Sweet eats

I have a sweet tooth. Thankfully Durham obliges me in this respect with an out of this world donut shop and a crazy good cupcake bar both within walking distance of our house. It's a long walk, but all the better if you are walking for a donut!

Art

 So, we make a lot of art these days. Nora love to make lists. Or wists, rather. Here she is carrying a special wist around town with her one Saturday. Also, Daddy is silly.

Ella's style of expression is a Jackson Pollock-esque layering of marker, crayon, pen, stickers, tape, and more of each again until her papers are completely covered and are twice their original weight. She was a queen this day too of course, but if you look on her desk you'll see some samples or her work. They are really interesting looking

Do these distinct creative preferences reveal one organized person and one freethinker?

Silly songs with Nora

A queen and her castle

Ella's alter ego is Queen Ellasanyas, or Queen Ella-asanyas, or Ellasantas depending on the mood. She loves to be a queen and dresses up in her royal garb for any activity. This next photo was taken at school. I love it.

We often talk about what a queen would or wouldn't wear (especially for certain activities, i.e., a queen would certainly wear her sneakers instead of her fancy shoes to go on the playground) and what she would or wouldn't do (queens are kind and brave, especially where little sisters are concerned).

One day Ella would love to meet a real queen. She knows they are real, but only live very far away. Maybe next summer when we all go to Cornwall? Can you pull us any strings British citizen family members?