Thank you x

Firstly i obviously need to say a huge thank you to all of you lovely girls who've taken the time to restore my faith in blogging. I cant believe how many lovely, sweet comments and emails ive received this week!

Im pleased to say i will continue with my ramblings, and if there is anything you would like to read more about, just let me know! I know we're all guilty of reading and running sometimes(me-alot of the time!) but its been really reassuring to know you're with me!

So, firstly i have to show you what i got for mothers day! The girls and i were up at 6.30am as i needed to do another boot sale to rid the house of a bit more clutter, the girls and daddy firstly called me into the bedroom and presented me with a beautiful card....i then had to wait there while my gift was wheeled into the lounge and i was instructed to close my eyes until the TA DA! Moment!...Well, you can see what i received below!......

A new wheelbarrow! And not only that, a PINK wheelbarrow!

Now, you might scoff at the idea of a wheelbarrow as a mothers day gift, akin to receiving a washing up bowl for some women, but this was actually something i needed.wanted!

For the last three years ive been using a holey, rusty barrow with a flat tyre.

And when you consider how much use i get out of one-it takes my laundry from the utility to the line, my shopping bags from the car to the house, my logs from the pile in the field to the back door in winter, i couldnt live without one!

A new barrow was even on my birthday list this year, but i didn't know you could get pink ones!

Mr P really pulled it out of the bag this year...thanks baby x

Sunday was a really special day. After the car boot(made another £45) my mum brought my brother over and i cooked a huge lasagne with salad coleslaw, garlic bread, salad etc for us all. Mums favourite! Mr P even came home from work at around 5pm to share the day with us. He then spent the rest of the evening mowing the lawn-the girls had THE best time left to learn how to ride the mower themselves, lots of videos were made to show them when they're older.(for the safety conscious among you the cutting blade was disabled when they dove it and it was kept in the lwest gear-slowest speed possible, and Mr P was in the garden the whole time!)

After we'd eaten, something special happened, there was a light shower of rain, then bright skies....and right outside our lounge window, the most beautiful rainbow came out, ive never ever seen the start and end of a rainbow-both of which were in our field, it was truly a sight to behold...i guess growing up on a housing estate was why id never seen the start or end of one before? It must of always been hidden behind a house!(im not sure the photos show this but honestly, you could see the ends of it!)

Not only was there one stunning rainbow, as the sun got stronger ANOTHER one came out above it!


It was a perfect mothers day. I cant believe this time next year i'll be a mother of 3!!!!!!!

So this week is a hectic one, the kids break up for easter on friday, 17 days off, then 3 days back at school, then 4 more days off...i didn't plan this baby very well did i? I'll be 37 weeks pregnant on friday(only 3 left) and im dreading the holidays to be honest!

Im trying to make the most of every child free day, and yesterday i headed off to IKEA to get a few things for the baby and the house but they didn't have half of what i wanted so of course i ended up buying some crap i didn't need instead!

This lustworthy item called to me, but i think it was about £18 so i resisted!!!

Really don't need another blanket but this one was so lovely with its pretty fluted edges.

They also had it in blue and green if you want to grab yourself one!

But here's a shot of some goodies which did come home with me.

(Ive just noticed this is a distinctly 'Pink' post!)

The daffs were bought at the car boot sale on sunday, a pound a bunch, i bought two but the lady gave me 3, how kind? They're the big double fluffy ones, cant wait for them all to come out.

(...I took this photograph at about 7pm yesterday evening, look at the light, low sun, gently lighting the house, beautiful)

Onto the goodies. The CK memo block was a gift bought by my step mum who i spent the day with on friday, we had our mothers day then as she was working on sunday. She treated me to it from Johm Lewis, we headed there to stock up on baby essentials(i think i have everything now).

The pink spotty candles, pink glass candles and strange white towel things you see there were all IKEA.

When i saw these candles i got SO EXCITED, i wanted to bundle the whole display full of them into my trolley and run for the exit door!!!!!!

I mean look , stunning CKesque pink glass candles, which smell AMAZING, and polka dot candles-how often do you find these?!

The polka dot ones were also available in baby blue and yellow(i think)...Perfect for easter!

Ive now rearranged my mantle piece to incorporate the new pretties...

Do you love these as much as i do?!...

Here is a close up on the name of the scented candles if you want to look them up.

I think they'd make beautiful presents...

I also saw a new design of duvet cover in there. It was white with pretty rose buds all over and was so soft, almost flanelette like, you can view it Here @ the IKEA website, but it doesnt do it justice! They only had one single one left so i think its going to be a really popular design.

