Phew!!!!

What a Christmas it has been, two of us (Aimee and me) were knocked out with the sickness bug again during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we are only now starting to feel better!

The girls have been having a brilliant time, playing on their DS's (with new games) and on the Wii! Must admit myself and Steve have been playing too, my arm is killing me, but what a laugh!

Aimee got her long sought after mermaid costume, which even though she was poorly insisted on wearing Christmas day!

I will be updating my blog with photos over the next few days to play catch up!

I have been making scrapbook pages for the last 3 days due to a challenge that I entered on Scrapbook.com, I have to have 50 pages made by tomorrow. I only had 31 completed! I have managed to complete 19 pages! I don't care if I don't win, I feel such an achievement in getting all the pages completed! I MUST keep up with the challenge next year and not fall behind!

My poor December A Day book as been more or less forgotten, but I am determined to get it finished before January ends! I have been taking notes and photos!!!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and sorry my wishes are so late, but

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Christmas Day - warning long post!

What a Christmas!!!! Both Aimee and myself got the sickness bug AGAIN, on Christmas Eve, poor Steve had to do all the preparation for Christmas Day, veg prepping, last minute present wrapping, sorting out Santa things. And then on Christmas Day, Aimee and myself dragged ourselves downstairs, I plonked myself on the couch and didn't move for hours, watched the girls open their presents, opened mine, took some photos and then promptly curled up and went back to sleep. Again it was left to Steve to do all the preparations for Christmas Day Lunch. Aimee and I managed a little of the Christmas Lunch which was beautiful! Aimee tried to get into the festive mood, but she really wasn't able. She loved all the presents she got, but played on her DS the most as that took up less energy. She did feel a little better towards the evening and even played on the DS for a while and tried on her Mermaid costume. Then that was it, she fell asleep on the couch, Steve had to lift her up to bed. I feel soo sorry for her but she was a trooper never complained all day!!! I didn't take my usual 100 photos of the girls opening presents but did manage to get a few .....

I loved how our lounge looked this year, thanks to some of the decorations that June (Steve's mum) had given us as she didn't have room to take them back to Georgia with her.

.

This is the first year we have bought the girls a combined gift, so it was turn taking in opening it, I wonder what it could be????

By the looks of it the girls liked, "Santa" got them a Wii!!

"Santa" sure deserved this treat after all the hard work he done on Christmas Eve.

A mermaid costume, I think she liked, LOL



MMMh the saying daughters like fathers comes to mind!!!! New DS games!



Aimee's first calendar, Tinkerbell and her friends!

As you can see by this photo Aimee wasn't really able to play, and just had a go, soon after she was all snuggled back up on the couch! I decided to let the girls stay in their pj's all day, as I was staying in mine and we weren't going anywhere and no visitors were calling!



Not so much effort was needed for the car racing game, so Aimee enjoyed this a little more

The girls got Skye this jumper for Christmas, as you can see by some of the photos she was not impressed, lol!! She tried to rip if off 5 mins after taking these photos!

Aimee placing Baby Jesus into the crib.

Aimee did brighten up towards the evening and tried on her Mermaid costume

The girls all tired out, not surprising with all the illness we have had leading up to Christmas!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and didn't stuff themselves too much!

Christmas Eve!

Aimee has been poorly since they broke up from school. We usually go to a theme park called Sundown on Christmas Eve to pay a visit to Santa and hand over her Christmas Letter, as it adds to the magic of Christmas knowing that Santa will be coming that night. They have a fantastic Christmas Grotto set up in the park. But with Aimee vomiting all the time we decided not to go and instead we called into a Grotto at a garden center near us. The grotto was done lovely and Aimee really enjoyed the visit.

Santa opening Aimee's letter which she was so excited about, as this had never happened before. I scanned in her letter before we went.


