Once upon a time, a couple of weekends ago...

....there was a little family of five who frolicked about in some unexpected sunshine. I know, I know I'm a pants poet.

Remember that really hot weekend at the beginning or October? Wasn't it special? Such a treat to have weather like that when all hope of Summer has passed.

Mr C's family came to stay with us and we all took full advantage of the garden. The boys hare tailed around as they are prone to doing and Poppa busied himself being useful as he usually does. This time he plucked all the fruit from the trees before the beastly wasps got at it all.

My sister in Law (Ma Belle Soeur as I call her) arrived at tea time on Saturday. The boys are always so pleased to see her, not just because she brings sweets shaped like pigs. That's her in the distance, she is always behind a camera, rarely in front.

The washing was pegged out, I think that may have been the last time anything got dried completely outside. 

I think this is THE ugliest photograph of Little Cuckoo I have ever seen!

And we spent the afternoon sitting on the outdoor sofa's relaxing.

The sun was almost over the yard arm so Granny had a Kir Royal.

I'm not sure the following photo's translate very well here, they were amusing on the camera when flicked through. Mr C was giggling and snapping away as I tried to erect the cheap little TV table to pop our drinks on.

Ha ha haaaa! I look like such a dorky scarecrow. I needed that drink after all that taxing table business. I swear it was harder than the rubix cube.  

Did you spot a bit of crochet there? 

I'm making a cushion cover to go in Little's bedroom. It's almost finished and I have to say I am loving the colours and loving the stripes. I am really hoping to get it done soon but I have a feeling that the button hunt may delay the reveal. I've not done crochet button holes before, they were very satisfying. I may even do crochet self cover buttons too. That may save me the hunt for the perfect button. I've got more crochet to show you later at the end of this post.

Look at that baby! He had literally just woken up and yet he was full of smiles, as always. He is such a joyful child.  I cannot believe how lucky we are to have him. It has been such a relief that he is so easy and content. It means I can spread myself around all the boys much more easily than I could if he cried as much as the older two. He has been a true delight since the moment he was born. Little Cuckoo is totally in love with his baby brother. He thinks about him and looks after him in a way I never thought a three year old could. Big Cuckoo 'likes' him but keeps asking me to put him back in my tummy and turn him into a girl. Little Cuckoo then shouts "NO MUMMY! I will miss him if he goes back in your tummy! Keep him out!!"

It was astonishing how hot it was that weekend. Very, very warm. Hotter than the summer was.  Not unbearable though, it was perfect. The wind was warm, and that's a big thing for me because we live on top of a hill and it is always windy. Even on a sunny summers day the wind often leaves me with goose bumps. It was lovely to be able to sit outside and feel comfortable. We'd not managed that this Summer as the wind always had a chilly edge to it. 

We all stayed out on the sofa's till gone midnight, well the adults not the kids obviously.

Oh it was heavenly. Spending the evening outside, a warm breeze, some cosy blankets for some snuggle factor, something lovely to drink. Perfect. I even saw two shooting stars.

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 Not only was the weather glorious it was special for us for another reason too. Mini Cuckoo and I got Christened. 

Nic the Vic was giving us the low down on what was going to happen. It was modified a little as he was going to do both me and Mini at the same time. There was a moment when Nicolas was marking the sign of the cross on my forehead with oil that felt very....I'm not really sure how to describe it without sounding like a right numpty. It was very... quiet. Nicholas was looking in my eyes and I could see he was saying something yet I didn't hear him. I felt peaceful. After all the excitement and bustling about I felt quiet. For a brief moment the chatter in my mind was silenced. It was a welcome interlude as both before and after that moment I had an uncontrollable urge to giggle my head off like a simpleton.

Ma Belle Soeur took so many gorgeous photo's so I'll fling a few in now to share with you.

All that was missing was my God Mother, Bee. Her daughter was poorly with a sickness bug and Darr was away in Wales so she couldn't come.

After the service we all went to The Garden Cafe in the village for cream tea's. It was a quintessentially perfect English afternoon. I cannot believe how fortunate we were to have such glorious weather on such a special day for us.

Grandad Chuck and Bobber

Stuffing my face

I look soooo pale and mangy next to the uber gorgeous Gem

Gem is Mini's God Mother and I'm so happy she was able to come. Her husband works a lot of weekends so to have them both with us was greatly appreciated. The poor duck was in a flap when they arrived as they'd got stuck behind a broken down tractor in a lane that was too narrow to do a three point turn. They had no phone signal either and Gem was concerned she'd miss the whole shebang.

Gem and her husband taking a stroll with a cup of tea

The Princess (Gem's daughter) made a friend for the afternoon.

The Prince (Gem's son) enjoyed his cream tea enormously before nose diving off the seat.

We were going to have the cream teas in the glass house if the weather was wet, it was by far and away much better outside on the long table.

I'd love our garden to look like this, we do share the same view but our garden is
sadly not planted up very well. I haven't a clue what should go where!

I love this photograph of Big Cuckoo and his God Father wearing a similar shirt having a little chat. 

I can't include any pictures of  Mini's  other God Mother Clairey (one of My Girls) or God Father James as I forgot to ask if that was ok. 

Since we were having cream tea and lots of cake I realised that there was no need for a Christening cake. So I made a coconut and lime cake for Saturday night pudding and decorated it with some fabulous bunting made by clever Jooles. The cake was pretty ugly but tasted great and no one noticed its looks as everyone was ooooohing and ahhhhing over the bunting. 

As you know I don't put our names in this blog, the reason being I don't want us to pop up in google if a certain someone from my past tries to be nosey. It's not that I am being all mysterious and secretive, just trying to keep out of google is all. But I figure names in a photograph can't be googled. Am I right in thinking that?

I ordered a special Christening gift for Mini made by the super talented Fee from Chipper Nelly.

Beautifully packaged

I could spend way too much time playing with these blocks.
Notice the packaging ribbon now tied to the knob on these freshly painted and revamped
old orange pine drawers

I have been spending quite a lot of time looking at all the perfect images she chose for Mini.

Notice all the bird references.

I'm now hankering after some Christmas blocks, in particular these ones.

Mini played with the crinkly celophane for an age

I said I have more crochet to talk about and so here it is.

 Not much to show yet but this is going to be a ripple snood. I'm joining in with Heather and Lucy's Ripple along. If you haven't heard about it already, I'm certain you must have, you can read all about it here and here and see lots of other ripple alonger's stuff here.

xxx