Making Our Own Fun

Oh, the rain we have had this week. It feels as though it has rained every day. I don't think it has, but I have that bored, restless, dissatisfied feeling that comes from a wet school holiday. Picnics and farm visits have been cancelled or relocated to indoor soft play centres. We haven't had much garden time, for playing or gardening, not when the rain drums down on the skylight windows like this. 

I've found this week hard work. Bella was very tired and whiny when school broke up, everything was a problem, nothing was right, and she has been like it all week. Stroppy. Angus has also been harder work than normal as we removed his dummy last weekend ("My not need dummy. Dummy for babies.") In hindsight, doing this at the start of half term was foolish, but it was long overdue. He doesn't want a nap anymore. I rely on that little break in the middle of the day to get jobs done, have a little head space, have some one on one time with Bella. But, he is three, and I am lucky he was such a good napper for so long. See how I'm trying to find the positive?

Thank goodness we had the Jubilee celebrations to give the week some focus and colour (and an excuse to eat a lot of cake). Thank you Abigail for my lovely mug, what a wonderful surprise.

We've made our own fun. The kids never tire of trying on my shoes, and I never tire of finding it entertaining. Like when they try on my sunglasses, it always makes me laugh.

Especially when Angus is still in his "monster" pyjamas.

Plants have been admired and watered (she grew this at school - they are doing "growing" at the moment).

In between rain showers I have been perking up some furniture with the help of little people. It's a job that has taken all week, done in piecemeal, waiting for coats of paint to dry, done whenever I have a spare minute. I'll show you the finished result next week.

Bella wanted to do some sewing (yes!) without any pressure from me, honest. She drew a plate filled with apples, oranges, grapes and bananas onto the white linen with a fading pen. Then she wants to sew over the lines with thread. She has started on an apple, in green. It requires patience and endless needle threading from me, but she seems really motivated by it.

Her design reminds me of the beautifully detailed, whimsical Palmers Cove and First Eats tea towels from Anthropologie. What can I say, my girl's got taste.

Image from: http://images.anthropologie.eu/is/image/Anthropologie/A24451072_060_b?$uk-zoom-5x$

She "hemmed" the edges:

I've been doing a bit of sewing too (theme Wizard of Oz, not Gay Pride):

Meanwhile, Angus assembled a Playmobil snack kiosk at the top of some battlements on his fort. Handy for any attacking troops who fancy a milkshake and apple on their way to do some raping and pillaging.

We ended on a high note though, with a trip to see Peppa Pig Live at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, followed by lunch out at a Chinese buffet with a pretty spectacular all you can eat ice cream selection.

What about you, have you had a nice week? Have you had ANY sun? I hope you've had fun wherever you are. Thank you so much for being here and for reading, and a very warm welcome to my new followers. x