sunnydaytodaymama

Our favourite spring activities and a blog carnival coming soon

2012-01-29T15:54:00.003Z

This year at sunnydaytodaymama we'll be hosting a new blog carnival, All Year Round, a quarterly link collection of spring, summer, autumn and winter posts sharing seasonal thoughts, pictures, activities, crafts, recipes, art, projects, celebrations and more. I'm delighted that Mama Smiles, Winding Circle, The Mahogany Way and Smiling like Sunshine will be co-hosting the carnival.

The All Year Round Blog Carnival: Spring begins on 15th February and everyone is invited to link up old and new spring posts. You're welcome to get a button and also share this post and let your friends know about the carnival. We're looking forward to seeing your spring links.

We've been preparing for spring for a while, including planning a new outdoor play kitchen for the garden. Here are some more of our favourite spring activities.

Spring nature basket

Spring nature book basket

Games with old calendars

More games with old calendars

Spring cleaning

Working in the garden

Lunch in the garden

Dandelions

A toy pond

Feeding the ducks

A kite

Mother Nature in our corner of the world

Mother Nature in the spring

Spring at the farm

101 inspiring links: spring, creativity and parenting

If you'd be interested in hosting the carnival at your blog too please let me know in the comments or contact us here.

Playing with packing peanuts

2012-01-27T21:31:00.003Z

Last autumn we were given several bags of packing peanuts and I posted about crafts with packing peanuts. We still have a basket of peanuts left and they've been great for indoor play during the winter.

See more play and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Playdate at Beneath the Rowan Tree
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Thrifty Thursday at playing with words 365
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Thank Goodness It's Friday! at Living Life Intentionally
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
For the Kids Friday at Sun Scholars
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Sharing Saturday at Mama Mia's Heart2Heart and Crafty Moms Share
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

January

2012-01-25T01:51:00.005Z

Corner View was created by Jane at Spain Daily and is hosted by Francesca at FuoriBorgo. We are invited to post pictures telling the stories of our different lives and cultures. This week's theme is 'January'.

Corner Views from around the world:
Jane, Dana, Bonny, Joyce, Ian, Francesca, Theresa, Cate, Kasia, Otli, Trinsch, Isabelle, Janis, Kari, jgy, Lise, Dorte, McGillicutty, Sunnymama, Ibb, Kelleyn, Ninja, Sky, RosaMaria, Juniper, Valerie, Sammi, Cole, Don, WanderChow, FlowTops, Tania, Tzivia, Kristin, Laura, Guusje, Susanna, Juana, Elsa, Nadine

Favourite websites for young children

2012-01-22T19:26:00.019Z

One of the first websites Sunnyboy used himself was Charlie and Lola and it was while watching video clips on that site that he started using the mouse. Since then he's taught himself more computer skills by spending time on the CBeebies website. Other sites he visits too include Poisson Rouge, UpToTen.com and The Fungooms. Recently he also did a two week free trial on Reading Eggs and they've now been sent us a code for a month free trial. His favourite website though is YouTube!

This week we decided to look for more websites that he'd like and tried out quite a few. If you have any favourite websites for young children we'd love you to let us know in the comments. Here's the list we have so far:

ABC 4 kids
Barnes&Noble Online Storytime
Bembo's Zoo
Boohbah
BrainBox
CBeebies
Charlie and Lola
Childtopia
Count Us In
Curious George
Doodle!
Enchanted Learning
Fisher Price
Kids' CBC
Leading to Reading
Learning Games for Kids
Light Up Your Brain
LiteracyCenter.Net
Mazes
NASA Kids' Club
National Geographic Kids
Orisinal
Pauly's Playhouse
PBS Kids
PEEP and the Big Wide World
Poisson Rouge
Reading Eggs
Scholastic
Seussville
Sheppard Software
The Fungooms
UpToTen.com
YouTube
Ziggity Zoom

We also found this great list of Favourite Interactive Museum Websites for Children at Autonomous Education.

See more play and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Playdate at Beneath the Rowan Tree
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Thrifty Thursday at playing with words 365
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Thank Goodness It's Friday! at Living Life Intentionally
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
For the Kids Friday at Sun Scholars
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Sharing Saturday at Mama Mia's Heart2Heart and Crafty Moms Share
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Squirrel (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2012-01-21T00:58:00.001Z

See more animal pictures at Camera Critters

{this moment}

2012-01-20T01:47:00.002Z

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

All Year Round Blog Carnival: get a button

2012-01-15T16:44:00.017Z

125x125

150x150

200x200

250x250

If you'd be interested in hosting the carnival at your blog too please let me know in the comments or contact us here.

Mud pies and outdoor play kitchen inspiration

2012-01-14T04:25:00.027Z

Sunnyboy loves making mud pies with friends in the garden.

