madvent

There is no advent here this year, only madvent.  The first of December rushed up and kicked me in the pants.  I woke up with a panic, realising that I really hadn't done any Christmas shopping and had booked my diary FULL of work right up to end of school term.  And then there is the Wilson family tradition of a cute, unique, interesting and exciting advent calendar.  And it does have to tick all those boxes.  (note to self:  don't do something cute for the kids unless you plan on repeating it every year until they are 21).

Well, on that hot summer's morning of 1 December 2011, not only did the shopping panic wake me but also a sudden and genuine need to vomit.  I was the third domino to fall after Hugo and Adam.  Rob wasn't far behind and Russell brought up the rear.  So advent started well around here.  We picked up and violently threw off a terrible stomach bug.  To add to my Christmas cheer, in between INTIMO parties and caring for the patients, I was scrounging in the neighbourhood recycling bins for used baked bean cans.  The boys were told they could have a recovery day on condition that they each painted their quota of cans.  We were slightly late, but by day two of advent we had a pretty impressive row of cans on top of our kitchen cupboards.  I keep threatening to spend a night filling each tin but right now it is all a bit seat of the pants as I reach into my hidden secret stash for chocolates and toys to put in the next metal victim before sunrise.  We move the name tags along the cans to help us to remember whose turn it is to get out the treats.

Thank goodness for online shopping that has saved Santa's glow for one more year.

It is just a last push of parties, a last ditch effort to shop, a few more concerts and year-end round ups to attend and we are there.  The holidays loom ahead.  Yay!