tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53120791877829061362024-03-13T06:16:46.957-07:00Adventures at HomeJulia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.comBlogger254125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-87978153453419436642015-09-10T02:52:00.001-07:002015-09-10T04:28:51.483-07:00Mini Lemon Meringue Pies (gluten-free and dairy-free)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v1Z1O4drxBk/VfFSzrI5x9I/AAAAAAAADKg/1dE1e_nslNw/s640/blogger-image--433385678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v1Z1O4drxBk/VfFSzrI5x9I/AAAAAAAADKg/1dE1e_nslNw/s640/blogger-image--433385678.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mini Lemon Meringue Pies</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Makes 12 gluten-free, dairy-free, very pretty pies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b>:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pastry</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">110g Gluten-free plain flour mix</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 pinch of gluten-free baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp Xanthum gum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 pinch of salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">55g block soya margarine like Pure</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 medium egg, beaten</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">splash of cold water (if dough too crumbly)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lemon</b> <b>filling</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">3 lemons, </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">zest and juice</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30g cornflour</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">125g caster sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">3 free-range</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> egg yolks (keep the whites for the meringue)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or cheat, and use <i>Gale's</i> Lemon Curd (which is both gf and df)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meringue</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3 </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">free-range large egg whites</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">170g caster sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">1.5 tsp</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> cornflour</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place the flour, salt, Xanthum gum, baking powder and margarine into a bowl and rub with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the egg and combine with hands to make a dough</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep an eye on the texture, you may need to add a little water if it's too crumbly</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Refrigerate for 20 mins</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roll out the dough using plenty of icing sugar to cover both work surface and rolling pin to prevent the dough sticking and to provide a little sweetness to the pastry</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut out 12 rounds using a cutter (or wine glass) and place each pastry circle into one of the cups of a 12 x cupcake baking tray. Do not grease the baking tray beforehand</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cover the tray with cling film and refrigerate the pastry cases for at least 30 mins before blind baking for 12 - 15 mins at 180c</span></li>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To blind bake, fold a sheet of baking parchment in half, then thirds, and then draw around your cutter on the top face. Cut your folded parchment along the line of the circle created by drawing round your cutter thus cutting out 12 circles at once. Pop one parchment circle on top of each pastry case and weigh it down using baking beans (not baked beans) if you have them or use uncooked rice. After cooking the pastry blind for 12 - 15 mins, take off and discard the rice and parchment and return to the oven for a further 2 - 4 mins, until the cases are slightly golden.</span></li>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How to make the lemon filling</b> (if you're not short-cutting with shop-bought lemon curd)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">1. Mix the lemon zest and juice with the cornflour and stir to form a smooth paste. Bring to the boil 225ml of water, then add the lemon cornflour paste and stir over the heat until the mixture has thickened. Then remove from the heat</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and egg yolks and carefully whisk into the lemon mixture in the pan. Stir over a medium heat until thickened. Set aside for a few minutes and then pour into the baked pastry cases</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How to make the meringue</b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whisk the egg whites in a free-standing mixer until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the caster sugar a little at a time, still whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add the cornflour and whisk again.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pie construction and final bake</b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Reduce oven heat to 170c</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Spoon a generous dollop of the meringue on top of each lemon curd-filled pastry case, and spread it to completely cover the lemon filling. Then create a swirl on the top of each meringue-topped pie</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Bake in the oven for about 10 - 15 mins, until the filling is completely set and the meringue is lightly golden and crisp.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve hot or cold. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warning: these pies are so darn cute, they're almost too sweet to eat. Good luck.</span></div>
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-37823271042088192352015-05-05T11:54:00.001-07:002015-09-10T03:04:26.423-07:00Want to know what your children are into right now?<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<i><b>Get an honest insight into your kids' current interests, priorities and opinions without them feeling like they're being put on the spot.</b></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b><i><br></i></b></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--ED6m5AvQmY/VfFVZSw4GbI/AAAAAAAADKs/ZVqzKb4DGgE/s640/blogger-image--48372821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--ED6m5AvQmY/VfFVZSw4GbI/AAAAAAAADKs/ZVqzKb4DGgE/s640/blogger-image--48372821.jpg"></a></div> <br></i></b><div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Living in London, we don't use our car for day-to-day journeys, so when we get in it to go somewhere out of town, it's always a bit of a novelty. For my children, I'm pleased to say, it's a well known and looked forward to chance for chat, music and games. </span>A few days ago, when we were on a weekend car journey to visit family, I suggested we play a new game that I had just thought up and quickly decided to call 'My Top Three'. I find that a new game always has better status and chance of sticking if it arrives with a name, however hastily thought up.</div>
