Shrinky Dinky Do, well do you?

I do, remember them I mean.  Shrinky dinks the fabulous shrinking plastic, that you pop in the oven for a minute and it twists, curls and then ends up 7 times smaller.

MaxiMad was complaining that all the school book bags look the same and it is difficult to pick his out, so I decided we should make some shrinky dink name tags.  I went to our local craft store and bought a few A4 sheets and cut them into shapes.  I then wrote the boys names on the plastic and then gave them the pens to make some patterns on them.

I then use a punch to cut a hole in them (ours was star shaped) and we popped them in the oven and watched.  Before our very eyes they transformed.

A couple of ribbons later and they became name badges for bags and zip pullers for coats.  We even made a couple of autumn leaves.

A really easy and simple craft for children, we are thinking of making some for our nieces for Christmas and doing some holly shapes for Christmas tree decorations.

Twister Blister

It was one of those heart in mouth moments that every mum of boys gets, but at least they are playing nicely together.  Welcome to the MiniMads new game...................................................

Twister Blister (and yes that is MaxiMad in his pj's)

We love York

We are lucky enough not to live to far from York and on today's like today, it is a marvelous place.  It wasn't too cold today, but very windy and we enjoyed a fantastic family day out at York.

The MiniMads love watching the squirrels in The Museum Gardens.

Enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, whilst jumping in all the falling leaves

Standing on the city walls

Whilst I got to get a small bit of fabric from Cath K to make new swimming bags for the boys.

All in all a fantastic day was had by all.  We love you York

Thrifty Christmas over at Violet Posie

I don't know about you, but we are pretty strapped for cash at the moment and with Christmas on its way, I am looking at ways of making it less expensive and more thoughtful, less consumer driven and more cared for and considered. So when I saw that Violet Posie was hosting a Thrifty Christmas’ Carnival from the 9-12th November, I though yep that is for me.

I have a few ideas up my sleeve for things that I will be making for all this Christmas, so will be participating, but I am also keen for some more ideas and can not wait for my imagination to be peaked.

We actually don't buy many Christmas presents but it does all seem to add up, this year we will be giving to the following:

2 Nieces

Mum

Mums best friend (Christmas pudding)

Mother in Law and Farther in Law

4 close friends children

Boys Godparents

Our Homestart helper

The toddler group helpers (small appreciation gift - last year we made mini Christmas cakes and fudge)

Teachers and teaching assistants (7 in total)

The MiniMads are pretty much done, as I have been squirrelling things away each month, so that we don't have a large outlay near to Christmas and plus they don't really want for anything and have no real needs.

So for me Christmas means lots of baking, cooking, preparing and love.  I have already purchased the dried fruit for the Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings and will be putting them in soak over the weekend. 

What are your Christmas traditions, what do you give away and how many people do you give too?

Bed Head

The bigger the hair, the less sleep had by the whole family.

Last night was a sleepless night!!

Less is more when it comes to gluing

MiniMad loves gluing and sticking, it is one of his favorite craft activities and he would do it all day and every day if given the chance. 

My one tip for this is to have everything accessible and easily seen, so that children can do all of this themselves.

In my sticking box, as he calls it I have:

Feathers

Pom poms

Foam shapes

Lolly sticks

Glitter

Sequins

Googly eyes

Bits and bobs

Various glues

Having all the various things that he likes to use in one place means that he can get it out of the craft cupboard and it is an easy and mostly mess free activity for any open ended art.

All I need to do, is pop the table cloth on the table and his art smock on him.

So what things do your children like to glue and how do you store them, please let me know.

You will be assimilated, resistance is futile

Every afternoon since last Wednesday I have been taking MiniMad to Preschool.  every afternoon without fail I have received a phone call asking me to come and collect him early.

It happened again today.  He is fine when I drop him off, he runs and pops his name on the board and gets stuck in to something, coming back to give me a quick kiss, but then about half way through his session the tears come from nowhere.

