The Buckingham Blog

Today, to follow up Krystal's 6th birthday on Thursday, she got all dressed up and ready for her party at Pizza Express on Belmont Street. 

We arrived about 10 minutes early to get into the room, only to find we actually had the whole of the top floor allocated to us - so a room with a big table set out with blobs of dough and another room with a big long table for the kids to sit at. 

 Krystal & Thomas

As all the kids arrived to join in the fun, hand over generous gifts and catch up with each other, it was time to get their gear on to make the pizzas.  They all got numbered hats, Krystal number 1 as the birthday girls and Kory coinscidentally got number 8 which he was delighted with as that's his age.  They also got aprons and washed their hands. 

 
Chef Krystal and Chef Kory ready to get making some pizza!

 it was time to head to the pizza making room. One of the managers, Luke, was taking the "class" and the kids were pretty good at listening to his instructions and actually following them.  it was nice to see and somewhat surprising that they did!

They spent some time making the edge thin so that it goes crispy, squashing the whole thing flat.  The kids all loved the feeling of the dough.

Next came the bit they loved the most, throwing the dough from hand to hand.  This caused much hilarity!

Some professional help was required but on the whole the kids did really well!

Once they got them big enough to put into the pans, they got some white "glue" and had to stick the dough in to the edges.  There were a few bases with holes in at this point but Luke was able to rescue them before any tears and tantrums occurred. 

 
Best Friends: Kory & Amy and Krystal & Annabel

Once all the pizza bases were in the pans safely, it was time for what could have been a really messy part - the pizza sauce - passata I think it was called.  Instead of spreading it on, the sauce was dolloped on the side of their base and they had to swoosh it, tap the base on the table or tap with their hands until the sauce was covering the dough. 

Rather amazingly, there was none on the floor, the walls, the ceiling or even the aprons!  Not sure I'd have been quite that brave with 11 kids. 

There wwas then a choice of several toppings, ham, mushroom, olives, pepperoni, cheese.  Poor Luke had to keep getting more as they were putting on so much, but they did look really tasty by the time they were ready to go to the ovens.

 
Thomas, Hannah & Josh (right pic)

 
Krystal with Erin (left pic) 

James couldn't resist a shot of the hats

 
Pizzas getting put into a carrier by numbers on the hats

While the pizzas were cooking, the kids went back to the table, got some juice and all chatted.  They were getting louder and louder by the minute but thankfully the food arrived just in time.  Silence in the room.  Lots of happy munching wee faces could be seen.

Just before it was time for everyone to leave, Krystal's cake came out, everyone sang happy birthday to Krystal (to which she looked really embarassed) and blew out her number 6 candle. 

Krystal had a wonderful time, her friends seemed to enjoy it too and Luke was brilliant with the kids.  I would highly recommend Pizza Express for kids parties.

Julie.xx

Well it's definitiely party season here.....well for the kids!  There's been an anchor boys party, a rainbows party and 2 school parties so far.  There's been a couple of birthday parties and another to go before the big day too.

Here's the best photo of each of them before they went out.  Not the best quality as taken on my phone as we were in a hurry!  

Julie.xx

Tonight was the Cove Community Christmas Carol Concert (wow a lot of C's) and the Rainbows were taking part in it.  Krystal really enjoyed singing in it with her friends Erin & Annabel.  The whole group sang their wee hearts out, it was lovely and festive! 

Here's to the Start of Christmas!

Julie.xx

I am lead to believe that after several months of not working that this blog is fixed (again) watch this space!  

Julie.xx

The 1st of December and the first day of chocolate for breakfast!  

Having seen this costume on a friends child last year, Kory was offered it this year.  A huge Pepperami.  

Of course it would then have been wrong to put Krystal in a shop bought outfit so I set about making her a giant Rubiks Cube which she loved!  

What do you think? 

Julie.xx

Just 2 days ago we were in the park taking Autumn photos, and today it's snowing.  Looks like an early winter this year.  It's pretty unusual to get snow BEFORE Halloween and Guy Fawkes!

Julie.xx

Today the kids asked if we could go to the park to play with the leaves and take some photos of them throwing them in the air.   given that I didn't have a better idea, off we went to Duthie Park.  

Both of them were being very co-operative and I was really chuffed with some of the shots I got.  

What a pair of posers!

Julie.xx

P.S.  This blog entry is not sponsored by GAP!  

Well it's that time - my littlest baby going to school.  Well she's hardly a baby at well past 5, but she's *my* baby! She's been really looking forward to it for ages, but the nerves were showing last night.  

They were taking the kids in stages on the first day, so Krystal was in at 10:45am, but she was up and dressed early enough to get photos with Kory before he left for school.

As it was quite a nice day, we went into the garden for some photos, she's quite a wee poser when she's in the mood!

Finally it was time to go to school!  We go there to find loads of Krystal's friends in the playground so we got photos of them together, sadly the sun was in their eyes so the results aren't great!

We headed round the back of the school where the infants entrance. We met Kory in the playground as it was playtime.

Us parents got to go in with them for a little bit to see them ok, then got kicked out.  Krystal was no bother at all going in, just said bye and off she went.

And so she' joins the treadmill of life!

 Julie.xx