general stuff

Hello!

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

It’s very nice to be back again!

If I had to pick one word to sum up our summer break it would be uneventful – which is pretty much what I was hoping for! We’ve mostly had a gentle-paced, quiet time at home with a few forays into more exciting activities to prevent boredom from setting in and overall it has worked out pretty well.

Bubbles5

Of course there have been lows, the most deep of which has to be Toby’s toilet training and the associated mopping up of puddles (and worse) that go along with that. Unfortunately, despite lots of hard work we’ve not made much progress but I’ll share more of our experiences another time in the hope of helping others! Toby has also had many times of extreme frustration and upset which have been very hard to bear but the school hols are nearly over (last day today) and we’ll choose to remember the good times and put the bad ones out of our minds!

Rainbow

The highs included moments spent with Amy, chatting, making things, watching films and just relaxing without any pressures to do anything else. We camped out in the garden together 3 times – once with our good friend Hazel and her daughter Madeleine. We had great fun just girls together, hedgehog watching, hot choccie drinking and larking about under canvas. Amy & I have also been excited to see the things that we planted growing so well. We’ve loved picking and eating our own lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries and we’ve been hatching plans to expand our weenie food patch.

Tomatoes

I must admit though to being glad at the start of a new school term. Amy is looking forward to seeing all her friends again and joining some after school clubs. Toby desperately needs to get back into a routine and I’m looking forward to some quiet and a chance to just exist without being pulled about, fetching something, dressing someone or mopping something up! I’m also looking forward to catching up with what everyone else has been up to here in blog land. So at 9.15 tomorrow morning I’ll be grabbing a cup of tea and going for a browse – see you soon!

Garden1

 

57 thoughts on “Hello!”

  3. Welcome back!
    Think that your holidays reflect ours up here on the hill (with not quite so much mopping up – but I hear you), quiet, uneventful and all the better for that.
    Are they rabbits with a half page picture in this onth’s Eve magazine? I couldn’t tell b/c they were being held but kind of looked like…..

    Like

    Reply

  4. Lovely to see a new post from you – I’ve been looking forward to it.
    Seems you deserve a medal! In later years Amy will love remembering the camping and her special moments with her Mum.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Glad you had a good summer. Getting back into the routine is the main thing though isn’t it. The school holidays are far too long for all children and definitely for autistic ones. My son is getting more and more frustrated by the minute and it is all because of the lack of routine. Roll on tomorrow.

    Like

    Reply

  10. Welcome back Julie – I have missed your posts and missed your little creations – Glad the summer went well for you and you had time to spend with your daughter! – Spring has sprung here in Australia today and just to top it off my first Daffodil bloomed late yesterday afternoon – what perfect timing – . Looking forward to your future posts.

    Like

    Reply

  12. You always seem to cope so wonderfully with Toby – it makes me feel guilty about how frustrating I find my three! They all go back to school tomorrow with Dot starting secondary school which is quite a major step and while I’m looking forward to my own time again I’m going to miss them and feel guilty for all the things I haven’t done with them!!!

    Like

    Reply

  13. Lovely to have you back.
    We just both took a week off to spend at home with our little boy. It was bliss, and like you say, very uneventful. Nothing like just pootling along with everybody around is there?
    Look forward to your future postings.

    Like

    Reply

  15. Greetings from Massachusetts! So glad to see that you’re back. My son goes back to school on Thursday so we’re enjoying the last few days of summer. Fall is in the air. Our local orchard is pressing apple cider already (and making cider donuts to go along with it!)….caramel apples….. and selling all of the delicious local produce. We’re enjoying every minute of this glorious time….before the snow flies!

    Like

    Reply

  18. How wonderful to see you back in the land of Blog. I’m glad you had a good break, even if you are looking forward to the school term starting again. To be honest I think that most parents who are honest with themselves look forward to seeing normality restored after such a long break.
    Look forward to hearing more from you soon.

    Like

    Reply

  19. Hi Julie – welcome back after your summer break. I’m sorry to hear that Toby’s training didn’t go according to plan – but you have the most amazingly positive outlook – which I utterly admire. I stole your idea for an embroidered label on the back of your knitted blanket in June – I hope you don’t mind. xx PS. I LOVE the bubbles!

    Like

    Reply

  21. Glad to see you posting again and that you had a good summer.
    My kids just started school last week again and I really enjoy my alone time. I get a lot more done as well when I’m not taxi mom for everybody.
    Welcome back! :0)

    Like

    Reply

  22. Oh I have been waiting for this moment. The one where all my favourite summer-absent bloggers return! It’s just like the kids looking forward to catching up with their chums at school again.
    And I feel the same way about time to just exist. Summer has been a lot of fun, but with precious little quiet time for me – I’m going to spend Weds morning in monastic silence, just becaus I can!

