The Last Days

The last few days of our summer holiday were good. Once I'd finally got all the uniform and new school stuff purchased (last minute as usual), all I needed to do was relax and enjoy the time at home with the Little People.

There were some loud pleas for a stint of painting, so I squashed down my natural response of oh-no-I-don't-think-so and embraced the mess and the joy. It was very worth while in the end, providing pretty much a whole morning of quiet and concentrated creative activity for Little B and his big sis.

Little Lady decided (and please don't ask me why) to make a shark poster for her bedroom. This involved sellotaping six sheets of paper together, then painstakingly drawing out an image she found on Google and painting it bit by bit. She did really great, especially mixing the most beautiful shades of blue and turquoise for the sea (which I didn't get chance to photograph), and it is now hanging proudly on her bedroom wall.

Little B produced page after page of careful colour painting, he was a complete joy to watch. Several times over the summer holidays we've done painting, but he has always got bored and ended up mixing all the colours together and making the most horrendous brown painty mess over paper, table and himself. But his time, he talked his way through all of his colour mixes and I was extremely touched by the way he so thoughtfully chose and worked his paint. I could have cried with pride and love. He is growing up sooooo fast.

During a last minute dash into town (for pencils and a dictionary), we took a little detour to one of my favourite shops in town to buy soap. Using handmade soap every day is one of my sweetest luxuries. I don't wear any makeup and I don't use any creams or anything on my skin (excepting a daily smear of The Body Shop Lip Balm), but I do love to use a great soap. The shop where I buy it has dozens of handmade soaps to choose from, so every time I run out I switch and change to a new fragrance. This particular one is a stunning colour as well as smelling gorgeous.

In the same shop, Little B begged me to buy him some bath marbles, and as they are so pretty I didn't take an awful lot of convincing. At 10 pence each, it has turned out to be a worthwhile investment as I can now miraculously get him to come running for his bathtime. And that has to be good.

Towards the end of the holidays I made a concentrated effort to tighten up on the snack routines around here. Without realising it I had gotten extremely lazy over the summer, feeding the Little Peeps convenience snacks which they could help themselves to (pre-packaged pancakes, cereal bars, processed cheeses, biscuits etc, oh tut tut). So now it is back to healthy eating, with lots of fruit and home  baking again. No need to buy expensive cereal bars when I can so easily make a batch of fruity flapjack!

The few days following our trip to Dorset were super relaxed and very home orientated. We kept talking about heading out and Doing Things, but that's as far as it got. It seemed we were all more than happy to hang out at home. Little B has only very recently gotten into watching films, and it's been such a blessing for this weary Mumma from time to time. He is so full of energy and so active all of the time, that I honestly thought he would never ever learn to sit still long enough for a film. In the above picture, he is dressed in his favourite outfit (it's Transformers Bumble Bee, in case you were wondering about the yellow lycra), watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Little Lady.



Right now, a week later, and life has become a little more fraught. It's been a toughie, and I don't mind admitting that I have been barely coping with the up-rise of emotion laced with a definite stressy edge. My Little Man has awkwardly put himself into a shirt, tie and blazer, and bravely set out into the disciplined world of grammar school education. And today is Little B's turn as he begins his first day at nursery school. I am a bundle of nervous energy. Actually, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of energy, it would be more accurate to say I am a bundle of nervous fatigue. Hey ho, this too shall pass.

In the meantime, the part of my life that doesn't revolve around children is full to the brim with crochet bunting. Piles and piles and piles of it. Almost 6,000 triangles. Eighteen more sleeps, Yarndalers!

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Comments

[to learn make money online]

There is certainly a lot to find out about this issue. I love all the points you made.

[Pelagia's Needles]

I'm starting to see some similarity between the colour choices you make for your crochet work and Little B's artistic eye ;)

[Kate]

Lucy- no point getting school stuff any sooner than the end of the holidays- children GROW over the Summer!I do hope Yarndale goes swimmingly well, will be thinking of you whilst waiting for my hospital trip- I'll be there next year though!

[Jenny]

I'm coming to Yarndale from Staffordshire with two friends. Can you tell us if the Auction Mart is under cover? Really looking forward to a yarn blow out!

[Liz]

Love the painting! I babysit for 2 year old twins and they haven't gotten into the painting yet. Can't wait for that! And I love the homemade soaps too.

[Jo Roberts]

I wonder what it will feel like for you not to have to sort bunting when yarndale is over, you will have acres of time you didn't know you have been using up! It has taken so much time - you should rent it out afterwards for weddings and fetes. Jo x

[Marylin]

Lucy girl, you actually live a charmed life, m'dear. Blessings, MO

[Becca]

For a mom who's a bundle of nervous fatigue, you're doing exceptional things.

Thanks for the flapjacks recipe. I'm gonna try an in-between version to see if I can get in more of the healthiness. I was confused at first. This side of the pond, flapjacks are another name for pancakes.

