Yule Yomp II

Our big Christmas Walk. House to house with a drink and snack in each. We started at 11am at Paul & Debs and finished at Simon and Tory's about 10 hrs later. Click the map to make it bigger....Our house was stop number two. Simon, Geoff and Emma getting stuck into the Port and Pizza.

The kids trying out my drum kit. Luckily I had the silencers on.

Heading back to Emsworth from Westbourne. Down a very wet Lumley lane in the dark. Maybe welly boots next time.

Most of the gang outside Lumley House.

Back : Ellie, Debbie, Danny, Karen, Carolyne, Tory, George, Simon, Becks, Gus, Scholes, Emma, Chalkie, Paul. Front : Harvey, Travis, Joe (pram), Jack, Gus, Indy, Tom, Lily, Abi (pram), Lisa. Behind the camera : Clare.

Lisa and Ellie playing on the swings at Geoff's House.

We finished with a chilli at Simon & Tory's house at 9pm. Another great Yuletime Yomp. Thanks to Clare for the photos.

Boxing Day - Amberley

Boxing Day in Amberley. Tucking into sensational bubble and squeak...

Christmas Day - Amberley

We went up to Amberley for Christmas. Will, Rachel, Freddy, Nell and Reggie's new house. We tortured the kids by taking them out for a walk before we opened the Christmas presents...but there was snow! Here's Karen, Lisa, Mum and Dad.
Freddy on his ice bike...

Will and George with prams...

Finally we got back and opened the pressies...

Lisa checking out Grandma and Papa's pressies...

Karen, Joe and Lisa opening pressies from Mary et al....

And then a fantastic Christmas Dinner...

Christmas Day evening and three very tired girls (some hiding it better than others!)....

A brilliant Christmas Day....thanks guys.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Day Number 1. A few presents under the tree and a very excited 6 year old...
Joe with his new car...

Joe Drummer....

Lisa's School Nativity

It was the second and final performance of Lisa's School Nativity play today. The audience wait in excited anticipation as the children get ready. Lisa is in the front in the yellow dress...Lisa and the rest belting out 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'...

It was a great show. Merry Christmas.

Bonfire Party

It's Bonfire Birthday Party time again!!! We had a fantastic party with the traditional Monster Chilli, Bonfire and Fireworks. It was a great way to celebrate my 21st birthday (again!) Training some young pyromaniacs...

Lily is transfixed by the fire...

The fireworks were brilliant. Thanks to everyone for brining such a monster selection. Here's the Catherine Wheel finale. You can watch it on YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECQmIQ4oD6U

Cheers for all the great pressies and cards. Here's Lisa showing off my new hat, brought all the way from Afganistan.

Yet another great Bonfire Party. Cheers Everyone and see you next year.

Chilli Making

We are getting ready for the Bonfire Party tomorrow. Lisa is helping me make the Chilli. Here she is chopping mushrooms...

Swanage - Old Harry Rocks

A last paddle in the sea at Swanage... Then we drove round to Studland and walked out to Old Harry's Rocks. Lisa cheking out the cliffs...

This is as close as we could get Karen to the edge...

Swanage - Corfe Castle

We took the Steam Train to Corfe Castle... The Amazing Balloon Lady making Lisa's giraffe...

Lisa with her balloon giraffe at the entrance to Corfe Castle...

Picnic at the castle. Great weather for late October...

Joe likes it...

Lisa dreaming of being the princess in the castle...

The station master passing on the mail (the train stopped anyway, but it looks good!)

Me and Joe on the train back to Swanage...

A couple of train spotters!

Swanage - Brownsea Island

Three days in Swanage - Lisa checking out our cottage... Swanage sea front...

We took a trip to beautiful Brownsea Island. My last trip was in 1979 on a Sea Scout camping trip.

We spotted a couple of red squirrels...

And back to our old stome cottage...

Halloween Disco

Two witches off to the halloween disco...

Lisa and Joe

Some late summer pictures of Lisa and Joe. Here's Joe tucking into his dinner on the patio... Lisa wearing some of her birthday presents!!!

Joe loves doing the washing...

Lisa in her new Rainbow outift...

Joe being Joe...

Lisa 6th Birthday Party

Lisa's 6th birthday today. She invited 20 friends to her Angelina Ballerina Party...Dancing Competition...

And more dancing....

Party Tea in the garden...

Neve and Lisa tucking in...

A brief moment of peace.....

And the amazing chocolate birthday cake (made by Karen with Grandma's secret family recipe!)....

Joe enjoying some of that beautiful birthday cake...

Animal Games. Pretend you are a penguin....

It was a great party. Thanks to everyone for coming and for brining all those great pressies...