    Like

    Reply

  24. Welcome back 🙂 looking forward to hearing your updates. I’m envious of your tomatoes… they look delicious. I’m still waiting for mine to ripen… over here in the west country it’s been a wild summer and my tomatoes are all still green 😦

    Like

    Reply

  28. Welcome back, I’m glad your summer break wasn’t to demanding on you and that you got the chance to spend some special one on one time with Amy.
    My daughter is on the autistic spectrum and toilet training was one of the hardest barriers to cross but we got there in the end. My heart goes out to you i’m sat here typing with a tear in my eye when I look back as to how hard it was but it will happen and it makes life so much easier.
    I look forward to reading your highs and the lows the good and the bad.

    Like

    Reply

  29. Welcome back to blogland – you left not long after I arrived! Glad to hear the summer went well in general. Sounds as thought the toilet training is hard work – hope it continues to improve though. The camping sounds like wonderful fun and your plum tomatoes look wonderful!

    Like

    Reply

  30. Welcome back to blog land Julie.
    Now first things first THANK YOU so much for the beautiful parcel that arrived today. I love Constance, she is just so beautifully made, every stitch perfect and wonderful. Thank you also for the jelly totts and tooty frooty’s, the took me back to my childhood, amazing what your memory stores, and they were in there.
    The Kath candle is wonderful, I think I’m going to put it on my bedside locker as it smells so nice.
    I’m sorry to hear Toby hasn’t taken to toilet training, that must be so frustrating for you. Don’t let it get you down, I know, you must be so frustrated by this and dissapointed. If I could parcel up a big hug it would be on it’s way to you.
    Your tomatoes look wonderful, I have some new plants ready to go in my veggy garden. I’m just waiting for the final frost to pass, it may bring spring here but it’s still a bit nippy in the mornings.
    Thank you again for the amazing parcel, you’re lovely.

    Like

    Reply

  34. It’s so great to have you back!
    I missed reading you as part of my daily Latte morning.
    Things here across the pond are a bit messy, but all will work out soon.
    Thank you again for your words of support on my blog…they gave me a big warm smile when I read them. I was truly touched.
    XXX Shawn Mary

    Like

    Reply

  35. Hi and welcome back! I missed you 🙂
    I’m happy to see you had a lovely August! Mine was almost entirely dedicated to our moving back in our home (after eight months spent in a rented flat while the “plastic surgeon” was dramatically changing our house) and I am still struggling with boxes full of things and lots of furniture to assemble, but at least we are back :-))))
    Have a good September
    Italian hugs to you and your wonderful kids
    Gallina

    Like

    Reply

  39. I’m glad you are back. I’ve just ‘found’ your blog recently and fell quite in love with your fetching knitted bunnies and things. I’ve come over just to have another look at them from time to time. Your picture of the bubbles is just a perfect summing up of summer. I like it.

    Like

    Reply

  43. I got the happiest smile on my face when I popped by your blog and you were back 🙂 I’ve missed your posts so much.
    Glad to hear you and Amy had some girl time to share over your summer break. It is so good to get back to a daily routine though isn’t it? Toilet training, nothing good can ever be said about it 😉 Poor Toby, poor you!

    Like

    Reply

  46. Hi Julie,
    Love the photos. You’ve created some special memories. Our summer was spent enjoying the sun and parks and exploring our new town/city. Both my eldest and Jack have started school this week. Jack is in a special program four mornings per week and on the first day he was a bit nervous, but he did not cry. I did however. Its all been a bit overwhelming at times. But, I look forward to carving out a few morning hours to myself in the next few weeks. I have not attempted potty training yet and I think I will wait sometime longer. It is a process indeed. I wish you the best, Michelle

    Like

    Reply

  50. Looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations & hoping I may be lucky one day!
    I remember when my son wouldn’t be toilet trained until he was ready & that was aged 4 & a bit! I ran out of every possible solution, he was very strong-willed, he’s now 8 & I now wonder why I worried so much! Try not to, I’m sure Toby will do it when it’s right for him.

    Like

    Reply

  52. Welcome Back!!! We spent most of our Summer Break on a STAYCATION too… never straying TOO FAR from home… it was nice… slowpaced and quiet… a lovely “recharge”… Glad your Break was relaxing… and yes… it is ALWAYS nice to remember that every day is a NEW DAY…
    Missed you!
    Lala :o)

    Like

    Reply

  55. Welcome back! Sounds like you had a lovely summer despite all that mopping up. Really glad that you are back now and looking forward to the next sale! Px

    Like

    Reply

  56. Hello Julie,
    I really adore your rabbits! My boyfriend can tell which website I’m on just by hearing the ‘Aaaaaaaaaahs’ coming from behind the screen! Six years ago I bought my boyfriend a toy monkey and have always hoped to get a rabbit back in return – maybe he will find me one when we get married next month.
    Your knitting is so inspiring. I have just worked out how to crochet but I am also planning to try and make a toy cat for my Godaughter too.
    Enjoy the Autumn days :0)

    Like

    Reply

  57. Hi there,
    I contacted you last year I think telling you about my 9 yr old son with Aspergers. Also about website
    http://www.knitwit-designs.co.uk
    I visit your blog often and so enjoy reading it- I`ve passed the link onto many friends who also love your knitting as much as I do. So please keep writing and making your lovely toys! Rebecca

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to Lucy Locket-Pocket Cancel reply