Starting my week with the Weekly Edit is a ritual I’ve kept for years. It’s my favourite Monday morning anchor—a chance to slow down, celebrate the ‘small wins,’ and gather the smiles from the week behind us. Part reflection and part record-keeping, it’s my way of documenting our family’s adventures before the next chapter begins.
As World Cup fever officially takes over the household, we’ve ramped up the excitement by starting a friendly family sweepstake to see who walks away with ultimate bragging rights by the end of the tournament.
The Weekly Edit {Week 23/2026}
Last week we had new radiators fitted downstairs. Once this had been done we were able to carry on with decorating our lounge/dining room space. We finished stripping wall paper, scraping back old paint, and sealing the edges of the old paint. We were then able to paint the coving and ceiling with white paint, and the walls. It’s nice to have some colour on the walls, even if the whole house smells of paint.
The previous week we had picked elderflower to make our own elderflower cordial. A couple of bottles were frozen as we made so much. I used some of the cordial to make the drizzle for a delicious elderflower and lemon cake.
With his GCSE exams now in full swing, our eldest teenager has been deeply buried in textbooks and flashcards, channeling all his energy into a grueling revision schedule.
In an optimistic nod to the season, the dog went to the groomers and came back with a sleek summer haircut—a decision that backfired immediately given that the weather promptly turned cold, wet, and thoroughly miserable for the rest of the week.
I’ve been scrapbooking for a few years so was excited to read Creative Junk Journalling by Natasha Ahmed. My youngest teen has been reading it too and giving me ideas to make little custom decorated mini tins.
I’ve been journaling for years. I love the freedom it gives me to record my thoughts and what’s happening in my life. I have to get that book!
What a lovely snapshot of family life and all those little moments that make a week memorable. It sounds like you’ve been incredibly productive with the decorating, and I can imagine how satisfying it must be to finally see some color on the walls after all that preparation work. The homemade elderflower cordial and cake sound absolutely delicious, and I love that your youngest teen is getting involved with your creative projects too.
I’ve been thinking about junk journalling for a while now and that looks like a great book to use. Hope the GCSE’s go well for your teenager, it feels like such a long time ago that I did mine haha x
The elderflower and lemon cake sounds absolutely wonderful, especially made with your own cordial. There is something so satisfying about using something you foraged and preserved. The poor dog getting a summer cut just in time for the weather to turn is such a relatable family moment. Good luck to your eldest with the GCSEs!
We’re also super excited about the World Cup and already organizing watch parties lol…We’re not huge sports fans but we love fun gatherings.
Oh gosh poor pooch! How typical is that! Haha. I bet your new lounge/dining space looks fab! I hope the smell of paint hasn’t lasted too long / wears off quickly!
Claire.X
http://www.clairemac.co.uk
Love to make the elderflower and lemon cake. Do you have a recipe for it? Thanks.
Our eldest is also always studying, eating, and sleeping at the moment! It’s absolutely wild. We aren’t watching the World Cup, but it’s neat to see everyone so excited.