Christmas Presents

This year I have decided to make  few of my Christmas Presents. I have managed to collect quite a selection of beads this year. I have been having a bit of fun and relaxation making them into creations for Christmas presents.

I have made a few using illusion thread and pretty beads. They look good and don't actually use too many beads. I have made up sets with matching ear rings. Just need to wrap them now.

Its quite a relaxing past time and it has even provided me with some nice Chrissie presents.

Since coming back off of holiday its been so cold and chilly, makes balmy Florida seem a long time ago :(

Happy Birthday Beth

Its hard to beleive that our baby is 14 years old. She was so excited about her big day. She had been really struggling with Tonsilitus and had been to school and off of school for the whole week. She was still under the weather but she still enjoyed herself. We gave her a jewelery making kit with some beads. She also had a new paiur of pyjamas and a few bits and pieces including chocolate!!

Happy Halloween!!!

While we were away we decided to have a bit of fun. All around the parks you see groups of people wearing matching T shirts, with 'Family Reunion' on them, so we thought we would do our own version of the T shirt wearing fun!!

Before we left home we asked Rick to print us some shirts, Subtle little numbers in white with Black writing, we decided that we all needed suitable names so with those chosen it was over to Rick and his magical printing machine.

The first time the shirts had an airing was on the evening of Sam's birthday. We decided to all wear them for Planet Hollywood. On the way out we took a few snaps by the big mickey Halloween pumpkin.

So here is the rear view with all our names!! from left to right Zandi, Brandi, Shandi, Candy, Andy, Sandy and Randy!! We certainly turned a few heads that night and even managed to get a special request read out for 'Andys' Birthday in Planet Hollywood. Made a few people laugh!!!

 

I love this shot as we all start to walk away!! its so funny. I can't believe that we only came back this month it seems like an age ago since we were there. Now we are all shivering with the cold and getting sorted for Christmas.

I was really hoping that I could make a start on my Florida scrapping. Last week I ordered a couple of hundred photos from Snap fish. They arrived on Friday and were terrible. Three packs all the photos were stuck together, on the back was written 'wet' so they had helpfully told me they were wet when put into the packets. I contacted them and they have refunded me, but it'll be another week before the next lot arrive. I can't believe  that knowing they were wet they would pack them up and send them out!!!

 Have a great week.

Good Job!!!

Yesterday I ventured out to try and do a bit of Christmas Shopping, Once I was in Stevenage I realised it was the wrong decision for many reasons!! I had really wanted to go to the new Range shop, until now I had to travel to Norfolk or Harlow, neither very close to home!! I knew they had some great stuff in there from previous visits. What I had forgotten about was the fact that Stevenage were playing at home and the place was gridlocked. It too ages to get in and once in the car park it was heaving, every man for himself on the parking front. When we finally found a space, the shop was as bad full to over flowing not my idea of a good afternoon out. Anyway I did pick up a few presents but I found this cute Santa cake stand which I treated myself to, made the day seem worth while!

This morning we had to drop Carl in town as he was leading his cubs at Remembrance Sunday parade. Due to a bit of a mess up with practices, we had to pick Beth up at the last minute missing the parade. My friend Sue spotted Carl and took photos on my behalf!! He did say he was worried she was a stalker, but afterwards one of the cubs mums told him that she knew me!!

I have been making some necklaces with my American bead haul. I have plans to make some from Christmas presents. I think I need to get my eyes tested though as its getting harder and harder to see the holes!!!! Obviously my age.

Yesterday saw the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from Home arrest in Burma. I was not aware of this lady until last year when her situation was reported on at UNISON National conference. She is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and has spent the past 20 under house arrest. She is a remarkable lady who has fought for democracy in her country and has suffered the loss of her British husband while she has been in captivity. I hope that she stays free and is able to achieve democracy for her country.

Harry Potter Land!!

One of the things that we really enjoyed on holiday was the early entry to Universals Islands of Adventure. This was to take advantage of the recently opened Harry Potter Land. We had to be at the gates for 7am, which wasn't as bad as it sounds because we hadn't fully adjusted to Florida time, so it was fairly easy to get up. Once we had been checked in we walked through the very dark park. The floor was wet where they had washed it down. We had breakfast of porridge and toast in a restaurant. It was named after a pub from the film, but as I am not a Harry Potter devotee, I can't remember the name!! I mean I do enjoy the films and book, but I haven't committed to memory every little detail.

The buildings really looked good and in the early morning light it could even have been real snow, apart from the fact that it was already steamy hot and sticky!!

We were heading up the 'high street' of Hogsmeade looking for our breakfast!

At the end of the street there was the roller coaster and the 'big' ride which I didn't attempt. There had been a lot written about how small the seats were, so as Tom didn't fancy it we let the kids go on while we went on the small roller coaster. The little one was great and we had about 8 goes before the park opened!!

As soon as the park opened it was swamped with people who must have headed straight to Hogsmeade and within 30 minutes the wait for the ride was 90 minutes long!

