14-365 happiness Harris style x

We had the pleasure of this wee snookies company on sat eve. How cute and adorable is he!!!
Grandmama and Grandpa had the kids for a sleepover on sat night and Pug and I went to our old flat in edinburgh for the night. We had a wee birthday party for Pug, ate mexican - recipe for Pico de Gallo to follow, drank cocktails, chatted, I knitted, sigh......it was awesome.
Must admit it was odd to take a step back in time to our old haunts, reliving our youth LOL! Must admit it was more sedate than the old days, but just as lovely to share with friends. My closest pal the darling Iny was with us, it would be an Albert eve without him, happy days.

13-365 hay filled happiness in the woods

The wee man had his 1st settling in visit at the secret garden nursery yesterday. It was awesome, the perfect weather for an outdoor nursery. Both times we have visited it has been cold but sunny and bright. We were running late and rushing as usual - however we arrived just in time for lunch. The kids all sit on insulated mats around a make shift table eating a variety of foods from their flasks and boxes, ranging from a  cheese piece to spaghetti with pesto, peas and broccoli. Archie didn't eat s usual - however I'm hoping with the walk there and all the fresh air he will join in once he is used to it - I'm sure he will learn to conform One day! I don't need to add that Sadie got wired in to her lunch straight away and happily shared her goldfish with the wee man next to her.

Sadie making hay while the sun shines - duck to water, shame she has to wait 18months before she can go.

One of the things I love, aside from the kids playing in mud, hay and trees all day - is secret garden time. You just forget all about the rushing around life outside and get into calm play with the kids. It really is a pleasure to see them have such fun without toys or tv, painting with mud and digging holes in haystacks is way more fun.
Next week Archie goes solo for the 1st time, hope he enjoys it even more on his own, I'm excited to hear all about it on the drive home. He might even eat his tea!

12-365 Yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn sleepy happiness

OOOOps, missed last nights post, I was so happy sleeping.
I put Archie to bed, fell asleep beside him, woke at 9.30pm then crawled through to my own bed and fell straight back to sleep. I woke at 6.30am when Haha started shouting Mummy - boobies Mummy.


I am more than happy to have slept for pretty much 11 hours straight mmmmmmm

11-365 packages of happiness

Who doesn't love getting a parcel? Not only do I love online shopping because I can lay in bed and shop and avoid crowds/hassle but you get parcels.....Moreover our town is a virtual retail wasteland. Only problem is, if I buy things late at night half asleep then forget A. what I bought, B. worse, that I even bought anything. I like to think of these purchases  as a nice surprise, Pug has other ideas about my late night shopping habits !

Anyway on to today's parcels

Beautiful Ingela paper from Lagom designs - I plan to cover Alfie's memory box with it.

Michael Millers Rocket Rascals fabric, loved this for ages and never had a project, a friend had a wee boy recently and I think this would suit them.

After watching tonight's Mother Know's best - how to be a good mother I feel happy safe in the knowledge that although I could see the benefits and perspectives of all  the women interveiwed I like my shambolic try it and see parenting. I have some quite strong ideas about what I would like for my kids, however nothing as evangelical as tonights mums.
Although you know I'm a fan of a list!
From teaching my higher kids today - Buddha had it right - middle way all the way.

10-365 little happy corners

I have little corners of  pleasure in my house, places I really like - where everything just fits right and I love the way it looks, without pre-planning or thought. I got these great vintage postcards from my dad, who got them from his dad (an avid stasher!). I have loads of them, however we chose these 6 for colour and significance. The bottom left is from a visit to croydon when we were really little kids to stay with my folks close friends, the bottom right is Oban where Pug, mum, dad and I had 2 wee holidays, Archie had his 1st swim there and he felt his first snow there. The Carmel one and the one above, which is LA fruit market are representing our CA connection and the final two have great messages on the back.
The hearts - I love, the bottom one was my 40th birthday card from my beautiful neice Peggy age 2 and 3 mos - that girl loves to paint. The one above Archie made for me at Tuesday club, it is made from all the remnants of the kids clothes I've made over the last year. This space is in the corner of our kitchen, it pleases me and makes me smile every day.

Added happiness today was the 1st of our knitting club lunchtimes in school, a few lovely girls turned up and 2 members of staff - spreading the yarn love to future generations HAPPY!

9-365 ole happiness, Pugs beans mmmmmm

After the 1st day back at work after holidays it was lovely to come home to Pug's awesome home cooked mexican beans salsa and rice. It is a weekly staple meal for us, we eat beans and rice and Archie has his in a quesadilla.

Beans Recipe -
Soak a bag of either pintos or black beans over night in a big bowl of water.
Next morning drain, rinse and put in big pan of water.
Add an onion and spices, we use a mexican seasoning mix, chipoltes and natures seasoning.
Bring to boil, then leave to simmer for 3 hrs give or take.
Once soft, fry a few rashers of smoked bacon, streaky is best but any kind is good (sometimes I use chorizo if I have any), once cooked start to add your cooked beans, don't worry about draining them too much a bit of cooking juice helps add flavour and general mushiness...mmmmm Then mash mash mash.
Once sloppy mashed loveliness happens, put in oven dish cover in cheese and bake in oven.

Sounds labour intensive, but totally worth it and it does 3 dinners in various guises.

Look how much Sadie enjoyed hers........

8-365 happy sunday mornings

putting giant chalk in Daddy's coffee

baking cinnamon rolls nmm nmm

The finished sinnamon rolls - Oh my they were amazing, so worth the effort - we will definitley be making these again. A tad labour intensive and carbtastic, but just the ticket for last day of holidays treat.

Special sunday happiness was getting to make this cute wee frock for Haha, it's been ages since I made her a wee outfit. We had the usual probs getting her to sit still to take photos......

                                               We had to make do with some 'action' shots.