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I explained that to play the game we would take it turns to each choose a topic or theme or thing, and then everyone would take a minute to think about what their top three would be, ranking them accordingly. Well, they jumped at the chance of playing it and, youngest first as is often our way for deciding who starts, my daughter immediately came up with our first category. 'What are your Top Three... birds?' she asked, brilliantly. Well, we all took some time to think about it, and then we announced our answers and compared our choices. Here's what we all came up with:</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">D: #3 golden eagle, #2 robin, #1 penguin </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">B: #3 red kite, #2 hawk, #1 peregrine falcon</span></div>
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Me: #3 peacock, #2 pied wagtail, #1 robin</div>
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Then we went round and round the car, each choosing a different category like Top Three Cars, Top Three Days Out, Top Three Books, Top Three Smells, Top Three Toys, Top Three Things Daddy Does, and my son, somewhat out of the blue, suggested Top Three Plays by Shakespeare.</div>
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Now, you will probably not be so interested in what all our answers were - but play this with your nearest and dearest and you'll definitely be intrigued. Their answers may surprise you, they may even delight you or move you, like my children's answers did me. But one thing's for sure - they will give you an up-to-the-minute insight into what your children are about right now. </div>
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Try it, and see what's making your child's Top Three today. </div>
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<b><i>Way to Play : </i>Stay and Play</b></div>
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<i><b>Learning Opportunities:</b></i> speaking about one's own opinions and listening to those of others, taking turns, making thoughtful choices, respecting other people's choices, developing self-awareness and increasing knowledge of one's own and other's preferences</div>
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-44181390225560616242015-01-13T01:43:00.001-08:002015-01-13T01:43:37.474-08:00Turn your 2015 parenting resolutions into routine with The Playful Parent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O2OrgLwCvM0/VLQGD7e1EqI/AAAAAAAADJg/tknQFU3-wCI/s1600/The%2BPlayful%2BParent%2Bpostcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O2OrgLwCvM0/VLQGD7e1EqI/AAAAAAAADJg/tknQFU3-wCI/s1600/The%2BPlayful%2BParent%2Bpostcard.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It's about now, in mid-January, when any New Year's resolutions we might have made to help us make a fresh start, or better ourselves in some way or other, begin to waver. Maybe you've had a glass or two of wine by now, or skipped that last gym session, or bitten your nails - and grrrr... you'd promised yourself you weren't gonna do that in 2015. It's about now that most of us really need a bit of help; to really turn those resolutions into routine; to stop those chances to change becoming discarded and forgotten like yesterday's socks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I recently read a fascinating article <a href="http://flavorwire.com/496674/50-books-to-help-you-keep-your-new-years-resolutions">here</a>, by Emily Temple for <a href="http://flavorwire.com/">flavorwire.com</a>, which shared 50 books to inspire and keep you on the straight and narrow with your New Year resolutions. The list featured a pretty eclectic selection of fiction and non-fiction books to encourage you to travel more, watch less TV, play a musical instrument, learn a new language - there was even a book to get you thinking about living your life in an arboreal kingdom amongst the treetops. But, for me, there was a category missing; for anyone who's made a <i>parenting</i> New Year resolution this year. You don't often hear about those, and yet I know that many mums and dads have made them. These are the parents who are trying their best but still want to improve the way their family functions. They might have made a resolution to feel more empowered as a parent and less like the maid, to be more in control more of the time, to be more present, to play more with their children, to improve their family's communication, to yell less, to get frustrated less - or they might - dare I say it - have even made themselves a promise to try to <i>enjoy</i> being a parent more. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It is for those people, who have made, in my opinion, such noble New Year's resolutions - and who might by now be needing a source of inspiration - that I wish to add <i>The Playful Parent; 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives </i>to that list of books. There is no better time than now to plunder its pages for practical, non-patronising and positive ideas to help make the parenting of young children more of a pleasure and less of a chore this coming year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Here's the link to my book's website<i> <b><a href="http://www.theplayfulparent.co.uk/">The Playful Parent</a></b>, </i>and here are a few of my favourite reviews:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;"><i>'As a stay at home mum of two (4 years and 21 months) I thought this would be worth a read. I must admit I approached it with a slight skepticism, having read some pretty patronising and unrealistic 'how to do parenting' books, but I've been really very pleasantly surprised. It openly acknowledges the struggles we face in raising young children and juggling the chores of every day life, but passes no judgement, and offers loads of ideas of how to entertain your little ones without having to be giving them 100% of your attention all of the time. At the time of reading this, I'd been really struggling with my feisty 21 month old boy, and even just reading the introduction really inspired me and reminded me how very lucky I am!'</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;"><i>'This book is full of fun ideas, simple ideas and useful ideas. It will show you how to engage your kids when you have jobs to do, how to create invitations to play and to set up play very quickly. It encourages you to get involved and to make it easy for your child to access play independently too. It is a wise,fun and inspiring book and an easy, pleasant read.'</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><i>'I love the fact that this book is written by someone who clearly knows how kids work. It's refreshingly positive and offers such fun, interesting ways out of real, every day problems where both the parent and child can win. It's certainly a book that you can dip in and out of whenever you feel in a rut or lacking motivation. I have already adopted some of her ideas and found they have worked a treat.'</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">If you did make a parenting New Year resolution back on 1 Jan, I salute you, and wish you the very best of luck. Please keep me posted about how it's going - you can find me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/DeeringJulia">here</a> or on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adventures-At-Home/132875376760675?ref=hl">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I'd love to hear from you.</span></div>
Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-42072486252279639782014-07-22T01:50:00.000-07:002014-07-22T01:54:00.319-07:00Little chefs and The Playful Parent cook up a storm <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XfMw70ezE8/U84X4c5Ri8I/AAAAAAAADHM/jNMY3DOEH1g/s1600/book+in+Geffrye+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XfMw70ezE8/U84X4c5Ri8I/AAAAAAAADHM/jNMY3DOEH1g/s1600/book+in+Geffrye+shop.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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On Sunday I spent the day at the wonderful <a href="http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/">Geffrye Museum</a> promoting my book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Playful-Parent-Julia-Deering/dp/0007512406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400788984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playful+parent"><i>The Playful Parent: 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives</i>.</a> The shop sold out of their stock - so I guess it went well!</div>
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I set up an activity from the book, an <i><a href="http://www.theplayfulparent.co.uk/the-7-ways-to-parent-with-play/invitations-play-7-ways-play/">invitation to play</a></i>, where younger children could come and take part in some <i>let's pretend</i> cooking using home-made lavender or fresh mint play-dough, herbs, leaves and petals from the museum's gorgeous garden.</div>
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My daughter was a fantastic help, charming the little chefs in a way that no grown-up could. She chatted with them, and made them feel right at home in the little nature kitchen gazebo. They rolled, stirred, tore, squished, cut, and smelled the dough, herbs and flowers and made some wonderful 'food', leaving their grown-ups relatively free to chat with me about the recipe for the play-dough (in the book) - and how these set-ups can work at home to develop young children's independence and help them find their playful flow.</div>
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Some older children visited the stall too and, though the tables <i>were</i> a little small for them, they happily stayed and made some very photogenic food with the goodies - from posh canapes to nature pizza.<br />
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It was great to meet so many lovely children and their grown-ups, and to have the opportunity to do my bit towards making the world of parenting a more playful place. Thanks to everybody who came to play!<br />
<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-62143804683793530822014-07-19T04:38:00.000-07:002014-07-19T04:38:11.502-07:00Book signing at The Geffrye Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm delighted to have a stall at <a href="http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/events/children-families/weekend-activities-family-days/">The Geffrye Museum's Family Day</a> tomorrow. If you're in the area, do pop by, and say hi. I'll be running a special nature kitchen especially for little chefs, and signing copies of <b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Playful-Parent-Julia-Deering/dp/0007512406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400788984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playful+parent">The Playful Parent: 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives.</a></b></div>
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<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-80298204006634707832014-07-04T07:02:00.000-07:002014-07-04T07:24:03.979-07:00DIY haute couture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A friend just posted this wonderful video on <i>Facebook</i> and I've watched it about ten times already. It may not exactly be a 'how-to' demo - but it <i>is</i> totally inspiring. Who wouldn't be tempted into making a miniature glamorous outfit or two after seeing such a beautiful film? </div>
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HOW CAN WE RECREATE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN?</div>
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It isn't impossible to achieve this kind of experience at home with the kids. I'm not promising the immaculately appointed, soft-focus studio of course but with just a bit of child-friendly kit and using this little <i>Dior</i> video for inspiration, it is possible to get children designing and making their own mini-outfits independently, without using any needles, pins or even scissors. Here's how:</div>
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THE KIT</div>
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<i>Mini-mannequins:</i></div>
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I absolutely love these little mannequins from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandai-30560-Harumika-Starter-Set/dp/B0026FBQCI/ref=sr_1_3?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1404465371&sr=1-3&keywords=mannequin+set+toy">Harumika</a>. They make dress-designing satisfyingly simple for the littlest of hands and the most creative of minds. This is due to the ingenious addition of a thin rubber-lined slit that runs down the back of each mannequin. Each kit comes with a little paddle that helps tuck in and secure materials into the slit, so there's no need for any cutting, pinning or stitching at all.</div>
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<i>Fabrics:</i></div>
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Our local art, craft and fabric shop has a huge basket of handkerchief-sized (and smaller) off-cuts that cost between five and thirty pence. My children love rummaging through it and choosing a few pieces of material whenever we visit. Add to any fabric pieces you have, a few ribbons and sticky gems or sequins and that's really everything you'll need to get those couture creations off the ground.</div>
