June 30th 2015 - Making an Indoor campfire

June 30th 2015 - Making an Indoor campfire

We are hoping to run a day camp during the summer holidays for St John Ambulance, but as it will be in a building we can't have a real fire.  So whilst I was looking for camp ideas over the past few weeks I found this very basic indoor campfire.  Although it would work I set about how I could make a better one.

I knew I had brown curtains (think 1970's and your on the right lines) in the airing cupboard that had previously been used on the doors (they are now nice teal colour that matches walls).  So I went and got 1 and started cutting rectangles (as you do) without a template or plan or exactly what I was doing.  I then stitched them as tubes and at 1 end, stuffed them with an old pillow and made logs and twigs.  And I came up with these:

 They will make the twigs and logs for my campfire.

I had some red organza in  my material box left over from last years pirate party and thought I could use i as part of the flames, but would need yellow and orange as well - I ordered some chair ribbons like you have at weddings in 2 shades of orange and a bright yellow.  I was now ready to make my flames!  The next pic shows the oranges and yellow but not red:

The chair ribbons were a nice width to use as flames and the bonus was the edges had been hemmed so they were less likely to fray.  I cut across the organza in about 2.5-3" pieces, 1 of each of the 4 colours:

I stitched them together with the red at bottom, dark orange next, light orange and then yellow at top and cut the yellow to look like flames.  See pic below:

Once they were stitched together and the flame shape cut I started to add thin wire to them so that the flames would stay upright rather than just fall over.  I stitched the bottom of the red to the thinner of the logs/twigs I had made - 2 per log 1 each side.  All of the flames are different as they haven't been measured i've just cut and stitched and the same with the yellow flame shapes i've just cut.  But I think this adds to the effect.  Here is 1 log with flames on it:

I've not quite finished it all, but I think it looks really good and i'm pleased with how its turned out.  I have fake t-light candles (battery operated) that are an orange colour and flicker, i'm looking for some white flickering ones as well and these are all going amongst the logs so it looks like the fire is flickering.

June 29th 2015 - Party planning

June 29th 2015 - Party planning

As daft as it may sound I am planning my sons birthday party that is in 2months time (yesterday).  But there is a method to my madness, I have loads happening over the next few weeks and I won't even be holding the party at my house but my sons godmothers house over 5hrs drive away!

Therefore I am unable to stick loads of stuff on walls etc like I do at home and go OTT for the party.  Don't get me wrong it will be good but wont have stuff everywhere like I usually do.

I was looking online for Thomas the Tank party banners and bunting and realised very quickly how expensive they actually are.  The 2 images linked to the pins above gave me a good idea.  I started hunting the net for images of thomas trains with their names on them, there are loads that were made as jigsaw puzzles.  I added these to w word document, flipped them over and added next to it so that I can double side them.  Only thing I didn't thing about was the name is now backwards on the reverse, but never mind!  It's better than plain white paper.

Here are some of them:

Once they were all printed I cut them out, doubled them up and then laminated them all.  I am going to put a hole in each one and a few pieces of curling ribbon so they can hang from door frames.

I also copied the design of the above link and edited it to my sons name and age, and have printed loads and laminated them as well to go around the table edge.

I also printed food labels linked to the trains and have printed wheels to go on the food tubs as cargo cars behind some of sons trains that I will be taking with us.

Watch this space for more updates on the Thomas Tank party.

June 28th 2015 - Butterfly cakes

June 28th 2015 - Butterfly cakes

A couple of days ago lil man saw that we had cake icing in the cupboard and asked if we could make some cakes, sadly it wasn't long before he was going to bed so I said would have to be at the weekend.  Saturday when he asked my knee was hurting too much to stand and do them so I said we would make them Sunday after we had our roast dinner.

We made the mix up and added purple colouring to it as thats what lil man wanted.  We put them in the oven and I told him  IF we could get them to rise enough we would make butterfly cakes.  He didn't know what I meant so I had to explain.  Well some of the cakes formed a peak (like mountains as he said) but not all of them.  I said we would give it a try anyway.

So I set about cutting out the top and cutting it in half to make the wings.  Lil man then helped to fill the holes with buttercream and stuck the wings in.  We then added a glitter sparkle icing to them all.  They looked really good, and tasted good as well.

