DPP Day Six and Seven: St Nicholas :: Doula Work

 The Tomten put in their annual appearance for St Nicholas Day:

A warm beanie for Ben with a rechargeable integrated head light, great for work given the current weather!

A Pokemon squishy character for Pip.

It was Mum's last morning with us until she returns in two weeks time for Pip's birthday and Christmas.  I made a yummy polenta bolognese bake for lunch which meant reduced washing up at tea time!

The sauce had the added flavour of smoked paprika and the polenta mix was made with milk, a stock cube and dairy free cheese in the mix and then sprinkled on the top - it was really good.

For the first time in aeons we actually managed to play a family board game after tea - Carcassone is an all round favourite:

Today has been a work day for me and I successfully completed my online safeguarding course (not a great subject to undertake but needs must 😕) and submitted my final written piece on continuous professional development.  All that remains is for me to submit two videos:

One outlining the various stages of labour including a demonstration of a baby descending through the pelvis in the second stage of labour - for this I need to purchase a doll and pelvis! 

The other demonstrating positioning of a baby in regards to breastfeeding using a breastfeeding aid AKA a knitted boob!  My crafting skills have come in handy in this regard 😂 

During my work break I treated myself to some knitting time.  Mum H treated me to some West Yorkshire Spinners Yarn in the Zandra Rhodes design and colour-way Forest Stripes.

December Photo Project: St Nicholas

As usual the Tomten came to visit, but sadly not in their regular slot in front of a wood burning stove.  We all miss the burner and are saving the pennies to have another one installed at some point :-)

The St Nicholas treats were well received:

 Early bird Pip had hers made before Ben :-)

Pip should have been on a school visit to the zoo today but due to the bad weather it was cancelled.  Needless to say everyone was disappointed, but spirits were soon lifted when icon painting was the order of the day!  The usual maths and English lessons were given in the morning and then it was art in the afternoon.  The plan is to take a photo of the images and then convert them into cards to sell.  Pip has plans for her icon and that is to send it to Sr Emma in Spain.

Happy St Nicholas Day x

 

December Photo Project: St Nicholas Drawing And Gifts

Pip had fun drawing St Nicholas and writing a note for her best buddy Beth :-)  I am sure she will love to open her package on St Nicholas Day:

 

December Photo Project :: Day Six ~ Kid Capers

Like synchronised swimmers they both remembered to "strike a pose" as Madonna would say!  Two very funny crazy dudes :-)

The St Nicholas treats went down a storm and how fortuitous that Nanna and Grandad N ( my parents) were visiting.  Pip enthusiastically shared her new knitting book and wool and with Nanna's supervision learned to cast on, measure and make a start on a knitted case for my phone 💜

Benedict made his signature "Leek and Potato Soup", almost as good as Aunty Mo's ~ God rest her soul and whilst the soup was cooking I managed to rustle up some St Nicholas biscuits.  I did not make a large batch of dough so they were star as opposed to saint shaped!  They went down well and my dad even asked for the recipe, so they must have been good :-)

 Happy St Nicholas Day 🎅

December Photo Project :: Day Five ~ The Tomten

Last year the rain and floods came and the power went out!  This year all has been calm and we even had blue skies today :-)  We wished Nanna H a Happy Birthday and Ben played the song on a keyboard app on his tablet!

Once the kids had settled and the house was still the Tomten came to help tidy around and fill the shoes with good things to eat, read and do.  This wee chap could not help himself and settled down for a spot of late night knitting ... 

 Happy St Nicholas Eve!

St Nicholas Day

Our St Nicholas activities were spread out over two days since Pip was away for most of the day with her Rainbow group.  In addition to a book each and chocolate coins Benedict and Pip woke to these two helpers sitting by the hearth:

 Two Jule Tomten

Pip's book was this one and Benedict's was this one. 

Pip and I made our St Nicholas biscuits after lunch today:

 Look who is helping ...

 ... her new friend.

 Santa and his sack.

 The finished yummy biscuits.

