MNV-Vol 66. The Christmas Edition.

[QueenC]

It's that time of year again.....blingy and dry have already been wearing their Christmas jumpers.
Come and join in the festivities. All welcome, new and old. Just bring your sparkly links.

If you're getting a pedal bike Mara, Islabike or a Frog bike area both great. They're light & designed for children rather than just adult ones sized down.

last bit of wrappign done now! dp has got a large santa sack, a large debenhams bag and a stockign full of presents, may have gone a bit wild and bought more than i'd realised for him. still i know he appreciates everything he gets and certainly doens't expect much so i don't mind. my 'soppy' present for him this year year is a usb 'mixtape' with songs that are meaningful for us on it. spent ages choosing the right songs and getting the mix right. hope he likes it

how are you and dd today dry?

Oh that's really sweet one. I am sure he will love it.

I went to J Crew after Hamleys nightmare and found the linen t in gold for £14! Result. Sadly the silver wasn't reduced in store either shop otherwise I would have got it for you. Picked up some other bits as well - will link later. Really good sale.

That's good Lib! I need to do Regent St this week, Hamleys, Liberty and J Crew sounds good too.

I'm sure he will One

i'm hitting the shops for my birthday in january. am not buying myself anything until then, trying to hold out for the things i really want instead of settling for things that are almost right

Really pleased that everyone's parties went without a hitch this weekend and you all had a fab time.

Dry have a lovely few days in Cologne. Sorry your dd is struggling again.

Hope you feel better soon Mara - this is not a good week to be ill - as if you didn't already know!

Marsha what a shame you didn't receive your passports in time for a Christmas holiday; hope you manage to get away at Easter. Good luck on Regent street this week!

What a bargain Lib in J Crew.

One you have one very lucky dp; the mix tape is a lovely idea, I am sure he will love it.

Bargain Lib if anyone ever sees a silver one reduced then please shout. Have had my eye on it for ages.
One love the mixtape idea. Nice.
Mara feel better soon.
Am loving my new kitchen. Two more bits of varnish and sealant tomorrow and it's done. Am one happy Shop and spend ages buffing my work tops

In other news I bought this jumper for DS and it is fab.

Oh that is very cute Shop! Good news on the kitchen.

Here is the rest of my J Crew haul - haven't tried any of it on yet and too tired ATM so will decide if keeping or not tomorrow.

Holly sweater in Rust
t-shirt in tangy olive
Plaid shirt - they call it cerise - mine looks orange!

hope you feel better soon mara

how are you feeling today blair

Kitchen sounds fab shop so happy for you that it's going to be finished in time for christmas

Great JCrew buys Lib

Shop glad your kitchen is practically completed in time for Christmas

Mara hope you feel better pretty quickly

Dry for you for dd, hope you're both having an ace time in Cologne.

Watching the Sound of Music on Catch Up, it's surprisingly good, I'm really enjoying it, I love this film.

One more Christmas lunch to go and I'm done!

Hello all! Hope everyone is feeling really Christmassy now :) Dry Cologne looks so festive, hope you're having a magical time with DD.

Kitty did you mean the live version of TSOM that was on ITV on Sunday?! I watched it yesterday and loved it! Probably my favourite film ever.

One I am good thanks :) Saw doc yesterday and my test results have come down from what they were, still high but I'm on the mend. I'm still not doing much but can manage chores etc and I spent the entire day yesterday wrapping. Your DP is a lucky guy, only one person has ever done me a mixtape and it is such a thoughtful present!

Great J Crew haul Lib!

Mara hope you're feeling better now, I know what you mean about the weight loss silver lining but annoying.

Evening, finished for the year!

Blair I'm glad you're feeling a bit better.

Good to hear you're on the mend Blair yes it was the live one I was watching, they changed it a bit and added new songs but it was still fab. Kara Tointon was excellent.

Yeaayy Marsha bet that feels good.

Popped into town but had dc in tow therefore had to pop in and out of JCrew in a flash, didn't get a decent look at anything and they had a poor selection of Tippis.

Hello! I'm watching love actually. Bloody love it. I remember when I first saw it hoping that I'd look as beautiful as Keira on my wedding day.

All good here, just trying to get the house in order (cleaner on holiday), washing done etc so that I can just relax for a few days. Just realised that I haven't yet finished wrapping the stocking fillers though.

lib love the shirt especially. shop hope you get the silver top.