July 2011

He's always had an indoor play kitchen and also a box of kitchen utensils, bowls and buckets for the garden, where he has a mud patch. Recently he said he'd like Nozy to help him make a wooden cooker for the garden so I've been looking for inspiration for an outdoor play kitchen area we can get ready for spring. These are some of the kitchens I found.

Creating a mud pie kitchen at Rhythm of the Home

Source: rhythmofthehome.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Make a Mud Pie Kitchen at juise

Source: thejuicery.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

A fun, simple mud kitchen at {Share & Remember}

Source: shareandremember.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

A beautiful, vintage outdoor kitchen at gardenmama

Source: gardenmama.typepad.com via Sunny on Pinterest

A National Trust mud pie kitchen at Adventures @ Play

Source: mrsm-adventuresplay.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Thrifting for the Mud Pie Kitchen and Fine Tuning the Mud Pie Kitchen at TinkerLab

Source: tinkerlab.com via Sunny on Pinterest

A mud kitchen for our mud patch part 1, A mud kitchen for our mud patch part 2, Making mud pies, More mud pie kitchen madness, Mud pie kitchens revisited, Play heats up in the outdoor kitchen, Mud pie kitchen roundup, What's cooking in the outdoor kitchen and Mud pie kitchens galore at let the children play

Source: progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

More mud pie kitchens on Pinterest

Source: artfulparent.typepad.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: frugalfamilyfunblog.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: elsiemarley.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: happylittlemesses.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: mamauk.typepad.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: thewritestart.typepad.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: expecttheunexpectedblog.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: simple-whimsy.blogspot.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: pepperpaints.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Source: sewliberated.typepad.com via Sunny on Pinterest

If you have a mud pie kitchen I'd love you to leave a link in the comments.

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Playdate at Beneath the Rowan Tree
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Thrifty Thursday at playing with words 365
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Thank Goodness It's Friday! at Living Life Intentionally
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
For the Kids Friday at Sun Scholars
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Sharing Saturday at Mama Mia's Heart2Heart and Crafty Moms Share
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Outdoor Play at Mama Pea Pod, Greening Sam & Avery and Learning for Life
See more nature ideas at:
Friday's Nature Tables at The Magic Onions

{this moment}

2012-01-13T10:28:00.003Z

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Climbing a hill

2012-01-11T12:40:00.005Z

This week we went to the first of a series of workshops about the river in our city and this week's session was about the history of the river and this hill nearby. It's one of very few hills near where we live and has a fascinating history. It's also a part of Sunnyboy's history as it's where Sunnyboy was given his name at 3 weeks old. After the workshop Sunnyboy and I decided to climb the hill.

Creme de la Creme of 2011

2012-01-11T02:56:00.004Z

This is the post I submitted to the Creme de la Creme of 2011

Saying Goodbye Again (from Sunnydaytodaymama): A mother says goodbye to the embryos that didn’t make it post-transfer, all the while looking at her IVF child and knowing how much he wants to be a big brother.

Today another could have been due date passes and I'm thinking of all our babies.

And Tango Makes Three

2012-01-09T20:49:00.012Z

Today we read And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole, the story of two chinstrap penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo who needed some help to become parents, so were given an egg and the chance for them and the egg to be a family. It's such a lovely story and Sunnyboy had a big smile when little Tango hatched from the egg, and I had some happy tears. This is a wonderful book to read together and talk about the different ways people become families.

Roy and Silo are just like the other penguin couples at the zoo - they bow to each other, walk together and swim together. But Roy and Silo are a little bit different - they're both boys. Then, one day, when Mr Gramzay the zookeeper finds them trying to hatch a stone, he realises that it may be time for Roy and Silo to become parents for real. Based on a true story, this charming and heart-warming tale proves that all you need to make a family is love.

See more books at Book Sharing Monday and What My Child Is Reading

January View (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2012-01-06T03:49:00.008Z

View from Nozy's window

See more skies at Skywatch Friday
See more scenery at Scenic Sunday
See more yellows at Mellow Yellow Monday

Best Projects for Kids from 2011

2012-01-03T19:26:00.015Z

Our favourite project from 2011 we added to the blog hop was Making a Mini Pond.

