It’s always a crazy time before a party – especially one at home. Even though the house always needs a complete clean after the party, there is the need to start the party with a presentable home. As I dashed around with the hoover on the morning of the party I couldn’t help but think […]
Month: December 2010
Crazy, Pink, Psychedelic Gingerbread Fairy House!
Last Christmas we made and built a gingerbread house, which was quickly devoured with friends on Christmas Day. Gingerbread house, 2009: This year, with Sophie’s Birthday Party a week before Christmas (actual Birthday Boxing Day!), she decided a ‘pink’, fairy gingerbread house would be the perfect way to celebrate her Birthday. Unfortunately I didn’t make […]
Delicious Florentines
These are a favourite festive delight, that will quickly be devoured at any time in our household. The combination of dried fruits, cherries, cornflakes and rich, dark chocolate, all held together by sweetened condensed milk is magic to the taste buds. We made these as Christmas gifts for Sophie’s Kindi teachers (but didn’t have time […]
School’s Out for Summer!
Last day of the school year today! It was an early start – 5.30am for Sophie, Alice and I! Dan crawled in at 2.00am, after his work Christmas drinks (much merriment was enjoyed at The Cross, where they sat sheltered from the rain in the outdoor courtyard playing giant Jenga and Trivial Pursuit). I tried […]
Alice at 10 months: Party Planner in the Making
Alice is revving up for her big sister’s party! There are balloons bouncing of the walls, streamers and bunting hanging across the ceiling, a liberal dusting of flour a frequent sight on the kitchen floor and the furniture has all been moved to create lots of space. It’s party time! Alice, at 10 months today, […]
The Gallery: Sparkle – Carols by Candlelight
Darkness falls late in this part of the world at the moment, so catching some northern hemisphere traditional Christmas sparkle isn’t easy. The little’uns are going to bed later and later (but not lying in much in the morning to compensate), but rarely up late enough to see the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree. […]
Charlotte’s ‘Happy Holidays’ gift at the end of the school year.
Last Friday, home from school with a nasty cough and feeling under the weather, Charlotte sat for ages making these beautiful little gifts for all her class mates… She couldn’t wait to share them out. Her school breaks up for the long summer holidays on Friday; but today she walked up to school with a […]
Blogging taking a backseat as party elves get busy!
We’re counting down to Sophie’s 5th Birthday Party at home on Saturday! We’re in full party mode, making decorations, moving furniture around to make room for all the guests, including the fabulous Harry the Clown, baking, packing up goodie bags, wrapping goodies for pass the parcel, stuffing the pinata. This week is all about our […]
Florentine Farewell to Kindi for Sophie
A new chapter in Sophie’s life is about to begin. Today she made an impromptu visit to Kindi, after a happy visit to her new school. She said farewell, gave her much loved teachers cards and home-made Florentines and a little gift for the Kindergarten. She says she will miss them all very much, particularly […]
Been a long time since running
A few months ago I went from being tired, but calm and mellow, to wired and tense in a matter of weeks. I started running to expel the build up of tension. It felt amazing to be running again after being pregnant and then with a newborn. I felt so free, so alive, so energised. […]
‘Angst’ in transition to school
Last night my four, going on five, year old daughter, Sophie told me, in her own words, ‘I feel too much pain going to Kindi as I am so sad to be saying goodbye. I don’t want to have the goodbye as it will just make me sadder. I have never felt like this. It […]
The Gallery: White
‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas… just like the ones I used to know…’ But actually, I’m not! Though I still love that song and it does make me feel all squishy and nostalgic. In our garden we have plenty of white, but of the flowering variety. I find my eye is especially drawn to […]
4 Seasons: Making, Baking, Coughing & Spluttering
The nippers all have coughs and snuffles, which is surprising for the season. They are still happy loves, but a little on the tired side and having more time off school and kindi than usual (really don’t want to pass on germs just prior to Christmas!). Poor bubba isn’t sleeping well with her snuffles (which […]
You know you’re a Mum when…
you turn up at the doctor’s surgery covered in glitter and don’t blink an eye when both the receptionist and the doctor make a very obvious statement about it. ‘No,’ I replied (in a very matter of fact, this is perfectly normal tone), ‘I am not heading out for an extravagant night on the tiles […]