August Break Day 16 : Look down

Hello, and welcome to day 16 of the August Break. 

Today's theme is "Look down". whoop, over halfway!

There are many images that capture the essence of family life, and a pile of footwear is a great example. At home we have shoe boxes in the hall by the front door, so the chaos of shoes, slippers, sandals, trainers, flip-flops, crocs, boots and school-shoes is contained. Or at least that's the theory.

In our holiday villa they are all just sort of dumped on the floor in a heap. And for once, I don't mind the mess :)

August Break Day 15 : Blue

Hello and welcome to Day 15 of the August Break. 

Today's theme is "Blue". Last post for today, I promise!

Look, Little Miss got her Blue Peter badge! Hip hip hurray!! It arrived a few weeks ago, really not long after she sent her letter. You may remember that I posted about it at http://emeraldcottage.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/august-break-day-3-window-lavender-bears.html?m=1

She sent off a letter and a picture she had done ....

... and she received a letter and badge in the mail the following week! I can't tell you how excited she was! And me too! And very proud of her as well ... and a tiny bit proud of myself too for getting our collective acts together to actually apply for it. Go us!!

August Break Day 14 : Hands

Hello, and welcome to Day 14 of the August Break.

Today's theme is "Hands".

As a Mum, my hands are always busy - washing dishes, wiping surfaces, folding laundry, picking up toys, fetching drinks, preparing food, tying shoelaces, brushing hair, applying bandages, wiping tears, tucking in .... the list goes on and on and on .... and holding their hands too. Oh their hands. Always busy, as busy as their Mum's.

Picking fruit

Doing puzzles 

Writing and coloring

Cuddling teddies

Getting food

Painting

Sculpting

Their beautiful, perfect hands. I know the day when they no longer want to hold my hand is coming way too fast, so I will just keep holding, holding, holding ....

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

August Break Day 13 : My Guilty Pleasure

Hello, and welcome to Day 13 of the August Break.

Today's theme is "My Guilty Pleasure".  Nearly halfway!

Well that's easy, it's yarn-buying. Here's the pile I've bought on this holiday.

I've always like shopping, and enjoy home-ware shopping, shoe shopping, office-supply shopping, shopping for kids stuff, I even enjoy doing the weekly food shopping. I thought I had discovered all the joy that shopping could bring.

And then, about 18 months ago I discovered Yarn Shopping. Hurrah!!!! A whole new depth of shopping-passion was discovered. I loooooove buying yarn, love Love LOVE it. I have to do it own my own, or at least with no Little People with me. I have to buy the actual thing in an actual shop, it's not nearly as satisfying as being able to gaze longingly at shelf after shelf, row after row of gorgeous squashy balls of yarn. I love seeing them all neatly arranged, ordered and in line with labels facing the right way, and straggly ends tucked in. I love running my fingers over the fibers and then having a good old feel and a squidge. I love the sheer potential of it all. With a bit of crafty-wizardry it can be made into anything - clothing, homewares, decorations, accessories, toys - the possibilities are endless. Ooooo that pink would make a lovely shawl, aaaah that green is just what I need to edge a cushion, aha that's just the blue I need for my blanket. 

 

I can't possibly craft fast enough such that my yarn consumption anywhere near matches my purchasing rate. Unless I make a gigantic art installation by sticking on entire balls of yarn at a time. The other issue is storage. It's ridiculous, I could open a shop of my own. But then I'd have to part with my yarn, and that I can never do, unless it's been crafted, lovingly by me into a gift for someone. And that is just what's so great.

I love to gaze at the yarn.

I love to choose the yarn.

I love to buy the yarn.

I really love to craft with the yarn, especially crochet of course.

But most of all I love to give the lovingly crafted gift made with the lovingly chosen and purchased yarn to its intended recipient so they too can share in the yarny love :)

xxxxx

August Break Day 12 : On The Table

Hello, and welcome to Day 12 of the August Break.

Today's theme is "On the table". Feel like I'm making headway!

A coffee outside in a quiet moment. Hubby, Little Miss and Little Tomboy are gasping at the prices in the Hello Kitty shop, and Little Man is reading his book : extremely rare. The act of reading, not the book itself. 

Here's how we got to there .....

After a morning pottering about at the villa, we left, quite late, to have lunch out. Little Tomboy was practically eating her own arm with hunger (oops forgot to check she'd had breakfast), and the other two weren't much better. We went to a nearby town called Celebration, I won't go on about it now as I'm hoping to go back for a wander again and take more pictures before we leave, but it's so pretty - very art-deco-ey and reminiscent of the 50's or thereabouts. Here are a few sneaky peaks.

