Lots of lovely Christmassy happenings in our household over the last couple of weeks.   Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Day 641:  My Mum and Stepdad came to visit to give Ella her birthday presents.  I haven’t seen them for ages as they’ve been away on holiday, so it was extra lovely to have some time together 🙂

Day 642:  Ella’s 9th birthday!  It sucks having to go to school on your birthday, so we made up for it with an after-school birthday surprise

Day 643: Productivity may be at an all-time low but nothing beats a kitten fast asleep on your lap 🙂 (Blurry phone shot – couldn’t move to get my camera!)

Day 644:  Grateful to clients who willingly move their session to an earlier slot so I can get home early and be in time to see this cheeky lot before bedtime

Day 645:  One of the reasons we decided to get Pumpkin is because Ella has always been terrified of animals.  She’s been so brave every single day for the last week and a half – facing her fears with him in the house.  Today she decided that she wanted to hold him – I think her face says it all.  She was so proud of herself!

Day 646:  Ella’s turn to make a model of a WW1 trench for her homework – she’s super-proud of it.  Forgot to take a photo with my big camera this morning as we were in a rush to get out of the door, so instead I broke every school rule there is by snapping this on my phone in the playground!

Day 647:  We took the girls ice skating to Trentham Ice as a surprise treat – it’s probably been over 20 years since I last went ice skating.  So much fun despite the cold – I haven’t laughed so much for a long time!

Day 648:  Date night with the husband to see Dynamo live.  I LOVE magic.  Great night.

Day 649:  Unexpected gifts from lovely clients 🙂

Day 650:  The girls have been many things in their school nativity plays (chickens, mice, sheep, camels, angels, narrators…) and this is the first time any of them have ever played Mary.  She sang her heart out, delivered her three lines brilliantly and had a huge grin on her face the whole way through.  All the other stresses of work-overload and not enough time to get all the things done that I needed to do today completely melted away as I watched her.  I feel very lucky to have created a lifestyle that means I can be there for all the important moments.