The zoo, mothers day and colds!

we have mostly been going to the zoo last week, we got a yearly pass and enjoyed it so much, the zoo has really changed a lot since I last went years ago and they have changed some of the enclosures and the changes are awesome, I didn't used to agree with zoo's and captivity but the conservation work they do is inspiring and if these animals were left in the wild they would be hunted, our zoo also rescues animals, the elephants were part of a circus troop and now enjoy there days playing outside and just being elephants. It has been a great influence on our school work to as the boys have learnt so much by just reading the placards by the enclosures, we have been drawing these animals and researching more at home, I took loads of pictures and by far this one of the capybara is my favourite, she looks so grumpy but just after this she started making this purring clicking sound like she was so happy! Also this I have been cooking up some lovely and very tasty recipes form the new Rachel Allen cookbook, it was less than half price in WH Smiths so I couldn't resist!

I have finally finished a scarf I have been knitting for Chris and have just finished a hat for Adam, I really want a new project but still when I look at knitting patterns my head says its too hard and does this boggly thing where I just put it back!!

I had a lovely mothers day despite being full of cold and feeling like S!*!, in the morning my Tom and Chris became chefs and cooked up a great breakfast, although I did keep smelling burning and nipping in the kitchen to see if they wanted help, I kept getting ushered out, I'm not a very good bystander when someone else is cooking!, I spent the day under my duvet on the sofa watching films and masterchef! Adam followed a recipe and made spaghetti and meatballs which was very delicious, really garlicky and I was impressed as he is 12! I stayed up with the little ones and we watched castaway under the duvet with the coal fire roaring and plenty of warm drinks.
Also before I go the lovely Gina over at a space of love is having a mother magazine give away which is great for all of us who haven't read it, I like the idea of try before you buy!

Happy mothers day to all you lovely mothers, hope you have a great day xxxxxx

this week I have been......

Buying bits and pieces for our home......

I saw this and it made me laugh because we never feel like a normal family especially as home schoolers and we are really quite daft so it is very apt!

Beautiful, vibrant spring time crocus', the sun has been shining and it really feels lovely to be looking at pretty spring flowers again....

we wrapped up and went to the beach, it was a lovely day but a bit nippy on the sea front, the boys spent ages rearranging rocks whilst we shared a flask of barley cup and took silly photos of us- which I won't share- think of the above cushion!! hehe x

Lancaster and spring at last!

Yippee the sun has finally returned in all its glory, what a beautiful few days it has been, we took the bus to Lancaster and it was a long lovely drive, we saw loads of sheep and a few lambs but for me because we live in a grey town, the green of the hills and trees made me feel so happy.We went to Williamson Park, which is Lancaster's biggest park high on a hill that overlooks the town and it was so clear we could see the lake district in the distance, the sea far off and Lancaster castle. We went to the top of the folly, a grand building that was built in 1909 by Lord Ashton, some say for his wife who died.
You can get married in Ashton memorial but I wouldn't fancy coming down the steps in a gown.
We went into the butterfly house and it was so hot but amazing seeing the huge butterflies, the boys however were taken with the turtles and sat for ages watching them bask on a rock.

This is an owl butterfly, it was bigger than my hand and it stayed in the same spot all the time we was in there.

Me outside after our picnic in the woodland, there were so many robins, blue tits and sparrows hopping around whilst we ate, birds singing in the background and warm sun flickering through the trees, it was such a lovely feeling to be outside and not freezing or in a rush to get home.

there are great hills and trees for climbing on, a park for younger ones and a lake that was still frozen, the park is that big we didn't see all of it, we went into the town to the museum because the boys like the metal soldier's!

I feel truly blessed that we had a good day and after a hot bath full of rose petals and some yoga
I slept like a log, happy spring xx

Manchester museum and bread

We went to Manchester museum, after missing the first train, forgetting my money, not realising the museum shuts early on a Monday so we had to leave early and miss loads plus standing all the way home on a very packed train, we did have a good day! We saw things like this HUGE crab and Darwin's life story, which helped us get a theme going for home school, ancient weapons and native American clothing, mummy's in the Egypt section, this cool new section with a wood and these huge flowers in jars, I loved the colour scheme and think it would look great in a bedroom or play room,
We looked around the animal part which houses loads of different species and we saw animals that I had never heard of before, we took pictures of the boys in the same spot as last time we came about 6 years years ago, when we came home we compared them to our original photos, you know I think its great having a digital camera but I do miss the excitement of taking a film in to be processed and when you go a few days later to pick them up and having a tangible thing to put in an album.

