Friday 29 June 2012

Pin of the week...


Thinking about sprucing up the walls in Ava's room... here's some pinspiration for children's art and prints!

Happy weekend everyone!

This would be SO easy to make!

So cute for a little girls room! Get it here
Some prints for the bathroom - I just love the bright colours!
These prints can be ordered here 






Thursday 28 June 2012

Special Delivery...

Yesterday morning, I had three visits from the postman.
The first postman delivered all our mail as normal - the usual mix of bills, newsletters and junk mail!
The second postman arrived with the ink cartridges I ordered ages ago (Mum and Dad - you'll be pleased to know we won't be stealing your ink any more!)
The third postman arrived and wanted me to sign for a strange, flat package, addressed to Dave.

I felt it, shook it a bit, tried to peer through a little hole in the side, but to no avail.

After much wondering, I put it on the dining room table, and promptly forgot all about it...

Until, sat in front of the Portugal/Spain match last night, Dave piped up...
"Were you in all day today, Claire? I think the Olympics tickets were meant to arrive..."

OOOhhhh... exciting...

Said mystery package was promptly retrieved, and the excitement mounted...

The moment of truth...

Look at the pure excitement on his face! 
We got tickets!!!

... only quarter AND semi-finals!! 
Have any of you got Olympics tickets? I'd love to hear what you're going to see!

Wednesday 27 June 2012

From No-Go to Play-Zone...

When Ava first started crawling, and I announced it on Facebook, one of my Uni friends made the following comment that kind of stuck with me...

Fun, fun, fun! Try to create a "yes touch" environment to keep it positive - no gets boring

We're a month in to the crawling thing now, and I can confirm that "no" is indeed getting boring. When Ava pulled my entire spring display down on top of herself yesterday (pot plant, candle holders, tablecloth, picture frame and (thankfully) plastic plate), I realised that perhaps the environment I was trying to hold on to was too much "no" and not enough "yes".



At this stage, I want my "nos" to be reserved for that which is dangerous - cables, radiator pipes and oven doors... Don't get me wrong... I think it is ABSOLUTELY VITAL that Ava learns to respond obediently to the word no, but I found myself moving her away from one thing and then saying no to something different...


So yesterday afternoon, when I put her down for her afternoon nap, I set about turning my beautiful spring display "No Go" table into an Ava-friendly "Yes-zone"...





And then came the moment of truth... my little Bubba lifted herself up to the table, expecting to see the usual pile of things she wasn't allowed to touch... and just look at those eyes!


Someone couldn't quite believe she was actually being ENCOURAGED to touch everything in sight!!


Here's hoping the "yes" zone stays popular, and I'll keep plugging away with my No-Go areas!

Any more suggestions welcome!

Over and Out!

Tuesday 26 June 2012

GGS Update: Week 2

So I'm one week into my Get Good Summer goals (for more on what that's all about... click here) and I thought it was time for a little update. Thanks to so many of you who have facebooked me, commented on the blog or just come up to me and told me what your Get Good Summer goals are... now all we've got to do is achieve them!

In summary - these were my five goals...

1. Read 5 specific books
2. Exercise every day
3. Make Ava an item of clothing
4. Garden - plant a veggie patch
5. Norwegian - improve conversational skills

SO...


I am now up to chapter 3 of Keller's "The Meaning of Marriage." Its a great book, asking the question "What is the point of marriage?" in a culture that suggests its just a piece of paper. I'm really enjoying this one - I'll keep you posted on how it develops! Since I've started it, I've discovered a ton of my friends are reading it too!


My workout regime has started with a vengeance, and so far has incorporated...
* cycling
* dance classes
* Nell McAndrew workout DVD (seriously hardcore!)
I have yet to attempt the park gym equipment, but my friend Ellie and I are going tomorrow... I'll give you a full report on that one... (probably without pictures - !!)

Nothing to report on the clothing front, I'm afraid, unless you count the hat that I made for Ava the other day by knotting her muslin to keep the sun out of her eyes... I was going for something a little more aesthetically pleasing, though!

OK... so I haven't started my veggie patch, but I have made a start with a herb garden... does that count???!


Yesterday afternoon, I started working my way through my Norwegian text book... I'm going to try and do a little bit every day and ask Dave to speak norwegian with me a little bit more. My plan is, in the summer, to speak Norwegian the whole time we're in Norway - lets wait and see if I manage it!

So that's the latest on my Get Good Summer... how are you guys getting on? Leave your comments below!

Monday 25 June 2012

The Euros...

England are out of the Euros.

These faces...




...have turned to these faces...


Another year of disappointment.

At least Ava wasn't fussed.

Germany... we're behind you now... pressure's on.

Friday 22 June 2012

Homemade herb garden!

So I haven't managed to make a start on my veggie patch yet, but at least part of my garden is now edible! Last night, I planted up my wooden trough with some yummy herbs (already used the chives in our mashed potato - yum!) French parsley, oregano, chives, rosemary and coriander can all be picked from just outside my kitchen window! Just got to make sure the slugs don't get at them! (I pulled about 15 dead slugs away from my Lupin last night... slug pellets everywhere! Yuck!)

