Smiles 341:365

Finding my Christmas resources in the storage made me smile today - thought I'd lost them and was very cross!

A lie in made me smile too.

Sushi for lunch.

Looking through the boys' old school books made for lots of smiles and laughs too, especially Jude writing that Isaac had 'kicked him in the balls' in his RE book; his teacher had written 'This isn't necessary Jude!' :)

And the Christmas Cabaret was wonderful, even singing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 30 seconds after eating the last mouthful of Christmas dinner!

Smiles 340:365

The park after my run. 

At the hairdressers. 

Before the party.

The party.

After the party. 

All smiles! 

Smiles 339:365

I'm writing this through tears as I am so sad at the death of a great man, a hero who lived out his words and changed his beloved country, and the world. 

Yet I am smiling. 

Smiling because I can't think of Nelson Mandela without doing so. He was rarely without a smile; cheerful, hopeful, exuberant. 

Smiling at his unique dancing style so often spontaneously demonstrated. 

Smiling at memories of the Rugby World Cup; Mandela and Pienaar embracing, and jumping around the living room with my Dad. 

Smiling at the momentous events over the last 20 years that for so long seemed impossible, especially for special friends from Matezenloop. 

And I'll keep smiling. And keep believing in the impossible. And keeping on picking myself up when I fall. 

RIP Madiba

Smiles 338:365

A sneak peek at the nativity backdrop at WPS. This chicken or chiken really made me smile.

Making Christingles in RE was great fun too - although I'm slightly concerned that when I asked everyone to pick up their candle, at least 3 children picked up a cocktail stick...

Now for Cabaret rehearsal - I've been practicing not spitting when singing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ;)

Smiles 337:365

Cross country with Y3 made me smile, not least because I kept having to hitch up my trousers!
I also smiled whilst they were getting changed at one charming young man who kept saying kind things to me in the hope of distracting me from how long it took him to get changed!

Smiles 336:365

Courtesy of @Hywel_Roberts at #TMBrumatXmas

I agree! And his presentation did make me smile. And laugh. And think.

Pic by @janeh271

Smiles 335:365

A run in the park on a chilly but lovely day. 

Watching the sky turn pink and orange. 

And singing Happy Birthday to two ofy favourite people (late but Jude couldn't face food let alone chocolate cake earlier!)