Deck the Halls

Well hello, I hope you all are having a very lovely festive season and are eagerly awaiting the newy newness of 2015!

I'm currently in Liverpool, where I have spent a lovely Christmas with my family. I have had such a relaxing time, almost too relaxing if I am honest, I really don't know how I am going to manage going back to work. I've decided to quickly sneak off, whilst everyone else is occupied with other things, for a bit of a blogging catch up before ringing in the new year a bit later on!

I could not wait for Christmas this year, it's a little out of character for me as I can be a little bar-humbug about the whole thing, right up until a few days before (I know I'm terrible). I think this year's excitement might have been due to having soo much work to do in the run up to the holidays or because I had a real stinker of a cold (which is still with me the rotter!) and I just wanted Christmas to hurry up so I could have a nice rest (and eat lots)! I had the urge to get a festive photo with Beau. This did not go to plan. Sadly, not naming any names here, one of us was just not that into it. Ah well, the is always next year!

Merry Christmas from Me and Beau....wait come back!!!

 My newly found Christmas spirit meant I even did a bit of decorating. As I am always away over Christmas I don't usually decorate much, this year, in a Beacham's fueled haze, I decided to go a little wild with the decorating, and you know what I actually like it!

I used an old duvet for the fake snow and filled  the fireplace (never fear it's not working) with snowmen, it would appear I have a thing for snowmen, I have rather a lot!

But my decorating pales in comparison to my mums, she goes Christmas crazy everywhere, every year. It looks amazing with all the lights and baubles and tinsel, but you can barely put a cup down without knocking a Christmas decoration or ornament out of the way, she loves Christmas I just hope one day I can find the same enthusiasm for the tinsel!

A small section of my mum's decorating prowess

Christmas day was lovely, we gave out our present and ate enough food to keep us all going for at least a week, that is not to say we haven't eaten almost as much every day since! I was very lucky this year I got lots of wonderful books which will keep me more than a little occupied for the foreseeable future!

My Christmas bounty!!
 Both GBSB books, the complete World at War DVD's (that's 22 hours of viewing right there, folks) A fabulous book on the D-day landings and First Light, by Geoffrey Wellum a book I have been after for a while, which promises to be a good read!

On boxing day night we got an unexpected treat, it only flipping SNOWED!!! Don't tell anyone but it was the highlight of my Christmas!

How Christmassy

I was the first to run outside to have a look and it was beautiful! It made the house look so cozy, covered in its snowy white blanket!

Crunchy, crisp snow!!

Sadly for me it was pretty much gone by morning so hopes of building a snowman were promptly dashed. Though my brother was delighted as he was due to go to work at 5am so would rather not have to trudge through the ice and snow, fair enough I concede his need was greater than mine!

Reindeer Lights at Liverpool One

On Saturday we all took a trip to Liverpool One, it looked very festive with all its Christmas lights, it was teaming with people all making good use of their Christmas money in the sales.

Festive lights at Albert Dock

 We went, not to indulge in sales shopping, but to watch the last instalment of the Hobbit (it's a family tradition which started with the Lord of the Rings trilogy all those years ago). It was WONDERFUL (totally deserving of caps lock) even though I ended up in tears at the end. Sob! We also saw the trailer for the new Star War movie (out next year) it looks amazing (reserving the caps lock on that until I have seen it, don't want to be disappointed)!!!

Hobbitses!

Yesterday, we went across the water (well under it really, on the train), to visit the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight. Port Sunlight, my, what a place! I've never been before, but will certainly be going back in warmer weather to have a better look around, it was spectacular.

Lady Lever Art Gallery

The museum was packed with gorgeous stuff (can I move in pleeeease) lots of Pre-Raphaelite paintings (swoon) and we were lucky enough to see some of the costumes from Downton Abbey which were being loaned for a special exhibition. I'll do a full post on the museum and the dresses soon, as there was just too much good stuff to shoehorn in here, but if you ever get the chance it's certainly worth a visit, and it's free!

Oh, I think I heard the clatter of pots and pans from the kitchen so I had best be off as there bound to be more food on the go, it's a hard life!

So all I have to do now is wish you lovely lot, good health and good cheer and the happiest of New Years!! Thank you for stopping by and keeping me company over here, it means the world to me!!

Here's to a Cracking 2015!

Wendy x