It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

FINALLY!  We've done it!  The tree is up!  As well as all the little bits and pieces.  I got a text message from my dear cousin Shaun on Saturday, reprimanding me because my Christmas tree wasn't up yet - well, it's there in all its glory - minus lights though.  I couldn't find a whole box of Christmas decorations and was really stressed about it.  Anyhow, I decided that because we won't be home for Christmas, it didn't really matter if the lights were left off and we carried on with the decorating.  Then I realised that in that "lost" box, were the beaded decorations for my African Baobab Christmas tree and that did not make me happy at all.  Well, last night I realised that in the same missing box were the girls stockings - that was just not good enough so Philip and I turned the house upside down - and - WE FOUND THE BOX!  It was suck inside an old suitcase, so as to save space. 

Our Christmas tree filled with all sorts of decorations collected on our travels and kept from when we were children!

My little Christmas Train which Shaun brought back for me from Disney World!  I love it!

These very precous Christmas Balls were given to me by my Sister-in-law Caroline who bought them when she was living in Poland

These very special sleighs, our girls made when they were only 5 and 7!  I love them!

Well, we STILL don't have lights on our tree (no point in undoing the whole thing and starting again!) but we DO have our African Christmas tree and the girls DO have their stockings! YEAH! 

My very special Baobab Tree - our little bit of African Christmas!

Now what are we going to do about the heat?  We had Rob and the girls over for a little Christmas lunch and we spent the whole day in the pool - it was a scorcher!  We had a stunning day though - here was our menu:

Prawn starter with sweet chilli sauce / garlic mayno

Roast leg of lamb with mint sauce

Roast Potatoes

Steamed vegetables with butter and crushed almonds

Summer Salad

Individual trifles with cream and chocolate sprinkles

We won't be seeing them for Christmas as the girls will be spending it with their mother this year.  But we had a lovely time together and Rob spoilt me with a bottle of Moet & Chandon - my absolute favourite!

Our table all set for "Christmas Lunch"!

This is how we spent our day - cooling off in the pool!

... only 3 days and counting until we go off to spend Christmas with our dear friends Dave and Niunia - and I still have so much to do!