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THE EXPERIENCE</div>
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<i>Creating the dresses: </i></div>
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Arrange the fabrics, ribbons and any other little goodies you might have to hand on a clear and clean work surface along with a mini-mannequin or two, and let the making begin. If you lose your paddles, a lolly stick or the handle of a teaspoon work equally well. If your child is unsure about how to get started, try asking them to design something for themselves or someone they know well and suggest a few scenarios for which to design a costume. Perhaps they could make a dress for a wedding party, a special lunch, a red carpet event, a garden party, a book launch, a Halloween party, a winter ball, a job interview, a rock festival or a birthday bash, for example.</div>
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<i>Keeping the creations:</i></div>
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Once an outfit has been made, your child will probably want to make another straight away - it is quite addictive. Be sure to take a photo (or even a little video) showing the outfit from a few angles before it's disassembled. This way there'll be a record of its unique design and if they want to make it again in the future the photograph can be used to jog their memory.</div>
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Enjoy the video and why not have a go at making some mini-couture outfits with your little ones. If <i>Dior</i> can do it, so can our kids, right?</div>
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Here are some of my children's couture creations made with our <i>Harumika</i> mannequins.</div>
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-6104016050353911212014-06-27T06:03:00.000-07:002014-06-27T06:03:11.939-07:00The Playful Parent promo premiere!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Want to know more about my book </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Playful-Parent-creative-under-fives/dp/0007512406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403872877&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playful+parent">The Playful Parent: 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives</a></b></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">? Well here to tell you, as well as a rather nervous me, is my very confident daughter Daisy! She knows ALL about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This promotional video was filmed and edited by Paul Roscouet, and the music is by m</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">y husband Rob Deering - with vocals from our son Buddy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information visit <a href="http://www.theplayfulparent.co.uk/">www.theplayfulparent.co.uk</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can now follow me on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/DeeringJulia">@DeeringJulia </a></span></div>
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<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-2156825237535897642014-06-24T00:56:00.000-07:002014-06-24T00:56:55.056-07:00All the fun (and physics) of the fair!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZBdPXZSMhQ/U6gzpxL2C-I/AAAAAAAADE0/Yc0aDd8IjPQ/s1600/Carter's+Steam+Fair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZBdPXZSMhQ/U6gzpxL2C-I/AAAAAAAADE0/Yc0aDd8IjPQ/s1600/Carter's+Steam+Fair.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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This weekend, Carter's Steam Fair came to our lovely local park, and we spent an exciting couple of hours there on Sunday afternoon. Carter's is always a huge hit with my two children. Personally, I love the traditional-looking rides, the bright retro-colours and the 1950s music; the vintage feel of whole thing ticks all my boxes. Bud and Daisy, however, are much more taken with choosing how to spend their £10.00 as quickly as they can, and seeing how many extra times I'll allow them to go on the dodg'ems after all their money's been spent.</div>
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As a teacher with a science background I can't help but take the chance to chat with my children about the physics of the funfair whenever we're there. I do try to let them enjoy the super-swirling, scream-inducing, tacky-prize-obtaining opportunities as well; I promise I don't get <i>too</i> nerdy and spoil the fun. But being at an old-fashioned fair such as Carter's really does provide a fantastic excuse to talk about some real-life applications of the laws of physics and mechanics and, of course, to experience them in brilliant, hair-raising style. </div>
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If Carter's, or a similar type of traditional fair, comes to your town - try talking with your kids about the science behind the rides while you take a look around. You don't need to know much yourself; just by asking the right kinds of questions, you'll be getting them thinking about the physics behind the fun, and this will definitely fire-up their enthusiasm for scientific enquiry. And, after they've been on the rides, they'll be able to tell you, first-hand, about the effects of physics on their bodies. My son, for example, says he never wants to go on the chair-swing ride again - he hates the spinning-out feeling apparently (no future as an astronaut then) - whereas, my daughter absolutely loves it; NASA, here she comes! Buddy was more at home behind the wheel, displaying a natural instinct and unbridled joy on the dodg'ems; judging when to avoid, steer into or anticipate the inevitable collisions of other cars. Daisy, not driving and therefore with no control over what happened to the car, was hilariously surprised by practically every bump; she screamed and whooped nearly the whole time. </div>
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Here are a few questions you could ask your children when you're at an old-fashioned funfair:</div>
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1. Take a close look at any steam-powered engines working the rides: </div>
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<li>What's making the steam?</li>
<li>How does the steam make the ride move?</li>
<li>What fuel is heating the water to make the steam?</li>
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2. Try the person-powered swing-boats:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LBxiklC0FyA/U6iTvlLj0EI/AAAAAAAADFM/XE12eyDh3zg/s1600/swing+pully.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LBxiklC0FyA/U6iTvlLj0EI/AAAAAAAADFM/XE12eyDh3zg/s1600/swing+pully.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<li>What did the fairground attendant have to do to help us get on the swing without it moving?</li>
<li>Look up! Why do we have to hold each other's ropes - and not our own?</li>
