Christmas done and dusted for another year...

I just love the family and friends aspect of the Christmas season and this year has been full for me.  Being off for the few weeks before Christmas has let me catch up for coffee with a few people which has been lovely. 

Jack has had fun being around his cousins and second cousins.  They had a ball playing at my uncles birthday dinner the other night.  Carrying each other around and things.  Kids make up some funny little games.

My Grandma and Grandad

 When we pulled into the driveway I said to Owen "What is that on the wall?", it was a huge slug.  It had even shrunk itself in a little before I took the photo.  I've never seen a slug that big before at least I think it was a slug.

 Jack was very excited all week about Santa's impending arrival.  We have been counting down not only days but hours. We put some milk and cookies out for Santa and I read him a couple of stories then he went off to bed.  I was surprised that it didn't take him that long to get to sleep.

 And his wait was worthwhile.  The look on his face on Christmas morning was adorable.  He got royally spoilt.  There were so many toys you could hardly see his bedroom floor.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas, whilst a wee bit stressful, is such a major part of it, well at least in our
family.  The noise, the chatter, the excited squeals of the kids. Ahh, Christmas.

 Here's our buffet lunch spread.  My Mum and Aunt came and helped get everything ready.  I had a wee disaster with the first pork roast which caught on fire on the BBQ and was so bad I had to send Owen out to get a replacement.  Owen and I will be eating left overs for days.

 And the deserts.  Ahhh desert, how I love thee.  LOL.  Well truffles in particular.  I love truffles and I only make them at Christmas.  I tried out a few new recipes this year, eggnog truffles, a Martha Stewart Mississippi Mud Pie, a coconut raspberry slice but I still like my regulars, pavlova and rice bubble truffles (the yummiest).

 Truffles!!!!!!!!!!

 Yesterday was the sort and play day.  Jack made up his new Spongebob Lego while I cleaned and then we tried out the new Mario classic games on the Wii.  I really liked that.  I love the way the graphics are still the same.  I thought they would have modernized it a bit but it's exactly as it was.
Jack also had a great time playing his Paper Jamz guitar.  He was a bit iffy at first because it wasn't a "real" guitar.  I sold it though.  I gave an impressive demo of Born to be Wild complete with rock star facials.  I then got to hear Born to be Wild about another fifty times that afternoon.

At one point he was following me around the house playing whilst carrying his little amp around.  He followed me into the bathroom while i was putting on my make up and I caught a glimpse of him spiking his hair up in the mirror.  "Born to be wiiiiiiiiiiiild!!"  Lol.

I got him a coin collecting book which I thought was pretty cool.  I used to love collecting coins and stamps when I was a kid.  He seems to like it.  I'll wait and see though when he needs ten cents for something whether he just raids to book.

Then last night we had a family fun night.  Trivial Pursuit!!  Another of his Christmas presents.  We did have a version that I'd bought from the swap meet but I think it was an early eighties version.  This one is a bit more modern and is the family version so it has both kids and adults questions although I'm flat out answering the adult ones but it's nice all the same spending time together.