New Year natterings.....too much caffeine today???? x

WHO ordered this disgusting wind/rain/stormyness???? Not I said Mrs.Q. ( Can I order some sunshine for the school run tomorrow purlease? )

Though...........................it gives me and the bumblebees the opportunity to enjoy a nice snuggled in day of it.

Really it's quite inconvenient, I need to get some passports renewed, and thought we could toddle off today and have our pictures taken...( last time this happened, biggest bumblebee was a toddler, and decided to have the mother of all tantrums, one of those moments you just want to pretend it's someone else's child and tut along with the grannies ....is that wrong? ) but no way am I going out in that....just look at it. ( or perhaps I still have the jitters about THAT tantrum??? )

Hummm should I be worried there seems to be a river forming out in the lane????

I would much rather spend the day sifting through these.....some presents from Christmas.....

We have manged to get out though for some super walks lately....pictures to follow. I love living in the west country, the walks and views, and wildlife are endless.........

P.S....I have been chopping up some of my favorite Christmas cards of this year to make into tags for next year. I remember my Mum doing this as a child and thinking " What? Just go and buy some will you????!!!" however, I seem to have had far too much spare time on my hands, and became too friendly with the pinking shears and hole punch.....( actually I was avoiding putting the decorations away with the Q.....such a faff! And quite depressing, so of course I found very important things to do )........

Happy Tuesday to you all........xxx

  

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