Something new to make...

I've found something that I want to make this weekend.

I know, I know, I've still got to finish the teachers gifts and get on with making MORE mince pies and eventually finishing my crochet blanket squares. But these are sooooo cute......and I want one!

Jill at Dapper Toad has posted the tutorial and I think that even I can make one, so I'm gonna give it a go.

I'll keep you posted. Sam xx

Blog giveaway...

If you haven't already done so, pop over to see Anne at Marmalade and Catmint. She is doing a lovely Christmas giveaway which ends today at 10pm.

There are three chances of winning one of three giveaways - become a follower; leave a comment and/or post on your blog linking to the giveaway.

Give it a go, she has a really nice blog and you never know, you might win (but I'm hoping I win something too). Sam xx

Oh yes I did .......

I am feeling totally shattered. I feel worn out and all I want to do is veg out in front of the boggle box and do absolutely nothing.

I have just spent the day with a load of school kids at the panto.

Don't get me wrong I loved it but even though it was a great day out I still had to be responsible for some of the children and help out with controlling some of the other terrors children as well.

My brain feels completely wrung out.

I must admit I shouted and laughed along with the rest of them although had to shush some of mine as they are at that age when they want to take away some of the magic by pointing out the wires and the actors that may have more than one part.

It all went fairly well but it was hard afterwards when they had finished lunch and their energy came flooding back by which time mine (and probably the teachers) was flagging. I have nothing but respect for teachers who have to do this day in and day out. I'm not too sure I have as much patience to be able to do this all the time.

I asked Miss Bucket if I was too strict but she thought I was easier than the teachers as I laughed at their jokes. 

I'm going to give myself a well-earned pat on the back but never again........well, probably until next time. Sam xx

Christmas play...

Mr Bucket and I went to Bucket jnr's Christmas asembly this morning, his FIRST one.

It was brilliant!!

I had hopes of it being hilarious as earlier in the year he did a Harvest Festival assembly and about halfway through started an elbow fight with the boy next to him (defending himself, of course) and then during a singing bit he decided he didn't want to sing - he wanted to dance....and so he did. It was soooo funny.

So we sat and waited to see what would happen this time. I'm afraid I put him off to start with as I stood to the side, like any pushy proud parent to take pictures. He just sat and looked at me instead of singing, so I sat back down again.

Cue lots of hand waving and smiling and bobbing up and down as he tried to see us. He also wasn't too comfortable in his shephard garb, by the end I thought he was going to strip off.

It wasn't just him though, we saw lots of yawning; waving; nearly falling off the stage; nudging; face pulling - in fact, just about everything that you'd expect from 3-5 year olds.

As I said, BRILLIANT!!! Sam xx

Quiet time...

I'm sitting all by myself tonight.

The kids are in bed, Mr Bucket is in bed too with the start of flu and I'm sitting here looking at the computer with just the Christmas tree decorations for company. It's actually quite nice.

I let the kids decorate the tree this year which was kind of hard for me as I've decorated the family tree since I was a kid (not even my brother or sister got a look-in). It's something I like to do as I like to get all the baubles and little treasures in just the right place (I know, control freak again).

It was hard for me not to interfere and move some of the baubles into better positions but I stopped myself and let them get on with it. The only thing I was really worried about is that a lot of the decorations are really old and from when I was a child (yes, really old!!!) and they might have broke them, accidentally of course.

But they didn't and they were really proud of themselves and the job they did.

And so am I.

Some of the blogs I follow have been showing Christmas songs that they love (yes Anne, I love Michael Buble too) so I thought I'd share one of my favourites.

I love this man's singing and this song always gives me that warm, fuzzy Christmassy feeling. Sam xx



School fete...

Yesterday I went to a brilliant school Christmas Fete. Our local Infant and Junior school are on the same site but split in two so the school held the fete in both the school halls - infant hall for infant children and junior hall having older children's items.

Usually I spend way too much on tat that someone else has thrown given away to add to the ever-growing number of toys that my children will never play with more than once.

But this time they had some really good stalls at the fete, some of the parents were showing off some of their skills - card making, jewellery, sewing, honey. And yes, I did contribute some cakes to the cake stall. I didn't see them so I'm hoping that they were eaten very quickly because they did look really good (even if I do say so myself and Miss Bucket told me they were really tasty).

The plain ones are for Bucket jnr who doesn't like icing - finicky little so and so

The kids bought some great items, lovely books and there were even some magnets that featured Moshi Monsters (Miss Bucket's new obsession). I even bought something for me, a lovely tape measure made from felt which I'm going to treasure.

Only had one sticky moment when Bucket jnr saw a little dinosaur jumping toy. We were just sorting out the money when another lady reached across and picked it up - I wasn't having that....
"Excuse me.....".

Apparently she had gone away and came back to get it but, in my eyes, she'd had her chance and it was now ours and I wasn't going to let her take it away from Bucket jnr who had his heart set on it.

It wasn't handbags at dawn, more like I've got a shopping bag and I'm not afraid to use it.

We got it.

Everything went smoothly and then Mr Bucket was persuaded to buy me some mulled wine (well, it is nearly Christmas you know) - it was VERY strong but tasted lovely and it went down really well. I paid for it though, I don't generally drink too much and even that small glass gave me a fuzzy head.

I'm trying to think if I became louder after drinking it and did I become one of those annoyingly loud parents that you can hear across the playground (well, louder than normal anyway). Hopefully not, Mr Bucket didn't say anything and he's usually the first to let me know.  Sam xx

One of those days...

Do you ever have those days when everything seems to go wrong.

I don't have them too often but every now and then they creep up on me and bite me on the bottom. Not a big bite all of the time, sometimes it's just little things that happen just to annoy you.

Today seems to be one of those days:-

I have a serious case of 'dropsy', everything I handle amazingly ends up on the floor;
I walk into doors, even automatic ones at shops;
I spill things;
I lose things (hopefully will turn up somewhere strange in a few days time);

And today, the biggie for me - my washing machine was full of water and even though I shouldn't be able to open the door (it has a lock which is meant to stop this), I CAN. I have no idea where this water has appeared from as I have been quite slow with my washing for the past couple of days. It is just there.

The day has yet to end so I know that something else is waiting for me.

I'm having chilli for tea.....WHY????? Why did I cook chilli today???!!!

Does anyone have a big bib that I can borrow. Sam xx