The weeks before Christmas

We checked out the Christmas markets at Bournemouth, which is a costal town about 1 hour to the east. Santa really gets around in England.

There were a few early starts. Ella is not a person that can wait for things. She even has trouble waiting for the end of movies and starts pestering you half way though the movie to ask what the ending is.

On the night before her birthday I was instructed to leave her presents outside her door. At 4:30 the next morning we woken up by an excited seven year old who was very happy with all of her presents.

On the 21st, we were going up to London and then Brussels so allowed the children to open their Christmas presents before we went. They were under strict instructions to not open their presents until 6:30. Rustling could be heard from about 5:30. I think all of Ella's presents were opened by about 6:15. Next year I don't think anything will be left under the tree until we are ready.