Happy New Year

a hIpPy haPpY nEw YeaR to EveRYoNE.

mAy 2011 be FiLLeD wiTh pEAce And hEALtH and muchest HAPPINESS.

See You In 2011, MagicBean x

Oh Christmas Tree

I think this is almost my favourite bit of Christmas. There is something so magical about having a tree in the house covered in twinkly lights (I'm not brave enough for candles) with treasure hanging from every little branch. All the memories. The magic. The smell. When I came downstairs this morning and walked into the sitting room I felt giddy with the smell and sight of The Tree. It's becoming a bit of a tradition in the Bean House to find a tree which is on a bit of a wonk. A straight tree just wouldn't be us.

This year I did a u-turn. I allowed the BeanSprouts to help me decorate it. Of course I didn't give them any of the precious glass baubles that were my grannies, or let them put on any of the more gaudy ones. Oh no. Just white and bright and silver and gold with the teensiest hint of red for me. The bottom twigs are rather well endowed but I haven't moved them- impressed eh? Before you think too harshly of me and stop reading because you think I am an utter control freak, we decorate other parts of the house and colour is allowed. In fact, the BeanSprouts have made a rather impressive string of beads which will hang in the hall with some more lights and the Christmas cards but they are not up yet.



I tried to take some close upish pictures of some of the decorations but with mixed results so apologies for some dodgy photos.

This serene angel has been gracing our trees for the last ten years or more. Wears it well, don't you think?

This is a wee holly fairy, bit tricky to see. He has a twin, the mistletoe fairy who is gazing out the window looking for love...
This angel belonged to my granny and I remember her sitting at the top of their silver tree each year. Every time I get her out she seems to be wearing a little less than the previous year. But she has to be part of our Christmas- the tree wouldn't be the same without her.

I tuck little white doves into lots of dark corners. I love them.

A string of big baubles hangs in the middle of the sitting room with more lights and a sparkling of stars.

And a bunch of this stuff just has to hang somewhere. SmallBean has learnt not to lurk underneath it...

Thank you to everyone who has read my posts and commented and become a bloggy-friend. I'm sorry I don't always reply to everyone individually, perhaps things will calm down a smidge in 2011. Not quite a blog birthday yet but it seems fitting to say these things at the end of the year. Have a fabby Christmas and an amazing New Year, lol MagicBean xxxx

Away in a manger

SmallerBean has been practising for her little pre-school 'concert'.

'Away in a manger
Ungrateful for a bed...'

She won't be told.

Splash of Colour- December

This splash of colour is not one I like. And neither does SmallerBean. The poor old girl has got chickenpox and although she's being really stoic about the whole thing, we didn't get much sleep last night. It's not much fun sharing a bed with a hot wriggly scratchy two year old. Of course she is now running around with Small having great games and laughing like a drain. I just want to drag myself back to bed and drink more tea.

The only positive thing is that it's not Christmas. And that Small has already had it.

On a more healthy note, here are some less angry splashes, the first before Smaller got the spots.

PIF Part Two...

On this post I decided to do a PIF, a Pay It Forward. Now I don't know if I was being vague or a bit obtuse or just plain blonde but I only got a couple of people wanting to join in. And one of those didn't leave any kind of details...

So. The first TWO people to leave a comment will get a little Mulberry-Dog something delivered to their homes before Christmas. The only snag being that they then have to do a PIF of their own in the future.. Get it? I don't think I can be much simpler than that. (No comments from YOU, BigBean...)

It might be something like this

or this.

Please help me here. I want to draw a line under this and get the darned parcels off to their new homes asap so I can concentrate on the next lot of wrapping and sending.

Leave a comment and some way of contacting me and if Kim is reading this, get in touch and I'll pop something in the post for you too.

The Nativity Story

What started as a three week foray back at the chalk face has ended up with me being there for a whole term. It's been uppy and downy, laugh or cry and sometimes just plain old 'I don't want to go to school today.' But there have been some really good times too. Like this week.

