Monthly Archives: December 2011

Our Christmas Drinks Party

Table set.

Tree Ready.

Kitchen waiting for the guests.

Sitting Room waiting.
A couple of weeks ago twenty of our friends came to our house to kick off the Christmas celebrations with drinks and canapes.  It was great fun and also to catch up with everyone who we haven’t seen since the summer.  It was a late night but we and everyone went home full of Christmas spirit.
Susie x

Cakes Iced

Following on from yesterday I now have the cakes iced and ready to be boxed up and delivered.  Yeah another job off my very long list, which seems to be getting longer by the day!
The Boys have now broken up from school and on their winter break and what a relief, this morning I could hardly get them out of their beds to get to school.  
DH helped out at the Local Playschool with their Christmas festivities!  The kids loved it and their faces were pictures.
Susie x

Final Preparations for Christmas

Eldest with one of his trophies.

They are having a fun time – honest!

Youngest with Santa Claus.

Cakes ready for icing.

Presents ready for sending off.

Another mug rug.

And another – for a very good friend who is a Builder.

Another one for his wife who loves to bake.
Over the weekend I have been putting the finishing touches to the Christmas presents and getting the final things made.  I just have to ice the three Christmas cakes, having finished steaming the four Christmas puddings. 
Last Friday evening saw us all attend the Swimming Club Presentation Evening where the trophies are presented for the year and our Eldest was made Vice-Captain. We are so proud of him. 
Saturday Lunch we spent as a family on the local steam train.  It was great! I now feel very Christmasy.
Susie x

Christmas at Home

Our Tree in the Sitting Room.

The Piano dressed for Christmas.

The Lanterns on the path to our front door.

Lights everywhere.
Having decorated our Home for Christmas almost two weeks ago now, I forgot to post the pictures here.  It always makes me feel Christmassy when the decorations are up, I just hate taking them down again!
Susie x

Quilting

For one of our Boys Aunts.

And her Husband who is a golfer.

Another Uncle who is into cars.

And his Wife who likes tea.

Larger and normal mug rug for an Aunt who likes the seaside.

Not really a mug rug but a coaster for a friend who loves to sew too.
I have been trying to finish, for the past four weeks, my various quilting projects for Christmas gifts.  Last Sunday I finally got them done and here are some pictures.  I decided to do the rug mugs as gifts and then get some great mugs and bake some cookies to go with them.  Just now need to make the cookies!!!
I will get it all done before the weekend, well I hope so anyway.
Susie x
 

Chatsworth Christmas

At the weekend the Boys took me to Chatsworth House as it is open until December 23rd decorated for Christmas.  The decorations are always spectacular and they have the right size rooms for those huge Christmas trees we would all like to buy, but can’t fit in without bending them in half!!
Here are a few pictures of the decorations I liked the most.
Susie x
The first tree with sheep on!

Washing out?

I just love this tree.

I could spend a whole day here reading.

A beautiful wreath.

My most favourite room in the whole house – The Library

The dining room set for dinner.

When we got outside they were waiting to take you round the grounds.

A Round Up of Other Things!

As you can probably tell I have been going through my computer diary looking for things we have done and I cannot believe how busy it has been.  Since the swimming we have also attended both Boys parents evenings (good results for both), The Boys went to Top Gear Live at the NEC as part of Youngest’s Birthday present, attended three other swimming Galas (where the club gains points), I have spent two Saturdays quilting presents for Christmas and baking, went Christmas shopping with my good friend, Jayne, to Nottingham, attended the play that Youngest was in at school and last week held Birthday celebrations for him.

He and a school friend had a sleep over at home.  We went out in the evening for pizza at Frankie & Benny’s and then to the cinema to see Tintin, which was really good, I was quite surprised.  Then we were up early Saturday morning to go to Nottingham shopping.  Youngest wanted to spend some of his Birthday money and Eldest and Girlfriend went Christmas shopping and I completed my last few bits of shopping.  We then all had a late lunch before Youngest and DH went to another swimming gala and I took Girlfriend home and Eldest to his job at the local golf club as a waiter!

Sunday saw us decorating the house for Christmas and collecting our tree from the tree growers.  It was a lovely family day and I will get some pictures of the decorations for the next blog.

The next few weeks are going to be as busy trying to get presents wrapped and delivered, baking and getting it all pulled together for the Big Day.

Only 19 days left and counting!

Susie x

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Swimming Championships

November saw us going to several swimming meets and our own swimming club annual Championships.  This involves us all.  DH is Chairman of the Club at the moment, I do all the paperwork etc for the Swim 21 Accreditation (a standard for swimming clubs) and The Boys swim.  Fair exchange!
The two events are held on Saturday evenings when the pools are shut to the General Public.  And I can honestly say it is three hours of non stop racing and results.  I help on the evening with the logging of the results on the computers and printing them out, DH is the commentator and both Boys swam.  They did really well beating quite a few of their previous times and getting a few cups and medals as well!  The evenings are hard work but great fun.
The Boys also all went off to the Derbyshire Sprints which was a whole day of racing on November 20th.  Again the Boys did really well and we got some great pictures for the wall.

We also held our small pool Championships for the little ones and again as a family we all helped out.  Eldest was a steward, Youngest was timekeeping, me again results and DH was talking, as usual!  The little ones had a great time and their medals and trophies are presented on the evening, with goodies bags, which I sorted out – all sixty of them!!

Susie x
Eldest doing Fly