Working out book day and Thing 1 aspires to be a Womble

World book day.... Which clever sausage came up with that one,eh? Don't mention it to me ever again! 

It began like this;

Me: 'let's not be predictable and seuss and Thing based'

Thing 1; but I want to be Thing 1!

Me; how about you be where's Wally?

T1; no 

Me; what about Robin Hood?Aladdin? 

T1; no

So off I trotted, borrowed a fab tiger costume (the tiger who came to tea) and a lion costume (wizard of oz,narnia.... Endless possibilities really) ..... But the answer? no.

I offered to make a Thing wig. I was commissioned for free.

T2 saw the wig and wanted to be the same..... I didn't have enough wool..... Some gentle persuasion and T2 went as the cat in the hat.... T1 was his intended 'Thing' ...... 

Today T1 arrived home to inform me that he is now collecting food wrappers to compare calories, fat etc...... I haven't a clue where this initiative came from..... Apparently he's going to become a Womble.....

Thing 1; what's a Womble?

Me; head against brick wall.... Man, I feel old!!!!!! 

Yes! I've mastered pancake making!

Well, I learnt my lesson from last year's scrambled mess that was pancake day and did NOT buy a ready made mix for the Things..... If you haven't been following for that long, then scroll down the blog, as last years attempt is all accounted in its full gory glory.

This year, I not only went for good old fashioned home made mixture, but I also enlisted Thing dad's culinary expertise in the actual making of the mix.

It was spot on; we got perfectly formed and gorgeously crispy pancakes! 

Thing 3 devoured 3, Thing 1 managed 5 and Thing 2 ate a whopping six pancakes! Phew! I'm glad we had gotten it right this time round!!! 

Roll on next pancake day, I'm ready for you!!! 

The Things and Thing mum are back on the blog

Hello all, long time no blog. Well, I'm easing myself back into it, calmly and at my own pace (or as calmly as I can with three crazy Things!).

2013 was a difficult year;

I parted friendship with the one person I had counted on as my best friend for a number of years, after she began emulating what felt like everything I did; although I know it wasn't, it did feel that way.

It began with her posting photos on her Facebook of items she made on her sewing machine; having her copy my designs and begin sewing items that were practical carbon copies of those I make, from my own patterns, was just the tip of the iceberg.

It now materialises that she had lied about being in hospital and lapped up my sympathies and concern when she really wasnt, lied she was ill when she was really undergoing cosmetic surgery and then the final straw, began calling her children by my children's monikers; Thing 1, Thing 2 and Thing 3, before announcing that it got her attention so she would carry on, even when, I tried to reasonably ask her not to. I thought she was my friend and I would have done anything for her, now I know she was just after the take and when I again pulled her up on something, the stream of text message abuse I received put the final nail in the coffin of that friendship.
She ignores the Things if she sees them and they give her a smile, or a small child 'hello', her husband is just the same. I find it sad and will not ignore her children nor ask the Things to ignore them, or her for that matter; they were a big part of the Things' lives for almost half a decade; I can't (and wouldn't wish to) change that fact.

For those who don't know,  my husband also has severe health issues which have been ongoing since  late 2011, and this can prove to be a challenge to family life some days.

We've lost our home and moved twice in the last thirteen months.

But I think after all, we will be much closer for it.

In all honesty I'm scared to  let myself be too open to anyone after the way that so called best friend turned out, for now; it feels lonely some days, but nothing that can't be remedied by a Thing-snuggle.

I'm trying hard to rebuild my business, keeping busy and being there for anyone who needs me to be, I'm keeping the Things happy and trying to make the most of spending time as a family when my husband is having a good day. Two friends, who are such good people have recently been  diagnosed with life altering health conditions and I want to be there if they need me to be, even as just a listening ear, if that's what they need.

On a positive note,  I have met (and some only through the magic of social media) some absolutely beautiful souls in the last year, and I know that when I'm ready to let barriers down I will realise I've met more; that I didn't realise how lucky I was to have them in my life.

For now though,  I'm going to blog again, on my terms and for me. I want to do this and I need to, to keep myself strong for the rest of my family.

Sorry for waffling... but that's me laid as bare as I'm going to get anytime soon.

I will be back soon with cheerier posts, letting you into the world of the Things, thank you for baring with me and much love to you all.

The Things Mum xxx

Theatre Week - Year 4

It's that time of year again, Theatre Week. A fabulous, bargainous week-long event put on by our local childrens' centre; providing workshops suitable  for ages 3 - 14.

Day 1 is mixed workshop- we firstly despatched Thing 3 into the creche and embarked on a circus skills workshop. It was an interesting first half - I learnt that Thing 2 can use 'wheelie Walkers' like she was born on them....Thing1 has what borders on an unhealthy obsession withh hula-hoops (The item, not the snack!)  And I cannot; spin plates, use stilts, juggle scarves - seemingly the only feasible scenario if I ran away to the circus - The circs running away from me!
After the break, circus skills was a giant game of volleyball. Where adults showed their ugly competitive side, and ball was hit  from adult to adult, and when " acidentally" hit from adult to child level,the ball was accosted by the same four older and taller, boisterous and unsupervised children. A few of the younger children began to despair at ever getting to touch the volleyball and so gave in; either clinging to their parents legs or sitting out.

It was with relief that we passed through lunch without incident (but witha repatrioted Thing 3)!

After lunch we had 'mini monsters' and we were free to construct monster puppets on a small scale - myself and Things 1&2 enjoyedsuch a pursuit, and were merrily covered in Sharpie marker by the end of the day....

Day 2 began with 'story magic'. We began by learning a traditional old English dance and Thing 2 found such a chore of this activity that she actually staged a solitary-Thing demonstration to get taken to creche.
I had a enjoyable and rare couple of hours with just Thing 1; we made a map, watched a very well acted Jack and the Beanstalk production,and then danced the doe-de-doe......

