Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star

nutella. 

The Crib Service at St Phillips Church 

Making Gingerbread Cupcakes. 

Lantern Magic at Chester Zoo

More Lantern Magic! 

Our Pink & Sparkly Tree! I love it, even though the idea was all Matilda! 

My very favorite time of year is flying by!

37 Weeks!

37 weeks! 

9 months and one week. 

wow. 

I am feeling it though. Feet that look like hams & a bladder that must resemble a sad little deflated balloon. With that being said, they're signs of my body getting near time for my sweet babe to arrive. I'm showing other signs too. I've felt a rush of hormones and can check off some of the typical things that should be happening at this point...but I'm too embarrassed to mention them by name! Just know all is well! 

I had my scan and monitoring yesterday. It was quite stressful just trying to get to the hospital, town was PACKED with people & the buses weren't running properly. Ya know those hormones I mentioned? Well by the time I decided to get a taxi to the hospital I was fighting back the tears. 

As usual Baby Woo's heart rate was great! One midwife who stuck her head through to check on us said the print outs looked "beautiful"! That's what I like to hear!
In the scan there were lots of smaller pools of fluid instead of the one big one we usually have, so the fluid measured smaller than it has been, by 3 cm! Very dramatic, but the midwife said we'd still need to come back next week as 2 weeks of lowered levels are required before we could be released from this high risk category. She seemed to think that the lower level had to do with the position Baby Woo was in. 

I'm being cautious. I don't want to get excited yet. I want to wait and see. 

Mr Woo & I had a wonderful, quiet, laid back, & yummy Christmas. 

He really spoiled me. I still can't believe it! Get ready to start seeing much nicer photos around here as I've been given a big fancy Digital SLR camera!!!!! I've wanted to replace my wonderful film camera for years but we've never had the money. I so wanted to get a decent camera before Baby Woo's arrival because I want to document EVERYTHING SHE DOES! Haha! And my incredibly sweet & thoughtful husband made my wish come true! He didn't stop there, he also got a vintage style digital radio/IPOD dock for me! 

I've been shopping for an ipod dock for a while as I want to bring music to the hospital for labor. I'd been hunting on ebay for a while but never saw anything I really liked. Wouldn't you know Mr Woo kept telling me the ones I was looking at weren't great and I should keep looking because he'd bought the most perfect one ever in secret! 

He is so thoughtful.

I love him so. 

Uncle Laurie (Mr Woo's brother) is also a very thoughtful man, he gave us a game system! Haha! I think it's a hilarious gift but very sweet. He said it's for the times when we need a break when baby comes. Mr Woo has already worked out how we can use it to watch BBC iplayer on the tv using the system and so on...he's very high tech. 

I just want to play some type of Mario Brothers :)

Gifts are LOVELY but the nicest part about our quiet Christmas we just spending the entire day together doing not much. We ate and laughed and played with our new game system. I felt totally relaxed (which for me is rare). We never even got out of our PJs! I'm really blessed to be married to such a good friend.

 It's pouring rain and very windy & cold at the moment. I'm so glad my midwife's appointment is only across the street. 

I'd better get showered and dressed for my check up! 

Ok....I'm really going now....

20 Sleeps & Happy Birthday Mommy!

According to Santa's OFFICAL clock there are only 20 sleeps, 13 hours, 43 minutes, & 51 seconds until Christmas!!!! 

I think I'm more excited about Christmas now than when I was a kid....well....maybe that's not possible. But I'm super excited! We started decorating last night! eeeeeeeeeee! I love putting up our tree because so many of the ornaments were gifts and I think of each person who gave it as I unwrap the treasure and hang it up. 

Thoughts of sugar plums and sugar cookies and truffles are dancing in my head as I'm trying to figure out what goodies to make to give as gifts this year....mmmm.......Christmas baking.....

I had a big surprise!!!

so charming!

Mr Woo & I have just been on a short break to Conwy in Wales to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. It was absolutely wonderful. I haven't felt so relaxed in....well....I can't even remember when I've been so relaxed.  We stayed in a very charming B&B called Castlebank Hotel. It was gorgeous! The building was lovely & then our room was a dream! We had The French Room. Mr Woo & I have a special draw to France. Because I am 33, nearly 34 weeks pregnant I'm not able to fly. If I hadn't been so pregnant we were going to spend our anniversary in Paris. I've collected Eiffel Tower figures for a few years now. I don't know where this attraction to France started but it's there! Mr Woo had no idea of the theme when he booked the room. It was all a surprise for me so I didn't know either! It wasn't until we arrived that we noticed our room was like a Parisian salon. Perfect!  

We ate in lovely restaurants and wandered around the seaside towns. Even in the cold it was fabulous! I'll have to do a full post when I've managed to get our photos together. It felt like we'd been gone for weeks rather than 2 days. 

