Message for my fans ...

I have to go to bed now so sorry this is

(a) a little early for most of you

(b) late for others such as the Families Bryan and Beep and

(c) very very early for others like Mr, Mrs and Baby Alastair, Grandad and Berndette and Pigeon driving bus man.

Santa's sleigh ride - without Santa - with AJ

We also went round the ghost house and sat in a cabin that moved and made it seem like we were on a glacier roller coaster.

Mum and Granny did not come on any of the rides. AJ only came on this one. As you can see we went on lots but it was very very cold!

The day was Granny's idea. Thank you Granny!

Sledge slide - without a sledge

Being a bauble

Itinery:

1. Skating. 2. Lunch 3. Rides .... and this was the first one. Zill, George and I shared a big bauble and spun round the Christmas tree.

Skate Park

First stop at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park - the ice rink. Granny was supposed to be looking after Cosmic while the rest of us - and Jules and George - skated. But, Cosmic has a cold so stayed at home with Dad.

Jules is the best skater but George is having lessons so is getting good too. Zill can now go round by herself and i can stand up without falling over. Mum, Jules and Granny all say I have got much better since last year!

All the kings horses ...

We saw these people on the way to Winter Wonderland yesterday. I think they are riding into battle - they had swords and police all around them. Does anyone know who they are?

Paint the house red ....

We have to go to bed early tonight because:

(1) Matt is coming round to play with Mum and Dad.
(2) We're going to Winter Wonderland tomorrow.

But in the hours between coming home from Zal's house and bed we got out the paints ... yay!

Blanket ban

Uncle Zal wants to give Dad his bike.

Mum doesn't want him too. She says Dad will fall off because he's only got one ear.

I have a plan. If people run alongside Dad - when he is on his bike - holding blankets they can put them under him if he falls off.

Zalmas Eve(ish)

Twas three nights after Christmas and all over Zal's house...

Day release

Gareth and Vicky came down today and after lunch we went to the park.

Zill lent me her old heelies but my balance was a little out. Luckily I held Gareth's hand most of the way there ... when I didn't I grabbed on to Mum or Dad ... or fell over!

I changed into my proper shoes at the playground and ran about like a lunatic. We have been inside since Xmas Eve and even though it was really cold we stayed out for quite a while playing on the swings, climbing frames, big tyre and see saw thing.

At bedtime Cosi wouldn't go to his room so he is now in mine. He keps making a noise and getting us told off but it is really cool sharing my room. I have said I will share with Cosi properly if we have another baby but Mum and Dad say we may prefer a dog?

Boxing Day chez moi

And before the day is over ...

... Zill and I have a Christmas message for you ...

I am off to bed now because I have to be wide awake for boxing people tomorrow. I don't have any gloves but perhaps I can lightsaber them instead?

Keep 'em peeled for me ...

Before bed Mum wanted to try out her new video camera - it is v. small and Adam Tinworth uses it for blogging so it must be good.

We helped her try out the camera by singing our mole song from the Hansel and Gretal panto ...

Sing along:

"Keep 'em peeled for me. Wa? Cos moles can't see"

Xmas poll

I have put up a new poll for you guys. I cannot vote though because everything was my favourite bit of today.

Home alone

Christmas chaos

Visitor in the night

T'was the night before Chistmas

TUESDAY 24th DECEMBER

Zevon night

TUESDAY 23rd DECEMBER

Derbie Day

TUESDAY 23rd DECEMBER

Oh Christmas tree ...

MONDAY 22nd DECEMBER

Losing face?

SUNDAY 21TH DECEMBER

Hansel and Gretal

SATURDAY 20TH DECEMBER

I'm so sorry ...

I haven't blogged for ages. I have been so busy this Xmas and Zill and I have had loads of sleep overs ... I am going to fill you in though ... just so you are up to date.

Late poll

This poll has been up ages and finished ages ago too. Only 4 people voted so I have not put one up for a while and am a bit grumpy.