DPP :: Day Five and Six ~ Visiting and St Nicholas

Yesterday we visited family in Cumbria, it was not one of our usual trips as the sole purpose was to assist in the burial arrangements of Dave's Uncle Bernard.  He had been sick for many years and his health had begun to deteriorate quite markedly, yet despite this none of us had been prepared for so sudden a death. It looks like he died in his sleep and for that we are all grateful.

Whilst Dave and the others were trawling through paperwork, the kids and I went on a car ride to the coast road and then on to furness abbey for a look around.  We could not enter the grounds for it was near closing time and I did not have my Dad's resident pass which would have enabled a free entry for us all; mind you it was also blowing a gale and very cold, so we admired the ruins from the warmth of the car!

After our brief jaunt we called in to see Mum, Dad, Kath and Gracie:

Pip really enjoyed playing with her niece and the shape sorter box and I had loads of kisses and cuddles!  Mind you, this baba is a quick mover and doesn't sit still for long, she is an expert crawler!

It was St Nicholas Day today.  We were so tired last night that I did not remind the children to place their shoes in the hearth, but the good saint was kind and left a chocolate treat and the customary book in the bedrooms instead.  It was quite sweet listening to Pip's little squeals of excitement when she found her treasures including a note from the man himself. 

After Pip's art lesson and once the lunch pots had been cleared and washed, Benedict and Pip sat down to watch "Miracle on 34th Street" and afterwards we all enjoyed a steaming mug of cocoa and a small piece of chocolate:

As I type it is way past my bedtime and I am forcing myself to stay awake by knitting!  You've guessed it I am currently on Diabetes Watch!  In the past hour, I have ran several blood tests, completed an emergency sub cut injection to bring down dangerously high blood sugars and also stuck another needle in Benedict as a result of a full set change on the pump.  Poor guy he woke exhausted and feeling very sick and looking quite green.  Thankfully a cup of peppermint tea took the edge off the sickness and his blood sugars are slowly coming down.  With a bit of luck I should be in bed around half one!

DPP * Day Six ~ St Nicholas

As is customary we left our shoes in front of the fire and Benedict left a note stuffed inside his shoe:

L-R Sara's biker boots, Dad's slippers, Benedict's trainers and Pip's pink shoes.  I was the last one to bed so I hadn't at that point added my slippers!

 

 

 

We woke to find coins for everyone and for the younger members two pairs of slipper socks and the customary reading book.

 

 

 

 

Benedict was eager to read the reply from St Nicholas and then the conversation went like this:

 

B - How come there wasn't the small box of Lego, that I'd asked for, you know The  Lord of The Rings?

 

Me - Remember St Nicholas relies on others to continue the good work of gift giving and we do that at Christmas time.

 

B - Yeah, I forgot about that ... pause ... now I remember, it'll be the same as last year.

 

Me - The same?

 

B - Yeah, the present fairy silly!!!

 

 

Oh to be a child again!  By this time Pip was downstairs and was surprised to see the items stuffed in her shoe.  She was especially pleased with her stripey socks:

 



 

... and enjoyed eating one of her gold coins.

 

 

We opened the appropriate day on our Jacquie Lawson advent calendar courtesy of Dorina

 

 

Thanks for thinking of us!

 

 

 

 

After breakfast and clear up time, Pip and I rolled up our sleeves and made our speculatius biscuits:

 

 

Mixing and Stirring.

 

 

 

Rolling and Cutting.

 

 

Whilst the sweet biscuits were baking, I made some cheese dough to make star biscuits:

 



 

 

 

 



They were a great addition to our leek and potato soup.

 

 

Pip who is usually such an enthusiastic eater refused her lunch and had hardly touched her breakfast, it didn't take me long to work out what was going on, for she was suddenly sick everywhere!  Thankgoodness for washing machines, tumble driers and wooden floors.  As I write she has been in bed since 6pm which is incredibly early for her, I do hope she sleeps soundly as the rest would do her and me good ~ she has a poorly tummy and I have a streaming cold, I'd give Rudolph a run for his money any day!

 

A quiet afternoon was the order of the day and we managed to keep warm by the fire and watch our planned treat for the day, "Miracle on 34th Street"