Bugs and germs!

I don't know which ones they are or where they are from but I just feel so blinking rough! I am aching and tired and sneezy and coughy and just generally yuk!! I came home from work at dinner and have spent the day curled up in from of my lovely warm log fire.

No scrapping for me, I'm afraid, till I feel a bit better. Hopefully if I get a decent night's sleep tonight I may feel a bit more human.

I certainly won't be partying the night away tomorrow night. We'll probably just nip up to the local to see the New Year in and then come home.

Anyway if I don't get back before tomorrow night I'm wishing you all the very best for a great night tomorrow, what ever you have planned, and a healthy and prosperous new year!

Bathroom bargains!

Well, we didn't manage to get to B&Q yesterday as I felt a bit weary and cold so we stayed in and did nothing instead. However we did get there first thing this morning and managed to save a fortune. We have decided to keep our bath as it is an old enamelled one and you just can't get them like that any more (not in our price range anyway), plus the toilets is fairly new so we just needed a new sink. All bathroom stuff is 1/2 price plus 15% off at B&Q. That includes the taps and everything. Although the taps weren't cheap at least John didn't cry in pain as he paid for them!

We didn't get any tiles as I haven't got the picture in my head yet of how I want it. I am going to wander through some bathroom sites over the next couple of days and try and find something which jumps out at me. I'm having the laminate flooring taken up and cushioned vinyl put down again as I've never really taken to the laminate and am slowly removing it all from the house! There's plenty to do before we get to that stage anyway, with the ceiling and walls all needing attention, but with John having plenty of time on his hands in the New Year at least it won't take as long as it might have.

I'm cooking a goose for tea. I must admit I have never had one before and it may be an unmitigated disaster but we shall see. I have taken advice from Nigella so fingers crossed. I think John is going to do his famous creamed leeks as well so Thomas and I will fight over them instead.

I managed to do a couple of layouts yesterday. Not for the Christmas Journal but the real 12 x 12 size! I must admit it felt a bit odd!

The first one is of Rhianna. She really does have an amazing voice. So sweet and pure. God knows where she gets it from as it is definitely not from me or her mother. I may sing with great gusto, especially hymns, but it is just so much out of tune!

This is Samhara and the biggest present this year. Her face was a real picture when she realised it was for her. She was good enough to control her excitement long enough for us to get a photo.

Anyway, off to check the goose. Have a lovely day everyone!

Happy Boxing Day.

Well, it took a while to get here but seemed to be over and done with very quickly! We had a smashing day even if it was rather noisy and busy. The girls got far too much as usual and even I was lucky enough to get some gorgeous pressies!

Today is my rest day after all the Christmas preparations. Other than a few bits of housework I have done nothing. John and Thomas have been to football at Lancaster and with William up inhis room it has been lovely and peaceful. I have done some scrapping and caught up with all the Grey's Anatomys I had on sky+. Perfect!

Tomorrow I am working for a few hours and then John and I are going to B&Q to look at their bathroom ranges and see if we can find any bargains!

I've uploaded some more of my journal. There are just a couple of pages still to do. My album is not standing up well to all the embellishments though. It is no where near closing so I am going to have to come up with a plan for it when I have finished. I have not decided yet whether to finish now, at the end of Christmas or continue on a bit longer though I am tempted to continue till New Years Day. Anyway feel free to let me know what you think!









Anyway for now....happy scrapping!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Here's hoping you all have a peaceful, joyous and happy Christmas.

Sleepless night!

Yes, not much sleep for me last night. Don't know why really, perhaps I am just getting excited about Christmas! Or it could have been John sniffing, snorting and coughing next to me!!! Anyway I gave up in the end and got up. I think I may just have chance to do a page in my journal before I head off for work!

I hope you have all slept better than me and have a fun day getting your last bits finished off or relaxing with a good Christmas movie if you are all ready! I started soaking my turkey last night 'a la Nigella' and apart from a few bits I think I am done.

I've found out that there's no midnight mass at our church this year so we will either go to another village or attend the 6pm mass and then meet up with friends for a drink.

Anyway whatever you are doing today....have a lovely time!

Christmas Journal continued!

I've just found a few minutes to upload the next lot of my Christmas Journal pages. If I don't do it now it may be a while before they see the light of day!

December 15th was the boy's Prize night so I used that as the theme for the day.

My favourite carol!

Letters to Santa!

My tree before we brought it in the house. It was full of snow and frost! The journalling is under the photograph.

The decorations at Cambridge....gorgeous!

Christmas past. I just need to get the journalling done on this one.

My birthday! I took a photo of some of the cards I had received.

Choosing the presents!

I hope they give you a bit of inspiration and an insight into the Woodhead Christmas!