Making a mini pond in our garden, 27th August 2011

The participants of this bloghop invite you to visit their sites and their best idea from 2011. They are:
www.AngeliqueFelix.com; The Golden Gleam; Hands on : as we grow; Toddler Approved; Red Ted Art; The Iowa Farmer's Wife; The Outlaw Mom Blog; Let Kids Create; Come Together Kids; Creative With Kids; Science sparks; Mama Smiles; Rainy Day Mum; Teach mama; Kitchen Counter Chronicles; The Imagination Tree; JDaniel Fours Mom; Teach Preschool; De tout et de rien: Activités pour le Préscolaire; Tinkerlab; Mama Pea Pod; Crayon Freckles; Sun Hats & Wellie Boots; From Tantrums To Treasure Hunts; My Creative Family; Classified: Mom; Puddles and Gumboots; Art For Little Hands ; Creative Connections for Kids; At home with Ali; Nurturestore.com; The Chocolate Muffin Tree; Critters and Crayons; The Mommies Made Me Do It; Mommy Labs; JamieJumble ; Putti Prapancha ; Messy Kids

Please Link Up only ONE post and be inspired by the others who linked up with you!

Self portraits from 2011

2012-01-01T18:47:00.000Z

Self portrait challenge

New Year's Eve

2012-01-01T16:25:00.003Z

Party poppers, Shloer and a bonfire.

2011

2011-12-31T14:35:00.002Z

2011 has been a hard year. Thank you Sunnyboy for making it the best year too. I love you and it was a good day today.

2011 in header pictures

2011-12-30T18:49:00.002Z

1. January, 2. February, 3. March, 4. April, 5. May, 6. June, 7. July, 8. August, 9. September, 10. October, 11. November, 12. December

Sharing Hope from 2011

2011-12-29T23:38:00.008Z

1. Ray of Hope, 2. Sharing Hope (Bourn Hall), 3. Spring Blossom, 4. Stones, 5. Lambing time at the farm, 6. Orange Blossom, 7. Sunnyboy (and Easter Eggs), 8. Buttons, 9. Flowers for our two little embryos, 10. Stepping Stones, 11. Do you believe in magic, 12. Holding Hands, 13. Constantly keep courage with you, 14. Holding Hands 2, 15. Holding Hands 3, 16. Climbing, 17. Looking for Hope, 18. Flowers for my IF friends, 19. Hope Street, 20. Looking for Hope 2, 21. Keep On Hoping, 22. Hope Street 2, 23. A year at Bourn Hall, 24. Never Never Ever give up hope, 25. The Battles and the Breakthrough, 26. I hope, 27. I hope 2, 28. Hope Grows, 29. Hoping with a fragile hope, 30. Autumn leaves

Sharing Hope
Ray of Hope at l.i.b.e.r.a.t.i.o.n. theory
finally a break through at l.i.b.e.r.a.t.i.o.n. theory
My Hopeful Journey
A Little Bit Pregnant... at This is More Personal
Dreaming (Of Hope) at Daily Living
Grow and Bloom, Ovaries! at It's a Brave New World, Baby
Broody IVF Mummy
i quit at l.i.b.e.r.a.t.i.o.n. theory
The Swannell's Baby Wishes
Week One of the Rest of My Life at Ready to be a Mom
Share Hope at Clear Passage
To my Son at Broody IVF Mummy
Road2Baby
The kind of evening at Making it up
Hope Is a Four Letter Word by Jay Bronte at Fertility Authority
From Conception to Birth – The Miracle Of Life at Chasing a Miracle
The two week worship
We Have Access! at Finding My New Normal
Return To The Jedi at Ready to be a Mom
Grief and hope post-miscarriage. at createdfamily
Milestones at the end of the Rainbow at It's a Brave New World, Baby
And then there were three! at Who Am I, Why Am I Here?
How did I get so lucky? at Who Am I, Why Am I Here
Come into the Light
Frozen Embryo Transfer-FET at Inconceivable! Journey of a Living Heart
Miscarriage: women suffer still at LLM Calling
sigh of relief at l.i.b.e.r.a.t.i.o.n. theory
TTC #2: The Journey of Getting Pregnant...AGAIN!
{infertility friday} a little hope with dr hope... at {a nuttier life}
A Good Omen and the Courage to Hope at grit and patience
Let It Shine, Girl… at two week worship
Hope Sings at not a Fertile Myrtle
Virtual Friends Blog Love! at Stress Free Infertility
Bitter Sweet at Road2Baby
BEST. NEWS. EVER. at l.i.b.e.r.a.t.i.o.n. theory
Today in Retrospect at Stress Free Infertility
Words of Hope (1) at not a Fertile Myrtle
mine at built in birth control
Words of HOPE (2) at not a Fertile Myrtle
Usually I love roller coasters at Dead Cow Girl
I have a strong faith in my God at motherhood adoption IVF and everything in between
Occupy at Alternicity
Angels For Hope

If you have images and words of hope to share please put a link to your post in the comments and I'll add it to the list.

Moments from 2011

2011-12-28T04:57:00.003Z

{this moment}

January to April 2011

April to July 2011

July to September 2011

September to December 2011

See more mosaics at Mosaic Monday

Flowers from 2011

2011-12-28T02:12:00.001Z

These flowers are for Canana (thank you for the lovely gifts Canana).

