... you have something planned and then there's a spanner in the works.

1. Callum was looking forward to making Christmas cookies at school on Friday morning.
2. Matthew was looking forward to his friend Anna (he is very keen on her and she apparently has pretend sleepovers with Matthew!) is coming to play on Friday afternoon.
3. The boys were looking forward to their 'Carols in the Playground' and a visit from Santa on Friday evening.
4. Jeff and I had been looking forward to going out to a golf society dinner and presentation on Saturday night (I for one had spent much time, effort and money looking for the right dress, and had settled on outfit number 4).
5. And we were all looking forward to getting the Christmas decorations out and putting the tree up on Sunday.

The spanner in this case was a sickness bug courtesy of school.

Thursday afternoon - I'm in Bournemouth, just picked up dress number 2 and on my way back to the carpark when I get 'the call' from school. Matthew's been sick and the one time he needs me to pick him up quickly I'm half an hour away. (Mummy feeling Guilty #1). Callum and I collect Matthew and drive home as quickly and as smoothly as possible. Matthew has been given a carrier bag (one with those anti-suffocation holes in the bottom) incase he's sick on way home, remember I have a new car. Alas, he doesn't make it back home without being sick, fortunately though his child booster seat saved my actual car seats from getting covered (Car safe #1). We arrive home and Callum says he feels sick, I don't believe him, thinking that he is attention seeking - he's not. As soon as he makes it through the front door he is sick. (Mummy feeling Guilty #2, but Car safe #2). So that's both boys with bowls and Mummy running between the two. Oh and by the way dress number 2 is no good.

Friday - they both stay off school. No baking cookies, no Anna to play and no carols in the playground or Santa. Dress number 3 arrives via Next courier - it's no good. I nip into Ringwood as soon as Jeff comes home from work and buy dress number 4.

Saturday - both boys are on the mend. Jeff and I are on course for our evening out. We get ready to go out, my parents arrive to babysit and we leave. We have our Christmas meal but by the main course I know I'm not right. I manage to sit through the presentations; 3 out of 5 go to Jeff; Best Putter, Scratch Champion and Overall Champion of the Golf Society (well done Jeff, I'm very proud of you). But no more than 10 minutes later and I'm throwing up in the carpark - classy I know, but there was a queue for the ladies and I couldn't wait. I should also add that I was driving so hadn't consumed any alcohol. So with that we leave the party, Jeff hastily collecting his haul of trophies and a toilet roll for the journey home. Jeff drives home in my new beetle, whilst I sit with a Morrison's shopping bag (this time with no holes - I checked!). I make it home without throwing up (Car safe #3). I spend the rest of the night throwing up and Jeff spends the night in the guest bedroom.

Sunday - spend the whole day in bed.

Monday - Boys are back to school. I feel really weak and tired. Jeff is off work not feeling 100% and waiting to get the bug. As yet he's escaped - of course I may well have cursed him by writing that!

My aims for the rest of the week; get the house decorated for Christmas, re-arrange Matthew's playdate with Anna, make cookies with Callum and take dresses 1, 2 and 3 back!

And I'll leave you with one of the only beautiful sights I saw over the last few days; the frost on my car on Friday morning.