Frosty morning, cosy afternoon

We went out to get coal this morning, and stopped at the skate park on the way back. Too frosty for scooting on the ramps today.

But it was perfect for sliding down the ramps instead!

The rest of the day was much like last week, spent on various indoor pursuits.

Freddie got out a Ben 10 Wii game he had struggled with the last time he played it a few months ago. He had it sussed today though. He was concentrating on it for ages, and when he got past a particularly difficult bit he said he was really 'proud about himself'.

Betsy did lots of puzzles.

We all enjoyed the toasty warm fire.

My birthday in food and drink

I took a load of photos on my birthday yesterday. When I looked them over today, I realised they were *all* of food and drink!

My day started with breakfast in bed, brought by Freddie.

I had a lovely lazy morning, lounging around reading a book. It was a beautiful sunny day so we went for a walk along the canal before lunch.

After lunch I went into town while Rob and the kids did secret birthday things at home. I stopped for a cuppa.

When I got back we had some party games - pass the parcel, and a treasure hunt, and musical statues. There was a pile of mocha brownies and birthday candles. Seriously yummy!

later Mum came over to babysit, and Rob and I went out. We called into the real ale pub for a half of Titanic, a guest stout from Stoke On Trent.

Next, a pizza. Fiorentina, my favourite.

Rob had a pudding, I saved myself for another brownie at home.

A cup of tea to finish.

It was a lovely, relaxed, munchy day.

My family came over for a roast today. I made slow roast belly of pork from Jamie Oliver's recipe. It was so delicious, and very cheap. £4-something for outdoor bred pork from M and S. This is going on my 'must make again soon' list.

Mum made a gorgeous chocolate and raspberry birthday cake, with creme fraiche. More candles, more happy me!

Not going out (mostly)

We're experiencing an energy dip this week. The kids don't want to go out, and I'm not that keen either! I'm not sure if it's a general post-Christmas thing, or if we just need some time to catch our breath. Either way, we all seem to want to stay home. It's unusual for us.

So we've been doing bits and bobs at home.

Freddie, Betsy and I made some more brownies. I just love the brownie book Mum gave me for Christmas. This is the third recipe I've used, and they came out perfectly.

We got Netflix through the Wii, on a free trial. So there's been a lot of slobbing around in pjs, watching Dora the Explorer and the Wonder Pets. These are the kind of days you don't tell home ed doubters about!

I finished putting together the thank you cards. Freddie had typed the message, Betsy did the art work. I stuck everything together, and Betsy stamped the envelopes. All in all a good team effort.

I made a sort of tent/rainbow roof in the living room, to see if it would change the mood or the energy at all. It didn't!

The kids played some games - together, and separately.

We did go out on the little road behind our house the other day, for a run and a scoot. Meg likes to walk around the block - along the little road to the end, up the road to the canal, along the tow path to our alley, and along the alley back to the little road. We did that a few times, then came in for lunch. And that's as busy as we've been!

Busy Betsy

Freddie can't get enough of Skylanders. He's playing it, thinking about it, talking about it, watching youtube vids of it for most of his waking hours. He's planning his next set of figures, musing why shops sold out so quickly, and why it's taking so long to get new stock in.

He's not got much headspace for anything else at the moment!

Betsy likes to keep busy, so while Freddie was playing Skylanders and Meg was asleep, Betsy and I got on with bits and bobs.

First up she did some painting. We're using these pictures to make thank you cards for Christmas presents.

We spent ages doing a set of 4 puzzles. She loves these puzzles but we rarely do them all in one go.

We got the hammering set out.

We collaborated on this tree!

A new museum, and games at Granny's house

We went to Rob's parents this weekend, though I'd like to say that Meg enjoyed dressing up as a Power Ranger before we left. We got this for Freddie the Christmas he was 3. It fits Betsy perfectly, and I now roll up the sleeves and legs for Meg the way that I used to for Betsy. I wonder if I'll be able let this suit go when it's too small for Meg!

Anyway, that is slightly digressing. We went to Rob's folks, and they live just outside Stoke On Trent. We rarely do too much when we visit, and that's a shame as there are so many lovely places to go. This time we visited the Stoke On Trent City Museum.

The kids loved it. There was a gallery that was geared to young visitors, where Meg could get close to the exhibits...

... and Freddie and Betsy could dress up as insects!

There was a pretend tree to climb inside, and make a nest in. I was asked to pretend to be a bird trying to catch and eat these delectable insect morsels.

There were lots of displays of stuffed birds and animals.

After the museum there was plenty of time left to play with Granny and Grandad.

Meg loves the old telephone.

Betsy showed Grandad how to play with the Innotab.

Freddie played his first game of Subbuteo with Rob's childhood set. He used his own rules though!

Meg invaded the pitch.

Freddie persuaded Granny and Grandad to play cricket in the freezing cold.

When we got home, Freddie ran straight round to Jarvis's house. I assumed they'd be playing Skylanders, but when he came home he brought two lemon and lime cheesecakes Tor had helped him to make. And they were delicious!

Recent makings

Now Christmas is over, and I've been able to make things for us again.

I've had a kit from Mollie Makes magazine for months and months. I've finally got around to making it, now I have a smartphone to put into it (yay!).

Rob saw me making it, and said he could do with a cover for his iPod. So I've made this for his birthday, in Port Vale colours.

I've also been working on a large cushion cover for our delicious sofa. I'm using the leftover yarn from the massive granny stripe blanket I made last year.

I've done 45 of the 91 mini granny squares. I need to find a jumper to make it into a whole cushion cover, I'll be rummaging through charity shops to find what I want.

I had to mention these brownies - flourless brownies from a little book of brownie recipes Mum got me for Christmas. In my best Craig voice... A-Maze-Ing! Oh they were good. I'm going to make a pile of blondies for Rob's birthday tomorrow, with candles stuck in them. Can't wait!

Flying back into the groove

Well, it's 2012. Rob is 41 tomorrow, I'm 39 next week. It's the year of the Olympics. It doesn't feel that long ago London won the bid, but Freddie was a new born then and he's 6 now! Pah to time moving, I can't keep up (a sure sign of age....)

Anyway, today started with a very beautiful pink sunrise.

We had to be up and about early (for us early, not so for others! I set my alarm for 7.45). We were off on a trip to the Brooklands museum in Surrey. It's full of old aeroplanes and cars, and is the home of Concorde.

We went with our home ed group. We've tweaked how we do things now, and focus on an area every month to explore. January is transport, so today we had a day trip, and our other meetings we'll do lots of different activities on the theme.

It was lovely to see everyone again. The kids seemed to enjoy meeting up again, Freddie was especially pleased to hang out with Archie. We walked around the aircraft hanger - Rob would have loved to see the old war planes. We saw a Vickers Wellington - over 1000 were built but only 2 have survived.

Then we went to the education room, with bits and bobs the kids could play with and explore.

After lunch we went to the Formula 1 exhibition. The kids had a sit in the Maclaren F1 car, one of the famous red F1 cars I remember seeing on the TV. The grown ups had a go 'driving' a modern F1 car round a computer track. You could tell the mums that played Mario Kart at home!
Then - very very exciting - we went on Concorde. Concorde was a big part of my life, living under the flight path. It flew over twice a day, unbelievably loud, and we always stopped what we were doing to watch this amazing machine.

I'm now even more in awe. It flew at 1350 miles an hour! 2.5 seconds per mile! Oh my god! Freddie loved it, and the fact it flew on the edge of the atmosphere.

Check out the wing!

And see how at home Meg looks on board. Destined for great things I think ;-)