Friday night

[FussyElmo]

Well tonight dear forum friends Im baking.

Other than that Im ready to go to sleep

Got an early start as dd has a bit of a jaunt to get to her football match we are travelling to walsall.

Sunday ds has an early ko and then we are going to put the tree up.

What is everyone else up to?

[loocyloo]

Well tonight dear forum friends Im baking.

Other than that Im ready to go to sleep

Got an early start as dd has a bit of a jaunt to get to her football match we are travelling to walsall.

Sunday ds has an early ko and then we are going to put the tree up.

What is everyone else up to?

Tonight fussy, I'm about to have a bottle of cider!
I have collected DS and friend from DofE, dropped DD at a dance class, cooked tea, tidied away the playroom, cleaned out the guinea pigs, been to watch DDs drama class and discussed dance costumes with a friend! All since 5pm!

Tomorrow DD has a dance class, I need to go secret santa shopping and then we are all watching DD in panto matinee ... Sunday... DD has ballet exam and panto, DS and DH have band concert and I'm running round like a blue tail fly!

Happy weekend everyone!

[Mouse]

I had a day off today so spent it doing online Christmas shopping.

Tonight was our "works Christmas do". Luckily there are a few of us childminders who get together and go out for a meal. It beats an office christmas party for one!

Tomorrow I'm running all the errands I didn't get done today and on Sunday I might put the Christmas tree up. I'd happily leave it another week, but DD is telling me shes the only one of her friends without a tree up

[FloraDora]

Travelled back from the south east late yesterday after the funeral. We Passed a couple of cars that had bumped on the A2 - the front car was 'Karen's childminding' - wondered if it was one of our forum members. Thankfully it looked like not too much damage and later spotted the car again in the endless queue of traffic so hopefully this childminder was ok.

I just couldn't get it out of my head though, what if there were LO's in the back, they were in the outside lane....keeping calm and continuing to look after them - dealing with the bump and children and parents. The knowledge that even a little bump will cost you time and inconvenience - at this time of the year when we all seemed pressed for time...so it has made me reflect and today I got up early to read through my emergency planning and response policy. I am happy with it in principle but on this revisit I noticed that it was all about what I would do, not preparing the children to be able to cope in an emergency....apart from fire drills and emergency response in the home- using a telephone etc...So Monday's task will be revisiting this policy in the light of the children. I wondered if anyone could recommend story books around a bump in a car?

I spent yesterday at the funeral and as ever it was a daunting thought on Thursday night and quite uplifting in a very sad way by Friday night. We have had several deaths this year of close family and friends and this funeral seemed to help in reflecting on it all. I was happy with my hat in the end, a pull on fur thing that kept my ears warm as we walked behind the jazz music all the way to the church. A lovely reflective start, he lived in a small village and everyone congregated outside his home and walked behind him to the local church. Music played New Orleans style, sad reflective at the beginning then as we left the cemetery there was a mix of children's voices playing in the playground at lunchtime and then happy positive, celebration music. He supported the NSPCC and donations were asked for this charity ....it just seemed very appropriate.

Now back home and looking forward to friends meet ups and Christmas preparations.
I do miss end of term parties and carol services, christingle and nativity prep, I do it on a tiny scale now....but have decided next year to do some volunteer work in a school on my days of - 40 + years of children and Christmas cannot be shrugged off in my retirement!
I love to read about the dancing and sport practice weekend round ups - I am in awe of you all juggling this job with family.

[Maza]

Glad the funeral went smoothly Floradora. Hope your son was ok.

I miss the panto stuff. Very happy memories of either going to watch pantos or my sister or I dancing in them when we were younger. I could never understand my mum's relief when it was all over as we never wanted them to end! Neither DD or my sister's daughter have ever taken to dancing and we were both a bit gutted!

Well DH was out on a dad's night out that he had organised and so I was looking forward to a night of internet shopping without him tutting every time I got my card out. However my internet was down and so I couldn't do anything online at all. I watched TV instead - Kirstie's Home made Christmas was good. I've never watched it before - loved the nail polish marbling idea.

Today we have a free day in our busy December schedule. We are going to go into our village high street to the shop 'Cook' as we have a discount voucher and so we are going to get some Christmas stuff. We have to finish reading our Christmas library books and drop them off too so that other children can get them out before Christmas. A bit of Christmas shopping in the little independent shops there, book Christmas Eve late lunch in the local pizza place (have a voucher, yippee) and then home to mulled wine, Christmas CDs and putting up the tree. We have lots of discount vouchers for our little village high street because last week we went to see the lights being switched on. We probably have 20 lights or so and after the big count down only have of them came on bless! However, DD said that night was much better than the night out to see Kew Gardens lights. Obviously Kew was magical and spectacular (and certainly not free), but this was a real community event and we met up with friends and saw tons of other people we knew there too. The road was closed and being able to play in the road in the dark with her friends was apparently amazing.

Tomorrow we are off to our local national trust place to do a 'Christmas Around the World postcard hunt and craft session. They have a wonderful garden centre there too - always gorgeous at Christmas.

[FussyElmo]

Glad the funeral went well Floradora.

Last game for ddj just her party next week. Ds still has 2 games left, Dd1 has 1 dance class but i think cadets go until the 22nd.

Settled down watching strictly now