Tom loved it especially the wolf, I think the wolf is his spirit guide animal, mine I think is the polar bear, I read a book on it from the library and it is an interesting subject, I would love to look at it in more depth.

We didn't get to look at the living animals so we want to go back soon to finish it off. On the way to the museum on Oxford Rd we came across a vegetarian store and cafe - wow, I would love it to be nearer to home, it was so refreshing to not feel like the odd shopper and to see so many familiar items. We did a suma coop shop the other week and its been great, the only trouble is the storage of all the bulk packs, we have the tinest kitchen and so its all on shelves in our bedroom - how romantic!

The other thing I have been doing is using my bread maker - I really don't know why I didn't buy one sooner, its so good having fresh bread every day, the trouble is, it's so good we end up eating the full loaf for lunch!. I'm not very impressed with my slow cooker though, maybe I haven't got the hang of it or haven't used a good recipe yet but I find it a waste of time messing with it.

Still looking every chance I get for a house in the countryside to rent, we can't wait to move from here so the boys can have fresh air and space to run around, we would love to be somewhere green!

Our day at Lytham

As I had an appointment at the hospital we had to go to Lytham again - oh no, he he, it was so cold but really sunny so lovely for strolling, I made some bunting and this v.cute teapot cosy for the lady at Fresh, this is my first ever one and I'm really pleased with it, its embroidered and appliqued onto hot pink quilted wadding, I must invest in a really good camera when I can as this looks so much better in real life. We have been using our new bread maker everyday - why didn't I get one earlier, I love it and have been getting up extra early just like a proper housewife! Whilst out and about we went to Booths food store and I love the variety that they have, loads of dairy free things and lovely organic local veg, we always buy bits and pieces whilst we are there, next door is a home store that has a great kitchen range in it, lots of coo-ing by me over the scales, polka dot oven roasters, cute cake stands and Cath Kidston mugs, we went upstairs and we saw this sofa:
it is so comfy and squishy and in the sale......we took measurements and a photo and walked away in the hope of finding one a little better priced :(

We had a long walk on the seafront and down the jetty where the lifeboats used to go,

Chris loved collecting shells and trying to spot things in rock pools,

I loved looking back at Lytham from a different angle, and having the sun shine on our faces. We went for lunch and I went into the Cath Kidston outlet, its in another shop and I have always wanted to go in but it looked too posh, but today I really wanted to buy my first piece of Cath so I got some lovely floral oven gloves, which I really did need to take the bread out of the bread maker!! and a cup for Mr Tom and a cup for me, they are awesome cups, they are two brew size, so in the long run they will be worth my frivolousness as the kettle won't be on as much x

Tick tock....

How does time go soooo quickly, I really do try to keep up with blogging but before I know it a couple of weeks or even months have past, I would like to wish for 3 more hours a night please ( I get more done then when all is quiet), anyway I have been busy doing an art day for our home school group which went really well, knitting lots of hats and I'm doing a gorgeous bright pink mohair scarf for me now on huge size 12 wooden needles - I love them, I have been having a big clear out and putting loads of stuff on free cycle in anticipation of moving, we want to move this year, as soon as possible really, to somewhere more green and country like, I'm trying to be a natural woman in an urban environment and we have finally had all we can take, I want a big garden to grow more stuff in and so the boys can have a wooden den with room to have adventures outdoors, I know how much my fellow would love a room to work in that's not our bedroom too, we rent now so it shouldn't be a big thing moving its just finding a house were having trouble with!

Onto other things... we had a day out in Lytham and I went to one of my favorite shops "Fresh" and saw this amazing dresser. I umed and arghed and bought it!

I adore it so much, the bottom cupboard is full of my sewing things, the drawer is great for art paper and I have little pots of buttons and beads on the shelf, each time I come in the room it makes me smile. I got talking to the lady who owns the shop and I'm going to make some sewn items for her to sell, excited that my stuff is going into another outlet.

I'm also half way through doing a website - oh my god, it has been tedious and takes me ages to do, I keep avoiding it and doing other things instead, I think I'm best setting myself an imaginary deadline and it may make me more motivated, I will be selling handmade items for the home, handmade gifts, organic toiletries, essential oils, fair trade products and natural items, some of my things arrived today so the front room smells lovely, here's a little sneak preview....

Hope everyone had a nice valentines and imbolc, we spent both at home together enjoying each others company xx