Thursday, December 27, 2007

OK, so I've been told ...

apparently (after Katie read my previous entry), it is impossible to get a 16.5 hands high horse, I have it on the best authority that measurements go to 16.3 before the next measurement of 17 hands. So, I stand corrected by my very nearly 11 year old daughter.

She fell off a 16.3 hands high horse ;)

Sunday, December 23, 2007

The count down has begun

Photobucket

We started our Christmas holidays by holding a party yesterday afternoon (and well into the evening) for relatives, friends and neighbours. It was great having so many under one roof to chat to and share a few laughs. The family who previously owned the house came along too, very brave of them I must say, and we were pleased to hear that they felt our home to be a happy and much loved one, which of course it is.

Photobucket

A fabulous wintery day today with thick frost (Ben ran into our bedroom first thing saying it had been snowing) and a very heavy fog which didn't lift all day. Pretty icy outside so it feels very Christmassy.

Photobucket

A friend stayed over after the party so we went for a "clear the head" walk - took some photos. There's also a photo of Katie with the little Shetland she sometimes rides, he grazes in the pub garden close to our home. Looks so sweet with this plaited forlock. He was so excited to be out in the field this morning we watched him cantering and bucking around the place! Seems the excitement of Christmas gets to everyone some way or another.
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Presents wrapped, turkey ready and everyone feeling fit and well (phew) and looking forward to the big day.

Hoping all our readers have a fabulous festive season and wishing you all a very fulfilling 2008.
Photobucket

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Having a play with the camera

P's learnt more about our new toy than I have, but I couldn't resist posting these up:-

The photo of Allie was taken by me, the other two by P.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Here's a shot of our finished poster all about Holst's Planet Suite. We've been listening to the music over this last term and have used art and literacy to describe our understanding of each of the pieces as well as reading about the Greek/Roman Gods and the stories that surround them.

Photobucket

We started reading this book which, so far, has us captivated.

christmas holly

Monday, December 17, 2007

Golden Compass

A busy few days at the end of last week. Took Katie and Ben to see the Golden Compass on Thursday afternoon. We haven't read the book(s) and I hadn't even previewed the website (I have now, thank you Lucy, Katie and I have made our daemons) beforehand so we didn't really know what to expect. P had heard it hadn't been received too well by the press, but a couple of blogs I'd read said it was worth seeing. Unfortunately, Katie being extremely sensitive to anything untowards involving animals, found the film rather upsetting. She was very brave and just buried her head for most of it. Even Ben had tears in his eyes at times (although he certainly wouldn't admit it!). It was good, but I think I was expecting something on the lines of Narnia and did think perhaps my children would have understood it better if they'd been older.

In the evening I had the HE group's meeting to plan, once again, lots of fabulous things for next term. Returned home to P's parents for an overnight stay and found Katie very restless (due to the film), so neither of us (and probably P's parents too) got much sleep.

Friday morning he had our end of term group party which was brilliant. Very well organised with busy children and busy parents, lots of nattering, playing, eating and generally much enjoyment all round. After piano for Ben and horse riding for Katie (during which she took a rather nasty tumble off a 16.5 hands high horse and has amazing bruises to prove it) we all headed off to Peterborough museum to set up our craft stall ready for the Festive Fayre the following morning. Feeling quite nauseous and dizzy with tiredness by 8 p.m. we headed to Pizza Hut for a meal befor our trip back home. Fell into bed but couldn't sleep properly(typical). Remember waking up after a dream about hares (must be the film) and other weird and wonderful things.

Saturday, early start, headed back to Peterborough for the 10 a.m. start at the Fayre. Katie joined me and although we didn't sell bundles of stuff (actually, hardly sold anything), the day was brilliant because I was able to chat and really get to know a fellow blogger and HE group member. Katie loved meeting the Christmas pony (naturally) and the husky dogs and the highlight of her afternoon was being allowed out on her own with two friends to roam around town!

Sunday, a nice lie in and then we went and bought a potted Christmas tree. We spent the afternoon putting up decorations and lights and listening (much to the kids despair) to Christmas music and carols.

Today - big tidy up of the house, more fun with Christmas decorations and a little Christmas work thrown in as we sat around the fire (it's soooo cold outside).


