All images from Pintrest
The boys finished school today and we had a great afternoon in the park together with friends from both their classes. We have two weeks left until we go on holiday and I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this sunny weather continues until then.
I’m looking forward to six weeks of no school run, homework or after school activities!
The sun is still with us so I got the water table out and Clemmie had a fun time splashing around and pouring water everywhere (including the sand pit which I was not too happy about!)
Clemmie finished playgroup this week and while she was at her last session I headed to a local cafe for a latte and a quick browse through the latest issue of Living Etc magazine. I had a to-do list as long as my arm, but it was my last child-free hour until she starts preschool in September so I wanted to make the most of it!
While I was in the village I also bought some yummy chocolates to give to the lovely ladies who have been looking after her at playgroup.
Sports Day in the sweltering heat! The kids all did well and kept smiling despite the sun beating down while they were doing their running and egg-and-spoon races.
Buying peonies on a Friday has become a rather nice habit. Sometimes my husband has even been known to buy them for me!
I went to a charity dinner on Friday night organised by my good friend Vicky to raise money for Street League and won this beautiful bracelet in the raffle.
My eldest son and I kicked off Sunday morning with a power walk around the village and a nice chat about school, Minecraft and football.
After a full day of cycling, barbecuing, swimming and eating tons of strawberries, one member of the household simply could not keep their eyes open any longer!
It’s been a full-on weekend so I’m tempted to do the same after finishing my glass of wine and a couple of squares of Lindt’s Blueberry Intense dark chocolate.
I’m sure I’m not the only mum who feels like this, but sometimes I look at my first-born and I can’t help but wonder where the years have gone. Is it really a decade since I struggled into work, heavily pregnant in the heatwave of 2003, excited but also a little bit scared at the prospect of becoming a mum?
This autumn he turns ten and there are already a few signs of pre-teen behaviour lurking in the shadows. Moodiness, yes, and a burgeoning desire for time alone to listen to music, read or just stare into space (preparing for all those hours of teenage angst no doubt!) but also a growing maturity that seems to manifest itself in a more caring and considerate approach to those around him (with the possible exception of his little brother!).
On a more practical level, he is definitely starting to outgrow his pirate-themed bedroom decor and we have started to look at different ideas in magazines and on Pintrest with a view to redecorating his room after the summer. He’s keen on a feature wall with graffiti wallpaper to offset an otherwise neutral colour scheme with white walls and wooden floor boards. On the whole, I would like to make sure that it is a room that will last him for quite a few years and can easily be updated by changing a few details like cushions, rugs and art work (or more likely, posters tacked on to the walls!).
Here is a selection of what we have found so far:
All images from my Pintrest board Boys’ Bedrooms (link)
No more buggy! All three children ready for the school run on their scooters.
I hardly dare say it aloud but this amazing weather just keeps on coming. This week we got the water slide out for the boys and they had lots of fun in the garden.
A couple of new purchases in the Sale – a jumper in a pretty coral colour from Swedish brand Hunky Dory and a platter from Iittala (bought from the Royal Design webshop) that I’m using as a tray for the oils and spices that I most frequently use for cooking.
For the third weekend in a row we went over to my parents’ house for a cooling dip in the pool and a barbecue dinner.
We rounded off the weekend with yet another birthday party for Clemmie – this time with Grandparents and Godparents – and I’ve now eaten enough cake to last me all summer!
Clemmie and her best friend having some snacks before the show starts
Clemmie and I have spent a delightful afternoon together with our friends in the company of Iggle Piggle, Upsy Daisy and the Tombliboos.
For those you who don’t have children, I have not gone completely doo-lally (yet) – they are characters from an immensely popular children’s TV programme called In the Night Garden. My friend and I took our daughters to see the stage version of the show – a perfect treat to end Clemmie’s birthday week.
The girls both enjoyed the show, shouting out each time their favourite character came onto the stage and dancing along to the music. Unfortunately, meeting the giant Upsy Daisy after the performance was not such a hit with Clemmie who was terrified and refused to sit on the character’s lap to have her picture taken!
