Abacus Winter Wonderland

With Halloween done and dusted it is now full steam ahead for the Xmas festivities and it all kicked off tonight with the Abacus school Winter Wonderland for 2016. Tina has been working hard all week with her FAPS group to get everything organised. So the kids have all paid their first visit to Santa and what a difference a year has made for Holly as she had no issues in sitting with Santa and having a chat (so full of confidence). Joshua asked Santa for a stunt scooter and a BMX, Brandon asked for a PS4 and Gran Turismo 7!

 

The kids made some Xmas cookies at the Winter Wonderland and won loads of teddies and sweets on the various activities and competitions that were running. Joshua was really good at the end of the night and stayed behind to help Tina with the clear-up. Me and Brandon headed home to get Holly put to bed.

 

Our 3 munchkins decorating their ginger bread cookies with icing and sweets. Holly didn't want the icing so she just ate the sweets while the boys made their cookies.

Josh, Brandon and Holly having a chat with Santa.

The grotto in the school looked great with the fake fireplace etc. Santa gave them all 2 presents each which included a selection box and a Xmas tree decoration.

Roller City & Cheeky Monkey Parties

Unfortunately this weekend both Joshua and Brandon had to miss the Beavers and Cubs remembrance parade as they both had league football matches. In particular for Brandon as he was due to carry the flag for Wickford Cubs today.

 

At the football matches we did the 2 minutes silence though and all the kids wore stick on poppies for the match. Brandon's team lost having started the first half lousy but then came back to win the second half. Brandon scored one goal and could have had another. Joshua's U('s team went on to register another win and so far undefeated this season.

 

Holly has been a little monkey today as she clearly didn't learn from last months apple up the nose incident and today stuffed cucumber up her nose! God knows why she is doing it? Luckily for us, today it came out on its own so no hospital trip.

 

This weekend we also had to divide and conquer to get Joshua and Holly to different birthday parties. Joshua's was for his friend Ethan's 9th party and was at Roller City in Southend. One thing we learnt about Joshua is that he is no skater!!!

 

Quick selfie of me and the kiddies at he dinner table.

Joshua and Ethan at Roller City.

Happy birthday to Ethan in the centre of the skate ring.

Burger, chips and cake after the party.

Me and the U8 Tigers observing 1 minutes silence at today's football match in memory of our fallen soldiers.

Quick team huddle by the boys before the head in to battle again.

I have never been "inked" before and am dead against tattoo's. But Holly seems to think differently and decided my hand needed "inking" this weekend.

Holly enjoying herslef Amelie's party at Cheeky Monkeys.

Holly sitting nicely and eating her party food.

Holly's Big Breakfast and Joshua's LED shoes

Last Friday Holly enjoyed a a girlie morning out with Tina and some of the school Mum's for a bog breakfast at the local Toby Carvery. Looking at the size of her plate I'd say she had enough food for a whole week. All that food will give our little princess loads of wind and boy is she learning to pass wind as good as her old man. Talk about Daddy's girl, she can put me to shame some days and she is proud of it as well. There was a funny Facebook post last week with the top 10 women who fart like a man - and Holly is right up there in 3rd spot!

 

Holly with a breakfast fit for a King.

 

Only Nr.3 for Holly. I am sure she can knock Auntie Nicky off the top spot.

 

 

Joshua recently spent the last of his birthday money on some USA styled LED light up shoes. He saw Amy's ones and really wanted a pair. They charge up with a simple USB connection and he can set them to about 7 or 8 different colours and have them flashing if he so pleases. You certainly won't miss him coming when he is wearing these, and the USA theme is aptly timed with the US election ending tomorrow. Will it be Trump or Clinton?

 

 

Joshua's new USA themed LED light up shoes.

Looks like he only ate enough Ready Brek to warm his feet! Photo bomb courtesy of Holly.

 

Very effective of a night time.

Bonoween 2016

This weekend we had another great KISMET Bonoween which would have made Mum and Slim proud. It was to be Nick's and Kim's first Bonoween with the clan and we even had Amy the dog this year as she didn't want to be left alone with the fireworks.Only absenteeism for 2016 was Paul due to work commitments.

 

Anyway the evening went really well. We started with a walk over to the Memorial Park for the firework display. Holly absolutely loved the fireworks and kept asking for more and more. Although being so small we had to pick her up for her to be able to see them and 20 minutes holding her up is tough on the arms and back!

 

Back at Wick Palace and it was all the usual activities with dressing up, sparklers, pumpkin carvings, pumpkin bowling etc. Tina even prepared some Sourz cherry syringes for people to try. We made ice cubes with eyeballs in (disgusting), however we forgot to do our toilet roll mummy game and the movie music game on the phones. So next time...... 

The bonfire at Wickford Memorial Park.

Holly feeling the warmth from the fire.

