Pause in Advent - Week 3

This week I shall be taking the pause in the title literally. We haven't had the greatest of weekends. A weekend that started with such promise, a great night out on Friday, the arranged visit to see Father Christmas on Saturday and carols in the dark at a local Christmas market on Sunday. All, except my night out, was halted by a poorly little boy who couldn't go anywhere, and the extra washing produced by said poorly boy, which needed drying even if it was raining.
Also my big boys face some uncertainty in their life. And, as is the norm, are testing the boundaries with the one constant in their life...that'll be me!!! So yesterday was spent pausing. There was no rushing around and going out, filling our day with Christmas activities. We pottered. I tinkered with the Christmas trimmings, lovely husband and I painted the dresser (finished before Christmas!!), I wrapped some more presents,I opened a lovely parcel - thanks beki xxx, I cooked tea for my parents, I pickled some onions for my dad's christmas present...late I know but he expects them every year and I hadn't got round to it!!
You see one thing my advent calendar cannot plan for is when the boys will be ill, or for other unexpected changes ....but sometimes unexpected changes can be good, even if they are for a not so good reason. And one things certain, Christmas will happen whether we have ticked all the things off the list or not. This is the first year that I have got to the 12th of December and haven't got all the presents wrapped, or cards sent, or finished the house trimming..but also the first year I don't feel stressed. Maybe I am realising that perfection and list ticking off is not what makes Christmas....
This weekends pause in the plans meant that this got made.....


I bought a ready made wreath from the garden centre and wired in the hydrangea's and orange's myself. It is exactly the look I wanted, and I am rather pleased with how it turns out. I know my limitations which is why the wreath itself was pre bought, but it only cost £5 and the hydrangea's were snaffled from my neighbour's garden and the oranges didn't break the bank... I know I would have paid a lot of money for something similar online or locally.
And as mentioned the dresser got painted...its not finished, it needs another coat ideally, though thats not that obvious, but we forgot to paint the door catches and they are bugging me!! And may have to change the hinges - but i got 'the look' when I mentioned this yesterday so won't be bringing that up again before Christmas!
So by last night it was all trimmed up too.....

It has now started to turn chilly in East Anglia, so its definately starting to feel a lot like Christmas....Just 5 more days at school then we can snuggle in and enjoy!!

this week..

As well as decorating the Christmas tree...more on that another day, watching Kirsties Handmade Christmas...more on that another day and wrapping up some pressies...more on that another day too, we have been opening our advent calendars and looking forward to our daily instruction card.

I have to say out of all the ideas I come up with this has to have been the best...and when I say I came up with it, I'm sure you understand I don't mean I invented it lol!! I just introduced it to our home....

Apart from a blip last friday where I had written that today we could tidy the toybox ready for Father Christmas, C has been very enthusiastic. It is also making me do something with him everyday..I find it too easy to leave them to play by themselves whilst I cook tea etc etc...but with these activities we have to interact at the kitchen worktop or dining table.

Tuesday saw us making Christmas biscuits using a Nigella recipe. (gold dust cookies from the Nigella's Christmas book)

It was a really good recipe, I shall be making up another batch of dough to make biscuits for the tree as they are a good sturdy biscuit once cooked. (I did add an extra teaspoon of ground ginger and a teaspoon of mixed spice for extra flavour...)

The recipe has an egg in so R cannot partake..if anyone has a gingerbread biscuit recipe that does not need egg please give me a shout!!

Like the card making I let him go freestyle...I just oversaw the flour sprinkling ;)

Wednesday was making a snowman decoration - so easy and earned me tons of fab mummy points!!! C even got unlimited access to my button box... and the ribbon scraps too and made 2 lovely little snowmen that are hanging in the hallway...
Today we collected pinecones ready to make decorations next week - well I collected them in the park over the road while C scooted around, and also having given up on the sad pansies I neglected and failed to plant out, we had a visit to the garden centre and bought some more plants..primroses this time and they were planted as soon as we got back so I couldn't waste more plants!!

The postie turned up whilst I was mid planting and brought me a beautifully wrapped parcel from Pat. We were partnered for the Homemade Christmas Swap. It didn't stay wrapped up under my tree for long.....so I'll be back soon to showcase Pat's talents!! x

Pause in Advent - week 2.

As I sit to write this post I am thinking this is a new tradition I would like - the choosing of the tree on the second Sunday in Advent.....we always do have a real tree, but I usually send out lovely husband to get it (with strict instructions obviously!!!) whenever we have a day that he is at home and we have no committments.
I like the idea that we will always know when we are putting up our Christmas Tree. I'm afraid I can't put it up in November. My mother would kill me for starters. Her rule was not before the 12th!!
So today (by sheer fluke that it is the second in advent...) we traipsed into the country to choose our tree. (we all wore wellies!!!!)The farm offered a tractor and trailer ride to the big fields to choose our tree to be chopped down. There were 2 very pleased little boys and a going along with it 12 year old one!! This will become another tradition in our family I think. It made the getting of the tree a much more special event than the usual getting in the car, collecting it, going home thing!!
(hmm this looks a good one...)(but I better check it fulfills mummy's strict height criteria!!)
The decorating of the tree will be done this evening when the small children are in bed. They can 'help' with their tree but not mine. I'm not precious about the tree, I like a rustic, traditional crossed with scandanavian style - ok anything goes!!! And although I lack the gene that allows me to decorate beautifully and with symmetry I don't like the 8 baubles on one branch look.

Here it is in situ after moving the furniture in my not overly big lounge around!! Lovely Husband refused to lug the very heavy chest that normally lives in the bay, upstairs..so its a long coffee table next to his armchair.So its a Christmas movie and mulled wine whilst trimming up the tree night tonight....
And of course the outing to choose a tree, gave me a more exciting activity to put in the calendar....which so far is working really well. A definate keeper for next years calendar!!

what do you buy the man who has everything??