1. Ray of Hope, 2. Spring in our garden, 3. Spring in our garden, 4. Spring in our garden, 5. Spring in our garden, 6. Spring skies in our garden and a Super Moon, 7. Spring skies in our garden and a Super Moon, 8. {this moment}, 9. Sharing Hope - Spring Blossom, 10. Time, 11. Sharing Hope - Orange Blossom, 12. Bees (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 13. Bees (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 14. Lunch is pineapple and rooibos tea, 15. Butterflies (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 16. Sharing Hope - Flowers for our two little embryos, 17. Poppy, iris and tulip (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 18. Poppy, iris and tulip (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 19. Poppy, iris and tulip (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 20. {this moment}, 21. Six months, 22. A sunny day at the botanic garden, 23. A sunny day at the botanic garden, 24. A sunny day at the botanic garden, 25. A sunny day at the botanic garden, 26. Tiny, 27. Sharing Hope - Flowers for my IF friends, 28. Roses (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 29. Roses (Nozy's Nature Pictures), 30. Butterfly on blue flowers (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

See more flower pictures at Today's Flowers

Christmas Day

2011-12-26T03:32:00.000Z

Sunnyboy's Christmas list

2011-12-22T22:54:00.003Z

For Father Christmas ("pretend he's real mum")

1 Mince pie
1 Glass of milk
1 Glass of wine
5 Carrots for his reindeer
1 New hat
5 Hats for his elves
5 Jumpers for his elves
5 T-shirts for his elves

Our babies

2011-12-21T18:56:00.002Z

Thinking of all our babies. We miss them.

1. To my babies - 21st December 2010, 2. Bringing our little embryos home - 23rd April 2011, 3. Our embryos are home - 6th November 2011, 4. Day 31 and after (our little fighter) - 5th December 2011

Seasonal

2011-12-21T00:50:00.000Z

Jane, Dana, Bonny, Joyce, Ian, Francesca, Theresa, Cate, Kasia, Otli, Trinsch, Isabelle, Janis, Kari, jgy, Lise, Dorte, McGillicutty, Sunnymama, Ibb, Kelleyn, Ninja, Sky, RosaMaria, Juniper, Valerie, Sammi, Cole, Don, WanderChow, FlowTops, Tania, Tzivia, Kristin, Laura, Guusje, Susanna, Juana, Elsa, Nadine

Birds (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-12-14T21:08:00.004Z

Blue tit

Long tailed tit

Robin

See more animal pictures at Camera Critters

Our tree

2011-12-11T22:15:00.004Z

An update 14th December,
more added

What happened

2011-12-10T11:59:00.009Z

We thought both babies had gone so when I found out one was still there and still growing it was the most amazing feeling. I didn't understand how but we had a miracle and we had hope. To be pregnant and to have hope was so special. When I found out the pregnancy was ectopic the doctors weren't certain if the baby was in my fallopian tube, or if it was just outside or on my ovary. Of course I became fixated on how that could happen. The remaining left tube had been blocked for over twenty years, how could an embryo get through it? The baby was growing inside my tube though and now I think I understand how. Sunnyboy said to me "The baby must've been holding on to you really tight to stay and not get washed away by the blood." so we've been looking at diagrams of the female reproductive system. I'd wanted to be looking at pictures of a growing baby not pictures of an empty uterus. I understand how but I don't understand why.

Day 31 and after

2011-12-05T15:51:00.008Z

I went for an ultrasound scan at on Friday, day 31 (6 weeks and 3 days pregnant), and although baby was still growing the pregnancy was ectopic. I was referred by the doctor at Bourn Hall to the early pregnancy unit so we drove there from the clinic, then Sunnyboy went to stay with his grandparents and I was admitted to hospital that evening. Surgery was on Sunday morning. It hurt so much saying goodbye to baby and it hurts so much that baby is gone. I'm so sad to have lost our little fighter.

View from the window at Bourn Hall, Friday 2nd December

For our baby (our little fighter)

2011-12-02T18:51:00.004Z

We love you little fighter and we always will. Goodbye little one and thank you for making me smile.

A moment from November

2011-11-30T19:03:00.005Z

Autumn leaf stones

2011-11-27T02:14:00.008Z

Earlier this month we made autumn leaf stones. We used PVA glue (mixed with water) to stick the leaves on the stones and when they dried we varnished them with glittery nail varnish. For the smaller stones we used leaves from our garden and for the two larger stones we brought home some leaves from Bourn Hall.

