I need to lay down...

...We bought a new car today! Granted it was a much needed new car and a necessity, but even so it's a lot of pennies in one hit!

I  love the fact that our frugal lifestyle means we could buy it then and there without needing a loan or finance (shudder).

We have been researching cars for a month or two so we knew exactly the make, model and price we wanted. My brother works in the car industry and was a willing advisor on all things auto.

so when he came across the perfect car for us we snapped it up.

Days like today make all our frugalling totally worth it!

X x x

Free fruit crumble

We have been having a quiet day of recovery after all of yesterday's walking. We watched The Gruffalo film again with breakfast and the girls just wanted to play on their kindles or watch cartoons.

By 11 o'clock though they started becoming restless so we headed to the park for ten minutes.

While we were there I had a quick check on the plum trees to find the first crop of mirabelles ready to pick. With the girls help we sooned pick a few bags full and loaded up Gmans pram.

After lunch the two smallest took a nap and DD and I made two huge plum and blackberry crumbles.

One will see us through a few days and the other is in portions in the freezer.

Tomorrow after the errands are run I am hoping to make a nice batch of plum jam.

X x x

The New Forest Show

So this week's big trip out didn't really fit in with the Gruffalo theme. We did look for him when driving through the "deep dark wood" but that was it.

The show this year is fantastic!

We have sampled foods I've never even heard off, watched beekeepers in action, seen the biggest cabbage in the world (!), watched horse parades and show jumping.

Flirted with people  dressed as eggs, sat in tractors, been buried under piles of freebies, met many many interesting people and collapsed in a heap when we got home.

X x x

Gruffalo week - Day 2

 Today's weather has been abysmal. In an attempt to stop the girls getting cabin fever, we busted out our main gruffalo activity for the week.
 They each had a Gruffalo moneybox to paint.

DD took great care in getting all the details right by double checking the book for guidance.

It was really interesting to watch her research.

Baby D is much more interpretive artist and splodged on whatever she fancied where she fancied.

Both moneyboxes are now drying on the kitchen side away from small curious fingers.

I will pop up a picture tomorrow once they are dry and I have decent light.

X x x

Gruffalo week Day 1

Week one of the summer is Gruffalo week.

This morning the girls came downstairs to find there first activity ready to go. 

A Gruffalo mask to colour in and the two books to read.

It was only a small activity today as we also had a family bbq to attend. 

It kept DD nicely entertained while we got everything and everyone ready to leave. Baby D Decided she wasn't in a colouring mood but enjoyed looking through.the books.

X x x

Glowing Bargains

I had to run a few errands this morning and decided to pop into my local Wilkos. 

The clearance section had a stack of glow sticks for 10p a tube! 

15 sticks to a packet made them very budget friendly so I grabbed two.

Tonight the girls had a bath in the dark choosing two sticks each to play with. 

Today's bath time was officially the longest on record. I will definitely be repeating it in the future.

X x x

First and last

BABY D om route to her first day of preschool.

Baby D on her last day before the summer break.

DD on her first day of school.

DD on her final day of Year R.

I can't believe how much my two little girls have changed over the school year! 

Excuse me...I'm just off to convince G-man not to grow up.

X x x