Folk Festival 2016

This morning I managed to keep Katie occupied quietly until 7am when I let her go nudge Granny and Grandad awake. She was very excited to find our new sofa open in its bed form for the first time. There was a little bouncing! She did a beautiful piano practise, concentrating hard even when there were people watching. Actually ensuring they were watching at several points! We left first this morning, heading off for a visit to her old nursery for their open day. She was excited to go then got silly shy! We didn't stay long, just had a nosey round some hellos (her favourite, lesley, wasn't there which she didn't approve of!)

We headed off to ballet. Lots of costume fitting today. The principal had lost all the sheets with the sizings on that had taken us forever to do previously, sigh! But the girls all loved wearing their costumes again! I tried to get the girls (Katie and her ballet bestie) away from class quickly as today is one of Katie's favourite annual events - the local Folk Festival. They had an amazing time! When we arrived some pirates were doing a set on the outside stage which they watched and joined in with some of the songs. Katie wasn't impressed when they pretended to hang a puppet man so went off for a sit with Granny and Grandad at the tea van. We then went into the children's tent and they made ribbon wands, instruments, had their face painted, had glitter tattoos on their hands, jumped on hay bales and played in the willow arch (annual willow arch photo in the extras!) After we'd finished in there, they went back to the outside stage where there was a rather trendy young chap doing English hard shoe dance with his mate. They were INCREDIBLE with the children. They'd basically just been jamming with some improv, but had the kids eating out the palm of their hands. Consequently when the next act came along, the kids wouldn't let them leave but they ended up a really good double act. The lead of the first group challenged the lead of the second to make up a song and let the kids choose the topic. They chose Star Wars. The song was fabulous. The kids provided the percussion with impressively rhythmic floor banging, clapping and elbow tapping! They had a great time. We went to get some food and the wonder that is food court excellence meant 5 totally different meals were enjoyed by all 5 present people. 

We said goodbye to Granny and Grandad and headed off to the night's final activity, youth club. Ballet buddy hasn't done it before and got a little bit apprehensive but very quickly got stuck in. They had a fantastic time doing a scavenger hunt, a balloon pop game, the price is right and a colouring quiz. They both began to flag a bit though so were not gracious in defeat during the price is right! We went straight home, rather than help clear up and put them in jammies & did milk cups before we drove BalletBuddy home. She didn't get to her home before she fell asleep. Tiger paint still on!