Santa Visit, Panto, Book Tree And Festivities Our Weekly Photos – Week 51

Soooo, it’s nearly Christmas. Are you excited? I am finally finished work and it feels so good to be home and spend some time with the kids. Although, this week I have been super busy, even busier than normal. I haven’t been on social media much at all, so I will catch up over the weekend I hope. So how have thing been since I left you with my bumper weekly post?

Last Saturday the football was finished for Tyler’s game so we just had brunch before Aria’s swimming. Unfortunately, she came out crying and didn’t want to go back. Which we were shocked at as she loves it normally, but something had been bothering her. I think the week before when she’d been there on her own she hadn’t liked being the centre of attention without the other kids there. She may have swallowed some water and was put off. She calmed down and I said we’d see how she felt later on in the week. She is very good at all and seemed to love it most of the time. It is still fairly new as she has only been going since November.  After swimming we all headed for a Winter Wonderland adventure at M&D’s theme park. It was lovely, we met the reindeer above and we all had a chat with  Santa, listened to an elf tell and act out a wonderful story and had a go on the carousel. It was lovely. You can see Aria above at the wonderland. There are more pictures on Instagram. It was really cold, so we gave the outdoor skating a miss as it was a tad wet too. To finish off our lovely day, we all went out for dinner. Coming home and Robert and I watched The Godfather. Not very festive, the opposite in fact, but we hadn’t seen it before.

Lucas game was called off on Sunday, so it was the first weekend with no football for ages. I was helping at Aria’s gymnastics party in the afternoon and the big man himself popped in for a visit. Aria and her wee friends had a great time and played musical statues, pass the parcel, which Aria won and then best dancer of which I had to pick one. My worst nightmare. Aria got some gorgeous face painting done which you can see. I love this photo of her, even though she isn’t smiling, it captures how serious and grown-up she is getting. Robert and Tyler went to his Rangers Elite training in the evening and it was evaluation night. All went well for both him and his cousin Lucy, so they have another season there.

I spent a lot of the weekend catching up on blogging and scheduling for twitter as I knew I’d have no time this week and I’d been so busy finishing up work the week before.

Monday was my first day off and I took the kids to school and got started on wrapping. First I had to find where I’d hidden the gifts for Christmas, birthdays and Robert’s mum’s gifts for the kids to wrap. I spent all day wrapping and then took them to my mum’s to hide and Robert’s mum’s for her gifts. It was manic and I didn’t even stop for lunch. I picked up all the kids, made dinner and was so exhausted. I heard all about Aria’s Christmas party at school and who she was dancing with. For a girl who is engaged to a little boy, she’s got a few more boyfriends and girlfriends going on. Fair play. I managed to lose a few gifts along the way, how is that even possible. They still haven’t appeared. I’ll probably find them in June, right?

Day two or Tuesday being off, kids to school and a longer pick up time as it was oldest late evening and the two younger ones went to see Cinderella at the panto. I spent the day clearing out. The loft toy room, the boy’s room, Aria’s room, living room, kitchen and everywhere that had stuff that I have looked at every evening I’ve sat down for the last year and thought, I need to do something about that. I did more trips to the charity shop, food bank, recycling centre than I can count and come at 4pm, I was beyond exhausted. We all went to see Snow White at the SEC Armadillo in the evening and it was amazing. It was the funniest and best Panto we have ever been to. You can see some smiley photos of the younger two loving the Panto and they have raved about it since. Honestly, you need to see it. Gary Tank Commander is in it and it brilliant for both adults and kids alike. There are some magical effects to which I don’t want to spoil, but I hope we can go see it again.

Day three of my week to catch up with everything and anything I’ve neglected in the past goodness knows how long. Wednesday was cleaning. And boy did I clean. My Mum came round to help with some bits and bobs and we replaced blinds I’d had for ages, removed ones, and made a dent in the kid’s room and changed around the playroom, games room. My whole entire body ached, in places I didn’t know ached. My heels have been killing me and I think it’s because I’ve not had heels on and not been off my feet. I picked up to the little kids and they’d had the school Christmas fayre. Aria had glitter and glue all over her hair so that was fun in the bath and shower after making it spotless. Ahh well, I knew it would last about 3 minutes. But it felt good to dust away those cobwebs, clean the tops of the pictures and get rid of that clutter you have no idea how it got there in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, my house is clean, but you know those additional bits you don’t really see needed to be done.

Thursday already, where has my week gone and I still haven’t written a Christmas card or read my tv times magazine to see what’s on. 80’s kids will know that tradition. Kids dropped at school, then I had to rush back for smart meters being fitted. 4 hours of no electricity and gas later and they were fitted but the wee screen bit wasn’t working right. So, another visit will need to be arranged. I took the spare hour to get my nails done and eyebrows for my work’s night out on Saturday before the first school pick up of the day. Many school mums coming up to ask if I was ok since I’d been doing the school run all week. Oops. Way to pile on the mummy guilt, but the kids understand and I do try to balance it out. Some more bits of cleaning before collapsing in a heap. Oh, and making teacher gifts. The two younger ones made the chocolate wreaths for their teachers and Tyler made a book tree for his too. He did a great job, didn’t he? I watched The Holiday too.

I didn’t feel well during the night and was quite sick. I think it’s been my lack of eating lunch and food. I just haven’t had time. Friday was my final day off before the kids finished. Even at that, I had Lucas off with me.  We nipped out for some McDonald’s breakfast before going to the supermarket to get some birthday cakes for our up and coming birthdays. The last of the cleaning and some washing. Before and early pick up for the littlies. Then, school was out for Christmas. Three excited kids later. One going ice-skating with friends in the evening. I tidied my bookcase and it looks lovely. Another job I never get to. I am still not feeling too hot, but it feels like I have accomplished a lot. Still, no Christmas cards are written or Tv Times read. Sorry all those I should have sent cards too. This year, like I normally do I am donating to the food bank, but I am also donating to cancer research. A charity close to my heart and more so every day.

So, now we are back to the weekend. I have my work’s Christmas night out and Lucas 13th birthday on Christmas eve. Can you believe my baby will be a teenager? I want to wish you all a wonderful Christmas with your friends and family. I will speak to you all next week. Lots of love from us to you xxx