Having a plan for the festive period is nice - I like knowing what is happening and where and it allows me to be prepared. This year it seemed to go to my plan.
I decided to invite my husband's family for Christmas Eve dinner, I like to make the effort for his Mum who always works like a trooper on Christmas day to feed everyone. Due to the increased number of meals that resemble what is essentially a Sunday lunch I decided to cook something different, something that could offer its own little hug. A form of beef stew with either mash and fresh crunchy bread followed by apple crumble and custard. My other thought was that the children could help by making the bread - keeps them occupied, involved and learning something.
It worked!
They helped me to make the bread, set the table and were generally stars until we sat down to eat.
On Christmas Eve I also needed to make deserts for the big day - my offer of assistance and something that I do enjoy doing. This years offerings include a strawberry cheesecake and missippi mud pie and apple. The one tradition that I hate at Christmas is the puddings (but I know that his mother will have bought a Christmas pudding and mince pies - she does it ever year even when I offer to make some). The cheesecake was made by my husband and the smalls. My pie was a complete disaster. I need to get better at making pastry.
On Christmas morning we were at home - the kids and their presents got to do their thing happily and then we went to enjoy the company of family. It as a Christmas Day that was very different to last year. Last year we stayed home, had no visitors and enjoyed a day for the 4 of us. It was hard persuading the children that they didn't want to take all their new toys to their grandparents house - I tried and limit is to 2 or 3 each but I was not that successful.
Boxing Day I was grateful for nice weather. We all got wrapped up warm and outside. We decided on a local woods with the bikes to blow away the cobwebs and I seemed to do us some good.
Sadly oldest is finding his change of routine really hard. It has meant that his behaviour has not been as good as we would have liked and certainly no where near as good as he can be. It has caused a strain as at times I a m struggling to help him.
Tomorrow we have another treat lined up - the pantomime. We didn't take them last year as we decided that they were too little but this year I am hoping that they enjoy every second of it. Some of my happiest childhood memories include the pantomime.
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