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Play Academy at NurtureStore
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
See more nature ideas at:
Friday's Nature Tables at The Magic Onions
See more Autumn ideas at:
Fall Fun Party at Come Together Kids

Day 24 (5 weeks and 3 days pregnant)

2011-11-25T20:01:00.016Z

Baby is 24 days old, has been home for 19 days, and I'm officially 5 weeks and 3 days pregnant (IVF pregnancies are dated from two weeks before egg collection). I had my third beta hCG blood test this morning and my hCG level was 456. It's up since the second blood test on day 20 (when it was 138) although still very low for day 24. As my hCG level is low for a single embryo it looks most likely that one of our embryos didn't make it, but I'm very happy that one little fighter is still growing. I've an ultrasound scan booked for next Friday. Please keep growing baby.

Today I get to write the post I wanted to write (pregnant)

2011-11-21T15:59:00.007Z

I had my second beta hCG blood test this morning (day 20) and my hCG level has gone up to 138 since last Wednesday (day 15) when it was 16 (and I'd started bleeding on day 14). My mind is totally blown away. Our embryos really are fighters. I've another blood test booked for Friday to see if my hCG level continues to rise, but for today I get to write the post I wanted to write. I'm pregnant.

After the two week wait (a chemical pregnancy)

2011-11-20T05:31:00.003Z

Last Wednesday, at the end of the two week wait, I went for my beta hCG blood test at Bourn Hall. Usually when I have outpatient appointments at the clinic Sunnyboy waits with his Nana or Grandad in the clinic canteen or at the nearby park. This time I asked him if he'd like to come with me to see me have the blood test and he wanted to. So we went up to the waiting room together and he had a cup of hot chocolate from the drinks machine while we waited to be called through. Then after watching with great interest as the nurse drew my blood he told her "I miss our babies. They died."

Later that day we waited at home for the call from the clinic with the blood test results and when it finally came it was a shock. My hCG level was 16. I was a little bit pregnant and having an early miscarriage (chemical pregnancy). I told Sunnyboy that our embryos must have been fighters and he said "I wouldn't have needed to teach them wrestling then." I have another blood test booked for Monday and am expecting the hCG level to have dropped.

We miss our babies.

More goodbyes and a happy-sad movie

2011-11-15T12:55:00.009Z

Another IVF is over and we're saying goodbye to our embryos. The last two days have been so sad since I realised that they would be leaving us soon and today my heart is in pieces again as we say goodbye to another two lost babies who were very much wanted and loved by me and their big brother, and our family. I'm feeling so tired and defeated and my heart hurts so much. I'm forever grateful that I have Sunnyboy and we will always have each other.

Sunnyboy doesn't want us to be sad any more so he made an arrangement of his toys so we could be "happy-sad" and took a picture of them for me.

Then he made a "happy-sad" movie.

I am incredibly happy and lucky to have such an amazing sunny boy and grateful too that we got to bring these embryo babies home and have them here with us. I wish they'd stayed. I wish we had more than just memories.

Our embryos are home
6th November 2011

Tree Art (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-11-12T18:30:00.010Z

See more scenery at Scenic Sunday
See more Friday's Nature Tables at The Magic Onions

Sharing Hope - Autumn leaves

2011-11-12T14:49:00.002Z

{this moment}

2011-11-11T02:16:00.002Z

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Our embryos are home

2011-11-06T23:55:00.004Z

After another IVF cycle at Bourn Hall, today we brought home two top grade day 5 embryos (blastocysts). Please stay little ones. In the words of Sunnyboy, "We love you".

Sharing Hope - Hoping with a fragile hope

2011-11-05T02:01:00.002Z

Source: lushlee.com via Sunny on Pinterest

{this moment}

2011-11-04T00:20:00.003Z

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Halloween, at last

2011-10-31T23:01:00.010Z

Sunnyboy has really been looking forward to Halloween and we've been counting down since last Halloween, first the seasons, then more recently the weeks and the days. This afternoon we hurried home from our home education group so Sunnyboy could change into the costume he bought a couple of months ago and then we counted down the minutes to the Halloween party.

Sharing Hope - Hope Grows

2011-10-29T00:38:00.005+01:00

Source: annieink.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Sharing Hope
Angels For Hope

{this moment}

2011-10-28T00:10:00.004+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

1001 posts

2011-10-22T21:53:00.002+01:00

1001 posts
A blog (thanks for reading!) 2nd February 2009

10 posts with the most pageviews
Adding to my vision board 16th October 2010
To my babies 21st December 2010
A paper plate solstice sun, snow scene collage, crackers, more decorations (and a hole punch) 24th December 2009
Saying goodbye again 4th May 2011
Making a mini pond in our garden 27th August 2011
Inspirational Monday: to new friendships... 18th May 2009
Snow - 8 21st December 2009
{this moment} 12th Aug 2011
Bringing our little embryos home 23rd April 2011
Walking through the city centre 28th January 2011

01 post with the most comments
Sunrise (Nozy's Nature Pictures) 19th November 2009

