"Education is the period during which you are being instructed by somebody you do not know, about something you do not want to know."
- G k Chesterton

I didn't even dream it would be so good. But I would never let my children come close to the thing.
- Vladimir Zworykin, agd 92 on his invention, the television

Great spirits have always been violently oppressed by mediocre minds.
- Albert Einstein

I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
- Albert Einstein

I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays, and have things arranged for them, that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas.
- Agatha Christie

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
- Thoreau

St. Lucy. December 13th.

Happy Feast Day my Lucia! I love you Baby!
Today we used some of the Swedish traditions for Lucia Day. The girls dressed up as St Lucy and we decided to surprise Nanny Mo with a little visit with some brioch rolls and a lantern.
Story Club first at the library, then a quick run with the dog, then trampolining lessons and then off to Nanny's in the dark for a fun surprise.

The girls ready outside Nanny Mo's house - she's going to be so surprised!

The girls chortled and giggled and yelled "Happy St Lucy's Day" to Nanny when she opened the door.

Lucia was so excited that we had surprised Nanny Mo!

Earlier on in the day...
Time out with playdough :)

We used some of our lovely Autumn collection...

...to make glittery decorations (glue and glitter). I took this picture before the wonderful inevitable glittery mess - but it was well worth it :)...

...drying and glittering...

...ready to be hung from the ceiling when Papa gets home :)

The girls also made...

...bead and pipe cleaner snowflakes (we discussed symmetry and the word 'symmetrical' - both Elodie and Lucia did well making each branch exactly the same) ...

...snowflake mobile...

...Nativity picture in a red frame (Elodie's)....

...Nativity picture in a green frame (Lucia's)...

... and sparkly Christmas lanterns.

Making frosty footprints this morning before work time. Elodie found the ball very funny - it had been left out overnight and looked like it was covered in white hair.

Dominique was intrigued by a hole that has appeared in the garden.

“He did not say: You will not be assailed, you will not be belabored, you will not be disquieted, but he did say: You will not be overcome.”

“All shall be well
and all shall be well
and all manner of things shall be well.”

My baby is 2!!! Happy Birthday Darling!

Today my Darling Dimpled Dominique turned 2! When she was born Doctors suspected she had Downs Syndrome; blood tests came back 9 days later confirming she did not. When she was 3 weeks old she was in hospital for a week with RSV, very poorly, but "the most stubborn baby I have ever seen" according to one of the nurses and she made it home :)

When she was 4 months old she began to crawl. At 8 months old she began tottering around the furniture and she finally walked on her own at 10 months. At 11 months she fell on a ledge and severed through a third of her tongue, with no teeth...! She cried, I cried, the doctor almost cried - it was not nice.

The day after her 1st Birthday she had a suspected asthma attack and went to hospital with pneumonia. Afterwards life became a little boring so she filled the following few months with taking a swig of bleach (not at my house), drinking a bottle of bubble liquid and blowing bubbles from her mouth for the rest of the afternoon, munching on a rhubarb leaf - apparently highly poisonous - and then we discovered that she has a spare tear-duct next to her eye which will need dealing with in the next few years.

Anyway, Lucia then took over with her atypical mycobacterium malmoense lymphadenitis and so Dominique decided enough was enough for a while.

She is adorable, determined, so affectionate, wide-eyed and dimpled and all mine! I am very blessed!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIQUE-NIQUE!!!

Dancing with delight :)

Learning some new dance moves from big sister Lucia.

My eldest and my youngest :) Happy Birthday Sweetheart :)

The girls completed a workbook on snowflakes, created some beautiful paper ones for the door and danced around to 'Susie Snowflake'... dressed in a snow white gown... if you wanna take a sleigh ride, the ride's on me......

Lucia and Dom's Playgroup Christmas Party - the first year that Lucia did not cry when Father Christmas walked in - and, AND I took a photo!

Craft time (again!)

Find that matching card - a Christmas game to keep the girls entertained before dinner :)

My sister and my daughter: Grace Dominique and Dominique Grace - with beloved Panda that Aunty Grace bought for her name-sake when she was born :)

My sister (Aunty Molly) teaches the girls Atrium every week-end.

Hot chocolate (can you beat it?) after visiting the reindeer, with Uncle Anthony, Aunty Grace, Grandad, Uncle Thomas and Papa.

Dom intrigued with our visit to see real reindeer!

Feeding the reindeer.

Dasher?

I have my very first nephew!!!  Welcome to the world Baby Luke!!!  Kisses to Mummy Rosalind and my big brother Michael!  xxxxx  Thank you to Our Lady for listening to our prayers.