He can seemingly be fine, he was coming down the slide this afternoon, when all of sudden he bursts in to floods or tears and becomes inconsolable.

I took in his dummy and comforter in case this happened and the staff have tried giving him them to calm him down, which has worked, but then he will get back on with things and all of a sudden burst into tears again.

The staff are fantastic and ring me  and I immediately go and get him and he runs into my arms and all is forgiven.  A big smile come on to his face and he insists that we go for a cuddle and all is well with the world.

As a mum this is so hard, especially as he has always been my confident, cheery and content second child, well he was until I went in to hospital earlier in the year.  We had prepared both the boys as best we could for the operation, but you can only cover so many bases and with all the complications I suffered and the readmitting he went to pieces.  We have been working hard to resolve these issues.  I always do what I say I will to reinforce my always coming back for him.  Yesterday I sat outside the school in the car, so unsure if I was doing the right thing for him, me and our family making him go to Preschool.

The hard thing is I am going back into hospital at the beginning of November and thought that Preschool would give him some semblance of routine and normality in what will be a sea full of uncertainty.  SO I have decided that I am going to be a Borg Queen and resistance is futile, he will be assimilated.  I am going to preserve and we will review the situation next week.

Sometimes being a mummy is like I am in charge of the Starship Enterprise!!

Easy Homemade Cards

We have lots of birthdays to celebrate in September and we are big fans of homemade cards.  Now that MaxiMad is at school, time to make elaborate and complicated cards are a thing of the past.  We needed a quick, all inclusive idea.

So we made ........................

Chicken cards, which are ever so easy and very effective.

All you do is take a piece of card and trace round a plate, cut it out with pinking scissors, add a few feathers, a foam beak and a googly eye.

The only part I do is the cutting, MaxiMad does the tracing and both the boys love gluing and sicking. 

It makes for a home made with love and inexpensive card.

Anyone with anyother ideas for basic cards that can be done, easily and by littleones, please let me know.

Tesco are getting on the Green Bandwagon...

Tesco has just launched a Greener Living website, which is aimed at  assisting the "environmentally aware shopper make the right decisions"

The Green in me thinks that Tesco should concentrate on trying to make the ordinary shopper more environmentally aware.  It should offer incentives for people to purchase green.  Many of the suggestions include a link to a purchase from Tesco or Tesco direct and it comes across as somewhat of a marketing ploy aimed at making shoppers feel greener for shopping at Tesco.

I try to balance being environmentally friendly with cost, especially in today's climate, being frugal is a must.  It allows me to spend time at home with my children.  I have been known to shop at Tesco and I am not knocking them in particular, but supermarkets as a whole need to take a more hands on role in my humble opinion.

There are a few common sense, easy things we can do to be more green, which don't cost the earth (if you pardon the pun).

• Turn down your thermostat by 1 degree
• Use draught excluders at your back and front door - we also have a curtain at our front door too
• Fit a in line draft exclude to the door from your integral garage (if you have one)
• Share baths or take a shower
• Teach your children to turn off the lights
• Switch to energy saving bulbs
• Leave large packaging at the supermarket - not only does this mean you don't have to recycle it, hopefully it will encourage the supermarket to think again on packaging
• Buy second hand - thrifting is becoming hugely popular, charity shops are in vogue
• Try and make a commitment to walk to school if possible or use public transport one day a week.  The MiniMads love going on the bus or train and see it as a real treat!
• Don't flush the loo every time or pop a brick in your cistern if it is an older toilet (this will reduce the amount of water it uses).  In TheMadHouse the boys cant reach the flush anyway!!
• Get a water butt, now is the time to buy one, as they are often less expensive as they are out of season.  we got one at the beginning of the year and it has watered all our veggies (bar once) for the whole of the growing season.
• Menu Plan again not only does this mean you only buy what you need, but you can also reduce waste and have a head start in the kitchen and I have found that the Mini's love the routine this affords.
• Recycle, recycle, recycle, please don't take the attitude that if I don't use my green bins, then I force the council into a weekly rather than fortnightly collection.
• Use reusable shopping bags
• Use throws and blankets, it is lovely to snuggle under them as the cooler nights come in.
• Get back to using a hot-water bottle in bed.  I love this one from Etsy

