I am just about recovering from Christmas and decided to take Joanna with me on a quick browse around the sales. Lets just say this was a mistake. Not only did her shopping skills put me to shame, they also made her 19 and 21 year old Aunty's look inferior. I mean where does a 6 year old learn to colour coordinate and pick the right clothes for 'perfect pink' nail varnish?

What did I get for Christmas? A gym membership from hubby - His polite way of saying perhaps you should lose a few pounds .... which I had fully intended to do so it actually will come in handy.

I also had a poker set which resulted in a drunken poker night with £40 in 10p pieces flying around the table and ultimately made my sister alot richer and me alot poorer.

Amoungst many gratefully recieved gift vouchers (which we asked for to finish kitting out the house) I recieved (as did my other sisters) a voucher for a make over photoshoot thing at this place from my mother. Hmmmm I guess this is punishment for avoiding photos of any kind since I was 12. Seriously I would rather have more wisdom teeth pulled than have photos taken but I will enjoy the makeover thing. There is not enough airbrushing in the world that would make me look like any of the photos on that website, but hey with any luck it will only be my Mum that will ever see it!!!!

Our new years celebration is a meal out with friends and the kids at the local Brewers fayre And will probably mean drunken parents filling their mouths with the ice cream machine again and running around launching smarties at each other. Personally I will br driving because I refuse to pay £45 for a taxi home on new years eve.

Happy new years to you!