The Ten Traditions of The Festive Season

in the Appleby household........

All these traditions occur at some point during the weeks leading up to Christmas every year. Somehow it makes it all the more normal!

1.  A last minute panic that I have forgotten someone in the flurry of present buying.

2. The rapid deterioration of the standard of my wrapping. It always starts with such good intent of  pretty ties and ribbons and ends with a present cobbled together with the remnants  of a mixture of different coloured wrapping paper because I can't be bothered to buy another new roll.

3. All children have been yelled at for some inconsequential action and then hugged tightly. All the result of emotions running over.

4. An elaborate Christmas Bake off is planned, ingredients purchased, but instead a bog standard chocolate sponge is thrown together on Christmas Eve as time ran out again!

5. Christmas selection packs are purchased, eaten and repurchased without the children knowing. Ditto for the Baileys .

6. Compulsory argument about who to spend Christmas day with. Every year we vow to go away next year.

7. Tears over who had " eaten ahead " in the joint advent calendar. 

8. Pang of guilt that yet again I have sent no Christmas cards, but reassure myself that I will write New Year letters ( No I won't ).

9. Christmas tree is enthusiastically decorated by the children, then when they are sleeping redone by myself #OCD

10. A ridiculously late night on Christmas Eve wrapping the last of the presents and sipping mulled wine to make sure it tastes ok. Recipe for a thick head every year!

Happy Christmas one and all!

And breathe..........

It's been a long time.

Things got pretty tough there for a while. 

I won't bore you with a long story, but just imagine hospitals and a precious child and you will get the picture.

BUT........

We are entering Christmas having come out the other side in one piece ( read - broken into a thousand bits and put back together by support, love and care).

It is the old cliche that at times like this you know who will be there when the going gets tough.

Thank you for the messages and e.mails - they meant a lot. If I didn't reply it was simply because I couldn't.

SO...........

A new year looms. I am still working full time and loving it, but life is busy . We are entering the phase of GCSEs with my eldest. I am not at all too proud to admit the work is too hard at times for me!

I will begin to renter the world of blogging as I am not ready to let go completely. I have been reading my favourite blogs over the past months and although silent I have loved the escape it brings!

I wish you all a very Happy Christmas with whoever you are spending this season with. Be gentle with those who are close to you. The threads of life are so very delicate and can be quickly and easily broken. Cherish the moments you have here and now with those you love.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Happy New Year

What has 2014 got in store ?

I feel quite excited about this year. We have some fairly difficult times behind us and are now able to enjoy our new kitchen. I officially start my new job on Friday, although as you know I got to start a little while before Christmas instead. This has worked to my advantage as I got to know the children really well and I found planning was a lot easier for this term.

We have set up some rules and regulations regarding the running of the house to try and make things easier now I am going to be out working every day - what's the chance that I'll end up doing everything anyway!? As you probably have guessed I love to be organised so there are a fair few rotas and schedules floating around. I'll let you know what works and what doesn't as time goes on!

We had a lovely break over Christmas - My OH had only taken a weeks break all year so it was much needed. We really relaxed and spent time together. Here are some of my Christmas highlights.

The decorated tree in our new kitchen

New PJs on Christmas Eve!

simple Christmas table

Christmas food

Fun and Games

First Aga flan

Beach walks

More fun and games

Dad

For me

And again for me. x

From mum to help keep us on track!

Happy New Year!

Happy Christmas

And A Great New Year

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It has been a frantic few weeks. Starting my job a few weeks early with no preparation certainly put paid to any plans I had to be organised ! 

However, I have managed somehow to get there. The presents are wrapped, the turkey collected, the stockings hanging waiting to be filled and I even managed a little bit of Christmas baking in Pearl!

So, I wish you all a lovely day and a fantastic new year. 

I intend spending some time with my family and friends over the next few days so I will 'see' you in 2014!

xxx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Music Monday - What's playing on your ipod this week?

On my ipod this week it has got to be Michael Buble and It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas !!

Linking up with Leslyn's Lovely Life and Tuesdays Tunes

November

A Good Sort Out!

I get to this time of year, with Christmas fast approaching and I always have a damn good sort out. I often also end up setting myself some unrealistic target of painting the kitchen or lounge before the day too, but have decided that I can do without that sort of relentless pressure!

So, throughout November I have set myself the challenge of going through cupboards and drawers, clothes and kitchen items and de cluttering. 

It all ends up in here! Good job this is being re done in the building works!

I am being ruthless.

 A bag of 'junk' a day has to go. I have made an E. Bay pile, but am being realistic about what will sell and the rest is going to my nieces ( clothes, jewellery and make up) and charity. Tomorrow I am even going to head into the dark abyss that is better known as The Loft. If I don't return by nightfall, please send in a search party to get me out.

It is a fantastic feeling . I always think I am not a hoarder and am quite organised, but no, not so. You won't believe the stuff I have found! 

Now there is an ulterior motive to all this madness apart from Christmas. We are launching into an extension to our house early next year and I intend on documenting some of this on my blog. It is a pretty major bit of work and we have been saving forever to do this. However, as with all projects, when is enough, enough? So we are tightening our belts to make sure we can spend the spare cash we have on this project and finish it to the standard we know it deserves. For those who know me , you know how long and how patiently I have waited for this and how many times we have postponed it's start so a little tightening our belts is no hardship I can tell you! I am going to end up with a fantastic new kitchen and living space.

Of course once you look afresh at your finances and how you spend, it becomes somewhat shocking how much can actually dribble through your fingers in a short space of time. These small expenses quickly add up and can be the thing that tips the balance between saving or not. So, in my mission to save a little (and my hatred of giving away unnecessarily our hard earned money) I am going to be documenting this part of my journey in some regular posts on a Friday. I am going to call these 

Frugal Friday posts

 Although I am not technically being totally frugal in our spending - just careful with how I do spend - these posts will contain tips and hints on how to cut back on your weekly outgoings and also how well (or badly ) I am doing. I often have set myself a" no spend" period of time like I did during my 30 x 30 challenge as I feel this helps diminish in me that desire and need to spend, spend, spend! 

When you see how much after a week, a month, a year that you can save then it can become quite addictive! We have the attitude that we would rather be careful with our money where we can so we can spend it on the things we really want!

If it's not your thing, then thats fine too - avoid my Friday post!

What do you do when you need to rein things in and tighten your belt?