A lovely end to our term

After our rather stressed Wednesday, Thursday's chores went much more smoothly and now we are able to take a well earned break.

Friday was the HE group's Christmas party with a bumper 49 people in total turning up which was fabulous. Although a number of games and activities had been laid on for the children, they seemed to amuse themselves outside for most of the time. Other things that everyone appeared to enjoy were a giant pass-the-parcel (where all age groups joined in), playing with a rather large parachute, using a PS1 dance mat and eating all the wonderful nibbles that the families had bought along. One lad had made a large snowman out of cardboard covered with polystyrene balls found in packaging. The snowman had a hole in his tummy and you had to through "snowballs" through it! Very clever and beautifully made. With cards, gifts and Christmas wishes exchanged it really added to the festive feeling - roll on Christmas!

One of our friends from the group has very kindly given us their unused PS1 and so on Saturday morning we headed off to one of the local second hand shops to hunt out a game or two to play. There wasn't a huge selection (mainly sports), but we found a good racing game for just £2.50 and also picked up a double PC CD of two Lego games for B at £4! Bargain! P was out for most of the day helping his brother move some furniture into his new home, but when he returned, he and the kids had great fun racing round the track. We've also been lucky enough to be offered my nephew's high-rise bed as he's getting a new one in the new house. It's exactly what we've been promising K for some time. Her room is the smallest bedroom in the home and yet she seems to accumulate the most possessions (nope, I'm not going to say junk!), so having a bed in the clouds with a desk and pull out sleepover bed is ideal for her. Can't believe how lucky she is to be getting one - for free too. Thank J, S, J and A!

This afternoon we headed off to the Cathedral for a family Christingle service. You can read more about Christingle here. We're not really church goers so I had to really persuade K and B to go, and I know B found it enjoyable as he's asked to go again next year. He felt very proud of himself finding the courage to go up with all the other children to offer his donation to the Children's Society, collect his Christingle, parade through the Cathedral and then sing "Away in a Manger" with his fellow worshippers. It was also a lovely chance to hear again the main part of the Christmas story and sing some well known carols.

Christingles (note B's eaten all the "nice" bits from his) with
our new visitor from Texas, Flat John.

Tonight, B asked to do some 3D drawing using the Art Attack "How to Draw" book. With a very small amount of help from me in keeping the ruler steady, he managed to produce this lovely house. A budding graphic designer may be?