All Over!

It’s incredible isn’t it? We spend months preparing for Christmas and then its all over in a flash. Every year I sit down to Christmas dinner and wonder what all the fuss was about.

But I’m not being Ba Humbug anymore. Christmas is such hard work but I do love the giving of presents. Seeing the boys' faces light up as they open their presents. And sometimes the smallest of things bring the biggest delights - like the packs of Go Go’s - small plastic toys which are collectables and cost about a pound - which were the winning gifts this year.

 

I did have a lucky escape though. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I put all the boys’ presents in the cupboard under the boiler in our spare bedroom. Normally I keep them in the wardrobe but I don’t like filling the sacks from there in case the rustling wakes them up. All was fine on Christmas Eve but overnight the boiler developed a leak and flooded the cupboard beneath. If it had happened a few hours earlier - well I don’t like to think!

 

We had a quiet Christmas Day, just the four of us. We went to church in the morning, the boys were shepherds in the nativity and it was lovely to sing all the carols. It was nice to take a few moments to remember the real meaning of Christmas which often gets lost amongst all the commercialism. Then we went for a drink in our local and met up with friends before dinner and an evening in front of the Christmas tele.

 

Boxing Day wasn’t quite so relaxing as we invited both families round. At one point the house was filled with twenty five people including eight children, so it was a little chaotic at times but nice to see everyone together.

 

Now its over and this is the time of year I really look forward to. No work, no school and once all the family commitments are fulfilled, I can slob out in my PJ’s until lunchtime, reading, writing and just doing exactly what I want.

 

What’s that darling? You want to play on the Wii? No problem!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas too!

Anyone For Some Festive Spirit?

So are we feeling festive?   Er I don’t think so.

As my boys reminded me its only eight more sleeps until Christmas.

OH NO!  How did that happen?

It’s the same every year.  Despite that fact that I know Christmas is looming it always sneeks up on me, taps on my shoulder and shouts “Boo!”  I suppose it doesn’t help that I always go into denial until it’s too late to do anything other than panic.

But I did try and get organised this year.  I did! Honest!

I have a sister-in-law who goes out and does her shopping in one hit at the beginning of November. I don’t know how she does it. In November I don’t even know what to buy and I can’t remember everyone I need to buy for either as my memory is like a sieve and after a few hours of Christmas shopping I loose the will to live.  So by trying to start early all I’ve done is prolong the agony.

We’ve been having some work done on the house too. A few shelves here a few there, a new cupboard in one room, a curtain rail in the other.  Not major work I grant you but very messy!  So extra time cleaning up. And then my husband decided that he was going to redecorate my eldest’s bedroom on Monday.  Now, as he is a painter and decorator by trade, the opportunities to have my own house decorated are few and far between so I had to grab it with both hands.  End result – contents of child’s bedroom piled into the middle of the floor. I didn’t realise just how many toys he has that he never plays with.  It does rather beg the question why does he need any more?  I did intend to do my Domestic Goddess bit and sort it all out but I’m afraid the Clutter Fairy was busy. (Incidentally a neighbour of mine does actually use a clutter fairy but I’m afraid I’d be too embarrassed to show anyone the state of my junk.)  So yesterday I filled up the new shelves and stuffed the rest back under the bed.  I’ll sort it after Christmas – I promise.

And, if that isn’t enough I’ve not been feeling too well this week.  I have an abscess over my tooth which is proving rather painful.  It started earlier in the year and I’ve suffered various painful treatments which I thought I had cured it. But last week it came back so I had to go back to my dentist.  (I’m actually beginning to feel sorry for her.)  Now I’m rattling with antibiotics and am currently alcohol free – so can you see why there’s no festive spirit in my house?  My dentist has referred me to a dental surgeon to have something more painful done in the New Year so at least I’ve got something to look forward to.

Anyway.  Enough of my ba humbug. By the way someone sent me a picture of a grumpy humbug wearing a santa hat this earlier in the week so it’s Official. I did try to upload it onto here but it wouldn't allow me.

I’m going to spend the weekend working like crazy to get everything done and then when I finish work on Wednesday I’m going to spend a few hours snuggled up on the sofa with my boys watching some feel good films to get me feeling festive.

Or in reality – I’ll finish everything at midnight on Christmas Eve, collapse in a heap and then get up at six am to start cooking the turkey!

Anyway, happy Christmas everyone!

We Have Kittens!

Look here at the two new additions to our family!

Firstly meet Bobby.

And secondly meet his brother - Luke.

In actual fact these two little tykes have been part of our famiily for a little over four weeks now and they have certainly changed our lives - in a good way - despite the scratches to the wallpaper!

These two little mites may look cute but they have certainly been through the mill in their short lives.

Their mother was abandoned when she was pregnant but fortunately found her way to the RSPCA who saved her life and the lives of some of her babies. She ended up having a Ceasarean section and gave birth to five babies. Only two of those survived - see above. Even though my two little darlings did survive, they still needed to be resusitated at birth. Their mum lost her milk and they were housed with a wonderful foster mum who fed them by had on the hour every hour. They weere really poorly for a long time and their foster mum often wondered if they would make it but thanks to her determination and perhaps theirs here they are. Now they are full of life, tearing around our house like its a ready made race track and coulnd't look healthier. In the short time they have been with us they have both grown so much. I feel so privileged that we have been given these two little lives to nurture. I know that with us they will have a very happy home but I'm even more cetain that we will benefit so much from their love too. Having so much contact with humans from being babies they are the most affection cats I have ever known and its a real pleasure to see their cheeky faces whenever I walk through the door. All I can do is thank the RSPCA and their foster mum for not giving up on them because without them our family would not have had the chance of having these two adorable creatures in our lives and, now even at such a short time, within our hearts.