Chocolate miracles

I'm on form for Christmas this year.  Not only have I made the Christmas cakes, mincemeat for mince pies, bought some of the food, 99% of the children's presents, sorted out the Christmas cards for the school post-boxes for the children, made chocolate filled crackers for the tree but also the advent calendars for the children have been prepped and ready for over a month now.  Yeah!! Go me!

I'm particularly impressed with myself because usually each year I forget about the cloth pocketed advent calendars stored in the loft and usually end up in 'The store formerly known as Woolworths', buying some gaudy overpriced cardboard monstrosity with naff chocolates you wouldn't even feed to your dog.  This year I remembered the ones in the loft and bought M&S naff Christmas chocolates.  I don't have a dog, so the children are getting them instead.

The children are happy.

Eleanor's extremely happy.

So am I.

The arrival of her advent calendar has had a remarkably miraculous effect.  For the last two days instead of having to ask her at least six or seven times to do whatever it is she needs to do in the morning, like brush her hair, brush her teeth, get dressed for school, put lunch in bag, brush her hair, put lunch in bag, brush her teeth, get dressed, brush her hair......... she's been up, dressed, ready, brush in hand, breakfast eaten and stood waiting by her calendar.

The lure of one little chocolate has turned my daughter from the most disorganised child into a fine example of military readiness.

I'm enjoying it while it lasts because I know come New Year, it will all go pear-shaped and the stuck record of my monotonous repeated ramblings will be ringing in her ears again, Eleanor, get dressed, brush your teeth, eat your breakfast, brush your hair, brush your teeth, get dressed, pack your lunch.......