June 27th 2015 - Then & Now

June 27th 2015 - Then & Now

Today's pin is a bit of a boasting one on my part.  It is a Jungle vs Garden/Then vs Now.

When we bought the house in 2013 the garden hadn't been touched in about 7years, it had 6ft high weeds, nettles, brambles, dead trees and god knows how much rubbish and junk.  This took us a while to clear but we did it.  We also started to scatter some grass seed in the hope that it would give us a base to work with.  A year on and you could see big changes and the grass took really well, so we just added more seed (79p from home bargains nothing flash or fancy!) and again it took well and filled the patches.  Move forward to June 2015 (10days later than we moved in 2years ago but was too wet to take pics  and lawn needed cutting) and there is a HUGE difference in the garden!

People we don't even know have stopped us when  we've been out there and said how much better it looks and what a difference we have made to it etc.  Which is really nice, at least we know our hard work is paying off.  There is still along to go until it is fully how I want it, but as they say "Rome wasn't built in a day".  Fair enough if I had the money to pay a gardener/landscaper etc then yes it would be done in a very short time, but I don't have this option.  Therefore It gets done as and when we have saved a few £ to buy the next materials etc.  I still want a fence to go round my decking, the back fence made higher than the 3ft it is and a 1ft trellis fence between us and next door as people from the street can see straight in.  I also want to make some planters to go along the back fence to put loads of purple and pretty plants in, but I cant do these until the fence is made higher as I dn't want the plants stolen.

We have the grass pretty much established now, bar a few patches.  The fairy garden is in and we are adding to it as we find things.  Lil man has a planter for vegetables which are growing well, the composters are working as they should be and we have loads of nice plants and flowers growing, some of which were 50p a plant in a sale as damaged and may not grow!  I have part of garden as patio and part as decking (i've got to be the only person that buys a house on a slope and then wants flat patio and decking lol!)

Well here's some of the pics:

yellow rose was 50p damaged plant, red "remembrance" rose was also 50p damaged plant

This pink rose bush was in garden, we have just trailed it along fence.  It has sooooo many buds on it.

This "blue moon" rose was my late mums, I dug it from her garden after she died.  It was planted in the garden at my old house and then put in a pot so we could move.  It only has this 1 big flower on it at the moment.

June 26th 2015 - Just Giving

June 26th 2015 - Just Giving

Just Giving is a website where you can set up an online sponsor form for any event you are doing and for almost any charity.  Just giving don't share your personal details and its very safe to use.

My eldest son is doing a sponsored silence in aid of St John Ambulance, of which he is a member at the local cadet unit.  Although he has a paper sponsor form, alot of our family and friends don't live near us so setting up the online option as well is a good idea.  He wanted to raise £50 and as of today and typing he so far has £54 and £2.50 gift aid from it.

A sponsored silence may not seem too hard a task to do, especially as its only for 1hour.  BUT this is a big thing for my son, he is always in trouble at school, St John Ambulance and at home for talking when he shouldn't, but he is under the local hospital having tests for the austistic spectrum as it is believed he has "signs of" them and they are trying to work out what.  I believe that because he has beaten his target and many people have said they don't think he will do it that HE WILL, just to prove them wrong as he is a very strong boy when it comes to things like this.

If anyone else would like to donate to him please click on the link: https://www.justgiving.com/Jarred-Watson1   many thanks if you do.

Since he has joined St John Ambulance he has calmed down a lot.  He joins in and enjoys going, he has passed his first aid and enjoys going out to events with the Adult members.  He wants to be a vet when he is older so this is a great start forhim.

June 25th 2015 - 2015 reading challenge update

June 25th 2015 - 2015  reading challenge up date

Back on 9th January 2015 I posted a pin about a reading challenge for the year.  A few of the books I had initially put on the list have been altered to a different book that fits the category.  There were 50 books on the list (52 if you count the other 2 from the trilogy), I have 23 so far (and that is including the extra 2 of the trilogy).

There is 1 I wont be reading on the list and that is something that scares you as I don't do scary!!  Despite only having read 23 off the list I have read 29books in total this year - some proper paper books others on the kindle.