Now we had to do a lot of these things last Autumn anyway, as TheMadHouse had major issues with its boiler and heating, so we purchased thermals to wear under our PJ's, hot water bottles, lovely throws, draught excluders and all went to bed earlier and snuggled and read books to the children of a night.  Well the boys remember and out have come the hot water bottles, hot chocolate and bedtime stories in mummy daddy's bed and it is great.

So take a look at the Tesco Website, they have a trolley dash game on the site with the possibility to win a new washing machine.  At least they are trying, even if it is just a money making scheme (after all that is what the shareholders want).    Also come back to me with any great green tips that you have too.

Oh and just so you know I may or may not get a copy of Sarah Beeny's book "Green Your Home: The Complete Guide to Green Renovation and Repairs for blogging about this. 

The Mad Family

MaxiMad had to learn his address last week as homework, which was great as he knew all bat the postcode already!!

This was for his excursion this week to the sorting office to learn how letters are posted.  He was asked to draw a picture of his family and this is what he did.

His teacher then filled in the address and they franked their letters and when to a post box and posted them.  A friendly postman then collected their letters and the children started walking to the sorting office to see the next stage of the journey.

The above postcard arrived in the post the following day and I couldn't stop laughing, as the bit about Mr Smudge is just so like MaxiMad (in case you can not see it, is says "an outline of the cat, as the cat is white and you cant see it on white paper").  Oh I want to be four again.

MiniMads First Day at preschool

My baby is grown up.  MiniMad his first time at preschool today without me.  It was so hard leaving him there, but he was really happy until 4 minutes before I collected him, when he wanted to come home.  They think that was because he was asked to tidy up.

I am so proud of him, he looked like a little man.  What is it about putting a uniform on children that all of a sudden makes them look at least a year older than they are.

He loves his "work" outfit, as he calls it, although it makes it harder for me in the park after school now, as I have two in red in a sea of many others, at least when he was in his own clothes I could always spot him!!

It is strange not having a child at home with me and it is the first time that this is going to have happened and also the first time in nearly five years that I will have consistent time on my own.

What this means for me is that I will have to crack on with the paid work now!!

I hope that tomorrow goes as smoothly as today did.  The seasons they are a changing.

Autumn is here, the season of change

It seems apt to me that it is Autumn, it is a season of change, a season of colour and a season of harvest.   I love Autumn and Spring the most.  I love crisp days walking through leaves, hearing them crisp underfoot.  I love hats and scarfs, I love hot chocolate when you get in to warm up.  I love watching the ever changing landscape around us.  I love berry picking and eating!  I love the closing in of the evenings and closing the curtains.  I love that I can peek into other peoples houses when I pass.  But what I am trying to say is it just seems right, for us as a family to be where we are now.......

Change - there is lots of change going on in TheMadHouse this month and also there will be even more in the coming months.  MiniMad has his first afternoon at Preschool today (well if he is feeling well enough, we have been vomit city, but that is enough of that).  MaxiMad is settling in well to school, enjoying his new challenges, his new responsibilities and getting to know his new classmates.

I am going to be working from home part time doing some accountancy work, which will enable me to take and collect the boys from preschool and school and be there for them at all times.

We are trying to sort out the clutter we have accumulated, both times we moved I have been pregnant or just given birth, so we didn't clear anything and although it is not evident on the surface, the garage and loft are full of "stuff".  So we are busy ebaying and sorting through it all with the intention of doing a few car boot sales and recycling the remainder.

