13/52

 

 

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Still not convinced summer has ended.  It has been a hot and sticky Easter weekend.  Lots of time has been spent around home so we headed out to the beach for a pre dinner swim and to burn some of that chocolate induced energy off.  Simply a beautiful evening down at the beach, a quick swim, play and then home for dinner, a bath to get rid of all that sand and then a movie..........

 

Bell - A run up the beach after body boarding..........loving it!

Tom - Happy to splash about in the shallows pulling his board along.

George - You can't see, but in his other hand he has his pen at the ready for digging in the wet sand.
 

Very happy to be joining in with Jodi's "52 project".

 

 

 

 

Joining in with Bloglovin

 

If you fancy it, follow with Bloglovin!

 

 

etsy.com

 

 

 

Happy Easter from my family to yours!

 

Sunny Days art print giveaway!

 

 

 Hello lovelies!

 

I have previously mentioned Holly Roach in a Things I'm loving post.  I bought one of Holly's art prints a few weeks ago (the Fantail on Hydrangea) and she has kindly sent me one of her Sunny Days art prints to giveaway.

 

Holly Roach is a Canadian, New Zealand based artist with a passion for screen printing and a love of mid-century art and design.

 

You can also purchase Holly's gorgeous art prints here through Endemic World.  Take a peek!

 

One lucky reader will win the Sunny Days art print.

 

This is an International Giveaway.

To enter all you need to do is be a "Follower" (through Google Friends Connect) of a little bit country and leave a comment below.

Giveaway closes on Thursday 4 April at 11:59pm (NZ Time)

This giveaway is now closed.  Click here to see who won!

 

 

 

Good luck!

 

1 year in the country

 

 

 

 

 

1 year ago we moved to the country.

 

Mr H had suggested we give it a try as it was something we had always talked about doing.

 

I was hesitant and very unsure of the idea to begin with.............

 

Now I'm hooked.  I love it and for the moment could not imagine living anywhere else.

 

I grew up in the suburbs and then spent my twenties working and travelling - 5 years of it in London.  I never dreamed when we returned to expand our family that we would be anything other than "city folk".  We live in a coastal community and are only 15 minutes from the beach and town so the drive in for the shops and the kids activities is not too far at all.

 

And best of all the kids love it.

 

We are now well and truly a little bit country.

 

Op Shop showoff

My sister was at a local school gala and spied the Crown Lynn vase and Swan for me, she said she may have even climbed over people to get to it - at a SCHOOL GALA!!!  The swan is a bit chipped but I'm not picky.  A couple of hydrangea's plonked in her and you will never know.

These cute retro plates, they are half the size of a side plate so perfect for putting butter etc on them.

And look, another Retro apron!  Could not go past this one.  It is my favourite so far.  A heavy cotton with a beautiful bird print.  It is a generous size too so fits me well.  May have to team with pearls as suggested by Opshop Mama........to give me Domestic Goddess powers.

Happy Op shopping!

Joining in with Max

You are 2!

 

 

Happy Birthday George...........you are 2 today!

 

We named you after my Grandad.  On hearing this my nan shook her head and said that it is so "old fashioned".  I thought she would be pleased!  I have always loved the older names and I think it suits you.  Georgie boy.

 

You are our wanderer, climber and runner.

 

You love your big sister Bell and follow big brother Tom everywhere.

 

You still need mum to put you to sleep at night though.

 

Your dad loves to throw you up in the air which you think is hysterical.

 

You love peas and will quite happily sit and eat a whole bowl full......one by one.

 

If there is a pen lying around, you nab it quickly and quietly.  You love to draw, on anything.  You will carry that pen around with you all day.

 

Although you are quiet you have a fiery temper.  You hate it when things are taken off you.

 

You don't like wearing shoes or socks.

 

You are an outdoors boy, you love water and mud and will sit in either for the longest time and play.  You love to be messy.

 

You are our Georgie and we love you..............to the moon and back xo

12/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

I've been using a camera phone this week and had it on a strange mode.  All of my photos have come out grainy.  Please excuse the quality.  Hoping your weekend has been a good one!

Bell - A busy weekend of sleepovers, finally some quite time.

Tom - "Reading" his favourite Richard Scarry book - He does exactly the same thing with his hand as I do when reading......hand to cheek.

George - Playing with the wooden cars, big boy drink bottle in hand.  He's had a rough time of not feeling well these last few days, lots of quite play at home this week.

Very happy to be joining in with Jodi's "52 project".

 

 

Organic Babywear Giveaway.............a winner

 

Thank you all those who entered the Pureborn Organic babywear giveaway!

 

Hello and welcome to all the new followers of A little bit country.  I always love finding out where in the world you come from.

 

Over the next few weeks I have more great giveaways lined up thanks to some very lovely people.

 

Now..........the winner is...............

 

 Mummyzilla

 

 Please drop me an email with your address details to: alittlebitcountrynz (at) gmail (dot) com

 

Congratulations!!!

 

Thank you to Pureborn Organic for providing the goodies for this giveaway.

 

 

 

Home

 

Yesterday we had a much needed home day.  The boys both have funny tums.  And it was cold, grey and cloudy.  Thankfully we had some much needed rain overnight.

I had a dozen hydrangea plants to nestle into the garden, some plants to trim and weeding to deal with.  All with the help of my little gardeners.  Although they were not feeling well they were happy to be outside.

A lunch request for eggy sandwiches was made.  And with the cooling weather I had a "Boil up" on the stove.  Pork, sea salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, potatoes (always double how much you think you will need) and huge amounts of watercress.  This was welcomed for both lunch and dinner.

I like days like these, where there is no need to go anywhere, no need to rush.  Growing up, we always seemed to be at home more that we were out and about.  Today everyone's lives seem so busy that full days at home are few and far between.  I always like to have atleast one day during the week and usually a Sunday at home.  If it is time spent outside in the garden or inside playing, (afternoon sleeps) pottering, cooking or making.  It always recharges you I think.  Simple days are great days when spent at home.

Savoury Snacks

I had a couple of lovely readers ask about these snack baskets I made in the weekend for the kids in this post.

They are super easy to make and you only need a few ingredients.  I had a nearly whole loaf of bread that needed to be used up, so these are perfect for this.

What you need:

Bread slices

Onion

Bacon

Tinned spaghetti (or you could use baked beans)

Grated cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Dice onion and roughly chop the bacon.

Quickly fry in olive oil

In a bowl place your tinned spaghetti and add the cooked onion and bacon

Add salt and pepper to taste

Mix well

Remove crusts from bread and press down into a muffin tray

Spoon in the yummy spag/onion/bacon filling

Sprinkle with grated cheese

I baked these in the oven (Bake/180 deg) until the bread is golden brown and the cheese was bubbling.

 Enjoy!

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