Bath time close up - Lucy

Lucy up close...

Lucy Hannah Carman arrived in the world at 9.10pm on Sunday the 8th July 2007 wighing 7lb 6oz. She was born at home after a long but calm labour. Bec is well (and a real star) Anwen is v exited to be a BIG sister.

A New Chapter

We have moved from here (Durham)...... And now live in Acomb, York. (lovely house, lovely people)
Phil got ordained and now has a new 'job' ("call that work?!!!")
Bec is about to have a baby.
Anwen is gorgeous (but you already knew that).

Ethical Living #4 - A leisure interest of the rich?

In a book that I am reading at the moment (God of the Poor by Dewi Hughes) I came across an interesting section entitled 'Environment, Poverty and the Kingdom of God'. It talks about concern for the environment as "in one sense a luxury of post industrial prosperity, originating among wealthy people who have achieved the prosperity to purchase the leisure time to observe that industrial development is degrading their environment." and how the concern can be motivated by a threat to the lifestyle and prosperity of the middle classes and their children. However it concludes by saying that "It is in everybody's (and every living thing's) interest to preserve ecological diversity.

I think this critique of the whole eco/environmental thing is helpful as it gives perspective and prevents a kind of 'holier than thou' or judgemental attitude. We are privileged to have the luxury of choosing organic and fairtrade food etc. Doing these little things wont heal the planet or make poverty history. We need to make bigger changes to how live as community and global society but as consumers trapped in a consumer culture I reckon making these small decisions help.

As Brooke Fraser sings:

"We could stay another day in this apathy
Let it permeate us 'till we're numb through.

But while we're waiting we could try saving the world
Or are we storing that up for a rainy day?
I'm anticipating the time when it'll be my turn
It could be fun to try
I think that I'll save the world...
...as a fun afternoon activity"

Ethical Living #3 - Surefish

We have decided to go with surefish as our broadband provider in our new house.

Surefish is run by Christian aid and all profits go to the charity.

Ethical Living #2 - The Book

We got this book to help and inform us on our ethical living adventure.
Its got some helpful introductions such as: what is organic? What does fair trade really mean? as well as sections on family, travel, money and community.

Ethical Living #1 - Bath Box

This is Anwen in her 'Bath Box' which she loves. It's a small part of our effort to look after the environment. We know its not necessary for Wenie to have a bath everyday but its a key part of her routine as she loves splashing about, its more about play than it is about getting clean - well most days anyway! The only time she has a regular bath now is if she is sharing it with a friend :o)

The move to live ethically has been influenced by realising that God wants us to love the planet just as he wants us to love others (its all interrelated). See Genesis 2.15 Ecotheology, Living Generously, Christian Ecology.

For a while we have recycled, composted, bought fairtrade, used washable nappies and bought most things second hand (this one is more to do with being cheap-skates than living ethically but now our charity shop shopping and second hand purchasing seems even more worthwhile). We hope to make more small steps toward ethical living in the future - we will try to blog about these as we do, so watch this space...

Nelly

We now have Nel with us (Bec's youngest sister) all the way from Madagascar. She has come back permanently and was job hunting. Within a few days of being in the country she has got a job at Scargill House conference centre and community.
We are so proud of her and it is a real answer to prayer. She starts their next Tuesday! We went away just the two of us this weekend to Whitby (last time away before the move and the new baby). We had a lovely time and visited the seat where I proposed to Bec over seven years ago (see below) in front of St Mary's Church at the top of the 199 steps. We spent a lot of time in Sanders Yard cafe - great cakes n coffee.

2

Anwen turned 2 on 1st May.

(Above is the cake that Bec made - all by herself she'll have you know!)
We had a party on Saturday, we played pass the parcel (twice!) made our own party hats and ate lots of yummy food. It was busy and noisy but really good fun - even if we did have to crash out and rest all afternoon to recover!

We look more excited than Anwen!

It was great to have our family and friends there for the party and the bank holiday weekend - thanks guys for helping out at the party, you were all fab!!

Yum, Yum (& Yum)

This is Ethan and Jasmine, two of Wenies special friends, all born a week apart, they've spent lots of time together over the past 2 years - so much so that we now have photographic evidence of Wenie pinching food from Jasmines plate (you can see above that shes trying to look casual but its obvious which direction her hands come from!) Sorry Jasmine!

Wenie was spoilt rotten with lots of lovely cards and pressies, thank you so much everyone!! xxx

Holiday in Northumberland

Last week we had a fab little holiday in Northumberland. We went to Haggerston Castle near Berwick-upon-Tweed. We stayed in a static-caravan and had some great days out...
On a train...

