December 14, 2009

Hi folks. Things are totally manic here - I'm SOOO far behind on Christmas preparations, the house looks like a bomb has hit it, Charlie has something different happening every day at school this week, and I still haven't written any Christmas cards - so this is just a quick post while I've got five minutes, along with a picture I took of Chas earlier today after he got home from his school Christmas disco.

We had a really nice weekend - Charlie had a great time with his cousin Joe at the science museum on Saturday, and was thrilled to bits to finally visit a planetarium. He's been star-spotting even more than normal since we got home, and is very proud that he knows how to identify Jupiter now!

Pete, Charlie and I had an unexpected treat on Saturday night - the big IMAX cinema at the science museum was showing a 3D version of The Polar Express, which is such a fab Christmassy film, so we went to watch it - even though it finished quite late. (We had planned to grab a McDonalds for Charlie on our way back from the film, but somehow we ended up driving around the suburbs of Birmingham for well over an hour trying to find some sort of takeaway tea for him! I honestly cannot believe how far we drove without passing any kind of drive-thru! We eventually stumbled across a KFC in a very insalubrious area of town, but didn't get back to the hotel until nearly 9.30pm which was a VERY late night for our Chas!)

We had a brilliant time on Sunday with Charlie's heart friend Thomas - with another visit to see Father Christmas, and a lovely meal together. (I have got a picture of the two boys to post, but I haven't downloaded it from my phone yet, so will add later!)

Charlie's had his Christmas disco at school today, with yet another visit from Santa. He really has been spoiled this year - and it's still only December 14!

Pete's up in Halifax for a couple of days this week, but hopefully that should be it until after Christmas (although a trip to Wolverhampton is possibly on the cards as well.) We have, however, discovered one of the downsides of him being a 'senior manager' now... we have to fork out for Christmas presents for all his staff! Doh.

I was over visiting Mum again today - managed to get a few more loose ends tied up with all of Dad's stuff... I'm so nearly, nearly there now. It'll be nice to get all the official stuff done and dusted.

Mum and I went for a wander round the shops together, and I managed to get a bit more Christmas shopping done. It's stressing me out no end this year. I'm normally one of those hyper-efficient people who starts shopping in August and likes to have pretty well all of it done by the beginning of November. But that hasn't happened this year.

Pete and I hit Cardiff last Friday and bought masses of Christmas presents. (So many, in fact, that after a while, every time I went to use my debit card, they had to ring the bank so they could ask me some security questions because they thought someone had nicked my card. Nice to know they're on the ball if someone DOES steal my card, but a bit annoying to be stuck on the phone to the bank at the front of a massive queue of Christmas shoppers, all no doubt thinking that my card had been rejected because I'd run out of money. Doh.)

Anyway, that's about it for now, I think. Plans for the week (so far - am sure more will materialise as the week goes on...) Christmas lunch for me with some girlfriends, Charlie's Christmas Craft Fayre, school carol service, school Christmas lunch - at which I'm helping out, (and at which I'll be modelling the latest line in flashing reindeer antlers... picture may or may not be forthcoming!) another trip to a grotto with Charlie's friend Seren, another festive lunch, another carol service at the church where Charlie goes to youth group, Mum's spending the night after the carol service, and then we're heading into Cardiff for a spot more shopping and a visit to IKEA, and after that, I don't know what's happening, other than the fact that Pete, Charlie and I are having a pyjama day on one of the days next week, once Charlie's broken up from school, and plan to spend the whole day watching festive films, doing Christmas crafts, playing games, making Christmas biscuits and generally having a leisurely day full of fun.

(That's assuming I've actually finished all the shopping by then... otherwise I'll be battling my way around the shops instead!)

Back soon with more festive shenanigans.