And A Lovely Time Was Had By All

Had a magical Christmas :-)) Hope everyone else did too.

Christmas Eve night was wonderful. Nana came with us to the carol service, which was standing room only - good job we got there early! Emily sang her heart out and we walked home through the churchyard and the long way round by candelight from her Christingle candle. After a takeaway pizza supper it was bed time. Emily and I heard sleigh bells from outside in the garden as she tried to go to sleep. She was so excited I thought she was going to burst! Oddly, Daddy didn't hear them - I think he was busy at the time ;-) - but there were definitely reindeer flying overhead!

Jon and I got sidetracked watching a film and didn't get to bed until around 2 a.m. - and were interrupted at half past three by a thrilled to bits child landing on the bed yelling "Santa's been!!!". Hmmmm. Next year, Santa is under strict instructions not to visit this house until nearly dawn, lol. Told Emily it was too early to open her stocking and she'd better come in and cuddle down with us until a more reasonable hour. Well of course, that worked. Not. One and three quarter hours and not one wink of sleep later, we gave in, and the stocking was officially opened at 5.15 in the morning. Although even Emily couldn't stop yawning, never mind us two!

We went downstairs afterwards for a lovely candlelit breakfast (yes, it was still dark) before getting back to the Christmas tree for the proper pressies. Emily was delighted with everything.
Last present from us to be opened was a gorgeous, authentic Tudor/Elizabethan dress with a detachable ruff and a hooped, split gown. Fits perfectly and has been very much a favourite over the last couple of days!

My pics of Emily wearing the dress have all come out blurry; did take a photo of someone else's photo (since our scanner gave up the ghost a long time ago) but that didn't come out well either. Will post one when I get one. Her other pressies from us included lots of Barbie bits, new dolls house furniture/accessories, keyboard, crystal lab, audio books, greek goddess outfit, PC games, jigsaws, board games and the usual girlie type bits and bobs.

After watching Snow Queen (during which I fell asleep) and a good old play, we went down to spend the rest of the day with Nana, Gramps and Grandad. Emily was thrilled with her presents from David and Barbara in Canada, as were we - the funny hats went down a treat and were worn for most of the day! Christmas Dinner was cooked by a valiant Jon (still suffering quite a lot) and was absolutely scrumptious and good fun with fresh mistletoe all over the table for plenty of kisses :-)) and musical crackers with whistles in for us all to play tunes while Emily conducted. Emily's yule log was deeeeelicious! After dinner while we grown ups were still eating, a certain someone was delighted to discover an extra delivery from Santa - lots and lots of books which we'd kept back from the main presents. Told her they were too heavy for the reinderr to carry overnight ;-))

More playing, then time for the grown ups to open their pressies and for Nana and Gramps to give Emily hers. She was over the moon with lots of real "grown up" artist stuff - an easel, proper canvas, oil paints, palette knives, watercolours and so on. I feel some proper art lessons coming on in the new year! We grown ups all loved all of our bits, and Nana and Gramps were especially pleased with various St Bees bits we'd found for them - old prints and history pamphlets and the like. I'll have to wait for my main present from Jon though. He's bought me a beautiful heart shaped glass pendant which is to be filled with his blood (always wanted one of those....it's my goth instincts, lol) but we managed to lose the sterilisation instructions so the deed hasn't yet been done!

It was a lovely day. Think Emily was a little sad when it came to and end, as were we. We don't get a proper break for full-on family time anywhere near often enough :-( Will have to change that in 2006.

Boxing Day and today have been very relaxed. We must have played a thousand games of Cluedo, Emily's listened to her Narnia tapes at least 57 times and we've all enjoyed Treason in the Tower a lot too. Dolls house stuff and new Barbies have been well and truly played with to bits, the Barbie/Pegasus PC game has also been played to death and Horse Adventures has been enjoyed too. They're quite well done, those two games. And not as annoying to listen to in the background as some, lol!

Having been promised "heavy snow throughout Lincs" on the weather yesterday, we were rather disappointed to find today snow-less, unless you count the odd flurry that didn't have a chance to settle. Still, it is finally snowing properly as I type, although how long for is anyone's guess. Back to work with a vengeance tomorrow. Orders have piled up like mad, we've got doctors to get to and deadlines to meet. Oh yes, and the small matter of a 7th birthday party to plan that I STILL haven't sorted out!