The Baynhams

December 1st and not a single Christmas card written yet!

All the good intentions of having all parcels and cards posted late November have gone flying out the window. Ali, your parcel went in Fridays post, Myles yours is wrapped on my kitchen table, Charlotte your presents are in a half stage of wrapping all over the living room floor!

One of our family traditions is receiving an Advent calendar in the post from Granny and Grandad Joe in Dublin. Over the years it has caused great excitement (and tears) working out which kids turn it is each morning. By now we have worked out a good strategy, youngest to oldest. We start with Gar and end with Sian on Christmas eve (Thank God the number of days on the calendar divides evenly by three!)

This morning it was December the first. We were flying out the door to sailing lessons and I had promised Gar that when he had suncream on, hat on, lake shoes on, breakfast eaten etc etc he could do his window. After running around like a lunatic doing all his jobs he finally stood by the front door saying "I'm ready" I was upstairs and Byron had no idea what I had promised Gar. He asked Gar to get in the car and Gar started babbling on about eating some chocolate. Byron thought, "It's only 9am, no chance!" so he sent Gar packing into the car with a long face. When I explained to Byron what I had agreed with Gar we had to call all the kids to unbuckle their seatbelts and run back into the house to allow Gar to open the first window! He was very impressed when out came a king shaped chocolate (Marks and Spencers best organic chocolate too if you don't mind!)

I think December is going to be a doddle if I can use the opening of the Advent Calendar window as a bribe for getting everyone ready for school in the mornings!

Thanks Granny and Grandad Joe!!!