A day spent driving around with the kids doing chores and with no photo opportunity, plus I am still mourning the illness of my big lens. …… and then who turns up at bedtime? Santa. Just to make sure he knows where the kids live.

Not a great day today – I took my favourite lens out with me whilst on a walk and it ceased working! Gulp. Hope it can get fixed! So, once back and with newly baked Christmas cake fresh out of the oven, this became the subject of my attention!

Trying to get Lotka into the Christmas spirit. Do you think it has worked?

Playing with flash and a new photography umbrella, with a fidgety and mischievous 2 year old and with only a 2 minute window. If you look closely you can see the umbrella and myself in his eyes!

The day has finally come and little Alexei performed superbly in his role as singing snowman – he even did a little dance. What a showman.

Our neighbour likes to put up his decorations early – 1st December in fact. Well, Tigger gets very excited about it all. I am waiting for other neighbours to get theirs up, fake snow and all, and see who attracts more attention from the local kids.

Our tree has been up for a couple of weeks, but is still not fully decorated…… apparently ……. in the view of a 5 year old .

Felix had his little friend Verity over for tea and cake today, to celebrate her second birthday. Discussions about whose mummy is whose, and battenburg cake. Can it get any better? Happy Birthday gorgeous girl.

Hmm, we should really make more of an effort with Felix and his teeth, don’t you think?

At supper with friends tonight, I was made to download the Hipstamatic app for my phone. Here is the result; thanks Lindsay, for posing. Not really convinced of the app though, I must say!