Winter...

It's been so cold recently and I think we haven't had any sunshine since the beginning of December. I took this photo last week, this tiny little light spot in the middle of the sky, can you see it? It's awfully hard, I know, but this is the sun. It made a very short appearance. It sort of loomed like the moon giving hardly light and certainly no warmth. And it was only there for about five minutes, by the time I had fiddled the phone out of my pocket with my frozen hands and got the camera on, the sun had disappeared again for a week. It made a very small short comeback last Saturday but that's been it. 

Baby Monkey is tucked in under five blankets that are folded to make 10 layers.

It is really this depressing right now. 

When is it spring?

 

Hipstamatic Friday

A smiling happy Baby Monkey

Rocket Man

Little Monkey made himself a rocket pack out of cardboard and sellotape.

Explore

Baby Monkey explores the world from her tummy now. She can turn over as well and would really like to start move.

Crazy dance

Little Monkey does show off his bobble hat.

Our week in review

Outside our window: It's definitely Autumn now.

Time to collect conkers and making funny things with it.

From the kitchen:  Right now, it is still way too chaotic to plan ahead, so I go and buy some basic stuff and then throw something together. Beef stew is just right for the chilly but sunny weather like we're having now.

In the learning room: Big Monkey has been chosen with two of her class mates to represent the school at the Maths Olympics. We're pretty proud of her considering she only started this school in April and it is all in a different language.

We've been creating: Little Monkey has done his very first drawing of a person. That big one is me. I think a diet is needed...

I crocheted a bag and felted it, not sure why the colours have come up that garish it's a lot more muted and nicer in real life.

Things we did: We had Missus Wookie visiting, we showed her a bit of the area. Visited a castle and an air field for sailing planes, had ice cream and taught her how to crochet.

Baby Monkey had her physio, an appointment with the eye doctor, the second set of vaccinations... but luckily her Pekip Course started too. So it wasn't all serious stuff. I had no idea what it was and I still don't really know but there are songs, toys and other babies so we think it's fun. Oh, and they all are nekkid. Not sure what the idea behind this is but hey Baby Monkey had a good time looking around.

Favourite things: Monkeys who like each other and don't fight.

Monkeys who brush their hair.

Happy playing Monkeys.

Books to read a hundred times

Recently I found this hidden in Big Monkey's book shelf:

I had been searching for this for ages, for a while I had to read this to Little Monkey every night, it has such a fun rhyme even though it's simple and short, I never get tired of reading it hence I searched so desperately for it. This made me think of other books we love to read that I don't mind reading every evening two months in a row.

This is my absolute favourite. So sweet and  so prettily illustrated. By now I know it by heart and even though I haven't read it for a while I still know most of it. This is very helpful as when I "read" it to Baby Monkey and the light is dimmed. She doesn't care yet for seeing the pictures so I get away with telling it without actually looking at the pages.

Another favourite is the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo's child. Sadly the Gruffalo is currently suffering the same fate as Each Peach, Pear, Plum. It's hiding somewhere and I can't find it even though I know it must be in a book shelf somewhere in the house. 

These ones, too are firm favourites.

Do you have picture books that you've been reading to your children hundreds of time and don't mind doing so?