Ilona is 4!

As you probably know, it was Ilona's birthday on Monday; we had a small birthday party on Saturday and then a muffin based birthday cake on Monday when we came home after work

So here is Ilona aged 3 years, 364 days



And here she is aged 4 years blowing out the candles on her Monday cake




For reference, this is what she looks like now she is 4

Polaroid

Bluet has been in great want of a camera ever since her friend Olivia came over with one a few months ago - this camera was a Fuji version of the polaroid camera's of the past, complete with photos that magically appear as you shake them in your hand. So when we were in the US Bluet got her hands on her first camera, and these are the best photos she has taken so far.

Bluetiful update

Emily eventually found a box of Crayola crayons in the US that included the new colour Bluetiful. Apparently there has been some controversy over the name as apparently some people don't think it is a real word, and therefore kids should not be exposed to it. However, we are very happy with this new crayon, and its rather lovely shade of blue.




Bluet drew this picture; if Crayola would like to use this or Bluet in their advertising campaign, please get in touch with Bluet's agent

Swiss 'Halloween'

Meanwhile this Saturday we celebrated a more Swiss form of halloween, carving some purple vegetables into lanterns then walking with the locals through the streets of Hoengg to the nearest church, tealights ablaze (until they went out and had to be replaced). Outside the Church, to Bluet's great delight, there was warm 'fruit punch' (that tasted a lot like orange squash) and a free bread roll for the kids. Bluet made her lantern at school, so very official. Ilona's we made with the neighbours.

Big kids Halloween

Here are the costumes Bluet and Ilona went Trick or Treating in last week - Bluet chose to be a cat over a witch, which was good as as we were out and about we saw 20-30 other kids dressed as witches, but no cats. Ilona meanwhile insisted on being a cow - I think this is the influence of the cow farm. We were wandering around visiting houses (on a list of willing participants) for about an hour, in which time the pumpkin collection things they were carrying were more or less full to the brim with sweets - enough that they still have not eaten them all.




And Bluet's homework was to draw Halloween. This is what she drew: