Christmas 2013

Well I have just finished pulling down our Christmas decorations and our tree and on one hand it feels like we only put them up yesterday but on the other, the house looks very bare without them.

We had a fabulous Christmas, it has been busy, but it has also been relaxing and fun and full of all the good things in life like friends, family, food and laughter.

We always have such a fantastic day with our family and I wouldn't have it any other way!

You will have to bare with me here because this is a fairly long photo heavy post, but this is how our Christmas 2013 went down.....

Normally my Mum buys her and I some Christmas lillies and brings them over a few days before Christmas, but this year Dad snuck in early and surprised both of us by having a bunch delivered to each of our workplaces. They had all flowered in time for Christmas Day and the house still smells beautiful. 

 

My Mum ended up bringing some lillies over as well so I had 3 vases of them scattered around the house - my resolution for 2014 is going to be more fresh flowers, I just love them!

This was our Christmas tree looking pretty impressive with all the presents underneath! 

And no Christmas Eve is complete without the traditional game of 8 ball. Unfortunately Mr B was on call over Christmas and received a call out just as Mum and Dad arrived. I played on his behalf, but it didn't do any good, Mum and Dad were victorious. 

When Mr B got home later that night, we indulged in far too much egg nog, an enormous plate of nachos and opened our Christmas Eve presents from Mum and Dad, calendars, magazines, pringles, lollies and movie tickets! Then the call out phone rang again and poor Mr B didn't get home until the early hours of Christmas morning. 

On Christmas morning Mr B and I slept in for a little while but when Mum, Dad and Nan arrived it was all systems go which could only mean one thing.....coffee!!! Oh, and presents of course! 

And someone thought it would be a good idea to decorate me......on the upside, it did match my dress, but the curls just kept getting in my eyes! 

 After the presents were all opened and Mr B and I were thoroughly spoilt with all sorts of things including a milk frother, a new fry pan, a brie baker and a swanky purple toaster, it was time to head over to Mum and Dad's for brunch, but not before the sheep got their Christmas breakfast!

This year was Mum and Dad's first Christmas in their new home so they marked the occasion with a new christmas tree, all decked out in gold. 

Every year Mum and Dad's Christmas table look so beautiful that it almost seems a shame to use it..... 

....but that's all forgotten as soon as the platters come out and the bowls of freshly dug new potatoes hit the table - time to dig in! 

This photo of Mr B and I absolutely cracks me up.....look very closely - can you spot my Dad photo bombing us??

And I think this is my favourite photo of the entire day - Mum and Dad with their Christmas cracker! 

After brunch we moved outside to the deck, partially because there was no room left on the table for dessert and partially because for the first time in a long time, it was a gorgeous sunny Christmas Day and it was lovely to be able to sit outside and soak it up. 

Normally after brunch we sit down to a plate of strawberries, marshmallows, meringues, wafer sticks and chocolate cream but this year Mum decided to change it up a bit and made her first ever Chocolate Ripple Cake. Mum and Dad had spread each biscuit with strawberry jam for something different and it was so yummy!!

After lunch, Mum cleaned up, Dad took Nan home and Mr B and I headed over to see his Mum, sister, brother and their kidlets.

One of Mr B's nephews had received an accordion and a drum kit for Christmas and it didn't take Mr B long to find them and test them out!  

This resulted in Mr B and his sister indulging in an impromptu polka dance session and Mr B giving his niece a crash course in how to play the drums (which I don't think anyone will thank him for at 3am!)

Normally trying to coordinate seeing both families and working around shift work rosters can be pretty difficult so it was really nice this year to get to spend some time with everyone. 

In the afternoon we went back to Mum and Dad's for more presents, but not before we had a quick family photo! 

I love this vintage style Bulmers Bar Mat that my Dad brought for Mum!

And Mr B and Dad, who enjoy a fierce Ford vs. Holden rivalry, have already mapped the tracks where they will race to determine who will become ultimate remote control car champion!

By the time Mr B and I got home we were absolutely exhausted, but had just enough energy left to open our presents together and lay on the couch reflecting on what a lovely day we had.

 

Yesterday we went to Mr B step Mum's house for a family BBQ and some backyard cricket!

All that was left to do today was spoil ourselves just a bit more with a brand new ride on mower!

 Mr B has wanted a brand new mower for such a long time and he has worked really hard for it. I was so pleased to see him finally reach his goal and how happy he was when we got it home.

 And that has been our Christmas for another year! Just writing about it is making me tired  and Mr B has finally put the mower away and come inside so it must be time to sit down with a Baileys and start working on some of the jig saw puzzles we got for Christmas!

Mrs B xx