Visit to the Grotto

I had rung the Garden Centre where we had visited a Grotto last year, earlier in the week.  I talked to them about Little Prince's difficulties and asked if they could recommend a quiet time to visit, their answer was to try and get there as soon after opening time as possible.

So on Sunday we set off nice and early, amazingly we got there in time to be first in the queue!  I had told Little Prince where we were going, as he doesn't deal well with last minute surprises, but we had agreed to keep it a secret from Princess Lollipop.  Little Prince did very well at keeping the secret with me, I was very proud of him :-)  He was obviously dying to say something and almost did a number of times on the drive, but he managed to stop himself in time.

So we are stood there at the front of the Grotto queue, paid and ready to go and she STILL didn't know what we were doing there!  Then we saw HIM approaching, and her mouth fell open and she was almost shaking with excitement, just to wave at Father Christmas :-)  When the lady helping her put her name badge on told her she could go in and actually talk to Father Christmas, she got even more excited and started jumping up and down squeaking :-)

Both children walked confidently into the Grotto and Little Prince said his little sister could talk to the Big Man first, what a sweetie.  She sat right down on the sofa next to Father Christmas and answered all his questions, he was slightly surprised that she asked for a Lightsabre and a motorbike for Christmas, but as I explained she isn't a very girlie girl!  Little Prince happily sat next to Father Christmas, although he wasn't very comfortable looking at him, and told him he would like some more Star Wars Lego.  Father Christmas spent ages chatting to them, and then let them both chose a gift from the Grotto. The gift choosing took quite a while before both children were happy with their choices.  Princess Lollipop told the "elf" she "Def-a-nee, DEF-A-NEE" didn't want a dolly, she's consistent in her disdain for dolls!!

After our visit to the Grotto we had to come back down to earth, and visit the Supermarket for some essentials we were missing.  And then to the DIY Shop to get some wood I need for some of my Christmas present crafting.  Then it was off home to play with the new toys, that Father Christmas had given them early for being so good :-)

All in all it was a lovely day with some touchingly magical moments - Christmas excitement through the eyes of a three year old is full of wonder :-)

She believes :-)

Princess Lollipop was looking at a photograph on Little Prince with Father Christmas, she was totally amazed.  She turned to me and asked if she could go to "The country where Father Christmas lives?  I want to sit on his knee and snuggle."  Complete with arms round herself miming snuggling :-)

She is also a total believer in Figgle the Fairy too.  The other day she explained to me that Figgle is in a different place each morning, because "At night when we all sleeping, Figgle flies to Father Christmas to talk to him.  Then when she home again she plays hiding."

I can't wait to see her face on Christmas Eve when we leave Father Christmas and Rudolph their snacks, and put the stockings on their beds.  And I think Christmas morning is going to be magical for her :-)

Crafting my Fingers Off!

We are having an "Austerity Christmas" this year, and part of our money saving efforts is to make some of the Christmas presents we are giving.  I have all the ideas and supplies I need to make the gifts, and am crafting my fingers to the bone trying to get them completed in time, and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it!!

I am way behind due to my bright idea last month of stopping taking my antidepressants!!  I ran out over a weekend, and then kept forgetting to ring for a repeat prescription.  I found I was feeling fine at first, a lot less "flat" emotionally, but gradually the depression started to take hold again.  It was such a gradual slide, that I didn't even realise at first, and thought I was doing good!  Once I started to take notice of how I was feeling I made sure I got my tablets and restarted them.  I started to feel better straight away, apart from the incredible tiredness that always hits me when I feel depressed, that is taking longer to go away.

I wish I had been sensible and carried on taking my medication properly, as I'd be much further ahead with my crafting, isn't hindsight a wonderful thing!?!  So I am going to try and make the best of it, and probably have a few weeks of late nights and, fingers crossed, I'll get there in the end.