The answers were as follows however ...

What job would you must like your dad to do?


Jedi knight - 1 (25%)

Spaceship commander - 2 (50%)

Hole in the Wall presenter - 0 (0%)

Popcorn seller - 0 (0%)

Dresser-upper - 1 (25%)

No of votes: 4

I am thinking whether to put up another poll or see if there is another gadget people may like ... watch this space. Well, not this one but the one just to the left ...

The Office

We had our Christmas party at the restaurant in Tilgate Park. I had Mushroom Wellington, loads of Xmas veg and treacle pudding and custard.

We pulled crackers and I played cards with Lloyd. Chris (Sarah's Dad) taught us how to yoyo.

Sarah and Lloyd gave us our presents - no not Mia the baby, she was just gatecrashing for the evening. We were allowed to open them early. Zill and I got DS cases and Cosi got an Iggle Piggle blanket.

We got home very late and I'm going to bed now ... thank you for our presents!

Everybody needs good neighbours

We finished school early today because it was the last day and we went to see Cat Cat.

We also saw Andy, Jenny, Lilly and Toby who are staying with her at the moment. They are her old neighbours and we used to see them quite a bit. They live near the Clarksons now.

It was nice to see them - last time I saw them Lily was very small and Toby didn't exsist!

Jenny read with Lilly and Cosmic and I played on the computer. We ALL ate Cat Cat's homemade mince pies.

Hooked

Sarah took us, Lloyd and her mum to see Peter Pan at the Capitol. It was really good and Cosi got really into it - not sure how he managed to mix up Captain Hook wth Captain Jack though...

Who's Monitoring the Monitors?

I was rabbit monitor today.

AND I was the oly person to get a Christmas card from the Dinnerladies. Zillyan laughed, which might explain why the Dinnerladies didn't give HER a card...

Gym'll Fix It

I got my level 8 Gymnastics certificate. I was very excited - I told dad not to mention it to mum as I wanted to surprise her and when she phoed told her before I had even said "hello".

I think she was surprised...

Food Diary

This weeked has revolved around food - Last night Zillyan had a sleepover at our cousin Zara's house and dad spent the night in Winchester at our friends', Sophie and Martyn's wedding. This is what I have eaten:

Saturday Breakfast: Weetabix (yawn).

Saturday Lunch: Cheese on toast, dried fruit and mine pies with mum - Yum Yum Yum.

Saturday Dinner: Fish Pie that Dad made and mum took with us to Aunty Moo's - It was great because it had prawns in it.

Then only Mum Cos and I came home and I was allowed to sleep in Mum's bed as she said she was lonely without Dad. In the Morning she brought me breakfast in bed.

Sunday Breakfast (in Bed): Dippy Egg - it was really good because I like dippy egg!

Sunday Lunch: Maccaroni Cheese with sweetcorn and eggs, it was Grandma's special recipe and she said she made it specially for me. I ate sooooo much that I didn't need any tea!!!!!!!

Bed now.

A Good Omen

I have just finished writing Christmas cards to my class.

Here's one I wrote to my friend Owen earlier...


Definition of omen - added by Mum:
An omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Omens may be considered "good" or "bad".

Bonjour ... je suis Derbie ...

Zill and I had our first French lesson with Eliza after school. It was an experiment and Janet was teaching us, at her house.

During the lesson Mum looked after Matilda and Cosmic.

We played up a little but also showed we can concentrate. We sang songs and had loads of fun. We really hope we haven't scared Janet off and that she will keep up the clasees ....

Oh Christmas Tree

Christmas tree season!

Dad got the trees down from the loft and Zill, Cosi and I decorated the pink one on the landing. This one is very important as we leave our stockings for Fathr Christmas under this one.

We hung lots of decorations including the ones we bought at the school Christmas fete!

We are going to decorate the other, bigger, Christmas trees this weekend.