Colour - we have just decorated the study/sewing/ironing room a lovely silver and pale grey colour and added burgundy curtains.  We are also planning on painting both the sitting room and dinning room before Christmas.  I have just changed my cushion covers for lovely orange ones and brought out our winter throw, a huge red and orange checked one.  For me these are the colours of autumn and make me feel warmer.

Harvest - we are just enjoying the fruits of MadDad's labour in the garden.  We have harvested our pumpkins, onions, carrots, marrows and squash and are contemplating what to plant next.  The MiniMads are also so aware of harvest due to my MIL being a farmer and MadDad growing up on a farm.

That is enough comtemplation for now, safe to say we are busy, busy, busy and I am also nesting and planning, as my next operation will be on Monday 3 November.

Capri-sun pencil case

I have been practicing my sewing again whilst also thinking about affordable homemade Christmas presents for my niece's and the children's friends and found a recycled drinks pouch pencil case on the great Skip to my loo blog.

My mum had some 8 inch zips in her stash, so I though I would give them a try and you know what the boys love there's.

So now we need to drink more Capri-sun, so that I can make more for all the youngsters.  I am thinking of putting together art bags for them all.

But best of all they cost me nothing and are a great way of recycling and are fun, unique and funky, well they are according to the Mad Household.

Cooking with Children

Mini and Maxi Mad both love helping out in the kitchen, but I am as guilty as others of often not letting them get stuck in due to time constraints or only allowing planned projects.

Today we had no such time issues, so me and MiniMad weighted out the ingredients for a basic pizza dough and popped it in the bread machine:

540g of strong white flour - Lidl do a really reasonably priced one

1 sachet of yeast

1 tablespoon on oil

1 tablespoon of honey

pinch of salt (you can leave this out, but it helps it prove)

350ml of warm tap water.

Maxi Mad then pretty much did the rest.  He rolled the dough out and then made the garlic butter for the garlic pizza bread.  Rather than use the garlic press, I offered him the pestle and mortar and he had so much fun mashing the garlic and butter together.

I let him make the decision on what toppings we should have, out of what was in the fridge and store cupboard and he picked one with ham and sweet peppers and one plain cheese and tomato.   So I chopped the ham and peppers and grated the cheese. 

I also opened the box of passata, but he added the herbs and spices to the bowl and took great pleasure in tasting it and adding a little more back pepper!!

The finished results were wonderful, so tasty and they went down really well.  In fact we are thinking of making this a weekly thing.  I am so glad that I relaxed my attitude and allowed MaxiMad a bit more freedom in the kitchen.  He is capable of much more than I give him credit.  He is a wonderful cook and as MiniMad put it nothing like the angry cooks in Ratatouille!!

Football Practise

Every Saturday morning finds MaxiMad and MadDad at our local AFC doing Football practice.  MaxiMad is in the tots group and spends a blissful hour come rain or shine learning new skills, enhancing the ones he already has, learning to play in a team and learning to take instruction.  He really enjoys these Saturday mornings with his dad and the one on one time they get.

They play on what used to be the old senior school playing field and the council charges them £70.00 per week just to open the changing rooms and toilets in the community centre, which I think is rather excessive considering that our subscription is only £2.00 per week and that all the staff are volunteers, who give up their time and energy for free.  Also all the staff are or are going through their FA couching certificates in their own time too.

No you will ask why they have to have toilets and changing rooms, well it is for girls as well as boys and therefore, a toilet and changing room have to be made available!

Anyway I will get down from by hobby horse for now and just cherise the fact that MaxiMad enjoys his time learning.  He may not turn out to be a premiership footballer, but that is not why he goes, it is fun, exercise in the open air and a son and dad activity. 

Oh and yes for those in the know that is a Portsmouth kit!!  We took Maxi to the shop and let him choose his own kit (he liked the colours), he doesn't show any allegiance to a team yet, although he has plenty of choice, he was born in Reading, MadDad is an avid Leeds supporter, his Uncle holds a season ticket at Middlesbrough (who are our closest team), who are also supported by his Godparents, his other Uncle supports Everton and well me......... I like Liverpool!!!!

