Getting ready for Christmas

Today we decorated the Christmas cake that my friend, Jill, made for us. Fugs was, as usual, absolutely facinated by all the warmed apricot jam, marzipan, icing and silver balls. It didn't take that long, but it was late afternoon by the time we headed off to LIDL to get our last minute supplies in. I was pleased with our shop, as we managed to get pressies for all 10 of my nieces and nephews (that's not counting the ones we're seeing tomorrow), plus a few others. Actually, I forgot 2 nieces, come to think of it, well maybe I've got enough- I always end up with extra ones, somehow.
I am trying to make all this preparation as much an enjoyable experience as possible, considering I have been really tired and the 2 boys are still full of cold and not sleeping well.
Well now Ally's trying to get downstairs to see me, now he's learned how to do it. He is still crawling and shuffling around on one knee, but occasionally stands up by himself. It's funny, 14 months seems to be the magic age in this family for starting to walk. With the exception of Fugsy, who was 19 months, bless him. I still have trousers worn out on one knee from the same shuffling style as Ally, as he never crawled, but shuffled for a long time. Jemima also shuffled, but not on one knee.

putting silver balls on cake