<li>How do we make our swing go higher and higher?</li>
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3. Experience the centrifugal force on the chair-swing ride:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lwuQS5-S7o/U6iTrS-6FyI/AAAAAAAADFE/S-FlsCM-rHY/s1600/chair+ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lwuQS5-S7o/U6iTrS-6FyI/AAAAAAAADFE/S-FlsCM-rHY/s1600/chair+ride.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<li>What happened to us, and our chairs, as the ride started spinning?</li>
<li>Why did our chairs keep moving up and out from the centre of the ride?</li>
<li>What does it feel like to be on the ride?</li>
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4. Experience collision/motion physics on the dodg'ems:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMl468H6nq0/U6iTzj4s5KI/AAAAAAAADFU/zRbYq2ucW6U/s1600/dodgems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMl468H6nq0/U6iTzj4s5KI/AAAAAAAADFU/zRbYq2ucW6U/s1600/dodgems.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<li>What happened to your car when you went into the back of another?</li>
<li>Was it different to when someone when into the back of you?</li>
<li>What happened to your car when there was a side-by-side collision?</li>
<li>Why did that man's hat fall off when his car collided with another?</li>
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At home, we've made all kinds of mini-fairground rides - from up-turning and spinning an umbrella as a merry-go-round for small soft toys and whizzing the salad-spinner to give others a centrifugal-force-experience, to demonstrating the exciting effects of collision on friction-free motion using a tray covered with a layer of ice and a few matchbox toy cars.</div>
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I'd love to know what else we could try. Do leave any ideas in the comments box.</div>
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You can find details about other family-friendly funfair physics facts and investigations here:</div>
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<a href="http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/assets/Documents/teachers-guide-fairground-physics.pdf">Fairground Physics </a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hometrainingtools.com/a/amusement-park-physics">Amusement Park Physics</a></div>
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<a href="http://sciencenetlinks.com/afterschool-resources/fun-forces/">Fun with Forces</a></div>
<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-52949048395976198162014-06-02T02:02:00.001-07:002014-06-02T04:10:56.946-07:00Out 5 June: THE PLAYFUL PARENT; 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xy6V_hhkGig/U4w46gJQpTI/AAAAAAAADEc/atj1bR3NVWc/s1600/The+Playful+Parent+postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xy6V_hhkGig/U4w46gJQpTI/AAAAAAAADEc/atj1bR3NVWc/s1600/The+Playful+Parent+postcard.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
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Some of you may already know that my book <b>THE PLAYFUL PARENT;<i> 7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives</i></b> is released this week. I am beyond excited to the point of feeling a little sick every time I think about it. It's been over two years in the making - just one neglected blog and a somewhat nocturnal life later...</div>
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The book is designed to help parents and caregivers of children (aged 2 - 5) use play every day as a powerful tool to parent smarter, and to help them enjoy - not endure - the messy early years of childhood. It's for parents who aren't as blog/website savvy as you lovely followers of <b>Adventures at Home </b>and who think they may have forgotten how to play, who are fearful of craft, who hate yelling at their kids and who don't want to use the naughty step.</div>
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I know you are already brilliantly playful parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and the like - but I hope you'll find something in my book that makes spending time with any little ones in your life happier, calmer and more creative. I want to make the world of parenting a more playful place. Help me spread the word. </div>
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Thank you.</div>
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Out 5 June: <b>THE PLAYFUL PARENT; <i>7 ways to happier, calmer, more creative days with your under-fives</i></b>. You can pre-order your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Playful-Parent-Julia-Deering/dp/0007512406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400788984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playful+parent">here:</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Playful-Parent-Julia-Deering/dp/0007512406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400788984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+playful+parent"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xy6V_hhkGig/U4w46gJQpTI/AAAAAAAADEc/atj1bR3NVWc/s1600/The+Playful+Parent+postcard.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">"I have had a sneak preview and it's blimmin brilliant - chock full of ideas of games to play and things to do with your little ones. Most importantly, the ideas are tried and tested and DO-ABLE (n</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">o Pinterest-type fails here!)" </b><span style="font-size: x-small;">N Lasocki (parent of two children under-five)</span></span></div>
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-52613256121316024352014-05-13T05:14:00.001-07:002014-05-13T05:14:35.902-07:00An investigation station<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our occasional investigation station is back, and it has a new theme - the seashore. It was easy to set up thanks to the wonderful finds we brought back from our recent trip to Dunraven Bay in Wales. My two little nature-lovers have been tempted into this activity again and again simply by my setting out the equipment and specimens invitingly and leaving everything there, ready when they are. Here's what's available:</div>
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1. A collection of small rocks, minerals, pebbles and fossils.<br />
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2. A selection of shells.<br />
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3. A piece of drift wood.<br />
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4. Prepared slides with plant material.<br />
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4. A mini-torch.<br />
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5. Hand-held magnifiers.<br />
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6. A microscope.<br />
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7. A handmade rock-pool<i> I Spy</i> poster (made on location in Wales).<br />