We have a date

Well my minimad, my littlest munchkin will be starting preschool next Wednesday afternoon.

He had his home visit this afternoon and kept telling the head of preschool that he was starting tomorrow!!!

I have a few forms to fill in and return and some preparation work to do with him. He has already tried on his uniform, which he calls he work clothes and is definitely ready for a little more interaction and play with more children his age.

He will be doing an hour on the first afternoon and I will remain there, behind the scenes so to speak and then he will go 2 hours per afternoon. He is overjoyed, he was informing his teacher what he will be doing, playing with blocks, cars and making everything colourful. He told them that he will bring his music if theirs is not "suitable for bopping too".

I think they have already gathered that he is as much of a whirlwind as his older brother and just as headstrong. He is going to have the same key worker that MaxiMad had, which I think is great as she had such a raport with him, she also knew which buttons to push and he adored her. It also makes me more secure knowing her too and how much she understands and acknowledges that this is a big step for MiniMad and for me too. I am entrusting him in their care, something which I have not done with him before and as I did with his brother before him.

So here's to the change and all that it will bring. Things are definitely feeling more autumnal here, the weather took a distinct turn yesterday and it is nippy today, cardigan weather.

Anyway we are now off to walk to the school to collect MaxiMad and be regaled about his day. It was wonderful to hear how happy he seems and the fact that he clears his plate each lunchtime. He had lunch today with one of the nursery staff and she was telling me that he had a great big salad and jacket potato and went back for more peppers!!!!

Makig the most of Summer

We are very lucky and we live 5 minutes away from this wonderful beach.  MadDad is not a fan of the beach, but I on the other hand grew up 2 mins from the sea (you could see it from my bedroom window and out of the sitting room window of our first flat) and love it, as do the minimads.

The weather today has been wonderful, not a cloud in the sky, so we waited until after lunch and decided to have an afternoon at the beach.  we quickly packed a few things together (I keep wet suits and towel ponchos in the car anyway) and departed for an afternoon of......

Sea

Frisbee

Sand

Sandcastle building and knocking down

cuddles

more sea

and to close a self portrait

Flamingo Land

Today was in inset day (teacher training) at MaxiMads school, so MadDad took the day off and we exchanged some Tesco Club Card points for vouchers and decided to go Flamingo Land for the day, hoping that the fact that the children were all back at school and that it wasn't a weekend would mean shorter queues.

We woke up and the sun was shinning, so I packed a picnic, towel and a spare set of clothes for the minimads and we set off. We arrived at 10am and were only about the 40 car in the car park.  The boys were very excited and jumped on to the first ride they saw, the balloon ride.

The beauty of Flamingo Land is that is it compact, has lots of rides suitable of little ones and has a zoo too.  we spent the morning exploring the park and going on lots of rides, including the monorail, bumper cars and carousel.  We then stopped to have a picnic lunch and a walk round the animals.

We really enjoyed the fact the park was quiet, it made for such a relaxing day, the children were always in sight, they got to see all the animals and we didn't have to queue at any rides.  We watched the sea lion show and the boys were in awe at the beauty and grace of them. 

We then took them to the splash park area, which they truly adored.  Both the boys are complete and utter water babes and they loved jumping in and out of the fountains of water, shooting each other from the pirate ship and generally letting of steam.  They played there until their lips were blue and couldn't speak for shivering.  it was then time for a warm drink and a change of clothes and some more rides.

We left the park at closing time, 5pm and we hadn't traveled 3 minutes before both boys were fast asleep in the car and they slept the whole 50 minutes home.

It was a lovely day out and a pleasant family time out and more than made up for yesterdays episode, in fact I was very proud of both boys with their thank yous to the attendants at the rides and also by MaxiMads statement when we got in the car "it has been a good day today, thank you for bring us and I love you 1006 much".