At the beach...
We also went to Pot-a-Doodle-do a farm where you can paint your own plate.
We had naps in the afternoon and the big news is Anwen in now in a BIG bed!

We are now back from our hols and looking forward to:
Anwen's Birthday tomorrow (1st May) and party (on Saturday)
Bec's sister Nel coming back from Madagascar (14th May)
My final piece of work being handed in (14th May)
Finishing College (8th June)
Moving house (11/12th June)
Jem & Louise's Wedding (23 June) Phil's Ordination (1st July) to which you are welcome to come. Its a cross between a graduation (long, dull and pompous) and a wedding (exciting and joyous) we are going out for a meal afterward so if you want to come to that send us an email so we can book you a seat.
It's gonna be a busy summer!!!

Easter = Time Away

We have had a great Easter time. We spent Easter weekend with with my parents in Kelbrook. Anwen had great fun with her cousins and enjoyed meeting new baby Evie (congrats Catherine + Ben she's gorgeous).

The following week we spent a couple of days with friends in Beverley. (Thanks for having us Adam, Emma and Ellie) We had a lovely time. Went to the beach and then to a farm which Anwen and Ellie loved...
From Beverley we went on to York. Visited some nurseries for Anwen and had our first meal in what will be our new house (we had a picnic on the floor in what will be our living room). We also spent some time with friends Jem and Louise (thanks for having us) a lazy day in York and went to church in Acomb(the church where I will be curate) got introduced to the congregation...Anwen waved and shouted "Hiya' a few times! Here's Wenie waiting for her drink in a cafe in Acomb:

A 'Dooter', Time in the Garden, and Baking!

The weather was great today so we all spent the afternoon in the garden. In the background you can see the scooter (Anwen calls them dooters) which we got on freecycle .
We saw a couple of scooters at the skip the other day and tried to take them but were told off (apparantly your not allowed to take things people are throwing away). Anwen was VERY upset when the man removed them from our car so we put a WANTED post on freecycle and a lady just down the road had one she was getting rid off so now Anwen has a dooter!
After tea we all did some baking...

Let it be known...

I wanted to blog this as proof that I do buy my wife flowers!

The Commute

I wont miss the lectures or the essay writing or morning prayer but I will miss the walk to college. It's a great way to start the day, clear the head and pray.

Here are some pic's from today's commute!

This is taken from the football field at the back of our house. The start of the path that leads to the river bank (no roads, no traffic, no people!).

View of Cathedral from river bank.
View from Prebends Bridge.

A Perfect Day

How's this for a good day:

You start with your favorite breakfast (2 weetabix and a cup of milk) then watch some of your favorite film (Shrek) then go to the post office (with your Daddy of course) after this you go to a huge room with a soft floor and big shapes to climb through and on and there you are joined by your best friends. Following this you share a picnic with your friends and go home for a long afternoon nap. You wake up watch a bit more of your favorite film and then do some painting (see above). Mummy comes home and you indulge in pizza and potato wedges (see below)lovingly prepared by your Daddy! After which you go upstairs for a bubble bath (thankfully its not hair wash night) have some supper, Daddy reads you a story and then more sleep. Sounds nice doesn't it?



'Ummmm I love pizza'

"Daddy's Dress is Funny"

Today I went with Anwen and a couple of friends to 'J & M' in Newcastle a company that makes clerical wear (vicar uniform). Anwen thought I looked "Funny" in my cassock (big black dress). To be honest I look like a choir boy in mine however Anwen looks great in her mini-surplice! The whole thing made it all seem very real and near- choosing clerical shirts etc. both scary and exciting.

Book Recomendation

I don't want this blog to be all about potties and bodily functions but I must recommend the book 'Everybody Poos' by Taro Gomi. It was sent to us by Bec's grandparents at the request of Bec's Mum and Dad who are currently in Madagascar. The reason I want to recommend it (besides its highbrow literary sophistication) is that Anwen did her first wee on the potty while reading it. So not only is it a gripping story it is also a potty training aid!

BIG news small poo!

OK so it may not seem like BIG news to you but Wenie used her potty for the first time today. Yes I know its a very small poo but its a poo non-the-less.
As part of the '40' day's prayer guide' (see post below) we were asked to pray for certain BIG ISSUE's (things or situations where we wanted God to intervene). I think you're meant to pray for world peace and stuff like that but one of our BIG ISSUE's is that Anwen will start to use her potty!! Isn't God good!!

Wenie the Graffiti Artist

"You better not grass me on the copa's dude, this is art not vandalism"