Now, time to relax at the end of another lovely hot day with a glass of wine and glossy read. Have a great weekend!
Today was no ordinary day – it was Clemmie’s third birthday. (Sign from a shop window in our village)
Present opening and cupcakes for breakfast.
The best present was without a doubt the yellow scooter which had been talked about for weeks. It had its first outing on the school run this morning.
A birthday party for a handful of little friends at home in the garden. Another day of glorious weather – long may it last!
Playing in the garden but the beloved scooter was never far away. No one else was allowed to touch it and for once I did not implore her to share.
Happy birthday girl!
This week has had definite highs (the scorching weather for a start) and lows (all three children coming down with the sickness bug springs to mind…).
A trip to the garden centre at the start of the week to get some new plants and sand for the sandpit.
Dinner at Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant with the whole family after shopping for more birthday presents for Clemmie. I had a yummy starter of deep fried squid followed by the Black Angel pasta. I then spent the remainder of the meal trying to steal spoonfuls of Cameron’s salted caramel ice cream – definitely having that next time!
Summer is now officially here! Faking it is the only way to tan these days and I can always rely on Fake Bake’s tanning mousse to turn my limbs from lily white to sunkissed. I also tried the St Tropez Tan Optimiser application mitt for the first time and it really helped to blend the colour and get an even coverage. Highly recommended!
A game of badminton against Daddy in the garden before bedtime (which somehow seems to have moved at least an hour later than usual..):
Breakfast on the terrace in the sunshine. Freshly baked scones and a large mug of coffee.
On my way to a fab 40th birthday party that sadly my husband had to miss as he stayed home to nurse the sick children. The £7 H&M dress had its first outing, teamed with metallic wedges from Kurt Geiger. By the way, if you’re wondering why I’m holding my hands funnily it’s because I was rushing to get ready and had only just applied a fresh coat of nail polish!
With three children to get ready and out of the door by 8.30, our mornings have always been rushed but lately they seem to have become even more chaotic. The lighter evenings mean that the kids are staying up later and struggle to get to sleep when they are finally in bed. As a result my own bedtime has been pushed back as I try to savour the few hours of quietness when I can relax, read or watch TV (I always plan to do various jobs in the evening but it hardly ever happens as by 8pm I’m too exhausted).
This morning the boys were still chewing on their toast as my husband took them to school. With Clemmie parked up in front of CBeebies, I managed to have a leisurely breakfast and read a few pages of the magazine I bought last week. A few cups of coffee later and I feel almost human again! Hopefully we can all get an early night tonight…
The flowers which my mum gave me for midsummer are still going strong. Love the colour combination!
Ready to face the day!
I kicked off the weekend by having three of my girlfriends over for dinner on Friday night (my husband was at home but decided that it was safer to retreat into the living room rather than join in the girly gossip!). We started with some croustades filled with smoked salmon and a chicken and tarragon mixture, followed by Chilli Corn Carne and finished off with my lemon and white chocolate cake. They very kindly brought me some beautiful flowers that have brightened up the house no end. I also got to use my new placemats from Svenskt Tenn which I love but they make me feel a bit nostalgic as the design depicts a map of my hometown of Stockholm .
Feeling rather delicate on Saturday morning, I went for a long overdue haircut and colour and caught up on some celebrity gossip over a cappuccino . On a whim I asked the hairdresser to put some curls in my hair rather than the usual straight blow dry. I really liked it and have now booked in for another blow dry before one of the parties we’re going to next month.
This weekend we finally got some sunny weather so off to the garden centre we went on Sunday to buy some flowers to plant in the pots on the terrace. I’m not green-fingered by any stretch of the imagination, but I actually quite enjoyed it and think they turned out pretty good for a complete novice, even if I do say so myself! Now I just have to make sure they stay alive, and with my track record I know that’s the tricky part.
A Spoonful of Style 