Top 10 referring sites
http://www.soulemama.com
http://www.google.com
http://www.thebarefootcrofter.com
http://www.google.co.uk
http://twitter.com
http://www.tots100.co.uk
http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog
http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.com
http://laproffa.blogspot.com
http://www.notimeforflashcards.com

Top 01 Google search leading to this blog
fabric highchair alternative

Oldest 10 followers
MaryAnne at mama smiles
Tess at Life is Beautiful!
Guy D at Regina In Pictures
Susan at A Southern Daydreamer
Jennifer at The Wilson-Parkes Family Tree
Lilli & Nevada at Nevada & Lilli's travel page
Momma Snail at The Snail's Trail
Jennwa at The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman
Susan at The Expanding Life
Lisa at 5 Orange Potatoes

Newest 01 follower
deb duty at debduty

10 things I blog
daily life
playing
days out
nature
garden
home education
parenting
community
videos
flowers

01 blog about life with a sunny boy

Sharing Hope - I hope 2

2011-10-22T00:34:00.002+01:00

{this moment}

2011-10-21T00:04:00.000+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Honey Bees (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-10-20T18:23:00.006+01:00

March 2010

See more animal pictures at Camera Critters

Spot the difference

2011-10-17T05:12:00.008+01:00

One day as we were walking into town we saw a spy and I asked him if I could take his picture. Another day we were walking into town again and Sunnyboy stopped at the same place and asked me to take a picture.

See more skies at Skywatch Friday
See more scenery at Scenic Sunday

Sharing Hope - I hope

2011-10-14T23:34:00.008+01:00

{this moment}

2011-10-14T03:44:00.002+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Crafts inspired by a museum trip

2011-10-08T21:19:00.007+01:00

We are lucky to have lots of great museums in our city and recently we went with our home education group to the Museum of Classical Archaeology, which houses a collection of plaster casts of Greek & Roman sculpture. We took sketchbooks with us.

Cast of the Farnese Herakles

Then last weekend we made our own plaster cast using a vinyl glove and plaster of Paris. We poured the plaster of Paris into the glove, tied it with an elastic band and used two more elastic bands to hang it up outside while it set.

When the plaster had set we cut off the vinyl glove,

and Sunnyboy painted the hand.

By this time the hand was missing a couple of fingers and, as many of the casts in the museum were also missing fingers, limbs and other body parts, we thought it looked quite authentic.

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
Monstrously Creative Saturday at Boredom Busting Mommy
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Crafts with packing peanuts

2011-10-08T21:16:00.006+01:00

We were given several bags of packing peanuts and used some of them as bricks to make a play area for Sunnyboy's toys. We dipped the packing peanuts in water and put them on a piece of card one by one. After doing this with each layer of packing peanuts we left it overnight so the wet packing peanuts would dry and stick to the card and each other, before adding another layer the next day. Last weekend we decided we'd done enough layers of bricks and it was ready to play with,

and to paint.

Our next project is a packing peanut robot. This picture shows the outline of a robot on the card and the first layer of packing peanuts,

and this picture was taken the next day when we were halfway through the second layer. The packing peanuts from the day before are now dry and have shrunk a little.

We'll post another picture when the robot is finished.

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
Monstrously Creative Saturday at Boredom Busting Mommy
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Halloween conker characters (and a hedgehog) and a new Halloween costume

2011-10-08T21:11:00.015+01:00

We've been collecting conkers and last weekend Sunnyboy thought it would be a good idea to use some to make Halloween conker characters (and a hedgehog).

Sunnyboy has been preparing for Halloween for quite some time, well since last year actually. A while ago he found some costumes at work and tried them on. This was his favourite so he bought it ready to wear at Halloween this year.

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Fun Sparks at Science Sparks
Play Academy at NurtureStore
Fun for Kids Friday at Local Fun For Kids
Monstrously Creative Saturday at Boredom Busting Mommy
It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
The Sunday Showcase at Classified: Mom and Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
See more nature ideas at:
Friday's Nature Tables at The Magic Onions
See more Halloween ideas at:
Halloween Ideas Party at Come Together Kids

Sharing Hope - The Battles and the Breakthrough

2011-10-07T22:32:00.007+01:00

Sharing Hope is a weekly link collection for anyone who has some hope to share or is needing hope. Everyone is invited to share images and words of hope. For now I'll be using the same linky each week so we can gather lots of hope together but even if you've added a link in previous weeks you are more than welcome to add more each time. Please add a button or a link to Sharing Hope in your posts so others can visit and join in. Find out more about Sharing Hope and how to get a button here.

