Three Beautiful Things

1.  An origami cat - a birthday gift from Yoyo to the Eldest.  He wasn't overly grateful so I intervened and now it sits on my kitchen windowsill.  She put a lot of love into that kitty I tell you!

2.  Yoyo herself.  Because I am biased (and I'm told it is a parent's right to think their child is more beautiful than anyone else's)

3.  This new song from James Morrison (Queen and Clean & I are huge fans).  Will be released next week.

Sorry I am missing in action again.  I have lots to show you and must do better with more regular posting.

Anna x

Three beautiful things

1.  Yoyo twirling in the garden to make her dress spin.  She eventually collapses onto the grass giggling.

2.  My long awaited flowers from my 'Princess Diana' (think that's what it was called) clematis finally appear. 

3.  First courgette of the year.  I have been lazy this year with vegetables and am just growing these and Tuscan Kale.  Not sure what to do with the Kale, think I was just growing it to be trendy, but assure you I will use every last courgette up.

Three Beautiful Things

1. Seeds - can't recall if they are sunflowers or courgettes.  Either way I'm happy.  Windowsill space is at a premium as most of our windows are sash with no sill, so this little space in the kitchen will get a whole lot of sprouting action over the next few weeks.

2.  Decorating for Easter, or indeed any event.  Because it's so non-essential, if I find time to manage it I must be making headway.  This years hawthorn twig has got an upgrade with white spray paint.  Every visiting child thinks the eggs are made of chocolate, and I share their disappointment when I break the news they're not.

3.  Littlest one learns to ride his bike.  I can't avoid the fact he is growing up, am overwhelmingly proud but just a little bit sad at the same time.

Three beautiful things

1.  This heart that Yoyo gave me for christmas.  No further explanation required.

2.  The kids wanted some pirate treasure maps which turned into a fierce competition between me and The Queen of Clean with cold tea, burnt edges, crumpling effects etc.  Why beautiful?  Because it was one of those times when the urgency of what we had been doing was put to one side and our focus was them.  Because that is important, and doesn't always happen.   Who won?  Me for my burnt edges.  Sorry no pics....they were last seen being taken outside to locate treasure.

3. My littlest one makes friend with a Ladybird who he wants to keep as a pet and find a cage for.  (I also think he may be permanently cross eyed from inspecting this new pet).  Managed to convince him a  cage probably not the most sensible option for his new friend, we decided to park him in amongst a basket of socks instead.

Three beautiful things

 

1. Building this today with Yoyo.  It is supposed to be an Advent Calendar........perhaps we were supposed to make one house a day.  But we are both impulsive and did the whole lot at once.  We like to break the rules around here.   There was much discussion over our favourite house - mine is the cake shop shown above.

2.  I have finally painted the Barley Twist table I got free from the local tip.  Two undercoats of satinwood - still needs a top coat, but I'm too impatient to wait.  In situ next to the fireplace it goes.  A mental tick off the endless to do list.

3.  The surprise DIY The Queen of Clean did whilst I was out yesterday in this coat/shoe cupboard.  I cannot wait to show you (but vanity wants me to give it all a lick of paint in there first).  It made me literally squeal with excitement when I saw it.

I love being married to an engineer - they have this inbuilt need to fix things and problem solve.

Three beautiful things

1.  The joy and enthusiasm over a 60p packet of chalk from this little fellow.

2.  This little nook at the front of our living room by the window.  I have moved the trunk there and it has become an impromptu reading corner.  Not that a whole lot of reading goes on here amongst the daily bedlam - but when it does, this is often where it happens.

3. This picture that my Mum painted me.  She thinks because I move it around and it has no permanent home I don't cherish it.....but I really do.

3 Beautiful Things

1.  The excitement brewing here today around making these cakes. 

2.  Littlest one's new strategy to beat the ever closing pages of the colouring book.  Do you remember that?.......so frustrating.  He just steps right on the spine.

3.  Yoyo feeds her teddy ice cream on a trip out.  I remember this is the sort of thing I would have done and I am taken back to being 6 again.

Three Beautiful Things

1.  Yoyo brings home this little weaving from school.  It takes pride of place on the mantlepiece, and anyone who admires it I exclaim 'Don't you think it shows an eye for colour?' - just like one of those Mums who think their children are gifted.  At least I can laugh at myself.

