so it's only..........part deux

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

into the last two months.
It's now TWO MONTHS people

Getting really festive now! Craft and foody ideas are taking shape. Tomorrow I have a really early doctors appt (7.40?!?) and then DH is meeting me after dropping the DCs at school, we are going straight to town, having a cooked breakfast (since nowhere but wetherspoons will be open :o) and getting lots of shopping done. I'm especially excited about going to a music shop just outside town - my plans for an Xmas day band are taking shape and I want to test out some percussion instruments. DH has also requested a jaw harp as apparently he can play it. 11 years together and he still surprises me sometimes :)

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5 weeks tomorrow :o I'll be picking up the DCs' advent calendars so they don't all sell out in thorntons. And picking up DD's Xmas eve onesie as they didn't have her size in stock (next day service - am very impressed!)

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DD and I went to see The Nutcracker last night.
It was lovely.

My DD is a gymnast though and not a ballet dancer (she does dance at school)

I say whistfully "Oh that could've been you" and get the Evil Eye

And a Dirty MacDonalds beforehand for DD (I had apple pie)

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That sounds lovely 70s.

It's getting so close, we're going to see the coca cola truck on Saturday so that will be the official start of the season for us!!

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If I want to see the CocaCola Truck I'd need to go to Bluewater on the 23rd.
Can you imagine what it's going to be like on the 23rd.
M25
Dartford Bridge
Dartfrd Tunnel
The shops

I think I'll watch the adverts

(You get a free can of coke apparently )

Good grief there's no way I'd go near bluewater then. It'd be hell for me! Besides, I prefer Dr Pepper :o

My shopping afternoon in London yesterday was nice. Got some naruto bits for DSD, a cuddly Totoro for DD and some gorgeous bits and pieces in the National Gallery shop. My god I could spend a fecking fortune in there if I had the money. But I think DD will love her Van Gogh finger puppet :o

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I love London at Christmas fuzzpig though it seems to bring the worst out in people

But we brave the streets to see the lights.

We're in the sticks so no idea what/where Bluewater is!!

I tried panettone for the first time yesterday - twas lovely. I feel that I have missed out for so long! Ds loved it so will have to get some more. Anyone tried to make it?

Bluewater is just over the Dartfird Crossing in Kent (I'm in Essex) . I go maybe 4-5 times a year (I prefer Bluewater to Stratford Westfielld).
DD likes Lakeside better (3 storey Primark ).

I saw a huuuuge Panettone in a tin at Costco yesterday (about 1kg) and I was really tempted but it would only be me eating it, so I'd get fed up after a couple of slices. I'll buy one of the small ones in Sainsburys.

Never tried to make it, it's so light, I've no clue how they do it. I can do banana and walnut buns but I let the mixer get on with the kneading.

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Next month will be Christmas Eve

We're into the Home Strait.

Soon be into the twenties.
Yesssss

Well we had a lovely day out yesterday. Went to local soft play which was unexpectedly busy and hell and then saw coke truck. Dd was excited as she was getting a tin of coke, and ds (almost 2) just kept pointing saying Sansa, Sansa - he is very adorable!

So Christmas has began!!

Tonight dh and I will be wrapping, it should all be done by the start of December so I can have all of Advent un-stressed. It's something I've been aiming for for years but this is the first time I've come close.

30! Saw my first tree up in the house down the road. Mine is going up on the 1st, but its killing me to wait

One month til Christmas! :o

fuzzpig beat me to it! One month to go, hooray!

I didn't put my tree up this weekend, but it was an extremely close thing. I satisfied myself with making my cake and mincemeat instead. DH is working away this week so it will be nicer (and slightly more sane) to put it up next weekend and be able to enjoy it together.

We had a party for Doctor Who (....we're geeks) on Saturday and our village had a fete to switch the Christmas lights on as well! 'Twas lovely welcoming our friends amongst all the festivities!

29. I can't believe I missed that is was one month to go yesterday. I am fit to burst with excitement.

Well now that winter is well and truly setting in I am finding it harder, as usual, to be cheerful. This season is always rough on my mental health.

On a more positive note, DCs came home from school singing Little Donkey - I've been waiting for them to learn it and was truly surprised DD hasn't in her two previous years at the school! And then it occurred to me that unlike most carols, I don't have the sheet music. So I found an old copy on amazon. Can't wait to start practising :)

I spent tonight wrapping some presents tonight. Dd was "helping" as she puts it - making a mess more like it! She was getting quite over excited about it all especially when I took the candy canes out to tie onto the presents.

Little donkey is a favourite of mine too, hopefully dd will learn it in time for her concert. and it will maybe stop her from singing Jingle Bells over and over again

I know what you mean fuzz - winter sucks . Thankfully Christmas is bang in the middle to cheer us all up x

No wrapping done yet but I looked through all the presents I've got so far.

DH and I planning out Day Out on Friday.
We always have a day of just him and me, buying nice things.

Usually he has a cold starting so he tags along with a face so I don't him "not to be ill"

He's got a cold at the moment . Hopefully he won't be sharing it.

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70s I hope your dh isn't getting the awful, rendering them useless man flu. My dh regularly gets this, it's a terrible strain on the poor dear !!

Ooh, work blocked MN so I rarely get on recently. But things are getting organized and most shopping is done. I got out the advent calendar tonight for Sunday, and the bits to go in it. But I've lost the panto tickets so a slight panic until I find them again.

Sounds like the rest of you are nearly ready too.

It's been a long time a coming this year... Have just bought final pressie and can move onto booking panto, then Christmas fooood! :)

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I got dd's school newsletter home yesterday so the calendar is filing up nicely with Christmas concerts and activities. Dd is fairly shy so not sure how she will cope in everything.

I wouldn't be afraid to cut out some things if you feel your DD needs to, cheesy :) my DD can be quite sensitive and easily overwhelmed so I have been known to cry off the odd thing (not things where her absence would affect others though obviously)

Had a really nice time with DH today, getting a few more bits and pieces like Xmas eve jammies and mostly stuff for the DCs' nativity outfits! DS is being a king, pretty simple really (and found some gorgeous not to mention cheap purple velvet for a cape) but DD is being a blackbird?!? So I'll be trying to change a baseball cap into a head/beak :o