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Getting in the Christmas mood

I see the light at the end of the tunnel with regard to Christmas presents - thanks to the internet it's been quite a pleasant experience this year. Have ventured into town a couple of times, but nothing compared to previous years. It's great waiting for all the parcels (just hope they all make it in time) and the postie seems to enjoy delivering them all to me too - although he seems to want to know what's inside most of them!!

Village people seem to love decorating the outsides of their homes with fairy lights. Our village has quite a few but the village before ours has an amazing aray of flashing lights and gardens festooned with Christmassy light decorations. We're going to have a evening walk, perhaps Christmas Eve, to see them all properly rather than from a car window. Getting into the spirit of things we headed off to our friendly local hardware store (there's quite a few around here, love them, love browsing round them) and bought some of the striking blue outdoor lights which we've strung around our front garden trees and bushes - looks brilliant.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

On the work front we've been reading about traditions and the history of Christmas using the Almanac I mentioned before and Woodlands website. Bits of interesting information have been written up and posted on our large Santa on the wall which Ben helped me to make last week. We've also be reading the traditional Christmas Story (I'm amazed how Ben forgets it every year) as well as a more detailed and grown up version to get a better understanding.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
As P is Dutch we decided to understand the history of Sinterklaas. Although our Almanac said the children had to do a treasure hunt around their homes to find mini presents from Sinterklaas, Katie and Ben decided to follow the other European tradition of leaving their shoes out (or on the windowsill) on the eve of the 5th. They enjoyed mini chocolates and these hanging hearts with lucky stones that I embroidered with their names.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


On Friday, we had a willow weaving session where the children made willow stars - going to display them in our two front windows.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

I'm continuing to be busy sewing and crafting ready for next Saturday's fayre. Ben's idea of making dolly peg pixies has paid off, they look so cute I've decided to make a whole load of them. Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Sunday, December 02, 2007

I need far more than 24 hours in a day!

Where does the time go? Our days at the moment are spent with working together in the morning, quick lunch, quick walk or active half hour or similar, more work or crafts before 3 o'clock when I sit down and do my own crafts in preparation for a Christmas craft fayre on 15th December! Making small, hand crafted Christmas gifts and the like has taken its toll on my poor fingers as I'm experiencing weird cramps and pains, often finding my hand fixed in a position similar to that of holding a small item that I'm sewing! Never mind, I enjoy making my mini santas and angels (using dollypegs) and hope very much that people will enjoy buying them on the 15th (you can see a small selection of them here). I've taken half a stall, sharing with another local HE lady and there's a couple of other HE folk taking stalls at the fayre too - all at Peterborough Museum if any local readers would like to come along and take a peek. Not just a day of crafts, but the museum will open at 10 a.m. and there will be a Christmas exhibition, hands-on activities, Father Christmas and some beautiful reindeer to see too, all finishing at 4 p.m.

On the work front, Katie and Ben have been busy trying to finish their projects ready to start a Christmas wind-down. Unfortunately the projects are just too interesting to bring to an abrupt holt. Katie's Italian project and Ben's solar one have lots of potential. HE people will understand how you look into something and it takes you somewhere else so projects like this can take far longer to complete! Anyway, Katie has successfully made pasta and wants to make pizza and ice cream too. Ben's been using this site and this site for his solar project but has lots of ideas to extend it.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
On the Christmas "wind-down" we thought we'd make a large Father Christmas for the wall with lots of interesting Christmas facts to put around him. We'll probably use Woodlands interactive advent calendar again for the 3rd year running - it's brilliant if you haven't come across it yet. Also picked up "The Christmas Almanac" which looks fascinating, just need some time to read it!

Met a couple of new families at the last HE group session - one of the busiest sessions this term - all about Egyptians and very well put together. Katie and Ben enjoyed some of the activities, but as always they saw the get together more as a social event and spent most of the time playing with friends outside.

These mini dolls "rooms" were made by Katie and Ben last week although I had to help Ben with cutting (must get him some left-handed scissors), Katie's is on the top - both very well thought out and great for playing with.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Also, as promised, a piccie of the goodies from Hong Kong.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Went along to a Christmas event at a local farm which got us very much into the Christmassy mood. Couldn't believe the mud we had to drive and walk through to get to the barn - great fun slipping and sliding in the car and on foot - we came back with some lovely local goodies. Driving home this evening we enjoyed seeing so any homes with their outdoor Christmas decorations - have never seen so many in one area - I guess it's different out of town.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket