planning stuff.....

Today we have spent much of the day planning stuff (and playing with a bodgy internet connection that is driving us both nuts! I can't share photos this post, cause I'm on hubby's computer, it's mine that's being bodgy!), in readiness for building carports, counting down to Christmas parties, and eventually to the big day[s]!

Yep, days... we are insane enough to do it twice! Nah, not really, Chloe is with her dad for Christmas day this year, so w have two Christmases, and after the saga last year of 8 people bailing on Christmas lunch an hour before it was served, and the SIL turning up two hours late we decided to do family Christmas a couple of days later. Chloe comes home on Boxing Day, so we'll do our family Christmas on the 27th (and the whole day just like Christmas day!)

And we're hosting our mums group Christmas this year... we do a secret santa swap for all the kids (I'm in charge of assigning that, did that at the start of last month), and everyone brings food to share, Santa visits the kids and hands out presents, and it's just a fun day... that involves planning on how to squeeze an extra twenty people into our already overcrowded house, and ensure there's food for everyone, and..... I can see lots of stress coming!

Apparently our street gets together each year for a Christmas party.... and we're going to host that, too... it doesn't involve anything more strenuous than providing a bit of music, and inviting everyone to sit in our front yard... I like that as a tradition, and I'm really keen to make sure it happens... supposedly the "other end" of the street doesn't get invited, but I'm going to change that this year.

I've read recently about the American tradition of cookie exchanges, and I'm hoping that I can talk the girls at mums group into playing along... I love Christmas baking, and always have my favourites, as well as some newbies to try each year... last year the newbie was lavender ginger shortbread, which the kids loved, and a regular favourite is spice cookies (I found the recipe again last week, stashed it somewhere safe, so it's ready for making next week!)

I don't feel ready for Christmas in the slightest.... I'm going to have a photo session with the kids next weekend, in the hopes of getting usable photos for Christmas cards (designer digitals and two peas had digital sales yesterday for national digital scrapbooking day, and I found some cool templates to play with!)

Must go tuck all the children into bed... happy scrapping!