LisasMiles 365:365

From the Highlands of Scotland where a run affords you views like this, the Stevens family wish you all lots of smiles in 2016. And tomorrow I'll reveal my new blog for 2016. Watch this space! 

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Floods and howling wind didn't stop us and we made it to the Highlands. Our cottage is lovely and the toiletries smell gorgeous. Highland soaps are going to be getting some custom...

Liked the huge horses heads on the drive from Edinburgh. 

And you've got to love a toilet that doubles as a library! 

 

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Happy birthday Isaac! 

We've arrived in Scotland. Looking forward to eating this!! 

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Love the many faces of Jude - so many that they wouldn't fit on one collage! 

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A family present giving pile up (minus the one watching the CBeebies pantomime for the fourth time this afternoon)

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Running in the park this afternoon. Starting to lose the 'hard work' feeling that you get when you've been ill and enjoyed it, even running up the hill from Boldmere to the ice cream van and the very steep stretch up to the Bistro. 

In other news, Jude played trumpet at church and was brilliant. Also at church,  Donald skilfully rolled worry pebbles to by our feet whilst we were singing/playing and amused Jude by rolling it straight into the spit puddle from his trumpet; appropriate I think! 

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Stockings hung. It's Christmas Eve! 

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Christmas pudding alight! 

Teleconference at a service station, a cracker-delivered whistle orchestra, the hunt for Christmas jumpers, cake eating and wrapping part 2. Time with the in-laws is always amusing: hunt the remote control was today's task. It was found in the basket by the chair of the person who was searching for it! 'That's where I keep it!'

Indeed... ;)

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Shopping.

Lovely run before it rained. Quite fast too :)

Although the shop we wanted to visit was shut, it gave us a good excuse to have a seasonal coffee.  

And I've finished my Christmas shopping! 

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Another item on my 'to do' list done, and another area of my 'office' tidied.

Nativity 2 made me smile. 

The boys made me laugh. 

I answered several questions correctly whilst watching University Challenge. 

I've nearly finished my Christmas shopping. 

And Jude shared this again!

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An absolutely awesome carol service - in the true sense of the word awesome. The music was magnificent and at times I found it hard to contain myself. And we got to do it all twice! 

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The joy at seeing packs of Guarana Antarctica can never be underestimated!  

The Bridge finale! Although I'd worked out who the killer was, I hadn't worked out why. And Saga - what a character! Broke my heart. 

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What a beautiful morning for a run!

Having run five miles I'd earned the end of term pizza lunch too! 

Very grateful and relieved to have reached the end of term without major injury to myself or others! 

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Watching this filled me with great joy today - and reminded me of how mild it is this year!
https://www.facebook.com/lisibo/videos/10150137445889152/?l=1051923297973406993

And I LOVED singing Christmas carols with Shelagh at carol service rehearsal, especially with the amazing brass section!

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Loved reading this poem on the wall at school. 

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Swedish gingerbread resembling Mr Men :)

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Lots of peace to get some work done.

Getting "sorted out" by  the lovely Emily. 

Watching Guy Martin. 

My family :) 

Picture made a year ago and I'd say still accurate! 

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Love this time of year with the lights twinkling in the darkness!

Had a good run this afternoon in the fog. 

And Anton and Katy made the SCD final. Jay to win though I think! 

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Staff night out. Great fun! 

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A nearly felt human whilst running this morning. 

I stayed calm when a digger decided to park across my drive. 

I had a fun time in IKEA! 

And the Plantsbrook Christmas concert was excellent. Marvellous music stand decorating Jude and Alex! And you were right Noah ;)

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TwinCR night out was fun albeit a rather late night that was extended by the search for tinsel for Jude. 

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Really enjoyed Jack and the Meanstalk this morning as did the kids! 

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An afternoon with y6 spent making baubles. I was sure they'd run out of things to do but only one person finished in the 85 minutes we had! Perhaps the wait for the hole punch was what did it...

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Busy today with Options evening for Jude and then Parents' Evening for Isaac. Very proud of them both as their teachers all smiled when they saw them and had nothing but praise for their efforts and achievements.

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Still feeling grotty but who can fail to smile at a meerkat screaming 'Gleb!' at SCD? Or a child who insists that Maltesers are thrown into his mouth as if he is performing seal?

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Smiling after a good day with friends old and new.
Smiling that I arrived home safely. I'm not a great fan of driving at night at the best of times but when  I feel ill, it's even worse.
And smiling because I'm with my mad family.
And it's Bron/Broen time!

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A Christmas place setting. Odd to be at NCL at Christmas! 

Today's Advent challenge from the Bible Society was to smile more. I tried and I think succeeded! 

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I am the proud mother of a grade 6 trumpet player! 

I survived a day with a very croaky voice. 

This chap made me smile as I was doing my daily Duolingo. 

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Christmas decoration time at school. Capped a good day with no real disagreements with children over behaviour, some great work and a surprise Y6 free afternoon that filled my heart with great joy!

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Enjoyed handing over Language Leader badges this afternoon. I also enjoyed marking my books whilst marvelling at the patience of one of the TAs!

The first day of The Bible Society Advent challenge saw me making cards for people I love - so the boys each got a little card with (one of the) reasons I love them. And that made me smile!

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Well done Isaac on your award for your GCSE results. 

Mr Baugh's jacket caused smiles as did Mr Goodwin's effusive praise of the incredible breadth of Isaac's general knowledge.  

My new phone is finally working but Jude will have to wait as his new SIM card is too big! 

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Happy birthday John xx

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It's Jude's birthday - 14 today! 

Lots of smiles opening presents, eating cake and playing silly games! 

And these ducks and geese made me smile this morning. 

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First mince pie of the year. Delicious! 

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When your son goes off to a debating competition and texts to say it was going well until his team realised that speaking for the opposing team was ... Malala who proceeded to interrupt their argument with "points of information" that were quite ferocious in their vehemence. They lost but not before the headteacher got Malala's autograph 'for his daughter'. 

In other news, a translation competition for eldest and a trumpet exam. got the youngest, and (very good) reports all around. 

Oh, and a rather tasty omelette. 

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I love it when children who find school work really tricky are rewarded for their efforts with success. Happened today in Y5 when several of the 'low ability' children did a brilliant job of describing a monster in Spanish and hardly made a mistake because they listened to my advice and followed it, using the chart as instructed.

A 'smiling' stingray from last week.

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Biggest smile of the day reserved for excellent news about a colleague who is ill after weeks of (incorrectly) bad news.

Other smiles:

The enthusiasm of the language leaders. 

The child who, when I thanked him for opening his planner to the correct page for me to sign, said "I am a blessing!"

Triarama madness. 

Sitting down to relax and thinking that it must be time for bed and discovering that it was only 8pm. 

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Thought for the day: