Mojo Monday

Tomorrow is Daddy Monkey's birthday so I thought I better make him a card. I'm not terribly good at those so I need someone who is. Like these people here. Except even with a lovely sketch as this it took me several attempts to produce a card suitable for a big birthday as Daddy Monkey's.
But I think I did, I really like this one. Good that Daddy Monkey always keeps his cards forever. And look, look I used the German stamp!


I even managed to make two pretty cards.


Impressive, no?

How could I be angry?

If he looks at me like that?
Even if he hands me the contents of his nappy nicely rolled into beads first thing in the morning when I hope for a lie in?

At least I still think it was a good idea

Yesterday I read Green Craft magazine and I saw the little seed pots they used as little gift bags. I thought oh, I like this, what a clever idea. They do look familiar though? Why would that be?
Maybe because I made something very similar for Big Monkey's birthday party as goody bags?


Yes, that could be it...

Toddler wisdom - Part2

Little Monkey likes what his big sister has. So when she asks for more juice, he wants more too. Regardless whether his cup is still full or not. Until now he had to accept that he would not get more juice if his glass is already filled to the prim. But not anymore. This morning he thought he had come up with a glorious solution to this dilemma. He simply pours his drink into his bowl once he's eaten his grapes. Voila, an empty glass for more juice just like Big Monkey's. Clever, eh? Except it didn't work! That is so disappointing. Daddy did not fill up Little Monkey's glass again. He just took the bowl and poured the juice back into the beaker. That's not what Little Monkey wanted! Time for a tantrum? Little Monkey wasn't sure if that situation actually validated a proper toddler tantrum or not. He had to have a serious think about this. But he got distracted after a few seconds and forgot everything about the tantrum and his drink.

Trains, Trains, Trains

Oh, how he loves trains! Little Monkey adores trains, whether they are tube trains, steam trains or regular train. Big trains, little trains, Thomas the Tank engine, Brio, Lego - he loves them all. Nothing better than sitting in a train and riding along. Nothing is more interesting than the promise to go on a train ride.


He hangs out of the window so he spot the locomotive. Once he has to get off he stands in front of the train and stares adoringly at it. This is in Exbury Gardens, where the Rothschilds collected rhododendrons. Well, one of them had a "disease" incurable but not fatal as the train driver told us, it's called train obsession. Oh, no I thought, Little Monkey got that! Maybe he will grow out of it? But so far he shows no signs of healing. I don't think we can do what the Rothschilds did... build a proper narrow train track with a steam engine in our back garden.

Signs of Autumn

Look a ... toadstool? Is it a toadstool? I don't know. If you do let me know please. I call it a "Fliegenpilz" and I think it's so so pretty. I have to confess that this is the first time I've found one. Several grew where we found the cows in the forest. They never grew in the woods where my grandparents lived when I was little.

Here are the cows in case you're wondering. We didn't have those either. In the forest I mean, obviously there were lots of cows in the fields.

Autumn in the New Forest

Last weekend we took a little trip to the New Forest to see some Autumn Colours. The leaves haven't yet changed completely but we were very lucky with the weather. We had lovely sunshine both days. But best of all there are wild ponies roaming the National Park. Big Monkey was delighted. She took great delight to comment the sight of each pony to everybody, even Little Monkey joined in. Even though he was terribly busy collecting stones. Especially really big ones.