Letter Reads:
Dear Santa Claus,
I have been a good girl.
I would like Mairo Party and a mermaid costume.
I wish you a happy Christmas
Love from Aimee XXXX

Santa did ask if this was all she wanted, and Aimee said it was, he then said are you sure (In my own mind was I screaming YES THAT'S ALL SHE WANTS, NOW DROP IT!!!! I was so scared that she was going to mention something that we hadn't got), Aimee then said I wouldn't mind a little surprise (phew!!!!!)
Santa then told her she was a beautiful and lovely little girl and wished that more children were like her! (ahhh, I was welling up as Aimee looked proud as punch)

Aimee listening to Santa asking if she was a good girl this year!


I had a few things to get, so we dropped into the supermarket across the road, poor Aimee said the minute we got in the door, mum I think I am going to get sick again, so I dashed her to the toilets, were unfortunately she did! We then dashed around the aisles got what I needed and got home.

Aimee lid down on the couch for a few hours watching TV. We had planned on making reindeer food for herself, Georgia and as Aimee said we must not forget Ben even though he is little. I asked her if she felt up to making the food, as Steve was calling around to Georgia and Ben's house, to drop off their Christmas presents, she said yes I want to make it for them. So we did!

I found this lovely poem on someones blog and I thought I kept note of whose blog it was, but can't find it now. So if you recognise this poem, shout out and I can give you credit and link back to your blog!


Editied to say I found the poem on Time for crafting!


While Aimee was feeling good, I asked if she wanted to go and spread out the food for the reindeer's.

I always get the girls new pyjamas to wear for Christmas Eve, after they have had their bath, this also boosts up the thrill of Christmas, even though they didn't need any boosting!

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND READERS OF MY BLOG A HAPPY AND JOYFUL CHRISTMAS!!!

Winner of the Scrap Card Challenge is ......

Tracey.

Congratulations Tracey!!!!

I have tallied up the votes from the poll that I have held on my blog and the poll which was held on the Paper Paradise forum.

I will be seeing Tracey tomorrow so I will give her the RAK then.

I would like to thank everyone who entered, all cards were fantastic, even though everyone starts from the same materials, I love to see the difference in the final cards!

Here are the rest of the cards with their owners names

Kath



Nicki



Melissa



Ruth- Front



Ruth - Back

Fantastic Gifts ....

Okay so today was my birthday!!!!

I got some fantastic presents!
First card I opened was from Aimee, then Chloe, then Steve's he had wrote the most beautiful message inside!
Then to their presents to me ....
Aimee and Chloe gave me vouchers for my LSS ....
Then I opened Steve's ......

What is it you might ask, well its a portable light tent. Steve got fed up of me complaining that I couldn't get any decent shots when the weather was yucky and also of the few choice words that I have been known to utter, lol!!!! Thank you to my wonderful little family, love you all, XXXX

The next card that I opened was from my mum and dad, they have given me money to spend in my LSS, yipee!!

The next card that I opened was from Tracey, wow!!!! This photo does not do it justice at all!!! I really need to learn how to use my tent properly!

I then opened the present that she gave me, wow again, been after these for awhile now! Thank you TraceyXXXX

Then I opened a card from Steve's Dad and Brenda, Brenda is also a card maker and she made me this beautiful and stunning card

Inside were vouchers for my LSS, yipee, yipee!!!!! Thank you Peter and Brenda, xxxx

I then opened Georgia and Ben's present to me ....

Isn't this fantastic, but do I have the guts to place a photo of me in the frame, lol
Thank you Georgia and Ben, (wink)

BTW all these photos were taken inside the light tent, I know they are not perfect yet, a lot better than I could of got without it though, and I shall be playing with it!

I opened Ruth and Mark's gift to me which was more vouchers for my LSS, (I feel a spending spree coming on, lol), which were inside a beautiful handmade gift box, Thank you Mark and Ruth

Steve, the girls and I were joined by Peter and Brenda for lunch at a local pub/restaurant. The meal was gorgeous. I had made a sticky toffee pudding and rhubarb pie with ice-cream or custard or cream, for afters so we came back to our house and had them. We spent the afternoon chatting and laughing. It was a great day, thanks Peter and Brenda for joining us.

A pic I took of the girls and Brenda