catch up

I have been clearing out the cupboards, so the Montessori room is a bit of a tip at the moment, therefore we haven't had that much 'work' out the last week or so. Instead there has been a lot of Lego building. Here are the zoo staff having lunch in the rood top terrace cafe...

I love listening to him as he plays, talking about where they are and what they are doing, so cute.

I also copied this felt idea from Chasing Cheerios, I think it is too easy for him though, I will add some more 'parts' to make it more challenging.
The advent calendar is VERY popular and he can't wait to finish his breakfast to see what is in it. Each say we have a 'thing to do today' note in the advent stocking. So, the first we had to decorate the tree, Ebi-kuns idea was to put about 6 decorations of the same colour on one branch and then he had enough! The second we put up the nativity scene, although I am not religious (a year in Jerusalem got rid of any religious notions I had got) I do think that it is important that the children know the reason why we celebrate Christmas. When I was teaching, there were so many Japanese kids that did the (Japanese) version of Christmas but had no idea who Jesus was, they thought it was all about Santa. Today we are going to paint a Christmasy picture or two.

Tomorrow I am having a coffee morning/lunch and have to make a vegan soup - I am off to dust off my cookbooks to see what recipes I can dig up, my brain is still aching from my Japanese class, my teacher - who is lovely, stayed for lunch too so we had to use Japanese all through lunch instead of our usual gossip and chit chat. I did manage to finish off my Christmas shopping and so I will pack everything up to go on Saturday. My turkey is ordered and so is the mincemeat, apart from the Christmas/new year cards, and the homemade gifts for Ebi-Kun I think I am done, come Saturday I will be able to put my feet up and enjoy this whole Christmas thing.....