Monthly Archives: February 2010

Spiritual Sunday – A pause in Lent week 2

 in A Pause in Lent / Jesus / lent / spiritual / Sunday by

  First an update on my giving up shouting.  I am trying and trying I am, I have not yet succeeded, but I am more aware of it, as are the boys.  If I do shout they tell me off, but they also react.  So I am still trying to give up shouting, just as the boys are trying to give up fighting! What is lent and what should it mean to me as a modern reluctant worshiper? I find this very hard to fathom, yes I know that it is a time of reflection and preparation for Easter.  A time to consider Jesus sacrifices and also his time spent in […]

Why have children when you have parents?

 in growing old / hospital / mum / parents / responsibility by

I suppose there comes a time in every person’s life when their parents stop being the supporters and start being the ones who need the support and the help of their children. Well it seems that that time has come all too soon in the Mad family.  My mum who is only 66 is in hospital yet again.  She is not in the best of health generally as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, but she how has COPD and is suffering with type 2 respiratory failure and it appears that she caught a chest infection on her holiday in Florida, which meant that she became oxygen compromised and when me and […]

Marching to the beat of my Drum

 in band / poem / Wednesday writing workshop by

  I used to be in a marching band I used to play the kazoo yep that awful, awful gold thing that no one knew what to do I used to wear a uniform with frilly knickers underneath I used to wear a big white hat with a chain that hit my teeth Green and white or Red and blue The uniform depended on what you do I had gold epaulets and a sash with medals on My mum and dad were very proud and used to cheer me on I had a feather in my hat knee high socks that just wernt cool This was the secret that I kept […]

Children’s Craft Showcase – Masking Tape 1

 in childrens craft / childrens craft showcase / crafting with children challenge / crafts by

This one goes out to all of you with little ones, ones that scribble and just love free art. Materials Paper Masking tape, as low tack as possible crayons, pens, pencils, glitter, paint I know that I keep going on about not passing your perfectionism on to your children and letting them express themselves, but it is so true.  I also know that there are lots of people out there who don’t craft with their children because they fear the mess, well this is one for you. By using masking tape, you can tape the paper on to the table, which is great for smaller children and stopped the paper moving. […]

Dr F’s Casebook

 in bears / minimad / play by

Pajama bear had to go in for surgery over the weekend, you see he had developed a couple of holes and he needed to be fixed. So cue the medical kit – stat, outfit – stat, stethoscope -stat, tape – stat, well you get the picture. Mini was a very good doctor, who decided all would be well one he “snipped off bears boobies”!  He made sure that he was kind and considerate to his patient. He tried to tape him up and bandage him, but to no avail, emergency surgery was required and mummy Consultant had to administer sutures, whilst nurse mini and maxi assisted. The patient has had plenty […]

Spiritual Sunday – A pause in Lent

 in A Pause in Lent / Easter / lent / spiritual / Sunday by

  I am taking part in Floss at Troc, Broc and Recup’s pause in lent.  we took part in the advent one and it was great fun and very informative for me and the boys.  This is going to be more of a challenge for me, as there is less we can do to reinforce the message. So what is Lent, I have explained to the boys that lent is one of the most important times in the Christian calendar and is the 6 weeks build up to Easter.  To keep things basic we explained that it is 40 days and nights, excluding Sundays, which represents the time Jesus spent fasting […]

Pen pals for Children Required and Secret Post Club

 in childrens penpal / february / letters / Secret Post Club / Wednesday writing workshop by

We all love receiving mail and Heather at Notes from Lapland has started the secret post club to satisfy  the need to send and receive little parcels in the mail. I received my wonderful parcel this week and it was  lovely to receive something in the mail.  I was paired with Silent Beauty, American Mom in England and I received some wonderful yarn and two special boxes of yummy treats. Now this got me thinking and I would love to start something similar for the children in our life, but rather than sending a present, it becomes a letter swap.  Old fashioned pen pals. Image Creedit D Sharon Pruitt   I […]

Nature or Nurture

 in clever / development / education / maximad / mini mads / minimad / parents evening / school by

I have clever children, there I have said it.  I have got rid of the elephant in the room.  They are very bright and intelligent (gifted and talented they call them at school, but that term just doesn’t sit well with me, as all children are talented in someway).  But before I go on about their amazing abilities, let me tell you a story: I use to feel inferior as a mum, both the boys were late walkers and never even crawled.  I used to compare maxi to his peers in my NCT antenatal group when we lived in Berkshire.  I used to come home and cry and feel inferior as […]

A letter to my children in case I do not wake…..

 in brca1 / breast cancer / hospital / mastectomy / mini mads / Wednesday writing workshop by

It is nearly one year since my first breast surgery.  I was frantically trying to fit everything in that I needed to. I had booked 6 weeks of Tesco Deliveries, a book of all the things the boys liked, ate, did and schedules. But specifically the one thing I was doing a year ago was writing letters.I wrote 4 letters and 3, I will share with you, the one I wrote to MadDad is not and never will be for public consumption, but I wrote one each to the boys and one explaining why i was doing what I was. Writing those letters was the hardest thing I had ever had […]

Shrove Tuesday, Lent and Ash Wednesday

 in cooking / lent / mini mads / pancakes by

So lets do this in order shall we….. We used up our eggs (fresh from the butcher) and all had a wonderful evening meal with tons of pancakes. In fact it is one of my most pleasant memories from childrhood, pancake day, reinforced every year by the same routine and due to the joy that this memory brings me, I do the same with my little men   Table set for a dinner of sweet pancakes, sugar, lemon juice, raspberry sauce and golden syrup, tea cups for all and also sugar cubes and a large pot of tea.  Mum (yes me) in the kitchen on what seems to be a conveyor […]

