Its become a family tradition to walk across Elsted Common (near Midhurst). If you can count three years running as a tradition.  It seems a lifetime ago since the first time we ventured there the month before Holly was born.  This time we had two in tow and the inlaws dog as well.  My how life has changed.  Evan is growing by leaps and bounds.  According to the door marks, around 2 inches since May.  His imagination has come along with him as well.  Holly, in her unique way, continues to infuriate as well as enchant us.  Her very determined ‘No’ or ‘No-uh’ is unique but then hearing her sing ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ at random intervals is spine tingling.   Happy New Year everyone.

Christmas cookies with all the trimmings.  Its that time of year when Evan is keen to bake and Holly is keen to eat the decorations.  Naturally I sit in my office and listen to the bun fight only to escape briefly to take a few pictures.

After more than a few days of hearing about blizzard conditions and a complete white-out in many parts of the UK I had started to believe that it was all a conspiracy.  A great big fabricated lie designed specifically to annoy me given that I managed to secure a sledge exactly a week after all the snow melted last January.   But this morning I discovered it was all true.  10 glorious inches of powdery white stuff fell upon my garden (and, thankfully, the gardens of everyone around).  Its time to sledge!

A rare sighting of one of the Russian World Cup bid team

The hill was … um .. well … REALLY STEEP!

Oh dear…re-reading that it makes it sound like I’ve got a big announcement.  Not gonna happen.  I can honestly say, after living with my dear daughter for over 21 months, that ship has sailed.  2′s company round my way!  No, in fact, I’m just updating folks on family news.

Evan

Went back to school in September as if he never skipped a beat.  Absolutely loving it at the moment.  His reading is really coming on and now we start thinking about Maths.  Not either of his parents’ strong points but I imagine I can keep up at least for a few years.  He’s digging football (soccer) and now has a pair of proper boots (cleats).  I don’t expect Capello to be visiting anytime soon but its something that seems to keep his interest.  I need to take him to a footie match at some point.  Woking Town?  Evan’s big news is that he riding a proper a bike.  No stabilisers (or sterilisers as he used to call them).  We got him a new/used bike for his current size to get him through until next year.  I bring it home, he gets on it and takes off.  Clearly the biggest problem lately was that his other bike was too small.  I’ve even had to raise the seat by a good 2 inches since the beginning of Oct.  So far he’s done one 10 mile ride (in two parts) and another 8 miler (in one go).

Holly

Growing like a beanstalk and never seems to shut up…and I mean that a good thing.  Words are starting to come at us thick and fast with a couple of short phrases like “bye bye Daddy”.  She is very much a woman.  Loves her clothes and has a few kiddie necklaces which she loves to dress up with.  Also is rather partial to ‘baby’ and her favourite stuffed animal Jelly Cat.  Firey at times, loveable at others.  Evan is a temperate child, Holly is the direct opposite.  She’s been a delight the last few weeks.  Perhaps the communication is starting to make her feel more settled.  I sure hope so…she can kick off like the best of them.  Her big news is that she got to meet Peppa Pig..who came along to her tumble tots group with some bird named Sally Gunnell.  Naturally Holly wasn’t interested in the Olympian but more in the stuffed pig.

Nicola

Nicola can already talk and ride a bike.  So what can I say about her.  Well, apart from being an ace wife and exceedingly helpful member of the Shootinghip team, she’s also an ace mum.  But apart from all the lovely adjectives her big news is that she recently ran in the Great South Run.  To top it off, she smashed her previous years time by some margin.  She reckons she could have shaved another 90 seconds off had it not been for ‘traffic’ on the course.  10 miles in 1:21:27 seems a good time to me.  She ran in support of the Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign and if you’ve got a few pennies spare do take a moment to donate to an amazing and personal cause.

Rob

Oh yeah…that’s me.  Well apart from catching up with weddings and albums as well as a quick trip with some friends to Scotland its all normal here.  A few months back I went for a cycle ride with my brother-in-law to Petersfield.  Then another…and another.  I’m not quite a MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) but I’m certainly enjoying getting out into the fresh air.  Got a new bike a few weeks ago (then promptly let if fall off the car at 70mph causing damage to the value of half of the bike).  So the fact that Evan is loving his bike is even better for me.  We’ve been out as a family a few times.  Holly sits in her seat on Nicola’s bike and sings the entire time.  That’s about it here.  Thanks for reading.

It’s been a while children!  Why the fascination with having their shirts off is beyond me.  Once Evan does it, Holly is sure to follow.  She’ll do anything he does.

Holly thinks about opening a fresh can of whip-ass

Amazing what ‘smartsharpen’ will do on a zone focused f1.4 OOF shot