Our Christmas tree

 Our Christmas tree went up on the first weekend of December, like always. Eva was very helpful this year, helping me with those annoying branches and hanging up the baubles. Every year since Eva was a baby we have added a new bauble, normally she makes them and this year was no different. She painted two clay baubles - one for her and one for Archie to hang from the tree. Her first bauble on the tree was her name on a clay angel. I searched high and low for the same one for Archie but no luck so his is a green one with his name on. I love my tree, simply because it's filled with so many memories. As they get older I can look at the different things on the tree with a smile on my face. 

Bean xo

A day at the park

I believe this was something I wanted to do this summer, in actual fact we've been to the park every week this summer. Eva loves them, Archie is still a bit unsure - he loves crawling around on the grass rather then actually playing on anything but he is only little still. (actually reading through my summer wish list, it seems I have done all of them)

Yesterday we decided it was the perfect day for the park. I took so many super cute photos that I struggled to find just one photo today, so I shall share a few more too..

A photo a day : Studley Grange

We couldn't decide between The Living Rainforest and Studley Grange for a day out, in the end it came down to cost (Studley is only £4.95 each, under 3's are free) plus it had so much there that we decided to do The Living Rainforest another time. It took about an hour and half to get there, we arrived at lunch time so had lunch first. Eva had a children's packed lunch which was, a sandwich, a bag of plain crisps, an apple, 4 biscuits and a carton of juice. The food there wasn't great, the Lasagna I had was over cooked, dry and didn't have much taste but then again it was a simple cafe so I don't think it should have been anything more.

After lunch we headed to butterfly world, this also lead out to the reptiles and animal paddock too. Eva adore's butterflies so really enjoyed herself here. I managed to get some lovely photographs from here. Out in the animal paddock were pigs, ducks, otters, meer kats and ducks. We brought some animal feed for £1 a bag and Eva got to feed the goats. Archie found the goats highly amusing, he couldn't stop laughing at them, he laughed even more when the goat got hold of the paper bag of food.

Next we went around the craft village, had we known just how much things there were to do here we would have brought some more money with us. We did have a look in all the shops though, and paid to go into the little lego place, kind of like a mini (very mini) lego land. We took the children into the play zone / barn in the middle and both of them had fun playing with all the toys, ball pits and slides. 

On leaving I brought Eva a lolly pop and a teddy and Archie just had a small teddy. It was a lovely little place, very small but perfect for children - and as it's all in doors it's perfect for when the weather isn't at it's best, like today.

Bean xo

Weaning Diary.

7 months old.

Two meals a day

+ snacks.

 Breakfast : Baby porriage, I also mixed in a a spoon of his berrie baby cereal for a bit of extra flaour. He loves this (although it looks a little too sticky in this picture, I did add more water before feeding it too him)

 Lunch : Yesterday I made apple and pear puree. It was meant to have beetroot but tesco delievered the hot and spicey ones instead of the one's I ordered so I have to skip them.

 Snack : Strawberry in his Nuby. I love this thing, I normally give it to him which I am getting on with housework as it keeps him busy and I don't have to worry about him choking!

He also has his milk, I am still breast feeding him on demand, but during the day now he'son food, this tends to be only 3 times and normally around 30 mins after his meals. As of today I am adding a third meal also around 5pm.

A girl called Eva.

Eva Ann Hopkins,
Age 5 years.
Favourites-
TV show : She's crazy on anything to do with animals, always has been, her favourite being any David Attenborough documentary. Cartoon wise she adores Tom and Jerry or Scooby doo. 
Food : Jacket potato. She could live off them given half the chance.
Colour : Pink. She does like purple too but pink is always her first choice.
Animal : She's Owl crazy, I think her obsession with them began as a toddler when she saw a barn owl for the first time. By the age of 2 she was able to tell you all the breeds. Her favourites still remains the barn owl.
Dislikes-
Having her hair washed. Flys or spiders. Meat. Wearing trousers. Dirt. The wind blowing her hair. Not getting her own way. These are the main things that can cause a melt down. She's beginning to get that teenage temper already, many days I've had her bedroom slammed in my face! She's a diva that's for sure.

What's in my bag?

I thought I would do a completely different sort of post today, the what's in my hand bag post. I actually had no idea what was in my bag, I tend to just stick things in there and forget there even there!

My bag is from New look, I love it because of it's size. As a mum I have to carry all sorts of things as well as my own so having a larger bag is a must. I also love the metal corners at the bottom which make it a more sturdy bag. 

- Tesco Love Baby fragance free wipes.
- Little big nappies.
- Hair bands.
- Tigger teddy.

- Teetha Teething Granules.
- Ibuprofen.
- Elemis Sp@home Hand and Nail cream.
- Vaseline Aloe Vera Lip Therapy.
- My spare glasses.

- A book ; I have no idea why this is in my bag. I read it at home not while out and about.
- Nikon DX 55-200mm lens ; my Nikon D5000 camera with a 18-55mm lens attached to it is also normally in my bag too.
- My purse, from Next
- My house keys.

- Spare clothes for Archie.;; T-shirt & socks both from Tesco. Jogger's were a present and the bodysuit is from Asda living.

