Day 9 - Sing Christmas Carols

We had Alexander's outdoor event for school tonight. All the kids performed and cleverly the performing arts teacher had combined the year levels so there were only 10 items. The grade 6's who are about to leave the school did separate dances. It is really great to see all the kids learning a routine and happy to perform it.

Alexander really got into it this year and managed front row! They boggies and wiggled their hips to Surfing Safari. Benji and Spencer danced along in the aisle.
Then the choirs finished off with some carols. Yes Santa was sneaky tonight. They were singing and dong the actions and having a good time.
What I love about this is not so much the picture but what it represents. Here is a boy who wouldn't get up in front of people and if he did, was a bit unco and didn't really pay attention. Yet here he is this year, in the choir that he joined by choice (!) attended, practiced and learned. He knew the words, knew the movements and you could see that he was having fun. That makes for a proud mum & dad.

Day 8 Not Christmas but Birthdays

Today we forgot about christmas. Why? Because my babies turned 4. Today we had birthday celebrations. Yes, more than one!

It started with our traditional present opening in bed...

Followed by a party at playgroup....

Then another chorus at kinder...

The previous two parties were punctuated with a visit from Aunt and Uncle

Finishing off the evening with a family dinner and another go at the candles.

While I was thoroughly worn out I have to say putting it all on one day - as opposed to spreading it out was truly worth it. We didn't eat too much nor over cater.

I just have to mention cakes. This is always an issue for me with the twins as I think they should each have their own cake - but I don't always want 2 cakes hanging around begging to be eaten. In a moment of clarity I thought about cupcakes - these are egg free and dairy free ones. I had the stand and decorated half green with Buzz toppers and the other half blue with woody toppers. The toppers are made using a circle punch on some wrapping paper I picked up for their birthday. So for the pics I set it up that each had their own 'cake'. It ticked my box and fitted the toy story theme.

The kinder cakes were again an allergy issue and we could only have honeyjoys. Decision made - different coloured patty pans and a blob of playdo to hold the candle. Another job done.

By the evening I was caed out! We simply used a left over cupcake and topped it with different candles. I couldn't face anymore cake so we had hot apple crumble with icecream and two happy little 4 year olds fell into bed. Mum however will take a bit longer to get over it!!

Day 5 - Make Teacher presents

A Sunday and with the big Squirrel around (rare in the lead up to christmas) we had a lovely day and time together. We headed out for breakfast at our usual which is always so nice. When 'our' waitress, now friend comes puts the coffees on the table, fruit for the kids and asks if we want the usual, it really does make it easy. Predictable, but easier.

We headed into town for a bit of inspiration and checked out the makers market in fed square. Then with our heads full of ideas we came home to play with fimo to make presents for some teachers. This one is a brooch for the kinder teacher. Hope she likes it.

Day 4 - Make Christmas Wreath

Last year we did multi coloured jubes. This year, it is all red, but jelly frogs. Same concept as before, a foam ring, lots of lollies and broken toothpicks. For the frogs I stuck the toothpick in on an angle into both the lolly and the foam and I think that should help them stay in until christmas. I have also hung it much higher than last year which should eliminate 3 people grabbing frogs....

The boy who lives under the stairs

A while back Alexander and I made a deal. If he could read a certain set of books then he could have a Harry Potter book.

Harry Potter is a little bit of an unknown quantity around here. I have never read the books nor seen a movie. (I know, it is really hard and there is a whole other world out there!) I thought it would be a nice thing to share with my children - low and behold who are all boys!

There are lots of kids at school who talk about Harry but until now Xander has just had to go along with whatever they are saying. I also kept the stories away from him because I want him to be old enough to understand them. The problem that I face is that I don't have Ms JK pacing the books over the years for me. They are all written and all out there - movies etc. We could launch in and do the whole lot back to back, but from what I understand - the kids grow up and the stories grow up with them?? I don't know if book 6 would be suitable for a 6 year old....

Anyway, what I do know is that Harry is 10 in the first book, and that it was really written for children in the first instance so I was prepared to go with this as a starting point and worry about the rest later.

The other night Xander came out and read a book to me. He read it really well and easily - he is actually progressed so far past this book, that I asked him why he was reading this book. "To get Harry Potter" was his honest reply. I coudn't refuse and we had made a deal - so we ordered it on line and it arrived within a week to our door.

I am so excited that my little boy is excited about reading. He was pacing, checking the letter box and when the package came - he waited to open it with me - and then hugged me and called me the best mum ever! How awesome is that - over a book.

Now we are reading it - and it is new to both of us. We are stealing time away together to find out what is happening. It is our own secret little club.

Day 3 - Write Christmas Letter

I am not even sure what this one meant - I don't think it was a letter to santa- I think it was a letter to everyone to go in the christmas card. I don't normally do this but it has been soooo long since I have actually SENT the christmas cards (I normally write them just don't get them addressed or sent) so I thought I would do one of those catch up letters. Either way, whatever it was it didn't get done!

A quick trip to Darn Cheap Fabric, and then a subsequent re-visit by mum who went to buy extra fabric once I decided that the natutical inspired patchwork story that I had bought would make excellent doona covers for the twins. I lent my camera to Mr P who is competing in some auspicious 48 hour film festival so I can't show you.

The lack of camera is also why I can't show you the fabulous time we had at our kinder christmas party - the real reason no letters got written! It was touch and go with the wet and steamy weather we have been having and the kinder is built on a floodplain, but it was on and it was really great. The P & F organised entertainment in the form of African Drummers.

Just to clarify, African drumming isn't usually my thing. If someone invited me out drumming, I would politely decline, however it was really great.

For starters they came with a heap of drums for the kids. This meant the bigger kids (like Xander) could play drums while the kinder kids could play on the equipment and the parents could sit and relax - having a chat and a drink at the picnic. Bliss.

Then, assuming the parents had had a tipple, the children had to go and get their mums to dance in a circle to the tribal beats. As no one can refuse their child, we were all up dancing, shaking and sweating up a storm and it was really fun. I have been on their website and they do childrens birthday parties, hens parties, corporate functions...

Website if you would like a look: www.africandrumming.com.au

A couple of pics from their website due to our lack of camera

This is Shabba who was our drummer - he did have a top on - it was kinder after all.

Day 2 - Take Christmas Photo

We got there in the end....