Monday 28 November 2011

Yule Advent: Day 1.

So begins the count down to Yule.
I'm no where near as organised as I promised myself I would be.  The wooden advent train - still to paint it; but I wasn't going to allow that to prevent me from having a craft, trip, book, dvd etc planned for each day.
Today I planned for chocolate cookies; specifically using the mix Rye made up at the craft session on Saturday.  I really wanted to do this alone with Rye though, so I waited for the minded children to have their naps; so until then, the kids played and Rye entertained with his building skills, (and occasionally frustrated when he tried to take octons off C)

 A big, big plane.  A spit fire, he tells me.
 I was in the festive mood this morning; and finding the snowflake crochet book I bought a couple of weeks ago, I decided to have a go at one of the more ornate snowflakes.  This is unblocked, and I'm loving it... can't wait to see it all nice and blocked out!
 Changing over the season table to welcome the coming of Winter.  As time goes on, more greenery and the ivy and oak gnomes etc will be added.  The Hare represents the hare from the Luna Moon Hare story, in which the Hare carries the, at this time of the year, Oak King's crown in preparation for his battle with the Holly King  at the Solstice, in which the Oak King will be victorious, and thus bringing back the light; the Holly King will die, and the Hare will begin her journey again, carrying the Holly King's crown until midsummer.

This year as Rye is a wee bit older now, we'll act out this fight together.

 Anyhoos, the morning quickly passed, lunch was slurped and nom nomed over (veg soup and bread, followed by yoghurt with chocolate chips and honey), and soon the minded children were napping and it was cookie time.
 Rye measured out the marg.  I really must get better scales so he can see the numbers easier.
 I mixed the ingredients, Rye wasn't feeling confident in using the electric whisk, but he dolloped out the mixture onto the baking stone.  (Pampered chef - absolutely excellent, can't recommend these stones enough!)
 Yah!  He even did the washing up.  Fabulous.
 And 15 mins later, chocolate chip cookies.  Mmm, smelled lovely.  I was mean mummy/minder though.  J will have his cookie tomorrow as his mum is working an early shift this week and so goes home early, and C hadn't finished her pasta in time to have dessert, so I sent her home with a few in a bag.  Rye nomed his way through 2 with yummy slow cooked rice pudding.... and pestered me the rest of the evening for more.  I refused.  We are learning moderation where sugar is concerned!
 "Look Jacqui, this is you, and me".  Ahhh bless him.
 His attempt at a bird, which he then changed his mind and said was a plane.  :-)
 A house.
And the tester of a pattern I plan to use for pot holders for Yule/Xmas presents.  Really like the pattern, the african flower in the middle however needs to be made in non striping yarn, it doesn't work with striping yarn at all.  The granny clusters around the edge and the edging is fine, love that... but yeah; the shape of the flower in the middle is obscured with the change of colour in the striping.

We are surely being infected with the festive spirit here.  I've had harp yuletide music on all afternoon, I'm smiled frequently at our season table and it's felt deliciously cold enough that there is, finally, a real promise of winter in the air!

And oooh tomorrow's Yule Advent Day 2 trip should be amazing!


*smile*  I'll tell you all about it tomorrow/

1 comment:

Sandra Ann said...

Looking forward to reading your advent journey... Rye is such a sweetie, love the drawing of you and him. I don't feel inspired at all this year which is totally strange, I think I'm just totally worn out and threadbare!!

Advent Blessings to you both

san and co xx