The British Homemaker - One day at a time

 If you saw my post a couple of weeks ago (which I've since deleted), I apologise that I didn't upload. I have been wrapped up with a trilogy book I am writing and every spare minute I get, I spend on it. My deadline is fast approaching and the panic is slowly setting in.  However, amidst the craziness of my life, somewhere between college runs, food shopping and homemaking, I have managed to do draft a post that I've scheduled for this coming weekend. It's a collection of autumn slow cooker meals, batch cooking and some homemade granola balls.  For now, I'd like the thank Frankie and Mary for sharing this blog, once I get it set up as part of my routine (I have set work hours because I work from home) there will be some fun and useful stuff that I'll share.  If you aren't following my Facebook page, what are you waiting for? Hop on over and give it a cheeky like! All my blog posts will be shared over there and I plan to share lots of other things that may n...

If good intentions were as visible as the lack of posts here I'd have a pretty full blog! However, since the last post... all the way back to October last year (!!!) I have got lost in the fun, challenges and happenings of life. The diary I keep for this blog is still sat on the shelf next to me, loaded with things I've noted down or added to share here, but still they sit. At the moment I am working like a trojan getting orders out, preparing for my youngest to finish school for the summer and getting the caravan finished ready for us to take off on our travels. There is so much to share that I'm not sure where to start. When I started this blog I had so many hopes for it, so many things I wanted to share, experiences to lean back on and places I wanted it to go, a few years on my business has taken over much of my days, my health is up and down so I have to accredit that the time it needs to get back in control and I have a weakness for hanging out with my friend...

I haven't done any kind of tutorial for such a long time so when I saw something on Pinterest that I fell in love with I knew it was time. Fabric from Nortex Mill Any ideas yet? Ok, here's a clue! I'll be showing a full tutorial when I've made it. Debs

Yesterday I talked about my decision to homeschool my 9 yr old. Today I want to share a few thing that I've learnt along the way (though I know I have so much more to learn yet) in hope to assist a couple of my friends who are also considering this move with their own children. We each make this decision for different reasons yet from what I understand the majority of us struggle to make the transition without 'beating' ourselves up, doubting our ability and being unsure what is available out there to prevent our kids being 'held back'. A few check points to consider: * We start our schooling at 10am * We have a timetable that guides us, not dictates * We cover 2 elements of numeracy and 2 elements of literacy a day plus reading * We've set our basic subjects as numeracy, literacy, reading, religion (not just Lds), arts & crafts, homemaking (no surprise there, eh?!) * I set up a jar where any questions Charley has on other subjects get written down...

I'm always grateful that my kids will help around the house, not only their usual 3 tasks per day but anything I need doing, within reason. Since my arthritis diagnosis I've been less able to maintain the home to the standard I like so we've become more of a team than ever before. With Charley being 9 now he's not past the visual glory of reward charts and chores lists so when I saw this project yesterday I loved it. I knew Charley and Kirsten would too for a couple of reasons. I wonder if other parents make the same mistake I do... Taken from Discount Queens I am constantly being told off for giving the kids too many jobs in one go! I keep a file that has the entire household management system in place {which I'll talk about on another post}This door hanger is perfect as the kids can do it themselves, you chop and change what chores need doing in the room and the kids just swap the place where they pegs are. And you can get as creative as you like with makin...

I still cannot believe so much time has gone by since I last posted here. What is also amazing is all the good and not so good things that have happened in a few short weeks too! The biggest and best news I have is my youngest child, my lil dude was finally baptised into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints! He's so badly wanted this for a few years now but its customary to do so when a child turns 8, however with one hiccup after another it wasn't meant to happen so when one of the sisters popped by with the sister missionaries they were determined to make it happen. Belated Halloween photo but good grief he was awesome in his self made part! Photos will come shortly {computers off to have a make over today cos usb/s and other bits don't work} but it was a really awesome day with one happy little man hugging me oh so tightly come bedtime thanking me for making it happen. I really can't take the credit for it. I'm so proud of my doodlebug I can b...

Last year was the only year I've really liked Halloween and that's because Charley got into it and wanted to do something slightly ever so scary but even though it rained it still turned out to be a great evening round here. This year I'm adding to our Halloween goodies and was looking for some ideas, {these are not credited to the rightful owners but I'm happy to if anyone knows whose they are} So lets begin....  1. Any old jar with what I assume to be a small candle inside. Raid your first aid kit for bandages {99p shop will also have some I'm sure. Add a couple of googly eyes and off you go. I'd be inclined to add some wire round the top to form a handle. Naturally not suitable for young kids. 2. Sausage mummies. If they make it to the table I congratulate you! 3. A collection of cakes, sweets and cake pops. Who wouldn't love these? 4. Yep I'm craving the sweet stuff this year. 5. I bought a baby pumpkin just for this purpo...

It's a good job no-one is perfect! I know I'm far from it. It plays on my mind when things are wrong between me and another if they wont be up front about things with me. After all, what do they think I'm going to do? I've always maintained if I am causing you to be unhappy come and talk to me, let me explain, apologise and/or put right. I don't like contention yet I find it a lot within the one community I expect it least and by not talking about it is more damaging than anything because the natural inclination is to jump it up out of all proportion to the point where you loose sight of what the original issue was! But I can't fix everything. I'm not everyone cup of tea and I'm ok with that. I pray for many people, whether I like them or not. Liking someone is not a requirement but a respect is. If I don't like someone I have two choices, tell the world or keep it to myself. I choose the latter but I will always be respectful to that person, just...

Do you like white Christmas trees? I have to be honest I have never, ever liked or appreciated them, that is until I saw my moms last year and I kinda sorta maybe almost liked it, a teeny, tiny bit! Being in temporary accommodation when Christmas came last year we had zero tree/decorations so I set out building my own, or at least I planned to when my mom offered me to use her green one. The kids jumped at it and who was I to say no? I mean, they'd had so much to deal with for the previous 8 months that I was going to do anything to put some magic back in their lives if only for a couple of weeks. I think I should learn to stop digressing! ;) This week I went into town to get a couple of things I'd 'added' to my list, one being a 6' white Christmas tree. Now for those of you that know me in real life will know that my Christmas tree is the pride of the season seconded only to the Saviour himself. I usually have a huge one, 8' high by 5' wide at the...

I meant to post this on 1st December to see if it could be added to and/or altered for other fun crafts. My teen isn't huge on crafting but the dude is, he will sit for hours making, drawing, designing, writing, colouring and creating something from almost nothing. Add that to the fun of Christmas crafting and it makes for a happy mommy! Every year we have our own little routine in preparation for Christmas, quite simple really and it keeps the kids happy on the colder days and longer nights. Goes something like this: 1st - Tree goes up and decorated 2nd - Decorations around the house From here on we have a rough sketch of what we want to do each day up to Christmas Eve: Make window decorations paper chains operation Christmas child boxes {between 2 ad 6} paper bunting felt ornaments bread and pastry goodies soap/hand lotion gifts teacher/church teacher gifts salt dough decorations personalised baubles chocolate and marshmallow chocolate gifts cookies, cake...