Not long now!!

Only 3 days left before Christmas and I hope you are all on track with your plans. I am not doing too badly after a shaky start which nearly sent everything haywire! Then having to take just under a week out to go University visiting, it could have all fallen apart but thankfully I think I am ok. There will always be the last minute dash, of course, to find or buy the one thing I've forgotten.

The Uni visits went well. We had a busy few days but it was great fun, though a bit nerve wracking for the boys. Thomas has heard from Plymouth already and although they can't offer him a place on the course he wanted, they have said they want to offer him a place on another one. He was a bit disappointed- to say the least-but we have had a talk about it and he is much happier. He has had a good read up on the course they want to offer him and he can still get into teaching at the end of it.So he will put that down as his insurance choice with Cumbria as his first choice.

We have not heard from Cambridge yet but I really couldn't cope with a letter from there before Christmas especially if it contains the word 'unfortunately'! It either has to be a 'yes' or have the decency not to arrive before the new year.

My Christmas journal is progressing well and I am only a couple of pages out which isn't bad at all. I have used the prompts in my own way but if something special has happened on that day then I have gone with that instead and used the prompt on a different day. That is the way which suits me best.




I've added these so that you can see the first seven days of layouts. As I said the prompts are not always used on the days suggested. On day 6 there is a large flap which lifts up for the journalling and more photos. Hopefully I will upload the others before Christmas if time allows.

Off to sort my turkey out now. It needs to defrost so I can soak it for a couple of days in one of Nigella's concoctions. I cooked the 'spiced ham' (which we are having today) and 'rocky mountain road' which is a scrummy biscuit, marshmallow and chocolate munchie!

I received this in an email and thought it would cheer some of you up!!!

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce
toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the
pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed
Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were
about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out,
Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the
toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of
rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all
the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally
dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces
all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice
had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door,
yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas
tree.
The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a
lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to
stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas
tree.....

I am plodding on happily with my Christmas Journal and am managing to stay on track. A couple of the ones I have yet to do are already planned in my head and that goes a long way to becoming the finished article........!!

Day 3's prompt was about Christmas cards. I've used one of the cards I've made as part of the layout and all the journalling is inside.

Day 5 was all about the traditions around the count down to Christmas. My layout is all about the boys' advent calendars. I just have to finish the journalling tag now.

Bye for now and happy crafting!

A different Christmas poem.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the garden to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Grandfather died in France ' on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gran always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of Burma
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his pack,
The red, white, and blue of a Union Jack.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a trench with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbour no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Please remember all our Armed Services men and women who may be away from their families and loved ones at this special time. And let us never forget those who have given their lives so we can celebrate in freedom.

It's a cold start to the month!

Yes, it's definitely looking like it's winter. It seems so many years since we had a cold, harsh winter but I feel we really need them. The freezing cold helps get rid of all the bugs and germs which linger around and often kills off a lot of the 'nasties' which we can manage with out. We had our first snowfall on Monday night and today has been freezing. It is a bit lethal out on the pavements although most of the roads are clear in our area. However it is looking like there is going to be a massive snow fall overnight so I am keeping my fingers crossed! I could do with some decent 'snow' pictures to scrap!

I have signed up for Shimelle's 'Journal your Christmas' this year. It is something I have been meaning to do for a few years but have never got round to it. As this is really the boys last Christmas at home I thought it was about time I knuckled down and got on with it. Shimelle sends you prompts and tips everyday to help you create a layout and put down on paper what that day / theme actually means to you. The first prompt was the manifesto for the journal but I have kept a separate part for that so I have a space for December 1st. I do have a couple of ideas but am waiting to see if Shimelle uses them on other days first.

The prompt for December 2nd was 'Weather' and as I said earlier we had our first snowfall for years so that was an easy one to do!

I am using a Heidi Swapp 9 x 9 album so I have a decent sized page to work with. I have journaled my thoughts about Christmas weather and added a couple of photos in a pocket. The snowflake is a chipboard one covered with white Bazzill and with a few sparkly gems added. I am allowing myself a set period of time each night to complete the page so there won't be time to be too fiddley with things! Overall I am happy with how this one has turned out. I will try and keep you updated more regularly with my progress!

On the university front things have moved on a pace. William has had offers from Leeds, Lancaster, Durham and Warwick and we are off to Cambridge next week for an interview at Emmanuel. Thomas has been to Ambleside and has received an offer from them so that is really good news. He liked it a lot and I think it will suit him as it is small and cosy but they have a good reputation for turning out good teachers. But as he said...it's not Plymouth! Never mind we will just have to keep our fingers crossed for both their interviews and hope they do well in them.

Well, off to do some scrapping now. See you later!