Photos & Christmas Countdown

Okay, let's start with the photos! This is a selection of photographs from our family photo shoot in the Abbey Gardens last week - told you Anna was fab! If you are interested in having any taken get in touch with her quick - before it's too late!!

Half term is going by quickly, yesterday the children went to a holiday club run at the pre-school as they were having an Egyptian day (one of Henry's favorite subjects!). I booked them in from 8am - 1.30pm and managed to bike to Annie's for her to scan some photos ready for the weekends workshop, then to the sorting office to collect a parcel and then home to do a little paperwork and housework, finally I went for a swim - a proper grown-up swim with no children hanging around my neck! I think it's the first time I have done that since before Henry was born and it felt great! When I went to pick the children up they had had a great time and Henry was not happy about having to go home.

This afternoon we dropped Evie off with Nana & Gaga and took Henry to spend his birthday money, (a big box of Star Wars Lego!) then MacDonald's and the cinema - we saw IGOR, Henry loved it but Jonathan & I thought it was really boring - Jonathan even managed a doze! It's always nice to spend a bit of time with Henry on his own though as it so rarely happens!

Anyway - to the Christmas Countdown, yup 8 weeks to go!!!

So, I am going to give you Anthea Turners 8 week check list from her new Christmas book.

* Plan your Christmas meals-make lists of all the food and drink you will need.

* Plan your Christmas entertaining-make lists of everything you'll need.

* Send out your invitations.

* Place orders for drink and food. Remember to order your Christmas meat.

* Check you've got enough cutlery, china and glasses, particularly if your entertaining. If your short of large serving dishes and bowls try to borrow from a friend before going out and buying or hiring them. Order any glasses, china or equipment you will need to hire, or try Homebase and Ikea, which can sometimes be cheaper than hiring.

* Write out your gift list. Set a budget and try and keep to it.

* If you are making your own Christmas cards, start now - if you haven't already made them.

* Plan the theme for your Christmas decorations.

* Buy wrapping paper, ribbons and trimmings if you didn't stock up in the January sales.

* Start adding a few Christmas items to your weekly shop

* If you are making them, now is the time to make your Christmas cake and pudding.

* Check last posting dates and write them on your calender. Don't forget overseas dates if you need them.

* Book Christmas and New Years taxis.

* Arrange a babysitter if you are going to need one at any time in December. They'll quickly get booked up, especially over weekends.

* Clean out the freezer-it's time to dump the mystery packages lurking in the depths. Try to use up as much food as you can to make room for your Christmas foods.

* Have a pre-Christmas turn out in the house.

Well that's it on the Christmas countdown until six weeks before, I expect you all to be so organised this Christmas! I have already had the pre-Christmas turn out as I got the children to do it before their birthdays! And I am hoping to get my Christmas Cards made in the next week (I hope!). The only thing is I lost all my addresses on my laptop when it died earlier in the year so I am slowly getting them put back on ready for printing envelopes.

I am also going to make our Christmas cake and pudding at the weekend, if you would like the recipes check out my new recipe blog!

I look forward to reading your comments and seeing any recipes you have to share!

Phew...

Birthday month is now over for another year! My niece Daisy turned 2 on 20th October and we attended her family tea party last Sunday, with a fabulous 'Upsy Daisy' cake my sister-in-law had made and then my Mum took the children to her birthday party on Monday afternoon - busy, busy!

On 21st October my baby boy turned 7, where do the years go? He is still such a sweet and loving boy. He made me smile on Monday, he was desperate for me to add the tiny bit of squashed birthday cake he had brought home from Daisy's party to his lunch box, so I also added a banana muffin with his fruit and sandwich. When he came home the muffin was untouched and when I asked why, he said ' I couldn't eat it as I had two red items in my lunch box',

'sorry honey', I said ' do the teachers check up on you then?'

'no Mummy, I just knew so I didn't eat it!' - how cute is that? dear little munchkin!

