I know...

two posts in one day... big shocker!!

I am now determined to keep on the blogging wagon so will try and update as often as I can (read- as often as children allow)

Thank you so much for the handy thrift/fitness tips from my last post, really appreciate all advice as I can literally feel the squeeze on our finances now the summer is approaching. Even trying to keep costs down and buy the bare minimum my shopping bill this month is still about £30 more than it was this time last year (and buying similar stuff) and diesel is costing us an extra £20 per tank, these little additions all add up, and yet Hubby hasn't had a pay rise in 3 years and I now take home a lot less, so where is it supposed to come from? I had a financial advisor call me last week to review our life insurance that came with the mortgage and I actually laughed aloud when she asked me how much savings we had and whether we had seperate life insurance for illness/loss of earnings etc, how are average people with families supposed to afford all these insurances/savings. Yes we could probably save loads by not having a car, but we live in a rural village with one bus service that runs hourly to 2 towns, it would be impossible for hubby to get to work on time without a 3 bus/2 hour trip each way, and as far as bus/train fares go probably as expensive by the time we are all travelling to appointments/work/visits. There are however areas I know I can save us money on, clothes, toys, food (kind of), holidays/days out etc can all be done cheaply it's just getting in to the habit of thinking that way and finding the best offers at the best places.

The school half term looms ahead next week (didn't they literally just have Easter?!!) and I am dreading it. I love GS to bits, but he is at that stage where it's almost impossible to capture his attention for more than 10 minutes with any one activity, and as much as I try, Mary Poppins I am not, so that moves me to the question many parents ask... How do you keep a 3 year old entertained (possibly by themselves) for an hour? I have already purchased a few cheap colouring packs, activity books, new felt-tips (the old ones are worn out and don't work), I am armed with a few ideas (teddy bears picnic, board games, treasure hunt etc) but I am worried he'll exhaust all these before noon next Tuesday! It's pretty tough when he won't entertain himself for very long, if at all, without needing one of us there to supervise and play with, which we try too but sometimes stuff needs doing (like going to the lavatory!) and any time he is left alone he seems to start this bored/hyper/play up creation of whirling up in to a tantrum or path of destruction that inevtiably ends up with him sat on the naughty step screaming whilst I nurse a headache. I am hoping full time school might tame the beast within here and provide him with that much needed full-time attention, structure and a little self-discipline, but thats 4 months away, I may go completely bald before then tying myself up in knots of ways to entertain a pre-schooler... Are there any good blogs/links/lists of (cheap!) crafts/activites/games for this untameable age group you may have?

Having moaned about him, he did get a lovely report from school last week totally singing his praises, so I am one proud Mummy I'd like to add.

Sunday has been about Monkeys...

Firstly this little monkey...

...enjoying his craft session...

...and then this one...

I baked this after being inspired by Farmgirl Fare's recipe "Mexican Monkey Cake" mmmm utterly delicious and seeing as it contains bananas (amongst some other more naughty ingredients) I decreed it one of our 5 a day and therefore had 2 slices, i'm sure that's how it works!!

Totally un-Monkey related has been playing about with my camera as I slowly learn all the settings and get used to what it can do, I am getting quite pleased with my shots, especially the more abstract ones!

I have succumbed to a cold over the weekend so I haven't been up to much worth blogging about other than the above really, but hopefully I am on the mend and will be up to better things next weekend seeing as it's Valentine's weekend and therefore Mr G.T' & I's celebration of 8 years together (our first date was Valentine's day)!

Is Winter here?

I am not sure what day Winter officially arrives, but it's certainly got colder, wetter and darker here in the last few days. Although as you can see above, last week we had a beautiful sunny day, it was mild enough to be out without a coat on, November definitely seems to have been a milder than average month!

I am gobsmacked there is only 6 weeks left until Christmas, but thankfully I am organised this year after promising myself faithfully, and have done all of my Xmas shopping, just a few homemade items and baking left to do now, I am super chuffed with this, I am never usually this organised although in fairness the past 3 years have been very hectic around November/December so this probably is why. It seems more special this year also as it's GS' first real year of getting excited about Christmas and Santa as he is noticing all the fuss and trimmings this year already, I am hoping his meeting with Santa goes better than last year (he cried and refused to go anywhere near the grotto!) as we have a Christmas party with his toddler group planned as well as hopefully visiting here http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk/public/specialtrains.html#ttsx combining Santa and trains- I'm hoping thats going to win him over surely?!!

I've been a bit naughty really and bought quite a few non-eco/commercial plastic toys for GS' xmas presents, he has a new found love in Toy Story so a Buzz and Woody it is! Toddler boys are so tricky to actually craft things for, anyone have any ideas what I could possibly try, I'm struggling to think of anything durable and exciting enough to be suitable for him?!

Work has been quite busy lately, I have found that I have probably agreed to do too many extra hours as we have been short staffed and plenty were on offer, thankfully in the next 2 weeks it quietens off so I think I'll keep it to a few extra days a month from now on, otherwise i've found I just don't have enough time to get things done at home or my projects, not to mention spending quality time with GS, vital as we are currently potty training. I do love my job, it gives me the independent time I need to do my own thing, be a professional, help the community, but I also love being a Mummy and finding the balance isn't easy, even when you work part-time, I am incredibly lucky to have Granny Nanny here with us to take care of GS when I am at work, it does ease the guilt just a little bit.

A busy bee...

Sorry to have gone quiet, it has been a busy few days in the "Thrift" household, mostly because I have been at work (boo!) and GS has been teething (double boo!) but great news, his final molars are here and after 2 years of teething i think we are done, hurrah!! I am however questioning what joys will be coming next, potty training is my guess, eep!

My work colleague starts her maternity leave for her twins next week so I am busy working away on her gifts, so far I have 2 burping cloths made, and 2 more to go (i'll post pics when they are finished), then I am hoping to make them one each of these delightful toys http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/04/stuffed-animal-part-ii.html that Ashley has kindly shared over on Make it and Love It, I am however really struggling to get my hands on any batting, there seems to be a national shortage, so I might use some balls out of an old bean bag i have saved but concerned about the choking element of this incase any of the seams broke, so might have to take some stuffing from another teddy and replace it once I get some, unless anyone has any inspiring ideas?

The County Show

Today we ventured forth to the local county show, celebrating it's 160th year, one can only imagine how it has changed since the very first one (it is certainly a lot more commercialised now, £2 for a coffee at some stands-what cheek!) but very pleased to see a lot of traditional arts and crafts being displayed, promoted and encouraged from willow weaving to wood-turning.

GS loved the Dancing Digger display, Punch & Judy, and the animals on show, whilst Mr G.T made the most of the sweetie stands & admired the tractors!

I became inspired by some of the beautiful craft stalls there to maybe build up some items of my own to show in the future, it would definitely be a giggle to have a stall somewhere for the day, I am sure my family would help, I'll have to look in to it.