Reindeer cards - stage 2

We finally got out to the softplay place this morning!! Up late, barely any breakfast, and Steve drove us there as we'd never have got there otherwise. Ben had a ball racing around, climbing and clambering - he's finally big enough and confident enough to really enjoy himself there now. Charley had a ball too! Discovering he can climb more than he thought, learning about slides (a much bigger slide than the little one at our wednesday morning group!) and trying every which way possible of going down it. I stopped him simply stepping onto the slide a couple of times, and he realised that turning and going down feet-first on his tummy was actually the best idea quite quickly! He LOVED it. Predictably Ben didn't want to leave, and eventually another dad (who had braved the inside of the softplay frame) brought him to me after I'd given up to go and get myself and Charley ready.

Quick trip into town for socks (enough to make a late-starting advent calendar, not that I've had chance to do it yet this evening!) and then back home on the bus. Ben declared it had been a proper adventure! And so it had, but not one we can afford to do every week.

No time for lunch either and so after dealing with a grouchy baby wanting milk and a sudden nasty hypo it was off to the dentist for an inlay to be fitted. No tears, very little stress, one more fixed tooth! Hope it lasts...

Called in at the shoe shop on the way home and have my eye on various things. All unfortunately necessary - one of Ben's trainers is missing the toe section (he needs to stop dragging his toes when he's on his bike) and so he needs new trainers and really could do with winter boots too. My boots are probably seeing their last winter, they're finally giving up and are letting water in somewhere round my toes. They've done good service. So I've seen some for Ben that I like, just need to find the money for them and hope Ben likes them. Not found any to replace mine yet!

Quick wander down to the Post Office when I got home, posting out orders of cups and cards which is exciting! Walked back past my favourite little shop, had a look inside but only got as far as the doorway. There was an utterly beautiful pink with roses cup and saucer. Sooooo beautiful. And I didn't buy it. Couldn't justify it :( Was so grateful that the level crossing closed behind us, as if I'd been stuck behind it waiting I may have found my resolve weakening...

Prayed in the 'mist' as I walked home. One of the words from the weekend was that there's blessings in the mist, and to pray the mist into clouds and the clouds into rain and to receive that blessing. So I have been praying that the mist - the potential jobs - become realities.

Sausage and mash and carrots and onion gravy for tea and Charley stole most of my carrots again, AND I even did extra today! I think he likes carrots. Everything was eaten. Even by Ben! He only had sausages though. But then he'd had a banana earlier so I'm not worried.

This evening I have been drawing reindeer and enjoying it! Ben can help me stick red noses on them tomorrow morning, then some of them can be given to his friends at school in the afternoon. Really looking forward to our snowman handprint baubles now, and I might see if Ben will do some footprint penguins for me too at some point :) At least we have a selection of arty activities now that we can do over the next couple of weeks!