greent's mfw journey

We finally made it to bed about 1.30am after waiting to do the teenagers' stockings! Our children are 'banned' from coming into our room on Christmas Day until 7am - the small ones can wake the teens from 6am - before that they are meant to go back to sleep. DS3 woke up at 6.54am - I heard his feet running over the landing downstairs to DS2's room - excitedly shouting 'wake up - look at your stocking!' DS1 then very nicely went downstairs to make us both a cup of tea before all 4 of them trooped upstairs to our room with their stockings They all pile onto our bed (snuggling under the throw over the top if chilly) whilst there is a mini present fest of Santa stocking presents (includes chocolates, socks, useful small things (this year coloured pritt sticks and individual pencil sharpeners ). a book, smellies and something else (small toy (eg: lego minifigure), small ornament or something else) We sat there, drinking our tea and surrounded by our children (in their new Xmas Eve PJs) - lovely Once that was finished and we'd finished our tea, they repacked their stockings and we trooped downstairs. We have a rule of breakfast and getting ready (washed/ dressed/ teeth) before under-tree presents are done. The children take it upon themselves to sort them out into piles for everyone and we then sit and have a 'reasonably' calm-ish present opening session for about an hour. Then clear up of rubbish, sorting into recycling and non-recycling and taking upstairs of some things (any money into money boxes etc, to make sure it's not lost) I then did a bit more prep whilst the teens were playing with the smallies Visits followed by my mum and my m-I-l and we finally sat down to dinner just before 4pm


Successful day - presents enjoyed, lots of food consumed and time spent together as a family House is passable (there are still some piles of presents around, but they are in piles, not strewn around) There are a few unsuccessful presents - 3 requiring return to Next & M&S for exchange for something more to the recipient's taste (yeay for gift receipts!!) and a couple which will end up on ebay (FREE listings from now until 6th Jan!!) One small present for DD has gone to the present stash under the bed for re-gifting (more suited to a 6yo girl than a 17yo - so will form part of a present for a party which DS3 will attend) We have a lot of consumable pressies (food, drink, smellies) which I like - and I also got a Maslin pan and jam funnel


We're off to the panto for 4pm - might hit the shops for 1/2 hour before to see if we can get any of the returns done - and I know DD wants to hit the bookstore (with her bday in Dec she has been itching to go shopping for weeks but hasn't 'just in case' )


Currently just DS3 and myself awake - and even he didn't wake until 8.15 We're both sat at the kitchen table, having breakfasted (brioche for him, granola and yogurt for me) He's now playing with some angry bird small toys next to me, showing me what they're up to. I'm just about to enjoy my second cuppa Washing is on and the morning here will continue at a slow pace


I hope everyone had the day that they wanted yesterday


xx

Aw, thanks guys My nuclear family is a large part (but not all!) of my world. DH and I both come from very complicated (broken marriages, remarriages, half siblings, step siblings, step siblings of half siblings, half siblings having other half siblings who are technically no relation) families with a lot of repressed and hidden problems there (inc drugs, alcohol, physical, mental and sexual abuse) - so we both tend to hunker down and have a sometimes quite insular approach to our household as a result.




Anyway, Panto yesterday was good - even the teens were laughing lots - although that probably had something to do with the large amount of double entendres in the script!!! Personally, for me the best bit is any 'corpsing' on stage - and I always find Boxing Day is a good day for this - it's almost as though having had a day off the actors are more relaxed We were sat in the second row and had a fab time. Took lots of choc and sweets and drinks from home, so spent nothing whilst there (not eve on ice creams in the interval, which we usually do - think everyone was stuffed!)


Everyone has slept in this morning - even DS3 - I am the only one awake at gone 9.30am!!!!) Mind you, I am still sat here in my PJs - although I have had breakfast. I shall get showered and dressed in a mo and start to gently wake people after 10am. I may suggest a walk along the canal (at the bottom of our road) later to see the ducks and swans - it's cold, but a sunny day with a gorgeous blue sky here and we could do with getting out.


Haven't been to the shops since 23rd (didn't hit the sales yesterday in the end) - but am planning on going to T**co tomorrow for milk and bread (we're using about 5-6 pints a day at the moment where everyone is around!!) - and bacon and mushrooms too - we've got none of either left - which is an outrage!!! (well, we do have some smoked streaky left, but a- that's not the same and b- there's nowhere near enough of it!) I really can't think of anything else we need but no doubt other things will be purchased (not too much, though - fridge and freezer are both groaning)


20 items re-listed on ebay yesterday, Will aim to get some new listings up this week - and hopefully make a small start on my £1500 target (now thinking that that was really rather ambitious!!)


Hope you are all having a good break


xx