly to the city and partly to the college of St John's, the local landowner; and it brings together in an atmosphere of unnatural intensity every type and kind of Oxford citizen. The academics go with their burbling children, eating iced lollipops and arguing the toss with indulgent showmen in piping cultured accents. The factory families go, trailing balloons and sweet papers, and hugging flowery vases they have won at shooting galleries. The farmers go, stumping stoically through the hubbub with kind wives in blue hats. The aldermen go — in 1950 Alderman Smewin officially complained to the City Council that there had been only one set of Galloping Horses to ride on. The parish clergy go, from a sense of boyish duty, and the weedy louts go, to stand around in bow-legged moronic cliques, licking candy floss, and the shop-girls go, to let their skirts fly on the Big Dipper. Every degree is represented there, from the exquisite patrician to the grubbiest slut in carpet slippers: and flushed from their normal habitats like this, thrown together between the Bingo stalls and the Man-Eating Rat, they always seem to me larger, finer or more awful than life. George's Café feels genially blended: but St Giles's Fair is like a city with its masks torn off, seen with a flushed clarity, and it makes you wonder how such contrasts can ever be reconciled. It is sure to end, you feel, like all the worst dreams, in a scream, a cold sweat or a blackout.

Oxford, however, is old, and experienced at the game. By Wednesday morning all those stalls and roundabouts have miraculously disappeared, and the scholars, the charge-hands, the oafs and the parsons are restored to their blurred and unalarming selves.

Of course, with the general tackiness of the rides and the extortionate prices, it seems appropriate that St Giles is the patron Saint of beggars and thieves!

The Many (painted) faces of Phoebe!

2009-09-04T11:55:00.001-07:00

It's the end of the summer, and there are final opportunities for face painting, before the autumn starts.

Phoebe likes having her face painted!

EuroDisney - the good, the bad, and the princesses!

2009-08-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, first the good parts:
EuroDisney is REALLY big. Much bigger than I had anticipated!

A really good thing that we brought with us is the Mothercare Urban Detour. It can be a backpack-style childcarrier,

or a pushchair.

Either way, it's a really good thing to have.

The weather was good!

If you stay in a hotel affiliated to the park, you get to go in two hours early at 8:00am, so you can go on the busier rides when there's no queue.

Our cabin had two bedrooms, so we could keep normal bedtime routines.
And it had a fridge, kettle, and hob, so we could eat in the cabin when we wanted - tired children in restaurants are NO fun!

There was a lovely swimming pool with whirlpool, spa, slide, etc. just next to our cabin.

Okay, the bad bits:
EuroDisney is REALLY big. Much bigger than I had anticipated!

The food on the park is AWFUL! The food in the rest of France is superb, but not in Disneyland Paris. It's as though the French feel that seeing as fast food is going to be pretty horrible anyway, there's just no point making an effort!

The queues for a lot of things were REALLY long! You learn a whole new level of patience queueing with a four year old for almost an hour to meet a princess, only to find as you get near the front of the queue, there's a shift change and a princess whose picture and autograph you got yesterday, steps on to the stage!

There are still A LOT of people who smoke around children. Because it's outside there's no reason why they shouldn't (y'know, except the usual) but because there are so many people so closely packed together you can't get away from it. I don't like coming home with my clothes (and my children's clothes) smelling of smoke when we've been walking around outside all day!

The 8:00am pass was great, but it did mean no lie-ins for anyone!

Anyway, here are some pix;

A short trip back to my own childhood!

2009-08-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

I've just found this on YouTube. Isn't it great?

A trip to the Zoo!

2009-08-18T14:08:00.001-07:00

On Friday we went to the zoo!
We watched the Meercats,
And the otters,

And some very strange birds!
Then we went to the playground!
We did lots of climbing!
And tractor driving,
And sliding!

Then we went to the nicest (and most expensive!) garden centre on the way back home.
How can you not love a garden centre that has a children's cinema?
And lets you swing on the garden furniture!
It looks comfy, doesn't it?

Then, we picked Daddy up and went for sushi!
Phoebe likes to dissect her sushi. I don't know why. We've offered her sashimi, which she turns down. She likes her sushi, she just likes it separated!
Guy and Daddy drinking miso soup!

It's Phoebe's job to get the dishes we request off the conveyor belt for us.
She takes it very seriously!

Loving this song!

2009-08-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

This says a lot about growing up!

What we do when the sun's shining!

2009-08-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

We like to have a picnic-style dinner in the garden. The children have been playing in the sprinkler which is why they're in their swimming cossies.

I often come back to the laundry that I had left drying on the line, only to find it's been made into a camp!

And, best of all, we grew some butterflies from caterpillars and released them.

Nothing quite as up-lifting as watching butterflies fly free!

A graduation!

2009-08-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

This week was Phoebe's graduation from Nursery.
I'll confess, I always thought these sorts of ceremonies were a bit unnecessary.
But we went along because it would be Phoebe's last chance to say goodbye to her friends, and the various and assorted nursery staff who have looked after her since she was 11 months old.

The people who I trusted to teach and entertain her, to care for her and control her, to feed her and change her nappy, to comfort her and cuddle her, and provide for all her needs for two mornings a week for three and a half years! And the children who have been her peers and whose social interaction has helped to shape the person she is now.

