Phew we made it

At the middle of last week I was in complete panic.  Nearly everything still needed doing.  My stitchy day to finish Nat’s cushion got hi-jacked by my husband and instead of a 10 minute stop at a friends house I rolled him out 6 hours later, him with a very happy glow.

The reality was that I just was not going to get everything done.  The girls were due up on Saturday and I needed at least another 12 hours to get just their stuff done.  I was so stressed I was near crying and totally freaking out.

I know, I know.  Christmas is supposed to be about family and not gifts but I hate disappointing people and love spoiling them and with half the family having great presents, the other half couldn’t be doing without.

So I took the day off work . . . and thank F%#k I did.  I was just getting out of the shower at around 9ish when my husband rang.  Turns out that during the drama of how long we would get them from their mother for (always a drama and always multiple changes in time and date) he had missed her changing the start date and they had just left Stratford.  Panicked phone calls to my darling Dad resulted in him dropping everything doing the emergency pick up for us as I was an hour further away than everyone else and they would have been stranded waiting for me for at least 1.5 hours.  Gotta love my Dad 🙂

I had thought that I would have both that day and most of Saturday to get this all done but now I had 8 hours and that was all.

I got dressed and started stitching.

and I stitched and I stitched and I stitched.

I managed to get Natalie’s cushion mostly done.  I had gotten about halfway through the pulling of the waste canvas when then arrived home so I stashed it in the wardrobe.

This was Thursday last week 🙂

Meanwhile I had finally come up with an Alice in Wonderland idea for Ronnie.  I didn’t get a chance to start it.

Ralph and I had a chat and we decided he would take the girls out on Saturday morning so I could get it all done.

As you can imagine, stress levels are now through the roof.

So Saturday dawned beautiful and sunny.  I got up and went for a run along the beach. It was so beautiful and warm that I yanked my shoes off and dived into the ocean.  Instant hyperthermia and minor frost bite to the extremities.  Its still not warm out here hahahaha

Back home and I strip my leggings off on the deck and wrap a towel around myself.  Poured a coffee and started sorting my days agenda.  As the girls were having breakfast I started making the first of my sauces, the Jack Daniels BBQ sauce.  As I’m cooking away dressed in a soggy singlet and underwear wrapped in a towel my daughter wandered in and asked why I was dressed this way, so I told her.  She then left with her cup of coffee muttering about her mother being ‘bat shit crazy’ 😀 Gotta love that kid.

Jack Daniels BBQ sauce is delicious! http://www.food.com/recipe/jack-daniels-bbq-sauce-278367

Ralph took the girls out and I finished the cushion! 🙂

I then climbed into Ronnie’s Alice in Wonderland and got that taken care of.

Then, after texting Ralph that it was safe to return, I climbed into Jordyn’s dream catcher.

Sunday dawned with a flurry of mixing as I climbed into the rest of the BBQ box stuff.

First up was the Jim Beam BBQ sauce.  Completely different from the Jack one but bloody nice even if I do say so myself http://www.food.com/recipe/jim-beams-bbq-sauce-243869

Then we made some Bacon Salt.  Tastes like salt.  Nothing to rave about but looks good 🙂 http://www.notquitenigella.com/2012/02/16/bacon-salt/

Then we made Bobby Flays Dry Rub http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/marinade/bobby-flays-dry-rub.html

And we finished it all off with The Mansion Spice Rub http://eliotseats.com/2013/12/20/christmas-2013-seasonings-for-the-season/

And I boxed it all up into the 3 boxes

I then boxed up the memory stick gifts and the girls candle boxes then sat down with an extremely large glass of Chardonnay

Forgot to get a photo of the candles for the housekeepers though whoops

I then discovered that our neighbours are all going to be away for Christmas so don’t need to bake them any cookies! Phew.

So I did it.  With some blood, lots of swearing and an almost complete mental breakdown we have made the all.  Remind me next year that this was a stupid idea because I am notorious for doing this to myself.

We are now back to stitching Tash’s photo with the aim to have it completed and framed by her birthday at the end of March

After that mammoth effort I now need a nap!

Christmas may now proceed as planned xxx

This weeks planned achievements:

• Work on Tash’s stitch

Last weeks planned achievements:

• Finish Natalies cushion cover Done!
• Jordyns dream catcher Done!
• Make rubs for BBQ boxes.  At least research some sauces for same Completed!
• Figure out what the heck to make, then make, something for Ronnie Done!
• Finish putting together the memory stick gifts Done!

Christmas Homemade List Progression:

1. Kayla: Elephant cushion – Completed
2. Levi: BBQ Basket same as bosses – Completed
3. Jordyn: Dream catcher – Completed
4. Veronica: Stencil Art, Alice in Wonderland – Completed
5. Natalie: Scary Movie cushion – Completed
6. Jamie: Photo with beach boarder – Completed
7. Lunam Family Christmas: Dragon cushion – Completed
8. Dad & Siblings: Memory stick of Great Grandad’s war diary’s and postcards – Completed
9. Tash: Cross stitch photo – Finish it! Not going to happen I feel but worth a shot.
10. Marie & Margaret – Completed
11. Housekeepers – Completed
12. The bosses – BBQ Gift basket – Completed