Ho, Ho, Ho - only 1 week to go!

1 week to go now, and stress levels are still surprisingly low and everything is nearly finished!

I love a stress free Christmas. I love that I only have 1 present that I really struggle buying - the Fil's. However this year, we are taking the easy approach and taking advantage of his love for both the kids and food. Yep, it's going to be a big basket of home-made goodies, all lovingly made by me and the kids. He's a very hard person to buy for, even returning a few presents back to us immediately after presenting him with the gift, as he didn't want them!!! I"m over being offended by it, so now I just usually buy (or make) him food that a) I know he likes and b) he can't really return!!

The kids and I spent a busy morning out and about getting a few last minute things. First stop was the market where I filled 2 bags up with fresh and cheap fruit and vegies. The kids munched on freshly baked Turkish bread whilst I picked out perfect mangoes and other delicious produce.

Next stop was Spotlight where I wanted to pick out some material to make Grace a Nightie for Christmas Eve, after being disgusted at the latest lacy offerings at the department stores. Really, who thinks that black and pink nighties with lace around the outside are appropriate for size 3 and up? We rummaged through the remnant box and found some pale green material with little cherries on it, and at $1.00 for the half metre - Perfect!!! I also let Grace pick some material for a Christmas dress, she choose some red with little white dots. She insisted that we got enough to make a little dress for Lucie too, so hopefully I get enough time to get those both whipped up!

ETA - Yep, got them all whipped up that night. I've changed the ribbon on the dresses since these pics, now it is white satin.

~~Nightie for Grace~~

~~Christmas dress for Grace and Lucie~~

Then it was on to Aldi to get a few bargains from the catalogue and to stock up the baking ingredients. I picked out the Love Actually Dvd as a small gift from the kids to me, Xav picked out a tea set to give Grace and we also found a How to Learn French CD for Wendy. She has some crazy fascination with learning French, something that she has apparently always wanted to do, but never has.

Over to Coles next for copious amounts of chocolate for the presents that we are making for Grace's pre-school carers. NOT good fro me to have chocolate in the house, so we will have to be straight onto making the presents as soon as we get home. I'm making "cookie mix in a jar" It's basically all the dry ingredients for choc-chip cookies layered in a preserving jar. Then you just attach a list of wet ingredients that need to be added and the instructions. Damn M&M company aren't bringing out bags of just red, green and white this year, so I bought a huge bucket (must.not.eat.) and planned on setting the kids up with the job of separating the colours. once we got home this is what we did and they diligently picked out all the red and green WITHOUT eating a single M&M. I could probably learn a thing or 2 from them and their will power! I did treat them at the end with a handful of slivered almonds and 10 choc bits each, so they were happy.

My presents are all done and looking great and I'll have to take some pics to put here after Christmas.

Now I'm just waiting for Xav to wake and we are heading of to have some cake to Celebrate Miss Em turning 10. Xav decided he didn't want to go to bed today, but dragged his pillow, dummy and blanket out into the lounge and slept on the floor. I don't care where he sleeps, just that he does. I couldn't handle them both not sleeping during the day - that would be torture to this Mum who needs her quiet time in the middle of the day. Grace is great most of the time, just pottering around doing whatever and generally not bothering me. Couldn't guarantee that Xav would be as obliging!

We have had a fantastic day and the kids have been marvelous despite me dragging them everywhere today. I was in Mummy heaven when 4 different people in 4 different shops commented on how well behaved and delightful my kids are. Well, they were being absolute darlings, singing Christmas carols sweetly as we went up and down aisles, with fellow shoppers smiling at them as we passed.

Ok, Xav's up so off we go again!