They also had LOADS of rosali duvet covers in my local store(southampton), i cant believe we all went so mental over them a few years ago and now they're so readily available!!!

The little white towels you see there were bought as ive been hunting for some terry towelling nappies to use as burp cloths, but so far had no luck(or they've been reeeallly expensive!) these were the perfect size and only 40p each in ikea! I was really lucky to spot them i think!

On Monday of this week i had to go to work (this saturday is my last shift-cant wait!), on Tuesday i caught up on housework, today, a final boot sale will be done with the last of the items ive sorted(its currently 4am and i cant sleep!).

On Thursday im going on a post pregnancy clothes shopping trip to primark-for essentials of course! And a little visit to CK in winchester...and on Friday im having my hair done...crikey, the weeks are whizzing by!

Thank you all for checking in with me.....

Hope you are all well today?

Love Kirsty xoxo

Bye bye March!

Helllooo, im back....... and im not mental anymore, yay!!

Here i am, i was having a fat day today(what other kind is there at almost 36 weeks pregnant) so i selected my favourite black GAP maternity jumber and skinny jeans....i did also have my riding/leather boots on this morning as it was pissing it down, then this afternoon turned warm and sunny so i went for the sparkly leopard print pumps with a sparkly accessorize silver scarf!

I know this is a bit of a crap photo, but i was rather excited. Mr P's camera has been broken for aaaages and i sorted it out today so i was a bit snap happy!

This is kind of a jumble of this past week, all rounded up for you. Im back on my way 'up' now, things have sorted themselves, the house and my mind!

Firstly, look at this fab fruit/veg box. Turns out some neighbours of our farm had dumped some garden rubbish over their fences and into one of our fields....words were had...this was the apology gift!

My garden, AH MY GARDEN! Its all coming to life, March has been so warm that im sure you've noticed blossom all over the place is well in bloom already. This is our apple tree, 3 days ago it was just a mass of tight buds, now look at it!!

My mum and i spent a very hard Sunday in the garden at the weekend. It was amazingly productive, we were completely shattered afterwards, not to mention, hot grubby and sweaty(mmm nice)!

I trimmed back the lavender, a job which i didn't do last year, morning sickness stopped me from much of anything of any use. I also trimmed my herb garden right back(the bricked bit behind the table there) and the verbena bonariensis and all the lovely new sprouts are reaching for the sunshine already.

We've already sat out at this table this week and had to use a parasol it was so sunny!

Im not going to do much proper gardening this year(for obvious reasons) my greenhouse will be bare, but i intend to buy some simple bursts of colour for these pots...cosmos daisies, petunias, Dhalias etc .

This is the front garden, i love this little wooden border which Mr P created for me, its full of spring bulbs and primroses and is a lovely sight as you walk in the front door or sit on the bench below the front window facing out onto it.

Look at this stunning jagged edged tulip, its such a bright red!

And these anemonies, i could have a garden filled with just them and be entirely satisfied!

I think my porch needs a coat of creosote, but that might have to wait till next year. I think for now i'll get another box ball for the otherside of the mat. Look at that hosta springing to life!

I like to take photos like this so in about 6 weeks when everything springs to life i can look back and see how bare it was!...My Japanese maple is coming to life, one of my favourite trees.

There's also some chocolate mint, a hosta, a tub full of Geum's and a bare pot waiting for inspiration.

My Araucana was strutting around picking the worms out of the mole hills today.

I have no idea where she is currently laying her eggs but id love to find out as i miss those little blue beauties!

I love that you can buy a little pot of lilac violas for just a pound along with the bread and milk.

I also love the cheery purple pots they come in! These will grow and spread and fill out the pot i choose for them, so they're a little investment!

I know this is another table shot, but im so relieved its so tidy and clean now. My mum was on her hands and knees with a knife cleaning and weeding the gaps between the slabs. She curses Mr P, as 'all it needs is a bit of cement'...ok mum, i'll put it on his list x

Mr P bless him has been such a good boy this week, he borrowed this from the yard and guess what he did...he cut the lawn!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO EXCITED about this!

And here it is, my lawn, in all its half cut glory. You see, after 10 minutes it got a puncture. Poppy spent an hour with him fixing it and was so excited to learn how to do that-every cloud i guess?....Another 10 mins on and it ran out of fuel, damn it! So, its still parked outside my bedroom window, but 80% of my lawn is mowed so im not complaining!

My shadows trying to get in on the photographic action!

This is next on Mr P' list, carpet and other bits waiting for a bonfire.....

He ticked this off his list though-my leaky pipe? Fixed!!

