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"A portrait of A & J, once a week, every week, in 2013"

 

Time away from the pressures of school, doing what my boys do best, playing

J -sat on a wall watching and listening to the waves, wrapped in my coat to keep warm

A - having fun at the arboretum

Joining in with the 52 project

Natalie

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"A portrait of A & J, once a week, every week, in 2013"

 

 

Half term with Mummy and Grandma

 

A - Looking so handsome in his wet suit, one tooth missing and his summer holiday blond hair still not cut!

 

J - He loves my sisters horses and we all think he will be up riding with her soon

 

Joining in with the 52 project

 

Natalie

 

A collection of trees

Last weekend we visited Westonbirt arboretum, we were all excited to see the autumnal colours and have hot chocolate and marshmallows in the woods. Thankfully it was a beautiful bright sunny day and only started raining as we were heading home.

There were bright red, pops of yellow, browns and still the brightest greens coming from the pines, which also gave off the most fragrant scent. The boys did laugh at me though, saying it is one thing to hug trees but was I really going round smelling them? So funny!

If you have an arboretum near you head off today, tomorrow or at the weekend to catch the last of the beauty of autumn.

Natalie

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Jasper - After our blackberry picking outing we happened upon the most beautiful field, full of sunflowers. My sunflower boy

 

Asa - Eating melon on our canoeing trip down the canal. My happy boy

Half term diary

We spent our half term with my parents in Hampshire. We feel so lucky to be able to regularly visit them. My Mum and I wanted this half term to be a real holiday so we parked their caravan 5 miles from the sea and 5 miles from my Mum's home.

No TV, no distractions, just time to be together and enjoy the wild outdoors, the boys spent a lot of time of their bikes, in the chilly sea and in the woods. We helped with the horses, watched the farrier at work, saw Turbo at the cinema, and collected shells. I want my boys to remember these times, simple days filled with Mummy and Grandma love.

Everyday was not perfect, we had upsets and were late for things, had scraped knees and freezing toes. I slept a lot, the boys had too many sweets and we had a situation with a very big dog. The thing is I am not looking for a perfect life, just one where there are more good days than bad and where I appreciate the small things.

Natalie

Me

As a child I always had the best intention to write a diary, I was great on the first day but quickly forgot and never managed to be consistent. Now I am a mother I feel more than ever that I want to remember and be able to look back at times that are significant. What did I notice today that made me smile or realise how beautiful the world is.
 
Since starting my blog I have finally found a place where I can do what I have always wanted, I try not to be too conscience about what other people might think about what I have written or the quality of my photos, it does come in waves though and sometimes I hesitate to post things that might be dull or mundane to others.
 
As I watch my children play I hear the whispers of their imaginary world, the clank of lego as they look for the perfect piece, a world of innocence, play and love. I see them grow everyday and feel their soft skin as I wash them. I hope I can take the courage from them to be a little less self conscience and be happy as me, just me.

Natalie

Mushrooms

 

Last Saturday the boys and I went for a woodland walk, I packed the first hot chocolate flask of autumn, some apple biscuits and some marshmallows.

 

We found a den, they climbed trees, and to our amazement we found mushrooms, the woodland floor was covered in them. As we walked and looked we noticed so many. The boys were running ahead shouting that they had found another, and another. We talked about why we need to be careful and respectful of them and I had to wipe away the tears when the biggest or smallest one was found by the other brother