Christmas receipe

Sarah and Cosmic came to see our school Christmas show on Tuesday it was all about the Christmas receipe and what ingredients you need to make Xmas.

We have been practising the songs at home - see my blog entry here - and Cosi joined in with Ba Ba Bananas when we sung it for real.

Mum and Dad came today. They said it was great. They sat next to Trudie & Joe and Jack's Mum & Dad. Janet and Matilda were there too ... oh, and Max's Mum!

Zilly was a star and I was a snowflake.

Balls to oranges

How to make Derbie's Orange Pomander Balls
You'll need:
- an orange
-loads of whole cloves (they look half splinter/ half drwing pin)
- a skewer thing from the cutlery drawer that Mum says only a grown up can use ... or aparatly a tooth pick but we didn't hve any of these.
- ribbon to tie round the orange when it is finished - so you can hang it on your Christmas tree or wherever you are going tp put it.
Then you ...
- Get Mum or Dad to prick your orange with the skewer - all over.
- Stick cloves in all the holes and make sure they ar really close together so you cannot see any orange left.
- While doing this you can make patterns - for example a face with a moustache like Dad did.
When the orange is covered ...
- Give it to Mum or Dad - you can dip it in a spice mixture as per some receipes OR just leave it for a couple of weeks to dry out. Then it smells yummy for ages.

We are going to put ours on our tree and then invite Grandma & Grandpa and Granny & Patrick to take one away when they go home after Christmas. Cool idea? Zill and I thought of it.

My Cello Recital

I did it!!!! And everyone clapped!!!

Sneak preview ...

Practising my piece before tomorrow ...

Gladrags

Zilly put on her Stagecoach play this afternoon. Every Stagecoach school in the world put on the same play - Gladrags - at 1615 today our time. They were hoping to break a world record and people filmed the play so they could prove they did it.

First the bigger kids performed then Zillyan came on in Gladrags. She was a carnival kid. She wore purple and sang and danced. She also had to say a line all by herself - "I can't wait to go to the park again and skip around on the grass"!

She was really good. Grandma, Granny and Patrick (and all the family) watched her too.

My cello recital is tomorrow so I better go and practise before Merlin.

Rabbit representative

Mrs Etherngton told me I would be represeng rabbits at school council today. She told all my frinds to tell me if they have any problems and then I will make sure people know how they feel and try and make them feel happy if they are sad.

Sadie is the representative from squirrels and instead of going to the hall for lunch with everyone else, we ate our food at the meeting. Sophie from Zillyan's class was there and Joseph from foxes. I think Joseph's Mummy is Emma from Horsham Nursery. The teacher at today's meeting was Mrs Etherington.

Lots of things were discussed. We were told Mrs King would give us 20 then 100 pounds to spend . We also voted on what shape of badge the school representatives should have. I wanted a crest shape but this is what the house captains have so we are going to have a rectangle instead.

Mum and Dad are really proud of me. They said so. They said Mrs Etherington must trust me lots to let me represent my class today. They also said it shows I am a very good listener because I can try to help my friends if they have problems.

I went to bed smiling. I am very proud too.

Decorative decorations

Today was Christmas decoration day at school. We made decorations, labels and cards all day.

I was in stocking group and we moved round classrooms every hour and did a different activity in each one. Zilly was in present group.

Mum helped Zillyan's group in the morning when they were making Snowmen. In the afternoon she helped me when I was aking labels.

Max was in my group. Leah was in my group too. She is a year 2, fox. Leah told Mum I kiss her all the time, but actually she kisses me.

Ba Ba Bananas

A taste of the song from our up-coming school Christmas play!

Wii-crumble

Helen, Freya and Enzo came for lunch yesterday. Ben was ill.

We played playdough and ate apple crumble that Freya made.

We also showed Freya and Enzo how to bowl on the wii .... we weren't working on comission from Ben - honest Helen!