Friday, December 23, 2011

pre-Christmas Adventures

We have been enjoying the lead up to Christmas and all of the excitement that brings when there are children in the house.  Big Brother and Little Sister love opening the drawers on their advent calendar and hanging a new decoration on the tree each day.  They take turns to wind the music box to play "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".  The Playmobil nativity scene has been a hit, although LS insists all angels are, in fact, Little Bo Peep.  I think Little Sister's Favourite Christmas toy is the Lego Santa man though - she comments on him every morning.

The presents are mostly wrapped and under the tree and we are entering the "coking and baking" phase of preparations.  Big Brother helped make these Reindeer cookies today:


and tomorrow I will prepare Christmas Eve dessert and food for taking to various meals on Christmas day (and not to forget the whitebait patties for Christmas breakfast!)

Big Brother and Little Sister have been out to see some of the wonderful light displays around Christchurch - it's so great that so many people are willing to go to all this trouble and to share their displays with us - it really makes it magical for the little ones.  

Of course we've been to sit on Santa's knee (I might even add a photo if I manage to scan it one day) and Big Brother has established that they are not real santas.  Little Sister has changed her mind after saying she didn't like Santa all year and this year climbed up on his knee quite happily.  

Grandma took us to see the Santa Grotto run every year at the Spreydon Baptist Church, and it was wonderful as always, and yesterday we met Gran at  the giant Snow Dome set up in Hagley Park, complete with fake snow, snowman and Christmas trees.  







Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Letter to Santa

Big Brother has been using an online learning programme for the last two weeks (free trial ;) )

I found this today when checking through the work he's done.  I guess these nasty old earthquake things impact on us all... even santa.

Dear Santa

I am still here in Christchurch. I am making sure you know because lots of people have gone away from here now but I did not. I still have a chinmy too because it was not made of bricks. Don't be scared to come to see us this year, no more bildings will fall down. The engineers have checked them all and they are ok now. Tell your raindeer I checked and I know they like apple with skin so I will not eat the last one before they come. My mum said you would like a chocolate brownie to eat so she will make one and she won't eat it. If you have room in your sleygh I would really like a new game but if your elfes can't find one a surprise would be very nice. My sister would like a halmet for her new bike. She likes pink and stars and she needs a small one because she is small. 

On Christmas night I will go to sleep as soon as I can and if I hear your bells I will go to sleep fast. I hope you can find everyone who has moved but I think your raindeer will know. 

Merry Christmas Santa

from Big Brother

p.s. Santa, if there is an aftershock when you are here you have to make a turtle and keep safe. Please don't run outside or you might get squashed. Tell your raindeer too. 

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Building Blocks

Little Sister has been really enjoying making towers and houses and "gag'es" with the wooden blocks lately.  They all have a story that go with them, and she can entertain herself for quite some time with them.


















It reminded me of when Big Brother was a similar age and spent some long afternoons doing similar things:


I guess wooden blocks are a good toy!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Monkey Bars

Big Brother has been determined to master the monkey bars so he's worked hard at it.  He finally got it sorted a few weeks ago... yay Big Brother!


Not to be out done, Little Sister has come up with her own version:

Note the helpful tongue... I think it's genetic

Monday, December 5, 2011

Tired Girl

Little Sister was naughty after her bath tonight so she was sent to her room to wait until we went to get her.  I think we took too long because this is what we found:


Yep, that's a nekkid, not night trained, light sleeping little bunny all tucked up in bed sound asleep.  

She must have been very tired because we managed to slip her nappy and jammies on <phew>!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Artistic Pursuits

We've been trying our hand at a few arty things lately - Big Brother has enjoyed the experience.

First we headed off to an art class organised by the local homeschooling group.  BB had a hard time keeping up - he tells me he got confused by the instructions but did his best.

As soon as we got home he wanted to have another go so he drew this one from memory, based on the instructions given in the art class, but taking his time. 

He was much happier with this one, but is keen to have another go to change a few more things.

Next up was the local homeschooling gala.  There were opportunities to make both sand saucers and vegetable animals. 

Big Brother spent aaaaages choosing just the right rose for the centre of his sand saucer and then twice as long finding the right shaped leaves to go around it.  He was very proud of the finished product. 


He also made himself a horse/dog called rover out of carrots with lettuce for ears and tail.  Unfortunately we didn't get a photo of that one.

Last but not least, we've been checking out Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and thought we'd have a go ourselves.  Over the course of two weeks we made our own versions 'inspired' by the original with oil pastels.  We tried to move our pastels in different ways to imitate brushstrokes on our 'canvas'.  

Big Brother made one, the decided he'd like to try again.  He didn't like the uneven size of his petals, and wanted to try making 'brush strokes' in a different way.  Here are his two efforts:


Lotsa arty stuff for a non-arty Mum!

We're going to have a bash at some Christmas cards this week... wish us luck!