Neville Hodgkinson
The Battles — and the Breakthrough: How They Fought Nature and their Critics
Daily Mail
London, 27 July 1978
When news leaked out and reporters started to bother his patient Lesley Brown, the Oldham gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe brokered an exclusive deal with the Daily Mail. The paper, which especially targeted women readers, ran the story on the front page several times. Louise Brown was born near midnight on 25 July, but instead of a big splash the next morning, the Mail used its access to produce a five-page feature the following day. This gave sympathetic coverage to the Brown family, the prospects for infertility treatment and — after years of mixed press — Steptoe, Robert Edwards and the science of in vitro fertilization.
Books & Babies: Communicating Reproduction

{this moment}

2011-10-07T00:50:00.001+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

A weekend at home, working and playing in the garden in the October sun

2011-10-03T02:34:00.026+01:00

Playing rescue games with Spider-Man and his friends.

Mushrooms growing round an old tree stump.

Conkers and crafts.

Grapes from our garden.

Plaster of Paris.

Painting and packing peanuts.

A jar of leftover paint and a maze for Spider-Man.

Sunnyboy has also been helping Nozy to cut back hedges and a tree, build and light a bonfire, do the groundwork for a new summerhouse in the other garden and lay a concrete base under the water butt.

More garden news is that our frog visitor has stayed.

Blog Hop
Natalie at Mouse Grows Mouse Learns
MaryAnne at MamaSmiles
Julie at Just Playing Around
Kelly at Little Wonders' Days
Amanda and Kim at The Educators' Spin on It
Christy at Superheroes and Princesses

Sharing Hope - Never Never Ever give up hope

2011-10-01T20:23:00.002+01:00

Source: lostforwordscardline.com via Sunny on Pinterest

{this moment}

2011-09-30T01:31:00.001+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Butterfly on blue flowers (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-09-29T00:24:00.002+01:00

See more flower pictures at Today's Flowers
See more animal pictures at Camera Critters

Music

2011-09-28T01:08:00.002+01:00

World Rivers Day

2011-09-27T21:54:00.004+01:00

See more watery pictures at Watery Wednesday
See more outdoor pictures at Outdoor Wednesday

Sharing Hope - A year at Bourn Hall

2011-09-24T22:26:00.004+01:00

{this moment}

2011-09-23T00:51:00.000+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Silly

2011-09-21T00:15:00.004+01:00

Corner View was created by Jane at Spain Daily and is hosted by Francesca at FuoriBorgo. We are invited to post pictures telling the stories of our different lives and cultures. This week's theme is 'Silly'.

Sorting toys at work and being silly, on a bank holiday when there weren't any customers in the shop.

Corner Views from around the world:

A year

2011-09-20T21:54:00.007+01:00

September 2010
This was our first visit to Bourn Hall since December 2005 (when my life changed forever).

September 2011
Back at Bourn Hall today after many more visits during the last year.

Sharing Hope - Hope Street 2

2011-09-16T22:57:00.002+01:00

{this moment}

2011-09-16T07:18:00.002+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

A frog in our pond (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-09-13T20:35:00.006+01:00

A few weeks ago Nozy and Sunnyboy made a mini pond in our garden and now we have a visitor.

See more watery pictures at Watery Wednesday
See more animal pictures at Camera Critters

Sharing Hope - Keep On Hoping

2011-09-10T17:50:00.002+01:00

Source: weheartit.com via Sunny on Pinterest

{this moment}

2011-09-09T01:31:00.002+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Thinking of all our babies

2011-09-07T00:05:00.002+01:00

1. To my babies, 2. Four weeks have gone by, 3. Sunshine and shadows at the Botanic Garden, 4. Two months, 5. Ray of Hope, 6. Reflections at the Botanic Garden, 7. Sharing Hope, 8. Three months, 9. Today is four months, 10. Sunnyboy, 11. Bringing our little embryos home, 12. Saying goodbye again, 13. Sunnyboy's self portraits, 14. Flowers for our two little embryos, 15. Six months, 16. A sunny day at the Botanic Garden

Roses (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-09-04T04:45:00.002+01:00

See more flower pictures at Today's Flowers

Let's be friends

2011-09-03T13:47:00.009+01:00

Follow sunnydaytodaymama with Google Friend Connect in the sidebar (if I'm not following your blog then leave a comment here letting me know so I can follow you too) or subscribe via email.

Like sunnydaytodaymama on Facebook.

Follow @sunnydayto on Twitter.

Follow Sunny Mama on Pinterest.

Sunny Mama on Flickr.

Nozy on Flickr.

Sunny Mama on Goodreads.

Sunny Mama on BritMums.

Sunny Mama on The Home Education UK Network.

Add one of our buttons to your blog and let me know if you have a button so I can add it here.

Sharing Hope - Looking for Hope 2

2011-09-02T19:45:00.002+01:00

{this moment}

2011-09-02T00:46:00.002+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Change

2011-08-31T00:15:00.000+01:00

White

2011-08-29T00:53:00.000+01:00

I ♥ Faces is a photography site focused on the art of capturing faces and their various emotions. This week’s photo challenge theme is 'White'.