Elf on the Shelf UPDATE

Princess Lollipop seems to have calmed down about Figgle the Fairy (formerly Elf) now.  Each morning she searches round calling "Figgle where are you?"  Little Prince has been asked that if he finds Figgle when he comes downstairs (ALWAYS earlier than Princess Lollipop) that he doesn't tell Princess Lollipop, and lets her find her too.  So far he has managed this very well, although yesterday we did have a "tempted to touch" incident!  After much telling off from Princess Lollipop "DON'T DO THAT!  The magic will go off!" he stopped.

Figgle managed to fool both Littlies this morning, by moving out of the lounge where she has stayed so far.  It took them a few more minutes than usual to find her.  Figgle is a very well behaved Fairy too, probably because she doesn't want to scare Princess Lollipop again.  All she has done when she returns from her nightly mission of giving her "Naughty/Nice" report to Father Christmas, is hide somewhere different.  This is proving a hit, and I think she might save her more mischievous antics for next year when we are all more used to her :-)

Elf on the Shelf

I have spent the last few weeks adding personal touches to our generic Elf on the Shelf, and despite objections from LMS to introducing a "Spy" into the household I was looking forward to the Christmas excitement the Elf would bring to the Littlies.  It didn't quite work out like that!  Little Prince is a bit too old and literal to really believe in the Elf, but he did very well at pretending for his little sister, well done Little Prince.  Princess Lollipop however, got very worked up about our new house guest.  She couldn't settle to sleep and got out of bed sobbing, as I was insisting she return to bed, she ran off downstairs to find (a hopefully more sympathetic) LMS.  LMS managed to calm Princess Lollipop down and I finally got her in bed and to sleep.

LMS calmed Princess Lollipop down by telling her that our Elf was really a Fairy who was friends with Tinkerbell and Peter Pan :-)  And this morning Fairy Figgle was sat on the mantlepiece holding a note for Princess Lollipop saying how sorry she was for scaring her and hoping they could be friends.  Princess Lollipop seems to be much happier about the Elf transforming into a Fairy and was even talking to her this morning.  Hopefully she will still be happy about her this evening at bedtime!

Birthday Party

On Saturday morning me, LMS, Little Prince and Princess Lollipop set off to Baby Sister's daughter's birthday party.  On the way we collected my Mum, I dropped everyone off handed out the birthday presents and cards (it has been other nieces/nephews birthdays since I last saw everyone) chatted for a few minutes and then set off to the Train Station to pick up Drama Teen and Boyfriend.  Little Prince was struggling to cope with the noise and number of strangers at the party, so I took him with me for a calm down and chill out.

Back at the party I spent time chatting to family and grabbing cuddles from little nieces and nephews when I could get away with it!  I don't get to see them very often, so they aren't sure about giving out hugs to this almost stranger :-(  Little Prince played with his similar age cousin for a while and then his newly teenage niece let him play on her iPod and he was in heaven :-)  He is really missing his own iPod since he dropped it and the screen smashed, we can't let him play with it as he will inevitably pick at the shards of glass and hurt himself!  Too soon it was time to take Drama Teen and Boyfriend back to the Train Station, so they could return to University, they don't go to the same University but Boyfriend was visiting Drama Teen this weekend.  They wanted me to take them to the Chippie that me and Mr Messy used to love when we lived in that town, but much to their disappointment it was closed until after their train had left, so I had to drop them straight back at the Station.

Back at the Party once again, we all said our good byes and I took Mum home, Little Prince and Princess Lollipop had a snack and play at Grandma and Grandad's house before we set off home again.  Me and LMS decided we would visit the Chippie for tea, before setting off on our long drive.  It was just as good as I remembered, well it would be as me and Drama Teen visited it just the other week!!  We sat in the car eating and had a mild panic when Princess Lollipop decided she wanted the toilet, we managed to sort that potential crisis out and finish our tea.  The drive was long and LOUD, my plan that the Littlies would eat and then fall asleep in the dark car didn't work!  Oh well!

I had a splitting headache by the time we were nearing home, and completely missed our junction and didn't even notice until the signs started to not make sense!!  Luckily I noticed in time for it to be a small detour rather than a crisis and we made it home not that much later than we would have been.