a bit of common sense...

Ever since Bucket jnr was little he has always had a really, REALLY good gag reflex (this could get yucky so if you want to look away, now is a good time).

We've been caught short a few times in restaurants (funnily enough mainly in France) where he's wanted to try something and then all you can see is all of us diving for the napkins and shoving them in front of him to lessen the damage.

Now, we've brought up our children saying "don't eat with your mouth open" and Bucket jnr does this very well and we didn't foresee a problem but....

A few weeks ago I had a phone call saying that Bucket jnr had been sick at school so I went to pick him up and was mortified for him that it had happened in the lunch hall. But when I questioned him, he wasn't sick or suffering from an illness - he gagged at all his friends showing him their mushed up food in their mouths whilst eating (can't say I blame him).

Well, as all mums know, once a child is sick they have to stay off school 48 hours after the last sign.

So he stayed off school. Perfectly all right. No problems at all.

I had a little chat with him about what to do if this happened again and nothing happened, for about a week.

Well, there I was Christmas food shopping when I get the dreaded call again. I raced home, as safely as I could of course, and picked him up.

Yep, he gagged...AGAIN.

But hope shone through and common sense prevailed - I had a phone call from his teacher later in the day who let me know that as he isn't sick he could go back into school again and we will try and manage this.

YEAH!!! I am soooo glad, I was really dreading all the schooling he would miss until this was sorted out. But it does mean, for the moment at mealtimes, I have to show him my open mouth full of food so he can learn to look away and ignore it.

It does seem a little step backwards in teaching manners but it's a hell of a lot easier than trying to teach all the other kids to close their mouths whilst eating. Sam xx

A bit of this and a bit of that...

It's been that sort of time where lots of little things have been done so I thought I'd gather them all up and put them all into one post.

Miss Bucket had lots of clothes that she had grown out of and when I was sorting them out for a 'bags for school' day I found some really lovely jumpers hidden in Miss Bucket's drawers. They were so nice I didn't want to give them away.

The picture doesn't do them justice, they are incredibly soft and look sparkly. I sat and had a thought about what I could make them into...wrist warmers,cushion covers - it's an ongoing project.

Bucket jnr was sent home during school for being sick (not really sick-sick, he had some sandwich stuck in his mouth) and we had a talk about what he'd like to do so he didn't get bored.  Crafts was the answer - with glitter - great (already visualising the mess). The thing is as I was talking to Bucket jnr about being careful with glitter I dropped about a teaspoon of the stuff all over the carpet and it goes a LONG way. It's not the kids I have to keep an eye on - it's me!

My neighbour was kind enough to look after Bucket jnr whilst I saw Miss Bucket at her class assembly and when I got back they'd decorated some spirals (one for the neighbour to take with her). We then made some angel cards that we stuck up in the kids rooms.

 We also had a power cut recently which lasted about an hour - I loved it.. All the neighbours rallied round, checking on each other and making sure that everyone had candles which was nice, you don't realise how dark it is without the street lamps. Brought back memories of power cuts when I was a lot younger, also made me glad that we chose a gas cooker.

I finally started on the snowmen. I know, I know, I was meant to do them ages ago but something always got in the way (thanks kids!) and I really have to concentrate when crocheting and count the stitches otherwise I completely forget what I'm doing and whereabouts I am in the pattern - my brain is a complete sieve.

I also sent for a pattern from Annaboo's House - it's an elf. I always keep meaning to get one of those 'elf on the shelf' but I either don't have the money available or I can't justify spending that amount of money on it. So this is better!!!

What else.....sorting stuff for the school bazaar (amazingly managed to get rid of some stuff but must make sure that it doesn't somehow get bought and brought back); watched some 'made for tv' Christmas films (absolutely love 'em); made cheap and easy meals to get us through this last week of the month (I love mince - sooooo versatile); wrapped up some Christmas presents early - WOW!! I'm usually panicking and swearing a lot on Christmas Eve, asking myself WHY did I not do this earlier; helping a friend Christmas shop; sorting out cars, cards and the like; watching a sweet nativity play...

Think that's about it but that should be enough for the moment. Sam xx

Giveaway alert....

Not that I really want to tell anyone as it makes my chance of winning a lot smaller.....but.....