Holly and B all wrapped up for a chilly 5th of November.

The fireworks were amazing and kept our eyes glued to the sky for 20 minutes.

 

Back at Wick Palace and everyone put on their Halloween costumes.

For the first time ever, David joined in with a proper Halloween costume including make-up. What a great effort made my Lisa and David looking absolutely fab and hands down easily winning the fancy dress.

 

The winning trophy.

Auntie Nicky the jester / killer clown.

Lea and Min as a Witch and Pirate.

 

Me, Tina and our little H.

Nick and Zoe. Good effort by Nick for his first KISMET Bonoween.

Team Zombie (without the face paint tonight).

 

What is with Brandon's fingers?

The annual family Bonoween picture, looking as colourful and crazy as ever.

 

Me and Min trying to figure out why dogs get so excited about the teeth cleaning chews, they taste of absolutely nothing and have a horrible texture yet the dogs go crazy for them.

 

Me and Matt looking cool with some light up bat glasses.

The mad hatter.

 

We managed to get some smaller pumpkins so that Holly could take part in the pumpkin bowling.

Tina downing a syringe full of Cherry Sourz.

Little B braving the cold to have some sparkler fun.

Joshua doubling up with the sparklers.

Family sparkler fun out under the lights of our new gazebo which we put up early in the year.

For some reason I have never been so unmotivated to finish a pumpkin carving than I did this year. However after 2 nights work BB8 was finally finished and looking good. But daylight robbery stole the top price from this master class of pumpkin carving. I'll be back next year.

Karate Grading

Yesterday the two boys had their latest karate grading and both did me very proud indeed. They concentrated hard and but on a very good performance as Brandon got his yellow stripe and Joshua got his red stripe. This was Joshua's first general grading as he is slightly behind Brandon and has only tested for tags up until this weekend. So it was a big step for him to go over to Laindon and grade in a new hall with kids he had never seen before.







Joshua and Brandon showing off their new belts and certificates.

Happy Halloween 2016

I absolutely love Halloween time of the year and this year has not disappointed so far. All 3 kids have really got in to the pumpkin carving and have enjoyed making their own creations. Brandon set the bat a bit high on his design and wanted a Ghostbuster design and subsequently I ended up helping him. Joshua tried writing Grand Theft Auto in his one and then when that went wrong he went for a straight forward face. Holly got to use by whitey/green pumpkin which was just too damned hard to carve. So she decorated hers with the plastic face parts.



Brandon hard at work bending my big spoons carving his pumpkin.

 

Joshua couldn't wait to attack his with the carving knives but made a few mistakes. At least he tried on his own though,

And Holly got the bomb proof pumpkin which is too damned hard to carve.

Brandon with his (my) finished Ghostbuster design.

Doesn't look too bad when lit up.

Joshua's face pumpkin after the Grand Theft Auto went wrong.

Me helping Holly decorate her pumpkin with plastic face pieces.

Proud Holly with her very colourful pumpkin.

At the weekend we found these rather cool LED light up bat glasses for Halloween dress ups!

 

 

On Saturday night we was invited to a friends Halloween Party and we all dressed up as Team Zombie American football players with Tina and Holly being our cheer leaders. Some dodgy make-up done by yours truly and we looked a right monstrous brood. The party was really good fun and the hosts had really gone to town. There was even a separate (more scary) entrance for adults as opposed to where the kids entered. The Fotabooth idea was great and then there was lots of kiddies games like tissue paper mummies etc. A really good night to remember and but my Bonoween preps to shame.

 

Team Zombie ready to party.

 

Me and the two cheer leaders in the Freaky Fotabooth.

 

Go Team Zombie.

 

Me and my little Princess. Holly wouldn't let me paint her face.

 

Tina drinking some rather dodgy liquid from a syringe, served from a zombie nurse!

Holly and Darcy playing a newspaper standing game which was a take on musical chairs but with the paper getting smaller and smaller.

 

Team Joshua about to get mummified by toilet roll.

 

Starting at the head the kids worked downwards to cover him from head to toe using 3 toilet rolls.

God I hope he can breath under there. Poor Josh.

 

 

The kids had a teacher training day today so to finish the half term and have some more Freaky Halloween fun, Tina and a few of her school friends all met u and took the little ones to Marsh Farm for the day. Looks like they had a great day and the came home loaded with yet more pumpkins to be carved for Bonoween next weekend. If nothing else we have plenty for pumpkin bowling and pumpkin throwing.

 

Holly and some of her friends at Marsh Farm.

Holly really is too cute to pull off a scare at Halloween.

 

Love this picture of the little ones.

 

A picture of all the kids that went along to Marsh Farm today for some Freaky Halloween fun.

Joshua collecting another pumpkin from Marsh Farm. Is it it a football for Team Zombie to play with?

Muscles Holly collecting more pumpkins for us to carve at home.