Wednesday 25 February 2009

Veggie houses and choose shoes blues

Half term last week was decidedly unadventurous because friends that did brave it to some of the attractions in town hinted it was almost impossibly busy, so we went against the grain, as usual, and will plan some trips maybe next week or so. We did local things- baking, soya capuccinos out and venturing into the garden and staying out longer than the cold has allowed for a while.

The boys made vegetable puff pastry houses after seeing them on cbeebies 'Big Cook Little Cook':


If the boys had eaten a quarter of the vegetables they swathed over the puff pastry I would have been waving my arms around with joy! The puff pastry and lentils went down very well but the vegetable pieces were viewed almost solely as artistic materials...

Still getting sorted from the new kitchen installation. For some reason I can't work out, it seems impossible (at least everywhere I look!) to buy recycling boxes, for indoors, that aren't made of plastic. I know that plastic is easy to clean and durable, but doesn't this defeat the purpose quite a lot?!

Took the boys to buy new shoes after preschool, and for the first time they really enjoyed it! Before now they were quite scared of the Clarks' shoes foot measurer and got really distressed even when helped along by chocolate buttons...but this time, they loved choosing some shoes... they picked colours they liked and styles which have lights on!

The boys shoes aren't vegan; their shoes are made of leather; I have always taken them to Clarks' because of the fitting service and to date haven't found any companies that specialise in children's shoes. Adults are so well-served. Mit and I only buy shoes that are not made of leather but we are totally spoilt for choice now with so many good companies, especially Bourgeois Boheme, and vegetarian-shoes. From what I've searched in the US, Moo Shoes and Alternative Outfitters look fantastic.
I also have seen some nice synthetic shoes at shops like Debenhams and Marks and Spencer. How cute are those?!

Really appreciating some signs that Spring isn't far.

2 comments:

Paula J. Norcott said...

shoes have been one of our biggest challenges! Where we are in Maine, the only store near us now is wal-mart. I just went over a year without shopping at a wal-mart and then moved to rural maine where there is nothing else! Any way, they have a huge line of man made children's shoes....who knew? decent quality and CHEAP! we also wear MUCK Boots often (so much snow and then comes the mud) non leather sports sandals in the summer and some running shoes with out leather. It is really tough and we sometimes have to pick budget over veganism.

RedLentil said...

I love the little houses! That's definately something my little ones would enjoy making though, again I suspect the vegetables wouldn't adisappear as quickly as the rest!