Ah! Heaven is a functioning dishwasher. Didn't realise how much i needed this baby until i couldn't use it!

****Drumroll please*****

*****TA DA!!!!****

The result of weeks of work upstairs can now be revealed. My dad, step mum, and mum and i have spent a loooonnng time preping and then painting this space. Then we had the new carpet laid and it finishes it off perfectly. Im still 'tweaking' the rest of it in terms of prettifying the area, but you get the picture?

This is the area which leads through to the nursery...

Baby's cot will go in this corner. For now as you can see its just baby 'bits' piled high!

Come inside...

The bed will have a plain white duvet cover on it this week and all those untidy bits underneath will be neatened up.

Another job waiting to be ticked off of Mr P's list there on top of that old bedside set of drawers.

So thats the all new clean fresh upstairs area...Hope you like it?

The nursery needs a little shelf and something nice on the walls, but maybe we'll wait until after baby arrives so that it can be a bit more personal? I'll keep you posted on the room's progress.

Ive sorted mothers day now, the gift below is what ive chosen for Mr P's mum...bought from one of my favourite local shops Kit & Caboodle in Romsey.

The shops owner Debbie is so lovely, she even supplied this pretty pink paper...about 5 sheets of it when i bought a birthday gift recently and i had some left over. I'll do a post on the shop one day, its to die for. Full of Emma Bridgewater and beautiful jewellery and a huge range of home and gift ideas!

I loved this mug, Mrs P senior has a pair of call ducks so this will be right up her street. Its a small bone china mug, perfect for a ladylike sized coffee in the morning.

You can find more Sophie Allport products HERE, they're simply adorable.

On wednesday mum and i took about 9 bin liners full of 'stuff' she'd helped me turf out of the loft cupboards, to a local boot sale. One which doesnt start until 10am, how cool is that?!

So off i went to the school run, then met her there and she helped me set up.

After 40 mins it started spitting, then it started raining...hard.

So we quickly threw everything back in the car. It was a crazy hour of selling though and i made 45 quid!! Ive got a few bags full of nice things left to sell so we shall endeavour to try again in the next few weeks before baby arrives. Not bad for an hours work though eh?!

I did pick up ONE little treat at the boot sale, a gift for Mr P. He likes to sit on the floor of an evening, preferring it over the sofa, he sits about six inches away from the TV like a 6 year old even though he's now had his eyes lasered! He then likes to eat his dinner off a stool. The last one, a little wooden one covered in CK fabric has seen better days(its hideous-seriously)...so...

Look what i bought?!...What a cute little stool!? For £3 i couldnt leave it there in the rain could i ??

And there you have it, we're well and truly back in the land of the living.

Things are coming together nicely and i think im almost ready to have this baby...Ah April tomorrow, i welcome you with open arms...bye bye March!

Oh, and I Cant wait to be able to give up my new best friend in a few weeks....

...!!!!!!!

Love Kirsty xoxo

Giving thanks

So today, the 31st January 2011, i thought id give thanks for a few things.....Nothing major, just a little recognition of the here and now.

Ive been feeling a bit rubbish over the last week, i guess a combination of no money, no going out, messy house etc has taken its toll, but im looking forward and trying to be positive, firstly im giving thanks for the fact that we enter for a new month tomorrow!!

I personally cannot wait. Of course, with every month that passes i am a few weeks closer to meeting my new baby...and the further into February we are, all the more to spring we are!

Ive bought a few tete a tete daffs and hyacinth bulbs and dotted them around the house for bit of brightness, but they're yet to erupt!

I captured this little 'moment' yesterday, the sun stayed with us all day, and at one point, through the clutter and crap on my dining table, the beauty of my pink tulips was delicately highlighted


The next thing im giving thanks for are these oh so pretty blue eggs, laid by a single Araucana chicken. She is doing so well! Laying one every day for me..which is strange as over Christmas and previous to that-she laid none! I have a fridge full at the moment so i really should give a few away or make some meringues or something!

Right now, im LOVING the fact that so many products dont just have to be practical, but can be pretty too...like this air freshener and dishcloths, how lush?!

I know these companies see people like me coming, but i dont care, they make me happpy doing my mundane tasks each day. I nabbed the pink air freshner from the bathroom-which by the way is coming along, just a few really annoying jobs which need to be finished-jobs which Mr P needs to take care of, then i can reveal it-so sorry to keep you all in suspense-im just thankful we have a shiny new bathroom before the arrival of the tiny one...(mum, i owe you the biggest thank you of all for making our dream bathroom a reality!)