Well more like the man who wants nothing!!!

I always get lovely husband to write me a list but he is so flipping practical, unlike his wife who likes pointless but pretty pressies ;)

We don't go overboard for one another but we do get each other a few little gifts to open and I was browsing here... and found, what I think is, a fab stocking filler...and its far from practical...

(click on the pic for a link to the decription)

pointless... but very cute and very apt following our trip....he'll love it!!

I aim to wrap up everything this weekend. Then next week I can concentrate on posting the swaps I have outstanding (nearly there ladies!!)

This week has been a busy one for me (more on that next time) but we are still taking the time to enjoy the activity the calendar tells us we must be doing today....

yesterday was watching a Christmas dvd -I have treated the boys to some new ones this year, including this...

if you like Madagascar, you'll love this...Happy Julianuary!!!

Today's is reading some new Christmas stories, we have been reading Christmas stories at bedtime all week, but the treasury on the right is new, and will be opened at bedtime tonight :)

The nativity book is great I bought it after W made his Jesus birthday gaff 5 or 6 years ago. He always liked the photographs of children acting out the story..

I have to say C was not particularly thrilled by the last 2 cards he has pulled out, but hey life can't be all about glitter and glue can it???

(wait til he see's tomorrow- tidying the toybox ready for Father Christmas coming ;) - poor boy......they will get better!!)

Tuesday 1st December

Its the most exciting 1st of the month in the year!! Chocs have been eaten....daily activity discovered...

And cards have indeed been made.....

Nothing fancy - pva glue on a saucer, plastic cookie cutters and glitter glitter glitter!!!

I even let them freestyle no mummy taking over, I don't usually do glitter or resisting the urge to take over - it was good just leaving them alone...feel sorry for my big boys now lol!! All those years of no like this - ooh mummy help you ;)

glitter is everywhere....thank goodness for an oilcloth topped table is all I can say!!!

And my family will all hate me when they open these glittery beauties ha ha!! Well so far I love the activity a day idea...and the next couple of days I have kept simple so hopefully it will be enjoyable all the way through.

I have received some parcels through the post recently that I haven't shared yet....aswell as the stitchery made by Hetty I blogged about yesterday, I also won a charity auction over on the forum I frequent.

This very clever lady had made a stunning pegbag, and as this was the pegbag in use at the time, I just knew it was destined to live with me....here's an action shot.... (taken on Monday morning..that blue sky didn't last!!!!)

and a close up....

Mary also sent me some lovely vintage fabric scraps which I shall use for patchwork, all tied up in a vintage lace trimmed hanky...the pieces on the left are conveniently cut into big bunting triangles so I shall be backing them in a plain fabric and making big bunting!!

I also had a bit of retail therapy in a fellow bloggers shop...

a little hanging cottage, which has found its home on my glazed cupboard in the dining room..the detail is fantastic.

Now it is December it is officially Christmas, and although I am holding out on putting up the trees for a few more days , the real one will be chosen on Sunday, I can now bring out some Christmassy bits and trim up slowly slowly. I have sadly realised that all the things I was going to make for this year are still on the fabric shelf..but I'm sure I can get the look I want with the assistance of a few new purchases!!

Hoping to blog more in December - its my favourite month and one which is never short of stuff going on, I am up most mornings way too early with the baby's itchy and scratchy show so I figure I can utilise that time....

Pause in Advent

As I rushed around yesterday doing mundane housey chores, bigger painty chores and christmas preparation type chores. I thought of the irony that I am taking part in Floss's Pause for Advent.

My life is full and busy, and I don't use my time sensibly all of the time, so pausing during advent to think about what christmas really means to our family is a good idea. I was hoping that by this stage of the year, my christmas crafting would have been complete, my presents would have been bought and wrapped and that I could be sat back enjoying december with the boys. Obviously that hasn't happened, but I do still plan to take time out to enjoy the boys getting ready for the festivities, for the time we are all off school and work together with nowhere to go, we can relax, welcome guests, take time to enjoy being a family. Instead of the usual weekend cramming in jobs and activities.

After making my advent calendar..heavily influenced by this one...I decided that this year as well as a chocolate treat the boys could have a little note, letting them know how many sleeps are left and details of an activity that we can do each day. The idea taken from here. I am thinking I will include going with daddy to choose a tree, watching big brothers stagecoach panto, making cards, colouring in christmas colouring books, making cookies, going to see Father Christmas...any other ideas gratefully recieved!!

The suggestion was met with mucho eye rolling from Mr 14 year old, though I suspect he will be just as eager to see what the note says each day and will be the first to get stuck in to a painty, gluey, glittery activity!!

As well as the new handmade calendar, the big boys have their shop bought choccy ones, I have a traditional door opening one, we have the advent tree (as blogged about last year), now 14 years old and slightly worse for wear after the baby got hold of it last year...and an advent candle. This was bought for last years advent period and mislaid, the plan is to light it at dinner each evening......

As a family we are not especially religious, but one of our family traditions is to make sure that the boys know that the meaning of christmas extends beyond chocolate calendars and gift lists!!

(We always just assumed they realised until W, when he was about 7 or 8 said isn't Jesus lucky having his birthday on Christmas Day......).

We are already introducing a few christmas story books at bedtime and I will now be reading them The Christmas Story alongside Maisy's Christmas Eve and suchlike...

And this delightful stitchery will be displayed during advent as a reminder to us all....

(picture and stitchery courtesy of Miss Hetty Rosepepper)

Today I need to deliver these advent cards to the mums....we found them on a stall selling Japanese stationary on a Christmas market in New York...really wish I had got one for me too!!