August 2006

In my handbag

2011-08-28T04:36:00.011+01:00

The BritMums Blog has asked What's in your handbag?

My handbag

Contents: little Maisie Mouse book, post-it note pad, reflective armband, file (containing business cards, receipts, scraps of paper and sachets of antiseptic wipes), cash bag (containing five pence pieces), purse, notebook and pen, pocket bag, glasses cleaning cloth, 3 feminine hygiene products, plaster, case with more plasters, superman finger puppet, spiderman finger puppet, "I love you" wiggly bug, mobile phone, Pizza Hut gift voucher, fabric clothing label Sunnyboy uses as a map, little torch, 2 hairbands (the little one is Sunnyboy's), coffee stirrer stick, elastic band.

The other bag

Contents: handy wipes, flask of water, spare clothing for Sunnyboy (including a winter hat in case we go anywhere noisy and a summer hat in case we go anywhere sunny), 3 cloth bags, umbrella, fabric square Sunnyboy uses as a map, leaflets, hand gel, tissues, raincoat, coffee stirrer stick.

What's in your purse party at a bowl full of lemons

Making a mini pond in our garden

2011-08-27T17:51:00.021+01:00

Recently Nozy and Sunnyboy made a tiny pond by our back door. They dug a hole to fit an old washing up bowl,

filled it with rain water,

and a little water from the big pond.

They found some stones,

to put in and around the pond.

Then they added some shiny stones,

and shells,

and a fairy,

and planted some wildflower seeds next to their new mini pond.

13th September 2011:
A frog in our pond

See more play, craft and learning ideas at:
Link & Learn at No Time For Flash Cards
Learning Laboratory at mama smiles
Show and Tell at ABC and 123
Kids Get Crafty at Red Ted Art's Blog
Play Academy at NurtureStore
and It's Playtime at The Imagination Tree, Quirky Momma, let the children play, hands on : as we grow and Messy Kids
See more nature ideas at:
Friday's Nature Tables at The Magic Onions

Best Projects for Kids from 2011

Sharing Hope - Hope Street

2011-08-26T18:06:00.003+01:00

{this moment}

2011-08-26T00:21:00.001+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Blue

2011-08-25T11:28:00.000+01:00

Picture by Nozy

See more Blue at Thursday Challenge and Blue

Sharing Hope - Flowers for my IF friends

2011-08-19T23:32:00.007+01:00

{this moment}

2011-08-19T18:45:00.003+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Tiny

2011-08-17T00:03:00.001+01:00

Corner View was created by Jane at Spain Daily and is hosted by Francesca at FuoriBorgo. We are invited to post pictures telling the stories of our different lives and cultures. This week's theme is 'Tiny'.

In our garden

a tiny ladybird,

the snail is not so tiny as the ladybird but it's still quite tiny,

a tiny yellow flower,

and a tiny pond that Nozy and Sunnyboy made (there'll be a post soon with more pictures showing how they did it).

Corner Views from around the world:

Beautiful Eyes

2011-08-15T00:02:00.002+01:00

I ♥ Faces is a photography site focused on the art of capturing faces and their various emotions. This week’s photo challenge theme is 'Beautiful Eyes'.

A sunny day at the Botanic Garden

2011-08-14T02:26:00.007+01:00

Thank you to Canana for the Toy Story t-shirt and hat.

See more flower pictures at Today's Flowers
See more yellows at Mellow Yellow Monday
See other people's worlds at My World Tuesday
See more outdoor pictures at Outdoor Wednesday

Sharing Hope - Looking for Hope

2011-08-12T20:29:00.002+01:00

{this moment}

2011-08-12T11:56:00.000+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Red nail varnish

2011-08-08T00:51:00.002+01:00

I've started wearing nail varnish again recently and Sunnyboy asked me to paint his nails too. He chose the colour.

See more reds at Ruby Tuesday

Sharing Hope - Climbing

2011-08-06T16:30:00.002+01:00

{this moment}

2011-08-05T23:35:00.002+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Sharing Hope - Holding Hands 3

2011-07-29T20:44:00.001+01:00

{this moment}

2011-07-29T00:03:00.001+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
SouleMama

Early

2011-07-27T01:22:00.009+01:00

Dragonfly (Nozy's Nature Pictures)

2011-07-23T23:52:00.004+01:00

See more animal pictures at Camera Critters
See more Macro Mondays at Lisa's Chaos

Sharing Hope - Come into the Light

2011-07-15T23:34:00.003+01:00

Meeting The Gruffalo (and a cuddle)

2011-07-08T02:03:00.007+01:00

The Gruffalo