Rich and I don't get many opportunities to go on dates.

We are both working (what feels like) all the time at the moment, I'm buzzing here there and everywhere on freelance jobs and he is pushing hard to agree the packaging for the tea company, we hope to launch very soon.

We also have absolutely no family locally we can call on for babysitting so little dates are a rare, but lovely occurrence.

In the past Rich has sent bouquets of flowers to my office, we've spent a small fortune on presents but over the last few years we've realised the more thoughtful, less expensive presents are actually more important.

Both boys are in school and pre school on a Friday and as Rich and I both work from home, we decided to make the most of a child free couple of hours and headed to a village near us over lunch time.

Winscombe is a sweet village with more than your average village high street. It has a brilliant charity shop at the top of the hill, a bustling village pub and lots of little independent shops in-between. 

We stopped at The Pantry, owned by a lovely couple who have 3 young children at the local school and grabbed a sandwich whilst we sheltered from the blinding rain. We somehow got chatting and within a few minutes were discussing their plans for the future, website and food photography. Umm hello! ;)

We then ran up the high street into the RSPCA shop and had a rummage around, Rich found the record section and I headed to the bric-a-brac. I spied a handmade ceramic lemon squeezer which will make a great photo prop and look lovely in the kitchen on the window ledge. 

I walked around the corner to the children's section and couldn't believe my eyes.

Something I have been searching for for weeks! Top of Yasmin lu's wish list for a christening/first birthday present is a rocking horse. But they really would love a plain white one to match her delicate pink, grey and white bedroom decoration.

So my challenge for the coming weeks is to strip, sand and paint! It's big enough for both the boys to ride it!

£10 - what a bargain. I'll show you a photo of the finished horse as soon as I have got him back to his former glory.

We ended our date with a quick visit to Eden, a sweet independent florist. We picked out a few blooms and for the same price as the rocking horse, came away with a beautiful bouquet.

It just goes to show that if you shop local there are some treasures to be found.

We ended our Valentines evening with a double dinner date over Skype! Us with a noodle box from the local Noodle Bar, Tokyo Wok (I adore that it comes in American style cardboard boxes & is the cheapest take away you can buy) and my sister and brother in law with an M&S dine in for £10 meal deal.

It was perfect.

Linking up with #MagpieMonday, #MagicMoments and #whatsthestory

When I spied this book in the charity shop I knew I had to have it.

Published in 1935, it showcases a series of photographs of ancient and modern wonders of the world.

Designed to educate the next generation it's a piece of classic literature, bursting with history.

It's too easy on days when the rain is beating down and you need the heating on at 11am to feel fed up and not appreciate what we all have that is wonderful in our lives.

The words in the introduction really impressed me. Written in 1935, but true today, in 2014.

"Surely, the age we live in must be the most interesting ever known to mankind.
...Men and women of to-day are so busy, so fully occupied that, so the publishers of this volume feel, some ways and means must be contrived
of bringing the wonders of the universe within easy reach of all..
Seeing is believing.
In these days of stress and strain, this type of publication should also prove a boon and a blessing for wet Sunday afternoons, when one wants to relax
and yet be interested without too much effort.
It also has the educational value for those
who have to look after the welfare of the youngest generation"

Yasmin lu is the closest thing I have to experiencing having a daughter of my own. I watched her being born and feel a love for her like the love I feel for my boys. I've seen the bond my sister has with Sammy and Ollie and have always wanted to experience that, when she had a baby of her own. 

I am also so lucky to have a big family with lots of nieces and a nephew on Rich's side of the family too.

Being an Auntie is a wonderful thing. The best bits of parental love with less responsibility. You can be the one they threaten to run away to, the one who can buy presents parents wouldn't, at Christmas and birthdays and I've whispered to her on more than one occasion, please let Auntie come with you when you choose a wedding dress!

This week we had our first mini date. Just an hour by ourselves, driving home to Mummy from Granny's and a stop at the park on the way. I felt like I was driving a newborn! It was so precious, chatting to her in the car, hearing her babble back. 

The world to her is full of wonder. Looking up at the sky to see the birdies is an adventure. Even though Ollie is just 2 and a half, he's lost that wide eyed wonder at a game of peek a boo. Not lost being in awe of new experiences but there is something heart melting about the reactions of a 10 month old. 

If only we could bottle it for grown up rainy days.

Our little YLB - a blessing to our family. As an Auntie I get to teach her so many things. I am sure we will have lots more mini dates. From one YLB to another "Learn from everyone and every situation. There are little gems of knowledge and experience around every corner." Yasmin Le Bon, May 2013.

On a wet Sunday afternoon one day I am going to show this book to the boys.

I hope this blog lives long enough for me to post 1001 of these articles. Sharing in no particular order, to appreciate all the wonderful things in life.

Yasmin lu and being an Auntie - 1/1001 Wonderful Things in my life.

Linking up with Love The Little Things, #MagicMoments and #MagpieMonday

I am rather partial to a vintage market or two, so can you imagine how excited I was when I was asked to be the photographer for the Magpies and I Christmas Market this past weekend?!

2 days of vintage and handmade heaven on the Harbourside in Bristol! The tricky part was not shopping!

Here is a taste of what you missed.

I couldn't leave without buying a few little bits! I picked up a great set of small shelves, painted blue, for the boys' new bedroom for £10 and an vintage aeroplane inspired fabric cushion for one of their beds!

The full set of photos from the event will be on the Magpies and I Markets page here later this week!