Well it’s all over for another year. Only 363 days to go! I hope everyone had a good one. Ours was very civilised, restful and relatively peaceful considering we had everyone here. The first time that has happened for several years.
Simon got up at half past seven to attend to the turkey and get it in the oven. He then cooked a lovely big English “fry up” breakfast and the 5 of us sat down to eat together. The 5 of us being, Simon, me, Verity, Saskia and Joshua. We had a few presents before getting ourselves all spruced up. I must say it did seem very strange not to have them all in our bedroom opening their stockings. This is the first year we haven’t had stockings and it is quite sad. That era has well and truly ended.
Coralie and John arrived about half past eleven with baby Evan. We had a lovely time before dinner opening presents. The present opening in our house is something that is stretched out over the entire day.
EVAN OPENING PRESENTS
EVAN AND NANNY
EVAN, NANNY AND AUNTIE SASKIA
DADDY,MUMMY EVAN AND AUNTIE VEE
Dinner was early this year at half past one so as to try and accommodate the babies. We normally don’t have it until about 4pm. We had a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings and a lemon roulade for dessert.
Sam and Lisa arrived about 4pm with a very tired little Ellie. She had been to her other Nanny’s house and I think it was all a bit overwhelming. After an hour or so Simon and Sam tucked her up in the pushchair and took her for a walk to get her off to sleep. She had an hour’s sleep which totally revived her and she then kept going until the end!
Evan was also quite tired and his meal times were quite mixed up which made him a little bit grumpy for a while. He was also quite sick which we think may have been due to different food. All in all both babies were very good considering how much over stimulation they get, what with all the people, the noise and all those presents.
Ellie was an absolute delight giving out all the presents. Granddad was handing them to her and telling her who they were for and off she would go. She loved the snowman and wasn’t at all fazed by the fact that his head comes off!
ELLIE OPENING PRESENTS AND READING WITH HER AUNTIES
AN EXCITED ELLIE!
The snowman was a success and the girls and babies were all happy with their gift. The men a little less so! Coralie and John had to take Evan home before we started on the snowman so John wasn’t there. My sister had given me a great idea for a competition. I had got each of the 4 men a wooden puzzle thingy. You press the bits out and then assemble them into a model. I had a Ferrari for John, a motorbike for Sam, a squirrel for Simon and a mouse for Josh.
The idea was that the first one to finish their model wins a prize, nothing fancy just a couple of pairs of socks. I thought it would be fun! It was fun for us girls watching! Josh decided within minutes that he couldn’t do it and got in quite a strop.
ME AND SIMON
HANDING OUT PRESENTS
READING WITH MUMMY
Simon and Sam started off well and Simon did finish his squirrel but after over an hour with much swearing Sam gave up. Now remember he is a carpenter by trade so I can’t quite see what the problem was. He took it apart goodness how many times, it was so funny. He eventually claimed that he had been disadvantaged in being given a bike rather than a mouse as it had far more bits to it!
It did keep them quiet while we watched Eastenders though. Well, sort of watched Eastenders as Ellie hasn’t got into that yet and doesn’t know that she needs to be quiet! Simon videoed it for me though so I watched it last night.
ELLIE AND NANNY
Boxing Day was spent just quietly relaxing at home. Coralie, John and Evan popped in very briefly in the morning before heading off to Derby to see John’s family. Sam and Lisa spent the day at home so it was just the 5 of us. We got up late, ate lots of food and slobbed around watching TV. I also read some of a new book that Verity got for me. It’s by India Knight and is called “The thrift book, live well and spend less”. It is very very good and I highly recommend it. It is full of brilliant ideas.
I had some lovely gifts, books, smellies, perfume, chocolates, a special mug, a subscription to Good Food magazine, a lovely picture with Evan s foot prints, and a homemade voucher from Simon for the purchase of a Radley hand bag. I have hankered after one of those for ages but he thought it would be best to let me choose my own rather than to get the wrong one.
I was thrilled with the idea but am actually considering not getting one. They are incredibly expensive and although I have “wanted” one for ages, I don’t “need” one. I only recently got a new handbag when the previous one was falling apart. It’s a perfectly decent functional black one and it cost £5 in Sainsbury’s.
As you all know I have become interested recently in the idea of a thriftier life style. There are lots of reasons behind this. Buying a new, very expensive, handbag even though it is with Simon’s money and a gift just doesn’t seem to sit quite right. I haven’t spoken to him about it yet so we will see.
We did splash out on one expensive item this year, we got a Nintendo Wii complete with extra games and the Wii Fit programme. It is for the whole family to play with and hopefully in the New Year will help Simon and I get a bit more motivated to get fit. We need to as we have the Moon walk coming up in May. The kids have all enjoyed playing with it and it is hysterically funny to watch Josh doing the hula hoop thing. If it helps us get fit then it will be money reasonably well spent.
Today Simon, Verity, Saskia and Josh have gone to visit Simon’s family, “the outlaws” as my old friend Willy calls them. I have been at home catching up and getting straight. The house was such a mess and there was quite a pile of washing and ironing too so I have been doing my half hour system. I am nearly done now, just a little more ironing to do.
They should all be back about 7pm and will have eaten so I am just going to have a sandwich and maybe a piece of cake. I have eaten lots the last couple of days and my tummy hasn’t liked it. Right time to go and get me a cup of coffee I think! I will sort out my photos later and get them posted, there are some lovely ones.
Ok, that’s it for now...........and remember only 363 days to go!!!!!
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