Goodbye 2011..............................x

Did you all have a fabby Christmas? At the cottage we had a peaceful time, ate, drank, played games, ate and drank.........( can I admit to you that at midnight last night, you would have found me practicing some token Yoga moves having over eaten since waaaaay before Christmas, like one half an hour stint is going to make all the difference, but I felt better ...and I made no rudey jokes about the postitions either....hehe.....think my brains frazzled from all the sugar and chocolate )

With a snowball in hand I want to thank you all for coming by Florenceandrose through out this year, we've had fun eh? And would you look at that, I've even gained a few more peeps over the festivities......welcome newbies......lets have a great 2012........what will it hold? hoooo hummm...more crafts? Doing, making, chatters, bakes, general twittering on?????????

Seriously, thank you for all the wonderful comments you give, you make me smile and laugh, and sometimes cry ( in a good way ) I hope the New Year brings with it everything you hope it to be.

But before then, I wanted to share some bestest moments from the year.........

With my song of the year.........HIT it .....

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Goodbye 2011....helloooooooooooooooooooooooooo 2012 xxx

The Countdown #5.......x

Waaaaaaa!!!! So nearly there!!!!!!!! I have butterflies in my tummy, or perhaps they are dancing reindeer.....

Everythings ready, Q is on his way home from work, the Bumblebee's keep doing little Christmas drawings, their little interpretations of gingerbread houses, sleighs, and winter wonderlands....

This week we have gathered with many friends, and talk always turns to how you do Christmas, what time you all wake up, what you've bought one another and so on........

Tis Christmas fever...........I tell you...

Can I say, this must be a year of firsts for me, first Christmas cake bake, and a fist Yule log bake........I used some blackberry jam we made back in Sept and mixed it in with the cream filling........twas yummo!

Ooooh I must sort out some sparkly reindeer food.......

xxx

The Countdown #4.....x

The excitement here is building............the Christmas energy and love is completely catching, I can't help but join in with the bumblebee's whispers, dancing to christmas music, and skippy happy christmas cheer....

Now, what does one buy for ones husband/Daddy????? The girls always have a present, carefully selected by meeeee to wrap up for Q....something I know he will like, NOT sock or pants.......yawnnny yawn yawn....

But they always MAKE him something.........

This year though......

We struggled for time and ideas.......

Then came up with this..........

Of course it couldn't be hidden till the big day, and the Q happily munched down on it , the hungry man returns from work and all that.......

I love a gingerbread house........and the smell seems to have filled the house....a gingerbready ginger scent, perfect for Christmas......

Not long now.....xxxxx

The Countdown #3.....x

Carefully wrapping last minute handmade presents, finished, just in the nick of time........

Ready and waiting under the tree, 

xxx

The Countdown #2......x

Ruby red cranberry sauce a la Nigella ....finger licking in a saucy manner is NOT essential.... but it's a must on my Christmas table.........

A slow paced tradition in the kitchen.......

Popcorn and seasonal sugar mix bagged up..................

adorning the tree..................

xxxx

The Countdown #1......x

This is the first PROPER Christmas cake I have ever, ever made in my whole entire life. Because I can't stand it. How selfish???!!! Mr.Q doth love it indeedy, so I said, "righty, then it is cake you shall have"......and cake I did make...

Yesterday? A family cake decoration session, with the Christmas carols booming, we mixed, spatted, smoothed, then fluffed up the icing...........

I am secretly quite pleased I made it. I think I will do it again. But I won't be eating it. Infact I made extra mince pies, all for MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

xx

Christmas cookie presents....................x

I'm thinking all parents across the land, and others that are far far away and all in unison this week.
The last week of term in a toughie, but I know it's the best week of the bumblebee's school calender. What with panto's, plays, parties, playdates ( not everything has begun with a "P" though, we've made decorations, and sung carols, wrapped gifts...I said "gifts" not presents ).......
Today is the Christmas party, and I dutifully dropped off some food this morning after school drop off, ok........I could have done better. Mummies with arms laden full of sweetly iced cupcakes, marshmallow snowmen, perfectly decorated homemade biscuits. I had swiftly made some swirly puff pastry ( yup from the shop ) pizzas, and plonked some mini carrots on a festive paper plate. You'd better believe it....

Yummy mummies 1
Nattie                  0

But listen, I have a saving grace. No one else bought in handmade gift for their teachers this morning did they?!!!!
I've been wanting to do this idea for yonks, and it was when I saw a really nice recipe in the Jamie Oliver mag, that I thought, ok this is it, the recipe to do this with.

Honestly, the BEST fun with the bumblebee's I've had making a present. ( and the dog's liked the fallen oats on the floor too )

If you click on the picture you might be able to read the ingredients!

Kilner jars.....£1.99 at a local shop.
Ribbons........£2.00
Ingredients....£2.00 ( as I included a cinnamon stick and a vanilla pod too )

We made 4 jars worth, and still had enough ingredients to make a batch for ourselves!

P.S.....I had to half the quantities of the recipe to fit in my jars!



I took a super wonderful delivery the other day. From the fantastic ACORN AND WILL ...........I felt the bumblebee's NEEDED some reindeer brooches for added seasonal kitch!!!! There may have been a bird that flew into the order too...for a special pal...hehe.

Aren't they sooo lovely? The reindeer have adorned the girls cardigans for the party today.......awwww think I want one now, how on earth did I managed not to buy myself one?????????


Any whooooooo....must fly..........xxxxx

sweet traditions..........x

While the windows shake and rattle, the wind blows down the chimney, and I try not to think about our sweet little cottage being swept up in the storm outside (  in a Dorothy and Kansas way.......I wonder if I'll see my naughty neighbour riding frantically in the wind on her bike???! )....

I wanted to share with you a little village tradition.

A Posada to be precise.

Each year, at the beginning of December, the local church sends a Mary, donkey and Joseph statue off on their way. They spend a night at each house ( that wishes to take part )....and on Christmas eve, the last family bring the figures to the service, where they are placed in the cattle shed, with all the other figures in turn.

This afternoon, some pals delivered the Posada to us, in it's wicker basket, complete with special prayer.

So sweet, so cute. The bumblebee's really enjoy this little ritual we have stumbled upon.

So we say our prayer, and off to bed they hop. Because, my goodness, it's going to be a busy last week of school for them, and my lovely sleeping beauties need their sleep.

POSADA.

A prayer to welcome figures into our home.

Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are always present in our home, unseen and often not acknowledged.

help us to experience the joy of looking forward this Advent, and make it a time of new beginnings. We welcome these figures from the nativity and pray that you will bless this house and all who live here.

Amen. 

xxxx

You you have any traditions where you live? x