This whole green-fingered thing is new for me. I've NEVER been good at looking after plants... they've tended to die within weeks of being in my care; I just forget to water them - oops! This past year, I've made a real effort to actually keep my garden alive... and its finally paying off...

I was having fun with my camera last night, capturing some of the colours, and keeping a record of how nice it looks at the moment... just in case my forgetfulness sets in again and its lost forever... I'm DETERMINED not to let that happen this year...

Painted lolly sticks and a sharpie!
This little birdhouse cost me £1.50 from Garson Farm sale! Love it!
Hanging pots are from IKEA and filled with geraniums! 
Homemade herb garden... the herbs were only £1.99 each and were bought during my third trip to the garden centre this week! £10 well spend!!
Clogs were a charity shop find - geraniums, trailing geraniums and marigolds! 
Pretty in pink!
Fiery flower - beautiful!
As I said, this is how it looks at the moment... the challenge now is to KEEP it looking this way...

Oh help...

Happy weekend everyone!

Thursday 21 June 2012

Ordinary days...

We had a bit of a manic weekend last week; it incorporated a music team training morning (which we were running), a trip to the garden centre, a school reunion, a 30th birthday party, music at church and guests for Sunday lunch. It was great fun, we loved every minute of it, but PHEW! I breathed a sigh of relief when I slumped into the sofa on Sunday evening! I was definately NOT putting my "slow down" thing into action...

So we've been doing a fair amount of pottering this week; having friends round for coffee, trips to the garden centre to see the fish, days around the house and in the garden... just nice and relaxed.

Friday night curry takeaway - I couldn't face cooking!
Thinking through Sunday song choice 

Music team small group discussion - talking through Worship Matters (Bob Kauflin) 
With her NCT buddies... boxes are fun! I won't rant on again about how much more fun everyday boring stuff is to actual toys... but seriously!
Homemade ice lollies... yum!
This past week, Dave's started taking Ava for a little walk after her dinner while I prepare our dinner. She loves it, he gets one to one time with her, and I get a quiet house for 20 mins - everyone's happy! Very grateful for my thoughtful husband. So appreciate that little bit of space! This was them arriving back yesterday evening!
Me and my gal! I don't have many pictures of just me and her... anyone else find that? Generally I'm the one to take the photos, so it was nice for Dave to offer to get some of me and A.


Wednesday 20 June 2012

My Get Good Summer...

So here we are... I initially thought I'd only go for five, a) because I have a little kid and want to be realistic about what I'll achieve and b) because I thought I'd struggle with ideas of what to set for myself. I was DEFINITELY wrong on b).... once I got started, the goals just kept coming, so I've whittled it down to my top 5 (although if I'm super-efficient and get them all done, I might add some more to the mix!)

So, here goes...

1. Read 5 challenging books - I'm not just talking any old books (as you all know, I'm a bit of a readaholic!) but 5 books that I've intended to read for a long time, and never got round to doing... probably because they're slightly tougher books; books that will challenge me and make me think (as opposed to my beloved fiction!) I've gone for Tim Keller's "Meaning of Marriage" (always good to read a marriage book - Dave's read this one and has told me its got a fresh perspective), Terry Virgo's "The Tide is Turning", "The Cross of Christ" by John Stott - one of those christian classics which I've put off reading because I know it's hard core, but everyone whose read it seems to have been changed by it! "Don't waste your life" by John Piper (you can't go wrong with Piper!) and Keller's "Generous Justice" - all about pursuing justice for the poor in our society as a result of the Gospel. That's the line-up... five BIG books; 11 weeks - better get crackin'!


Courtesy of Hillingdon East Conservatives
2. Partake in half an hour of exercise every day - For too long I've counted "walking to the shops" as part of my daily exercise... might explain why I haven't quite managed to shake off my pregnancy weight... I'm intending to vary it up so it might involve a cycle ride, using the exercise equipment in the local park (though I'm still wondering if that's a bit too public a place to be exercising!), tennis games, dance classes, Nell McAndrew Workout DVD - the choices are endless... I have no excuse, other than laziness, and I intend to make sure at least half an hour is achieved every day. Starting tomorrow.

3. Make an item of clothing for Ava - I've always been a bit scared to have a go at making clothes to be honest. I love working with a needle and thread, and will try my hand at pretty much anything, but clothing has always been one of those big scary projects that I've been to afraid to approach! Maybe it's because I would only have to make a mini-item, or maybe because my friend Wanda has been making clothes for her little girl and has inspired me, but I think I'm ready to enter the realm of the unknown! Wanda, I will be needing your tips, advice and guidance on this venture! I'll keep you all posted! (photo courtesy of prudentbaby.com)



Courtesy of growyourownclub.co.uk
4. Plant a vegetable patch - I've been working away in my garden this past week, I planted a load of geraniums and marigolds and its starting to look a lot lovelier than it did. I'm no gardener, but there's something lovely about a pretty garden. I think there's something lovely about a productive garden too, and I've wanted a vegetable patch for ages, so its about time to do something about it methinks! I've also found this great website that I think will help - http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/todo_now/veg_gard_now.php Watch this space!

