Last week we had what had become our twice yearly visit to Centerparcs. We’d decided it will be our last one for a few years as we now don’t fit in the accommodation (well, we could but they won’t let us) so it was hopefully going to be a good one….

The night before we were getting the children ready for bed when I noticed a few red spots on Alfie’s back, one of them was large and fluid filled….. My first thought was chicken pox, but surely not the night before our holiday?? Yep! By morning he had quite a lot of spots all over. We decided we’d go anyway and just keep him away from other people which did mean no family swimming trips or visits to the play area in the sports bar while we relaxed over a coffee or an orange juice and lemonade (yes, that really is what we drink!!)

We stayed in the Executive Lodge accommodation which was nice but a bit of a disappointment this year. Last year it was brand new and lovely - we were the second or third lot of people to stay in it - but this year it wasn’t so nice. Stuff was damaged (the coffee maker looked like it had been chucked around and the dining chairs had been scraped at with a sharp implement for example) and the patio doors had been screwed shut. I know you’re going to get wear and tear but this just seemed like some of the people who had stayed were of the “well, it’s not mine so I don’t care if I wreck it” mindset. I’m the opposite and because it’s not mine I’m even more careful than I would be normally.

I’ve got to the point where I’m just really tired and ended up sleeping quite a lot so with me and Alfie we didn’t do very much at all. Craig took the children out swimming in shifts and we did have a couple of walks. Not much of a family holiday which I feel sad about (we normally do everything together) and it reminded me a lot of my childhood holidays where all four of us (my parents, myself and my sister) would all go off and do our own thing even when we were very young. Even swimming - we'd go on our own from being about 5 or 6. We never did anything all together. We didnt even have family days out really - I remember two and they were both ruined by my mother having one of her strops over apparently nothing, as were our holidays. But I dont want to dwell on all that now.

But it was nice to be away from home for a few days and I had my usual “I want to move” thoughts on the way home. It was lovely only having a few belongings with us and I really liked the idea of getting one of those big storage containers put in the garden and putting all our stuff in it. If we want to use something we can go and get it but if it’s still out there after a year then it’s gone. It would be really interesting to see just how much we actually brought back into the house, and how much we could do without. I would so love to give it a go!!

I finally got to the point the other night where I am fed up of spending my evenings online, usually reading about other people’s crafting and feeling envious that I don’t have the time to do any myself. Well, if you want the time to do stuff then you need to make it don’t you?? So this weekend I have. I’ve decided to only visit a couple of websites now and only once a day instead of my usual several times a day.

So, this weekend I dusted off the sewing machines (and cleared off all the crap that had been dumped on my sewing desk) and did some sewing. First job was sewing on a big pile of badges onto various Brownie, Scout and Rainbow uniforms (embarrassingly one of the badges was from when Millie was a Rainbow. She left about 18 months ago……) It’s one of those things that only takes a short while and I always wonder why I leave it so long.

Next were the trousers we bought in the summer holidays for Robbie for school. Yes, poor mother that I am still hadn’t gotten round it taking them up. So that is also done.

I have also made a door curtain and 3 t-shirts. A second curtain is going to be done tomorrow (had to dye the fabric today). I also spent some time dyeing fabrics - some silk squares for some of the mums on one of the forums I go to, the curtain fabric, and some other bits and pieces. I love dyeing as well, and always wonder why I don’t do it more often.

I know I have that jumper to finish (and no, I didn’t do any while we were away) but I started to crochet a blanket for the new baby with some wool I’ve had sitting on my sewing desk for god knows how long. I had bought it to make socks but it’s not going to happen so it’s being turned into a blanket. I’m about halfway through it. And then I’ll do the jumper. Promise!!

Tomorrow I plan to do the second curtain, refill the beanbags (got some new beans for them today) and maybe make some trousers for Millie and Sophie to go with their new t-shirts. I’m really enjoying having the crafting bug and finally doing something with all the stuff I have. And the stash busting is great too. I hope I can keep it up and make lots of nice things for the family.

Today was Sophie’s birthday. I think she had a lovely day - she liked her presents anyway. We had a little party tea for her which she loved. I can’t believe she is 6 already though - she’s such a tiny little thing she doesn’t seem big enough to be 6. But she is so precocious sometimes - and I was telling her off last week and she rolled her eyes at me. I didn’t manage to finish what I was saying before I started laughing at her (I am terrible at rolling my eyes so I really cannot say anything, lol)

So, that’s been my week. Hope yours was a good one!