Planning Christmas Holidays in Spring

After spending the last few months bitterly complaining about the fact that spring seems to have forgotten to arrive, avoiding the gas and electricity meter man who wants to send my readings to the energy company (he caught me – darn!)  and willing the sun to shine so that I can get outside in the garden, you could say that I’m ready for Summer.

Being so very ready for some sun it might seem a bit bizarre that I am already thinking about Christmas. I haven’t got one of those “days to Christmas” tickers anywhere I promise however with a huge family and our four, lots of traditions and more it is so important to plan ahead.

For the first time in years I have vouchers coming that will cover the majority of our Christmas shopping (Thanks Park!), I already have lists of what to get who so that I may keep my eyes open for bargains and I already have a few fabulous homemade wrapping paper ideas pinned in Pinterest. I’m good to go.

Being so organised I’ve started thinking about perhaps going way just before Xmas for a short holiday. In my other life as a freelance writer I’ve written a couple of articles about Lapland at Christmas and I find the idea enchanting. I’m not sure if at 2yrs old Taylor would get the full benefit yet however if not this year I’m definitely hoping to arrange magical Christmas holidays Lapland style for next Christmas. I mentioned this once before on Facebook and was surprised and secretly thrilled with the amount of people who piped up with “Yes, do it, we did and it was amazing!!”.

 It really does sound like the sort of trip that would make a fantastic memory for the boys.

What do you all think? I know it’s barely spring but if we were to go away this year we’d have to think about saving, planning etc now. Have you been? What would you recommend or tell me to avoid and should I wait until Taylor is a tiny bit old (he is two now but will have just turned four before Xmas next year)? We’d like to go for a long weekend ideally but is this enough? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

My snow-loving 6yr old

*Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my thoughts, feelings and experiences

Easter at the Cawood home

Easter for us isn’t just about the chocolate. We aren’t a particularly religious family but Easter and it’s long weekend is a favourite of ours. Four days of no work and plenty of family time (regardless of whether the British weather plays ball!).

To start the day off we heard a little voice from our bedroom door….
“Mummy, Daddy… can I see if the  Easter Bunny has been?”.

Little feet bounding down the stairs and a minute later
“Half of the carrots have been eaten!! The Easter Bunny must have liked them because he has left us choclate treats.. come and look!”.
Of course we are a little bit about the chocolate.

Easter is largely about food. On Good Friday I made pancakes for breakfast, and yesterday (Easter Sunday) it was of course time for toasted hot cross buns!

Chocolate and other gooey food aside, this Easter weekend has been about family and fun.
We have played games, drawn and painted, enjoyed crafts, make dens, played indoor skittles and all sorts. A bit of a saviour, especially as it has rained pretty much constantly, was this fantastic care package from Warner Brothers….


I don’t eat chocolate but do have a strange fondness for mini eggs. Kieran knows this and whisked them away pretty quick (traitor!). The films have have kept us busy and in laughter!

Yogi bear – perfect for us all. Both Kieran (5yrs) and Taylor (16m) were glued to it. Us grown ups enjoyed the humour that only we “got”. A great fun family film!

Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. A timeless classic. Kieran has just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so having this sent was great timing. Another brilliant film that kept our attention from beginning to end.
Popcorn was substituted for Mini Eggs for this film.

Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
I adore Bugs and this DVD had us in stitches! All curled up on the sofa, laughing our socks off. Perfect for Easter Sunday afternoon.

And last but not least: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Johnny Depp).
We haven’t watched this yet, but plan to before the end of the school Easter hols. I’m intrigued and will let you know how we get on with it.

Great Easter viewing – thanks Warner Brothers – on the ball as always.
(Kieran has proclaimed the “lady with all the DVDs” as being “awesome” and “Very cool”!).

Today is Bank Holiday Monday, the last day of our four day weekend. This morning is all about kicking back. I have been granted a lie in (I’m in bed on the laptop!) and everyone else is in PJs downstairs. We are hoping that this awful rain stops soon as there is a bigger Bank Holiday market in town today which we want to go and explore but if it doesn’t ease up soon the stallholders will be packing up and going home.  If that happens there will be no point us getting out of our PJs at all today which would be terrible 🙂

However you’ve spent your Easter weekend I hope it’s been great fun / relaxing (whichever you were looking for!). Enjoy your Bank Hol and remember (with the chocolate) once it’s gone…. it’s gone!

THIS is what passes for Easter TV? Someone pass the DVD remote!