Highlights of Christmas

1. Christmas Eve
We put up the stockings. We set out a plate with biscuits, a carrot and a glass of sherry.
We looked on the internet to check Santa's progress.
They were so excited. It was just lovely to see the anticipation on their faces.
And the innocence that believes Santa actually comes down the chimney into our sitting room!

2. Ben-10
McGrew getting a Ben-10 watch from Santa - we're now safe from aliens, as they've all been annihilated in at least a 50 mile radius! He's hardly had it off his wrist.

3. Bugga Bugga
Dibble going to the front at church on Christmas Day to tell the pastor what he'd got for Christmas - he was clutching his new Iggle Piggle (which he calls Bugga Bugga)... we were all praying very hard he wouldn't say anything into the microphone when the pastor said 'and what is this, Dibble?'!!

4. Cuthbert at church on Christmas Day...
Cuthbert got a pair of fairy wings from Santa (a compromise with Mrs DHG, who was up for getting him the thing he'd put at number one in his letter to Santa - a Cuthbert-sized purple Barbie dress! - I vetoed this). He also got a dragon mask and hat. And a flashing rudolph nose. Put them all together.... what do you get? A fairy dragon, of course! I haven't laughed quite so much in church as I did during 'O come, all ye faithful' - which was accompanied by Cuthbert dancing a fairy dragon dance on the stage! Oh, yes!

5. Pride in my boys
Sitting so patiently at the table at their grandparents' house on Christmas day waiting for pudding. Behaving so well at the DHG annual extended family gathering on Sunday - so many new people to meet (2 great uncles, 2 great aunts, and 3 cousins once removed, plus some others too, as well as all the family they already knew). My littlest cousin was a particular hit - we've even had tears from McGrew because she's so lovely and he misses her so much!

6. Flashing red noses
Cuthbert came through wearing two of them - round his waist. It was very very funny, but I guess you had to be there!

7. Picking up leaves in the garden
McGrew and Cuthbert helped me pick up leaves from the garden. 'Helped' is perhaps the wrong verb, but they did try... they also threw them in the air and pretended it was snowing... they kicked them, stamped on them, stuffed them down each others' coats, and generally had a fantastic time...

8. Talky walkies
McGrew and Cuthbert's name for one of their presents.

9. Tale of Despereaux
A daddy treat with McGrew and Cuthbert at the cinema - though they were more interested in the popcorn than the little mouse saving the day!

10. Dibble's inability to say mummy
He can say 'daddy' (even at 4.30 in the morning!)
He can say 'McGrew', 'Cuthbert' and 'Dibble' (or very good attempts at them)
He can say 'doglet'
But point at Mrs DHG, and say 'who is this, Dibble?', and he laughs and says 'daddy'!
Mrs DHG is actually relishing the fact that Dibble calls for me in the middle of the night - though I maintain that he really means mummy!

'Twas the twenty-third day of advent...

An angel for the top of the Christmas tree - made by Cuthbert using a paper plate and glitter!

'Twas the twenty-second day of advent...

A Christmas tree by Cuthbert...

'Twas the twenty-first day of advent...

A nativity scene coloured in by McGrew...

'Twas the twentieth day of advent...

Cuthbert's hands make a reindeer!

'Twas the nineteenth day of advent...

A beautiful snowman by Dibble...

'Twas the eighteenth day of advent...

Mrs D and the boys made a huge iced mince pie for pudding - mmmmmm!

'Twas the seventeenth day of advent...

Card hand-made by McGrew (using his hand and foot as a template for Rudolph!), for all his class at school.

'Twas the sixteenth day of advent...

Wrapping paper designed by Dibble...

'Twas the fifteenth day of advent...

We've had a veritable forest of Christmas cards puporting to be from McGrew and Cuthbert's friends at school... in actual fact a good 90% are written by parents of friends, with the friends having what would appear to be zero input to the card writing activities.

Mrs DHG felt that a more personal approach was warranted (and it also served as another advent craft activity!)

And so we have the beautiful card pictured above, which Cuthbert is going to present to his class tomorrow morning.

