Early celebrations...

Not too sure about the strange guy in the red outfit!

School plays...Benjamin as a star in the night...

Isaac as an ox

Saturday, and an early Christmas lunch with Bumpa, Mark and Charlotte... mmmm duck, christmas pudding and crackers of course!

The children in their church nativity costumes.

The nativity play in church. Then home for a quick lunch, pack up the bus and off to a French Christmas!

Happy Birthday Matthew

10 years since we first ventured from being a couple to a family! Now that has made me feel old! double figures! What a handsome young boy that scrawny little baby has turned into...To be honest he was easier to look after when he was newborn! his demands and needs were fewer!! But here he is. Have a blessed birthday Matthew, may the Lord shine on you and highlight your caring and thoughtful nature may he help you use your inquisitive and imaginative mind to purposeful and satisfying ends and may he grace you with an understanding of how to control your pre-teen moods, and yearnings of independence; may he also fill us your parents with the patience and continuing unconditional love to guide you through these growing times.we opened presents last night after a family tea so that Tom could share in the fun... as he will be in London for the next couple of days... Thank you to all for your generous gifts and cards.
Today will be a pancake breakfast, fresh fruit and leftover cake from last night! and two special friends will be coming home with us tonight from school and once the little ones have gone to bed, my friend Julie will be babysitting as I take the big kids to the cinema! BIG TREAT on a school night! but it's the last school night of term so.... it's a special day!

And here they all are, excavating dinosaur bones! a messy job, but fun and kept them occupied for a while... until the cold got to them!

























A late night indeed,they thoroughly enjoyed the film although the journey back in thick fog freaked them out somewhat!! (I was fine as I could see the little bit of road in my headlights, but to them I was driving blind!!) Home just after 1030pm... lucky it's the last day of school tomorrow, no work and lots of fun.

Prayer request

For all those who come to this blog, could I ask you to hold Bob in your prayers... My sister's partner suffered a heart attack last night... although "mild" there are always consequences.
And so we ask you dear Lord, to be with Bob, giving him the strength to recuperate fully and for Sarah who is with him, at his bedside feeling scared. For all family members who feel helpless because they cannot be there with them.
Help us Oh Lord, to channel our insecurities and fears into positive thoughts and prayers of healing and strength.

Edited to add :Bob is doing well, being kept an eye on and thankfully they managed to remove the clot that caused the attack.
We continue to hold him in our prayers asking to keep him safe from a secondary attack and for a restful and recuperative time in hospital.
Thank you Lord for your gift of healing, help us to let it work fully and have the patience of giving it the time it needs to work...

Sunrise in Billinghay

It was so peaceful this morning before the children woke up...Time for a sunrise walk... time for a "chat" with God...

Farewell Carole...

Today was her last day with us...
Carole, a lovely volunteer helper, has been coming to spend time with our family since Leah was a babe in arms. Coming once a week, to give me space to "do" things, a chat,looking after the little ones so that I could go out for a walk and think, and on occasion meeting up in Sleaford to give me time for a dentist's appt!!
Homestart, a lovely charity help young families under stress...I had three at home when Carole first visited.
If you know of a mum with a houseful of preschoolers, or is finding times a struggle with a new baby.... mention Homestart.
Referrals can be made by Health visitors but also by the family itself.You can qualify as long as you have at least one child under five in the house.
If you want to find out more, click on the link above or find out about your local scheme by ringing 0800 068 63 68

A wet Saturday afternoon...

An afternoon of fun was planned... but the Billinghay Family walk was cancelled! The weather, horribly wet and miserable was not condusive to enjoying a constitutional!
What to do?
Well Jeremy arrived (later than Blythe, Lorraine and Polly as he was "working" at a Christmas party...) and his boot was laden with our family Christmas present from them.
I have to be honest in that I was feeling fairly apprehensive with Lorraine's covert comments... "I'm not sure where it'll fit in the house", "I don't know whether you'll appreciate this"... Well the box itself was difficult getting out of the car!
Tom struggled in with Jeremy and the fun began.
The boys were called in and the lid was taken off...

A PUB SOCCER TABLE!!!

The children were sent back out of the room to go and watch a film as the four adults spent the rest of the afternoon putting it together!

































And the big boys had to try it out to check it worked OK!!

Thank you so much for an inspired present, solid it'll last the children through their teens...

Still don't know where it's going to go though!

Captain Stainsby strikes again!

He's yet to change one of his own tyres, but here he is to the rescue of another damsel in distress...(see his first recue here) Lorraine, here for the weekend, had a "great big dirty nail" in her smart Land Rover tyre.(even posh cars get flats!!)

Mr Thomas Stainsby and company!

As they prepare to perform at the Billinghay Christmas concert tonight! A jolly evening of comedy (mostly goan value!), entertainment, culture and music.

The Lincoln Christmas market...

Leah and I met up with Poledragon and her mum (not forget not so little RJ) for a lovely amble round the market stalls... Once we got up Steep Hill (and no they didn't believe me when I warned them it WAS steep!!) we caught our breath and got swept along the one way system with the crowd...I forgot my camera which was a shame but the smell of spruce, mulled wine interspersed with sweet waffles permeated within the castle walls. Stalls filled with beautiful creative and festive gifts and decorations painted a colourful scene on a cold day.(darling Tom had refused to give me any pocket money to spend :( sensible decision with hindsight!!)
All too quickly the time to go home for school pick ups arrived and we parted... but we left laden with a bag of clothes for Leah to grow into!!! I love to get new to you clothes! Thank you Kris, hugs to your mum, snuddles to RJ and speak to you on MSN soon ;)
Thank you Su and Asha who picked Benjamin up from nursery, allowing me the freedom of a leisurely day.

A long overdue sort out!

I never did secretarial work... can you tell?
Here was my "office workstation" on Thursday evening...
and then on Friday @ 1am!
And no, for the cynical few of you out there...
I didn't just
a/ just throw it all away!
b/ hide it out of shot
I will admit that it is sorted but not yet filed, but for now it's safe from the children using bank statements as drawing/ aeroplane making paper.