Tuesday 25 December 2012

Christmas Day


We had agreed with the children to get up at 7am this year....not before. Due to a clock setting fail the children were up at 6am so next year we will be sure to check all clocks (including those in gadgets like Nintendo DS's) are set correctly!
The children were pleased to see that Santa had been and finished his milk and biscuits, Rudolph and friends had also nibbled the carrot too.
With the evidence checked to verify the reality of Santa's existence we then proceeded to the living room to see if anybody had made it off the "naughty list" in time to receive presents!

Presents all round, Santa is clearly a very forgiving person! Everyone was excited about their presents.


Lily received a mini sewing machine amongst other items.

Jeremy had always wanted a Bodrum apparently.

Alfie was thrilled with his noisy machine gun (thanks Grandma Marie)!

More sweets!

I got some lovely presents myself too...

Rowanne liked her new scrapbook kit.
After a good breakfast of Quality Street sweets and crackers with cheese, we popped the turkey in the oven (with the assistance of a free iPhone app as the instruction label had fallen off) and went to visit Grandma Gloria and Grandad Peter (waves hello)!

We came home in time to prepare the Christmas veg and baste the turkey, and everyone enjoyed a good play with their new toys after a delicious lunch.



Location:Home

Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Eve

We managed to get ourselves out of bed and down to the doctors surgery for a routine appointment for one of the children early in the morning. Who knew doctors worked Christmas Eve?! The appointment was brief and went without problems.



Lily was pleased to give the doctor a few of her Christmas tree biscuits as a small festive token, and the doctor seemed very happy to get them (they weren't the anatomically correct ginger people, we made sure to only bring moose, tree and bear shapes)!



This afternoon the girls went ice skating at the temporary rink that has been placed at the local shopping center nearby. Meanwhile I kept warm and enjoyed a salted caramel latte at the overlooking coffee shop.



Shortly after we went to the crib service at Church. A delightful event especially created with children in mind and no incense either (a bonus for the asthmatics amongst us)!



Ten minutes into the service Rowanne decided she probably had nits and was urging me to check her hair there and then. I had to explain that this was probably not the place to start a head inspection! Somewhere nearer the service end Alfie decided to get up and sing "Gangnam Style" including the "sexy lady!" line and a bit of that well known dance in front of the stable scene at the back of the church!



Meanwhile Gabrielle was enjoying building a snowman at Aunty Linda's house! Doesn't he look fantastic by the light of the Christmas tree.




Sunday 23 December 2012

Pepperkake Hus

Christmas beer obviously helps immensely in the construction of the seasonal pepperkake hus!






Love it! ❤

Location:Tysnes, Norway

Meanwhile across the sea...




Across the sea in Norway, preparations for Christmas are well underway too.


Grandma Joy and Gabrielle have clearly been put in charge of decorating the tree...and I see plans for drunken "pepperkake hus" building are afoot. I look forwards to seeing the results very much!



In the meantime enjoy some of the stunning views from Linda's house on the island of Tysnes!










Location:Tysnes, Norway

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!




There's only about five minutes between the school term ending and Christmas Eve, therefore we are getting on with some christmas projects as quickly as we can.

The real tree has been brought in from the cold and decorated...in part, it is still awaiting adornment of the gilded pine cones we made today (waiting for the paint to dry so we can thread them to hang on the tree).


We collected the pine cones a few weeks ago and have been drying them on the radiators since.






The children helped to spray the cones...so the inevitable happened....






Oh well, the children had fun, and the cones are a sight to behold in all their gilded glory. I think the tree will look a lot happier when these are added to the other random assortment of decorations!

We have also baked some Christmas tree biscuits using our traditional family recipe, and they are evidently delicious. Alfred's best friend Edward ate several!









Location:Home

Friday 21 December 2012

Gabrielle flies to Norway for Christmas!



Gabrielle has gone to Norway along with my mum (Grandma Joy) to visit my sister (her Aunty Linda) for Christmas. Aunty Linda and Uncle John have put Gabrielle's woodcutting skills to good use already, getting her to choose and cut this years Cristmas tree and also chopping wood for the wood-burning stoves.



Gabrielle completed a City & Guilds Diploma in Forestry at Sparsholt College earlier this year.
http://www.sparsholt.ac.uk/5386
She now works full time at Carters of Swanwick http://www.cartersofswanwick.co.uk/ and is involved in many different aspects of the business from ordering parts, advising customers in chainsaw purchases and safety and sales etc. etc...

Location:Tysnes, Norway

Saturday 15 December 2012

Trip to the opticians


Here we are having eye tests done for the youngest two children, who have good vision today. No glasses needed



Alfie's got a cold, not looking so happy here, but he was very patient while all the examinations were done.



Rowanne a bit over excited, do they do pirate patches I wonder?






Rowanne this is cheating!



More cheating!!! (no leaning forwards on the chair)

Lily had her colorimetry exam the other day, and is getting some precision coloured lenses for an astronomical price. Colorimetry glasses are not available on the NHS. They cost more than a dishwasher to give you an idea of cost! They cost more than most prescription glasses too, and the test isn't available on the NHS either!
http://www.ceriumoptical.com/vistech/colorimetry.aspx

Location:Rex and Wingate, Park Gate

Thursday 13 December 2012

Happy 20th Birthday Gabrielle


Our eldest child Gabrielle celebrated her 20th Birthday. Here are a few photos from the occasion:









These sky orbs have no metal components, are fire proof with fire proof bases, and are wildlife friendly, environmentally friendly and completely biodegradable.

Send a birthday wish up to the stars!






Glittering fruit juice by J2O. Delicious too!

Location:Locks Heath

Saturday 1 December 2012

Victorian Christmas Festival


Today we went to the Victorian Christmas Festival at Portsmouth Historic Dockyards
http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/























Location:Portsmouth Historic Dockyard