And suddenly, there was a lump in my throat.
Most of the children seemed caught up in the excitement of moving on to "big school".
This is N, Phoebe's best friend at Nursery, who is wise way beyond her years. She seemed to be the only child who realised what was being left behind, and burst into tears when it was her turn to collect her certificate.

However, certificates were duly distributed. Photographs were taken. Sandwiches and juice were consumed. Parents chatted. Children ran amok. And all ended happily.

Recently we went to a Mamma Mia themed engagement party. Captain Black looked like this:

I looked something like this; except with silver platform boots and three months pregnant!

Anyway, we won a Mamma Mia soundtrack CD for our costumes.
When we got back into the car after Phoebe's graduation this(it's at the top on the left of the page) was what started playing:

And I bawled!

Park pictures and some pregnancy questions

2009-08-05T11:37:00.001-07:00

The weather here has been pretty horrible recently, heavy rain and surprisingly cold winds - welcome to another British summer!
But when the weather clears, out we go:-

I have some questions about this pregnancy;
Why am I so exhausted all the time? Is it just trying to entertain two small people, while growing a third? I'm taking vitamins and supplements, and although I'm a vegetarian, I have started eating more fish.

Why am I still getting so emotional/sick/insomniac even though I've passed the twelve week mark? Anyone out there have any advice for women who've previously had caesareans, but who want a minimum of medical involvement?

Okay, enough questions for now!
These were the only clothes I managed to find to wear to my friend's hen night on Saturday:

And for comedy value:
You may not be able to see Ken's golf ball stuck in this tree, but you can probably see the golf club he threw up to try and get it down -

It didn't work!

A trip to the hair dresser!

2009-07-30T13:53:00.001-07:00

Fruit of the womb!

2009-07-28T05:42:00.001-07:00

Here's our first glimpse of number three!
Obviously, mindful of the camera he/she's giving us a wave!

I keep trying to make this go landscape, but it keeps reverting!

Aquarium pix and a funny!

2009-07-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

And, the funny!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
_____________________________________________________
Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don' t bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't' t do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month
______________________________________________________
The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
______________________________________________________
Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing
______________________________________________________
Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
______________________________________________________
Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
______________________________________________________
Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
______________________________________________________
Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
______________________________________________________
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
______________________________________________________
Swallowing Coins (a favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
hospital and demand x-rays!

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

My darling children!

2009-07-11T02:16:00.001-07:00

Do you think they'll stay this cute? Here's hoping!

The joy of plasticine noses!

2009-07-04T13:13:00.001-07:00

'Nuff said!

Messing around at the park!

2009-06-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is Guy. He can be a bit indecisive.
I wonder where he gets that from? Hmmmm.......

Summer days!

2009-06-28T02:13:00.001-07:00

One of the perils of morning sickness, which I hadn't previously encountered. Once you've finished and are ready to go back to bed - there's no space anymore!

As the days get warmer,we're spending more time in the garden.
Here's Phoebe and Guy's first potato crop!

Not so much tilting at windmills, more fencing with the sprinkler!

We went to a Children's Food Festival, where we had water buffalo ice cream, and stroked the baby water buffalos.

We got to see some beef cattle.

And some little piglets watching a show!

This weekend....

2009-06-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

We made assorted yummy breads, cakes, and tarts - and took them along to our church food fair!
Competition starts early in the Orthodox Church! Guy and Ita are trying to out-do each other by kissing as many Icons as they can reach!

We ate some lovely Eastern European food
Phoebe and Guy got to play with lots of their friends.

Then it was up to Grandma's for dinner and a sleep-over. Much to Phoebe's delight!

Phoebe spent Sunday afternoon playing with our friends who have a lovely husky called Orca.

Phoebe is a little besotted!

And this evening, putting the bins out, I disturbed a hedgehog in our garden!
How sweet is this?

A Fairy Tale!

2009-06-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

One day, long, long ago, there lived a woman who did not whine, nag, or bitch.

But it was a long time ago, and it was just that one day.

The End

My Little Mermaid wannabe!

2009-06-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Phoebe in a rock pool!

And Guy getting a ride home!

Spring is definately here!

2009-06-08T11:21:00.001-07:00

And there is new life everywhere!

The first tomatoes are making an appearance;

The apples are forming on the tree in our garden;

And, apparently, in me too!

As I was going to school one day......

2009-06-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is our walk to school in the morning.
Nice, huh?

Of course, it's the company that really makes it!

Why I always have a cake in the freezer!

2009-05-29T00:15:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, one of my friends was called in to work unexpectedly, so I had two extra lunch guests!
As you can see, lunch is macaroni cheese, baked beans, oven chips and apple juice. The girls took off their princess dresses to eat, which is why they haven't got any tops on!

They brought with them some fresh strawberries they'd picked;

Luckily, I always have a cake of some description in the freezer. This one is a Chocolate and Banana cake.

You start by spreading some vanilla ice-cream on the bottom layer of the cake;

Then put the strawberries on top;
Put the top back on, and finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Voila! One easy, child-created, tasty Pudding!