We went to the Nativity at St. Mary's church in Swanage, this afternoon. It was packed and included Dusty the donkey, a sheep and her two lambs, and the children forming the nativity scene, not to mention my friend's baby playing the role of Jesus. Very cute, so happy christmas, everyone!I finally made the cake today, but decided that,as I've left it far too late to cover with marzipan and icing, that I'd make a few and give them away as presents. Here are the first two.
We made chocolates today, using orange oil and mixed spice with glace cherries to xmas it up. We made an unbelievable amount of mess, chocolatey fingerprints and footprints were everywhere - but we had fun!
The present-wrapping started, today...I am rubbish at wrapping anything, so it's something I really don't enjoy!
We went to the Pavilion in Bournemouth, today, to see Snow White with our friends. It was a great afternoon for the girls, who danced and sang and really got into the whole thing. It was really cute to watch them jumping about with excitement!
Later on at home, we used our oven for the first time. Well, to make porridge, anyway!
Strange halo-effect...?
Today, 15 months after moving into our house, and 11 months of dust, workmen, planning, lost weekends and hard graft, we have a kitchen. I can't stop smiling, each time I walk into the room. For both of us, the moment we felt like something momentous was happening was when John Wood, the electrician, connected the power to the lighting, and suddenly we had light. 
It was my daughter's first nativity this year. The school had a concert rather than the play. It was very impressive. The older children played a variety of instruments, ranging from fiddle to clarinet, flute and guitar. I was impressed with them all. Reception class came out towards the end, and sang Away in A Manger, and Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star. Apart from a bit of a to-do between one of the shephards and a donkey, all went well!
My daughter made this at school, which was to put all sorts of lovely little treats from the school. It's great! I don't think I got anything like this at school...
It was the school's Christmas party, today, and the children dressed up. My daughter dressed as a pirate, along with the elaborate hat, pictured, which was created out of a charity shop binge to find fancy dress stuff for the dressing up box.
Real Wood Flooring are sorting out our worktops today, and it's been a day of sawdust and noise. Exciting stuff, eh?
This car has been dumped. Anyone can see that, surely the fact that it's been there for weeks without moving, and has a flat tyre, is surely a sign that it's not parking tickets that are needed, but a towruck and a car crusher? But no, the council parking people in their un-wisdom-ness decided to issue 3 tickets. They patrol the area regularly, they surely would have seen the car well before they decided to waste some ink and paper on the tickets they issued?
Back to work on the kitchen, today, and this time it's the tiling that we're working on. We are hoping that the room will be ready for use by Christmas, but it's a lot of hard work and effort for everyone involved.
This evening we went to Putlake farm for their Christmas fayre. The children from St Georges school sang at the beginning of the evening, whilst being peppered with snowflakes from a snow machine. We missed them! But we heard that they were very good.
I am a knitter. Well, sort of. It all started a few months back, when I started to knit a cardigan for my Son. It was a tool to switch off my brain, to relax, but to keep busy at the same time.
This is a 2x2 rib pattern. It's easy.
I spent most of the day in Bournemouth, trudging through shops looking for presents. The two main ones, the ones I'd rather have seen in the flesh rather than online, were nowhere to be seen. Arrgghh. I had my Son with me, too, and although he was very good, he did get bored at times. I had to take him out of the buggy, and this gave him the opportunity to suck on my chin, which to him, is just the best pasttime. I then spent the next half an hour with teeth marks and baby dribble on my face. Nice!Day 202
09 December 2009
I've had a really busy day. today. This photo was taken at 10.15pm, after getting home from two meetings. Inspiration was thin on the ground. We've been continuing our kitchen build, and I saw these little curls of wood. Cute.
We have been making Christmas cards, today. We made lots of mess, but it was lots of fun!
We put a garland up in the hall, today. It makes the area warm and inviting, I would love to keep it there all year.
This afternoon we started off the cake-making procerss. The only problem, is that we've started too late, rather than the middle of November, when we should have. I prepared the fruit before dousing them in brandy to soak overnight. I just hope I don't leave it for a week before I make the cake, like I did last year...
Swanage had their Christmas Fayre, today. There were trade and craft stalls, and Father Christmas, too.
Yesterday this enormous carrot arrived in the veg box. it is nearly as big as my Son! Here he is, tucking into his dinner...
This evening we made Christmassy chocolate cakes for the school fayre, tomorrow. My daughter took pride of place for Whisking, her favourite bit - probably because I allow her to use the electric whisk.
This afternoon the Parent Association and some of the children decorated the school hall and corridors in preparation for the school Christmas fayre later this week. 
My daughter started to write her letter to Father Christmas, today. She is learning to write in cursive style (joined-up handwriting), and she's enjoying it. She wanted to write the letter herself, so we started it today, and I think we'll be plugging away at it for the coming weeks until it's ready to be sent to the North Pole.
Today some of the children from Swanage Middle School, along with some younger children from Swanage, met at the school to show support for a secondary school in the town. Meridian and South today were invited to film the Education Swanage group campaigning for a secondary school and interview members about the upcoming cabinet meeting at Dorset County Council to decide whether or not a public consultation should take place in the town, as well as finalise the decision on the future of St Georges first school in Langton Matravers.
I recently took up running, again, having run almost everywhere as a teenager because I didn't have a car, and I was always impatient to get to places. 
We went to Durlston with our friends this morning. Later on we went to Corfe Castle for the Christmas lights switch-on, which was a wet event. In fact, it was soaking wet, pouring with rain, and cold. We stayed in the Greyhound and had a gorgeous meal, briefly stood outside to watch the lights come on, and then returned to the pub.
The girls met up today, to start a fun weekend together. They were comparing their day at their schools, both taking part in mufty days. Tomorrow we've got all sorts of things planned, providing the weather isn't really grim!
This evening we both went out for a rare night without the kids, to our school PA Christmas meal. It was a great night, we had fun, good food, and then came home to find my little boy had woken up whilst we were out. He was asleep on his Aunty's lap when we came home! 
Three fascinating facts about Alpaca: They come from Peru; they are part of the camel family; and a baby Alpaca is called a Cria. My daughter was very interested in them.
This evening we let our little girl stay up for a bit to enjoy some toasted marshmallows and watch some of Strictly Come Dancing. It's becoming a bit of a regular thing for her to watch it, and it is lovely to cosy up with her and talk about the different dances, costumes, and her favourites.
Our kitchen installation continues. Today my husband was sorting out the plumbing for our sink. 
