Here is the preparation for my magnificent garland, which due to a lack of patience morphed into...

a mantelpiece decoration instead...much easier and infinitely less stressful. 

 On Sunday we held our annual Christmas party for some of our neighbours and friends

And then it was a final week at work and school and all too soon it was Christmas Eve and I had rearranged the mantelpiece decor...all that was needed now was for some sharp eyed person to notice... 

 Thankfully it was Nick that noticed before Tom or Lily discovered it and it was carefully rearranged back to say Christmas again.

 Tom made Nick a model Concorde for Christmas and I got a book of vouchers for such things as hoovering, making dinner, washing up and unlimited kisses and hugs from Tom which was wonderful...Unfortunately there are terms and conditions attached and I'm not at all sure I'll ever be able to get dinner made or the hoovering done but I can live in hope.  At least I will get the kisses and cuddles.

 Tom had just asked for money for christmas as he had been saving up since August to get the Lego Death Star (cost £275).  Unbeknown to him, I had already ordered it as I knew he would have enough money after Christmas to pay for it and I got a big discount during a sale last month :)  So on Boxing Day we went to order it online before his grandparents left for the farm and lo and behold there it was!  Needless to say, that is the last we saw of Tom (which is why I didn't reveal it on Christmas Day). 
The instruction book that comes with the set is 260 pages long and ringbound...the bets are now on for how long it's going to take him to emerge from his room with the completed Death Star.

We went to the Air Force Christmas Draw last Saturday night and spent last Sunday recovering from what was a very good night! 
The weather has been a bit rubbish recently and the Tay Bridge has closed twice whilst I have been at work in Dundee, making me have to drive home via Perth which is a real pain.  Lesley came up on Tuesday and was delayed with the weather as well and also on her way home on Thursday.  Whilst she was here on Wednesday we went shopping in the morning and then wrapped up our gifts. Once the children were home from school we decorated the Christmas tree and listened to Christmas carols.  A lovely day.
Today I have washed the floors and the windows, vacuumed and bought the wine for tomorrow, I will make a final batch of mince pies in the morning.  I am currently toying with the idea of trying to make some sort of garland with ivy and other greenery from the garden.  Not sure how succesful that will be.  Rest assured I will take photos:)

Gosh, I can't remember what we did 2 weekends ago, I guess it was a quiet one, Nick was in Doncaster for a small RAF reunion and we must have just had a lounge about weekend. 

 I have managed to make 90 mince pies so far before running out of mincemeat this time.  I prepared more mincemeat last night and left it to soak overnight before putting it in the oven this morning so I am feeling quite festive and organised as I am also sitting beside a pile of ready to post christmas cards that I wrote out yesterday as well. 

The school was closed last Wednesday due to strike action but as it fell on St Andrews Day (30th Nov) there was a tree planting going on in celebration of the Queens jubilee next year so the 3 of us went along to that and planted some trees and Lily got on the telly!! 

Then on Saturday this last week it was the school Christmas Fair and I was helping on the raffle stall so that kept me busy for most of the afternoon.  Sunday we had friends round for lunch and then Nick managed to watch Wolves beat Sunderland on the telly after they left.  All in all a very pleasant weekend.