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8. A wild flower pocket book.<br />
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9. A copy of the <i>Spotter's Guide to the Seashore.</i><br />
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It hasn't taken long for the children to work out that if you want to use the microscope successfully you have to have <i>very</i> thin slices of material to enable light to travel through. In other words, the pebbles and shells, it turns out, must be viewed using the torch and the magnifying glasses - not shoved under the lens of the microscope. </div>
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But, whether using the microscope or the magnifiers, there have been ooo-s and ahh-s aplenty, and it's been a great opportunity to investigate our favourite bit of seashore on a very different scale.</div>
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<img height="300" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/10259751_10152063948343027_2762931369808376340_n.jpg" width="400" />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-66357892571720539872014-04-29T10:16:00.000-07:002014-04-29T10:16:24.813-07:00Biology for beginners<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">We're just back from our beloved <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southerndown">Dunraven Bay</a>; a favourite holiday spot for us, where </span><span style="text-align: left;">we always have adventures</span><span style="text-align: left;">. We've been so many times now that I can track the growing up of my children by simply recalling what we got up to when we were there in previous years. I remember the buggy-on-the-sand struggles, the sandy nappy changes, the one-toe-in-the-sea-and-that-was-enough paddles. My children would dig in the sand, and play with shells and pebbles along with their toy cars and figures. They loved to waddle in the sand-pool shallows, and they would use their buckets for all kinds of busy fetching and carrying. A little more sophisticated this year, their activities included intrepid body-boarding in the icy cold sea, ambitious sand-fort and moat building, confident and nimble rock rambling, fastidious fossil hunting, film-making with Action Man, and proper rock-pooling - with an identification book and everything.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Using our tattered <i><a href="http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~NH~NC~614/spotters-guides-seashore.aspx">Spotter's Guide to the Seashore</a></i> took me back to the biology field-trips of my undergraduate years. Is there anything more satisfying than finding which particular sea-lavender or limpet you've just found by flicking through the pages of such a book, checking the particular shape, colour or markings on leaf or shell? No? Well, I know not everyone gets a buzz from it - but I really do. While I hoped I was passing on my enthusiasm for ecology to the children, I also knew I needed to hold back a little</span><span style="text-align: left;">. I didn't, for example, push them to count and record the number of bladders on seaweed samples in ten different rock-pools, or mark out 50cm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrat">quadrats</a> for them to study biodiversity up and down the shoreline with the <i>Usborne</i> pocket book in hand. Those joys must surely wait another year or two.</span><br />
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Indeed the best biological thing we learned about the seashore habitat didn't come from a book at all. Paddling in the sea, as the tide was coming in, we spotted a hermit crab tumbling in with the waves. As the water retreated, the crab emerged from its whelk shell and resisted being pulled back into the sea with its characteristic sideways walk. This was amazing enough - Daisy named it <i>Swirly</i> because of the captivating way it let itself tumble and swirl with the incoming water, and we watched it repeat its trick over and over. Imagine then how exciting it was to discover at least fifteen more hermit crabs - all equidistant from each other (about 2m apart) - doing exactly the same thing as <i>Swirly</i>, like they were on parade or something. We ran up and down the beach waving and jumping at each other every time we found one; the shells punctuated the smooth sand like a row of fullstops; it was incredibly cool. For my own interest, I've been searching the internet to see if there have been any studies on this kind of tidal behaviour of hermit crabs (sad, I know) - but for my children, it will simply be the magical discovery of the crabs on parade that they'll remember. They need biology for beginners for now - so I can leave its <i>formalisation</i> to the hermit crabs because, it seems, they're absolutely brilliant at it. </div>
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-75407838826657687902014-04-17T02:56:00.000-07:002014-04-17T02:56:46.289-07:00How to make your own Faberge eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VbBwsW2DrlM/U0-dpvgGNhI/AAAAAAAADDE/YWiFkx6ugdw/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VbBwsW2DrlM/U0-dpvgGNhI/AAAAAAAADDE/YWiFkx6ugdw/s1600/006.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love making up craft kits to give as gifts to people I know to be keen makers. Here's one we recently created for my daughter's friend's birthday. She's eight years old, enjoys making things, and loves a bit of sparkle and glamour. We think this kit will hit the spot and go down a treat.</div>
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Here's what went into the kit:</div>
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1. a pack of polystyrene craft eggs</div>
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2. glitter glue pens in assorted colours</div>
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3. a couple of packets of foil sticker stars</div>
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4. two packets of stick-on gems</div>
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5. a trimmed section of an egg-box and a cocktail stick to fashion into a stand for the egg being decorated</div>
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6. a picture of some <i>Faberge</i> eggs for inspiration</div>
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<a href="http://b-i.forbesimg.com/anthonydemarco/files/2013/03/FJ-Egg-Coloured-Gemstone-Moodshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://b-i.forbesimg.com/anthonydemarco/files/2013/03/FJ-Egg-Coloured-Gemstone-Moodshot.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
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<i>[image from www.forbes.com]</i></div>
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And here's the kit box - decorated by my daughter...<br />
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Of course, we are now desperate to have a go ourselves, and as it's coming up Easter I think we've got a great reason to make some time to decorate some eggs - <i>Faberge</i>-style. </div>
Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-78600632403296980352014-02-27T01:38:00.000-08:002014-02-27T01:38:10.311-08:00The Lego Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Although I adored my children throughout the baby and toddler years and marvelled at them during the preschool phase, </span><span style="text-align: justify;">when we held a </span><span style="text-align: justify;">birthday party for for my son on Sunday, </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I couldn't help but enjoy just how clever, well-mannered and sophisticated they are now that they're big kids</span><span style="text-align: justify;">. His party had a Lego<i> </i>theme - hence the birthday brick-cake efforts above - and we took a bunch of his friends to the cinema to see, you guessed it, <i>The </i></span><i><span style="text-align: justify;">Lego</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></i><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Movie</i>. To top and tail the party we simply put out all our Lego bricks and let the guests make what they would. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">This worked out brilliantly; everybody wanted to make something. It's safe to say we have entered a new phase of parenting - the Lego </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Years; it really does </span><span style="text-align: justify;">seem to be my son's go-to toy at the moment. It never fails to </span><span style="text-align: justify;">lure him in to some wonderfully imaginative, construction-based play. Our mantra of the moment is definitely: <i>if in doubt, get the Lego out.</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">To find out whether he feels this is true, and to see what else he really likes, aged nine, we decided to interview him just as with our daughter </span><a href="http://home-adventurer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/made-with-love.html" style="text-align: justify;">here</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> when she turned six. The interview took place during a sunny bike ride round the park when we talked about a whole lot of other interesting stuff too - lively conversation seems to come easily when we're pedal pals.</span><br />
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<i>Yummiest food:</i> cheese and ham omelette</div>
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<i>Favourite word:</i> 'basically' and 'deny'</div>
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<i>Pudding choice:</i> chocolate fudge cake</div>
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<i>Best toy:</i> new cuddly minion, old pink hippo and <i>Snowy</i> the bear. Lego<i> </i>comes second after soft toys</div>
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<i>Pattern preference</i>: tartan (any clan)</div>
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<i>Favourite music:</i>YMCA (minions' version)</div>
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<i>Coolest outfit:</i> kilt, with sporran, worn with Olympics 1948 T-shirt</div>
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<i>Best film:</i> Tomorrow Never Dies, Despicable Me II and The Lego Movie</div>
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<i>Favourite book</i>: Casper Candlewax and the time-travelling toaster</div>
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Happy Birthday to my gorgeous curly-haired boy.</div>
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<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-28704852977417624962014-02-04T03:34:00.000-08:002014-02-04T03:34:01.324-08:00The reluctant ramblers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The big news on Sunday morning was that, for once, it wasn't raining. So I hatched a plan to get us out and under those blue skies for as long as possible; to meet Daddy at King's Cross station where he'd be arriving on the 14:02 from Edinburgh. If that doesn't sound like we'd be getting much sunshine, well, let me tell you the cunning nature of this little outing - we were going to get there <i>on foot</i>. It was to be an urban ramble, if you like - but with a goal, a purpose - and the reward of seeing Daddy. This concept seemed to sell the idea to my children anyway. That and showing them some of the delicious snacks in my backpack and the promise of a hot chocolate once we got there - I'm not stupid.</div>
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We set off a little after midday, snug in our walking boots and winter coats, ready for all the puddles, pavements and tow paths we might encounter - and headed towards the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_River_(England)">New River</a>. This took us right into the heart of Islington but kept us pretty nature-orientated for the first part of our ramble-with-a-mission. We saw a frog, two squirrels, a cat and three wood pigeons, and spotted snowdrops, smelled some crazily early jasmine and tested out a mini-waterfall feature for the fairies by sending down leaves like little rafts into the 'rapids'. There was also the best tree in N1 to be climbed. We never miss that one.</div>
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We left the green and pleasant New River path at Essex Road station and cut across to Upper Street past the <a href="http://www.littleangeltheatre.com/">Little Angel Theatre</a>. When we got to <a href="http://www.everymancinema.com/cinemas/screen-on-the-green/find-us">Screen on the Green</a> we made our way to Liverpool Road via <a href="http://www.ptea.co.uk/portfolio_housing_renewal_old_royal_free.html#">The Old Royal Free</a> residential development. <a href="http://www.richardcloudesleyscharity.org.uk/history/">Cloudesley Road</a> took us to Copenhagen Street and then we picked up the <a href="http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/regents-canal">Regent's Canal</a>. We wanted to find out more about the history of these places - and made a note to 'Google' them later; it was all very intriguing round there. My children loved checking the map with me as we made our way back to the water - it was rather unfortunate that the entire route seemed to fall right on the ring-binder between pages 48 and 49 of our <i>London A to Z</i>. Why does that always happen?</div>
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Once on the canal's tow path, we stopped for snacks and a drink then completed the final leg of our journey with renewed energy - all the way to <a href="http://www.newlondonarchitecture.org/project.php?id=635">Granary Square</a>. We rewarded ourselves with a well-deserved sit down and watched the wonderful water-fountain displays - which were really quite mesmerising and most relaxing. With mere minutes to spare, and very tired feet, I encouraged my now slightly moaning and reluctant-to-move ramblers along the pedestrianised boulevard and into the newly refurbished <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24274049">King's Cross </a>station - just in time to meet Daddy. I thought it had been a fantastic walk and, as you might predict, those hot chocolates went down a storm.</div>