Sunshine and parks.

Sunday morning I woke up early and full of energy, this could only mean one thing the gym. I haven't been since my birthday - not out of choice I may add - with Sean at home with Archie and Eva still sleeping at her grandparents house I thought I'd go annoy my mother and drag her along too. The most amusing thing that morning was my mother's face when I turned up at her front door all bright eyed and bushy tailed, put it this way she is not a morning person! We had a good hour in the gym, laughing at how stupid we looked and probably looking like two people who've been let out for the day rather then two regular gym goers, but we had fun and I think that's what it's all about. We normally head for a swim before steaming the morning away in the health spa but as boyfriend didn't have any milk for Archie we decided to skip this grab some food in the little cafe and call boyfriend to take us food shopping. Yes that boring weekend task that turns old ladies into crazy shoppers and have other's diving out of the way of their trolley driving. I won't bore you with what went on here, I'm pretty sure you can guess - pick up an item stick in trolley and repeat - but we decided it would be a shame to waste the rest of the day doing housework, yet another glam weekend chore, so after dropping the food off at home we headed to the park. Archie's never been, well he has but he was a few weeks old and slept the whole time so I'm sure I'll not be counting that one. Eva ran off to play with some other children the moment we got to the park followed by the boyfriend who was told to keep an eye on her while I headed to the baby swings with Archie. He cried, the moment I sat him in the swing he cried. I quickly snuggled him back up and realised there was an awful smell coming from his nappy. A quick change and back on the swing and he was laughing and giggling. He loved it! Eva and boyfriend spent a good hour or so playing (boyfriend being a huge child was loving his day out maybe more then the children) We ended the day with a walk by the river while eating ice creams.

A day at birdland.

Saturday we took the children out for the day to Birdland (Bourton on the water). Archie's finally better after having a bad round of chicken pox and the sun was out so we thought there was no better way to spend the day. We last went here when Eva was smaller, a year or so ago. She's a massive fan of British birds, mainly owls, and loved coming here back then, Saturday was no different. We planned to leave around 9am but it ended up being 12pm as Eva and the boyfriend decided to watch his birthday gift from the children "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2". Archie slept the whole journey down the car while Eva enjoyed eating the travel sweets I'd brought that morning. I love driving through the countryside, Eva and I like to spot how many animals we can see on our way. This time we saw sheep, horses, pheasants and a ginger cat. This game keeps Eva happy so we don't have the whole "are we there yet" routine which drives me insane!

The first thing I noticed while walking around was how many wild birds there were hanging around. We saw three herons sitting around watching and waiting for fish, lots of small birds eating from the feeders in the woods and then the black swans and ducks (I didn't take any photos of the last two)

They have lots of different birds here, from the common to the uncommon, birds from all over the world! Eva enjoying finding them all and loved how funny some looked. Archie found the noises the parrots made very funny.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eva's favourite part of the day was finding the baby chicks, We had to back and see them again before we left just so she could say goodbye!

My 25th birthday

Half way to 50 day!

25 years ago on march 24th I was born (10am) I came out so fast that the midwife wasn't ready and I rolled across the bed and almost fell off - the midwife caught me at last second. I was a healthy 9lb baby, long and chubby. I also took one look at my mum and cried, that amuses me no end.

Anyway to my birthday 25 years on. I woke up at 6:15am with my gorgeous son snuggled up next to me grinning away, my daughter came running in shouting HAPPY BIRTHDAY and a pile of presents awaited me on the dinning table. This year boyfriend put some thought in to what he got me - although it did amuse me when he said "there was loads of things with mummy written on them it was amazing" yes he completely forgot that it was also almost mother's day! - I didn't take a photo of what the kids got me, I have no clue why though I love them! A small little statue of a tatty teddy holding a heart saying "mum" and the base reads "I love you" along with a pair of bright pink socks which say "Super mummy" ; although I am guessing the socks were chosen because I am always nicking the boyfriends and it annoys him. 

Presents from everyone else - I did photograph -

 Tesco finest chocolates in a jewellery box - from boyfriend.

I don't actually have any jewellery but now maybe boyfriend can start buying me some.

 Slow cooker - from my mother.

I squealed opening this.

 A slow cooker cook book - From my mother.

Thorntons dessert collection - from my mother.

These are my favourite range of chocolates by them.

Boyfriend also took me out for a meal at the weekend.

I had Ham terrine starter, rack of lamb main and blueberry brulee for dessert.

Top and jeans from New look, heels were brought a year or so ago but I believe they are also from New look.

This year it the first year as a mother of two, this was a pretty surreal feeling as it feels as though Archie's been here far longer - to think I was 15 weeks pregnant on my birthday last year - Anyway the plan was to go out for the day, shopping of course, however with Eva off school with the chicken pox this was impossible. Instead the boyfriend took us all for a long countryside drive, then I popped to Tesco to do the weekly shop and in the evening while the kids and boyfriend headed to his parents I headed to the gym with my mother. First time in over a year! An hour in the gym, 30 min swim followed by a steam ; I was looking forward to a soak in the hot tub but it seemed all the hairy old men were out that night *shudder*

Over all I had a lovely day, here's to another year!