Cracking cheese.....

With just 28 days left until the man in the red coat comes, there is one topic in our household which we always start to think about during this time and that's our Christmas cheese. Well to be more specific Stilton.


It has been a long standing tradition in my family to eat Stilton cheese, along with pork pie, boiled ham and pickles on Christmas morning for breakfast mmmm perfect.


However, in recent years Mr and Miss H have both shared that they prefer their stilton the "smellier the better" and could I buy it in plenty of time so that come Christmas day it's nice and "sweaty".


So today, being the lovely domestic goddess that I am, I purchased our Christmas Stilton. The family are now very happy that it is sitting proudly in the fridge getting smellier by the day and should be perfect for our special breakfast. It really is our first sign that Christmas is on it's way :-)


Please share your favourite Christmas cheeses and/or traditions for Christmas breakfast, I would love to hear them all.

Christmas preparations begin

A wet half term in our house seemed a perfect opportunity to start our preparations for Christmas. Miss H and I spent a fun afternoon baking the family Christmas cake, the first one we have made together.

Miss H loved being part of this, I really hope this will be the start of a new family tradition for us. As we both mixed the fruit into the cake mixture (bowl nearly overflowing) we both made a wish, I wonder if it will come true :-)

After patiently waiting several hours for it to bake (with Miss H asking numerous time "is it ready yet"), here is the result.

Our fab Christmas cake has now been tucked up in it's tin and we will both loving feed it each week as we count down to Christmas. The exciting part lies ahead - oh how will we decorate it? #exciting.

Inspiration for Christmas

It is that time of year when I start to think about how to decorate our home this Christmas. This year I am faced with the new challenge that the layout of our home has changed and our usual spot for our Christmas tree has gone. So its out with the old and in with the new...

Whilst day dreaming about where to put our tree this year I checked my facebook account and I had received an update from Decorative Country Living www.decorativecountryliving.com and became greatly inspired by their new Christmas products, I particularly liked their candle holders and Christmas wreaths, why not check out their selection of wonderous things www.decorativecountryliving.com/christmas/christmas_2010.html

So after browsing through these lovely items its back to daydreaming.

My time of year

Some people love the summer with its long warm days, but not me this is my time of year. You probably think I am mad as we have long dark nights and lets be honest it is freezing, but there is something magical about this season and all it has to offer.

I love the seasonal events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and of course everything that Christmas brings. I love winter clothes and wrapping up warm on a Sunday afternoon stroll, before coming home to a hot chocolate in front of the fire.

But most of all I love preparing the house for Christmas ready to welcome friends and family, cooking the Christmas treats, choosing presents for my loved ones and watching my little one as she becomes excited about Christmas lights, decorations and the visit from the man in the red coat.

If you come over to my house in the weeks that lie ahead, you will probably find me with my pinny on covered in flour or some other ingredients or glitter on my face as my daughter and I make Christmas cards, but do you know I would not have it any other way.

It's just magical.

Christmas is Over

Christmas finally came to an end for me today as I took down the tree, put the lights neatly into their box and took down the holly from the pictures and fire place. The house looks so bare and sad, it almost feels empty. To be honest I am pleased Christmas is over and I never imagined I would say that as someone who has always loved Christmas and all its festivities.

This Christmas was different to all the rest, it was the first without my brother. For those reading this who don't know me, he died suddenly in April aged just twenty years. For me this year Christmas mearly emphasized that he is not here and god does that harsh reality hurt.

I have been in a very reflective mood today thinking about the year that has gone and the one that lies ahead. Fearing the unknown and wondering whether a date for his inquest will ever be set.

In true domestic goddess style I have thrown my energy, upset and anger into my house work and gave it a good new years clean. Even my daughter helped and we ended up having quite a giggle.

So now I am sitting in not so much an empty and bare room but a room which is clean and ready to face whatever this year throws at me.