I do plan to try and read more off the list the problem is that I need to buy them as kindle or books

June 24th 2015 - Dying

June 24th 2015 - Dying

Not me,i'm fine apart from hayfever which the meds are doing nothing for. I'm dying fabric, well clothes and tea towels.

I bought a pair of 3/4 trousers off ebay, they were a lilac with deep pink stripe and slightly faded in places -

I had 3 pairs of white trainer socks in my drawer (came as part of pack with black ones).  I've not worn white socks since I was at school and that was for PE!  So they have been sat in the drawer not doing much.  I also have about 5 t-towels that were white with purple but now look a pale grey with lilac so I have chucked them all in the machine with the dylon violet dye.  Fingers ccrossed they all take and look as good as my blue curtains did a few months ago when I dyed them.

June 23rd 2015 - Maths makes sense (2)

June 23rd 2015 - Maths makes sense (2)

Well sort of but mainly not!

No i've not gone completely mad and re-pinned the same thing without realising.  Today was the Maths makes sense for parents of year 1 children.  Today's lesson made abit more sense than yesterdays but I am still none the wiser why they have changed a system that has worked for many years.

23 - TWENTY THREE (do you agree???)  Well it was when I went to school - not anymore it is now TWO-ty THREE, and the rest of the TWENTY numbers are also TWO-ty now, and the 30's, 40,s etc have also changed!  I'm glad we didn't stay on these for long as seems very confusing to me.  But apparently children understand and learn it better.

We spent most of the lesson talking about coins and giving change and what coins add up to what sum etc.  We played shops with pictures and coins and had to give the correct amount of change. 

At least today we weren't standing up saying times tables!!!

June 22nd 2015 - Maths makes sense

June 22nd 2015 - Maths makes sense

Errrrrr no it doesn't!

The parents of year 5 children were invited into school this morning for a maths lesson, so we can try and understand more of the new system that is being taught in schools now, it's called maths makes sense.   It has been designed  as a new and improved way of teaching maths to kids.  I personally think the old way is easier, and so does my 9yr old.

Todays lesson started with the kids (and parents) reciting the 9x tables forward (I just about managed) and then backwards (not a chance).  Then they did the divisional sums of 9 as well.  They then moved onto DP - the teacher had to explain to us that this was "daily practice" and in pairs they each do some of the sums and help each other with the answers and discuss how they got it etc if they have different answers.  The next part of the lesson was a dog made from cubes and they had to work out how many cubes it was made from and write out the "maths story" (sum of how they got answer) and then simplify it.  The next image showed the dogs head as a "double" and not just a simple add 1 more row etc but it had been lengthened, made wider and higher.  This confused my son who is usually very good at maths.  Some of the class had different answers and all were discussed.  From here they had to work out how many cubes would be needed for the body, I gave my son and his partner an answer and then had to explain to them how I had a different answer to them - they had only done it as 1 layer not doubled its height as well.  Once they realised this they got the same answer as me.  Finally it was to work out how many cubes for the legs using the same method.

At this point the parents half hour lesson was up and we all left the class, but the teacher said that they had another puzzle to work out.  My son said he would let me know tonight what it was.

June 21st 2015 - Happy Fathers Days

June 21st 2015 - Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to my lovely dad Peter Lackey, may you rest in peace, love you and miss you always.

Also Happy Fathers Day to my hubby and father of my 3 boys, hope you  have had a nice day and like your gift.

June 20th 2015 - Fire pit

June 20th 2015 - Fire pit

As the garden is finally coming along and looking nice we have bought the fire pit to go in the middle of the decking.  It is very similar to the 1 in the pin.  It was on offer when we bought it, down at £64 from £125.  It's not just a fire pit though it also has a grid so that it can be used as a bbq as well.

The only snag with it is its bigger than the paved area that we had planned to put it on, so we have had to remove 2 of the decking squares and build up with bricks to make it the same height as the existing paving.  This we have done and hopefully the cement will be dry tomorrow.

Here are a few pics from when we used it in 23rd June for 1st time.

