The holidays are here…
…no, not Christmas (although it’s creeping up quickly).
It’s half term. No school for a week.
Remember how I scheduled the Summer holidays? Well, it was so successful, I did it again.
So far, we have…
Been to see the Queen:
Took a walk (wrapped up, it’s getting a little chilly round these parts):
Carved pumpkins:
Spent the day baking:
(Yes, they are gingerbread houses, you aren’t seeing things. All will be explained)
There are spooky biscuits still to be cut out, the dough is chilling currently in the fridge. There’s a party for the Kids in the village tomorrow and I’m supervising biscuit decorating.
Yet to do…
Visit a reconstructed Victorian town:
(Not sure there’d have been plastic life buoys around then!)
The Kid’s love this place. So much so I went against my unwritten rule of never paying a subscription for services not rendered and purchased a yearly pass.
The week ends with a bang. A big bang. It’s bonfire night:
It won’t be a home-made one this year. We’re going to attend a locally organized one instead. Less stress!
How are the holidays going for you?
Looks like a great week. I found the chain at Buckingham palace very interesting. Never seen one like it before. I guess that holds back the crowds when there are a lot of people there.
Never really thought about it before. Around the UK this type of chain can be found (and a smaller but similar version also in less grand places). Great to see it through someone else’s eyes!
What always struck me about the palace and other places in London is how accessible they are. Buck House is literally on a roundabout (would that be a US traffic circle?) with lots of traffic. Only on Sunday’s do they shut The Mall off to cars etc…
You can walk right past the front of St James palace (built by Henry VIII), although not open to the public. It is still used by the royal family.
Looks like a great week. I found the chain at Buckingham palace very interesting. Never seen one like it before. I guess that holds back the crowds when there are a lot of people there.
Never really thought about it before. Around the UK this type of chain can be found (and a smaller but similar version also in less grand places). Great to see it through someone else’s eyes!
What always struck me about the palace and other places in London is how accessible they are. Buck House is literally on a roundabout (would that be a US traffic circle?) with lots of traffic. Only on Sunday’s do they shut The Mall off to cars etc…
You can walk right past the front of St James palace (built by Henry VIII), although not open to the public. It is still used by the royal family.
Lovely week Jo, i love the autumn festivities, although my kids where back yesterday 🙁 and they were off last week. Those gingerbread houses look scrummy!!
Sharron x
First and foremostly – Sharron, you’re a star! Thank you so much my voucher arrived this morning. I’d planned on e-mailing you, but I have had a ‘Challenge Anneka’ day today! How busy and the spooky biscuits aren’t even baked yet!
The gingerbread houses have now gone – eaten by 4 appreciative children this evening… who didn’t seem to question why they were Christmas biscuits…
Your very welcome!!!
Sharron xx
Lovely week Jo, i love the autumn festivities, although my kids where back yesterday 🙁 and they were off last week. Those gingerbread houses look scrummy!!
Sharron x
First and foremostly – Sharron, you’re a star! Thank you so much my voucher arrived this morning. I’d planned on e-mailing you, but I have had a ‘Challenge Anneka’ day today! How busy and the spooky biscuits aren’t even baked yet!
The gingerbread houses have now gone – eaten by 4 appreciative children this evening… who didn’t seem to question why they were Christmas biscuits…
Your very welcome!!!
Sharron xx
Sounds like a great week. In my area, working parents often take the week off when their kids are off school, and plan things for them each day – not expensive things, but maybe going swimming at the recreation centre or letting the kids have a sleepover with a friend.
Sounds like a great week. In my area, working parents often take the week off when their kids are off school, and plan things for them each day – not expensive things, but maybe going swimming at the recreation centre or letting the kids have a sleepover with a friend.
Sounds like a great week! I’m planning on taking a more planned approach to the summer holidays this year (only 6 weeks away now!). Probably not something planned everyday, but definitely a couple of outings a week. We can’t afford to go away anywhere, but taking a ‘holiday’ approach to your own city can be great fun, doing things you wouldn’t normally do 🙂 That said, baking and decorating biscuits and having a picnic on the deck can be just as much fun!
Sounds like a great week! I’m planning on taking a more planned approach to the summer holidays this year (only 6 weeks away now!). Probably not something planned everyday, but definitely a couple of outings a week. We can’t afford to go away anywhere, but taking a ‘holiday’ approach to your own city can be great fun, doing things you wouldn’t normally do 🙂 That said, baking and decorating biscuits and having a picnic on the deck can be just as much fun!
I think the week off at half-term is a wonderful idea. In Canada the kids start school around the first of September and go straight through until around Dec. 20. I really think it would be healthier for them to have a week off in the middle – it’s tiring to keep to the school schedule for four months!
My kids are all grown up now, but your activities sound like the things we used to do … baking, going outside, decorating for Halloween were all on our list, too.
I think the week off at half-term is a wonderful idea. In Canada the kids start school around the first of September and go straight through until around Dec. 20. I really think it would be healthier for them to have a week off in the middle – it’s tiring to keep to the school schedule for four months!
My kids are all grown up now, but your activities sound like the things we used to do … baking, going outside, decorating for Halloween were all on our list, too.
Half-term is so precious as it’s such a long run from September to December. With teenage boys I don’t have to organise their time anymore but we still plan special family times like a scary movie night for Halloween 🙂
Half-term is so precious as it’s such a long run from September to December. With teenage boys I don’t have to organise their time anymore but we still plan special family times like a scary movie night for Halloween 🙂