Sew Sweet Violet is having a giveaway - a copy of Mollie Makes Christmas book and a sweet bird called Master Wally Winterbird.

 Source: Sew Sweet Violet

To be in with one chance to win you need to become a follower on her blog (which is easy as the blog is brilliant) and leave a comment. And for a second chance to win, put a link on your blog or facebook letting others know about the giveaway (this was a hard thing to do as I really want to win) and then comment again on her blog.

Good luck if you enter. Sam x

Pearls of Wisdom 1...

I've numbered this post just in case there are any more.....and I'm sure there will be:

It's 6.45am on a Monday morning...

 Source: Google Images

Bucket jnr: Mummy do you know where polar bears live?

Me: No, where?

Bucket jnr: In the antique.


Cue lots of sniggering from me. Sam x

Cakes and more cakes...

I was going to name this post 'problems with silicon' but thought I'd get some dodgy readers with that one.

Had an interesting weekend baking cakes, namely a cake for Ma Bucket for her 70th. It was suggested to me by Pa Bucket but thought it would make a good present. So I set to work.

Three cakes later I decided that I hated silicon 'tins' and I'm going back to using my old ones again. I thought the point of the silicon ones is that things don't stick? I had a complete nightmare.

I also decided to use fondant icing (I usually use nice, messy buttercream) for a good finish. Several attempts later I finally got some on a cake...note to self:- use LOTS of icing sugar under the fondant icing, not a light amount that the packets suggest. Also, I need loads more practice with this type of icing - I needed to patch up some holes and then it didn't look neat enough for me.

Finally went to bed about 1am, totally fed up with the cake. So the next morning I made another one just in case I really did not like the first one.  But after putting the decorations on and placing a huge ribbon around the cake to hide the imperfections it didn't look too bad. Although Mr Bucket had to keep reminding me that "it is homemade and if they wanted a shop perfect one then they would have bought one".

Ma Bucket loved it and it tasted good so that's the main thing.

 One of the spare cakes that we'll have today

 But I learned a couple of new things doing this:

* Instead of using icing sugar to attach a ribbon to a cake, measure and then wet the ribbon (gently squeezing off excess water), then wrap around cake. Press and hold for a few seconds and then presto, the water and sugar bind together and the ribbon is held onto cake.

* To cut a big cake in half evenly, lightly score around the cake; wrap cotton thread around and cross over then pull slowly. This works, I tried it and the cake was cut really well.

I don't know if everyone knows these things but it was news, to the few people that I spoke to, about the ribbon trick.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend. Sam xx

Inappropriate clothing...

Aaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh - my eyes, my eyes..

Source: Google Images

Just had a bit of a shocker this morning when dropping Bucket jnr off at school.

Now, can I just say that I'm NOT a yummy mummy or a runny mummy (the really energetic ones that wear skin tight running gear). I'm a mum who prefers jeans and converse, sometimes with/without makeup (if I have the time or inclination), hair tied up if I haven't had the time to wash it and looking fairly, well......normal.

But there is a dress code of sorts for dropping your kids off and I don't think that BUILDERS BUM is one of them. That was a sight I hope to never, never, EVER see again - especially that early in the morning.

One of the dads (thankfully someone I didn't know) was dropping his kids off to another class and as I got within eyeball range he moved, his jumper lifted and there it was - saggy jeans hanging low and everything on show.

REALLY???? Do I really need to see that at school; early in the morning and after only ONE coffee. If I wasn't totally awake before then I definitely was after that. It wasn't just me either, another mum saw it too and we both started giggling (out of shock I think and because that image is now burned into our brains).

My day can only get better after that. Sam xx

It's a good day..

source: Google images

Today started off really well...

Normally I wake up with birds-nest hair; my crows feet and lines look like trenches - I want to trowel the makeup on without looking like Dale Winton and usually the kids are shouting at each other.

Today...

...my hair was manageable - not perfect but not too bad...

...my face looked photo-shopped this morning - sparkling eyes, my skin looked good and the wrinkles weren't deep crevices...

...the kids were actually playing together, and quietly - unheard of!...

...I actually found something I like in a charity shop - a hardback copy of 'The Borrowers', in excellent condition (I started reading it as soon as I got home)...

...and the sun is shining...

I'm now keeping an eye out to see if anyone's dropped any money on the floor, you never know. Sam xx