So last night the elves (my husband and I) did the thing I had been dreading. We put my daughter’s ELC cottage kitchen together (http://www.elc.co.uk/Wooden-Cottage-Kitchen—Red/136819,default,pd.html#q=cottage%20kitchen). I had been worrying about it for a while. I could see us up until 4am Christmas Day morning doing it and, with a day of play and cooking to…
You know it’s Christmas on the farm when: You have the same conversation every year-should we buy a turkey from a shop or buy poults and rear our own? People ask you, in earnest, ‘do you still have to feed the cows/sheep/horses/pigs (delete as applicable) on Christmas Day? The farmer’s wife buys reindeer antlers for…
I will not get drunk. Last year, my brother-in-law brought champagne. We live with mother-in-law on the farm and he was visiting for the season. I decided to calm my ‘cooking-Christmas-dinner-nerves’ with a gin and tonic, then had another. It was Christmas after all. My husband then invited me to join his family in their…
Tonight I wrapped my daughter’s presents and as I hid them behind the chair in the living room, I heard Peppa Pig’s voice booming from within the wrapping. Batteries in kids toys are a double edged sword at Christmas time. On one hand you want them to enjoy the toys you have bought them. On…
Before my best friend had her baby, she once came down and offered to have Boo so I could have a nap or something. I asked her if I could shave my legs. When she had her own child, she told me she understood. So I have decided to make this list of things which…
So yesterday we visited the East Lancashire Railway in Bury for one of their Santa Express trips. The day had been recommended by a friend and it didn’t disappoint. My two year old squealed with delight when she saw the station all lit up with Christmas lights and the steam train parked up in the…
Every year, the village of Culcheth near Warrington holds a Victorian Day at the end of November. It happened today and it is a lovely day for all of the family. Local business owners and their staff dress up in Victorian attire and it ends with a Santa procession, carol singing and the switch-on of…
So it’s December 1st on Sunday and I have dusted off Boo’s Advent calendar. I bought her one of those reusable wooden Advent calendars last year. It is cute but on reflection, I still buy a chocolate one to put into the reusable one. So as of Sunday there are 24 sleeps until the big man arrives. I…