2. My eldest places an order with his Granny for the Easter cake sale (20 fairy cakes, 10 white, 10 pink, 5 with jelly tots on top, 5 with smarties) he is appealing to the wider market through diversification.  Thanks Mum.

3.  The Queen of Clean's reaction when I ask him if he wants to colour co-ordinate the book shelves.

Cowboys, monsters and bunting

It's been a while, but here are my three beautiful things, inspired by one of my regular blog reads here, do check out the link if you haven't seen it before....it's about finding the beauty in all of the everyday moments.

1.  Losing myself for a moment in the arrangement of these cowboys and indians on the fireplace - given to me along with many others by a friend.  For the children of course, but I can't help having a play......

2.  My eldest announces my handbag looks like a monster's face....I see it immediately (do you?) and we giggle.

3.  I spend my spare moments dreaming how this playhouse in our garden will look this summer....it is rather neglected.  My head is full of bunting, window boxes and the like.....I think the planning will be more exciting than the doing.  Am sure the Queen of Clean will be happy to play a big part in the renovations!

Hope you manage to find some beauty today..........

Sprigs, hats and kitten paws

Realised I hadn't posted three beautiful things for a while, and after an eventful and rather stressful afternoon I thought it might induce some much needed calm!

So without further delay, they are:-

1.  This little sprig of fir tree in the jam jar on the left was gathered on a family walk on Saturday morning.  Poor Yoyo was really struggling to make it back home and it had started to snow again - we kept her spirits up by asking her to look for the 'Christmas tree' so Mummy could put it in a jam jar. 

The plot worked, she kept walking (and stopped whining) and she is very proud of her little sprig.

2. The constant and ever changing display of hats and gloves drying on the radiator.

3.  Rose the kitten plays with my toes this morning as they hang over the edge of the bed.  She doesn't use her claws, just her soft paw pads.  I take this as a sign of feline affection, although I am doubtful that is her intention.

Aaahhh, that's better....feeling calm.

Icy faces, patience and mulled wine

My three beautiful things for today are these:-

1. Yoyo finds it hilarious if I de-ice the car by drawing faces with the ice scraper.  I indulge her this morning as we're not in a rush, and she squeals with laughter whilst waiting inside the car.

2.  The kindness and patience of an optician who understands implicitly that my daughter is desperate to wear glasses but doesn't actually need them.  She allows her to try several pairs on and gives her a thorough eye test.  Yoyo works her myopic desires out of her system.

3.  The Queen of Clean hands me a glass of warm mulled wine as I type this post.  I love this man.

Martha, flying goats and a rescue

Again drawing inspiration from this wonderful blog, I'm going to try and do this every week. So for today my three beautiful things are.......

1. Martha contemplates going out in the snow - my kittens haven't seen anything like this before and it is so funny watching them trying to work out what on earth is going on.

2. Laughing with my eldest about how he used to call reindeers 'flying goats'.  Believe me there is not much humour in parenting a child with a serious language disorder, but when you do find it....well it's priceless.

3. My husband (aka the Queen of Clean) comes to pick me up from work, he knows I don't like driving in the snow.  A rescue of sorts.

Am I allowed another - just for today?  Listen to this song. Melancholy, but also beautiful.

3 Beautiful Things for Sunday

I found this blog today and felt inspired to post my own 3 beautiful things for today.......

1.  These lights on our bed (little christmas trees if it's hard to tell).  They were a bargain found by a girl at work who passed them onto me. I fell asleep with them left on last night and awoke to find my two youngest had crept in with me....they were bathed in this lovely red light.

 2.  This note by Yoyo to her brother.  'I howp yuo lik my pichir'.  He was indifferent to be honest....but I will treasure that spelling forever.

3.  These tea towels which I asked my friend to pick up from Bicester for me to give as teachers gifts.  I am in a Cath Kidston induced state of bliss.  And of course in a dilemma now whether to keep them for myself or pass them on as intended. 

Reading this back I realise that two of my things are material items.  No wonder I am trying to create my home on a shoestring......too much spending I think.   So the teatowels - should they stay or should they go?