And a tutu too

First day en pointe

Laura has recently achieved a long-held dream

and gone en pointe,

spending much time at home in her pointe shoes

She bought herself a practice tutu on ebay

and it arrived in the holidays,

adding her to ballet-related happiness.

Here she tries the little-known and under-utilised

 ironing en pointe routine.

I guess that's one way of getting her 

to do her chores ...

* * *

And since we three girls are now 

all studying ballet

perhaps we could all frock up

and glissade, jete and pas de chat

our way through the housework?

(Of course, I'd have to pick up my ballet

game a bit to manage that ...

and the girls would have to pick up 

their housework game ...)

Winter Holidays

Sunshine in the craft room

after a wet miserable end of term;

an op-shopped fluro jacket,

one of many good finds;

some new clothes;

a little stamping;

a picnic in the sunshine

- almost too warm;

Laura sets new standards for picnic wear;

... and amused us with poses 

Emily in her this-year's-favourite beanie;

girls to movies with friends

(much more social activity than usual these holidays)

 a sleepover each, one here and one away;

a family ten pin bowling outing;

and a lovely short holiday at the mountains 

with extended family

very relaxed

with lots of sitting and reading and chatting

and a little walking

- just chilly enough;

and then home again for a few more slow days.

***

They weren't perfect holidays, 

we had some moments ...

and times when I had only one girl at home

and "nothing to do",

but the two weeks went slowly

and we enjoyed the change of pace.

It was good to get away with family

and to have a change of scene

in the second week.

 ***

School has started again 

and we are easing back into it,

tomorrow will be our first busy day of the term, 

and I think by tomorrow night I will be 

looking forward to the next holidays.