The approach .....

A map of the town in the town square.

An example of the fab street-signs ...

Even the Starbucks has a funky piece of artwork on its wall ...

There is a very pretty lake, that has a walking trail around its perimeter. 

Perfect for a post-lunch family stroll.

We found a table outside at a really lovely bistro style restaurant. The sun was out, the fans were keeping us cool, the birds were singing and this was our view.

Some very welcome - and colourful - drinks were served.

The food arrived, looked great and tasted delicious. There was something for everyone - pasta for me, veggie burger for hubby, steak for Little Man and pancakes for Little Miss. With maple butter. And maple syrup. And nothing else. For lunch. That girl has such a sweet tooth. Hmmm. 

Seeing as Little Tomboy was soooooooooo hungry, we allowed her to order the pancake AND a BLT sandwich with mashed potato on the side - she doesn't like chips (or fries, depending on your nationality :). Her sandwich was a stonker ....

Look can you see Little Man reading in the background ? And Little Miss' pencil case ? And here's one of the straw wrapper wrist-band I made for Little Tomboy ....

My shrimp pasta (I'm a fish-eating vegetarian, a vegaquarian my friend calls me) was excellent, and ooooo look at them tucking in :)

At this point you'd be forgiven for thinking it was the perfect day out. Well not quite.

It had taken ages to find table as Little Man is very OCD about these things.

We find a table and then it's like musical chairs, various seating plans being wrong for various reasons.

Little Miss was in a sulk and refused to speak to the waitress. 

Little Tomboy whinged that she didn't like her drink.

I made a straw wrapper wristband to try and snap Little Tomboy out of it.

Little Miss got all stroppy that I hadn't made her one.

Little Tomboy took one bite of her food. Despite being sooooo hungry, she refused to eat any more.

Little Miss went all shrieky and squealy about the birds flapping around.

Hubby got up to shoo away the birds but then they just tried to eat his food.

So we moved all the drinks, food, cutlery, sauces etc inside.

We were seated in a booth. Big stressor for Little Man and his OCD. He doesn't like cushiony seats.

More musical chairs.

Little Tomboy was very moany, saying she was too hot. We got her a damp towel but it was too cold.

Little Man had a tummy ache from eating too quickly.

I ordered a coffee then they all whinged that they wanted to leave.

So I got the coffee to go, and we abandoned the plan of the lovely-round-the-lake-stroll. The girls really wanted to visit the Hello Kitty shop, but Little Man couldn't face it (I know how he felt). So here he is reading at that lovely quiet spot by the lake.

So that was our "lovely" lunch out. Oh well, there's always tomorrow :)

August Break Day 11 : Handwriting

Hello, and welcome to Day 11 of the August Break.

Today's theme is " Handwriting". Have I caught up yet ?

I was so happy to have an excuse to show you this masterpiece. It's drawn by Little Tomboy, and she has it taped to her bedroom door back home. I'm not sure who the person is meant to be, but the writing says ...

"Please, no coming in !!! (unless you're staff.)"

Isn't it fab ? All that correct use of punctuation. I'm guessing that the "staff" is me ....?!

August Break Day 10 : Drink

Hello and welcome to Day 10 of the August Break.

Today's theme is "Drink". Still catching up :)

Drink makes me think of water, which, for various reasons, is a bit of a theme for our holiday (in Florida, in case I hadn't already mentioned it ;) I thought I'd share a few water-related pictures with you. The one above is of Little Man who has just leapt into the pool :D

A colorful assortment of swim toys ....

A pile of soft fluffy towels by the pool ....

Little Tomboy playing in the water jets .... 

The one below was taken just as the MASSive water flume ride at Universal came crashing down. That is Little Man in the blue t-shirt just right of centre. Hubby, Little Miss and Little Tomboy are on the ride.

And this next one is Little Man about a second later getting utterly drenched!

Now. A few words before the next few pictures, as they may be a bit controversial. We went to SeaWorld today, and had a great time. I have read the bad press about SeaWorld, and as an animal-loving vegetarian, I have my own opinions. If you disagree with us going there, I respect that and ask that you respect our decision to go. Important bit over. On we go with the pictures.

Fountain over the lake at SeaWorld ....

Pretty waterfall feature at SeaWorld ....

Looking up through the aquarium from the lower level of the penguin area ....

Dinner in the Shark Tank! (We all agreed it was very insensitive to be eating fish next to the fish in the aquarium...)

The beautiful, clever, amazing dolphins ....

And the awesome killer whale ....

And a final picture. Refillable drinks cup from a Disney Water park.

No matter how much we refill them, there's just something we can't get enough of this holiday - drink.