Darcey's Delicious Day

Today, Darcey had a cracking cookie party to celebrate her fifth birthday.  

We began the festivities with a little bit of cookie decoration.  As you can see it required A LOT of concentration....

....especially when it came to positioning the sprinkles JUST RIGHT!

But the fruits of that labour were finger licking good.

The birthday girl with one of her beautiful biscuits.  Anyone like minded should note Katrina's amazing forethought in  providing aprons (co-ordinated with the table cloths) to protect the party clothes.  You may also notice Bea not wearing one....we like to take risks and challenge the washing machine!   However, when the bowls of Rice Krispies and melted chocolate came out she did request a blue apron but insisted at sitting at the red table, because it was Darcey's

The party food.

The beautiful birthday girl...who also happens to be one of the most thoughtful and compassionate people I know, which is remarkable given that she is only five.  I know it looks like she is 2, but the cake is upside down.

Finally, Beatrice's buns had to be correctly displayed before....

...they were scoffed.

You can watch the who shebang here

Dora Day

As she had demanded requested, Beatrice had a princess party for her third birthday.  At the time however, she was also a huge "Dora the Explorer" fan.  So, on her actual birthday, when the Dalchoolies and Grandparents came, we had a Dora table cloth, party plates, napkins and cups.  I also made an orange and pink cake with a Dora top (go me!)

The unused party things have lain dormant in the drawer for some months now, so we had a tiny celebration Dora Day yesterday.

Evie, Beth and Max joined us and we found Dora's backpack, with a map pointing us to Echo Tunnel, past the bowling green to the Easter Meadow.  Off we set (with Miss Molly in tow)

This outing was sponsored by a certain American clothing company...but I forget which one.

The girls thought it would be a good idea if they all wore pink hoodies...Max was allowed to make an alternative colour choice.

Echo Tunnel required some shouting...But Max seemed to know exactly what some unsavoury sorts do in an underpass.  Don't panic....he was carrying a recorder!

The Easter Meadow could have been tricky to find, especially as the map blew away while we crossed the busy road, but thankfully there were some signs to help show the way and one or two bunny footprints.

Obviously, a brisk walk in the bracing, sub zero air (obviously I exaggerate for literary effect) had to be rewarded with some treasure.  It was there to be found, hidden about the Easter Meadow (or for those of you familiar with Hazlebank, the clump of trees behind the bowling green)

All of Dora's apprentices were given an imitation backpack (aka a little tin bucket for collecting eggs in)

Then it was off to the park for a slide a swing or a climb.

We were refuelled by scoffing one or two little eggs.

The we set off...heading back home

Only stopping to blow a few dandelion clocks.

Finally back in the warmth of the house, 

we were able to indulge in a little face painting.  We also managed to apply some very tasteful Dora tattoos and colour in some of the Dora Easter Activity printables downloaded FREE from Nick Jr.

Then it was time that mummys, daddys, and Josies joined us for some tea.  Of course you must also have Dora buns (the plastic topped ones contain very elegant rings) which you eat the icing off and feed the rest of the bun to Dilly and Beanz.  That's how we roll here.

To complete the evening, I too had my face painted.

Dora, done and dusted.

To see the adventure...

http://youtu.be/6bgLrpSG5DM

The Apple Tree Pixies

The fairies are everywhere.  There is a small collection that have emigrated from Pixie Hollow and moved into our house, including one rather glamorous and sparkly Tinkerbell that Bea got for Valentine's day.  Sometimes she even follows Beatrice on adventures.

In our back garden we also have a magical apple tree.  Looking down on it this morning, I can see Mr Blackbird perched on the uppermost  branches and two little blue tits shoving around the peanuts.  The apple tree catches the sunlight and the leaves are use beginning to bud (unlike the Willow tree that is almost fully dressed)  At the base of the tree is a magical little door (it opens to no where - we know, we have tried it - and I'm not sure why that surprises me as it was me who purchased it from ebay).  The pixies have hung a sign on the door that says "Shhhh, Pixies sleeping"

This is obviously NOT a blackbird

 Anyhow, Beatrice and I decided that the Pixies garden needed a little bit of landscaping.  This decision was precipitated by the spring induced weeding that took place in the vegetable* patch.  (* by "vegetable patch" please substitute two lavender bushes, clump of parsley, chives, some of last year's strawberry plants and a newly planted gooseberry bush) 

With the help of some glass beads, sand and bubble mixture, we were able to spend an hour happily gardening in the warm sunshine.

Getting carried away, we also made a flag (stick and tissue) a fence, a small seat and a campfire.

Then the Pollys arrived for a visit.  In the picture you can see Polly Blue Eyes, Polly Vanilla and Polly Zoe Violet.  Polly Ponytail and Polly Shiny Girl  were picnicking on the other side of the pixie garden and Polly Posey has mysteriously disappeared.  Obviously the Pollys belong to a doll culture that begin their names with their surname.  I suspect that when Bea is a little older she will indulge in a period of participant observation producing some anthropological field notes to explain why.