BUBBLE BLOWING BOY

SUNNY SUNDAY

Run Forest Run

Play Dead

I'm a Leopard - Mwraow

"Trip Trap Trip Trap - Whos that walking over my bridge?" Said the Scary Troll

Today cousin Katie arrived from Australia and we went for a big walk in Sheen Common - its one of those gorgeous sunny crisp cold London winter days. We also walked through the cemetary, enjoyed looking at some really beautiful tomb stones -

and humping the jelly tree..

VWULLA VIOLA

This past weekend, S went with his Dad to a Viola Bonanza. He had a great time, listening to the chinese violinS there are 2 - one has millions of strings the other has 3 strings. There were 5 instruments on display and one really weird bow. He learnt to play D string then D3 then A then D - a new little ditty. Mister Lord of the Rings was there, he created all the music for the movies! So they got to hear 'hobbit' music and 'ork coming' music - when they are in the swamp an Orc comes on a dragon. The lady who was helping Mister Lord of the Rings was working with had a really big harp, it sounded really lovely and peaceful - it sounded like fairies coming down trying to put us to sleep. He played in a concert, they played Twinkle Little Star and May Song - there were also Cellos and Violins. Since then his playing and confidence has really improved and he is making a much more rich and beautiful sound!

CRAFTY BOY

Here are some things that S has made a school. The sword and collar are Kenyan, they have been studying Africa. And the mosiac makes a great hot plate for the middle of our table!

WISHING FOR...

A BRIGHT BLUE SKY AND A BRIGHT ORANGE SUN!!

SCIENCE FUN

We visited the Science Museum this week. Down in the "launch pad" lots of fun fun stuff to explore and learn about - We watched a demo on rockets and heard big load explosions and saw pringle cartons rocket into the ceiling. We also saw a demo on bubbles and saw such a big bubble that a girl could stand in it! saw other bubbles filled with gaseous dry ice bounce and sink to the floor and yet other bubbles full of fart gas rising to the ceiling and then she lit them with a big bang! fun fun FUN!! Then we went to another fun kids area and there were dress up clothes and these 2 with fetishes for dress up at the best of times loved prancing around as a ducky & doggy and following the paw prints around the museum...

UNCA P'S B'DAY

Handsome Uncle Paul celebrated his quarter centry on the 31st December 2005. We played charades and ate lemon cake with a very big candle to blow out!

show me some stripes!

SLIP SLYYYDING

On Boxing Day, we all went Ice Skating in the afternoon - on an outdoor rink in Kew Gardens. What fun! It was dark by 4pm and there were a lot of other revellers. By the end of the session the boys could stand up on their own without their skates slipping out from under them and S could even skate around on his own. Must say skating bent over boys that keep sliding out from under is slightly tiring but it was a very invigorating and fun session! Twinkling lights, sparkling ice - lovely.

THE MAAAIN EVENT

The Big Evening finally arrived, we put out a beer and some carrots. Father Christmas came and left a load of presents (don't tell the kids but we were even going to go into Richmond Park and collect some deer poo from the park- to make it more authentic...) . In the morning we went & picked up Uncle Paul & his girl Sharon from their posh hotel and we all began the joyous opening of gifts. We were all very pleased and surprised at the generosity of Father Christmas this year. The boys in the family got a playstation 2, the little boys got a remote control car each and then they got a load of games and videos. Jeff got some nice new shoes and some socks and he kindly gave us adults a day at a wind tunnel - we get to skydive without jumping out of a plane and not in the sky! Can't wait!! So it was a fun morning and it wasn't long until the Champagne hit those empty stomachs, but we soon filled them up with a delish breakfast before heading off the the Richmond Hill Hotel for a very trad English Christmas dinner. We'd have enough by the 2nd course and there were still 4 courses to go!! uggh. A great day was had by all.

CAROLS AT KEW

We joined a couple of families on a Friday night to sing carols in Kew Gardens. It was a freeezing night and we warmed our hands around steaming mulled wine and filled out tummies with mince pies while heartily singing "joy to the world" & "o'come all ye faithful". The highlight for the children of course was visting Santa in his ice cave!! And then running through the dark mysterious gardens...

WHAT A TREET!

the week after the birthdays we went with some friends out of London to choose our Christmas tree out of a planted forest full of different types of trees. We opted for the Nordman and chose the tallest most well balanced lovliest one we could find. What fun to be running around the trees, playing hide n seek, choosing, deciding, doubting & then sweeping in for the kill. Jeff got down on hands and knees and cut the lovely tree down for our own selfish use - we thanked the creator for the generosity - Before enjoying hot chocolate (with Baileys - yum!) and mince pies. Then we stuffed tree, muddy boots and excited dog into car and drove all the way home, loving the countryside on a low sun winters afternoon. It sure beat stopping at the local carpark for a tree - What a treet!

RATTYS

Os got a meg n a mog for his 5th b'day. He's always been a boy who has his hands stuffed full with toys, often soft cuddly ones. So he decided that he wanted a mouse - since he saw a movie with one where the boy threw it against the wall and it splattered...I was hesitant - he has been known to throw the odd tanty. And we agreed that we'd get rats, since they are more friendly (read, they don't run away) they are intelligent and they are the only rodents that actually bond to humans. We chose 2 little black hooded girls and they are very sweet!