At the beginning of the week we got the tree out of the garage, planning to get it up for the kids to decorate the following day. James started the unpacking whilst I fed the fire and we started to get a whiff. Not of the lovely cinnamon decorations we hang, but of urine and death.
The further in we got the worse the smell, until James had to take it outside. Entombed in their own Christmas tomb were a family of mice. The smell has permeated the plastic and we have left it in the greenhouse to air for next year. Plan B came into effect; next day delivery. As it turns out trees before Christmas are expensive so I borrowed my mum's as her mental dog means she can't have the big tree out.
So after a short delay the tree was out up on Wednesday evening and decorated Thursday evening. The excitement was palpable and the bottom half of the tree was once again crammed with decs. This year the kids have their own mini tree for their room and it was done in the least tasteful style, you literally couldn't fit another decoration on it! Although between then and now the tree and been much loved and many decorations have fallen from it's overcrowded branches.
Wee man had his school play this week, he was a sheep in 'The Innkeepers Breakfast' and as it started at 6, he proceeded to yawn throughout the entire performance, but was so cute I had a tear in my eye the whole time.
This weekend I worked Saturday and the kids went to James' work Christmas party. It's a bit of an old fashioned thing for a company to still hold a Children's party but is always well done with lunch, entertainment and a toy, so they loved it.
Today James opened the door between the house and the extension downstairs so we could get in there as we're planning to put the table in there for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately when we went to get it from the shed the wooden top had warped markedly, so much so it won't lay in the top of the legs. We're hoping a few weeks in the extension will mean it dries and shrinks down enough to use on Christmas day.
I practiced making the Christmas tree cake for the big day and the kids helped decorate it today with ganache, silver balls and some icing sugar for snow. I was going for understated elegance, the kids were going for overstated exuberance, there was icing and baubles a plenty.
I also finally got the last of the garlic in the veg bed, but we had to build it first and although we tried to keep the good soil in roughly the same area it's definitely very compacted and not as good quality. It'll need lots of compost this year to get it back up to scratch.
And finally one more from last weekend, all four of us in a photo for a change (not that we're all smiling!).
Sounds like you have had a fun week, I always cried when my kids were in performances, now I cry at the grandkids :-)
ReplyDeleteMust be a thing this year with mice. We were over run with them in our garage. I had some stuff stored in cardboard boxes and there were nests everywhere! YUCK! I always get teary eyed when I see kids in programs, parades, etc. I don't even have to know them!! That cake looks yummy. Where did you find those molds?
ReplyDeleteCindy
Did you manage to get all your garlic in?
ReplyDeleteOur grandson last year almost feel asleep for their evening play. Sounds like loads of fun at your place, enjoy your festive season.
ReplyDeleteLove the Christmas tree cake.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tree! When my kids were little we always put up a tree like that. We are having one this Christmas because both my kids are coming home for Christmas. I will put it up just before they get here on Christmas Eve though, because the ferrets climb up in the tree and knock things off it.
ReplyDeleteChristmas is so great for kids, and having them makes it so nice for the parents.