Our Advent Calendars. 2020.

 When I was a little kid my advent calendar had nothing but pretty pictures in. A few years later I started to get one's with chocolates in and I was overjoyed with that. Now there are so many different advent calendars to choose from, not just one's with chocolates.

In past years they girls have had advent calendars with bath bombs, beauty products, pens and even Pringles in but this year I said they were just getting one each with chocolate in which they were fine with.

When I was in town a few weeks ago I saw some advent calendars in Poundland and as I am doing as much as I can to prepare for Christmas early I felt like I had to get them.

They both cost £5 and Becky's is the Reese's one and Ellie's the Celebrations one. They are very pleased with them. They're their favourite chocolates.

Last year I got a candle advent calendar from Home Bargains and loved it. I saw another one this year and thought I would treat myself. The Air Wick Winter Fairy Advent Calendar has 24 Tea Light Candles with 3 seasonal edition fragrances. Mulled Wine, Winter Wonderland and Winter Berries and cost just £4.99.

So now my girls and I had one I had to get Stu one. We couldn't leave him out and I got him the Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Chunks Advent Calendar for around £4.

After a really rubbish week self isolating after my dad tested positive for Coronavirus I decided that we needed to treat ourselves and the girls had already mentioned what other advent calendars they wanted.

I bought Ellie the Smiggle advent calendar last year and she loved it so it was a given she would ask for it again. The Smiggle Advent Calendar 2020 has 25 days of limited edition Smiggle stationery surprises including - pens, paint sets, keyrings, pencils stickers and lots of other bits. 

It was £28 and I manged to get it for £16 when it was offer but it went back up to £25 as of writing this last week but with only a few days before December starting the price will probably drop again and they're quick with their delivery.

For Becky the Friends 24 Doors Memorabilia Advent Calendar from Debenhams caught my eye. She is crazy about anything to do with the tv show Friends so it was perfect.

This unique calendar contains 7 gadget decals, 2 coffee-scented erasers, a trivia quiz, some paper tape, 2 small notebooks, a pen, 3 pencils, 2 self-inking stamps, a to-do list, sticky notes, and 2 magnets. There is also a bonus "Do not disturb - I'm watching Friends" door hanger. 

It was £25 but I bought it on offer for £15 which I thought was quite reasonable and it is much bigger than it looks in the photo above.

I think we're all going to be happy with our advent calendars this year!

Have you got an advent calendar? Which one?

I was dreading my birthday but it really was the best day!

It was my birthday over the weekend and to be honest I was dreading it. My dad had been really poorly for the previous couple of weeks after testing positive for Coronavirus. I felt guilty for even thinking about my birthday. I was going through the motions but my heart wasn't really there, thinking about my birthday. I had ordered my cake with the food shopping and did get excited about the kids wrapping my presents but I was still worried about my dad being ill. 

On Friday morning my dad had been ill for 16 days with no real improvement from when he was at his worst on day 2 of the illness. He had tested positive for Covid, then had a chest infection and a water infection on top. When I spoke to him on the phone over the past 16 days he struggled to speak without wheezing, coughing and stumbling over his words. He was in a bad way but I never let him know how worried I was. His partner and myself kept it between ourselves.

Anyway on Friday night my phone rang and I knew it was my dad as I had different ringtones set for everyone who matters. I heard his voice and panicked but he said he was OK and was just ringing for a chat!!!

It was the best chat I've ever had. We talked about nothing in particular. Gogglebox, Piers Morgan, Christmas shopping, Football, Tesco and lots of other non-important stuff! Just hearing him speak normally was amazing, he had been struggling to. His chest had been bad and taking wore him out. I cried and said that I was so pleased hearing him because even though he never went into hospital I was really worried about him. He called me a soppy sod which is totally him, he doesn't go in for all the emotional, soppy talk but I think he finally realised how worried we have been about him. 

As soon as I got off the phone I couldn't stop smiling, my dad heading in the right direction to recovering from Coronavirus is the best birthday present I could have had! It set the mood for the whole weekend! Happy, happy, happy! 

I woke on Saturday and opened my pressies from Stu and the girls. They know me so well. New slippers, pj's, socks, candles, an advent calendar, Baileys, chocolate and other bits and bobs!

There was fancy coffee and pastries for breakfast, lots of family time which I loved and we skipped the usual Saturday housework which was a treat for us all.

Ellie's best friend knocked at the door mid afternoon with a present from her and her mum which I thought was so thoughtful. It was nice to see Ellie's friend even if it was at a distance. It has been strange her not popping in after school. She's a good lass and I am pleased Ellie has such a lovely friend.

I went for a my soak in the tub and it was amazing! I even had a candle lit. I got to use my new bath set, bath bombs, have a face mask on and lay there in peace. 

My dad did ring while I was in the bath, it's a good job I was playing a game on my phone while soaking in the tub so I had my phone. He rang to get the takeaway number and find out the price of food as he had lost his menu. He was fancying some Doner kebab meat. I said he wouldn't be able to get it because there is no option to pay online and he would have to pay in cash which wouldn't be allowed because he had the virus but he said not to worry, he would sort it. He did, the cheeky so and so. He knows the takeaway owner and spoke to him, not just the person answering the phone and said he would drop the money off for the food he ordered when he was better if the food was left on top of his post box. Eesh! We were getting the engaged tone for a good 10 minutes after I finished speaking on the phone to my dad. I just knew it was him hogging the takeaway phone line and chatting. lol Now I know he's really on the mend. Chatting to other people, getting good deals and ordering food.

We had our takeaway and it was so good. I didn't know what I wanted burger or pizza so ordered both. There was leftovers for Sunday so it wasn't a waste. I may have had more than my usual few glasses of wine but so what, it was my birthday and it was one of the best. 

My dad on the mend, I had lots of family time, lovely presents and I went to bed a little tipsy. hehehe

Our weekly meal plan! 23rd - 29th November. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan went well. I am still stuffed from the takeaway that I got on Saturday night for my birthday, we ordered enough to feed us on Sunday too and then there was of course cake! Yesterdays roast was cancelled and we're going to have it today. I think it will be the last one until Christmas dinner as I am on operation clear out the freezer in preparation to fill it with food for Christmas, lots of party food and yummy treats! We don't have the most exciting meal plan this week but I have managed to fit in a few of our favourite meals.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - A roast dinner using up bits that we have in the freezer like parsnips, roast potatoes and random veg.

Tuesday - Sausage casserole and mash.

Wednesday - Spaghetti bolognese and garlic bread.

Thursday - Some sort of casserole cooked in the slow cooker. I have plenty of meat in the slow cooker.

Friday - Chicken curry (out of the freezer) and rice.

Saturday - Pizza!

Sunday - A fry up. Sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes and toast.

What are you eating this week?

A birthday bathtime. #MySundayPhoto

 I have a tradition on my birthday that I get new pj's and always have a soak in the bath. It was my birthday yesterday and I had a lovely day and such a long soak in the tub.

I had some fancy bath bombs from the kids, some new pj's which I picked myself from Primark, Harry Potter one's of course, they're so cosy but not too thick I sweat in them and some bath goodies which I was given as a gift from my youngest girls best friend and her mum!