To tell you that it is only

[RabidEchidna]

307 days till Christmas

Do I have the record for the first Christmas thread of 2012?

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Woo Hoo, I am back at work so back online, and can get back to the countdown!!

I got a few things sorted over our hols, between buying and sorting at home. I PASSED Hawkins Bazaar in Bath, but couldn't distract DH or DD enough to get in the door. But I will be updating my spreadsheet today (also kept in my personal drive in work computer, for fear of someone else finding it!!) and I think I have presents organised for almost everyone at this stage. Except DD (Santa needs to bring a bike this year), and her birthday, and something for DH.

And I need to get things for the Sis I drew in the KK - not one who works so SIL is getting the really nice bag I got in the sales (it is more of a work style one), but she is getting into sewing so I think I will look for lots of different things to use like nice pins, lots of ribbons and buttons, and maybe a book or 2. All ideas from other sewing gurus gratefully accepted!!

Now that the evenings are getting shorter, I will have to get started on my crafting again!!

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I have brought and filled in all the birthdays Ect in my 2013 diary

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I am super excited

DS's birthday is in one week do after that we will start properly planning :o

*so, not 'do'

So excited I can't even type!

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DH was lazy and sent me up to find a sheet of card last night (to make a welcome banner for the new au pair arriving this morning). So I got distracted in my craft supplies - and ended up putting together my first Christmas card this year!! (I've made a few for other events this year, birthdays, new babies, Valentines - but I hadn't started Christmas ones yet). So I might actually make a batch while he's away (another 3 week stint away starting in a week) and get most of what I need done. Woo Hoo!!

In 4 months time we'll (myself included) all be doing the last minute panic shop.
The "aaargh have I got enough milk/bread/Eat Me Dates"
and if I buy the vegetables too early they'll be rank by Christmas Dinner.

and a few last minutes things I don't really need because the supermarkets will have reduced them

Christmas Eve Eve in 4 months (and counting)

You have cheered me up 70

On an unrelated note.......

My son passed all his GCSEs

RabidAnchovy Hooray how are you all celebrating?

Huge rows of Celebrations and Roses tins in Tesco today. £5

We are going to eat copious amounts of cake

Cake is king!

Well done RabidAnchovy'sds, hope the cake was good!

Not long to go now! I think I am more excited about the run up to Christmas, rather than the day itself. The only downside is my maternity leave will be over and I will have to go back to work in early January - boo!

Well done Rabid's DS!! I hope he enjoyed his cake, and the rest of the family too!!

4 months to Christmas Eve today!! This time, 4 months hence, I won't be at my desk (for a change- as it's a weekend), but we'll actually get a relaxed family day. I reckon we should actually have time for making a completely new batch of cookies for Santa (but I will still have a spare bit of dough in the freezer to "slice and bake" if necessary).

And the Holiday Grand Plan (for cleaning and prepping) starts this coming Sunday. So the house is about to be blitzed properly, one room at a time. (see organizedchristmas.com, I think).

New au pair arrived yesterday, I wonder how soon before I can ask her what her plans for Christmas are? (She's due to stay until June whereas last year we had 1 finish the week before and the new 1 arrived in early Jan). I presume at 19 with younger siblings you'd want to go home for at least a week? (Not that we want to be rid of her, but I like our small family Christmases and being able to entertain wider family visitors).

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4 months til the big day :o :o :o :o

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I have placed a massive Studio order for personalised stuff

Ordered that Barbie ultimate closet thing this morning, £15 on amazon! I hate the look/idea of it (ughhggh Barbie ) but I know dd will love it.