A matter of choice

After a month of chocolate for breakfast and increasing excitement Christmas day finally dawned. I really hadn't slept well - I was so convinced that one of the boys would wake up and demand to get up at some stupid hour that I was waking up with every little noise all night long.  I heard Leo go to the bathroom at 5:30am and was expecting him to come in, or at least go and look to see the presents but he went straight back to bed!

Eventually I heard Louka come out and as I lay listening for the reaction Leo jumped out of bed to show him and explain.  I walked down the hall and loved hearing Leo show Louka that Santa had eaten the mince pies and drank the 'Maximoki'  (it's their name for Whisky - I have no idea where it came from!)


The boys had been desperately hoping for Lego Dimensions, which was literally the only thing they asked for.  I had asked many times if there was anything else they would like and both would look at me blankly in reply.

The only 'probl…

If in doubt, get out!   I have no idea if someone once said that to me or if it just popped into my head but I've decided its a good phrase when it comes to deciding what to do.   I've never been very good at just getting out the house with the boys, always over thinking it - too hot, too cold?  Too windy?   Will the weather change?   Will we be hungry?  Should we eat first, take a picnic?   Are we too tired? Will the kids have fun or just moan at me?  - you get the idea!

As I mentioned in my last post, I was suffering from 'Crimbo Limbo'  (yes I am just making random things up now!)   We hadn't left the house in days, I was missing the excitement and anticipation of Christmas and there was far too much pyjama wearing, Xbox playing and chocolate eating going on for me to to stay sane.

The problem had been that it had been raining on and off for almost a week, dry spells have been very short lived and I'm sure the sun has only been out once!  So when I saw that…

What a difference a week makes, this time last week seems like a lifetime ago.

On Thursday the boys broke up from school and we had our usual pre-Christmas get together with our friends at our house.  This year the Dad's joined us (well, once they had got back from the pub) and everyone stayed for dinner and board games.


Friday was the first day of the holidays,  I spent the morning with a bit of a fuzzy head from the previous nights Christmas spirits and recovered in time for our girls night out dinner.     Leo was excited not only about it being almost Christmas but his Taekwondo grading that evening for his yellow belt.



Saturday was Christmas Eve!

I love Christmas Eve - full of excitement and anticipation.

The boys spent the  morning watching Christmas cartoons and some colouring., we all played a bit of 'Christmas Bingo'.

Apart from a quick pop to the shops for last minute baking ingredients and one present to wrap we were all ready for the big day.    We cranked up…

At the end of 2015 I wrote a series of blog posts looking back over the year and tried to play catch up on the many things I'd not got round to writing about as they happened.   Full of optimism I went into January 2016 hoping to keep up but somewhere along the way I forgot!   I even briefly considered stopping blogging altogether.

Looking back I'm pleased though that I didn't and still wrote 52 posts, a few less than last year but not a bad amount for the year.  I'm sure I will never go back to the numbers of the early days,  although I did kind of hope to beat last year in a completely pointless competition with myself. 
So,  2016....everyone's saying it was a terrible year but for us it was a good one.  
January
I was, as I am most years, eager to get on with the year once Christmas and New Year's Eve is over.  I love Christmas but I enjoy the run up to it and by the end of December its onwards and upwards. Decorations down, to-do lists written and plans in …

It's the last day of school today and I'm quite excited about it!  I always am at the end of term, summer and winter, it reminds me of the end of term excitement we used to have.  Even though there is a small part of me remembering that it means I don't have my mornings to work in, I love school holidays, especially now the boys tend to let me stay in bed until 8am!

I started this month with a massive to-do list, which I not only managed to to lose like I normally do, I actually completed it.   Well pretty much, apart from making cookies.  I had told the boys I'd make cookies for them to decorate and haven't done that but they were quite happy to be told we could do it in the holiday. 
I do love a list, especially a Christmas related one, shopping, wrapping, and baking are all enjoyable for me at this time of year.  (It only lasts through December then the novelty wears off for another year!)   We now have Mince pies, Onion Marmalade, Lemon Curd, and some edible C…

Looking back over the last few years, some of my favourite blog posts have been Christmas themed. I mentioned one in my recent 'Top 5 Blog posts' but thought I'd do do a festive version.

In no particular order I give you....

Leo's Thoughts On Christmas - this was written back in 2012 when he was 3 years old.  I was surprised at his answers and I wondered how different they would have been if we weren't in Cyprus.

Christmas Memories - This one wasn't even written by me but is is one of my favourites. My Mum shares her Christmas memories. it

Our Cyprus Christmases  - Written in 2013 and looking back over the 4 years we'd been in Cyprus and how it had changed for me at that point.

Home for Christmas - this one is about how I always want to be at home for Christmas.

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? - Which do you prefer?

Christmas Eve Snuggle Sack -  I include this one as this was the first year I did  the Snuggle Sack and I'm so glad I did,  the boys love it and…

It's December already and that means my countdown to Christmas can begin.   I love Christmas and I do always say that it is a 'season' not just a day (it's not just me - it says so in the song!) but I think it should generally be confined to December.

Decoration Day   (it has capital letters because it is an actual event, one that is planned with mince pies,  Christmas music and plenty of baileys,   planned to ensure no-one has to drive anywhere afterwards!) has always been a point of 'discussion'  in our house,   you may remember my previous post on this - The First of the Christmas Traditions.   So it has to be not too early and not too late,  our compromise is usually the weekend somewhere around the 12th.    Well, I say compromise,  Aaron doesn't really get a say in it - I just announce it!

I love to be organised, but I rarely write Christmas cards before December, I like to sit with a festive film or music on whilst I write them so it can't be too…