Tuesday 5 August 2008

Like the Curate's egg

This holiday has been like the poor old Curate's egg - parts of it were excellent, others fairly rotten!

The Ladybird Club and I have been having fun making new outfits for their dolls (again using their own outgrown clothes)


and aprons for the two hard-working girls (that boy is such a skiver!)

Minnie-Mae has a cooking apron and Mimi likes to clean (she is waiting for her mop and duster to be made and is hoping for a bucket too)

The dolls then had a trip to see Mamma Mia (they didn't understand the naughty bits fortunately)and then went to Asda where they very demurely sat in the trolley



until they spotted that all-essential offer - 3 for £10!

(Minnie-Mae was apparently sleeping when we left the house. I'm sure that has nothing to do with a nearly 11 year old not wanting to take a mad rag doll out with her equally mad mother who would be bound to take mad photos at inappropriately mad times and locations)

When they had sobered up they decided to adopt some pets so the Ladybirds got busy


and then those cheeky dolls insisted that they be allowed to join the Ladybird Club too.


Finally we had to turn our hands to bookmaking using this very helpful publication and the little Lockets' literary genius-iosity.

(these books really are titchy - only about 3x2cm and I wish you could see the children's illustrations inside - very cute!)

Where the Wee Things Are by Fred Locket

One day I woke up and I got my clothes on and I went downstairs to get my breakfast and I said we are just going to play Mum so I went to the woods and in the wood we found a little puppy the puppy was lost and sad so we said you can live with us so the puppy said yes ok and so we went home

(hmm, think we need to work on Fred's punctuation, don't you?)

Moby Dink by Dorothy Locket

I am a widdle white whale.
My name is Moby Dink.
I am widdle enough to fit in a bucket.
I’m not going to talk about those mean old whale hunters
This is what happened when I sailed the seven seas in a bucket
I sailed all around the world meeting exotic whales and dolphins.
I also met my mother who had escaped from the evil whale hunters.
She found her own bucket and sailed home with me.
For tea we had some delicious whale hunters – Mwahaha ha haONLY JOKING!

Chicken Little by Daisy Locket

One day Mimi and her Ducky were going for an adventure.
Mum packed her and Ducky some food.
She put in chocolate mice, lemonade, milk and cheese and salami sandwiches.
Beatrix asked mum if she could go too.
Mum said “Of course you can”.
The girls and Ducky ran up stairs to their bedroom
and got what they needed then ran downstairs and out of the door.
They went through the garden and shut the garden gate.
They went to play in the woods.
Then they sat down on the patchy rug and started to eat.
When Ducky had finished eating he went for a swim.
While he was swimming he saw his old friend from school
“Hi Little” said Ducky “do you want to come and see my friends?”
When they got back to the girls they said Hello and introduced themselves.
They decided it was late so they went home
and Chicken Little came to live in the Chicken house.

The End

But by the time Mr Locket got home from work Mrs Locket was at her wits-end because the little Lockets had started arguing AGAIN.

The only solution was to retreat to the tent armed with my mobile (so I could text everyone to complain about how annoying my little darlings were being), a mug of wine (not for quantity but because all our wine glasses are broken) and a book.

I stayed there for some time and Mr Locket even brought out further refreshments.

But maybe my choice of reading matter was less than ideal. It certainly didn't make me feel better about my non-existant parenting skills!

And then THE REALLY GOOD BIT OF THIS WEEK was getting a lovely parcel from my lovely, loony friend Mrs Moogsmum this morning


how gorgeous is this wrapping paper and those stickers?


and look - not only did she include the pouch that I won for her 200th post giveaway but she also made me a matching-smatching notebook cover and bought me some Cath Kidston snitch-wipers!

I'm sorry the photo is so rubbish but my camera is really playing up at the moment and I'm not techno enough to work out why.

So I'm nearly half way through the holidays and I know I will really miss them when they all go back to school - especially as Dot is going up to comp, but phew! it's certainly hard work!

20 comments:

Esther said...

what lovely dolls and wonderful stories :o) Reminds me of the stories I wrote as a child! Glad they liked the wine offer, what thrifty dollies :o)

Mrs Moog said...

