Advent day 12: Edible trees

We decided to try out making chocolate trees,

which came out well; however, our enthusiastically placed decorations meant it could not slot together.

'Oh dear,' hatchling no1 said. 'I suppose we'll just have to eat it and start again.'

The hardships, I tell ya.

Next, we baked a dozen and a half star shaped sugar cookies.

Frosted, stacked and then glittered.

To make a lovely Christmas tree. 

The hatchlings are enthused, they have plans for a whole Christmas forest. 

Our sugar cookie recipe, should you need one can be found here:

http://followingourrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/advent-day-14-filling-cookie-jar.html

Advent day 11: Peg angels and Stockings for the cats

This year's peg angels turned out rather well, I thought.

And then the older hatchlings spent the afternoon sewing stockings for the cats.

Advent day 10: Easy crafts for little hands

Candy cane mice.

Pipe cleaner snow flakes.

And snowy ornaments.

Advent day 8: Mince pies

Busy weekend over.

Lots of performances, parties, cinema trips, sleepover friends, and just non - stop busy.

Somehow, it is just that time of year.

And now, we are launching into an equally busy week.

There is another party Monday night, and the house, which has become a stop gap between places, is in desperate need of a little TLC.

That isn't really the fun part of the holiday though, is it?

The cleaning and laundry.

We've needed portable, shareable type goodies this weekend.

Hence, we made mince pies,

in giant batches. 

Which you will find the recipe for here:

http://followingourrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/mice-pies.html

and of course serve with spoonfuls of brandy cream.

Advent day 6: Snowy day Snowglobes

The weather has been cold and very windy.

Too cold to spend anymore time outside, than is really necessary.

Thankfully, today, the wind eased.

And hatchlings could get outside,

and burn off some of their cooped up in the house,

bored with all things indoors

energy.

Some of the ducks came out of their house

and followed the hatchlings.

Never seeming to mind being the target of many a snowball.

This guy here,

he does not accept his ducks being turned into targets.

After giving his siblings a very loud lecture, he herded the ducks to safety.

Ducks do not listen to good advice.

Hence, they were back out chasing snowballs and lying down next to the hatchlings' snow fort projects within minutes.

The hens found the best sunbeam.

Before too long the wind picked back up.

When the girls declared they were cold, I made the boys come inside to dry their mittens. (I am so pleased with these. I've knitted at least a dozen pairs this year.)

Kitties snooze by the radiator.

Today's craft was snow globes. 

Made with clear plastic bowls.

So much easier than leaky, water filled jars. 

No broken glass either. Should your three year old throw his snow globe in the air with excitement.

Happy snowy day!

Advent day 4: Crafts on a windy afternoon

The hatchlings had dentist appointments today.

After which we went to the garden centre to amble through all the pretty decorations.

That alone would probably have been sufficiently seasonal.

However, we soon saw the pretty cakes, and the festive menu; hence, we stopped for lunch there too.

Turkey, stuffing and wensleydale with cranberry paninis for the boys, and roast pork and gravy on thick white bread for the girls. 

Finished with cakes so pretty, I really ought to have brought my camera.

Little edible works of art.

Anyways,

Home we came to make the following:

http://static.spoonful.com/sites/default/files/3D-Paper-Snowflake-Christmas-printables-0110.pdf

http://static.spoonful.com/sites/default/files/christmas-train-playset-printables-1209.pdf

and these,

http://static.spoonful.com/sites/default/files/clf-3d-character-christmas-printables-1209.pdf

Advent day 2: Snowmen and Snowflakes

If I could only share the 

pride with which hatchling no5 built his snowman.

He took great care. Inspecting each cotton ball, before placing it just so.

He wasn't nearly so keen on snowflake cutting.

(His snowman is the one on the far right. Pretty good for a 1 year old, eh!)

I've not had time to stick up snowflakes, as the girls had a girl guides party to attend.

Nonetheless, it feels much more wintery in the conservatory.

Happy December 2nd.

Advent day 1: Our advent calendar

Yay! It's December 1st!

The hatchlings have only been waiting for December, since June January.

I know I have been a poor blogger, but this month I will post every day.

We have lots of homemade gifts, crafts and holiday treats to make.

I'd like to keep a bit of a family diary of these things; as well as, sharing them with you.

Not to mention, just to keep a little record of what will be a very busy month.

All together the hatchlings have 7 Christmas parties to attend, 3 separate concerts/ performances to take part in, all alongside a dozen other holiday events.

Have I ever mentioned the sheer stupidity of scheduling your children's routine dentist appointments in December? It means that for some bizarre reason, they always fall smack dab in the middle of the busiest week, of the whole year.

Anyways, we have been decorating.

I know it is only just December.

You see, I have been asked 3,000 times since Halloween if we could PLEASE put the tree up yet?!

Hence, I relent.

This fellow has been busy wrapping all his trains to put under the tree.

And these girls have made roughly 40m of paper chains.

Last but not least, today, we begin with the first day of our advent calendar. 

Years ago, I made little blue velour sacks, tied with gold rope.

Into each of these sacks, I put five treats, for five hatchlings.

They take turns opening them and being the one to share out the treats. 

This year I had a new idea.

I bought a puzzle.

The one pictured above.

So cute. All 500 pieces of it.

Last night, I worked hard at assembling the whole thing. So that I could put the pieces into the sacks, in a logical order.

And you know what happened this morning…

Hatchling no4 opened every sack and dumped them all out.

I'd threaten him with the naughty list, but the boy has an ego of steel. 

He'd just write his own list.

After far too much sorting, we have now started this year's advent.

We are are glueing the puzzle pieces to a board.

To avoid loosing them along the way.

Which seems to be a lot more challenging than expected, already.

I share the idea; just incase, you do not have an overly enthusiastic three year old, who loves to help.

Happy December 2013!