McGrew is making his tomorrow! Watch this space...

Putting the record straight

Mrs DHG seems to have gained access to my blog.
I'll have to change the password so it won't happen again!

To put the record straight...

I was 'told' to sit with McGrew and be creative, having a pack of craft products thrown in my general direction. I think the outcome isn't too bad actually... though I did wonder at one point whether McGrew would have to walk round with his hands stuck together for the rest of advent!

Regarding Lent, I would like to make it known now that I intend to give up children for 40 days!!

'Twas the fourteenth day of advent...

Mrs DHG here...

It has taken 14 days but DHG has finally succumbed. He sat with McGrew this afternoon and made this 'beautiful' (so says Cuthbert) garland.

He has now fully grasped the delight, excitement, wonder and pure pleasure it is counting down to Christmas with small children. He is now very keen to be home early from work to join in our glittery activities... well, for the next 10 days at least.

Shall we tell him that Lent has 40 days, and it is coming up soon?

'Twas the thirteenth day of advent...

Today it was Cuthbert's turn to design Christmas wrapping paper.

As expected, he chose to draw a pink angel!

You should see what he's asked Santa for... the words purple, barbie and dress appear in the number one slot. I feel he is going to be sorely disappointed!

'Twas the twelfth day of advent...

McGrew designed some Christmas wrapping paper today!

He's going to wrap all his presents in this, so if you're lucky enough to receive a parcel wrapped in this, you'll know it's from him.

'Twas the eleventh day of advent...

Colourful paper snowflakes adorn our kitchen cupboards!
Has Mrs DHG run out of ideas?

'Twas the tenth day of advent...

Paper snowflakes adorn our back door!

'Twas the ninth day of advent...

A string of glittery hanging things...

...and bright stockings!

The kitchen's covered in glitter as well!!

'Twas the eighth day of advent...

Home-made baubles greeted my return from work yesterday...



Methinks Rudolph has had too much of Santa's sherry!

And Santa's had a bit too much as well!!

Chocolate angel delight

Warning!
Learning to use a spoon all by yourself is not compatible with angel delight!

'Twas the seventh day of advent...

How lovely are your branches...

'Twas the sixth day of advent...

The finished tree...
It's only been pulled over four times today by Dibble!

We all went to choose the real tree for the other room this afternoon as well. Two weeks ahead of our usual Christmas tree buying schedule... but Mrs DHG insisted. And the boys did get to meet Santa -they were so excited!

Decoration of the real tree is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

'Twas the fifth day of advent...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
well - stickers on the patio doors (just as well Mrs DHG stopped short of the snow and stencils as she'd first promised!)

'Twas the fourth day of advent...

Today's contribution?
A mini Christmas tree with a single piece of tinsel and a few decorations.
Oh, and I musn't forget the assortment of Christmassy cuddly toys which has appeared on top of the TV - a definite fire hazard if you ask me!

Mrs DHG maintains the tree is not yet finished. And that it looked much better before McGrew, Cuthbert and Dibble stripped the tinsel off and proceeded to run round the house with it trailing behind!

'Twas the third day in advent...

That's right. Paper chains today.
Shiny red, green and gold.
In our sitting room.
Lovely!

'Twas the second day of advent...

Apologies to all of you who were waiting patiently yesterday for the next installment in the transformation of our home. Unfortunately Dibble has a bad cold and chest infection, and decided that he didn't need any sleep the night before last, hence Mrs DHG and I didn't get any sleep either. Bed beckoned last night more loudly than the PC I'm afraid.

But Mrs DHG was hard at work again with the boys yesterday - and this is what greeted me when I came home!

hmmmm!

'Twas the first day of advent...

Mrs DHG seems to have had too much time on her hands today.
She has, together with my three boys, hatched a plan to transform our house into a magical Christmas wonderland.

Phase 1 of the plan now appears to have been successfully completed.
This is what greeted me as I returned home this evening from work...



A double-sided, coloured-in, surreal addition to our hall light fitting!
It even has wind chimes attached to the bottom, which jingle every time I walk past.

I shudder to think what Phases 2 - 24 of the plan involve!