Once I'd worked out my due date for Baby Woo's debut I thought, "wow, it's so going to fly!". The lead up to her arrival is jam packed with wonderful. The countdown began with our anniversary. 30th November. 

Mr Woo made this year especially special. It really was the best time I think we've ever had! 

Then the whole exciting lead up to Christmas and the actual day! 

Then my Mommy arrives ... and then it's baby due day (18 Jan)! Then my birthday a few days after the due date (23 Jan) in case she's running late, but hopefully she won't be later than my birthday. 

It's going to be over in a flash! Then she'll be here! 

Speaking of my Mommy...today is her birthday! 

She's the one in red....of course! She wanted to wear red to my wedding...I had to put my foot down. 

My Mom is the most generous person I know. Not only with money, but with her time, her prayers and she gives so freely of herself. She is never at home she's always running around looking after my Grandmother or her other friends or anyone else who needs looking after! Ben & I spent last Christmas at home with my family thanks to my Mom flying us over for our Christmas gift....and there was still loads under the tree for us. She just can't help herself! She's also one tough cookie, my Mom. She raised 4 of us on her own and it wasn't an easy life we had, it was full of challenges all along the way. She chose her path and she never complained. When I am struggling through something, even if it's something silly like dragging 2 suitcases full of stock through the snow, running late for a craft fair I think to myself 

"if my Mom could start walking a mile to the nearest phone, in labor, pregnant with twins, to call an ambulance I can make the 500 yards to the fair." 

Plus she's always been my biggest cheerleader. She doesn't always know how to tell me she's proud, but I know. She'd go to the ends of the earth for me. She's a good Momma. 

Now she's showering Baby Woo with generosity and presents too! Baby Woo will be granddaughter 

# 3 but my Mom was still hoping that she'd been a girl! I guess raising 3 boys was enough! Ha! Having 3 brothers was enough for me I'll tell ya!

It's about to be very, very fun around here :)

Chocolatey Christmas

Chocolate. Christmas.

Don't those two words just make you happy?! In my world Christmas is the most exciting time of year {along with any other gift giving occasion really}. Even just THINKING about the word "Christmas" makes me giddy! And chocolate...well, the joy of chocolate needs to explanation does it really? 

SO when I was given the opportunity to try out a special Christmas Chocolate something from UK cocoa growers & chocolatiers Hotel Chocolat, yup, you guessed it, I had to be peeled off the ceiling. 

We've got a Hotel Chocolat in Chester now! 

I then had the task of choosing what I wanted to try. It became a classic kid in a candy store scenario. What in the heck was I going to try?! It had to be Christmasy. No problem there. I wanted it all!!! I finally settled on the Christmas Chocolate Goodie Bag because it had a bit of everything. This shortly arrived at my front door!

 I sat down and carefully untied the ribbon and pulled out the precious contents of my very own Christmas Chocolate Goodie Bag: a mini Festive Wreath, a Christmas Gift Slab, Milk Chocolate Pocket Reindeer and saving the best for last, a packet of Billionaire Shortbread Truffles. 

This was some serious chocolate. No namby pamby selection box sweets here. I had to enlist the hus for tasting. He said he'd take one for the team, even though it would be a sacrifice. This from a man who eats chocolate biscuits for breakfast. 

The wreath was hard core. Cranberries, honey roasted hazelnuts, chocolate biscuit pieces, milk and dark chocolate. I should have brought out a hammer to get into it! It took us a few days to eat it all. It wasn't my fave as I'm not a big fan of dark chocolate sadly. Now the Christmas Gift. That was more my speed. "mellow milk chocolate" and chocolate cookie pieces and a caramel gift. YUM! No fruity bits in, just straight up chocolate with the added delight of the crisp chocolate cookie bits. I'd buy this one again. 

Couldn't fault the milk chocolate reindeer, you know I love my mellow milk chocolate and Hotel Chocolat's milk chocolate is exquisite. 

Now brace yourself. I'm about to tell you about one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. No kidding. Will you go to the happy place with me? 

Milk chocolatey caramely shortbready heaven. 

I was transported right back to the very first time I'd ever tasted Millionaire Shortbread. It was when I first came to Scotland to study back in 2004. My course took elevenses and we had special elevenses on Fridays. One week we had home baked Millionaire Shortbread. I knew then that I had arrived in the most incredible country on the planet. It's been a favorite sweet ever since. When I bit into one of these truffles and the chocolate melted in my mouth followed by the decadent caramel with hint of praline I may have had some sort of religious experience. I stopped after one bite to bathe in the glow. 

For a Christmas treat this was sinful. No wonder they're "Billionaire" Shortbread Chocolates and not Millionaire. 