June 19th 2015 - Dress up and dance

June 19th 2015 - dress up and dance

My younger 2 boys school is today taking part in the dress up and dance event in aid of Macmillan Cancer, each child needs to dress up and pay £1.  The school has decided on a theme of rock stars and superheros.  I have 1 of each.

The elder of the 2 has gone as a rock star - complete with guitar, bandana and orange and blue hair!  (not that you can really see the blue), and the youngest has gone as a super hero, wearing his iron man outfit that he wore for superhero day few months back.

I hope the school has loads of fun doing this event today and that all the kids look great.

June 18th 2015 - Cockermouth

June 18th 2015 - Cockermouth

Today me and hubby went to Cockermouth.  We have been saying for ages we will go and have a look around as we've been through it and been to a pub there years ago.  Well we went, we walked round, we came home.

Safe to say I won't be rushing back there as found very little in the way of shops!  I would actually go as far as saying there are better shops here where I live!  So bit of a disappointment really.

June 17th 2015 - where has the time gone?

June 17th 2015 - where has the time gone?

SO the question for today's pin is "where has the time gone?"  I can't believe that this time 2years ago I was travelling to the other end and side of the country to a new house and a new life.  My house was boxed and loaded on a lorry, the car was loaded with kids, pets, food, a kettle etc.

It has gone really quickly, although we are settled etc there are still few bits that need doing or finishing etc, like the wall behind the dvd shelves still has HORRID white with red flower wallpaper on it, but in order to remove the paper and paint it purple to match the rest of the room I need to move nearly 600 dvds which is NOT an easy task.  I also need to finish painting the stairs and landing, but again its not major.  The garden is also a work in progress but getting there slowly.

This is what the garden was like in April 2013 (when I viewed the house, June 2013 when I moved in and August 2013 as we started to clear it.

The next 2 show the difference in the garden between when we moved in 2013 and June 2014 - a big difference, all the dead trees and weeds cleared and grass starting to grow, and part of it cleared and a patio laid.

This picture was the end of summer 2014, the kids swing is in back garden, the  grass is still growing and the patio is laid.

 The next few are 2015 and the start of the decking, where we have dug out, the starting to build the framework, checking the tiles fit and the fairy garden which is along the side of the garden shown in the first of the double 2013/2014 pics.

June 16th 2015 - new gate

June 16th 2015 - new gate

It occurred to me at stupid o'clock in the morning that we have no door between the dining room and kitchen, and the kids like to leave the back door open as lil man (5) cant' reach to open it from outside (it's from the kitchen).  This isn't usually a problem but in a few weeks we will have a young kitten that needs to stay in the house for couple of weeks so could be a problem.

So I started thinking (never good at that time of morning) and thought about metal baby safety gates but the kitten will fit through the gaps, then I thought about the mesh travel type but my youngest son wouldn't be able to climb over it as only small.  It then came to me to make one!!!  Well to get hubby to make one.

So I looked on pinterest and found this one.  Which gave me an even better idea.  stood against the garden fence is a gate we had on the decking at the old house, it is of picket style of which kitten could get through, but I also have loads of pickets.  So today me and hubby filled the gaps in the picket gate with more pickets, had to cut part of it off as too wide for door frame, added hinges and fixed it up.  I just need to get either a bolt or hook system so that it stays closed.

In theory putting it up this early may help the kids get in the habit of actually closing it behind them before we get the kitten.  I'm not stupid and I know cats can climb and jump, but hopefully by the time the kitten is big enough to climb up it or jump over it, it will be old enough to actually go outside or at worst we can get to it b4 it does get over.

The other 2 cats have both looked at it a bit strangely as it wasn't there when they went outside earlier.  The older of the 2 has 1. jumped over it and 2. pulled it open with paw.  The younger of the 2 has sat down beside it and meowed, she didn't even try to open it or jump it!  As pretty as my youngest cat is she really is very stupid, i'm sure she doesn't realise she is a cat and CAN jump and climb! lol!

June 15th 2015 - No name

June 15th 2015 - No name

Why is it harder to come up with a name for a kitten than a baby???  I wouldn't even say its because you have 9months to decide with a baby because with all 3 of mine I had names picked out for both boys and girls from once I knew things were going ok with the pregnancies.

