31st December, end of Christmas and 2013

Well this year for Peter and I  2013 has been kind to us both in Health and Happiness.  The end of the year has found us losing a dear friend Harold on 24th Dec and Peter's half sister on 23rd Dec. We pray that they both knew the Lord and are with Him now and both at peace.

Here are some photos taken by family and myself before the New year
Here are Xanthe, Zac. Lewis and Amie on Monday all the cousins in Onsies LOL!! Love it!!

Here is Xanthe on a pressie from Christmas yesterday!

Here we are ready to celebrate NY's eve at 7.30pm

Our hosts for 12 of us were my dear friend Carol and partner Dave, so happy to see her happy with someone again. John will never forgotten but so glad she has been able to move forward these past 3 yrs. It makes me so happy!

The rest of our dear friends 

We had a lovely meal and everyone contributed to the meal which we managed to finish just before midnight

Well dear Blogger friends this is the end of our Lucky Snapping Challenge when we kept the group going  for 2013 after  finishing 365 Snap challenge. Thanks to Jenni, Anne and Kathi for starting this for 2013 and for all those who kept going for the year with our blogs, we should pat ourselves on our back. I am pleased that I did this and look forward to staying with you all for 2014 in a different challenge http://lucky7sin2014.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/moving-forward-into-2014.html#comment-form

26th - 29th December - Boxing Day and the rest of the week!!

Boxing Day

Still away at our hotel

We had an early lunch so managed to take some photos of part of the buffet lunch, didn't take the hot food buffet as peeps were there!

Pm we  were taken by coach to Canterbury where we managed some retail therapy for an hour before going to the cathedral for evensong sitting in the choir stalls. I wasn't supposed to take photos but.....

These were the first sighting of fields that had flooded on our way to Canterbury

 It was a beautiful sunny afternoon as we arrived at the Cathedral

 There was a life size nativity scene in the courtyard

 Inside the Cathedral before the service and before many people arrived

Friday 27th Returning home

We called in to see Carol's daughter who moved from hastings to Ashford on 20th Dec. They were very pleased to see us

The journey home had similar scenes of fields that looked like lakes/sea 

 and stormy skies and more rain

We are finally home and glad to say no storm damaged and my son who had stayed here for the Christmas period had left it immaculate, you wouldn't know anyone had stayed and the cats were very content to have stayed at home too!!

25th December - Christmas Day

My second quote was remembering whose birthday we celebrate today and the reason why Christians do celebrate his birth

“On Jesus’ birth a new light shone out in the darkness then, and now that light is firmly established in Heaven.

Anyone on earth who sets out on a journey in search of God will be lead by this light – 
the light shines for everyman who walks in darkness.”  ~  Delia Smith (A feast for Advent)

We went to St Luke's Maidstone to our vicar's new church after he and his family left Hastings in September.

 The white candle in the middle of the advent ring was lit to represent Jesus' birth bringing light to the world

As we opened our room door to go to breakfast we found Secret Santa had visited us...which family was that? We had a clue but got it wrong LOL!!

 Opening presents during the day at different times

Christmas lunch 

Our entertainment nightly was Robert Harberman

and I don't know why I have suddenly got all these white patches on this blog today LOL!!

Christmas Eve part 2 !!

Some of you have already visited my blog so I will follow with this evening! A lovely mealagain then entertainment.Our host entertained us again with film songs tonight

 Peter took this of us and Robert Harberman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg24zDL1s_Q after his singing but lighting was not good !!

24th December - Christmas Eve

My quote for the last one for Lucky Snapping are words from the song "I want to see Christmas through Your Eyes " by Gloria Esterfan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To0vDizpeRA
This year I am seeing Christmas through Peter's Eyes we are away in a hotel for 4 nights with a themed Hollywood to Broadway especially for Peter whilst I will enjoy the luxury of not having to buy or prepare and food!
I managed to burn the candle every day of Advent until 23rd when we left.

We were very blessed to have a safe and uneventful journey from home through wild and windy Kent. Hope everyone else survived the storms?

Our home for Christmas is very comfortable especially the bed! TV to myself when I want to opt out of the planned activities like this pm a film showing of some old film!!!
Peter at 9am finding our newspaper on our bedroom door in this bag!! Yes he does look half a sleep, def not a morning person!!!

Not the best of photos but our resident host for our group singing request songs this am

The restaurant were we have our breakfast and lunch, our evening meal is in another restaurant!!

I am now off to swim in the spa part of the hotel and maybe a sauna..not sure til I get there!!

Dec 22nd - end of the run up to Christmas week!

Thought I would put some more photos taken last week

I have managed to burn my Advent candle daily and not go past the day! Tonight I burnt the candle completely to 24th as we go away tomorrow!!

Xanthe opening her Christmas cards she got at playgroup on Tuesday!

Today we gave Xanthe her Christmas present. We have kept this wooden daoll's house for the last 2 years until she was old enough! She loved it!