Emerging from the end of a week of feeling lousy, which included two of the worst days of feeling ill I've had in years. I literally cried for my mum and asked my my middle son if I could have a loan of his teddy to cuddle.

It all started last Saturday night after the 100th celebration party when I started feeling shivery and ache-y at the post party party.

This morning though I am feeling over the worst of it and managed to feel like eating, so cooked up a festive brunch for the troops. It was the perfect Saturday late morning tonic. The house is a tip, the Christmas boxes are emptied and distributed all.over.the.house (thanks to our 3year old elf), there are no clean clothes and few clean dishes. Everyone is shattered.

Well, it is nearly the end of term after all.

My eldest boy is supposed to be at Santa Camp but due a mix up with dates isn't, and despite the initial disappointment is enjoying the extra time to chill and read his book.

My middle boy is looking his usual end of term grey colour and is dealing with his own disappointment, but with good grace.

The littlest is, well, his usual lively self. He did after all have nearly two weeks of illness which are well and truly behind him and he has a lot of energy to spend to catch up.