good advice

This evening after dinner, while George was busy making merry havoc with the contents of my fabric and thread stash and my lady small was bobbing about in Matilda Land, I was quickly trying to whizz through the dishes and tidy up (so I had less to do post-bath/bedtime.) Right then, my girl said to me, "Mummy, why don't you just stop doing all these boring things and do what you love best." Knowing exactly what she meant, in her own funny way, I asked her, "Well, what do I love doing best?" "Playing with me and George, Mummy." So I did. It can be all to easy to slip into 'got-to-get-this-done' mode, instead of focusing on what's right in front of me. That girl always has something to say that is worth listening to.

Right now.

Sunset in Huishinish, Isle of Harris, back in April

Well, right now, it's 8.04pm. The small people are settling down (silent is as good as asleep) and I'm just stealing a few minutes with a cup of tea before I sort the house out a bit and get packing. We're headed for a little escape to the Harris hills this weekend. Some much, much needed time together, as a family and hopefully this will include a bit of sun (I'm optimistic), some exploring, some resting and not a lot else. We're actually staying in a very little and quite dated caravan and I'm not the least bit embarrassed to say how excited I am about it. So, I hope to whoever may be reading this, that you have a little sun, exploring and rest in your future, this weekend, too. Bye!

Hello

Without completely meaning for it, it seems it's been five months since I last visited this little space, here. And I do feel pretty awkward and clumsy tapping at the keys just now, as I try to cobble together a few lines. I've no big news to explain my absence, life on this lovely/funny island continues to flow for us in the usual too fast/too slow way that comes with raising small people. I'll admit though that it came about initially as I struggled to justify the time I spent writing posts and faffing about with my photos when there is so much else I'm not finding time for and I felt in trying to put bits and pieces of my simple life here into readable and interesting posts, that I was being a bit contrived maybe. In the end I just fell out of the habit of writing and posting and completely dropped the ball on the 52 project, even though I'm still forever taking photos of my children.(Can I join in again, halfway through?!) At the same time, I DO actually quite like this little corner of the internet I have and I find it an enjoyable way to share the things I like and do with my little loves. So I might not abandon it just yet. We'll see. I have always been incredibly indecisive. Haha. Anyway, HELLO and happy weekending to you.

This week

We have a few final days left of Tom's lovely juicy week off work (seriously, it's been about 9 months or so since he's had one it has been bliss!) so we're fitting in some much needed progress with decorating with help from lovely grandparents, of course. We'll also be having extra snuggles and hopefully some time outside as a family. I'm endeavouring to be a little selfish and find some time for myself, maybe even a run (now there's a bold and ridiculous statement, too late - it's out there!) We're sure to be laughing and eating well, 'cos when he's home there's magic in the kitchen. I hope your weeks are simple and lovely and busy and good.

in recent days

1. Sleepy feet.
2 + 3. Reading
4. A yet to be perfected, flourless and refined sugarless chocolate cake... It is far, far better than it sounds, believe me.
5. Pink tea for three.
6. Holding hands on a windy walk.
7 + 8. Playing with paper presents from her beloved Granny.
9. Willing those grey clouds to clear... Come onnnn!!!

Some little bits of our week, Joining in with lovely Emily and her Weekly Stills in 2014.

3/52

Matilda: If you haven't woken up to use the toilet before we go to bed, we will take you to the toilet ourselves. You hardly wake at all, it's very cute and pretty funny, too.

George: Oh George. Most photos of you look like this one recently. You spot the camera and out comes the crazy cheese face! Think I'll have to get using some sneaky picture taking tactics.

Joining in with Jodi and many, many lovely others for the 52 Project in 2014.

The Year In Books / January

Before my days of play-doh, crayons, porridge in my hair and partying all night with the small people, I had nothing but time to burn (though I hardly realised it) and a head full of whimsy.  I could spend hours, if I wanted, wrapped up in a book and often did from a young age. I think I was  maybe six when I read Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' cover to cover, over and over again and when I wasn't reading the book I was trying with all my might to be the incredible little girl in the story. I may never have managed to make things fly with my eyes but I'm certain I took huge strength and belief in my small self from Dahl's tale. These days, I'm grateful to have my Matilda and George to pass a love of books onto but for all the many, many stories I may read and make up for them, I'm not so good at making time to read myself. I had promised to pick it up again as one of my many aims for the year but decided, when I saw Laura's post to hop on board with The Year In Books. A book for every month of the year, sounds alright to me. I'm starting with 'The Poetics of Space', this has been on my shelf since art college and hasn't been read since then. Something to wake up my sleepy brain a bit. We'll see how this goes, ey.

WE LIKE TO READ / The Day The Crayons Quit

These days, there aren't so many grown up books in this house. Not by comparison at least, to the hundreds upon thousands (maybe not that many, but possibly hundreds-ish) of picture books and children's literature we have acquired during the four years of life so far with with the small people. But I love them and I am always so happy when Matilda and George are gifted books.  There is something so thoughtful about a well chosen book, I think. I have a friend by the name of Laura who always includes a brilliant book with her excellent parcels for the children and for Christmas she sent this gem,  'The Day The Crayons Quit', for George. I adore Oliver Jeffers' Illustrations so this one was a winner from go.  (I may have actually taken this book to bed to read myself after first opening...)

Sharing stories over at Tigerlilly Quinn.

good things and small happenings

1.  Slowly growing, slowly, slowly.
2 + 3. George is very much loving on his best friend, Matilda and is never far from her side (except for when he's pulling her hair or biting her, of course.) I'm so glad they've got each other.
4. It started with a bit of collage and ended in a sparkly sea of glitter.
5. Always laughter.
6. When the weather is fine, we jump ship pronto pronto.

Sharing some small snips of recent days over with the ever lovely Em's 'Weekly Stills' in 2014.

2/52

Matilda: Messing around in some very rare recent sunshine.
George: "Eddy, deddy, GOOOOO!!"

Using photos from my phone for the first time ever. I cannot make them any bigger and I can say that the Blogger for Android app is rubbish. Hey ho - I hope everyone is having a good week, we are, too.

Joining in with Jodi over at Practising Simplicity

1/52

Matilda: Always in character.
George: And then he was two.

I am a little excited to be joining in with Jodi's 52 project from the beginning this year. I decided to hop on the bandwagon partly through 2013 when I started this little blog and am very glad I did. In another 51 weeks from now there will be a whole set of 104 portraits of Matilda and George and I'm looking forward to seeing them, start to finish.

So, the new year is upon us, evidently and oh I am glad. Am I the only one who is relieved to have Christmas done for another year? I'll be packing it all away into boxes tomorrow night once the littles are in bed and then that's it. Mister 2014, you'll be good, won't you? Yes, yes, you will. I'm not making resolutions. I just don't like them but I do have a pretty exhaustive list of goals and aims. Some big, many small or just for fun but all important. You can miss one or two goals in a match and it's not a total fail, is it? It just feels better, for me anyway.

I couldn't write a post without mentioning that our lovely George turned two on Hogmanay. I keep reminding myself that it happeed, that he is two now. And while of course it is bittersweet to be growing out of his baby skin, it is with enormous joy, we watch his little personality grow and unfurl. That boy, he gives the fullest, warmest loves I've ever known and I often wonder when will it be that I stop wanting to actually eat him a bit? Yes, we love him a lot.

Happy new year to you! Here's hoping the first week of 2014 has been good.