[Fiona]

It really made me smile reading your comment about the painting and how you often make an excuse when it's requested. I'm just the same. I often put Frederick off when he suggests it because of the mess especially as our dining table is not in the kitchen. But it's always a joy when I do let him do it. At least he now gets to do some away from home as like your little B he has started nursery school last week. A very emotional time for me but he seems to be coping with it well and declared this afternoon that he 'loves Miss Jo' his new teacher! Good luck with sorting all the bunting. So wish I could head up north again to Yarndale. Fiona xx

[CJ]

It's such a difficult time of year I think. So much stress and emotion. Hardest of all for mummas I think. I know what you mean about little people growing up. I was looking at photos from five months ago yesterday, and my littlest boy has grown up visibly in just that short space of time. Your soaps look lovely. A friend of mine has just started making them, so I am all for people buying handmade British products. Hope you have a good week Lucy, and that your boys enjoy school and nursery.

[melissa]

Lovely post!!

Like you, I don't wear make-up (except a teensy bit of mascara and a little lip gloss). That being said, and I'm a bit older than you so I speaketh of experience, one habit just one thing, I wish I'd started years ago in my 20's...a moisterizer. I use a cheap Oil Of Olay knock-off every day. I REALLY makes a difference in how my skin looks. We're all exposed to sun light all the time, smog, second hand smoke, nasty stuff in the air, and of course aging, that all takes a toll on our skin. You young ladies, get in the habit now before it's too late. if you do nothing else, slab a bit of moisterizer on every morning. That tiny little thing can make a huge difference down the road.

[Susan]

Oh, my. When I first started reading your blog, I think you had a BABY, and now he's off to nursery school. They do just keep on growing, don't they! And it's so beautiful and wonderful and heart-rending, all at once.
I love trip pictures and desparately hope to visit your part of the world some day.
-Susan

[GrandmaKiss]

I was surprised to ready your flapjack recipe and realize that is another proof that we Yanks and you Brits don't speak the same language. In the US (and Canada) a flapjack is a pancake, similar to Scottish Pancakes. I must say though, your flapjacks are a better snack than mine.

[barbara]

6,000 triangles.AMAZING!That sounds like a lot of work joining them together.Another lovely post Lucy.Can't wait for Yarndale.

[Bev]

What a busy Mom you are! The first day of school is a toughy and sending the littlest one off is so hard. Sounds like you have wonderfully creative times with your kids. How fun!

[Katie]

Your bunting is beautiful - all of those bright cheery colors!

[Bonnie]

Hi Lucy, sounds like a lovely end to a lovely holiday. Don't worry, we all do it from time to time (give in to the easy snacks) during school hol's. Sometimes it's nice to just break routine!
Love your daughter's shark painting, it looks pretty good!

[Clare]

Wow what get shark painting and lovely colour from little b, those bath marbles look delish and sherbity. I think I can spy a pennant that look very much like one of mine (Turquiose pomegranate and Saffron) in the nearest pile to the front, peeking out by the turquoise pom pom :0) Have a wonderful time at Yarndale, just enjoy it xx

[Jules Francis]

Hi Lucy,
I have enjoyed your summer blogging as ever. Family days full of fun, all great stuff. Yes you are making lovely memories for you all to remember, each one very precious. Thanks you for sharing them all with us. Well I have just manage to book what seems like the last available self catering accommodation in the Skipton area! It has taken me days to find something as everything seemed to be booked up. We have rearranged our family holiday so we can come to experience Yarndale for ourselves and not just read how great it has been on your blog. (Will enjoy doing that too!) We are coming from Bristol, via London and my some of us are coming via the Outer Hebrides!! Yes we really want to be there - how exciting!
Don't stress about everything being finished as no one else is going to know. I'm sure it going to be a great success and am looking forward to exploring your neck of the woods. Thanks for all your hard work.
Lov Jules :0) xx

[EL]

What lovely color schemes Little B. came up with!

[Joy]

and breathe Lucy .... my youngest grandson has taken himself off in shirt, tie, blazer etc etc to high school ... oh no I can't be that old!! 18 sleeps and counting .... wahey can't wait xx Joy xx

[Rachell]

Wow? That must be a typo surely?! 6,000!
Imagine how rich you could be if you asked for pounds too next time ;-)

[Thistle]

Best of luck to all of you. I love your new soap; I'm like you, no makeup but I do need to use moisturizer because I live in the desert. I'd have the countenance of a lizard otherwise. :)

[amjaylou]

A quick hello before the school run. I just don't know how you manage to pack everything in Lucy - do you sleep? ;-D I am in awe! See you at Yarndale x

[Rachael]

I've just waved my eldest off to secondary for the first time too, it's a moment like no other! Such a mix of sadness and love and pride and joy...I still feel somewhat unsettled by it all but thankfully she loves it. Best of luck to you over the coming months, I think I'll follow your example and immerse myself in crochet projects :-)