Just for fun : problem solved

It took me a while to work out why Keith might have cut the bottom off a 6 pint milk carton!

Had it been the bottom in the recycling I might have concluded that he was using the top as a scoop! But it was the complete carton in the recycling minus the very bottom.

Then as I looked out of the kitchen window all became clear, the answer had literally been staring me in the face!

The girls had come home with these on Sunday - (we look forward to seeing what grows! ) and as Keith was washing the milk carton with these rather soggy plant pots leaking water everywhere he had a eureka moment, and a few moment later a plant pot tray was created, costing nothing and perfect for two pots!

 

A year with the National Trust : Wicken Fen

An inset day at the end of the Easter break gave us the opportunity to explore another local national trust site.

Wicken fen is a combination of a boarded walk through the fens.

And a reconstructed fensmans cottage.

The visitors centre provided the girls with a canvas bag to take on their explorations!

It included a magnifying glass

Pencils, crayons, notebook and brass rubbing sheet for making observations and finding the eight rubbings located round the walk.

 

One of our bags even included a bird book, and Annie enjoyed finding birds in the book that she could see from the hides.

 

The cottage was lovely but unfortunately too dark for internal photos

The sheds and garden have also been reconstructed, though the girls were not impressed by the mole traps!

And even less impressed with the bathroom!

From Wicken Fen there are several good cycle routes of varying distances.

The girls had a great time and being pretty much all off road made it much more enjoyable for me!

A coffee at the visitors centre gave the girls opportunity to play in the willow 'house'

Sometimes it is the simple things that give the most pleasure, the log pile was made into beds, chairs even a music room!

 

This is definatly a site best visited in warm dry weather, and I am sure we will be back over the summer, we might even tackle one of the longer bike ride!

 

Just for fun : Wild West!

When we were invited to a Wild West murder mystery party, amongst sorting out the practicalities we also needed to find costumes!! Keith's was relatively easy - a travelling preacher!

I on the other hand was to go as his sister - Just a little challenging - I guess I could have opted for jeans and a checked shirt with a cowboy hat but this is me, so several hours of research later I opted for a long skirt and blouse with bonnet and apron, pioneer woman style. Problem is I have no apron or bonnet!

I do on the other hand have fabric and a sewing machine!

The apron was relatively straight forward.

The bonnet proved a little more challenging, but with the help of several internet sites and kind of making it up as I went along .....

I didn't even shout at the sewing machine!

I think the children model it a lot better than me!

It was a fun evening, even though I didn't solve the crime, or achieve all of my goals and it turns out my brother is a double crossing cattle thief ! Shocking!!

It's officially spring!

Of course you know that, there's blossom on the trees and flowers are blooming!

But just in case proof were needed I have finally cleaned out the fire, I have enjoyed my nights sat by the fire, and will look forward to its return in the Autumn.

I will miss it's warm comforting glow.

Or maybe not!! Might need a trip to Ikea to stock up on candles!

 

Just for fun : Which book am I working on?

So the last story was just too easy! Jonah is still a work in progress which will resume when I finish the story bag I am making with Rebecca - our holiday project - mmm may not be finished by tomorrow!!

So I will post the completed project soon, in the meantime can you work out which book we are working on!

40Acts: All done?

So what happened to the last two weeks! Well two things really, firstly we went on holiday making things a little complicated, and secondly the nature of the challenges shifted somewhat, making blogging about it more difficult.

So did I make it to the end, well kind of! Did I complete all the challenges, mmm that is a no, but it was never about doing everything but more about following something to its completion and doing something.
The truth is that I will complete all the challenges just not within the 40Acts window, so I will look for opportunities to provide someone with an unexpected lunch, I will tell my story, when opportunity arises I will share my faith, and I will put someone else first.
As I celebrate Easter and all it means to me, I understand that I was never asked to serve him for 40 days, but called to serve Him day in and day out. The discipline of the challenges has inspired me over lent and will continue to inspire me, and so though I couldn't manage an Easter party for my neighbours a summer BBQ just might be an option!

Easter

For those who follow my blog you will know that last week's mission was to find cross beads (that still makes me chuckle) so here's what I wanted them for!

As the children arrived they received a bag containing items they would need during the service.

The all age service explored the story in many different ways, we followed the story so far using booklets produced by Bea Brigham from http://allplayonsunday.blogspot.com/ using sign language to explore how different characters may have felt.

Using the word EASTER we explored the resurrection using items contained within an egg and a poem by www.motherhoodonadime.com/kids/free-printable-christian-easter-story-egg-poem-adapted-for-preschool/
We produced a toddler friendly version and one for older children using beads!

Everyone was loved - heart
A broken world - plaster
Sin - cross
Tomb for Three days - no 3
Empty - stone
Risen - the empty egg

For those who know Keith you will know he always likes to ask "So what?" and so we matched the so what's to the same letters:
Everything is forgiven
Attitude should be the same as Christ
Spirit the Holy Spirit is given to us
Topsy Turvy transformation
Eternal life
Relationship

In the pack we included items to transform the beads into a key chain

So after lunch the girls had a great time making their key rings!

Though Annie did point out that they don't actually have keys!

They then spent some time colouring their booklet, it was great to be able to talk through what they remembered and what they understood!

And Keith got his own custom made key chain!

I am feeling a bit left out - I might just have to make myself one!

Easter - The missing cross

Being the wife of a minister sometimes finds me trailing round shops looking for things we need to use for a service - don't get me wrong I actually like this! And to be fair usually it's to find something for an activity I have suggested!
So this year found me on the search for cross shaped beads - ( call back later in the week to find out why!)
In fairness to Hobbycraft they do normally stock them but they were out of stock which left me searching for a suitable alternative. As I searched several stores' quite extensive Easter ranges it struck me that amongst all the eggs, bunnies, baskets, and chicks there were no crosses. I guess I didn't really expect there to be but sometimes it's only when we go looking for something that we realise it's not there!
Missing the cross out of Easter is to miss the point, the cross is hard, it's uncomfortable, you can drape it with fabric and flowers but it still remains a symbol of a hard and brutal death. A death that Jesus chose and the means by which I can know God.

A year with the National Trust : A La Ronde

This property is about ten minutes from Keith's parents in Exmouth, but we have never been, we knew it was fairly small so we just went for the afternoon which was about right.

It is an amazing 16 sided house, which meant inside there were lots of interesting shaped room and hidden spaces, it would be a great place to live, especially for a child, hide and seek could go on for hours!

Posing for the proper camera!

Sophie wasn't too impressed with the facilities!

But the views were great!

Especially looking over the estuary.

The house was decorated top to bottom with crafts that the two girls who lived there had made, pictures mosaics, collages, on furniture, fireplaces, walls and ceiling. The decorations were made of paper, shells and feathers and though perhaps a little over the top very inspiring! The top gallery of the house is too fragile to visit but you can catch just a glimpse of its shell lined walls.

We headed outside to take part in an Easter egg hunt.....

Sponsored by Cadbury! .... now to claim their prize!