I am getting a kitten in just over 5weeks and at the moment it has no name.  Well technically that's not true, we have a name if its a boy but not if its a girl.  This may not sound a big problem but it is for me.  Both my other 2 cats (and the 1 that died and the 1 that we took in that went back to old owner) all have mystical/wiccan/pagan names.  We have flame and willow at the moment and the other 2 were phoenix and gizmo.

This is the cute bundle of fluff that is coming to live with us soon that has no name!

June 14th 2015 - Indoor camp

June 14th 2015 - Indoor camp

Today has been spent mostly pottering around on the net looking for indoor camping ideas.  Not for my boys, but most probably will use some for them, but for my St John Badgers.  We had hoped to have a sleepover at another unit in the summer holidays but it looks like we are not going to be allowed for various reasons, so we are trying to out a day camp.

I have spent the day going from site to site, pinning ideas, making notes, adding to a plan, putting together sheets that can be made into a booklet etc.  There are loads of great ideas if you look.  Some I had already thought of others I hadn't.

I'm sure that if I can get permission to hold either the sleepover or day camp I will make a post or 2 as the planning kicks in more and the event takes place.

June 13th 2015 - Cardboard Slide

June 13th 2015 - Cardboard Slide

Yesterday saw the delivery of my wall mounted gazebo, it came in a 3m long box.  The said box I had dumped in the garden on the pile of "junk" that is going to the tip and thought nothing more of it.

My two youngest sons started to play with it last night and today they were using it as a Slide and sledge down the slope of the front garden.  Not quite like the pin where they are going down the stairs, if they did the stairs at my house I would be off to a&e as they would crash into a radiator and wall.

They have spent ages outside on their "home made slide".  I have taken some photos of them as well as videoing them.  Who says that you need expensive toys???  And so much for kids NOT having imaginations nowdays.  This was all their own doing and nothing to do with me!

June 12th 2015 - Wall mounted gazebo

june 12th 2015 - Wall mounted gazebo

For a few weeks now we have discussed buying a wall mounted gazebo but they were soooo expensive so it got put on hold.

Well last week we found the same one we have been looking at on ebay reduced to £76.  Which is a big reduction as were over £136.  It is the size we wanted for the space so we got one.  It has arrived today.

We have started to put it up and its bigger in height than we thought it would be.  But never mind, will be worth it once its up.  Not quite sure how we remove the cover on it through! 

I will add a pic when its up properly.

June 11th 2015 - BBQ

June 11th 2015 - BBQ

Today has been another absolutely lovely day, the sun has shined and was really hot.  We decided to do a BBQ for tea.  It was nice and the first one we've had this year.  Even though there has been nice days, they have either been too windy, we've had no food, no charcoal etc.

The above is just some of the lovely food hubby cooked.

 burgers, chinese chicken drumsticks, chicken satays, chorizo n chicken kebabs, sausages, bread n butter and garlic pasta sauce, with smirnoff ice.

 Followed by roasting marshmallows over the burnt out coals.

I liked the way the flames looked!

June 10th 2015 - Things that make me smile

June 10th 2015 - things that make me smile

As you are probably aware from previous posts I am currently having problems with depression, this isn't something new I have had problems for over 10years (since my mum died), but I have coped.  The last 2years have been really bad since I injured my knee and can't do much despite having surgery on it.

Anyway, I decided at the begining of the year I was going to keep a log of all the things that make me smile on facebook.  It is anything from something my kids have said or done to things that I have read etc, nothing in particular but anything that makes me smile.

The reason I have made this todays pin is because I ordered my son a shirt for a fancy dress day at school, its age 10-11years and I can fit in it!  This may not sound such a big thing to most people but as I am a size 16-18ladies (depending on where I buy from) this is a big achievement.  I am at the biggest I have ever been (even when pregnant) as I am unable to do much in the way of exercise due to my knee problem, and this doesn't help with the depression.  All I can say is the top is going to drown my son! lol!

June 9th 2015 - Small steps

June 9th 2015 - Small steps

Today I saw the counsellor again, not seen her for a few weeks because of various things an having to cancel appointments.  She is really pleased that I seem to be happier than when she first saw me and believes that she can discharge me in a couple of weeks.

