School Year Break-ups

It was my beautiful Grandson No 2's breakup and graduation from Kindergarten this week.  He is off to school next year and is so excited.  The most loving little boy who is also a little mischief too.  When he was a newborn he seemed to take for ever to unfurl, always rolled or scrunched up!  He still curls up when he doesn't feel well or is sulking, and I am afraid that Grandma tends to get the giggles, because it is so cute. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to attend his kindy graduation with his parents and younger sister, and really enjoyed looking at his little face beaming with anticipation & excitement.

Beaming Grandson No 2.

Happy sisters on the swing.

Super Cool Grandson No 1.

Grand-daughter No 2 at her Kindergym break-up

His brother and sister have also now completed another year of school and have both shown marked improvement in their studies.  However, all three are so so tired.  On Thursday both boys fell asleep on the short drive home from school after both had asked for 'Hungry Jacks" to which nasty Grandma said 'Not today'.  Gran-daughter No 2 had her Kinder-gym break-up too and has developed so much more confidence from when I went earlier in the year.

So everything has broken up for the year and I have 4 very very tired grand children and one who is not as tired but pleased to have her brothers and sister home for 6 weeks.  

Now the countdown to Christmas.  Without No 1 Grand-daughter telling me each day how many sleeps till Christmas I am going to be quite lost.  I may need to call her regularly for an update.
I have now nearly finished my shopping and will be done so in the next week.  It will just be perishables that I will need to get, probably on the 23rd December.  I need to cook on the 24th so will not want to leave the house.

Christmas Planning:  I do not want to overload you with different projects but there are still so many we could be covering.  I need to be realistic about peoples' time available at this time of the year.  So, rather than making craft I suggest we look at cooking and making gifts this way.  During the week I have put many different sweet recipes under Christmas Planning so maybe we revisit these and decided which ones will be made for this Christmas.  I am also placing a couple of other recipes on this page today so may I suggest you scan these recipes and see which ones apply to you.  The newly added recipes are: 

Bacon Cheddar Bites

1.  Bacon Cheddar Bites

2.  Cocktail Crab Cakes

Both recipes can be used in your Christmas celebrations and entertainment.

3.  French Roasted Potatoes (Maybe for Christmas Day, give your guests a delightful touch with the zing in these                                                                      potatoes.)

French Roasted Potatoes

Recipe of the Week:

This week is Slow Cooked Shepherds Pie which is always a comfort  food.  This time of the year you need something tasty and rewarding at the end of a busy day and I think this will do it.  Any Shepherds Pie is welcome in our house.

Craft of the Week:
Is a beautiful "cuff" that could be used as a last minute Christmas gift or a birthday present for someone in the new year, or best of all, treat YOURSELF with something classy to wear Christmas Day.  I have made quite a few of these, sometimes with many beads and other times, like this only a few.  Change the colour of the beads or use a mixture, they make a lovely piece of jewellery.



Children's Crafts:
There are so many great crafts the children can be doing and the crafts I have this week are mostly for little ones which means they will need help - so they are not so great if you were hoping to keep the darlings occupied whilst you completed something else - Sorry!
1. Playful Polar Bear Masks  

2. Popsicle Stick Pom Pom Christmas Trees  By: Whitney from It's Gravy, Baby! 

3. Home-made Christmas Ornaments for Kids with Pipe Cleaners and Wooden Beads
Hopefully you will get a quiet moment with your child when they can make one of these items, (of course it also depends on what items you have in the house too, doesn't it?)

My Weekly Quote:

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I’ve finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.- DAVE BARRY

Dave Barry      

Author

David McAlister "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. Wikipedia

Born: July 3, 1947 (age 66), Armonk, New York, United States

I hope everyone has an enjoyable week in the countdown to Christmas and try to remain stress free.  Everything will be ok in the end whether we stress or not.   Jill