What is in my handbag Meme and an award

 in award / handbag / meme / tagged / whats in my handbag by

I have been tagged by Emily at Babyrambles to show you what is in my handbag, so all for keeping it real, here is what is in my great fatface bag (which was a great bargain in the sale for £15 with my Christmas money). Firstly a need a washable bag, secondly it is great now I no longer need a nappy bag woohoo. In the front pockets, I have my iphone, in its cath kidston case and my coin purse In the bag I have: Organised mum diary Bright ideas note book Shopping list book Camera Tissues Colouring pencils 3 pens purse aromatherapy oil 2 lip glosses Spare Specs for […]

Menu Plan Monday and shortbread recipe

 in baking / cooking / frugal / fun with food / menu planning / recipes by

It is half term for me and the minimads this week, so I have lunches to make for all and then MadDad will be on on Friday, so we are going for a day out Monday Lunch – Sandwiches Dinner – Curry and rice Tuesday Lunch – Pancakes Dinner -Spag bol Wednesday Lunch – leftovers Thursday – Jambalaya Friday Picnic and pot luck Saturday Home made chicken burgers and wedges Home made pizza Sunday – I am not sure what meat we will be going with this week, I will see what is on offer at the butchers I also wanted to give you the recipe for the almond shortbread biscuits, […]

Spiritual Sunday – St Valentines Day

 in baking / children / handmade; homemade; crafts / remeberance sunday / spiritual / valentines by

What are we celebrating today?, Who was valentine? Well wikipedia says He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner — until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor — whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn’t finish him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate. MadDad and I have told the boys it is a day for recognising the people you love and for standing up for the […]

All that Remains

 in mastectomy / pain / poem by

White on white, raised and hard So obviously foreign in their origin Not flowing, not organic Just Jagged and sharp Like quiet footsteps on a hard floor Pattering against the soft smooth skin puckered, raw and taught  Alien in the lunar landscape gripping pain, prevents rest and sleep no amount of rubbing can realise me I press against my muscles with my fingers Too tense they refuse to give electric currants pulse through the wires still no release from the incessant pull warm swimming feeling from opiates in mind pain penetrates all options I sink in to the deep warm water hoping for some realise Deeper holding my breath stifling the […]

The Secret Post Club, Are You A Member?

 in Secret Post Club by

  Heather at Notes from lapland come up with the idea of a kind of pen-pal thing, well it is a post club, once a month you get details of someone to send something (anything) to. Anyway heather does the club better than I could here. I decided that it is lovely to send and receive something, in fact I love the feeling of anticipation when I know the postman will have a parcel for me and I also love the fact that it doesn’t have to cost a lot, so I signed up. These 2 little parcels are on the way to my swapper, could it be you?

My Most Surreal Mummy Moments

 in carnival / maximad / mini mads / minimad / Mummy Moments by

Well I have been parenting for nearly 5 years now, so I am obviously an old hand at this lark, yeh right.  But one thing can be sure, is that my children surprise me everyday. One of my moments actually happened at Parents Evening for MaxiMad, he has a red book that is filled in with observations etc by the teaching staff.  MadDad and I were sat reading through it whilst waiting for our turn to see his teacher.  We came across the following entry: Maxi is in the construction area, using the blocks to build a boat, when asked who was in the boat he replied “this seat is for […]

The Best Carrot Cake in the Whole Wide World 2

 in baking / cooking / frugal / fun with food / Recipes by

  Receipe 140ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing 2 Eggs 200g light brown sugar 300g grated Carrots, (grated weight) 100g raisins 75g pecans or Walnuts, chopped (optional) 180g self-raising flour 1 pinch Salt 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground Cinnamon 1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Mixed spice Orange cream cheese icing – this rarely gets put on in this house, as everyone eats the cake before I get chance!! 50g cream cheese, chilled 50g Butter, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 275g icing sugar, sifted 1 Orange, zest only Method 1. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. Oil and line a loaf tin with greaseproof […]

Meal Plan Monday and More Frugal Food

 in cooking / frugal / fun with food / menu planning / Recipes by

Sunday Dinner was Mince, onions, dumplings and lots and lots of vegetables, one of my big tips for being frugal and following your meal plans is to make it as easy as possible, so today food will follow on and utilise yesterdays leftovers and additional amount that we cooked. Monday Lunch – Leftovers Dinner – Spaghetti Bolognese, utilising mince, onions and any left over veg with the tomato sauce we made over the summer Tuesday Lunch – Spaghetti on toast Dinner – Lasagna, bulked out with cottage cheese and vegetables Wednesday Lunch – Leftovers Dinner – Dahl and Naan Breads Thursday Lunch – Sandwiches and soup Dinner – Sausage casserole and […]

Spiritual Sunday – Grateful

 in grateful / spiritual / Sunday by

  Maxi getting excited over playing with his Fun Domino’s (a christmas present) I am grateful: My wonderful Saturday lie ins and being woken by my boys with a cup of tea. Living nearby the sea, I love the ever changing landscape the sea brings. The crocus’ just poking out their green tips in next doors garden Family dinners. That my mums hand has healed well and that they have popped a fibre glass pop on which is much lighter for her. That we have packed mums case and she is all set to go on holiday tomorrow That the boys adore their cousins and spent a lovely afternoon with my […]

Roses – why wait for valentines day!!

 in flowers / roses by

  I never used to like roses, but they have literally begun to grow on me.  I have been lucky enough to get a couple of bunches from Aldi over the last couple of weeks. My images don’t do them justice, these are a very pale lilac colour and have a parchment coloured tip.  There are two weeks old and a lovely now they are on the wain.   I got these with my shop this week, they are a pale cream with a peachy centre and they are just divine.    It is wonderful how a bunch of flowers can make a real difference to my mood.  I like these […]