Busy, busy

I love this week - the run up to Christmas. The children are usually off school and we have plenty to keep us busy although this year we have one very over-excited boy in the equation aswell. (Rohan wants me to point out that it isn't him). So interspersed with making and decorating biscuits:

both boys have been going up to the field to play football or rugby for a while. Which is good cos otherwise I might strangle someone. One afternoon was spent decorating the gingerbread house and another for an impromptu party with our young friend who's back from Uni. Amber spent ages making biscuits from the Martha Stewart website and I chucked together some popcorn. There were some cheese straws in the shape of stars and voila a tea party:

Afterwards we all retired to the sitting room to play Woodland Happy Families:

Sorry about the rubbish scan but I can't be bothered to keep arranging the cards on the scanner. Anyway, it's amazing what fun you can still have with Happy Families - both young and old.

Yesterday we made stars and snowflakes for the windows. I made some very simple stars which I'll show you how to make at the end of the post:

and Rohan decided to beat all to make a thirty two pointer:

I put these in the window yesterday and took some pics and was shocked at how dirty the windows were so guess what I did this morning? Of course, I re-took the photos so that you now see the stars on my clean windows. If you see any specks of dirt please don't tell me as that's how they're staying now.

I decided to tackle the local shops at 8.30 this morning which was just as well as the place was heaving an hour later. I picked up the ham which was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It weighs about 19lbs! and is in the oven right now. I also got five loaves of bread for the freezer and some cheese before our posh deli gets really busy over the weekend. I still have to do a HUGE shop at Waitrose which I'm putting off and off. I'm tempted to leave it till Sunday morning and go with sister who arrives the night before. It will be effortless then but I'm not sure how she'll feel about it.

This afternoon the children baked biscuits and took them around to a few older friends in the village:

whilst Tom tidied the stable and got a few bits of furniture into it. The builders finished this morning and here it is in all it's glory. Well, here's before incase you've forgotten:

and here's now:

and a side view a fews days ago:

It looks amazing inside and I can't wait to use it.

Before I go here's a quickie on how to make the stars. I used kite paper which I cut into eight pieces 4"X3". Fold in the middle long ways and unfold again. Then turn each corner over to the central line like so:

and turn the top corners over to the central line too. So that you get this shape:

Turn over and glue each piece to another overlapping like so:

and there you have it. This is the very basic version of the star and you can go on and on folding in different ways and cutting different shapes likes squares. I only managed to vary it a little with this yellow sixteen pointer before I ran out of steam:

Supper is beckoning and the children are desperate for me to wrap some presents to put under the tree. They want to spend hours feeling them and guessing what they are they say. Hope I have the energy for 'It's A Wonderful Life' tonight. I want the older two to see it this year and I'm not sure the cousins who arrive tomorrow will want to see it. So tonight it will have to be .........

Comments

[driftwood]

oh those stars are lovely! I'm going to try one now! happy Christmas

[Ash]

The stars are just beautiful! A craft for tomorrow :)

[martha]

Rohan's star is fantastic and the stable is looking great. Its been neat to watch the transformation of your house (which I am very jealous of by the way - what a wonderful place to live). merry Christmas!

[Carol]

Lovely stars - we finish school here today - in one hours time to be exact. Maybe some star making this afternoon would be fun.... thanks for the instructions. Hope you all have a wonderful christmas if I don't get the chance to "talk" to you before.
carol

[Marie]

Oh Simmy I do so enjoy coming here and catching up with all of your lovely Christmas preparations!!! I miss having a family around so very much. It's quite quiet with just Todd, myself and the dog. I may have to kidnap a few extra bodies before Christmas! Love the Christmas stars! I am going to try out a few of them myself! THANKS so much for being so generous and sharing these wonderful little glimpses of your very special life with us this year. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

[dottycookie]

Happy Christmas Simmy! Lovely lovely stars - our windows have snowflakes but I think we need some stars too ...

[Tracy]

So lovely to stop by and see all that's been happening with you and all your preparations for Christmas! Thank you so much for you wonderful e-card/note--I appreciate it so much! Wishing you a wonderful weekend making ready. And wishing you & yours a very Happy Holiday Season and many Blessings in the New Year (LOVE & HUGS)

[Lucy]

Every time I visit here my heart skips a beat when I see your building. It is just lovely and I wish we had something like that here on our farm. There just aren't very many old structures left here.