I have so much catching up to do 🙂 I got midway through the Easter break and then got absorbed by the two books I released. Over the holidays, we enjoyed some (rare) sunny days and went everywhere on foot. I love just walking with the girls to the park, bringing snacks or a picnic and a book to read and spending all morning there. They usually end up making friends while they’re there too. Reading in the sun helps me to imagine that I’m abroad and reading on a sun lounger in a better climate 🙂 I love spotting pretty flowers and items of interest along the way and bringing some cake to eat outside. My boyfriend made a lovely orange and raisin cake that we devoured 🙂
The girls have been using some Earth paints they got in their art box. You just mix the powder with water to make paint. I was surprised by how pigmented it was. The girls made some abstract paintings and used straws to spread the paint on the page. We got to have a pretend barbeque in the garden. (I made burgers and chips and we ate them outside.) The girls made themselves a little tent under a sheet and sat on the picnic blanket 🙂 They always love eating dinner outside.
We returned to simple activities over the holidays that were based around home and nearby places. The kids designed some outfits using a stencil kit that my mum got them. I love when they just get involved in something artist by themselves now and come to a compromise with sharing materials 🙂
I made some breakfast flapjacks that I hadn’t made before. They were so easy to make and you can add whatever dried fruit and seeds you like. It was from my “Feed your Family for £20 a Week” book.
We visited my sister and the girls’ cousins. We took it in turns to have a break 🙂 I love the beautiful flowerbeds in her village at this time of the year 🙂 There is a gift shop filled with handmade local items and I found some presents in it and got some coffee to take home. Her tulips always look like they’re waving at me when I arrive at the house 🙂
We have been making good use of the library again. The girls go through books so quickly that by the time a week has rolled around, we are ready for a new selection 🙂 I got a book too this time and I might try to do that more often since it motivated me to finish the book. It was called “Skylark” and I found it really hard to put down 🙂 After the library, we took our books to a cafe and we read and had some coffee/ice-cream. It’s one of my favourite things to do with the girls. I like the way coffee art just adds a positive touch to your day in the simplest way 🙂
We went out for lunch with my parents to a lovely hotel near their house. Afterwards we walked down to the island they have made for wedding photos and my kids posed for some pictures. That evening, I attended a contemporary dance show with my boyfriend. It was fun to go to something I would ordinarily never think to go to 🙂 There were ten dance groups and it was interesting to see what they had all come up with. I’m going to pause here and continue the rest of the post in a separate blog since it’s getting rather lengthy 🙂
The Funky Thrifter 