Sunday 31 March 2013

To have a Happy Easter

The Easter tree has been pimped with colourful feathers, which were sent all the way from Sweden. No real Easter tree without feathers. Other decorations such as the small wooden eggs and the yellow wooden chickens are from my childhood. I bought some felt versions as well as the little wooden house as Easter decoration this year as would like M to have her very own Easter decoration too, which will hopefully bring as many good memories as I have.

I loved Easter as a child;  the food, Easter eggs filled with sweets, Easter marzipan chickens, and of course the Easter version of trick or treat and where children dress up as "Easter witches" and offer Easter cards (often carefully crafted at home) in exchange for sweets... And cried my eyes out after watching the same film about Jesus year after year, the one with the actor with the very blue eyes...

We're off to the Portuguese grandparents for Easter lunch today and for more Easter treats. Eating and family, that's what Easter is all about.




Easter breakfast, perhaps not so Swedish apart from the eggs...


 
The decoration of Easter eggs, an important tradition.

Sunday 24 March 2013

To look forward to Easter

We had a busy weekend; seeing friends we hadn't seen for a long time and today M was invited to another birthday party, which meant two hours of "me time" (= a glass of wine and The Times newspaper at the nearby pub, hello friends long time no seen....). It was needed, had enough of this so called spring, far too much snow.

It's Easter week and only four days left at school before Easter break. In the meantime we're trying to grow our own dinosaur, an Easter egg with a twist....


Our version of the Swedish customary "Easter twig", also with a twist (should be twigs from a birch tree, and we are supposed to attach feathers to it, don't ask me why).  I like the pink little flowers and so does the pink bunny sitting next to it.


And this is the London spring with a twist... (Last year, exactly one year ago, I walked around in a dress and it was nearly 25C+...).

Friday 22 March 2013

To go on a school trip

Today was a big day -  the first ever school trip! I took a day off work and went with the class as they had asked for some adult company too. We went to Godstone Farm and it was a lovely place. Apparently when they went last year they asked the parents to pack sunscreen as it was 20+ C...this year it was all about wellies and warm coats but at least it didn't rain. It was cold but the kids had a great time watching the spring lambs, piglets and chicks.

I was impressed, nearly 30 kids and all were so well behaved; they are only 4-5 years old after all. No raised voices and they did exactly what the teachers told them. No whining, no running off, no shouting and no fights. I grew up in a village, and our class was infamous for having quite a few boys with ants in their pants - even though nothing was ever malicious it was certainly noisy and irritating at times; being pushed, sat on, having snow rubbed into our faces or being stung with freshly sharpened pencils...I saw nothing of that today. Also, when visiting the class and doing reading with them, there was no such thing. Again, impressed.

I'm so pleased that M has got such great class mates and the parents are really great too. Also very impressed with the teachers and the way they interact with the children.  It really annoys me that teachers are paid what they are when you know what an important job they do. My parents were teachers and I know how hard they worked. However, the teachers said that it's of course also down to good parenting so I guess we need to give the parents credit too.

We got home in time before the hail storm. When will spring arrive to this country, will it ever? It didn't stop M from having an ice-cream, as a "Friday treat", on our way home from school.






Saturday 16 March 2013

To go spin painting

Had a lovely start to the weekend and spent the morning with two lovely friends and their kids. M had decided to go to a birthday party and spent the day with her grandparents even though she would have loved this place, with the funny, inspiring and eccentric owner - will definitely be back. They also host birthday parties for kids, and for adults but as I've already planned my 40th, I will certainly have it in mind for M's next birthday.
 
Click here to check it out - just the name is fab "Colour makes People Happy". Love it.
 
 
 

 
My creation a la spin paint is the blue/red one - they will frame it too but as it needs to dry we'll pick it up in a few days.

Friday 15 March 2013

To have a Red Nose Day (in the pyjama)

Another blurred photo but hey, it's Red Nose Day! (You can read more here.)The school is collecting money for the cause and all the children and teachers were dressed in their jim-jams today - it was an easy morning as no need to nag M to put her school uniform on.

Busy busy week. Parent evening on Tuesday - M is doing very well at school so all good news. Work work work and we've got a busy weekend too with two birthday parties to go to. Only two weeks and then it's Easter, really looking forward to some time off work and M will have two weeks off school. Just hope that the winter will have disappeared by then...


Thursday 7 March 2013

To celebrate the love of books

Today was the day when the school uniform was swapped for "a favourite book character outfit" as it was the World Book Day.  No surprises here, it was a tough choice between the Ariel and the Rapunzel dress, and Rapunzel won in the end. The children got to school all dressed up and so were the teachers - it really put a smile on my face this grey March morning. And what's not to like with celebrating books and the stories. Even though there are more to books than princesses, the Rapunzel story (Persian as well as a German fairy tale) and the Little Mermaid story (H.C. Andersen) have been around for quite some time, before they got "Disneyfied".

I hope M will have the same love for books, and reading as I have. I remember that one of my favourite things was to go to the local library to chose new books. I could read for hours and hours, and still can. Reading is something I have never let go of even if the subjects and interests keep changing. The concept of a book is just fantastic, such a "simple" design yet a lot of work behind it and it's something that can just shift/change your emotions completely or perhaps even change your life. Or just entertain for the moment, and give momentary joy. Books and the written word (whether it's virtual or on paper),must be the best around. Yes, I'm quite passionate about reading and books. What's not to love.