The one with Potter, the Witch's cat and the squelchy eyeballs!

Dressed to kill in a Harry Potter outfit and as a Witch's cat, the girls and I headed out for a bit of Trick or Treating this evening and after a slow start came back with much swag. Home in time for a scary candle lit tea of 'horrible' hot dogs, 'spooky' spaghetti and 'eye ball' jelly. I really have to say I enjoyed the Halloween cookies, Ghostly buns and the audible squelch that came from the jelly as you pulled out an eyeball, all courtesy of Mrs Hammond! The carved pumpkin was of an extremely high standard. I remember my last effort a few years ago and Amy's was a class above. The girls are now sitting by the front door stalking anybody who visits and almost forcing them to have sweets in a slightly oppressive fashion. Happy Halloween!

A tough week if you are Wiggle....

Struck down by the dreaded 'lurgie' and feeling rather rough Anna has soldiered on this week with barely a complaint. Next time though, please do not throw up on the new sofa! With hardly any sleep for well over a day, I am not sure how she carried on, but as each day has gone by she regained her energy and mischief! There is nothing of her and she has lost weight, so she needs feeding up this week in half term. Today, she was back to herself - bonkers, argumentative and independent. Found this picture of Anna on her fifth birthday treat to the dinosaur park on the computer. Stunning! So eat as much chocolate cake as you like this week. I do so hate it when either of the girls are not well and I am away, not being able to give them a hug is upsetting. P.S. Anna - your teacher says that you need to concentrate and interrupt less more at school, so best you get too it after a weeks rest!

Another birthday knocked off!

Happy birthday Mrs Hammond! Pictured here in the summer after a stint of many 'selfies' on her iPhone. Today, we really splashed out and went out for sushi (I was not that impressed and too expensive) and a Thai. Now we do like celebrating with a good meal out! Present wise Amy still needs to go shopping for her gifts after an aborted attempt today with two very tired and grumpy girls in tow around Norwich. They were exceptionally foul and struggled to let their mummy take their limelight without high levels of constant moaning, crying and whinging. Don't worry Amy, we will try again next weekend I promise, to ensure you are well and truly spoilt. xx

Eight up!

The birthday girl had a great time yesterday and was wonderfully generous and caring towards her little sister in the morning by letting her share in opening presents and cards. I was most impressed by Lucy's maturity in recognising that Anna may have felt a bit left out. She had much birthday swag including her first One Direction album, beads, jewellery, DVDs (looking forward to watching Epic with her with a lit fire and popcorn), a diary and lots of little 'Lucy' things for her to enjoy. I have posted the attached picture purely to embarrass my eldest daughter, because even though she is now eight, she can still get ketchup on the side of her mouth! After friends and cake for tea Amy and I settled down to recover! Happy birthday Lucy. You are much loved and I simply can't believe you are eight already and very grown up...

The search for the real Dobby!

We had a magical and amazing day at the Harry Potter studios on Sunday and it was a perfect start to the 'birthday' week. We were all completely captivated by the sheer scale and in awe of everything we saw. The tour started with a short film after which the cinema screen rose and revealed the door to the Great Hall, the girls' jaws hit the floor and then it began. Anna was beside herself for the first half an hour or so and I could not settle her down to look at anything for more than a second, such were the levels of her excitement! Anna was by far one of the youngest children there and she  really endeared herself to all the other guests. She had one mission and quickly set about it, asking everybody where she could find the real Dobby including chasing one of the tour guides around the Great Hall until he answered her question! Relentless, she found him about an hour later and it was worth the wait. Lucy summed up how she felt with the phrase 'this is the best day of my life!' It was a fantastic day out that we all loved and was finished off with much swag purchased in the world's most expensive and imaginative gift shop that instantly made you feel like a child again. This shop was like nothing I have ever seen before and simply drew you into the imagination of the unique and world of Harry Potter. Truly magical indeed.

I am going to need a little magic to get through October...

Forget the month of December, even with all the expense that families face nowadays around Christmas time,  the month of October is by far the most expensive in the Hammond house with the two birthdays of the most high maintenance women in the land! I am really looking forward to next week, I do not wish to jinx my diary, but it looks like I will be home for both Lucy and Amy's birthday's and that means a great deal to me, as it does not always fall as such. The downside is that they are both highly expensive individuals and I will need a modern miracle to financially get through the week without the need to rob a bank! It is a good job we are going to the Harry Potter studios this weekend then and I can get some help from a few wizards that may just be needed!

My little girl is developing a conscience...

I am very proud of Lucy. She is clearly thinking about what is right and wrong. Last night, in the middle of the night, she woke up very distraught telling us that she had copied the answer to a maths problem at school and really needed to tell her teacher. I am not bothered that she copied the answer, she has had the courage to tell us and put it right. Words can't describe how pleased I am by this. Lucy has always been so honest since the day she was born and it is a lovely part of her personality. I do wish she would develop and perfect this moral conscience during the day though!! We are shattered. Anna, is however, on occasion prone to bending the truth. This week her focus is on other things as she has her first wobbly teeth. We await the arrival of her tooth fairy 'Boxer'. Of course, her fairy had to be a boy (does that mean he will be cheaper!?)