Meet Lulu

I used to make lots of rag dolls and stuffed animals as a kid so this takes me right back to those early 'making' days.

Mimi has designed a profile for 'Lulu':

Name: Lulu
Age: 8
Hobby: Skipping
Fave School Subjects: Art, PE and D&T
Best Friends: Alice and Violet
Current Project: Knitting a scarf for Grandma's birthday
Fave Colour: Shiny purple
Fave Sweets: Flying saucers
Fave Teacher: Madam Bon Bon (history of French art)

Boogie oogie oogie in to the New Year

The Hasan-Lichensteins throw a mean party. DJ Ad keeps us dancing until the small hours with his banging house music and laser light show.

This year was a smallish affair - a sprinkling of neighbours and a dozen or so of their close friends (but we do have an awful lot of kids between us!!) Jake disappeared upstairs with the lads to watch Karate Kid. Didn't see him at all until countdown to New Year. Think he was chuffed to catch up with the 'big boys' - Henry and David.

Mimi on the other hand danced her little socks off with Belle to hits from Now 77. She's one funky diva.

And mum, we arrived home sober!!!

The Kingston-upon-Thames Cliftons

Here are some photos of our beautiful Clifton kids....(and dogs).

More boozing and eating...it's Boxing Day!

Popped over to see mum and dad/grandma and grandad on Boxing Day afternoon. As per usual, Mum laid out a buffet large enough to feed a small army.....and that was followed up with a delicious home made banoffee pie. YUMMMM!!!!

Mimi instigated much Frustration and Charades playing for all for a large part of the afternoon and early evening!

Came home to a bit of Deadliest Catch on Sky Plus. And another very late night for the kids.

The Clifton Clan at Christmas

Ooh, festive frivolities with the in-laws and Aunty Rachel on Christmas Day. Many pressies were opened, much food consumed (the turkey cooked on time this year, phew), puzzles completed and that good old Game of Great Britain caused some family ructions. (I'll tell Dr Green where to stick his train signals!!).

Cakes was 'well sorted' with this new touch screen samsung toco lite (that's a mobile phone by the way). Mimi just squealed with excitement whilst opening ALL of her pressies.

Thank you to Martin, Vicky, Emily, Tom and Flora for a lovely day on the 30th. It was really nice to catch up with you guys and a treat for Mabel too!!

School's out, Chrimbo is on its way!!!

This is becoming a bit of a tradition...... Mrs Warrens is a glutton for punishment! Christmas supper for lots of very excited 'end of term' kids. See if I can remember them all: Mimi and Cakes (obviously), Nicks, Daniel Spaniel and Holski, Abbi and Joseph oops I mean Jacob!, The Batchelor Girls, Fleur and Livs, Lizzie and Jamie and Finn! Phew. Thanks Lorraine x

Oh dear, another birthday

45 years old! How did that happen!!!

Anyhow, I promised myself this year we would make a fuss of my birthday rather than squeeze it into the Christmas celebrations. Started with a birthday breakfast courtesy of the lovely Claire (Bear) Bright the week prior. Got a chance to catch up with some great mates and eat pastries/drink tea. Super. (Slightly marred by the fact that I'd lost my voice and had had a rather painful tooth extraction the day before).

On B'Day managed to pop in to Roses & Rue to say hi Sharon and Lara. This was followed by lunch at Stop the World with Dr Green and the kids - just love their welsh rarebit, superb. Next stop was Battlesbridge Antique Centre for a bit of a mooch, although it was bitterly cold and the kids couldn't wait to hot foot it home.

A big thanks to mum and dad for coming over to babysit in the evening. It was fab to catch up with The Warrens, The Bossoms, Julie and Pauline in Ugos. Got really squiffy (it felt like an out of body experience) and now know that copious amounts of Neurofen, paracetamol and wine is NOT a good mix.

Got lots of beautiful, thoughtful presents from my lovely friends and family. Thank you very much everyone. I would like to point out that Dr Green outdid himself with the present buying this year. My teapot is magnificent (see photo). He has set the bar high for next year!

Bye bye 2010

There's been very little time for blogging over the past few weeks. But, as I use this blog as a bit of a diary, I'm going to post a few notes of all the wonderful goings on over Christmas and the New Year.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2011 x