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Tidings of comfort and joy....

Christmas comes but once a year and that's probably not a bad idea... we have had a lovely festive frolicking time here in the not so grim north, joined by family and friends sharing presents, food and fun. 

Actually it was totally dis-organised chaos from the word go!!! BUT I have to say ''go'' didn't start until after 8.30 an amazing sleep in on Christmas morning for two very excited little girls (and Nana) but then just descended into almost madness when the keyboard was opened and the impromptu dance party started in the kitchen while dinner was being prepared.  The newly formed band was quite an experience - an eight year old on the keyboard and the two year old using natural rhythm to accompany her on drums using wooden spoons and anything bangable!! Watch out X factor (I'm doing it for my nana.....)


It was an exhausting experience - the house being festooned with fairy lights flashing adding to the fervour! or should I say fever.  Anyway we rumba'd and salsa'd and jumped about like mad beings for a good couple of hours before dinner started to look like being ready and we had to pack up to lay the table around our stunning centre piece designed by the children.


After dinner- because of constant rain we donned the biker gear and rode the tricycle round and round the tiny sitting room until we were all so dizzy the TV turned itself on and we finally fell asleep in front of Captain Underpants!

We pretty much did the same the next day with slightly less frenzy as we had no presents to open, and the novelty of the keyboard was wearing off giving way to non stop dancing to Little Mix, we painted, we drew, we played charades, we ate too much chocolate, we had more Little Mix....goodness how can it get any better?   We had a good attempt at wearing each other out running around the beach singing Little Mix and then a march around the nature reserve, returning for a momentary sedate moment when all the dolls and teddies were treated to a tea party, but it 'last long as we ran out of cake......


Day three saw energies starting to seriously wane...  the christmas tree was shedding needles faster then we could twerk to Little Mix,  the chocolate ornaments were disappearing fast, the naughty little sister had eaten all the tops of the mince pies and put the bottoms back in the tin.... she also learnt how to negotiate the fridge without anyone seeing and there was very little cheese left... there were discarded bits of various crafting kits attempting to reassemble around the house and the slam it in Ruby Starrs style had all but disappeared into a haze of toys, wrapping paper, boxes, chocolate papers and tinsel..... time for a massive clear up and an attempt to return to simple chaos..... just in time for the neighbors to come round for drinks - which incidentally was heralded with a beer bottle exploding all over the kitchen.  Tidings of comfort and joy......

It was all very fab... and while it was completely frantic at times I was sorry to take the family back home to Leeds.  We were all ready for some space, and own beds etc and the trip to Leeds afforded us to enjoy a really pleasant evening at a friends party catching up with people I hadn't seen for a long time, a soundtrack of adult conversation and no Little Mix to be heard other then the earworm in my head!  Now we are back home its quiet and empty and TIDY ... Bring on next year!


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