The Royal Proclamation And Lavender Ice

Queen P5 would like to announce that she and her brother had a rather splendid time staying the night with her grandparents, thank you very much.

Her mother would also like to announce that she too had a rather wonderful time buying some seriously splendid yarn.

Skin - A Mortal Work Of Art

http://ineradicablestain.com/skindex.html

Eeeep! Found this today and immediately decided I had to do it. Partly to be part of a work of art, partly to see which word I got, partly as an excuse to get another tattoo. Partly because I like that she tries to attend the funerals of her words. Not that I'm planning on dying or anything, but you never know if you are going to need more attendees at the time.

Then I read closer and she has already got ten thousand volunteers and relatively few words remaining. Which makes me crazy because of course now I REALLY want a word. To be a word.

Which now puts pressure on what you write to this woman to get her to pick you?

A Day In The Life

Very ordinary. But still one to cherish. One day I'll look back on the pics of these very ordinary activities and go awwwww. . . .

Possibly hindsight will even dull the fact that P5 mixed every puzzle she owns together and five of those puzzles now each have one piece missing.

On Not Being Beige

I still have a couple of coats to do on the lighter steps, but I can't resist from sharing with you what happens if you get inspired to rip up your crappy old stair carpet and paint your stairs all different colours. . . . it goes around a corner, so I can't get one shot of it, and it's missing the lovely purple step at the top, but I'll stop making excuses and. . . . TA DA!

Will do the numbers when I can find letraset or a big stencil. Geeky Husband is trying to persuade me to do it in binary, and I am a little tempted.

Happy Birthday M16!!!!!!!!

Sixteen! Sweet sixteen. Ah, M16 I'm so happy to be your auntie. I love the way that you can talk to anyone, and do. I love that you are such people person, and even when you were a teeny tiny toddler, you always wanted to be around people. They don't exhaust you like they do me. I wish I could learn that from you. I'm so proud of the way nothing can get you down, you always pop back up with a smile. Of how hard you work. Of how brave you are. Of how often you laugh. Oh there's too much to list.

The only thing about you that isn't so great is that you are not very ticklish. So since you are probably looking for goals, you could maybe work on that. ;-)

Cheers honey. Big hugs. We love you.

And we eat cheesecake in your honour.

Documenting

that no-one can say I didn't try. (Just in case my children end up needing years of therapy, or failing to become fully functioning members of society that is.) We had a trying morning, and not in the good sense.

I have house rules written up about loving and sharing and kind-heartedness and blah blah lovey dovey sweetness. I have value words we open each mealtime and discuss and supposedly place in order for our family.

I even make indoor hopscotch for a fun morning. I bloody try.

Still, everything comes right once you venture out on a sunny (if freezing) day for a swing and a stroll on the beach.

There isn't much that chucking sticks into the sea won't help.

Working On My Rainbow

Farewell For Cuzzie S1 and Uncle L

We shared a curry for the farewell meal. Nom nom nom.

And took some bath pictures to torment the kids with when they are teens. Say cheese.

This was my morning's mission - to document P5's hobby of getting changed every time you blink. Yes, these are all from this morning. The first one was her coming into our room just after she woke up and announcing "I'm a Spanish lady, because this is what they look like in Big Lambie World."

Uh huh.

Just Like Ed Hilary

I knocked the bugger off! I didn't take very good pics but this shows the cute buttons that inspired the whole project.
And it even fits with room to spare for next winter. It needs to fit for at least two winters with all the stress my incompetence caused in the making. Who'd knit a size 6 dress in fine sock weight yarn? Mentalness. Shoes model's own choice.


I also did a good bit of mummy sewing by finally replacing Big Lambie's ears. One fell off years ago and a much younger P&L pulled the other off to match, in fits of giggles. P5 recently decided Big Lambie needs new ones, so scheduled the big surgery for today. Unfortunately, we only had purple fur.

It's a bit hard to see, but he's rocking those purple ears.

Spied My Children

discussing the best way to draw a circle. P5 suggested drawing around an apple.

I heard L8 explain that a compass was a better way to go and rush off to find his
and then use it to draw around an apple. :)

Looks Like Winter But

I grew bulbs that are flowering. That's sunny.

Inspiring Horror

into the hearts of knitters around the world. Behold!

I messed up. Big time. I had decided to weave in the ends as I went as they were messy and distracting me. Bad idea when you have to frog. I had to take the scissors to it. And save the bit I chopped in case I end up playing yarn chicken. Will I ever finish my. . .

fabulous crocheted lederhosen?

A Little Boy Came Visiting

and gave me the huuuugest smile and hug, causing those pesky wet eyes as I realized he really did remember me! Until he shouted with glee "Mummy!". Oh, it is a bit confusing isn't it S1? :)

With cuzzies and 'copter.


Photo fix for his real mummy.

Fine Start To The Holidays

I had to do it. Joined pinterest. There was a lovely pic I had to re-pin (thanks nova) of cornstarch paint, so we gave it a go.

Breaking The Rules

I broke all the rules and painted the tiles by my front door. Yeah, I just won't tell you when all the paint flakes off and they look disgusting. Actually, it'll just be a good excuse to re-tile. I could not stand the manky paint-splattered black for a second longer, and I figured if I couldn't scrape the splatters off, maybe this paint will stay on too? I know it's too white white, but it certainly won't stay that way.

L8 broke the rules and told us dinner yesterday was disgusting (as he sat down, before he'd even tasted to see if it was disgusting, and actually it was not) and so he got to cook tonight to appreciate the work involved and how rude that was. He made chicken pie with herby cobbler topping. It was a lot of work. It was not disgusting. He told me while it was a lot of work "it was one hundred percent worth it".
P5. Cute pic. Can not for the life of me tie it into rule-breaking theme.

A New Obsession

The painted staircase. It all began when I spied this on someone's pinterest board:

Seriously? How could a girl resist? Then I found this heavenly image:

Squee right?

Also there's some gorgeous painted runners:

super colours:

When I discovered the numbers, it was a full blown obsession:

Now I'm all bewildered and confused about which to choose. I love the white and grey gig, but yet again, our walls and house don't really suit that white airy hipster thing. So I'm thinking black edges, rainbow runner and black numbers. But I'm sure that will change in half an hour. What do you think?

And yes, we are serious. . . foul carpet -

BE GONE!

Some Pictures From Someone Who Doesn't Do Much

So it turns out Blokey husband's ex isn't some weirdo fringe photographer, but some uber-world-famous-in-NZ-photographer. Hmm. I'm sure these photos are closer to his heart though.
Also my epitaph tonight from L8 "Why are you always Mrs Useless?" Charming huh? Possibly accurate though. *big tragic sigh*