And then spent the vast majority of the afternoon doing this:

The idea is that the braids can stay in all week while we’re away camping at 28:18, hope it will work. Must say I was rather impressed at myself, I’ve never done plaits that tiny before. Or that many. My hands ache! The girls were really pleased with the results too.

So, we’re off tomorrow for a week, twitter is turned off as we don’t have hookup so no phone charger easily available – really should get a car charger! Direct messages are still on though (or should be – wouldn’t mind if someone could test that for me tonight please?!).

Right, must dash. Having spent all day braiding I have rather a fair bit of packing and getting ready left to do this evening! Hope Castle Day goes well tomorrow, all those friends involved, we’ll look forward to seeing pictures when we get home. Have a good week

Abbie went on a ‘Wild Night Out’ at Escot for her class residential this year – an overnight stay where they camped out in the woods, dug their own toilets (ew!), walked through a swamp and generally got wet and muddy.

Haven’t heard much about it yet to be honest as she was so exhausted when she got home that she went straight to bed, and despite a wobble this morning resulting in a whole box of Rice Pops all over the kitchen floor (yes, that is what happens when you try to hit your sister over the head with an open box of cereal ) she has gone off to school hopefully for a relatively lazy day – their teacher was looking fairly exhausted yesterday too so I’m sure it won’t be too strenuous in their classroom today!

Dressed up for a Viking Day at school. Did the vikings wear plaits in their hair, does anyone know?!

Also – just look at the length of those school jumper sleeves. Honestly, children round here just don’t stop growing, aargh!

We started today with an assembly at the girls’ school, because Abbie was receiving yet another Thank You Certificate. We and she were fairly proud of her for this one because she was apparently the first person in all of Key Stage 2 to achieve a certain level of reward for hard work/good behaviour.

After that we took Josiah and Robyn out to this exhibition, which was lovely. (as an aside, can’t believe it’s been three years since the last time we went there!) We had the gallery to ourselves, which was great. Joe sat for ages doing the children’s activity pages and drawing a picture of Parsley the Lion (from the Herbs) for a competition, while Robyn pottered between the rooms and did some drawing of her own as well.

The Wombles were the highlight for me – not sure that I really used to watch any of the others (Huxley Pig, the Herbs, and something else I can’t even remember now! Oh and Paddington, which I did watch but I preferred the books!) Not really supposed to take photos in the gallery but I don’t think you can see any of the actual exhibits in this one

Came home and I faded fast, had lunch and got Joe through maths and music in record time so that I could veg out for the rest of the day. Girls have arrived home from school so now it’s officially half term which feels very nice indeed

Still, nothing a day of home education won’t cure

I just liked Abbie’s expression in this photo, taken while we stopped for a hot chocolate at the Double Locks pub yesterday. Cycling is always good if there’s a pub along the cycle route

We had a great time actually, a fair bit of girly screaming and overexcitement but not too much – some games, food, and at midnight some raucous dancing to Jools’ Hootenanny. Think they finally went to sleep sometime after 2am although I’m not sure as that’s when I went to sleep!

Thankfully no-one got up too early – the big girls were first at 8am but they came down and played Wii for a while with the door closed, meaning that the younger girls didn’t wake until nearer 9, and Josiah was up sometime after that, even though he went to bed at 9pm the night before! Breakfast was special cereals (ie all the ones they’re not usually allowed to have!), chocolate crepes and waffles with maple syrup

Happy 2007, folks

We were supposed to be having a visit from Ros & children but that fell through at the last minute (an occupational hazard at this time of year when you live 4 hours’ drive away from one another), so we were all a little sad that they couldn’t make it, but then we found more friends to come with us – Rog, Caitlin & Riona along with Robyn and Becca & Josh

Abbie walked into the barn and announced that it was her birthday, so got to be Mary – which, of course, she loved … and she looked gorgeous Caitlin and Anna were innkeepers, and Riona, Joe, Robyn (and I ) were shepherds – didn’t get to hold a lamb this year though! Enjoyed that part of the event despite some truly appalling singing!

Then went on to the drinks, mince pies (very nice ones too), and visiting Santa, which we did en masse! He was a most excellent version of Santa, and everyone was pleased with their little presents. Even baby Josh (11 weeks old!) got one

All in all very relaxed and enjoyable; we came home and had dinner and a film, now looking forward to a week with all the children around before Christmas

It’s the last day of term, too (hurrah!), and a non-uniform day, so Abbie was able to wear her hoody from Aunty Mimi (lovely – thank you ) to school today as well – along with the trousers that Nanna Lorraine gave her two years ago (family in-joke there, sorry!) which just about don’t swamp her any more

Anna spent the day at @Bristol on a school trip, enjoyed it thoroughly, of course.

Joe and I did a spot of (very exciting) Christmas shopping, then spent some time at the office with Steve before coming home again. Oh, and violin deserves a mention, despite the fact that it’s just a normal thing, Joe’s learnt Jingle Bells (well, the chorus, at least ) and he’s rather pleased with himself for being able to play a Christmas song He’s also learning a little Bach minuet, really nice to hear – and Anna’s learning the accompaniment, so they will soon be able to play a proper piece together

Looking forward to a day of Christmas crafts and cooking together tomorrow