51/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year



Going crackers! Quite literally as I've come to the end of 2017 and realised my week for this post is dated as the 51st. Scanning back I appear to have featured weeks 27 and 28 twice. Or was that 37 and 38? Don't suppose it matters now - out with the old and in with the new. Except, I'm not planning on keeping a continuous record of the children's art each week over 2018. At nine and six, they don't produce as much as they once did, preferring to spend time on other stuff they enjoy. Alas, the children are growing up. I will of course endeavour to record any other special creations here on this blog - mainly for them to look back on one day, much further down the line. In the meantime, Happy New Year!

50/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year



Was my birthday this week, the girls made these gorgeous cards

49/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art each week of the year

48/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



And she wrote inside her Christmas card design...
... 'Harry Christmas!' What else?

The real Father Christmas? Lapland UK leaves you all in no doubt

THE REAL FATHER CHRISTMAS?
Lapland^UK will leave you all in no doubt.

It’s that time of year again - synonymous with visits to (or from) Father Christmas. He just managed a turn at our Infant School Christmas fair would you believe? A busy man, right now he can be found in department stores up and down the country, garden centre grottos here and there, and sometimes even riding through dusky town streets on his sleigh. Wherever it is that children see him though, there’s often a question that follows, “But he’s not the real one, is he?”

There is one place however where that question is never asked. Never even thought of. And right now, some very lucky families will be excitedly packing bags, boarding flights and heading on the long journey north to Roviemi, Finnish Lapland, to visit Father Christmas at his official home on the Arctic Circle; the snowy white wonderland that it is.

We went two years ago, with our two daughters, then aged four and seven, and as you’d imagine, it was a fairytale adventure from start to end. For Lapland cannot fail. Which to be honest, was part of the reason why I was totally apprehensive about visiting another Lapland with them recently - not quite as far north this one, indeed it was just up the motorway. But really, how on earth was Lapland^UK ever possibly going to compare?

47/52 The GraceFaith year long art project...

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year



Decorating gingerbread @LaplandUK

FRAMED - Skates on

Look out folks, it's that crazy time of year again!

46/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...

45/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...

Musings of a 9YO

Fia: Esme, what will Father Christmas put inside our stockings?

Esme: Usually whatever you've asked for, plus loads of stuff from Tiger.


Note to self: Think I may need to redress the balance here.

FRAMED - Blossoming in the garden of divinity

Read this today, and it resonated...

No matter how you are meant to blossom in the garden of divinity, may you love yourself more, not less, every step of the way. 

Matt Kahn, The Divine Nature 

Bullied at five - a poem for #Antibullyingweek

Time to revisit this poem, which no matter how many times I read it, brings a tear to my eye.

Esme is now nine years of age, and the events that led to my writing this poem about her situation happened four years ago, when, as a summer baby, she'd just turned five and moved into year one.

Back then, she clearly could not comprehend what was happening to her and taking a hold. Sadly, communication often goes out the window in this scenario. You see, it doesn't make any sense that others are unkind, when they have only ever known the opposite.

Fortunately for both of us, she has since learnt to be a fabulous communicator. I cannot tell you how different things are for her. She is a confident happy child. I could never have seen how she would progress at the time I wrote this.

If you have a child that is suddenly not themselves, talk to them, look out for any tell-tale signs... remembering that little ones can be also be affected by bullying.

Despicable Me 3 - a review by Esme

When Mum said she had this on DVD, both me and Fia were pleased. We went to see it at the cinema when it came out and loved it, so it was good to get to see it again! And it's as funny as I remember.

44/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



You can't go wrong with some good old fashioned colouring, especially when there is an important message attached. #lestweforget

The Piano Lesson

The piano lesson began when my dear aunt mentioned I should have her piano...

You can have my piano. It is worth more than yours and is much nicer.

Bless her, she wasn't to know!

43/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...

The importance of praising our children - A feature

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAISE IS UNDENIABLE...

Do we instinctively praise our children? All the time? The honest answer is probably not. But we really ought to, and here’s why: The importance of praise is undeniable. Self-confidence, self-esteem, independence, and a general positive outlook on life is forged through praising children. Not to mention, they thrive on it.

But do we praise them in the right manner? That may sound odd but if we don’t actually communicate the reason why we’re praising the child, can it mean anything to them? It’s so easy only to say “well done” and not explain why you are saying “well done.”

THE NEED FOR GENUINE PRAISE

Dr. Rachel Johnson, a Clinical Psychologist, whose area of expertise includes positive parenting support, says of praise, “Praise makes it easier for our children to learn and develop. But it is important to be clear on what you are praising. Empty praise is not only meaningless, but can affect a child’s performance and confidence in the long run.

Paddington 2 - The feel good movie of the year - Film review

Paddington 2 - LIFE AS IT IS Film review... so what did we make of it?

42/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Long Haul, A review by Esme

And so, this afternoon has been wet and rainy. The first day of our holiday. Never mind, Mum arranged for us to watch Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Long Haul. Here's what I thought...