MERRY CHRISTMAS and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

Pedro and I are flying back to London tomorrow evening! We are so excited to see our children, and can’t wait to give them all big hugs. It’s been too long away, and we’ve missed them madly. We are looking forward to getting into the Christmas spirit and being part of holiday festivities ‘back home’ amongst friends and family.

It’s going to be a crazy 10 days but huge fun and great that we can get to see everyone during this special time.

My first port of call arriving back in London on Wednesday, is a mad dash to take my son Theo into hospital for a knee operation. Miserable for him but necessary if he wants to continue to do the rowing and rugby that he so loves and is brilliant at. I’ll be squeezing his hand tightly and wishing him a speedy recovery.

I’m also going to have to be a pretty snappy and decisive shopper, as I will have just 2 days to get all the presents brought and wrapped (and that’s quite a lot of presents with 7 kids between us, and a huge family) There will be no time to shilly- shally and dither about what people want. Kid’s, if you are reading this, listen up! you’d better let me know ASAP what it is your heart desires this Yule tide (with-in reason, don’t go mad!)) or you might end up with something simply terrible and totally inappropriate.

We leave London on the 2^nd January and head for the States. This is knicker-wettingly exciting for me as I have never, ever, crossed ‘The Pond’. I know! It’s quite remarkable, but I haven’t! Originally we were just going to Missouri, Minneapolis and New York, but now we have Indianapolis to add to the list as well.

Strictly speaking my blog is an account of my new life here in Indonesia but I am going to have to add my visit to the USA to it as I know that I will be busting to write about our trip there and all our adventures.

Without wishing to sound like Kate Winslet giving her Oscar speech, I do want to thank all of you for taking the time and trouble in reading my blog, for leaving comments and likes, for following me, for re-tweeting and Facebooking etc. Your support and encouragment means the world to me, and as a first time blogger, has given me the confidence to carry on blogging.

THANKS TO YOU ALL AND….

P.S I wanted to make you all a stunning Christmas card on the ipad but somehow I’ve managed to lose the magic drawing pen. These pictures were made using my finger instead!