Look here Missus...non-existent parenting skills?? Phooey!!

By the looks of it you're having a very productive, creative and literate time of it :)

If it's any consolation my two have been hard work too and the arguments...aaagh!! On the whole, though, I think we're both doing a grand job!...and aren't you glad you bought them that tent ;)

So glad you like your goodies. My ears are just recovering from the telephonic squealage this morning!

Me xxx

p.s. gorgeously gorgeous Little Locket Dolls and genius book writing :)

French Knots said...

What creative children you have, dolls, books and no doubt ( like mine) inventive ways of winding each other up!!
I think I will get a tent for the garden too,excellent for hiding from our darlings - I know what you mean about Soulemama's book, but even she must screech at them and reach for the wine sometime...no?? Just us then!!

quiltdude said...

Look at all the brilliant awesome things the Lockets have been up to!! Now we all think they are perfect and you are the bestest mum in the whole world and we feel useless in comparison.
Good job we know what kids are really like ;)
XX Clare

trash said...

Do you have a publisher interested for the Little Lockets? Make sure as the agent you take 15%.

Eileen said...

This is the most wondeful post I think yet. LOVED the doll at the movie theater in the cup holder.

And I think maybe if Master Fred would have made his font smaller, he could have fit the punctuation into that tiny book. Obviously he didn't have enough room.

Country Bliss said...

They are seriously cute dolls and what lovely stories. Having a tent to escape too is genius!
Yvonne

est said...

the lockets are sure great story writers! even fred's puntuation-less story is full of characters! :)

Simone said...

Creative children make for a MAD household (I just made that up)! I think you do a fantastic job in joining in with your children. When my son gets too much for me I tell him I'm going for a lie down and do not want to be disturbed and it works! I must do more with him but it is mentally and physically exhausting and I've only got one child not three!!!

Leanne said...

I was a terrible student so I don't see that much wrong with Fred's punctuation... glad your out embarrassing the children. Lovely gifts from Lesley luck you.

silverpebble said...

I think tent-time is well deserved after all the outstanding crafting and creative goodness going on chez Locket. I think I might follow your example and retreat under the stairs when the slightly larger small pebble next clashes with the dog!!

Jane said...

Hang in there Lucy, I don't think you've anything to worry about with your parenting skills. Just relax and go with the flow. Your creativity with the dolls and accessories and keeping the little lockets happy/busy is amazing. Happy Hols Jane x

Sal said...

Brilliant post! It made me laugh anyway!

Thimbleanna said...

Sounds like a perfect school break to me LOL! All the activities and some sibling bickering thrown into the mix! Love the stories and the pic of the doll at Mama Mia is too cute!

sewkalico said...

Love the photos of the dolls in Asda and the cinema! Glad to see I'm not the only one who doesn't enjoy the school holidays (and I only have one in half-day nursery!)
It will be over before you know it and you'll get your routines back!

Jackie said...

When my kids were little I absolutely LOVED the school holidays...but don't get paranoid, I wasn't a better fonder mother than you...I was a teacher. Believe me having two at home was a lot better than 30 in a class.

Anonymous said...

your dolls and their antics are adorable!! very cute post! and yes school holidays are very trying to say the least!! I am over them before they start! :)

Chloe said...

I am laughing my socks off at the vision of a mum finding retreat in a tent with a mug of wine :D
Brilliant!

The childrens stories are lovely. A child's imagination is amazing.

Jennie said...

I happen to think you are a really marvellously brilliant parent and I aspire to be more like you! So there :P
My two argue all the time. And they have five years between them! My eldest is seventeen. It never stops so might as well just let them get on with it. Retreating with wine and your phone is the best idea.
Love the goodies Lesley sent you. So pretty and I love the Locket dolls, I am tempted to help L make a doll this week but I always end up taking over!
Love the books as well, such fabulous stories!

dottycookie said...

I am speed reading to catch up and I inadvertently read 'Cath Kidston snitch wipers' as 'Cath Kidston knickers'.

Steady!