Great day out was made even better when we were sitting waiting for the kids to come off the ride and we witnessed a butter beer explosion. The man on the butter beer stall was trying to set it all up when he experienced a bit of a mega blow back and the whole stall started to squirt butter beer all over the attendant and the floor. It was funny, poor bloke  is possibly still trying to beat off the wasps now!!!!

Time has flown....

I can't believe that we have been back just over a week and it feels as if we have never been away, already my thoughts are turning to next year and what we might do. Two weeks ago we were sunning ourselves in the Florida sunshine and today we had driving rain, real stair rods that got you really really wet. We had wreath laying at work for Armistice Day. My colleague was representing our department, she missed the inside two minutes of silence when a meeting over run. as soon as the time was up she rushed outside for the wreath laying and was soaked through to the skin, her hair was plastered to her head, it took the rest of the day to dry out.

So it hardly seems possible that it was only a short week ago that we were enjoying the brilliant sunshine and moaning about it being too hot to do anything!

Carl and Beth walking around Universal Studios.

We went on the great movie ride, this is a scene out of the classic film, Wizard of Oz.

This is the entrance to The Big Movie Ride, There was hardly anyone in the park, I was able to take photos of the place and hardly had any people in them.

So what to do next year?? Its always nice to have something to look forward to. I do have a mini break with the girls in Ypres at the beginning of December so that's good news.

Christmas just around the corn and not a thing prepared - HELP!!!!

Not Long until Christmas

Its official, its nearly Christmas!!! I have done absolutely nothing in preparation apart from make my Christmas Cards. I suppose that's not too bad then. I am determined to try and keep costs down this year in light of the recession and loss of pay at work. I have enough equipment to enable me to make some nice Jewelery for my friends and family so I think I will be going down that route. I might start NOW!!!!!

Disney this year was full of Halloween stuff but if you looked carefully there was plenty of Christmas stuff on the shelves.

I really liked these baubles, but I couldn't justify spending $11 on ONE, they were made of glass so the chances of getting them home in one piece was remote. None the less they are pretty and they came in loads of lovely colours.

I have finished downloading all my photos and will have to start the Marathon job of deciding which ones to scrap after I have photo shopped them!! I really need to get my new craft station ordered so that I can find space to work its all such a mess at the moment.

Its quite depressing coming home in the afternoon after work in the dark, we are really in the dark days now and tomorrow they have forecast gales and heavy rain. Button down the hatches!!!!

The day has arrived........

I am going back to work for a one day guest appearance before having a weekend off!! Still it won't be long until I am away  on my girls weekend to Ypres!!
Wish me luck, I'm going back........

Home Again.

We are home and within minutes it feels like we have never been away!!

We had a good flight home, seemed to pass quickly, I think it was something to do with the interactive TVs which had a built in games console which kept us all busy. None of us was able to sleep on the plane which was a nuisance because once we arrived back we were exhausted and faced a drive home on a day where there was a train strike.

The M25 was closed at a junction near to our home so we had to go the other way around it which added to the journey, but we eventually got home at lunch time. I put the first load of washing on and then went to bed for an hour or two. When I got up I felt a little better and just got cracking with all the sorting out. Its a  mega job just getting that done let alone sorting the rest of the house out. I have now put away all my new craft buys, done 6 loads of washing which has given the tumble dryer a good work out!! There is still a load to be done, but we are plodding trough it all.

Yesterday I had a lovely surprise, my neighbour and friend Karen welcomed us home with one of her famous home made Victoria sandwiches, Yum!! I was so tired yesterday I never even tried it, but today I will.

So back to the laundry and the scrubbing in preparation for going back to work tomorrow  :(

Oh dear storm time!!!

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Now at the airport in the middle of a storm :( its quite interesting lights have gone out but the wifi still works visibilty 10 yards. First rain of the holiday .

The last morning

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Well going home day has arrived and I am sad. We have enjoyed ourselves here for what is likely to be the last time. It's time to move onto different types of holiday USA is a big place to explore and I'd love to go back to New York and maybe go to Canada.
Last night we went back to old kissimmee although there were far fewer people there were far more mossies!! This morning I have at least six bites that I can see possibly more that I can't see! They are so itchy.
We have just about finished the packing we will have breakfast and then think how we will spend the day . We have to be at the airport at 5 pm so we plan to leave at 4.
We are off to breakfast for the last waffle of the holiday :(
See you all soon !

M and M's in action!!

Today has been a little cooler and it's our last full day before heading back to the cold of England. It's going to be a shock to the system!!we have finally made it to the M and M shop which was full of things but mainly M and M's!!! We had lunch at the Mall (read that with an American accent!!!) a nice Chinese . Since coming back to the hotel Beth and I have been swimming and sun bathing (well shade bathing really!!) it's a hard life!!

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Happy Halloween!!!

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Tonight we went to the Disney Port Orleans French Quarter resort for a Halloween party. We joined our friends for a childrens get together. The kids joined in with a 'Monster Mash' which included games with prizes. Beth won loads of rubber ducks!!! There were loads of balloons, bubbles and glow sticks. Everyone over here dresses up and I mean everyone this morning at breakfast there were people who were old enough to know better wearing flashing wigs!!!
Still at least they are having fun!!!