And up go the decorations.

Well it's almost December and we have a child so decorations have spontaneously appeared in and outside our house.  I did the heavy lifting and now Jacqui and Dan are sticking the pretty bits on as appropriate.

Dan's Birthday 2015, belated post due to aliens

Dan's birthday was a simple thing at our house this year, he had a few friends and all the children got dressed up.  Then they got too hot and lost the costumes.  Our friends lent us a bouncy castle which we dumped in the basement and Jacqui organised some cookie decorating.

Dan had a great time and he got some excellent gifts from his friends.

Ian, Norah and Brendan play castles in the play room.

Dan and Rhys play dinosaurs.

William and Noah are discovered under the table football.

The social set socialise.

Preschool pileup.

Richard gets his fingers bruised.

And we're done, sugar rush has dissipated, friends have left, just enough energy to watch tv.

Thanks everyone. 

Birthday Stroll for Jacqueline.

We went out for a bracing walk this afternoon around Lois Hole park.

It was a bit cold but we stopped halfway at the Enjoy Centre for cake which helped enormously.

There were hundreds of geese flying round and landing on Big Lake right next to us, which was pretty cool.

Dan handled it pretty well given that he is jet lagged and therefore it was like a long walk at 10 pm for him

Successful Morning

We got Dan a train set for his birthday, and this morning we put it up on its legs where we wanted it. It needs a fair bit of tlc but it's perfectly serviceable for a five year old.

Jacqui and I have started negotiations regarding whose responsibility it is. I asked her if she wanted to fix it up and arrange things, she countered with 'I'm not good at finicky things'. I have unilaterally declared it to be something 'fun' for her and Dan to do.

I shall be employed to glue things, screw things and do things as required.

The Night Before the Triumphant Return

His generous aunt Carolyn sent me some cool pictures of Dan before he went to bed.

I have to say I missed him and his mum. But she didn't write me a letter so I missed him more.

Fun in the Leaves

Dan with his cousins Tom, Edie & Jake, enjoying the autumn weather and the huge piles of nature. I assume Erin was taking the pictures :)

Dan at the Farm.

Couple of pics of Dan (probably:) ) enjoying a farm in deepest England.