Sunday 4 November 2012

Autumnal japes

So the Prince hates fireworks quite a lot, it turns out. Don't sing the Katy Perry song to him. Ever.

He has been seriously freaked out and resorted to sleeping on the sofa until it's safe for us to carry him upstairs to bed. But then swiftly returns to our bed hours later "just in case" a firework gets him in the night...

Soooooooo, after a little googling, I found a lovely solution. EAR DEFENDERS!

Very Calvin Harris...

And it seems we are all saved from the traumas of  rockets and screamers. And crying kids.

Can he hear them?


No he can't!


(Even if he does look a little reminiscent of Warren from There's Something About Mary...)

This means we can go to the big firework party tomorrow night and hopefully have a laugh. I LOVE fireworks. I love anything sparkly and glittery and find them mesmerising.

Which brings me on to my fab purchase in Brighton on Saturday. These little babies. I call them my Firework Boots. I love them. I'm all about the glitter!

That's my belated Nana Joan's sewing table. Gorgeous.


I wore them to the cinema with the husband on Wednesday night (Skyfall....brilliant! And I don't even fancy Daniel Craig) and felt like a student all over again.

The husband has been off all week and it's been lush to have someone around to help me with the kids so frequently. We had his brother and family to stay for four days at the beginning of the week and we went to Brighton for the day which they loved, having never been before.

Five children in total for four days - it was hectic but fun. Here are four of the five (the baby was sleeping).









Peter Andre's coffee shop


The Princess and her cousin (born 8 weeks apart)


Having the Husband home all week also meant I could go out with some friends and regain a very non existent social life. We went to the local pub round the corner from home which is really nice and had a laugh.

I have also found a little time to do a couple of rounds on this giant granny.

Only taken me since March and only a third in.....

Not as big as the Blanket of Glory though....


A couple of people like it a lot though!
They love watching me do it (such a rarity!) and then always want to get involved, hence I never make much progress.

I love my kids  but taking them shopping is always a saga. If the Prince isn't trying to jam his fingers into automatic doors, they are refusing to budge when I want to head off.

Both said they NEEDED these chairs.....of course I said NOOOOOO (evil cackle)

On the subject of shopping, I also picked up this metal sign from the cherry tree shop for £2. I love it.



As I left the shop, I noticed this DVD. I am a massive Charlie Chaplin fan. I was brought up on it and my siblings and I spent many a Sunday afternoon cosied up watching The Gold Rush. I find silent movies amazing to watch. The actions, the music....oh!



I paid £2 for the DVD and was informed by Scope that it was Buy One Get One Free, which meant I picked up this one too.



Another happy childhood memory. Maybe I have a thing for men in hats with strange facial hair (which is good I guess, now that we are in Movember...)

One day this week the Princess chilled out in her best (boy) friend's hot tub so the Prince and I took to the sea. We went shopping and ate ice creams on a chilly day!
Chocolate ice cream chops

Brrrrrrrrrrr


Then of course we had Hallowe'en. Our street and the neighbouring ones are renowned for an excellent show but apparently it was being toned down this year after hundreds descended on the streets to Trick or Treat.

One of the houses put on a sausage sizzle. I think this is a fancier term for a BBQ. Then we were terrified for a couple of hours as we wandered from door to door. The adults put waaaay too much effort in and it was petrifying in places.

Next year we will take part in the festivities by scaring door knockers, this year we tested the water by taking to the streets to see what our neighbours do. There is a good community feel to our new area which is a bonus.


Can you believe this is the Princess?!!

The pumpkin flames kept blowing out so I gave up



The Wicked Witch came in at night....


The hotty zombie 
And there we have it. Back to school tomorrow. The Husband has one more day off so we will make the most of it.

On a final note, c'mon Bloggers, don't get all Instagrammy on me, still blog please otherwise I miss out on what you are all up to. Keep an archaeic old granny like me in the know from time to time please!

12 comments:

thriftwood said...

Awww Gem, poor little boy! Love your daughter's Rolling Stones t-shirt ... Lots of happy, family pics, looks like lots of memories have been made.

Love, Claire xxx

Sarah Jane said...

Aw, ear defenders, will definitely remember that for future reference. Your little boy looks so cute all tucked up with the gruffalo. Your little girl is cute too, she looks just like you. Home life is heaven when my husband is off work. Love those sparkly boots xxx

Vintage Coconut said...

I totally cracked up at the "Something about Mary" comment.
Actually I am still smiling... =)

Shingle Cottage said...

Hi Gem,
Beautiful pictures! the prince and princess are so adorable and he looks so cute in his head wear...Your boots are gorgeous and so sparkly!
You sound like you have had a lovely time lately,so nice you had a eweek together.
I don't instagram but i agree it seems to really have changed blogging.
xxx

Unknown said...

I LOVE the wizard of oz legs and the idea of your whole street getting involved. That is fab.
Isn't it just ace when you can share the childcare and do things as a family, life should be like that all the time, this work thing is overrated.
We had trick or treaters arrive on wed night amongst all the drama. Stupidly it did cross my mind to tell g kisby that I had bought sweets specially and they were in the cupboard. But I figured it wasn't the time with my own gore and all, ha,
Nelly xxx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

I AM HERE GEM, and here to stay. NO Instragram for me or neither will I go to Facebook and replace blogging!

IT IS SO REFRESHING to see you again! I have missed you, your romps on the beach, the adventures with the kids, and your purchases!

OK, I love those boots. I need those boots, I WANT those boots! You and I both, we are glitter lovers. I will to this day, wear glittered shoes. I wore a red pair once to a school Halloween party and one teacher said to me, "Why am I NOT surprised that you would have a pair of ruby red slippers?" I have a reputation!

Oh how I send you a huge hug for being YOU!

Everyone looks fabulous, and I suspect you are loving your new and cozy home. LOVE TO YOU GEM! Anita

Cuckoo said...

I think if I saw those boots in a shop my head would shout out "So GEM!" How fab that you own them.

Ha ha! The wicked witch legs. Genius. However, is it wrong of me to want to wear those as normal school run clobber? Loves em.

Howcome MB looks handsome dressed as a gashed zombie! Love how you guys embrace this sort of thing.

Buzz me when yuo're able and I'll tell thee about the fairy light trick.

xxx

Cuckoo said...

Frickin heck. Talk about dedication! It took 4 attempts to get the word verifaction right!

Wish me luck this time.
xxx

Jay said...

I love those stripey legs, sounds like you're living in a good area - we missed Hallowe'en completely this year!

. said...

Aaaah, halloween, we missed it this year as Alf "accidentally!!" ate the milk bottle chews I'd bought for the trick or treaters so we had to spend the evening hiding in the bedroom as the blinds are away being washed so you can see straight into the sitting room which would have left us vunerable and at the mercy of the sugar'd up, manic 5 year olds that roam the streets of Auckland demanding sweeties with menace! A similar thing happened with the mini boxes of smarties last year and I tried to give satsumas out... that went down like a cold cup of sick, so now we just hide. jx

sandiart said...

Oh you are the second person today that has mentioned instagram and blogging. I have just got onto instagram, but it won't stop me from blogging. Had quite the giggle at Cuckoo's run of photos tho.
We had ZERO trick or treat's on Hallowe'en, soooo I took the lollies to work and we all enjoyed them. Love the new footware and the Princes ear muffs. Princess is a gorgeous as ever.
xoxo Sandi

kmmms said...

Join in the IG fun on your ipad!
Lovely pics, I really want that Rolling Stones t-shirt for myself. And agree, I also thought those boots were you all over. xx