stOry stiCkS & tWiggY taLes

Our French retreat is in 'the sticks' just outside of Faucon near Vaison la Romaine.

The pool provides entertainment, the woodland adventure and the wildlife great excitement.

Yesterday we gathered sticks and twigs and made up our stories and tales through pictures. The girls found it great fun sitting in the shade of the olive trees retelling the pictures into story form.

The favourite one was about a butterfly who lived in a magnificent castle but when she ventured out she discovered the outside natural world of flowers and more butterflies even more beautiful!

Breast to bottle ......

If only it was as easy as it sounds, and how it has been in the past!

My first two mini ones happily breast fed solely for the first 6-8 months, somewhere between the 6-8 months a bottle was introduced firstly with expressed breast milk and later with formula. They were fine, they liked the Tommee Tippee teat which is the closer to nature one and all was good. 

Well I thought it would be the same with miniminimini1, no!!!! I have tried expressed milk in almost ever brand including disposable bottles, sippy cups, open cups and straws with no success but this week we have breakthrough and why am I not surprised as this wonderful brand has always helped at the beginning with the fabulous nipple cream, have you guessed who...."Lansinoh" yes their momma bottles and sippy cups have happily been accepted by Miniminimini1 at almost 10 months old! 

I'll let you know how we progress but with the heat we currently have I'm so happy he is taking water and he is not completely attached to only my nipples!

Show and tell...,

Tomorrow is mini beasts and bugs lesson and mini1 will be taking in her homemade banana and honey loaf with the honey from our very own honey bees. 

Photos of the process and a few props; honey!, frames, honeycombs are ready to be passed around as is the loaf. 

We also thought a little simplified doodle of the processes would be fun too.

Look at my jewels

Following on from a week of indoor craft and makery fun, the sun arrived friday and has continued to shine so today we enjoyed taking our makery tools outside and minimini1 got busy making pipe cleaner and bead bracelets.
This is a really lovely little makery project as it helps concentration, colour picking, coordination, portable, no mess and a lovely piece of jewellery afterwards.
Here's what we used, minimini1's pieces and a bit of the action too....

another tent, new dolls and a vintage snoopy called pedro!

So we have a hanging circular tent today, quickly made from a hula hoop a double duvet covers (with self fabric ties at opening which made this super easy and quick!), thread and a 4m length of thick bakers twine.
The girls are happily playing together in this new hanging den with their new friends named Rose, Rosemary and Pedro the vintage snoopy who has hurt himself?!

If you'd like a go a making this hanging tent it is so easy and with little or no sewing.
If your duvet cover has no self ties at opening you can quickly thread on some ribbons to then attach to the hoop.

Boris is 389 and....

is wearing very nice purple trousers ("this purple" minimini1 says pointing to a purple felt pen), has blue hair, no top on but lots of hearts allover his body and pretty falers (flowers) for his shoes. We then doodle this imaginary friend and think helots very good for his years and funny too!
At a similar age mini1 had a friend like this except hers was called PeeHee and only wore yellow!
Love their imaginations, encourage and enjoy together.

tents & tiaras

Friday was a teacher training day, Monday was a bank holiday, birthday weekend in between so today is the official first day of the half term holidays ......it's raining!!!
That's ok as we have lets make an indoor tent and lets make our own tiaras to the rescue.
It's worked a treat and princess picnic lunch and afternoon snacks have been happily consumed under the canopy tent too.

If you are stuck for a rainy day indoor activity I recommend them as im sure you will have a happy time with your little ones doing one or both.