Anyway, a catch up! The new CF card reader FINALLY arrived and I was able to upload everything to my computer... huzzah! So, in order of occurance... I believe it was Phoebe's birthday first.
She had her birthday party, despite the snow, on the Saturday. I rented a local hall and a bouncy castle for Madam and her buddies to play with. The bouncy castle was HUUUUUUGE, so huge in fact that it wasn't long and a few Daddies had joined in the fun. I believe Granny also had a go... I stayed off using the excuse that I had odd socks on! Much fun was had with magic tricks and balloon animals provided by Aunty Isy's new chap Leif (although he himself heard the call of Arsenal so sent Isy across London with 3 binbags full of balloon animals!). I had made Phoebe a paddock cake with schliech animals and a duck pond!
I was rather chuffed with it if I do say so myself!
What was next? Oh yes the actual birthday, poor Phoebe had to wait ALL day to open her presents as we have to be at school so early. Still she had a good day and was delighted with her birthday sticker and the fact that her class mates sang Happy Birthday to her. When she got back we had a little tea party with Granny and Grande where she got to open her gift from them. A Playmobil Pony Ranch that she has been longing for since she spotted it in a toy shop! We bought her Toy Story Lego that she loves too. She also got a Furry Friends playset from Paul's parents and a Sylvannian Family Stable from Papous and Yia Yia.
Then we had Clara's school concert. Her last at our beloved Pre School... I am quite sad about that as we do love it so much! She did us proud and sang beautifully! She was a little star struck meeting Father Christmas but very grateful for the present!
Then we had Phoebe's school concert that afternoon. We weren't allowed to take pictures or video so alas I cannot show you my girl in her snowflake outfit. What I didn't know what that she wasn't JUST a snowflake... she was a featured snowflake! Snowflake number 5 to be precise. This glorified role involved being in the front row to dance round and round whilst singing "6 Little Snowflakes" from Whoopsy Daisy Angel! She did it brilliantly and was the only snowflake to spin continually throughout the song... Mum and I were convinced she was going to either fall over or throw up but she, thankfully, proved us wrong!
As for the renovations. In the spirit of JFDI I decided the time had come to tackle the paint stripping in the living room. We need to decorate (desperately so!) in there but the layers are so thick on the wood work that another layer of paint would look ridiculous! Hence having to remove it all! I tried chemicals but the layers are too gross for it to work effectively enough! Eventually I bought a heat gun... oh it is my new bestest friend! Although I would like it noted that varnishing may seem like a good idea when later residents try to remove it, it turns to what can only be described as tar! Bleurgh! Still we have made good headway:
It has all now been primed and the doors to the cupboard are awaiting the return from the dipping place. I won't be naming them as they are not in my good books currently! Of course I still have the skirting boards (would it be wrong to only strip the bits we can see?) and the window to do... flick back a few posts for the blind shop and that is the window I have to strip... it is going to be a job and a half! I have also been eyeing up the front door but I think that can wait until nicer weather!
Of course we also had Yule inbetween the last post and this. It was wonderful... we went into London to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and took the girls to their first Circus. They loved it and were completely entranced by the acts they had on! I would like it noted that Winter Wonderland would be loads more fun in the summer because when we came out it was cold and raining... and of course Phoebe insisted on going on rides! Ah well! When we got home we lit our Yule Log and decorated the Christmas Tree. The downside was I decided to make it a bit of a tradition to wish on the Yule Log, alas the girls both wished for a Barbie Mermaid so muggins here spend the evening driving around looking for said items for them! Thank all I hold holy for Tesco! It was a lovely day, here is our gorgeous smoldering Yule Log:
It is now 00:51, the battery on my iphone has died and the cat is looking at me as if I am mad. So I am going to pootle off to bed and stare at the ceiling for a bit and hopefully, maybe possibly nod off!
TTFN
x
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