5. Improve my Norwegian - A bit of a vague one, I know, but I intend to work through this Norwegian course book that my father-in-law handed me down and attempt to speak as much Norwegian as possible when we're out there this summer. In case you didn't know, my husband (who's half-norwegian) speaks Norwegian to our little girl, and while I understand everything he says, I can say close to nothing. That's going to change; this summer! (photo courtesy of Free Translation Community)
So they're my top five... as I said, depending on the success of these five goals, others may be added to the list at a later date, but now its your turn...

What are your five goals this summer?

Click the word "comments" below and let me know and let's "Get Good" this summer!

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Get Good Summer 2012! Get in on the action!

The time has come... it's the launch of "Get Good Summer 2012" All will be revealed in this post as we head towards the summer months...


I don't know about you, but I find the summer can be a bit of a no-mans land. I often look back and think "what have I actually done this summer??" Too often it is filled with lazy days where absolutely nothing is achieved. Don't get me wrong, relaxation is vital but do we have any purpose to the way we often use those golden summer days? Get Good Summer is all about changing that.. it was started last year by two friends, Matt and Bruno, who decided that Summer 2011 was going to have a bit more significance for them...

We're lucky enough to have "Get Good Summer" introduced to us by the man behind the idea!

Matt, what is Get Good Summer?
Get Good Summer is an attempt to overcome mediocrity by living a more focussed life. The concept is very simple - create a list of ten goals that you want to achieve by 1st September 2012, and go about achieving them with the help of other GGS members. 


So what's the idea behind it?
There are things we want to do in life, but which we sometimes lack the discipline and self-control to make happen... Get Good Summer is merely an attempt to remove some of the distractions and focus on achieving them!


Why should readers get involved?
Because you want to. It doesn't work otherwise!


OK, I'm convinced!! I want to make sure this summer I'm productive and achieve some goals! What do I need to do?
Write down a list of specific, but varied, goals... aspirations in fields as diverse as physical conditioning, cuisine, memorisation, sporting prowess, cultural awareness, financial management, retail aspirations and music are just some of the ways people want to get good this summer!


So here's the challenge... I'm going for five goals this summer (it's my first attempt, so I want to make it achievable) and I'm going to announce them tomorrow. My aim is to achieve each of these goals by September 1st... why don't you join in the action? Let me know what your five goals are in the comments box below over the next couple of days (just click on the word "comments"!), and lets help each other have a productive summer this year! I'd love to know what goals you are setting yourself!


Monday 18 June 2012

Resolution 22: Living for the moment?

22. Resolved to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigour and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

It's the anthem of the culture we live in: "Live for the moment!" and "Enjoy life"... they sound so wonderful, so appealing and such great ideas to live your life by... and yet these cries are so dangerous! Living for the moment justifies decisions that make me feel good. It leads a society into self-centredness, as everyone seeks to do what makes them happy, with little to no regard for the consequences to those around them. Edwards quote seems to endorse this... how can that be?? How can he be encouraging us to seek happiness with all our power, might, vigour, vehemence and violence... really??

But all of these thoughts miss one vital little line in Edwards resolution... "in the other world". As Jesus says in Matthew 6:20 (The Bible)...

"Store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal"

See, that's the problem. If I seek my ultimate happiness now with the kind of vigour that Edwards suggests, I will only be disappointed. The "treasure" that I'm seeking - to be the ultimate "supermum", to have a beautiful home that everyone admires, to be appreciated and honoured and looked up to, to be successful in my job, my marriage, my motherhood - that treasure will wear out. I'll have bad days as a Mum, I'll get frustrated with my family, my house will look a tip, I'll feel the sting of someone's criticism and those "treasures" will rust and be stolen from me...

But if I put my energy into putting my treasure in heaven - in other words, finding my satisfaction in Jesus, I will find that that will "never perish, spoil or fade" (1 Peter 1:4, The Bible) because where I fail, and falter, and mess up, he is steadfast and unchanging and reliable.

So I'll enjoy this life, I'll savour every moment of it, because its a gift from my true treasure. And I'll put my energy and enthusiasm into life, because I want to live it for the King. He's my treasure, and he's worth living for.

Friday 15 June 2012

Pin of the week...

Hoping for a turnaround in the weather so we can enjoy some outdoor summer evenings...

We can only hope! Here's some ideas from Pinterest this week...

Simple but effective!
I love these things... yet to purchase though... 
Frozen hot chocolate... amazing idea!

We had a hammock growing up... and it was the best thing EVER!
Candle lanterns... so atmospheric

Beautiful table... might struggle to make my green plastic number look this nice!

Have a lovely weekend everyone! See you next week!