Christmas 2012

Can you believe 2012 is nearly over? The last few weeks seem to have flown by, but I am really looking forward to 2013…it’s kind of exciting having absolutely no idea where your life is going to take you in the next year!!!

I wanted to show you some photos from our Christmas, and figured today was the last possible day to write this post before January’s fresh start, so here is our Christmas…

Liam had the children during the day on Christmas Eve and I spent most of it at the gym – our usual Saturday spin instructor put on 9am & 10am classes on Christmas Eve as well, so I went to the 9am class with my Mum and youngest sister, and then I went to the gym afterwards. Burn off some calories before the Christmas eating started!! Late afternoon I picked up the children and Liam also joined us for our traditional DVD night. Baked Camemberts with all the sides (there were baguettes, cranberry sauce etc too!)…

Plus new Christmas PJs and Polar Express DVD…

There are never normally any photos taken of me (as I’m usually behind the camera) so I made the most of Liam being there to get some nice photos of me with the children…

The red mark on my cheek is from walking into the changing room door at the gym earlier, ha, so embarrassing – I had to fill in an accident report and stand with an ice pack on my cheek for half an hour after spin class before they’d let me use the gym!!!

I forgot to buy/make any mince pies, so Santa got a brownie and a cranberry white chocolate cookie this year…

Christmas Day and two very excited children…

Liam spent the morning with us to see the children opening their gifts (bikes being the main presents this year, although Toby’s was second hand from my friend’s son) and then he went to his Mum’s for lunch and I took the children round to see my family.

For more present opening…

Funny outfit wearing (Thanks Auntie Livvy!!)

And food…

Cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, parsnips & roast potatoes, yum!

I was too full after this (and all the nibbles I’d eaten earlier) to have any of the traditional Christmas pudding, but I did have some fried with brunch on Friday which is my favourite way to eat it anyway!!

This is a steamed Irish Christmas pudding and the recipe has been passed down through my Grandma’s family for generations. I was nearly tasked with making it this year but with Liam moving out etc Mum took pity on me and made it again this year, haha, I think the recipe will be winging my way before Christmas 2013!!

By the time we finished eating, the children were a little past it, so we headed home for a bit of peace and quiet before another busy day on Boxing Day! In the morning we headed down to the seafront to watch lots of crazy people go for a swim in the sea, in fancy dress! We then went to my Mum’s for fried egg/bacon sandwiches, and then we headed over to see my Grandparents in the afternoon.
Toby with his new hat (thanks Auntie Vicki!)…

More present opening…

A buffet (my Grandma makes good egg sandwiches!)…

A puppet show…

And charades…!!

Whew! I have to admit I was kind of glad to get back to the gym normality on Thursday!!

Just a few more photos – a couple of gifts that deserve honourable mentions! The children and I were all really lucky to receive so many lovely gifts from lots of people. I think I worked out the children had 4 separate “Christmases”/present opening days…they loved it! I could go on about lots of gifts for ages, but this post is already super long so I thought I would just focus on two of my favourites – food and nail polish. This isn’t, of course, my only foodie present – lots of people know me well enough to know I love anything edible!! (In particular, thanks to Dad, Olivia, Maria and Sarah W!) This food basket, however, is all from my lovely Mum. She also surprised me by picking out a Republic checked shirt (above somewhere) and also the perfect (fake) leather jacket for me! I had been searching for one for ages with no luck as I didn’t like the collars/fit of all the ones I tried, but the one she bought is perfect! Anyway, back to the food… Mum still gives my little sisters stockings, so I think this was my alternative…amazing!

Chocolate…

The chocolate covered butterscotch pecans are all gone already, divine! I’m planning to open the gingerbread truffles with my Mum this evening as she really wants to try them too. And non-chocolatey things…

More Joe&Seph’s popcorn! I’d been resisting ordering some more of this so I was especially happy to see some in my basket! Thanks Mum!

I also received lots of nail polishes, yey! Those of you who follow me on Instagram will probably realise I love painting my nails!!!

Nails Inc Emerald glitter from my sister Olivia, the two Nails Inc Sprinkles from the children (thanks Liam!) and the magnetic and chameleon effect polishes from one of my friends. I’m currently wearing Nails Inc Sweets Way (the milky polish with pink blue & white glitter) but I think I am going to try out the magnetic polish today – I’ve never used magnetic polish before but one of my friends raves about them!

Did you all have a great Christmas? Any favourite moments/gifts?
I loved the children’s excitement on Christmas morning. This was the first year that Toby has really understood so it was fun to see them both excited by what “Ho Ho Ho” (aka Santa in Toby language!!) had brought them  I took them out on their new bikes yesterday with my Dad, that was fun too, albeit super muddy!! I’ll try to write another post up soon with some other photos from the Christmas holidays, I can’t believe how long this post already is just from Christmas Eve/Christmas Day/Boxing Day!

In the meantime, I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!