Smiles 362:365

My Narnia lamppost. I miss it! Thanks to the Pickups I got a Christmas card to remind me, and this was taken on this day last year.
Made me smile thinking of it though!

Smiles today as we shared cracker jokes and watched TV.  Jude made us all smile with his annoyance at the ending of The Italian Job - "I'll be awake all night wondering about what happened!" And the sunshine on my run made me smile too.

Smiles 361:365

A family get-together at Mum's today with paella, champagne and lots of chocolate biscuits. Robert was rather pleased about the chocolate biscuits - and about his new Thomas the Tank Engine DVD!

Good to see Isaac Jude and Harry having fun together and being equally appalled by Grandma's dancing...

Jacuzzi time made me smile too. 

And my new book too - Rebus always makes me smile!

Also amusing me - the look of disdain on the faces of the camels as James Cracknell berates them for being a disgrace to their species!

Smiles 359:365

Christmas is here! Smiles as we opened presents, as Jude won the accolade of 'Most unusual present' for his telescopic backscratcher at church and as I sang the descant with Shelagh.

More smiles at my guillotine, John wearing his cycling shoes indoors, at Christmas dinner of venison and then passion fruit mousse (delicious!) and watching Toy Story 3.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnachten, Bon Nadal et Joyeux Noël.

Cheers!

Smiles 358:365

Merry Christmas everyone. 

Back from the Christmas Eve service having sung all my favourite carols.

All the presents are wrapped and under the tree.

See you tomorrow!

Smiles 352:365

This sculpture always makes me smile, simply because I cannot do handstands. I'm not sure I've ever done them very well, and I've certainly never managed a cartwheel. I used to joke that I was an expert at trolley wheels (starts as a cartwheel then turns into a sideways bunny hop!)

Still, you can't be good at everything ;)

Thanks to my Secret Santa for my gift - disappointed it wasn't lilac lacy lingerie but you went with S for Stevens rather than L for Lisa so that's ok, and I do like spotty scarves. 

And for the second day running I was tasked with a year 3 class and glitter... I thought yesterday was carnage but this was something else. I was still dusting it out of my hair at bathtime!

Smiles 349:365

The Christmas tree is up and twinkling away. 

Mango and Pippo both tried to hang onto the star and top the tree but couldn't hold on and fell off. 

A pleasant walk on Cannock Chase resulted in a search for a stick for whittling - you can take the boys out if Switzerland but you can't take Switzerland out of the boys! Good to be back though and discover old and new sculptures on the trail.

And finally, my youngest may be 12 but we still make funny faces with food ;)

Smiles 346:365

Very amusing - mainly because I don't currently have a cold! I like this little infographics from www.earlylanguages.com

Other smiles today.
Having given a H&S talk to year 6 about the dangers of using glue guns, I promptly did exactly what I told them not to do and burned my finger! D'oh Miss!
The children's Christmas lunch at school always raises plenty of smiles. I was particularly amused by making children wear their paper hats 'because that's the Christmas law!'
The end of a working week for me during which I have felt utterly exhausted and at times far from my best.

Smiles 333:365

Happy birthday to John. A trip to the German Market in Birmingham for Bratwurst und Pommes, Heisse Marroni und Glühwein this evening (including an interlude in the Library of Birmingham for John to thaw out).

Made me miss Winti though. The Christmas market there takes over the whole town. 

Smiles 322:365

I refuse to start Christmas until December but the Steiff shop window made me forget my usual reluctance.

Other things making me smile - 

the excitement caused by chocolate in the staff room;

Good feedback on my observation; 

More Innocent Smoothie hats. 

Smiles 310:365

Looking for a picture of me as a child at Christmas, I came across this one that my sister had uncovered a couple of years ago whilst make me a book for my (big) birthday.
She captioned it 'What's with the life size doll, Lisa?"
Quite!
I also question the length of my dress. And the wallpaper?!