Christmas 2008

Hi Guys. I thought I'd better get the Christmas news up to date before we start on the New Year Celebrations so here goes...


Christmas Day
We had a relatively quiet start in the Clarke household as we weren't off to my Mum's in the morning. She thought it would be easier to leave all the present stuff until Boxing Day and it was but it did feel odd not seeing my Mum & Dad on Christmas day.

The kids opened their gifts from Father Christmas who brought Amy a Build A Bear Elephant (as requested) and Ben a Winnie the Pooh Super Sleuth Changing Tree (see your none the wiser are you!)

Then we opened our presents to each other which included a Slow Cooker for Steve, a Radley handbag for me and an Air Hockey table in the playroom for the kids.

We headed off to Granny & Grandads for about 11.30 and things got a bit hectic from there. There were quite a few of us for Christmas dinner but Brenda did a brilliant job and the lunch was excellent.

There was lots more present unwrapping but Ben decided that he didn't need anymore presents when he got to the Henry hoover that Grandma had brought him.

The day went so fast it was bedtime before I knew where I was and I don't seem to have taken any photos of the actual day so I'm hoping that Brenda has got some on her camera.


Boxing Day
Ben awoke around 7am and his first words were "Hello Mummy. Where my hoover?!". We had breakfast with Brenda & John, Kirstie & the kids and then left for our next stop.


A brief call in at home to feed the rabbits and collect some presents and we were off to my Mums.



The kids had a great time playing with some of their new toys & dressing up in Nanna's clothes and then Brenda & John joined us in the evening for anther good spread.



27th & 28th December
We got home on the morning of the 27th and set about finding room for the lovely gifts we had received. Several hours later we had rediscovered our house and everything was back neat & tidy. We had planned on some family time at home over these two days but sadly we notices that Snowy was looking a little bit poorly so off we trotted to the vets to get her checked out.

She had a nasty case of ear mites which turned out to require some fairly expensive treatment and we had to go back again on the 28th with Fudgecake to make sure she wasn't poorly as well (she wasn't).

We did have lots of fun in the playroom on the 28th though making a big mess and playing on the air hockey table.

So now we are looking forward to New Year at Butlins with Paula & Gav. I had such a good time last year I hope it will match up to my expectations. I'll let you know and until then Have A Happy New Year.

Christmas Parties 2008

Sorry I'm a little bit behind and have a little bit of catching up to do as I'm a couple of weekends behind now.

On the 14th December we had our annual pre-Christmas family do at Brenda's where the kids get some presents that would be largely useless on the big day - Christmas crafts, Xmas socks etc and we all have a nice dinner & get together.

Then on 21st we had our other annual get together with our old friends. This year we went to the Regiment Way golf club and had a very good time at their dinner & disco evening. Afterwards some of the guys came back to our house and we partied til about 3am (the kids were sleeping at my Mums!).


I regretted it the next morning though as we were off to watch Ollie in the church nativity play and I didn't really fancy church with a hangover & not much sleep!! He was very good though. Then in the afternoon we went to Frankie & Bennys with Dave & Kellie and their three little-uns for our annual catch-up.

So how come I'm on here at 9am in the morning - why am I not chasing around after Ben & Amy trying to calm them down with only 2 sleeps to go??? - Cos they're not here. I haven't sold them on eBay - they're at Brenda's as they all went to the Zoo yesterday and it was a bit of a late return so they stayed over. I suppose I'd better get ready to go and get them!

Lapland

It's been a busy old Sunday. We are just returned from a visit to Lapland UK and before you all panic not the dodgy one in Dorset with the swearing elves!

This was Lapland UK in Kent and were all had a very magical day...

We started by walking down a woodland tunnel strung with fairy lights before emerging on the other side to a landscape of snowy white Christmas trees.

Our first stop was to the rocking horse toy factory complete with a little elf sized entrance for the kids to go through, where we had a go a making a rocking horse.

Then we moved on the Mother Christmas' gingerbread house where the kids got to decorate (and of course eat) gingerbread men.

After that it was time for some tea and a little look around Lapland village - saying hello to the reindeer (real and not so) and the husky dogs.

And after that it was a visit to see the big man himself - Amy was completely amazed that he knew everything about them but I guess that's just because he's magic.

Finally we had a little turn about the ice-rink. Ben and I managed about 5 wobbly steps before he announced "my no like it" and I gratefully returned with him to a non-slip surface.

It was a wonderful, magical day and such a great age to have been able to do it with them!