Christmas countdown..

 

Spot the angels on the tree!!!

The kids are getting very excited about Christmas, and this week has been a bit of a mad one! Maya was a little star as a christmas “person” in her preschool Lucia concert, and Leon was another (very proud) star as grandma in his school play!!!! We’ve also had Charlie’s birthday party in the forest, Alfie’s 1 year check at the doctor, Leon trying out the play center at school (his request), little Leon and Amelia to play most days, and the last of the Christmas shopping! 

Thankfully yesterday was Leon’s last day at school, and he was only there for an hour, so now we can all relax..(?) A wonderful day it was! Leon joined Maya’s gymnastics class (loved it!), we went to the library to get out books about Christmas and looked at the lovely Christmas story exhibition – Maya is fascinated with Jesus!!! Then the kids had a fantastic time on the swings in the rain – long gone is the time when they refused to play outside for fear of getting wet!!!!

Realisation…. have had one this week! Leon enjoys school, and has tried out the play centre and enjoyed it – he is not being bullied, his behaviour has  not changed, he is learning new things, he is enjoying being part of a group, and he is having fun. I am a firm believer in that I want my children to make choices, and I want them to be happy. No longer am I going to battle over the “what ifs..” of homeschooling, making myself unhappy  – I am going to embrace his happiness in school and support it, and see what changes the future brings!  In the same light, I am going to encourage preschool for Maya, but if she decides she doesn’t want to go, then I will go against convention and happily keep her at home!!!! Of course Alfie’s going into full time daycare….!!!!

But seriously, life is like a box of chocolates and it’s important to try different ones! You don’t always have to swallow them…..!

Christmas is coming…

 

"Tomten" at the open-preschool Christmas party!

This week has flown by – it seems that Christmas and Lucia have taken over! 

Maya, Alfie and I very much enjoyed the open-preschool Christmas party at the church (children’s songs in the church, gingerbread and tangerines, dancing round the christmas tree, and of course the swedish father Christmas who gave out beautiful raffia tree decorations to the kids), and Richard took Leon and Maya to the school Lucia concert on Thursday evening (the older kids performed in the Lucia train, sang songs and then everyone ate saffron buns).  Maya is also in the Lucia train at preschool on Monday..

Both kids have been doing some wonderful Christmas crafts at school / preschool, and it’s nice to see that they differ hugely from our predictable and somewhat “tired” Christmas crafts in england!!! These crafts include wood, ceramic pots, clay, felt, material, etc, and range from candle holders to money boxes to “Tomten’s”…

Leon is also in a play at school – he is the grandmother in “Little Red Riding Hood” – he is hugely enjoying it, and we will see the performance next Tuesday! I’m very surprised he enjoys it so much as he is really very reserved at such things usually – but he takes great pride in being grandma!!!

At home the kids have been very busy, I’ve not wanted to interrupt and do anything with them!!! Leon is in obsession heaven right now (!) and spends hours doing maths activity books,  completing puzzles (the latest was 250 pieces!), and working out and playing (slightly repetitive!) tunes on the keyboard! We are even considering music lessons for him (piano), but are slightly worried that the formal side of lessons and practising may put him off (plus it means buying a piano)…..    Maya is currently enjoying building various wonderful constructions from lego, bricks, duplo, etc, and using them in roleplay with small people or animals – she can do this for hours, and is very imaginative! And Alfie is understanding more and more and more!!!!

Long time….

…no write…!

Mormor and Patu went home this morning after being here for 2 weeks! Time has flown by and I have just not got round to writing!!!

We have had two birthdays, my 37th and Alfie’s 1st!

 

A grown up birthday

 

...and a baby birthday (note distance from candle!!)

Some of us have been unwell, and some of us have had some sneaky days off school!

 

Leon at the lake!

We have been on some great trips such as….

The Natural History Museum (below),

 

 

 

(There was an excellent exhibition on swedish nature. We took the kids on a “red feather walk” – an animal information trail where you learn facts and answer questions, attempting to find the red feather at the end of the trail. The animals were set out in amazing diaoramas, and the lighting was beautiful. Maya was particularly enthusiastic – she has a great interest in animals, and decided that the wild boar were her favourite. Leon preferred the hedgehogs!

Later Leon really showed his enthusiasm in the precious stone exhibition – he grabbed my camera and started to take pictures of every stone in sight !!!)

 

One of Leon's pictures.... a few of the stones...

…The Technical Museum, where the kids enjoyed some “Christmas Chemistry”….

 

Making bath bombs

And finding “Tomten” (Father Christmas) on a walk in the woods…

 

Tomten hiding! (Not sure who the boy is - couldn't get rid of him!!!)

Plus enjoying the fantastic rope climbing structure at “Rudan”!

 

Leon on the ropes!

And generally just having fun with our grandparents….

 

Baking cakes

 

Hiking in the woods (can you see us???)

Making reindeer biscuits

 

Trying out (and enjoying!) Patu's "pain perdu"

Among many many other things! Plus we have been exceedingly lucky to have Patu construct a spider’s web climbing frame in our back garden (have yet to photo!).

Everyone is in the Christmas spirit!

 

Ho ho ho!