We had a birthday tea of fish and chips and my parents on his birthday, then Wednesday after school Henry and his best friend James had a 'Lego Star Wars' party. Luckily James' mum Emma is fantastic at party games and being a teacher was great at keeping everything calm and under control! We even had a visit from Darth Vader - made Evie cry! It was a fabulous party enjoyed by all 30 children I hope.

So now life is getting back on track and my mind is turning to think about Christmas - 9 weeks to go, next week I am going to check out my 'Anthea Turners guide to a perfect Christmas' book and let you know what you should be doing, I might even let you know a few of my favorite Christmas recipes.

I read some great on-line present buying tips in my 'Woman and Home' magazine:

#Make a detailed list

-it's so easy to over-buy!

#Stick to a strict budget

-overspending is effortless

when money is "virtual".

#Print out or file e-receipts

and order numbers in case

you need to return goods.

#The big upside? You can

do it all at midnight while

wearing your pyjamas!

So that is where I am going to leave you, half term is this next week, so hope to have some updates for you soon.

SORRY!

It has been weeks since I last updated - sorry! Life seems to have been very busy with birthday parties to plan, work to keep up with, builders in the house and Jonathan and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on Monday!

So, let's start with Evie turning 3, how did that happen?! Can't believe it has been 3 years since we brought that little pink bundle home from the hospital, she came out in rush and has not stopped since! We had Polly come and do a 'Music with Mummy' party for Evie and eleven of her friends, thank you Polly, it was fantastic! (apart from the smoke alarms going off every few minutes in the middle of the party - think we have a faulty one!) So this is the birthday banner I made....


And this is us joining in with the singing and actions - have to thank Annie for being official party photographer!


This is gorgeous Euan, enjoying watching the other children..........



and Daisy with her favorite cousin! I had to make a Fifi cake and had a go at Bakerellas cupcake pops, which looked nothing like hers - but went down well anyway!
Evie was so shattered that evening that she decided she didn't want to open her presents until the next morning (which was her actual birthday anyway), so early on Sunday morning we were all up watching Evie open lot's of lovely gifts, including the Lazy Town Stephanie outfit from Daniel, Alfie and Thomas..........
and the Fifi outfit from Elise and Aiden (which she even wore to Sainsburys!)We made another cake for the family tea party, which Evie helped to decorate..............

So that was all fun!

We have had fantastic builders in who found and sorted out the leak we have had, think it's been there since the house was built 8 years ago! But now dealt with!

Jonathan and I enjoyed a lovely lunch out on Monday to celebrate our anniversary, we are also going to Yorkshire for a few days without the children in November which we are so looking forward to, will be a lovely break.

I am now in the process of sorting out things for Henry's Lego Star Wars party in 10 days time, he is having it joint with his best friend, which has been fantastic, as Jame's mum Emma is fab at party games! Hope to get lot's of photos to show you.

Jonathan and I had dinner at Queens College, Cambridge on Tuesday night as we were holding an auction for the Lords Taveners. Being a 'local' I have never toured around the colleges in Cambridge, just punted behind them on the backs a few times, so it was wonderful to actually walk over the mathematical bridge and step back in time, it is so beautiful and the sense of history is overwhelming. We ate in 'The Old Hall' which was stunning, we also had a fantastic meal, definitely a night to remember.

A little incident this morning that I must tell you about, Henry got a piece of Lego stuck up his nose..........yes, you read right! He was so upset, crying and shaking and very pale, bless him! So at 6.30am Henry and I were on our way to A&E, (which is only 5 minutes down the road)luckily there was no one else there and so we were seen really quickly and after a couple of attempts at 'blowing' it out the doctor had to get something behind it and pull it out! By 7.05am we were home again and he went off to school quite happily - this is one of those things that you think will never happen to you - but it did! Don't think he'll be doing that again!

Have booked my place on the Scrapping Angels Christmas Workshop - if you haven't already done so then book your place quickly! Can't wait!!