Pre Christmas gathering

As the years have gone by, we seem to have parted from spending Christmas together with either side of the family, spending actual Christmas just the four of us. My Granny can't travel and stay over, so we now tend to meet for lunch with my side of the family a week or two before Christmas. Likewise, with Jeff's side of the family, although local, we tend to only gather together for a meal or drinks, as the families grow and extend and are busy.

This year on Saturday 22nd we went over to Jeff's sister and met up with all the family.

It's always lovely to see all the cousins gathered together, missing Ben, who was still up in Leeds, working. Jeff was being quiz master in the above pic and below...... 

.......a captive audience!

It was only a few hours but always lovely to have everyone together.

A chance to dress up too!

And make my children have a photo taken with me!

Some more willing than others!

Merry Christmas from us all x

I was in charge of taking puds!!

It's a wrap!

Well nearly!

Last week I spent a whole day just wrapping presents. I wanted to get Sophie and Sam's wrapped whilst she was still away and he was at school. Jeff went to his spinning class, so I got him done too. I also got all my side of the family wrapped and ready, for when they came to visit this weekend.

Love this paper from Waitrose this year, with the holly from Sainsbury's.

This paper was from good old BHS 3 years ago now, before it closed. They always used to have a good selection of wrapping paper, alas it is no more

I am quite traditional, in that I really like red and green, with a little silver, sparkly thrown in. Can be stars, spots, stripes, patterned but always a mix, finished off with plenty of ribbons and tags and little extras. My mother-in-law always used to wrap the best presents, although she always made the tag out of the wrapping paper, so it was always really hard to find.

Both the kids this year want money but I always like them to have something to open under the tree. I have really tried to buy stuff they want and will use, rather than a novelty thing for Christmas that inevitably doesn't even make it out of the packaging. 

I still have Jeff's side of the family to wrap before we see them next weekend but I'm otherwise done.

I'm still working this week, my Monday to Thursday week. The main Christmas food shop will have to be done on Saturday, as working the day before and Christmas Eve until 6pm this year. Then I do have Boxing Day off and the day after but back in on the Friday and then working all of New Year.

I'm hoping everyone will be in a happy mood, as it's Christmas !!!!!! X

Get together

Exactly a year ago today we did the same thing - a gathering of my side of the family, to celebrate Christmas together. It was timed this year to Sophie being home!

Always lovely to get everyone together and as always we all spent the day in the kitchen, so lovely to have the space to be able to do so.

I cooked us all a lovely lunch, even if I do say so myself. We exchanged gifts and just enjoyed time together, which is always precious as the years go by.

Now the question is, 

When did Sam get so big or when did Granny get so small???

Murmurations

So on Friday evening, Jeff and I went to the Reedbeds at Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels, to witness the Starling Murmurations that happen there this time of year.

Not one of my photo's, do this spectacular sight justice. 

It was incredible. millions and I mean millions of starlings flying in to roost on the reedbeds. The noise alone, was something you have to hear to believe.

It was bitterly cold. 

I could not feel my fingers but it was so worth it. 

Would definitely go again, on a slightly milder evening or early, when they all take flight.

This YouTube clip gives you an idea 

She's home!

So, yesterday my girl came home!
Christmas can now begin. 

It's been 12 weeks since we dropped her off at Uni and her first time home.

My 'Countdown to Coming Home for Christmas' has certainly helped the time to go by quicker and it was lovely to receive a daily early morning text, once she'd opened her present.

This is what she got - small things either attached to our Christmas at home or to make life as a student slightly easier. Going to make the most of the next four weeks and enjoy her company at home, before I take her back in January.

Dripping in a little christmas!

With Sophie away until the 15th and under strict instructions not to do the tree until her return, I'm dripping in little bits of Christmas here and there, until she's back. So I put up my new star garland on the fireplace....

 ...and tried out some new lights in the sitting room. Having faffed about untangling them, I decided that they might as well stay up!

The Christmas bedding is on and ....

...at work we are Christmas jumper ready!!

I'm writing copious lists to try and best spend my time over the next week. I want to be done by the time Sophie comes home on Saturday, so we can spend time doing things together.

I've a lot to tick off.

Sam still exists, never wants to be photographed. Bribed him with a burger to come out with me and then allow me to take this pic! He still has 2 weeks left at school, Jeff broke up on Friday but I'm still gonna be working up until Christmas Eve.

As you know, I shared this with you last week, I've done a little Christmas Advent Countdown for Sophie, counting down the days until she comes home. So she doesn't miss out on the normal Christmas build up at home, she's been opening a gift a day, a little reminder of our Christmas at home. 8 days down, just 7 days left

Days 1-4

Days 5-8

The weather is mixed, still pretty mild. I don't really give it too much attention at the moment, particularly when I'm working. We were however treated to this stunning sky the other morning and..

... this view of the Tor.

I will never grow tired of this ever changing view.

So a busy week ahead but by this time next week Sophie will be home, the tree will be in the throes of being decorated and all my side of the family will be arriving for lunch on the Sunday. As I said, a busy week ahead of work, cleaning, present wrapping etc.

ADVENT ready!

Pinch and a punch.... hello December!

We are Advent ready - anyone else? 

Christmas is allowed to officially start on December the 1st, the first Christmas tunes ring out, the wreath is up on the door, although to be fair other than my Advent display, there is little else on display, it kinda 'drips' in now throughout the next two weeks.

I must say as a result of social media, I am quite surprised at how early people decorate their trees, some were being shown off mid November. We won't put our tree up until mid December, usually around two weeks before Christmas, any time from the 10th onwards really. I've been given permission to put the tree up, lights on but no decorating until the 15th, when Sophie comes home from Uni.

So she doesn't miss out on the build up to Christmas, I've made Sophie her very own Advent 'Countdown to Christmas'. Nothing expensive, just things that represent our Christmas at home. 

So Number One was her very own Chocolate Tin. The Chocolate Tin comes out on December the first, something of everything. All the favourites get split between two tins - Celebrations, Quality Street, Roses, Hero's, Toblerone Mini's, Terry's Chocolate Orange Miniatures, KitKat Senses..... The second tin comes out on Christmas Eve, so there is a fresh selection to enjoy. So she has her own tin, with one of every chocolate.

I went to see her yesterday, so persuaded her to open Number Two too, just so I could see her reaction. I found this mini tree in Next, decorated it with some of our decorations from home, so she could have her own tree. At home Sophie and Sam have their own tree's that they can put up in their rooms from December the 1st, her one at home would be too big for her Uni room, so this was perfect.

So yes, yesterday I went to see Sophie, the excuse being a little Christmas Shopping. Originally she and a friend were going to get the train to Bath to see the Christmas Markets and I was going to meet them for lunch, but the cost of the train was just too expensive, so I went to Reading instead. First time I've done the journey on my own, was up at 6am, got their just before 8:30! It's not a bad trip and it was so lovely to see her.

She's not come home at all. We saw her 5 weeks in, just for a quick visit, then we had our birthday day out in London two weeks ago and then yesterday was a bonus. She has another 2 weeks to go, lots of assignments to get in, tests, project deadlines ahead of her, plus a busy social life, she'll probably sleep the first few days she's home. But she is happy, eating well, settled, getting good grades, made good friends, so I have no concerns.

I just miss her x

I am trying to get everything done before she gets home. The cards were written last week, the house will be cleaned, hopefully wrapping done, so any free time when I'm not working, we can spend together doing nice things.

Here's to a busy, fun filled December x