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On the bus home, we calculated the length of our urban ramble. I turned to my daughter and proudly told her, 'Wow! Do you know, we walked three miles today! Isn't that amazing?' To which she replied, 'Whaa...? three miles? That's TERRIBLE! I can't believe I walked three miles.' And she placed her head in her hand, her hand on the bus window and closed her eyes.' Still a reluctant rambler then.</div>
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<br />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-55964199721676615852013-12-24T10:56:00.000-08:002013-12-24T10:56:35.421-08:00Advent adventure: 24th December<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the last drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Let's watch Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at <a href="http://www.sadlerswells.com/">Sadler's Wells</a></b></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-33486925039069329872013-12-23T10:05:00.000-08:002013-12-23T10:05:28.306-08:00Advent adventure: 23rd December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the twenty-third drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-42536314805184801202013-12-22T12:09:00.000-08:002013-12-22T12:09:05.900-08:00Advent adventure: 22nd December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the twenty-second drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Make your own gingerbread house</b></i></span><br />
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<i>[We used royal icing to stick everything together, and to look like snow, then decorated the whole house with marshmallows, chocolate buttons and lots of edible glitter]</i></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-67795209291351594782013-12-21T03:48:00.000-08:002013-12-21T03:48:14.873-08:00Advent adventure: 21st December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the twenty-first drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Let's decorate the tree!</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-8484933808941964102013-12-20T10:06:00.000-08:002013-12-20T10:06:22.167-08:00Advent adventure: 20th December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the twentieth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Use some festive stickers to make a comic strip story</b></span><br />
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<span style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><i>[Excerpts from brand new comic Bauble Weekly; the fantastic story of THE PENGUIN WHO FLEW! (above) and the sweet tale of a lost reindeer called SANTA'S SLEIGH STORY! (below)]</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-6994315031747540452013-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:002013-12-19T03:00:17.178-08:00Advent adventure: 19th December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the nineteenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<b>Design your very own bauble for the Christmas tree</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-56110248040145377502013-12-18T09:40:00.000-08:002013-12-18T09:40:22.388-08:00Advent adventure: 18th December<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the eighteenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Write cards for school friends and wrap gifts for teachers - tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas!</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-1795608500479172962013-12-17T09:07:00.000-08:002013-12-17T09:07:03.540-08:00Advent adventure: 17th December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the seventeenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Write your letter to Father Christmas</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><i>[This is an extract from my son's letter. I think the sweetness of it might just work in his favour, don't you?]</i></b></span></span></div>
Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-37481461952519434092013-12-16T01:30:00.000-08:002013-12-16T01:30:30.226-08:00Advent adventure: 16th December<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the sixteenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Learn to dance the Argentine Tango in the ballroom of the<i> <a href="http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/venues/venue-hire/venue-details/the-clore-ballroom">Royal Festival Hall</a></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-15927809933303141092013-12-15T08:19:00.000-08:002013-12-15T08:19:38.235-08:00Advent adventure: 15th December<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the fifteenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b>Go on a walk to find the best Christmas tree in town</b></span><br />
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<i>[We checked out (clockwise from top left) the Christmas trees at <a href="http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/">Somerset House</a>, <a href="http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/events-entertainment-culture/page/1">Covent Garden Piazza</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square">Trafalgar Square</a> and <a href="http://stpancras.com/christmas/">St Pancras station</a> and scored them according to their height, lights, decoration and situation]</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span>Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312079187782906136.post-30767814134315195872013-12-14T02:17:00.000-08:002013-12-14T02:17:16.072-08:00Adventure advent: 14th December<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Today we opened the fourteenth drawer of our tabletop Advent tree. Inside, my children found a tiny trinket to hang on one of its branches and a strip of paper upon which was written a fun and festive activity. There's one of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">these </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">for every day of Advent - I know that for sure because I came up with the twenty-four ideas, lovingly wrote them out and carefully placed one in each of the tree's diminutive drawers. Here's a photograph representing today's little Advent adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Sort out and set up our Nativity scene</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><i>[Daisy took this activity to a brilliantly imaginative place - there were auditions, judges and then the story was dramatised on camera. Here's a selfie of the actor playing Mary on set, just after the show]</i></b></span></span></div>
Julia Deeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17976582862736876026noreply@blogger.com0