Today I learned that not going out isn't so bad. I have a glass of fizz, I have the new copies of Scrapbook Trends & Creating Keepsakes, we've just eaten a lovely dinner and we have a choice of new DVDs.
Following on from Shimelle's Blogging for Scrapbookers Class, 14 ScrapperBloggers (I think I've just coined a new phrase) have got together and will be posting a weekly challenge on this blog. We would love as many people as possible to join us, using our ideas as a starting point for their own layouts and to encourage us to scrap weekly during 2010.
Hooray! Another entry for my Christmas Scrapping Challenge, this one is from Lulu. You have until Midnight GMT today to enter, and you can find the details here.
Today I learned that defrosting mince results in Spag Bol. I'd taken mince out of the freezer early this morning, with the intention of making Shepherd's Pie for tonight's supper. However, when DH saw it on the drainer, he said, "Oh, Spag Bol tonight, fair enough." You see, dear readers, DH makes a far superior Spag Bol than yours truly, so who was I to persuade him that Shepherd's Pie was what was actually on the menu?
Exactly a week ago, I posted here about scrapping instead of ironing; turns out I've done the same thing again this afternoon! Only this time, the full basket of ironing is bothering me ... I can hear its plaintive cries, wanting to be rescued from what seems like a thousand creases! Oh, dear, I think I need to get out more ...
Yep, I'm back touting for entries for my Christmas Scrapping Challenge, which closes on the 31st. Debbie and Martha have submitted lovely entries, as you can see above, and you'll find all the info you need here.
... the winner of the final Pink Saturday GiveAway of 2009 is Pink Saturday's lovely hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. A rather fitting winner, I think. Congratulations! I'll be by your blog in a minute with the news.
Today I learned that the Council behaved like Scrooge. It seems that the Council refused to lift the parking restrictions around the local area on Boxing Day, requiring vehicles to have the appropriate parking permit or the drivers of the said vehicles being prepared to pay the costly parking fees. And, I presume, it also meant that Parking Wardens would have had to be in work, in order to enforce the parking restrictions. Bah, humbug!
Today I learned that the Christmas Sales are madness. I was out and about today for fresh bread and milk and decided to cut through Marks & Spencer on my way home. I couldn't believe my eyes! The sales floor was a seething mass of people, pulling at this top and tugging at that blouse; the amount of merchandise scrunched up on the floor was incredible. My photo only shows the edge of the crowd, goodness knows what it was like in the middle!
Whenever DH and I have pizza, DH always make a DS-sized one, in the hope that he will eat it. We don't put anything on it that he doesn't already eat. This evening, after something of a struggle, DS relented and actually tried two morsels.
Here it is ... the 52nd challenge of 52 challenges set by Shimelle over the last year. The challenge this week? Scrap 2009.
I recently bought a word book from the Bo Bunny range ~ Believe. My idea was to use it as a record of DS's visits to Santa over the years, along with Christmassy stuff like DS helping to choose the tree and his love affair with The Polar Express. I've used the utterly fabulous Eskimo Kisses range of paper from Basic Grey (I believe I may have mentioned them before ...), recycled tartan ribbon from my Christmas presents from my sister and 4 sleigh bells appropriated from the depths of DS's toy box.
I forgot to say that tonight's pizza would be made by DH. He uses the bread maker to whip up the dough and then adds passata, mixed herbs, fresh sliced tomatoes, peppered salami & mozzarella cheese.
Today I learned that it's good to see the end in sight. As tasty as the turkey has been, I'm glad it's nearly finished! However, I'm not complaining because it provided 2 Christmas lunches, Christmas Night sandwiches x2, sandwiches x2 yesterday lunchtime, turkey with chips and gravy last night x2 (it's a Northern thing to have gravy with chips (French Fries, for the Americans), trust me on this) and sandwiches x2 at lunchtime today. Oh, and not forgetting tidbits for the pooch! DS wouldn't entertain the idea of eating any at all, his loss, me thinks!
Today I learned that it always takes longer than you think. Yesterday afternoon, DH took DS out for a walk so that I could have an hour in which to play with my new sewing machine. Well, I kid you not, it must have taken me 45 minutes just to thread the thing correctly! I'm hoping to crack it today or tomorrow, so that I can stitch on my last SLYMI LO ...
Today I learned that toddlers and Christmas Day don't mix. Poor DS was completely overwhelmed by the whole experience of a pile of presents waiting for him at 7am Christmas morning. All he wanted was his breakfast and was quite vocal in letting me know! Once he had a full tummy, he showed a little more interest and seemed to grasp the concept of Santa/Father Christmas ~ "Lots of presents ... Father Christmas been."
So that's it, over and done with for another year! But there's no need to feel flat and deflated because today is Pink Saturday! The super efficient Beverly at How Sweet The Sound has us all organised and we are raring to go: do check out Beverly's blog for a full list of participants this week.
My nephew has had new pjs on Christmas Eve for a good few years now, and I thought I'd borrow the idea and start the tradition in my own immediate family. My SIL offered to get the pjs, along with very stylish slipper socks, and even wrapped them up. The pjs are a little big, but as DS will be wearing them for a good few months, that's neither here nor there.
Today I learned that Christmas gladdens my heart. By lunchtime today, when DS was home from nursery, we were ready for Christmas. Ready to close the door on the outside world and just be together. I've counted my blessings today, for sure.
... I scrapped a LO for our 2009 album and made a Christmas door hanger, using the absolutely gorgeous Eskimo Kisses range of papers by Basic Grey. The ironing will still be there later, although I do like Christmas to be an ironing-free zone, so guess what I'll be doing this evening?
