23rd December 2013 - Travelling up to Chorley

I am monumentally behind with my blog, and so have decided to not worry too much about 2013 (though I still plan to catch up in a brief way), and just get on with it from now on.

This Christmas we went up to the Preston Temple in Chorley to be with Mum and Dad, and also Katy and Dan who travelled up too. The plan had been for us and Katy's lot to stay in the accommodation centre, but then various Temple missionaries offered us their empty flats, and then not long ago, the Murrays (the Temple President and his wife) offered us the use of their home while they weren't there - which Katy's family and mine could both fit in. We were majorly excited!

Before we could set off though, on Monday 23rd December, I had to finish off a ridiculously long To Do list, which included making some cards and posting them off to America, so they could get there in time for a massive trade show in January. The company ('The Stamps of Life') send me their products which I make cards with, for them to use in promoting their stock. This is one of them (one of thirty different cards I made in the last couple of weeks for them. I should add that this was paid work!)

Anyway, I got them made, photographed, packaged up, posted, neighbours' gifts wrapped and delivered, finished all the washing and drying and got everything packed that we'd need for a week (including sleeping bags, pillows, and all the Christmas presents for everyone!) The car was about the fullest I've ever seen it (which is saying something!!) and we set off at 1.30pm. The weather was awful - windy and wet, and the roads were really busy. Not a very enjoyable drive. We arrived at 5pm.

As soon as we arrived and were greeted by Mum and Dad, it really felt like Christmas had begun, and then I looked round the house, and got really excited!!

The kids in the 'small' living room - making full use of having real live TV for the first time in over three years! It was great! We watched all kinds of tacky rubbish, 'Storage Hunters' and 'Man Versus Food' being up there amongst our favourites!

A dining table big enough for all of us!

Mum and Dad were already preparing a wonderful roast beef dinner for us... I felt completely like all was right with the world!!

And the best bit... a lovely corridor leading to...

a wonderful huge living room - absolutely perfect for all of us for Christmas!

The Murrays don't really use this as their living room - more for functions and things. Ken and Bev Devine had even put up the Christmas tree! The underfloor heating was also wonderful - everywhere was just so warm.

I took this picture of the kids just before dinner, then realised afterwards that Lucy is injecting her stomach in it! She is one classy girl - she even smiles and poses for photos while injecting!

Mum and Dad totally spoiling us!

A bit later, Katy, Dan, Amy and Bobbie arrived. (Katy is pregnant, and found out recently they are expecting a boy... I feel like the odd one out! My three siblings will all have one son and two daughters each!)

Scott's and my kids all slept on the settees and a folding bed in the big living room, Scott and I had a sofa bed and folding bed in the office, Katy & Dan had the bedroom, and Amy and Bobbie slept in the walk-in wardrobe!! Mum and Dad just went back to their flat down the lane, on the Temple complex! Happy, happy, happy!