You must beg Santa to bring you some of these beauties. If he refuses take matters into your own hands & click the link. You won't regret it, unless you only order one packet. 

And so it was, my Chocolatey Christmas Hotel Chocolat adventure. Baby Woo is kicking away, no doubt giving thanks for the beautiful chocolates we did eat. 

I am also available to sample chocolates for Easter, Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, exam results, weddings....

Thanks Hotel Chocolat! 

Christmas Craft Fair

T-minus 2 days until my first craft fair! I'm really ready for Saturday to get here! I've been crafting and crafting and procrastinating so that I wouldn't have to craft anymore! My friend Jayne is partnering with me on Saturday - HOORAY! I don't know how I'd make it through the day without her! Jayne has been in retail for years and has done lots and lots of fairs so I'll be taking mental note of how she does things! Plus Jayne has insisted on giving me half of whatever money she makes. I refused saying it wasn't fair to her as I hadn't done any work and then she said if I didn't take it she wouldn't come....and I am pretty sure she meant it. All she wants is some American cake mix. Devil's food to be exact! I think I'd better take a trip out to SAMs club for an equally generous gift for Jayne!

My ETSY shop will be on vacation for the day on Saturday as everything is going out on the stall! Not only are we going to have a table, but I'm bringing my Christmas tree to decorate with jewelery which will be for sale! Jayne is coming over tomorrow night for pizza & so that we can get our heads together and be ready for Saturday morning 8:45!
If you've gotten to know me a bit by now you will know how I feel about crafts AND Christmas.
Please try to imagine my excitement about Saturday:

1. A craft fair
2. A Christmas craft fair
3. Christmas music
4. SANTA!
5. Crafting all day with my friend
6. The first mince pies of the season (Jayne and I are both waiting for Saturday to have our first mince pies of the year!)
   
7. Making money to buy Christmas presents and spending money for my trip home while helping a good cause!  

This fair at the Kelsall Community Centre  is being hosted by Ashworth Time Bank. Ashworth Time Bank is a charity that assists the elderly and others who live in rural areas and who need a bit of help so that they can remain independent for longer and help to build community. People "exchange" assistance. Some of the examples given as "exchanges" are giving lifts, Shopping or doing errands for people, Doing simple housework, gardening, babysitting, 
Telephoning people who are lonely, Visiting people at home or in hospital,
Letter writing and helping with form filling,
Sharing skills in music, woodwork, fitness, computers, knitting, & sewing.
How lovely is that?! I really like the idea of neighbor helping neighbor like in the old days.

SO if you're anywhere near or kinda nearish Kelsall on Saturday between 10 & 4 come on down! Support me & Jayne and AW Time Bank! How can you say "no" to Christmas crafty goodness, mince pies and SANTA!!!!?!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas???

Well, maybe not exactly...but I need it to! I've got to get my head into Christmas craft mode! I've got an order for Christmas cards needing to be done!

I LOVE * LOVE * LOVE Christmas! I've been asking Mr Woo if I can put the tree up. He just shakes his head {but I'm serious!}!
I am desperate to start baking Christmas cookies, cakes, gingerbread & mince pies. I want to make chocolates too this year. I'm so far planning to make all of my gifts. Partly out of necessity, and partly to keep to the handmade pledge.
I'm so excited about the open air Christmas markets & decorations going up! By the time Christmas actually arrives I'm ready to burst! Last year I got married a month before Christmas so it sort of sneaked up on me!

I loved Christmas music and decorations as a child. In fact I listened to the Bing Crosby White Christmas 8 track tape allllll year! My dad gave me an old 8 track stereo and a few tapes for my 10th birthday. Among those tapes were White Christmas and the South Pacific soundtrack. I don't know if I actually ever listened to any of the other tapes. Bizarre isn't it!?! Other kids were discovering Tiffany and Gun n Roses. NOT ME! All I wanted was to sing along to Christmas in Killarney & Mele Kalikimaka at the top of my lungs in April!
I would pull out my grand parent's Christmas decorations in the summer to set up around the basement {i had to put them right back away to avoid a cross Grandma}. I seem to remember having garland up in my bed room long after Christmas was over. The 12 days of Christmas my foot! I wanted the 12 months of Christmas!

OOOOh yes! I've actually got clips of White Christmas playing in the background on amazon! It's wonderful! Good ole Bing is getting the Christmas juices flowing! I can almost hear the weird sound effect of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer's glowing nose! If only A Christmas Story & Christmas Vacation were on!!!!! It's already cold here so that helps too.
I could do with an egg nog or hot apple cider {maybe even a Bailey's!} for my card making venture.

Do tell, What do you do to get in the Christmas mood?

✮