January

I can't believe how quickly January has gone! it been a bit of a whirlwind month,its finally starting to slow back down and i have just got round to starting my new years resolutions. They aren't major ones its mainly to take better care of myself as i burn't out completely before christmas, so i have decide to go to bed earlier, less time on phone, more time knitting, all things like that really.

So this is what i an currently knitting,i lovemaking these little nordic jumpers and working from the yoke down i find them very easy tomake and without all the joins.

In Crochet i have started a shawl for a friend,i really love using the Carons Cakes

Another hobby i have taken up is running,i am doing the couch to 5k,although i have not been for over a week as i hurt my back, but I will be going out tomorrow and Molly comes with me as my running partner, its nice we can do this together

January started off with a lovely day out at the Annual Showmans Guild Luncheon, which was held at Blackburn Rovers Football Club, we were there representing the MP who couldn't make it, but it was no nice to sit and have a wonderful meal together, as we never seem to get out just the two of us, the food was amazing and we met up with people who run the funfair that comes to Thornton which was nice. At the end they presented all the women with flowers.

I had to attend a course for the council in London and as we arrived the day before we met up with people and got to have our evening meal in the Houses of Parliment! wow, i have never been inside so it was such a treat. Unfortunately i couldn't take any photographs as we were not allowed to in the places where we were, but it was amazing.

We sat on the terrace outside for a few drinks

The train journey was good for some sock knitting, a lady sat opposite us asked if she could take a picture of me knitting to show her friend, her friend is also a big kniiter apparently!

 My dad is in decorating our lounge at the moment, after much debate about coliurs we have actullay picked the exact same ones! Well we really liked them so whats the harm. The floir has had a good sanding down and we are going a lot lighter this time.

All in all another very busy month!

The boys new hats

I had been knitting these for months but they were finished in time for the winter weather

Alex's Dino Hat

Freds' Octopus Hat!

Glitter Unicorn Baubles

Christmas is long gone now, but here is one of favorite makes before Christmas, Glittery Unicorn Baubles!

Christmas Eve

Its Christmas eve!  I have lot of pictures from today and i will share them i am sure as we have had a  great day, luckily...will post about that another time!, These are pictures from the December which i uploaded this morning when i got up super early and everyone was still fast asleep. I woke up this morning with a plan and a long to do list as all parents do, but tonight i have decided that i am not doing the usual rushing around,making sure the house is perfect only for the kids to trash it in the morning,opening presents and crushing selection box chocolates in the floor!

NO!tonight i am going to chill out and have a few drink, relax and enjoy Christmas Eve.

The little two have put out a drink and mince pie for santa and headed off to bed. The big two are watching a bit of TV, hopefully only for another hour as we do have to do the Christmas present thing and get set up for that at least, but everything else can wait! My Mum has prepped all the veg this year which has saved me a job and they are not arriving till 1pm so it will be no problem to do the normal last minute tidy, like we usually do anyway as everything we do on Christmas eve is normally destroyed by wrapping paper and packaging.

I am feeling in quite a reflective mood tonight, thinking about how much has changed this year. Its no wonder that i am a bit knackered. This time last year i had just started work full time again a few weeks earlier, and in anticipation of that everything was done, ready and wrapped, not like today when i snuck everything out of the loft only to find two boxes of toys that i had forgotten about! dam it, that wrapping is not going to be good at all, but then i only wrapped the the last 50% of stuff last night!

In my defense, life is more than extremely busy these days, in the last couple of months i have been away on council related work three times, Paul has been away twice with his work, working for the local MP, a job he really enjoys and in some ways its nice that we both have similer jobs again,lots of politics in this house! But for the whole year its been manic, Molly being Gala Princess and all the float building and visiting galas,which we always enjoy anyway, but with all the gala planning and organizing for our own gala. Then i had my two college courses which i was so proud i completed and passed,then top it all off with running for election which was just not something i had imagined i would be doing this year, then when i won all the learning and work that came with it ( more about all that in another post)..

Ultimately our lives are very busy and filled with challenges, and i know that next year will be just the same. Some challenges we already know about and others that will be thrown at us, but we thrive on it and i know i have such wonderful support from my family and especially from Paul who has been there for us all, leafleted for me (lots) and really taken up the slack from me not being at home all the time and some days not at all with work then council. I feel very lucky indeed!

I could go on forever but here is our christmas up to now!

Boys love all the boxes that arrive!

Collecting for the Christmas lights fund

Princess Molly and Fred collecting on the night

Snow!  on the train to London a couple of weeks ago, for a course i was attending, i really wish i could have taken some home for Fred who is desperate for snow!

Also a bit of knitting on the train, anew nordic jumper for Alex

The Euston Taps for a quick drink on arrival.

Going out for some tea, i went to the Christmas Market in Leicester Square!

How amazing was that!, i never expected to go but to just wander into this amazing festive place was magical

Last minute hair do for Mollys School Christmas Lunch

Christmas would not be complete without what is becoming an annual Star Wars Film Midnight showing,Paul sporting the jumper i knitted, he hs now ordered a new one to reflect the new films!  Better get planning!

We were invited to the BBC Lancashire concert with the Kings Division Band, who really started Christmas for me singing along to the traditional carols

The next day we joined in with some community carol singing and my mum and dad came along

Aww then it was Christmas Plays for Fred and Molly

Finally Friday  i enjoyed a carvery with Alex and Ewan as they were already off from school, but Molly and Fred were still in School.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas x

Molly's 8th Birthday

Gala Princess Mollys 8th Birthday.

This was such a busy time being right in the middle of gala season so when i suggested she have a movie party, i was really glad she agreed.

We invited friends from school and went to pizza hut followed by the cinema, Despicable me 3

These are the party favors i made, so easy and once they were covered on clear film, they looked great.