HO HO HO!!!!

Hey, when will life slow down-I sooo need a rest! Amelia has been poorly,mum has been rushed into hospital and back on hemo dialysis 3 times a week! In general life is just sooo hectic at this time of year anyway. At least the run of school events,parties and concerts is over and done with. Finished my mum and dad's shopping today and then had to go back out later after Amelia's riding lesson to get our own! Chris is off of work now until the New Year and we now intend to switch off as much as we can and enjoy the festive fun with the kiddies!!

I have been knitting like a mad woman, and also made the odd card or two but not much to be honest. I have some lovely goodies from Lisa at Craft Faries for some Design Team projects-must get going on those!!!! I have also won some goodies on some of the fun and exciting events going on at Crafts by Caroyln and Just Bex.....will take some piccies and update on that as soon as life calms down!!!

Today, I am trying to get all festive with a piccie of our Xmas tree for today's challenge from Elvin on Just Bex. LOL.....well it was lucky the tree actually got put up this year-only a few weeks ago we had no heating in the dining room and bare conccrete floors, so please understand the lack of skirting and the general chaos in the room!!!

Our tree is rather chaotic too, each year we get a dated bauble from Harrods from Chris's Mum & Dad but the rest of the tree decorations are a complete mish mash of what we have collected over our 11 years together. Some mean more than others: We have a little church to represent our Wedding Year (97) of course first xmas decs for both Jack (99) and Amelia (01) and some representing us!!! Chris has a little red shining car...and I am an old boot!!! ( Say no more!)

Our pressies don't really go under the tree......we all eagerly await Father Xmas and his delivery and we have Mince pies, carrots, beer and a bowl of water all ready for preparation!!

Thank goodness it's Friday!!!

It has been a rather strange and draining week in the Dingle household. Poor little Amelia has been really ill, full of cold, high temperature, not eating, and having a sleep during the day- something I have not seen for many years. Bless her, I had to WAKE HER UP at gone 8am this morning when she is usually the early bird of the house and waking everyone else at 5.30-6AM!! Took her to the Doctors today as she just wasn't shifting it!!

The house, well not much progress really this week BUT we have at long last got a radiator fitted in our new dining room- perhaps we won't be wearing hats and scarves for XMas dinner after all!

Jack is the little socialite of the house! Tuesday he was in London visiting the British Museum with his year at school. Wednesday he was one of 4 children from his school & attended a Christmas party at 11 Downing Street!! Yesterday he went for tea at a friend's house and tonight he has his school Xmas disco....and all the while poor little Amelia has curled up on the settee and slept.

I am sooo out of routine I feel sort of lost- I need a kick up the backside to get me back on track and all the while I am desperately dosing the rest of the family up with vitamins and minerals to avoid the lurgy!!! I haver managed hardly any crafting at all, still only a few rows of knitting when I have had a few minutes "spare!" LOL....so much for being organised this Christmas eh!!

Not in the best of 'Elf!!

My little Amelia has been very poorly this week, she has even taken to having a little afternoon nap....something she hasn't done for years. I am rather at a loose end with so many festive preparations I SOOOO want to be doing but only snatching a few minutes to mysELF every now and then.

At least the festive fun has been keeping me going on my favourite forums!!! There is one little chappy keeping us all on our toes over on JUST BEX...the one and only Elvin the Elf. Every day he cracks the whip and sets us a new challenge but like a good little Elfie, a crafty prize is being sent by reindeer to one lucky member each day. So far we have had to load a piccie of oursELF...eeekk, a forum treasure hunt, a template challenge, a language quiz, a maths quiz and today he has got us doing a bit of ol' literacie....errrr...is that how it is spelt? So long ago I took my O'levels....but at the grand old age of almost 132...I don't suppose little Elfie will take that as an excuse!

Right, must dash, got to dust off the tinsel and find the fairy lights!!!!

Elvins Christmas-3rd Dec- A template

Another day nearer over on Just Bex and I have managed to make Chris his Christmas card using this template challenge. Not a great picture again, but I needed to upload it by midnight .......otherwise I might turn into a pumpkin!!! The glossy accent are still wet!!!!

To be honest I am lucky to have got anything done today...poor little Amelia has a rotten bug, she is full of cold, high temperature and was sick this morning. She even had a sleep this afternoon....so I could be in for a rough night! Better get in the shower and to bed while I can!

Nice to see you!!!

Just Bex - Elvin's Christmas Countdown!!!!!! 1st December

"OK everyone I am still sorting out my desk so a nice easy one to start us off You can see me in my avatar pic (not the best pic of me yet - but it was late December and I was not at my best overworked / underpaid) So go and grab that camera and take a picture of yourself and upload it on here by Midnight to be entered into the prize draw I NEED to know who I am dealing with And yes it has to be a NEW photo taken today - if you are home alone then you had better get creative with mirrors etc! "

Oh my, I do not like my piccie tken at the best of times, but especially when I have been up to my eyes in sandpaper and emulsion paint all day!!! BUT a gals gotta do, what a gals gotto do...I tried to hide behind a paintbrush at first but it didn't work!.....can I take it down again tomorow please!!!!