Sunday, December 28, 2014

SNOW


Yesterday on Richards birthday, it finally arrived.


It made for some happy kids and dogs, and meant that more than a few ski-instructors could breath a sigh of relief!


The irony is that we'll be cursing the stuff when it's still here in april!


But for now it means that jumping of the roof of the sand pit is a little less dangerous than it is in the summer!


The boys thought Richard was celebrating his 25th birthday!  so when I asked them how old they thought I was....44 was their guess!!!  After recovering from that slap in the face I explained that while it isn't impossible, 44 year old women aren't usually married to 25 year old men!

25 - seriously?

Happy 39th Birthday Rich

Monday, December 22, 2014

Dreaming of a white christmas....

... yes, dreaming, in the alps, in December!!! didn't think i'd see the day.
We are having the 'greenest' pre-noël since 1989 and the forecast isn't looking very white!!
Many of our friends,  us included, kinda count on the white stuff to bring home the bacon at this time of year.
No snow =  no ski - simple as that!   A ski-instructor friend recently remarked to Richard that this will be his first christmas day at home with his kids!
Until moving here I was use to family christmases - much merry making and lots of eating!! but no working, well at least on the 25th and 26th.  Chamonix (1035m), being a tourist destination, is open all hours during the festive season, and before having kids, I myself worked on christmas eve, christmas day, new years eve, new years day etc with out batting an eye lid.   But since starting a family, and not working outside the home, I've become fervently attached to 'my traditions'.   So while I stayed home wrapping, baking and singing carols on saturday morning, Richard and the boys took a wee trip to the Aiguille du Midi  (3842 m/12604ft) - where the snow is always plentlyful but the oxygen starts getting rare....


This ridge leads to the famous Vallée Blanche and the Col du Midi - the starting point for many high mountain adventures.  Everything here is off piste, for confirmed skiers and alpinists only.


The gate at the end of the picture leads to the ridge shown in the first photo, I'm glad I wasn't with them, the boys are too close to it for my liking!!!




Sunday afternoon we stayed lower down at a 'safer' and warmer altitude doing a little Stone Balancing...
the peak in the background is the Aiguille du Midi where the boys were the day before!





How did you spend the winter solstice?

Thursday, December 11, 2014

It's starting to look like christmas...


No sew bunting!  just old christmas cards cut into triangles and threaded on a bit of ribbon.  Nice and easy and anything that doesn't involve my un-cooperative sewing machine is always a winner in my book.


Tino and I put together a new wreath for the front door, and were 'helped' in our efforts by a few furry little friends...

... Bunny got really 'into it'!!


Voila!

We didn't make any new tree decorations this year, but just pulled out our trusted favorites.  This little guy has seen better days, as has the legless Santa just behind him!!


Teachers gifts are in full production at the moment - muffin mix in a jar and a home 'burned' spoon!



I've got a few scented candles yet to make and then all that's left is the sweet treats - mince pies, peppermint bark and orangettes!!  I've sent all that needs to be sent and am feeling rather organized for once!

How is your christmas crafting coming along?  Is it in the bag or are you still knitting, sewing and glueing etc into the wee small hours?


HO! HO! HO!