Summer Manifesto #5 Make and eat fruit salad

With all the health ups and downs lately, I'm keen to get back on a healthy eating kick and with the hot weather, it seems the perfect time for a healthy refreshing fruit salad. 

It's a great way to get fruit into the diet and easy to prepare a big batch so I can grab it quickly on the go. I'm hoping to keep this one up throughout the summer.

Make it Monday - Abstract Painting

I've had paints laying around unused for ages and one thing I want to get around to is filling our walls. This was inspired by my usual creative guru Elise and I'm really pleased with it!

I started with the yellow and orange to tie it in to Isabella's room and the bunting I made her. Then I mixed in a salmon colour, and finally added the green as a contrast.

I tried to fill in the white but I wanted to leave a little bit to tie in with a white frame later.

Excited to try more painting now!

Weekly Wisdom

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The Saturday Update

This has been the busiest week in a long time.

Last weekend was spent doing a mountain of washing and cleaning and generally recovering from that class trip.

Work has been mad with the prom, organizing end of year trips and the graduation ceremony. All of it was positive though. When work goes well, it's easier to function on less sleep.

I had various catch ups with friends and doctors this week. And all during the biggest heatwave in a long time.

Projects are also back on the go - sewing, knitting and I even found time, energy and a cool enough evening to go for my first run since Isabella was born.

I think it's safe to say that the Get to Work Book is working for me so far!

Next week is the last normal week at work with just one trip to the theater on Tuesday, and hopefully the energy wave will outlive the heatwave.

Graduation

One thing I love about my job is the cycle. This time every year is busy with reports, projects and graduation. I missed it last year and this year was especially moving as the class I have been most involved with graduated.

They were an extra large year group - seven classes instead of four - so the ceremony took place at the musical theatre which gave it an extra special twist.

There was a speech from the headteacher and each class gave a speech, some with videos, and thanked their teachers. It was really moving - for pupils and staff alike.

It's a huge highlight of my work to see how these young adults have grown up and are ready to go out into the world. I can't believe my own class is already half way there.

It was a lovely way to end the week.

Summer Manifesto #2 Watch Isabella play in the garden

I will never get bored of this view. Right now it's 35 degrees outside so we have to be careful but I still like to try to get outside for ten minutes of playtime before bed.

It calms her down a lot - especially nosying at the neighbours.

It was so very worth kitting out the garden for her birthday and when all else fails, she just follows the tiger around.

So happy to spend the summer watching her grow.

July Goals

Things I want to do this month:

• Take a family photo.
• Finish sewing the dress.
• Revisit my 30 things list.
• Do some kind of sport.
• Research a memory box system.