Amelia- "Mummy, can I have some pipe cleaners?....I mean ..bread sticks?"
Amelia- Mummy can you take some blackberries out of the freezer and pop them in the microphone so they're not cold?"
Ellie standing, unaided. Amelia crouching- "come on Ellie, walk to me" Ellie step-step-step walks to her beloved big sister and throws herself on her shoulders.Precious! Her first walking, it was towards her sister!
About time I did a quick write up. Though the four photos I did have time to take will follow later. You cannot have everything! Everyone had recieved little scroll invites on brown paper tied with red ribbon, and on the notice board was a big parchment scroll summoning everyone to be counted and taxed etc I also did a display table from 01 Dec with fabrics and ceramic pots, wicker baskets, and info about the activity and costume idea sheets. When they arrived, which I hasten to add was EARLY, everyone was really excited about it (this was a turnaround as at the beginning most people said "No WAY am I going to an activity dressed up!...thats just my ward!) and at ten to six there was queue outside the door. The RS room was called the Jerusalem Inn and had been prepared with a gazebo, and tons of rugs and cushions, plus tables and chairs, the tables were covered with nice cloth, a nice terracotta colour and ceramic pots, "candles" (battery powered) goblets etc The room has also lit with some white fairy lights and small lantern and the ambiance was fantastic. Outside the chapel itself a very talented artist had painted a city wall and a sign saying "Bethlehem" A Roman soldier in full regalia welcomed people. He stood at a table covered in purple velver with a huge wooden coffer, a big scroll for people to sign and some red and blue feather quills. Everyone signed and recived 6 coins (one for each food stall and one to pay taxes with) First it was activities. We had pottery (air drying clay) which was a hit, have your name written in Hebrew on a small ceramic plate (25p from hobbycraft), decorate a gingerbread angel or shepherd (ingerbread lady) Tangrams and Oriental paperfolding (in honour of the wisemen from the east) bead threading (lovely wooden beads, all reds and yellows and oranges and decorated wood etc) candle making (big success) with special wax which just softens in the heat of your hand (though we had a hot water bottle there just in case) Paint a Bethlehem Mural, I believe thats all. We also had a Gifts of the Magi stall with 3 pots of gold (painted rocks) frankincense (real) and myrhh (real) both the latter in resin form, little crystals. With parchments about the meaning of each gift. Along the front of the stand we had anther city wall and another talented artist had made a beautiful stable backdrop for us and a manger. More battery candles dotted around. Town cryer making various announcements throughout evening. Juggler and accordian player and magician also filled in "lulls". That was till 7. At seven we had the food, someone had made market stalls which we had covered with lots of different fabrics of all sorts that we were given. I wish I could have told you how magical it looked with everyone dressed up (yes, barely a soul came in street clothes) The stalls were 1.Bethlehem Winery (blackcurrant fizzy) 2. Marthas Meats (cold beef, ham and turkey, mountains of cocktail sausages and quiches) 3.Elis Finest Fruit (piles of amazing costco fruit, two colours of grapes, satsumas, apples (all these in hessian sacks or big baskets) also dried fruit, a big selection from costco (kiwi, pineapple etc mixed with nuts, that all went too) cheeseboards from asda and a big block of cheddar aswell (read "BIG" see also costco) 4.Bethlehem bakery, desserts, provided by members as were quiches, and 5. Soup Kitchen with two types of soup with rolls, butter and houmous. After the food (of which I managed to eat one stasuma and a roll, such is life) we had a gather round the manger, a short reading from luke 2, all sang one verse of away in a manger, then a short reading about the kings, and one of the kings stepped forward with sth for the kids. Due to so many kids coming we didnt do gifts (I wanted wooden toys) but we had 25 quids worth of chocoltae coins and he gave a handful to each and then threw therest out. The adults got sth too (made by my primary class) Tiny organza green bags (100 for 5pounds, ebay) each one with a gold nugget and frankincence crystal ditto myrrh and a small piece of paper inside saying "Gold Says he will be king, frankincense, he will be a priest, myrrh, he will die for us" Magical evening!!!!! Cannot write any more now.
I just said "Ta-ra" to someone!!! To give myself (a modicum of) credit, she said to me "Ta-ra love" and it was almost like an automatic repitition of what she had said. I do this often. You know the scenario. Phone call. (me) Hi how are you? (friend) Fine how are you? (me) Fine, how are you? I do this too often to be funny. My girls are being so very cute. Amelia said suddenly as we got in the car at the airport to head back to chester "Mummy, before Ellie was born, it was just Mummy and Daddy and me. And now our family is different isnt it? Its Mummy and Daddy and me and Ellie" (me) "Do you like it better now?" (BIG GRIN) Yes!!!! Amelia is dressed in her new mermaid costume. Mummy....why isnt my hair red like Ariel? (me) Becuase some people have dark hair and some have blonde and some have white and some have red etc etc "Mummy....the important thing is...that I am LOVELY in this arent I?" (this was accompanied by a flourish of her arms and hands flamenco style like a girl on a tv show showing off her costume) There are more, but Ellie is feeling clingy. Later. I still have to write up about the Bethlehem party and my trip to spain.
