We kicked off December in true English Fashion:
Going to see the Panto. The Panto is a play where all the actors are dressed in drag; the men are played by women and the women by men. This year, the panto was Cinderella!
We loved the ugly stepsisters: "Salmonella" & "Diphtheria",
who both antagonized the audience to the point of shouting matches.
We went once as a family and then Sandy got to go again with her school. Here is Sandy with her two best classmates. Kelly didn't argue when Sandy's teacher asked her to chaperone
for the school's trip to the same Panto a few weeks later...
Next year's Panto: Aladdin!
A couple of weeks and multiple Christmas fairs later,
we had the most fun time finding Father Christmas's cave:
a mile long hike through the water fall woods,
finding Smaug's resting spot and staying clear of the trolls
who lived in the hut to Ingleborough Cave...
We all had to wear hard hats -except our stubborn 2 year-old-
and walked through a nice cave which had some very claustrophobic parts.
Sam and I had to creep through tunnels only 3 feet tall!
We heard about the giants, goblins and elves
who have lived in the cave
and then, finally, we found Santa!!
Fantastic!
Sandy couldn't figure out why when she saw Father Christmas
4 different times, he kept changing into a different person!
Another big event in England are the school nativities.
Sandy was the "Golden Star" in her School Nativity Play.
She was so determined to keep her "game face" while on stage.
Then there was Molly, the "Fairy Princess"
(supposed to be a sheep)
for her Playgroup Nativity Play.
The Winter Solstice: It dawned cold and grey. Kelly and the girls spent it in front of a fire at home and Sam spent the Solstice out on some Fells in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Knowe, Fountains, Darnbrook Fells and the Parsons Pulpit. The day cleared up a bit and it was a very nice 20Km walk.
Christmas eve: We hiked around the Darley Moors
in search for Reindeer food.
The girls took their scissors to clip bits of heather and moss
for Rudolf and his pals.
Sandy and Molly kept sharp eyes out for the reindeer food.
After much searching, they found some food and other amazing things!
Sandy with some reindeer food and
Molly at Bilbo's house!
It was a great way to spend Christmas eve day.
That evening, we set out the Reindeer and Father Christmas food and got all snuggly under Aunt Wendy's quilts (huge thanks!).
Christmas Morning and we had to wake the girls up at 0800...
Scooters, dresses, clothes, sleeping bags and toys!
Beth Ann, Kelly's sister, came for a visit
on Christmas day too. Which is always a great time!
The girls had a blast playing in wigs and shiny pants & dresses
(don't let Sam kid you -he looks great in a wig!).
Like the dolphin tattoos?
We spent a nice sunny day at the park.
(Can you tell who lives for the sun and
who resides in the country of clouds and rain?)
We made it over to Olde York a couple days after Christmas
for some ice skating which was a fantastic time,
for participants and observers alike.
We loved the ugly stepsisters: "Salmonella" & "Diphtheria",
who both antagonized the audience to the point of shouting matches.
We went once as a family and then Sandy got to go again with her school. Here is Sandy with her two best classmates. Kelly didn't argue when Sandy's teacher asked her to chaperone
for the school's trip to the same Panto a few weeks later...
Next year's Panto: Aladdin!
A couple of weeks and multiple Christmas fairs later,
we had the most fun time finding Father Christmas's cave:
a mile long hike through the water fall woods,
finding Smaug's resting spot and staying clear of the trolls
who lived in the hut to Ingleborough Cave...
We all had to wear hard hats -except our stubborn 2 year-old-
and walked through a nice cave which had some very claustrophobic parts.
Sam and I had to creep through tunnels only 3 feet tall!
We heard about the giants, goblins and elves
who have lived in the cave
and then, finally, we found Santa!!
Fantastic!
Sandy couldn't figure out why when she saw Father Christmas
4 different times, he kept changing into a different person!
Another big event in England are the school nativities.
Sandy was the "Golden Star" in her School Nativity Play.
She was so determined to keep her "game face" while on stage.
Then there was Molly, the "Fairy Princess"
(supposed to be a sheep)
for her Playgroup Nativity Play.
The Winter Solstice: It dawned cold and grey. Kelly and the girls spent it in front of a fire at home and Sam spent the Solstice out on some Fells in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Knowe, Fountains, Darnbrook Fells and the Parsons Pulpit. The day cleared up a bit and it was a very nice 20Km walk.
Christmas eve: We hiked around the Darley Moors
in search for Reindeer food.
The girls took their scissors to clip bits of heather and moss
for Rudolf and his pals.
Sandy and Molly kept sharp eyes out for the reindeer food.
After much searching, they found some food and other amazing things!
Sandy with some reindeer food and
Molly at Bilbo's house!
It was a great way to spend Christmas eve day.
That evening, we set out the Reindeer and Father Christmas food and got all snuggly under Aunt Wendy's quilts (huge thanks!).
Christmas Morning and we had to wake the girls up at 0800...
Scooters, dresses, clothes, sleeping bags and toys!
Beth Ann, Kelly's sister, came for a visit
on Christmas day too. Which is always a great time!
The girls had a blast playing in wigs and shiny pants & dresses
(don't let Sam kid you -he looks great in a wig!).
Like the dolphin tattoos?
We spent a nice sunny day at the park.
(Can you tell who lives for the sun and
who resides in the country of clouds and rain?)
We made it over to Olde York a couple days after Christmas
for some ice skating which was a fantastic time,
for participants and observers alike.
