Thursday 29 August 2013

Pretty Pages

Here are the pretty pages we have been reading this week...... all definately worth borrowing from the library or adding to that ever expanding Amazon Wish List - I currently have about 55 books on mine!















Tuesday 27 August 2013

Double take...

We have been trying to wok out if Maurice looks like Lenny. All newborns have that yummy, slightly swollen yet weirdly 'old man' look that fades in the blink of an eye as their puppy fat piles on - it is a look so fleeting it is hard to remember exactly what Lenny looked like so I dug out the old snaps and turns out they are indeed quite similar..... yikes!!!

Lenny and Maurice

Saturday 24 August 2013

Things that happened today.....

-Broke my sewing machine needle skipping corners on some denim - doh!
-Confirmed my view that David Sedaris is indeed the funniest orator alive - he's on Radio 4 at the moment but if you have not heard him definitely invest in a disc for the car - side splitting…
-Was astounded by the price of pecans.
-Made a promise to read more.
-Broke that promise by turning on the TV.
-Was annoyed that the summer had gone and I hadn't had a mini milk yet.
-Made 4 cups of The Earl (Earl Grey in this house is called The Earl) that all went cold.
-Kissed Lenny every 15 minutes.
-Lost my temper with Lenny's refusal to lie still on the changing table and shouted very loudly, "look, who is the boss of this house?" in an overwrought voice proving I am indeed my mother.
-Smelt Olbus Oil and was immediately transported back to school.
-Noticed Maurice always stops crying of you play Elvis - good boy.
-Burnt some sausages and nearly burst into tears - slightly irrational?!
-Decided to dye my hair brown after the hormones of the newborn have settled down a bit - a new era deserves new hair and surely I will look just like Liv Tyler right?!

Thursday 22 August 2013

A touch of green.....

Much of the week in our house is spent hoeing, weeding, pruning and watering plants in the garden. I say 'we' but in fact I have nadda to do with it. The truth is, I kill any living greenery that crosses my path. I either horribly neglect them or water them with such enthusiasm they would likely survive in the sahara. Nothing I have ever been left in charge of survives so when Rupert goes to London on regular business trips he tells me to leave well alone and not touch his beloved green friends. This is going to change. I am taking on a house plant mission - I mean, how hard can it be?!??! We currently don't have any but I have been browsing pinterest for inspiration and will be asking for some new plant pals of my own for my birthday - this is not until December so in the meantime think I shall get in some sly practice…… any advice for this human plant poison? I need some hardy starters and any advice most welcome….



Tuesday 20 August 2013

Wish List.... swoooon.....



1. Apple Papple poster - £35 www.shop.finelittleday.com / 2. Heron Print tea dress - £395 www.alicetemperleylondon.com/ 3. Neon sign - price on application www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk / 4. Guy Bourdin Polaroids book - £26 www.amazon.co.uk  / 5. Whippet cameo ring - £225 www.lauraleejewellry.com / 6. Bella bag - £146 www.balielf.com

Sunday 18 August 2013

Snapshots..... some pics of our week.....

Who's the daddy?

prince and the pea, woodland adventures, Lenny's byyyyke, getting messy

Not a fan of the long soak just yet!

LOVES the bath

My Mint.


pretty Quantocks heather

paintin'

Jamie's salmon tray bake - delish.

good grief. Imagine if I bothered to iron!

muddy puddles

catching some zzzzz's on the pa

the only way to eat a jam ring - good boy likes to dunk, picking veggies in dad's patch

teeny

post tea, pre bath family stroll - one of my favourite times of day

Gotta love a Sunday pre lunch pub tipple

storm is a'brewin

stomping

squished

too sweet

Saturday 17 August 2013

Toddler Grub

I love cooking. However, I find cooking for my toddler a tough business. When that lovingly made spring vegetable lasagne is  glanced at, sniffed and then chucked to the floor my heart drops and my soul is ever so slightly more destroyed.  It isn't even that Lenny is that fussy he just has no rhyme nor reason to his sporadic like and dislike of foods - one day he will clamp his mouth shut at the mere mention of broccoli and the next eat the green super food with relish. This being that case I made a vow to make healthy, varied meals using lots of fresh ingredients BUT none would take more than 15 minutes to prepare. Some have been more successful than others but if you, like me, rack your scrambled brain for meal ideas here's a helping hand:

butternut squash soup, soldiers, grapes and cheese / hummus, pitta bread dippers, broccoli, boiled egg, blueberries / heart eggy bread and ham, strawberry jelly with blueberries / cheese and leek sausage, sweet potato mash with peas, banana
avocado, mozzarella and tomato salad, raspberry jelly with fresh raspberries / avocado and cream cheese wrap, satsuma / pasta with roasted vegetables and cream cheese, blueberries / red pepper and courgette frittata, cucumber, watermelon

cod fishcake, green beans, apple and raspberry compote / chicken breast nuggets, cous cous with sundered tomato paste and carrots, apple slices / chicken fried rice with edamame, broccoli and plum sauce, stewed apple with raisons / prawn cocktail, avocado, blueberries, grapes

cheesy polenta fingers with tomato dipping sauce (Hugh F-W) and fruit salad / chicken with hoisin sauce, noodles, sugarsnap peas, pear slices / salmon with red pesto, cous cous, green beans, rice pudding and jam / hot dog, corn on the cob melon and strawberries 
moroccan veggie burger with roasted tomatoes, butterscotch angel delight and banana / cauliflower cheese and mango slices / tortollini with tomato and courgettes sauce, kiwi, yoghurt / pasta with pesto and peas, yoghurt and cherries


Thursday 15 August 2013

Maurice Samuel Haines. 8th August 2013

About 2 months ago I decided to give blogging a go - I had been uploading all my photos for family and friends most of whom are far away from us onto Facebook so they could see how Lenny was growing and what we were up to in the West Country - the blog was just an extension of this. However, I have been known to have hair brained ideas and never see their fruition due to either lack of time or inclination however the blog got me really excited and this time I had a deadline!

We were expecting our 2nd son on August 31st so I would have everything set up, running smoothly and a few posts in the bag by then. This was not meant to be as the excited chap arrived nearly 4 weeks early - hence he is being introduced now!

In such a hurry to join the world Maurice Samuel Haines arrived on 8th August weighing 6 lb 1oz - he is truly beautiful (not biased at all!) - we are so excited to have him join our clan and really feel very lucky. Forgive the showing off but look how cute he is…….







Wednesday 7 August 2013

Wish List 1

What I am currently lusting over and trying to save my pennies to acquire (not very successfully......)




1. Lucky Boy Sunday multi Bobby blanket - £160 from alexaandalexa.com / 2. Sidney Snail -£45 donnawilson.com / 3. Chevron iPhone cover - £10 Case of Identity on Etsy.com / 4. Highwood brown clogs - £52.50 lottafromstockholm.com / 5. Pipe Ring - £156 hattierickards.com / 6. Silk shorts - £185 orlakiely.com

Sunday 4 August 2013

Book Worm

Books play a big role in my toddler entertainment. This is not supposed to sound smug in an "I'm raising very intelligent, well - read children" kind of a way - it is far more selfish than that. I love children's illustration - who doesn't?

More often than not Lenny's rather predictable choice of the brightly coloured, crudely drawn board book featuring diggers, tractors or cars get palmed off in favour of those I find more visually appealing! While I do concede to the odd 'broooom brooooom' book he also endures many whose pages offer something a touch more subtle, pretty and elegant. Some have been big hits but, like most things,some he rejects immediately, raising his eyes to the heavens while I stroke their pretty pages........

Here are a few for your Amazon wish lists:
AUGUSTUS AND HIS SMILE by Catherine Raynor - a beautiful tale of a tiger's hunt for his lost smile.




THE OPPOSITE by Tom MacRae and illustrated by Elena Odriozola - a quirky story about a boys fight against the opposite happening. Brilliant!




WOLVES by Emily Gravett - a funny story about a rabbits trip to a library.