I gave alot of thanks for this small mercy, a raspberry jam doughnut and a caramel latte..it was a heavenly sunday morning treat...sooooo good!

AND just look at the box..a real dreamy shade of pink-well done Mr Sainsbury!

Do you want to know what our sundays are like? If i tell you, maybe you will tell me, because sundays can be a pretty crap day cant they? The kids sometimes get bored, maybe when mummy is stuck in the kitchen doing the roast...or there's nowhere to go as everywhere is shut?

Well my sundays are not amazing by any stretch, but this one was nice, peaceful, easy...My dad generally pops in every sunday morning..after he's been to my nannies down the road and pulled a few veg for his dinner that day, and delivered her papers. It gets him out of the house whilst my step mum is at work.

This sunday he arrived bearing gifts, which i was reeaally chuffed about! My kindling bucket now looks like this. He's been putting down a new solid oak floor in his cloakroom this week and had lots of offcuts..and although it pains me to burn such beautiful wood, i did really need it, plus i know i dont have the time to re purpose it for making bird houses, or the like. And im trying not to hold onto any guilt for that fact-i'll be keeping my family warm, and saving some money....sorry little birdies x

Look, this basket is full of it too!

To say my dad is pretty handy to have around is an accurate description. At around xmas time i put in an order. You see, he's a fabricator welder by trade, so metal is his thing. It was at a time when it was getting pretty tough to get my wellies off without being in alot (!)of pain due to bump ligaments stretching. As much as i adore my hunters, they are a comfortably snug fit-which makes it all the more difficult to remove them!

So, yesterday i was presented with this bespoke boot jack, courtesy of dad. Bless his heart, he probably has no idea how much easier this little thing will make my life, lots and LOTS is the answer. Ive had many of these before, all wooden or plastic, they last about, ooh-5 minutes before they break, so hopefully this one will last ALOT longer!

After grandad has played a few games with the granddaughters and got me a barrow full of logs its time for me to thank him. Bacon rolls were the order of the day, the bun lightly toasted for Mr P, egg cooked through for me, and runny for dad..brown sauce for dad, red for me, none for Mr P-funny things us humans eh?!

I think they were an appropriate way of giving thanks to my dad-dont you?

I have to have the little robin mug as im only meant to have two cups of coffee a day, too much caffeine is bad for baby apparently!..We went out in the garden to eat as Mr P was fixing my mums car on the drive. Before they ate their tuna sarnies, the girls bounced on the trampoline.

After we'd all eaten, the little ladies built an 'office' in their room with a desk id bought in from their wendy house and by washing airer!

The afternoon passed by in a haze of tidying, washing, playing, chatting, drinking and chilling out.

It was then time for me to head out with ruby to collect nana from her house for an overnight stay, and poppy and daddy headed off to mend the broken slurry tanker ready for the weeks work.

On our way home, we collected a curry from my favourite Indian takeaway and headed back for our planned 'movie night'.

Daddy and the girls had selected Ice Age 3, and we all sat on the floor together and munched and relaxed..a perfect end to a peaceful day.

.....By the way, i just wanted to say 'thanks' to all my new followers...i hope you're enjoying my blog!

Love Kirsty xoxo

Kirsty xoxo

Summer so far part 1

Helllooooooo!

Hi all, i hope you wont hold it against me that ive taken soooo long in stopping by blogland, i really dont know where the last eight weeks have gone!

Anyway, i wont bore you with excuses, are you like me and buy a new magazine and immediately flick through all the inspirational piccies??

You do?, well i'll make this post light on words then and hopefully you can just skip through and enjoy part one of our summer so far!

There have been a few firsts...enjoy x

Ted chilling out, maxin', relaxin', with Charlie's oh so scrummy baby toes....i can say with certainty this is not a first!

Does anyone else have a dog which comforts itself in the newest, neatest pile of plumped cushions/throws/towels you've just laid out??

Roo can often be found here...in MY spot, under the apple tree...

Garden picnics with friends have been enjoyed...

Another year older...a beautiful cake from a lovely friend...

And more cake!...

One baby sister is now walking!....

One middle sister had a first sports day...

The centinery celebrations of the death of Florence Nightingale were celebrated in style...

All our babies found new homes...

My stunning flowers have been admired...

Evening sun dappling the herb border...
The peachiest pink foxgloves flowered for the first time...

Time was spent capturing moments of this beautiful little lady for the first time...

A christening was celebrated...
...In style...

With a huge hog roast in the garden...

The men folk...cooking-now im sure THAT is a first!!!...

Check back in a few days for part two, ive missed you all!

K xxx