She believes that her small steps to bigger things, like the pin says, has helped me.  I think its because the weather has turned nice and is sunny!

I'm still not 100% ok and i'm still getting snappy for no reason, I still feel down and i'm still not sleeping.  BUT most of this I think is linked to lack of sleep which is due to pain in my knee.  I also think most of feeling down is linked to my knee as I can't do as much as used to, my kids cant do as much as we used to because I can't walk for long or very far and i'm always in pain.  But if this is how things are going to be may have to just get on with it!

June 8th 2015 - New Shed

June 8th 2015 - New Shed

With 3 growing kids and 2 adults with bikes and a a garden shed that is becoming full of toys and tools we have had to buy a new shed.

We have bought another 1 the same as the one we have.  The plan is to leave the bikes and lawn mower etc in 1 and get some shelf units/baskets for the kids toys to go in at one end and store the gazebo and stuff at the other. 

Today is being spent sat waiting for the delivery of it.  All Wilkinsons could say was it was 8am-8pm delivery, and the driver would ring when half hour away.  When we bought the other one it came from Northampton  over 6hrs away, so unless they have changed supplier etc this 1 will be the same.  The only snag is that just over an hour from us there is loads of horse drawn vehicles on the roads as it was a big Gypsie event at the weekend, so it could be stuck in traffic.

June 7th 2015 - Apple & Raspberry Vodka

June 7th 2015 - Apple & Raspberry Vodka

I have spent most of today outside either sitting in the sun or doing some more on the decking as we have been able to buy more supplies.  YAY!!!

Well this deserves a nice treat in the way of a drink.  I'm partial to Vodka and will drink it mixed with most things (not coke or orange juice though!)  I also like the pre-mixed vodka drinks.

About 8or so years ago I came across a pre-mixed bottle of Raspberry Vodka in a supermarket, it was bright pink in colour and tasted like Raspberry squash - it also went down in this way, but after 3 bottles (1 liter) it hits that it has vodka in it!  This was lovely to drink on hot days.  Sadly to say that just over a year ago the supermarket stopped selling it. :(  I was gutted, I may have been in the few that bought it but they shouldn't have stopped it!

Since then I have been on a hunt for a replacement, that isn't very expensive and tastes nice.  Well i've not had much luck until recently that is.  When I discovered 2 things.  1 was Apple & raspberry juice from the chiller section in Aldi for 59p a carton-

This drink is actually very refreshing on its own and I drink quite a lot of it.  THEN when I was in B&M the other week I saw a bottle of Raspberry & Vanilla Vodka for £4.99 a bottle, so I got 1.  I thought I would taste it straight out the bottle and my god its strong, I spat it down the sink.  And I don't waste alcohol.

Anyway, I decided to mix the Apple & Raspberry juice with the Raspberry & Vanilla Vodka and it is absolutely lush!  The 2 blend together really well and complement each other and it tastes great.  I'm not quite back where I was with the old pink supermarket stuff but its very close.  Try it.

June 6th 2015 - Tidy vs mess

june 6th 2015 - Tidy vs mess

Today's pin made me laugh and fits me and my house - it is a house not a show home, if your coming to view my house make an appointment, if your coming to see me or my family you can just turn up and tae us as you find us (if you don't like it do something about it!!! lol).  I will hold my hands up and admit i'm not the tidiest of people.  However, I have gone on a mission today as I was fed up of 1 of 2 of the printers being on the floor.

So I set about moving furniture, so that I could move the printer table over so the 2nd printer could go on it as well.  Had to move everything as the 2nd printer is on a cable not wifi and therefore needs to be near the laptop.

But whilst I was on a moving mission I have had my "spring clean" (bit late but hey ho.)  I have emptied drawers, bagged stuff for charity shop and chucked other stuff in the bin!  Still have quite alot to do but I will get there.

June 5th 2015 - Hasselback potato

June 5th 2015 - Haselback potato

I have had a couple of these haselback/sliced potatoes pinned to my food section for ages, but never done anything with them.  Until today that is.  The link says oven cook for 45mins add toppings and cook for a further 15mins.  too long to wait when hungry so I nuked it in microwave for 12mins, sliced it, added my cheese n ham and then put in over for 5mins.