Can't believe its only 3 more sleeps...

I need to wrap Santa gifts tonight QueenC. Full work day today. 3 meetings . Am wearing skinnies as I have decided normal rules don't apply this week

DD is about to combust with excitement! I can only imagine what it's like for those of you with more than one small child in the house.

It's not too bad in my house lib. Yet. There's a lot of excitement from the littlest today as she has a play date coming round this afternoon. The eldest nearly combusted in excitement when I bought her a pair of small wedge heels in clarks on Monday. The middling is just glued to the wii . All of them are just really enjoying chilling though.

Lovely to hear everyone parties went well. Last day of work for me to, we are going to family tomorrow for a few days so haven't really had to organise much other than presents and pack which I'll do tonight so it seems a bit weird. Having had Christmas at our house last year I do prefer that to being away but I moved away so most years it's up to us to travel.
Did a Next sale order last night, mostly branded stuff, some nice Steve Madden boots and some Whistles bits. Also some of their premium jeans, I've them for me and they get reduced from £45/£48 to £22 in most sales so bargain. They have Pettys for £90 in black suede and grey, I've heard a lot of you talking about them so wondering whether to order a pair at that price. What do you like about them?

Viva thanks for the heads up about the SE petty - I have bought a pair in grey, have wanted to give them a try for a while. Also bought some Whistles bits (black shirt dress, monochrome blouse) and some Next shoes including the berry version of the black ghillies I bought.

QueenC Love Actually has to be my most HATED film ever!! I can't bear it and even thinking about it now is giving me a stress response.

I do have a bit of a style crush on Keira Knightley though.

Nooooo bernice. It's brilliant!
Just went to Waitrose to get bits for trifle that I forgot to put on Internet order. Big mistake. Heaving. Long queues. Stroppy dc. Especially as they'd just been dragged along for me to get mmr jab.

Bernice that's so funny. Some of the story lines give me the same feeling

Viva they are great every day shoe, I've bought them twice. The only thing that has stopped me buying another lot is the suede is harder to wear in rain.

QueenC KK always looked amazing in that green dress in Atonement - fab accent too in that

Lib hope work is ok

We're having a really nice day. In Liberty - Dh went off piste ran off and bought me a surprise! I was texting frenetically make sure it's refundable. So funny but also the first time he's gone into unchartered waters.

Now out to lunch at his instance, extended the nanny - he's such an indulgent influence! bad on the bank balance

Hey all!

I'm on the fence about Love Actually, it's so terrifically cheesy. Has to be at Christmas though!

Marsha that sounds so nice, I hope your DH's surprise is a good one.

QueenC I got up early this morning to go into town, I was afraid it would be as you describe. It wasn't too bad in Aldi and Poundland (classy, me) and I avoided the big supermarkets . I was only going to buy a birthday card, but the car wash man wanted an hour so when I got home I was knackered and am going to rest for the day! Hope your jab wasn't too nasty.

Viva Next order sounds good, I haven't got Pettys so can't comment but they seem to just be a classic like Pistols are.

Love hearing about all your excited DCs. The youngest person in my mum's house will be my 22 year old brother, but it'll be nice to see the DNs a couple of days after. :)

Ordered the black suede Pettys, they were £80 not £90.
Can't keep the 4 pairs of boots that I have now ordered! 3 need to go back!

In departures waiting for my flight home. Feel super festive now fever pitch a bit like miniliberty after loads of xmasmarkets and mulled wine. Saw Tim Burton expo today, he's amazing slightly eccentric . Had a traumatic day at a health spa dodging huge naked German men not really something you want to see with your dd and tried my beat to drink the surprise bottle of champ DH has sent but actually there is only so much fizz I can take on my own

Hello! First time in about 4 months i can breeeeathe! The last 3 weeks has been solid 16/18 hour days with no let up. I dont normally get stressed at work but the volume and complexity of the issues i have been dealing with has been almost overwhelming. No more office until 5 Jan. I cant entirely switch off but as good as.

This year i am only wrapping dh's presents and have got that to do tonight. Our housekeeper did about 80% of them and dh will do the balance tonight. Normally i go straight from work hell to present wrapping hell!

Bernice i love Love Actually! Cant wait to sit and watch it with dh.

Dry, your trip with dd has looked sooo nice. And how thoughtful of Mr Dry!

Is there anyone like me who doesnt know what dh is getting them? Mr Bling looking very pleased with himself!