Signs of spring

Its beginning to look a lot like Spring time around here.  Mr T and I got to enjoy our first bit of gardening of the year.  I'm itching to pick that rhubarb and make a crumble, I think it'll be good to go in a week or two with any luck.

Jitterbugs

A lovely morning making jitterbugs with local home educating families.  Both children loved the opportunity to wire these up and actually get them jittering around the room!

Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding

Wow, now this is an amazing recipe.  As I'm on a tight budget we only used Aldi everyday value hot cross buns but made sure we added lots of extra sultanas and freshly grated nutmeg.  Mr T made it pretty much all on his own.  He doesn't tend to like trying new foods and was just going to serve us and not try the finished pud but then he surprised us all by trying it and then liked it enough to have about 3 portions!

The recipe is from frugalfeeding blog here.

Snowdrops and looking forward

I have a real thing for spring bulbs, the first snowdrop always brings a smile as its a sign that spring is really on its way.  This year for the first time I have been able to go on some of snowdrop walks, and I think this one is one of the best.  Now we are looking forward to daffodils, bluebells and more sunshine!

Pom Pom Earflap Hat

I love this photo of my pom pom hat, it has a real spring feel to it.  This is the hat I blogged about here but in a different colour.  I am really pleased at is one of the hats I have actually designed the pattern for myself.  If you would like to buy one they are available in a few different colours and sizes on my Etsy shop, or message me through the shop if you would like an earflap pom pom hat in this colour or another colour or size not listed.

Life skills

I grew up in a home where home cooked food was the norm and that's what I aim for with my own family.  Now that Mr T is old enough to get more involved in the serious job of cooking meals we have started doing a bit of cooking together.  I have always baked all sorts of goodies with the children but now we have upped the challenge and I have been helping Tom to cook some of his favourite meals as well as attempting some new ones.  Excuse the over crowded kitchen, we tend to cook together on the "big shop" day when our weekly food arrives so it is a day of plenty!

Jamie Oliver's Beef and Ale Stew

Cheese and Onion Pie

 Vegetable Pasta (with squeaky beans!)

 Cauli Cheese and jacket potatoes

Leek and Potato Soup

Working on compiling the cookbook is providing lots of literacy work including sequencing, handwriting and learning about instructions and non-fiction writing in general.

Winter walk

A lovely walk but wow was it cold!!!  Hot lunches and drinks on return to help us all defrost.

A New Hat

Knitted in the gorgeous Sirdar Indie, popular with me and the cat...eeekkk!!!

The Monkey in Action

Here is the monkey that I knitted and blogged about earlier this week, in action already.  I'm so pleased with how it turned out!

Archery

Fun with new found home educator friends!

Monkeying about

I knitted this little guy as a special request for my photographer Rachel Jefferies.  I adapted a pattern from Melody's Makings to make it work with Stylecraft Chunky yarn.  The fluffy parts are knitted from a strand of Stylecraft and a strand of King Cole Moments in Koala.  The pattern suggested white for the face and inner ears but I went with cream as white seemed a bit harsh.  I am not sure whether to list him in the shop as he took a fair bit of knitting and sewing but I may offer him for custom orders!

Dunham Massey

The first time we have been into the gardens here, was really lovely, can't wait to go again!

Twins

Here are Hudson and Harper, such gorgeous twins, thanks again to Grandma and their parents for sending me these lovely photos!