Although it was cooked and the skin was slightly crispy I didn't enjoy it as much as I do my normal jacket potatoes done in microwave and then a cross cut in the tops and fillings pilled in.

Here is todays as I had just put in oven and then as I was ready to eat it.

June 4th 2015 - Pop uk

June 4th 2015 - Pop uk

My boys brought a letter home from school the other day about an event through school at the local church called pop uk.  It wasn't anything I had heard of but said I would be there for 1 of the 2 performances.

Just before I left I got a text message from the school saying that the pop uk cds were available to buy after the performance at £5 each.

Got down to the church and got seated near the front, thanks to a friend that was at front of que to get in that saved me seats.  Lil man was on the front row and eventually saw us and started to wave.

A lady was introduced to the parents in the church and she took over.  she explained who she was and what she had been doing at the school with the kids over the past few weeks.  Then they all started singing.

They had been learning special songs about being kind, making a difference and all things like that.  Then the songs were recorded at the school when the kids sang, all by pop uk and put onto cds.  I bought 1 of the cds as both my younger 2 boys were involved, not that I expect to be able to pick out there voices.  lol!

It was a nice afternoon and all the kids sang lovely.  We parents had to join in parts of it as well, which wasn't greeted with great enthusiasm I can tell you.

June 3rd 2015 - Kitten

June 3rd 2015 - Kitten

A friend of mine posted some photos on facebook of the kittens her cat had on 1st June.  They are absolutely gorgeous.

Well I said to her that I would need to speak to my hubby but I would definately be interested in the grey tabby.  And if hubby agreed we would have it.  I spoke to hubby and he said "you've already decided your want it, which means amy's having it, so why you asking".    So i told my friend that the grey tabby kitten would have a new home in July when they old enough to leave mummy cat.

This is a picture of my new kitten, its 3days old in pic and was born on 1st June.

June 2nd 2015 - Bzzagent

June 2nd 2015 - Bzzagent

A few months ago I came across a website called Bzzagent who send their members samples of products to try for free in exchange of an honest review and discussions with friends/family about the products.

So far I have received a sure deodrant, caramel and hazlenut Douwe egberts coffee and the latest one was for F&F school uniform.  I have left reviews of the products on the bzzagent website.

The deodrant was the first product I tried and in fairness my review wasn't that great as I hadn't done this type of thing before but it was a start.  The product was packaged nicely, smelt nice, applied nicely and left no marks or residue on clothes or skin.  I would consider buying it in the future.

The next products were the coffees.  I thought they would be a couple of sachets like you get in hotels, but no they were full size jars.  The roasted hazlenut smelt really nice, but was very strong and I wasn't too keen on the after taste of it.  The caramel smelt and tasted lovely, it was even better when I added a couple of drops of caramel essence to it as it sweetened it more.  I have actually bought more of this since I trialed it.

The latest trial I am currently doing is the school uniform from F&F.  I was sent a voucher to use towards the cost of some school uniform products (of my choice).  Luckily for me the coucher was enough to completely pay for 4 pairs of trousers for my 5yr old.  I chose the ones that have re-inforced knees as he always goes through them!  I haven't been able to review them yet as they only came yesterday, but upon opening them etc they seem nice.   Review to follow in a few days.

If you would also like to try prodcuts for free in exchange for an honest review, you can find out more by following this link: http://u.bzz.com/whffa

June 1st 20015 - Weather

June 1st 2015 - Weather

I have absolutely no idea what the weather is doing today.  It started off nice and dry and sunny, but was windy which made it feel cold.  It was really nice when the wind died down. 

The sun then vanished behind clouds and hasn't re-appeared, but has been replaced with strong wind, drizzle, heavy rain and hailstones!  There's not much we haven't had, well no thunder/lightning, rainbows or snow!

This picture was taken yesterday which funnily enough had a similar pattern in the weather.  I didn't manage to get 1 of todays hailstones as they went as quickly as they came. 

Its stupid, its June, we should be outside in vest tops getting a suntan NOT wearing coats and jumpers and freezing!  The weather is totally messed up!  As long as the promised heatwave comes in later in week and ideally stays for the summer I don't mind.