After another remarkably uneventful lunch, we had Zumba. Thing 2 again requested (nee.demanded) creche and so myself and Thing1 attempted to fling ourselves around a school gym, pretending to ride a horse, speak  on a phone, go all street or get Gangnam styling (soooo grateful I actually know this song now!) - 8 words; people- actually-pay-to-do-this-for-fun ????

Day 3; workshop style! (See what i did there?!)
This year we embarked on the 'Monster Puppets' workshop- led by an artistically  open and encouragitative pair.
We made a giant pupprt - he is furry.
Things 1 &2 made mini monsters and cut my sellotape....

In the show on friday, Thing 3 came on stage with the rest of the creche-dwellers. They sang TwinkleTwinkle. Thing 3 had her back to us the entire performance, staring at the giant glittery star backdrop.......
Then she turned to face the audience at theend and applauded like she's never applauded before.

We went on stage for our performance - made monster puppets dance to the monster mash.

After the show there wasa buffet - I faced arguement  and stubborn thingness and they filled their plates.
We sat down, they picked at their food; then went to get dessert.
I came back to find  a school age child picking scraps from a Thing's discarded plate.... mum  took a moment from texting on her fancy phone with her new acrylic nails, swished her big gold ring earrings out of the way and stated; í dont know whose food that is?'
I replied; ' it was hers, butshes eating dessert now'
To which she promptly turned to small child and said; ' eat up, thats your tea.'
Then carried on texting. So sad.

It was a great week. I can onlynow complain that there is a monster taking up my fourth dining chair....

Eureka!!!

Today we visited the children's museum, Eureka! In Halifax. It was a trip organised by our local children's centre (who are absolutely amazing in the amount of reasonably and fabulously priced activities and experiences they provide, by the way!) and was 'travel by coach'. 

The Things were on great form, and when we arrived at Eureka! they made a beeline for the kiddie size shops and bank; they first went to the bank; withdrew some Eureka! Cash; Thing 1 was gutted that he didn't receive his card back ... And then they tried to break into the safes in the bank... Way to go, Eureka! Teaching my Three Things to try to rob banks.....

Following that, they headed into the kiddy size M&S.Thing 3 squealed in delight, and ran.... toward a pretend apple, made of plastic... which she promptly tried to eat. Failing this,  she tried to eat another piece of plastic food, then another and another; much to the amusement of a number of other visitors.

They played in the water play and delighted in dressing up to perform a play. Thing 1 ran from one side of the 'stage' in a knight's tabard shouting 'I'm a knight!' And then flinging a purple cape over himself for the run back to the other side, this time shoutimg; 'I'm a wizard!' .... this went on a few minutes;  'im a wizard, im a knight, im a wizard....' . 

In the desert area,  Thing 3 discovered a model coyote,  which she insisted was a "doggy" and didn't want to leave. 

We explored the 'about me' area, where there was a model of a mum to be lay down and an ultrasound scanner. Thing 1 was in chare of scanning, me and the girl Things were watching the screen.  

"Look girls, can you see the baby on the screen?' I asked as the scan came on....only to hear a happy Thing 1 announcing; 'haha, im scanning her head!' and I indeed did turn to see a grinning Thing 1 who was indeed scanning the mum to be's head. That took some explaining to the girls....

We played in a giant garden, ate dinner on a train. Chatted with a demented clown and bought a bumbag. Oh, and we ate ice cream! 

It was great! Roll on the rest of the summer hols!

School reports

I have been a lucky Thing mum.... Today I've received school reports. 

Thing 2 is exemplary ...she does as she's told, listens, is patient, polite.... And SHARES! 

I'd love to meet this Thing! 

Thing 1 has excelled, working where he should be, apart from in PE where he is  enthusiastic and working at a much higher level than would be expected .... This is the same Thing 1 that is dragged to school, kicking and screaming EVERY PE day, because he HATES PE........ 

Oh, and Thing 1has scruffy handwriting. 

So much so that he has to often 'decode' what he's written to the teacher for her to mark.... Well done son, you could tell her you'd written anything! 

And I don't care that his handwriting is ineligible .... It means he is destined to be a doctor! 

Cornwall is coming! And Thing mum really should refrain from holiday mode until the final seconds before holiday begins...

I shall admit, I've been fighting off holiday mode for about a week.... Ok, ok... A fortnight..... Right, I can see those knowing looks from those nearest and dearest.... I shall admit it... I will be honest. Lets begin again....

I've been fighting off holiday mode for about a fortnight, somewhere toward the end of January.... The last three month and a half, I've actually been sporadically flitting in and out (rarely out) of holiday mode. I've bored myself in my quite admirable ability to bring all conversations round to the 'C' word (Cornwall!) and now we are in those last couple of days of the countdown.... I'm unbearable... Even to me...

Bags are now almost packed (they have been for almost a month) and I've found that I can fit an awful lot of stuff into my holdall. In fact, I can fit all three Things in my bag and still have space.... Clothing wise, I've filled it to the max and still have excess baggage.... Plus a bag of shoes, a bag of toiletries and a bag of jewellery...

Not to mention the ad hoc add-ons that will inevitably occur as I pack the car.

The Things head off early hours tomorrow, gaining an extra few nights and also a glimpse at the 'safari tent' before we get there! If its dire, we are headed north! 

The Things are decidedly unexcited in comparison to me... I'm sure that when I get them up at about 5am tomorrow morning to get them ready to catch grandparent taxi they'll appear less excited still ... Alas, I only wish I could swap places with them! Things these days.... Don't know their luck!    

P.s. Cornwall.... Watch out! The Things are coming!!!!