Woo-woos

Gorgeous cocktails, they are. The photo is of Leah and me sampling them on our little dance floor.

It was a fab New Year's party, but I wish my husband had drunk ever so slightly less than he did. I got lots of halo-polishing smugness in though, what with my "sticking to only one drink and alternating them with soft drinks" which enabled me to cope with the children the next morning on only 2.5 hours' sleep. Hurrah!

Dance floor

I made it! It's our new sunroom/porch, which I have designated as The Dancefloor for our NYE party tomorrow night. I polished the floor and hung fairy lights and everything. Suspect only Leah and I will dance on it, but it's ready for us when we do.

I have also created Ipod playlists for the occasion, and made up various beds for guests - oooh I am so organised. Perhaps ought to buy some food, now.

Dudes

Yasmine and her friend, pootling around on a laptop. Leah had just noticed the photo was being taken.

We had a nice day today. Tab and Zac stayed at home with Daddy while Yas and I braved the sales. It was manic, and we started to wish we hadn't, but we did get a few bargains.

Snooze

Husband and Tabitha, snoozing whilst snuggling up to watch a film. It was a lovely cosy day today.

Guitar hero

My husband enjoying the present I gave him - Guitar Hero 111 for the Wii. He fancies himself a budding rock musician; I think he looks like a George Formby fan on a day out.

Festive cheer

My poor inlaws. They hate this photo, but it really made me laugh - the whole day was so festive and happy, this pic was very incongrous!

And in daylight

Really, I should have a more exciting photo for Christmas Eve. But I was off work with the children, and this is the only one I took. See how the extension = more daylight into the house!

It was a nice day, enhanced by the knowledge of 11 days off work following it...

Just about done!

After a mad decorating and tidying rush today, we have a useable new dining room for Christmas. This room (plus the utility and loo beyond it) used to be a utility, small dining room, various useless corridors and our outbuildings. We are so pleased with it!

Roof window

Cheat photo (because taken yesterday), but I am a fan of my new skylight...

Downstairs loo

It's in! It's useable! The extension is taking shape.

Horns

Yes, I bought them. I feel the choice of headwear was inspired.

It was a chaotic night out, though - too many office parties. And too much Christmas music!

Wedding breakfast

Today we went to a wedding - it was all very beautiful, as was my pudding.

Ongoing renovations

Starting to look more like a room....

More shoe-wiping

She's obsessed with cleaning her shoes. I did find out why, though - her childminder wipes her shoes if they're muddy and she's going to be wearing them indoors, to stop them marking the carpet. All is explained!

Tree

Christmas tree, which we put up yesterday, with Tab and Zac, who helped.

This is a cheat pic as I took it yesterday.

Dancing once more

This counts as today's pic, because we took it fairly close to midnight - if I remember rightly. This is me with my friend Emma - we were at college together, and it was a huge relief to have a night out that wasn't followed by 9am lectures the next day.

Birthday party

Yasmine had her birthday treat today - ice skating followed by McDonald's (her choice!). She wasn't a fan of the ice, but loved the food, as did Zac - whose hair in this pic has been all statically charged by a balloon.

Yasmine is 10!

Yas turned 10 today. Here she is with her cake.

Soldier boy

We went to see Zac's school play and were allowed to take "one photo of your own child only" after the performance. This is Zac looking proud, self-conscious and shy in his "soldier" costume (looks more like a duck to me...)

Freezing

Ice on my windscreen before setting off for work.

All the fun of the fair

Tabitha and Zac on a tiny merry-go-round - it was big enough to scare Tab, though.

Yasmine couldn't come with us to the fair as she had to go to her dad's for the day. He took her to the fair, too (not much else to do round here on a winter Sunday) and when we bumped into her, he didn't want her to say hello to us. A charming man.

We babysat for Cousin Seb overnight. This is him and Zac running to Nanny's house.

Colleagues

I went for an early Christmas meal today with work colleagues. Here are two of them, rather tipsier than I (as driver) was.

There has been a hideous gap in my pictures - I kept forgetting to take any.