Day 2 of isolation

We started off the day lazy by waking up by ourselves, followed by cereal or toast for breakfast. 

While the older ones were waking up, Baby W

and I turned yesterdays leftover veggies into a quick soup for lunch.

We watched Cincinnati Zoo's talk about their Hippos on YouTube (highly recommend you watch it) and then busted out some paper people and felt pens. I challenged the children to create their own zoo keepers and it kept them occupied for a happy ten minutes of colouring and designing.

I think they did a great job. 

After all the concentrating we played out in the garden for a little while to build up an appetite for lunch. It was a touch on the chilly side but they were zooming about like crazy so I don't think they noticed.

I'm so grateful for a good sized garden to let them run off steam in. I've no idea how parents in flats are going to cope without one.

We ended up eating our soup in the garden as a mini picnic which was quite fun, folowed by a few hours of quiet time. The eldest opting for watching kindles in bed and I had a nap with the smallest two. 

Dinner was Chicken Mac and Cheese using yesterdays chicken leftovers. Apart from a single portion of veg soup everything is used up nicely. 

Ive had a brief visit from my parents to pop in DD1's birthday cake and the gifts we'd stashed in their house. My Dad even wrapped everything for us, which was so thoughtful. 

One of the childrens teachers dropped off some home learning packs for them to, again very thoughtful.

This afternoon will be the usual family movie, baths and bedtime.  Then Hubby and I will scurry about the house to set up for DD1'S birthday tomo 

X x x

Day of quarentine

Sooooo thanks to BoJo changing the rules suddenly we are now officially detained in our house for a while. 

I appreciate its for the greater good but at the same time I wasnt quite ready, mentally, for it.

Anyhoo, its happened now so lets just make the best of it.

Day 1 has been pretty unstructured to let everyone settle into the idea of being home.

The children played in the garden for a while and then indoors with their cardboard boxes.

Lunch was the pack lunches I'd prepared for school, we didn't find out we couldn't go until we'd walked half way there.

Dinner was roast chicken, boiled veg and tatties. There's lost of veg and chicken left over for tomorrow's lunch and dinner. I'm desperate not to waste any food while its hard to source any.

In the late afternoon we watched a family movie followed by our usual bath and bedtime.

X x X

Frugal entertainment

Poor DH is one of the infected 😞 No idea if its a heavy cold or the dreaded COVID but he's quarentined to home for 7 days.

He's normally one of those struggle through it types so it must be significant for him to admit defeat. I am of course mothering him to an annoying level 😂

So seeing as we're staying close to home we've been crafting.

Yesterday we made some toilet roll bunnies with scrapbook papers and today we are painting boxes for them to live in. 

I think I may be one of the few mums looking forward to having her children home from school for months.

So many crafts  so little time 😂

X x X

I'm a terrible parent!!!!

Ran a bubble bath for me and Baby W. Didn't check it, just stripped her and chucked her in while i stripped off. She starts screaming, and i mean screaming. Its ice cold, the boiler has reset thanks to a power surge earlier 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

 My poor baby just experienced her first full body ice bath 🤦‍♀️

The funniest meal out in ages.

We had a few bags of charity shop donations that needed delivering so Hubby kindly drove me to my favourite little village of  West End to donate them and have a little mooch for bargains.

 On the way back to the car he suggested we try a meal at The White Swan which we would pass on the way home. It was a lovely suggestion so I happily agreed and off we went.

Once at the pub the waitress seating us apologised that the place was so cold. The heating had been broken and only fixed that morning. In fact they'd only opened shortly before we arrived. 

We both said that was fair enough and just decided to keep our coats on for the time being. It was a large pub so understandably would take a while to warm back up again. 

Then we ordered our meals. 20 minutes pass, 30, 40...

The waitress now looking quite frazzled explains there's some sort of oven issue happening and because we'd waited so long to eat, my meal would be free. Hubby had choosen the carvery meal and had politely waited for me. 

10 more minutes pass and hooray my food is ready, i watch it slowly travel accross the restaurant towards me, and then get dropped on the floor a few metres from my table by a waitress who honestly looks like she could just cry at this point.

Hubby and I look at each other and burst in laughter. 

The waitress takes a fresh order from a list of things she promises is ready to go. An hour after we arrive we finally manage to eat.

 The whole thing might have been thoroughly annoying on another day but today it was just funny. 

We must of had about 4 staff come apologise to us during our meal, and both recieved a free drink on top of our one free meal so it ended up being a very reasonable trip. The staff couldn't really have done much more.

I really hope their day improved after we left.

X x X

Marwell Zoo

It's renewal time for the zoo annual passes. So it's been an expensive day. After the amount of use we got from them in the past 12 months we were happy to renew.

As the 3 biggest were back in school and the weather was nice for a change we took the opportunity for a little walk just the three of us.

Baby W enjoyed being able to stop and explore at toddler speed for a change rather than chase the older ones. We spent a fair while in the hot house watching the huge school of fish. 

I also got to visit the mostly avoided gift shop where they were selling off their 2020 calenders for £1! With my 10% members discount I can enjoy for just 90p 😂

X x X

Messy Church

This month's theme was all about the temptation of Jesus during his 40 days in the desert. 

We made salt dough desert animals, made blessing jars for Lent and handprint angels. 

Sadly DH was working so it was hectic few hours of keeping an eye on all 4 of them by myself but we managed.

The shared meal was chicken and vegetable wraps followed by milk and homemade cookies. 

We've been invited to attended a family church session in March, which if we enjoy and want to continue could lead to us becoming members of the congregation. It's quite an exciting opportunity that we are looking forward to trying.

For now though I need a hot bubble bath  to stop my poor back aching.

X x X