DS and I came home at lunchtime to find a parcel waiting for me, all the way from California. It was from the very lovely Martha at A Sense Of Humour is Essential; a JBP, just for me! Inside was a beautiful flocked card, some delightful ear rings, a snowman bookmark (very topical just now in London!) and a chocolate Santa figure ~ how lucky am I? DH is amazed that a stranger would do this, but, as I told him, Martha isn't a stranger, she's a bloggie friend. And I thank her from the bottom of my heart.
This morning after dropping DS at nursery (his wonderful nursery is open until Christmas Eve, open again before New Year and then back to normal on January 2nd. How fab are they?!), I cut across the park to have coffee at my friend Rachel's house. She was hosting a playdate for those parents whose children's nurseries have closed for Christmas, but very kindly included me as well. The park looked beautiful, and surprisingly empty, apart from a few hardy dog walkers. We've had no more snow since yesterday afternoon, so it's anyone's guess as to how long it will last.
... this week's winner of my Pink Saturday GiveAway is Tricia of Altered Schoolmarm ~ who says that the number 13 is unlucky? Congratulations! I've just stopped by your blog with the news. Pink Saturday is back on Boxing Day, the 26th, so do drop by then to see what is on offer.
Today I learned that Internet food shopping is a Godsend in Christmas week. I did already know the value of Internet food shopping, but with a temporarily incapacitated DH, a toddler and snow outside, I'm glad I had the foresight to book a Christmas week slot in early December.
This week's challenge was to scrap family ~ me, my siblings and our cousin in 1970. The baby in the photo was 40 this year. My, how time flies!
I thought you may find amusing this small conversation involving yours truly, which took place this morning in our local supermarket. (I'd gone in for salt, so that I could throw it all over the ice on the driveway.)
Today I learned that Christmas TV is rubbish! Another tradition our family had, along with the Christmas fairy and a Christmas Eve Chinese takeaway, was the double edition of the Radio Times magazine. Back then, of course, there were only 3 TV channels to choose from ~ BBC1, BBC2 and ITV (which Dad never really allowed us to watch because it was full of adverts and American TV shows ~ Charlie's Angels, anyone? No offence intended towards my American readers, obviously! I was glad that Dallas and Fame were shown on BBC1). Much to DH's amusement, I still buy the double issue every December, the only time throughout the whole year that I do so. And the TV doesn't get any better; it's just as well I don't watch that much, anyway! I hope Santa brings us some DVDs or, failing that, some good books!
I've had 2 entries for my Christmas Scrapping Challenge ~ thank you, Liz and Ann (it's their LOs you can see above). Any more takers? You can find all the details here, and the closing date isn't until the 31st, so you still have plenty of time.
Today I learned that nice guys don't always come last. Tonight was the grand final of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing reality TV show. The 2 finalists were Chris Hollins, the sports presenter on BBC Breakfast News and Ricky Whittle, an actor in C4's teen soap Hollyoaks. Technically, Ricky Whittle was the better dancer and I had thought he'd be a certain winner. However, Chris Hollins and his partner Ola Jordan had different ideas; all 4 of their dances, in particular the Charleston and their Free Dance, were entertaining and impressive. The voting public obviously agreed and voted him the 2009 Series 7 Winner..jpg)
Here we are again ~ Pink Saturday, but this time with a Christmas twist! Beverly at How Sweet The Sound, the fantastic weekly host of what is obviously now an enormous task, asked us to include a favourite Christmas tradition this week. In our family, the tradition was a Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve; mum was obviously far too busy to worry about feeding 3 starving children and a starving husband! I've tried to introduce that tradition to DH, but he's none too keen. We're hampered by the fact that the best Chinese within walking distance closed down and the 2nd best one, a 10 minute trip by car, closed down for a refit and doesn't appear to have reopened. However, last year in Scotland, when questioned about what was for supper, Sib and I looked at each other and said, practically in unison, "Chinese takeaway, of course!"
Today I learned that I'm not too old for a trendy hat. I've been thinking about a new hat for a while now; I have a great Harris Tweed hat for winter dog walking on the Common, but it's not really suitable for running around town. Inspired by Mel's cool hat, I finally decided on this one this afternoon. DH actually noticed and said it looked good, so I'll take his word for it!
Today's word prompt on the HSMSHS page on Facebook is wing: 1) a modified forelimb or other appendage enabling a bird, bat, insect, or other creature to fly. 2) a rigid horizontal structure projecting from both sides of an aircraft and supporting it in the air. 3) a part of a large building, especially one that projects from the main part. 4) a group within an organization having particular views or a particular function. 5) (the wings) the sides of a theatre stage out of view of the audience. 6) the part of a soccer, rugby, or hockey field close to the sidelines. 7) (also wing forward) an attacking player positioned near the sidelines. 8) Brit. a raised part of the body of a vehicle above the wheel. 9) an air force unit of several squadrons or groups. 
Here's what on offer on tomorrow's Pink Saturday GiveAway; the last Christmas themed one for a while ~ I'm tired of looking at them!
Today I learned that flowers brighten up a dark day. It's been bitterly cold today and I've been outside far too much! The new buggy was successfully road tested with a round trip to nursery, the dog got his run before lunchtime, I got my eyebrows waxed (a week late, a trip to A&E got in the way last Thursday!) and all my Christmas present shopping is done and dusted.
Today's word prompt on the HSMSHS page on Facebook is holly: an evergreen shrub with prickly dark green leaves and red berries.
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