We read the children (remember they are three and four) The Christmas Story. Do you know this one? We have it at home and I was very pleased to see it in the classroom too. Then, one by one, the children were asked to retell it to us. And we scribed. We are in the process of getting the children to draw the Main Characters so we can print out their words and join everything together to make 32 fabulous books.

And I would very much like to share some of these wonderful stories with you...


Baby Jesus was in the barn and he was talking to the angels. They went into the barn. The knights on the camels went to see Baby Jesus and they brought him some presents, some things. The star told them and they talked to each other and they followed the star. The shepherds saw the barn and they talked to Baby Jesus.

The shepherd looked after the sheep. The angel crashed and fell over. Then she went to see Baby Jesus. Mary was there and Daddy. The kings walked to get the baby. They followed the star to the stable. The baby is called Freddie. He did sleeping.

Some shepherds were looking after their sheep so they don’t get lost. The tooth fairy comes and she says ‘A baby will come.’ The shepherds go with the sheep. They are going to go to the farm. The tooth fairy is at the farm. The star was in the sky. They found a baby. Baby Jesus! Three kings come. They bringed gold and treasure and stuff. They gave it to Baby Jesus.

The shepherds were looking after their sheep so they don’t get lost. An angel came. ‘Baby Jesus has been born.’ The shepherds wanted to see the baby. Three kings followed a star and gave him some presents because it was his birthday. I think he would like a spoon.

Jesus was sleeping in the bed in the house. The shepherds saw an angel who was singing. Three kings got on their cameras and rode to see the little baby. The shepherds looked after the sheep. Mary sat in the stable.

Baby Jesus did lots of sleeping. The majesties rided horses and the baddy came. The angel flew away. The baddy came and collected the witch. The baby died.

Well, whaddya think? Have I done a good job teaching these children? Would you be pleased to have me as your child's teacher??? I know for certain that one of these children has a newly diagnosed hearing problem but the rest? Vivid imaginations. And bad memories.

I think I will try this out on SmallerBean too. She is only just a smidge younger than a lot of these children and I think the story could be a goody. If it is, I'll let you know.

Treat

Yesterday I hopped onto the train at Cambridge station with four girlfriends and we gossiped our way down to London. I was on the very last (I think) bit of my birthday string-out.

After meeting up with another friend we did a teensy bit of retail here,

sorry I can't show you what I bought but it is a Christmas pressie for one of the girls. If you are ever in Regents Street, pop in to Anthropologie just for a peek. There is a wonderful smell in there from a vertical garden

which grows up over three floors just by the stairs. The clothes are to die for

but you have to be feeling Very Rich. I tried on an amazing cardi. But it was £168. £168??? Are they MAD??? Gorgeous, but you can't spend that much on knitwear unless you're called Kate. Go in and feel and smell and ogle- the whole shop is a hit for your senses.

We then ate the most scrumptious prawns, squid and seafood soup in a restaurant called Wrights, just off Regents Street somewhere. A glass of white and pud later, we toddled off to the Palace Theatre where we ordered interval cocktails and wine, found our seats and sat down to watch the best show you could imagine. Do you want to know what it was???

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

So so funny. So so colourful. And quite rude. Excellent songs and singing, fabulous stage use and the best costumes you could ever imagine. A lot of skin on show and dancing, dancing, dancing.

Just after we'd finished our half time drinks and sat down for Part Two, some of the chorus line trouped off the stage to scoop up a few willing members of the audience. As my friend Becky was sitting on the end of the row, she was hauled up onto the stage. To dance. With the cast of Priscilla. Ooh la la. Dancing on the stage of The Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started taking pictures of her on my phone and then a man came along and Told Me Off. I had to stop snapping (but not before I'd got a couple of shots) and then my phone ran out of juice so no more pics could be taken.

After the fantastico show the fun did not stop. Oh no no no.

A little trip to The Primrose Bakery for a cake and cuppa

(I chose a tasty little carrot number) before we headed back to Kings Cross, a packed train and a very foggy bike ride over the river and home. Thank you so much K,B,L,E and H. What a treat.

Today it seems as if the whole day was a bit of a dream. But don't you find the best days often are?