Getting my mojo back :-)

It's been a tough old few months, what with uncertainty around my job and Rob working away loads, and Isobel discovering toddler tantrums in a really big way, it's felt for a while like we were just surviving, but more recently I've started to feel more like we are actually living (I suspect in large part due to a much needed holiday!). We've been together more and getting out and about and we're working on ways to minimise the tantrums and get some routine and rhythm back in our daily lives. And I think, at the moment at least, we're winning.

We've decided to update the conservatory art theme (its been "fairyland" for a while), the girls have now decided they want to have a woodland scene (like the enchanted wood), so this is them hand painting leaves (and arms, hair and faces :-) ). Art has suddenly become so much easier (apart from anything involving pom poms, honestly I'm sure if you used super glue those things wouldn't stick!!!) as Isobel is more able to do her own thing (without eating the paint!), and then they love to "wash up" for ages afterwards.

We've been baking - an activity that was off the agenda for a while as they just couldn't share, but with some planning we've worked it out and Isobel was so impressed with these cakes she made and iced "all by herself".

Isobel has also started making things that she says are actual things (and kinda look like what she says they are), this was her building a wooden block robot.

We've been busy making fairy dens under the table (a good opportunity for working on sharing a small space, something which has been a huge issue recently!)

We had a fab trip to the Sandwell show, which involved loads of giant veg, a craft marque, a visit to the clown and a few rides. We all had a great time just mooching and seeing what there was too see. Plus I came home with a lovely set of handpainted winnie the pooh glass jars (thanks mum :-) ). The fair there is quite big and there were a number of quite big rides, including some awful spinning thing, that caused one poor guy to be sick, Isobel still keeps saying, "man, sick, ride!".

I love this shot of our picnic at the show because we were just mucking about and the girls were teasing each other mugging for the camera, and I think this captures us all well, especially that wonderful fake sulky face of Isobel's, which only just hides her big giggle.

Much to our extreme happiness they have built a fab new play area next to Sandwell farm, it's been very busy in the holidays but is really nice (how tempted am I to play hooky so we can get it all to ourselves!). This little wendy house is lovely and Isobel had great fun playing house.

There are some decent climbing frames and slides and a sandpit as well as a number of random wooden animals to climb on, including this horse and a donkey. We've been 3 times in the last 2 weeks - can't get enough of free entertainment :-).

So all in all a cracking last couple of weeks of the school holidays, which I think has left us all feeling a little more centred and ready for the next school term (this week at least anyway!)