Chickens in a box

The Christmas holidays started with a bang, literally, when James decided he couldn't take any more carols and took a nose dive off the back of our pew at St Martins and landed face-first on the concrete floor. Turning puce, he took an enormous breath in - just enough time for me to scrape him off the tiles and sprint for the door before the inevitable howl of pain. Fortunately no harm done other than a serious trout pout for a couple of days (seriously squidgy goodnight kisses). Since then, things haven't improved...Term-time is when I work, play and socialise but the holidays are a different ball game. Having both boys home has been a serious shock to the system, probably because William's started school so in the week the boys don't see each other very much and so now they're suddenly thrown together 24/7. I seem to spend most of the day breaking up constant fights, pulling Will up for being rude, trying to ignore/diffuse James' whinging and preventing e...

Today was a bit like a Christmas marathon. First up the nativity at St Martins, James stayed in a the temporary creche laid on by the school, clutching an apple and my ankle. Finally wrestling my way free, Sonya and I made a break for the stage and were swiftly enveloped in a sea of parents, clutching a plethora of digital recording devices all pointing in different directions. As ever, being at the back, the wrong side of the room and small, I couldn't see William at all. But all of a sudden, the backs parted and through the tiniest chink we caught each other's eye, grinned and waved. Suddenly it was all worthwhile. Onwards and upwards, back to the creche to pick up James (who was sabotaging the school computers) and have a coffee in the hall. Packed with parents and hyper-active children we didn't get very far in the queue and fled to the safety of home and superior coffee provided by Nespresso. Sonya went home, leaving James and I to our own devices; small boy with his l...

Such a beautiful day, so after breakfast we set off to Bedwyn on the train for a long walk to the Crofton Beam Engines along the canal.

The festivities are ramping up now, with Secret Santa at St Martins in the morning where each class was able to buy Mummys, Daddys and younger siblings a present (I dread to think what William has chosen for me, but he's terribly excited about it and keeps having to check on it...). Then over to Little Sunflowers for James' first nativity. Parents shivered and shuffled outside in the playground before being crammed into the tiny hall. Thank heavens I'm small and can fit comfortably into one of the children's chairs. James made a great king, wearing his costume (I never thought they'd even get it on him) and behaving beautifully. Eddie stood at the back taking photos while I craned through the sea of heads to catch a glimpse of the top of my son's head. All too soon it was over, time to down a mulled wine, woof a mince pie and lurch off to the next thing. In James' case, celebratory fish and chips.

Another bout of freezing weather this December, the roads are ice rinks and it even snowed just enough to go sledging in the playing fields. Lovely, and great fun - but with the schools closed and boys at home, it's made getting any work done a challenge!