Meatless Monday {2020 - week 18}

So here we are: week 18 of Meatless Monday 2020… 4th week of being furloughed, I’ve been trying to get into a better routine with bedtimes and getting up and its gone pretty well overall. It still feels so surreal how we have been living and its so hard to try and understand when we will get back to any level of normality and when and how, the bubble is nice 90% of the time, and I know how lucky we are, I really do, but the lack of ability to go out, have alone time, or socialise with my friends and family can be draining, as there are no breaks really.

Our week has ended with the following announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson…

It’s good to have some idea of what the government plan to do in the next 2 months, depending on the R rate but theres still a lot of detail which needs clarity, for example they have said that some school years may start to go back from mid-June but no clarity about what pre-schools or nurseries will do and how and when office workers may go back. There’s just so many unknowns. How’s everyone else feeling about it all?

Here’s what we wore:

Me: Long Sleeve Top: New Look, Namaste T-shirt: eBay, Wrap Cardigan: Ralph Lauren, Trousers: Fat Face (thrifted), Shoes: Clarks, Rain Coat: Joules, Pashmina: Market in India

Boys: Long Sleeve Tops, Jumpers, Trousers and Waterproofs: thrifted or gifted from various sources, Vests: Tescos, Shoes: Clarks

What’s in my ears:

Here’s another album I’ve rediscovered this week through that Facebook post I talk about last week. I love this album, such feel good chill out songs, I remember plugging into this as I moved back home from uni during of the packing and unpacking, it got me through 🙂 What are your favourite albums?

Here’s my week in 4:

Hurrah for Gin: I was given this book by my boss when I was pregnant with the boys, he was a lovely chap and young Dad and was understanding of the challenges of young parenthood, he left the company through re-structure whilst I was on maternity leave and it has taken me 3 + years and being furloughed to finally get round to reading a physical book, but I am so enjoying reading this one with my morning cuppa, and I am going to try and continue to read physical books in this time, even if it is only for 10 minutes going forward. For any young parents or parents to be I strongly recommend that you read parental comedy books such as this, the Learner Parent, The Unmumsy Mum, Man vs Baby, Mum Face, and Mother Pukka, to name a few, over parenting advice books and scheduling books. End of the day people the kids haven’t read the advice books, and they are all individuals anyway. I have learnt from experience that the best tools you can have as a parent are an awesome support network (both of like-minded mummy friends and family where possible) and your own gut instinct. 🙂
Paddling Pool Joy: We had some absolutely lovely hot weather this week, I even got my pair of shorts out! The other thing which was wonderful was to get the paddling pool out for the boys, their little faces literally light up at playing in the paddling pool, it’s such a delight to see. I love this turtle sandpit/pool which we have as it is lovely and sturdy and has a lid so you can even keep water till the next day if like.
I Painted the Garden Table: This was my achievement of the week! We bought our garden table and chairs the first summer we were in the house (around 10 years ago) and we didn’t really weather protect it so it has deteriorated, but I thought that a lick of fence paint would help, but getting round to these little project jobs whilst looking after two 3 year olds full time is easier said than done. I woke up Saturday though in the mood for a project so I went for it. Cleared, cleaned and then painted the table as much as I could with the paint I had leftover from the front fence. Such an improvement already and such a sense of achievement 🙂 I have ordered another pot of paint to carry on and finish the job and I’m really looking forward to it now I’ve started. Often I think with projecty jobs like this starting is the hardest bit, but once you get going it gives you the drive and the will to carry on.
More Adventure Walks: We carried on going for our daily walks this week and we found ourselves two more excellent alternative routes. I am just getting so much joy from walks in nature throughout this season and its so nice to not have to get into the car to go anywhere, we are so lucky to be surrounded by the countryside which we are and we’re all getting stronger mentally and physically for it, it really is a blessing to have the time to do this with the boys and I hope that getting them into walking in nature as a normal from such a young age means that it will be a habit they stick to going forward too. 🙂

Video of the week:

Bit more of a fun one this week as I have been on a retro revival in TV land and have started watching “The New Adventures of Superman” CIRC 1993 from the beginning. It’s such great escapism, I love the female lead in Terri Hatcher’s Lois Lane, she is both bold and beautiful and Superman is pretty easy on the eye too 😉

What we ate this week…

Breakfast:

The boys had their milk and their half apple whilst I had my cuppa in the garden. Then we all had hot cross buns and fruit (kiwi, blueberries and plum) and I had fresh mint tea.

Lunch:

The boys had a snack pot for their mid-morning snack of multigrain shapes, sultanas and carrot sticks and I had a pack of Skips, which again are surprisingly vegetarian 🙂 . Then I did cheese and marmite bagels and fruit all round. We then shared some of our homemade cupcakes and juice before heading off for our walk :). When we got back I had some mixed nuts and a cup of decaf earl grey tea.

Dinner:

For dinner the boys had toast, cheese and beans 🙂 along with some fruit & yoghurt for afters. I had some leftover mushroom orzo, and a plum and some matchmakers for afters.