Round up of 2014 in pictures

2014 whizzed by in a blur. I was so busy with my PhD, starting a business and writing this blog. I spent a lot of time reading and learning and planning and dreaming. It wasn't the year I'd hoped for, we had some hard times but we survived.

There was so much I wanted to write about but never quite got round to it all. Here is a look back at our year...

We started the year with our first pets, some chicks. We had high hopes for some fresh eggs but they all turned out to be cockerels! 

                             

                   

A few months later we acquired some hens and were delighted to finally get some fresh eggs for our breakfasts. There's nothing quite like a fresh, free range egg from your very own chickens straight out the garden.

                       


D did her first ever dance show. She loved performing so much and keeps asking me when she will do another one!

                                       

In the springtime we began to plant some crops. The children enjoyed planting seeds in cardboard egg boxes. Then, we moved the seedlings to big pots and put them in the greenhouse.


               


               

               

We went fishing for tadpoles at a local nature reserve.

                           

                        


                          


                   

This is R just before he fell in! Luckily I had a  change of clothes with me.

                   

There were so many tadpoles! The kids had so much fun catching them and watching them swim around in their buckets.


                   

 n               

We enjoyed a day out at Tyntesfied Abbey, a national trust property with beautiful gardens and plenty  of space for the kids to run around.

                  

                

                 

                

In the summertime we enjoyed a day at the beach.

                        

                             

                     

We had great fun at the fair!

                               

We visited an outdoor growing space called Feed Bristol and enjoyed an amazing salad full of unusual ingredients. D loved the flowers!


                               

 The children loved running around in the fields.

                           
                     
                               

We had a fabulous holiday in Turkey.


                                 

                            

When we came back I started my new business venture Delal Designs, stylish clothing for modest women. I did my first ever photo shoot to get some pictures for the website.

                           

                             

We enjoyed our home grown veggies! The children's favourites are peas and strawberries.


                       

                                

                               

                        

In August we crossed the bridge into Wales to visit Chepstow castle.


                         

                          


                          



                              

                              

We also saw the annual balloon fiesta, a spectacular air balloon show.

                  

With the advent of autumn we spent more time indoors, doing lots of arts and crafts as well as educational activities.



                           

                     


                   

                   

                   

We made our own play dough.

                 

                 

                        


And cloud dough.

                

                

And bicarbonate of soda dough.

                     

And explored the reaction of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar! This was a firm favourite of the children's which can keep them occupied for over an hour.


                 

A volcanic eruption!

                 

We baked tasty treats.

                     

                       

                    

                             

                            

                      

And finally I rediscovered my love of knitting.


                     

                     

Well that was a pretty jam packed year, full of highs and lows. I wonder what this year will bring...