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Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Christmas memories - a last post for 2013

Our annual trip to the pantomime on Monday 23rd to see Rapunzel at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon. Fun family time.
A bit blurry, but waiting for the panto to start
A walk on Christmas Eve with Hugh and Penny (Ben was visiting friends) trying to not get caught in the rain.  Ben and Penny going out for a walk together in the evening once he returned home.
Penny and Hugh on our walk
Christmas morning, Ben and Penny sitting on our bed whilst we all opened our stockings, laughing at the silly presents we received.
After breakfast, gathering in the lounge and opening the mound of presents from under the tree. Taking it in turns to open gifts and watching the ‘opener’ was new to us and great fun – lovely to see the person’s reaction to the gifts and it took us most of the morning and made the presents last!
Penny with an additional bowl for her icecream maker
Ben and Hugh opening their joint present of additional Nerf bullets and target!
Christmas dinner at 1.30pm – roast turkey and all the trimmings, including Yorkshire puddings in our house! Penny was poorly and didn’t eat much, but still joined us at the table.
The ‘sparkler’ for the Christmas pudding causing a few heart stopping moments! (See video below, but please be aware there is a little bit of startled swearing!)
Christmas afternoon Ben visited Rachel and her family, we watched Despicable Me 2. In the evening we were all together again and played a game I had downloaded onto my iPhone called ‘Charades’ although it is more like ‘Guess Who’ or ‘Who am I’. Penny was feeling a little better so she joined in too and it was a lovely way to end the day.
Boxing Day and Penny was too poorly to go to Hemel, so Hugh stayed with her whilst Ben and I visited my parents and my sister and her family. I so enjoyed my ‘son’ time during the drive there and back, we chatted all the way. Mum cooked a delicious lunch and it was great to spend time with her and Dad.
Ben, Dad and Mum
Finishing the holiday with an orgy of car buying! Ben put down a deposit on a new car on Friday and I did the same on Saturday.  I am getting a Fork Kuga. I am waiting for my finance to come through, so I should hopefully be collecting it on the 11th January. I am so excited! It is the newest and poshest car I have ever had! It is 3 years old, but has very little mileage on the clock and has lots of extras!
Today I am back at work and everything is very quiet. I have taken the office decorations down and intend to take down the ones at home on Friday afternoon when I finish early. It is going to be a funny old week, with a Bank Holiday in the middle. Oh well, I shouldn’t complain – one more day’s holiday is always welcome!
Hoping that you all had a wonderful Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year.
Happy New Year from the Gotch family!
 

11 comments:

scrappyjacky said...

A lovely review of your christmas. Happy New Year to you.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a busy Christmas week. I think with that sparkler thing I'd forget about doing that again. That brought back great memories of Mum and lighting the pudding or should I say hard sauce.
Happy New Year to you all.

Sian said...

..and a very happy New Year from all of us to all of you! I hope it's a great one for all of you

Susanne said...

Lovely to hear about your holiday. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Sandra said...

Sounds like a very happy and fun Christmas. Wishing you and your family a fabulous 2014 x

Karen said...

Looks like it was a wonderful holiday. Happiest of New Years to you and your family!

Melissa said...

Looks like y'all had a wonderful holiday season! Happy New Year!!!

alexa said...

Wishing you a very Happy New Year, and lovely to see all your smiling faces :).

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a nice recap! I've got a couple Christmas posts set to go myself.
Rinda

Miriam said...

Wishing you & yours a very Happy New Year Becky.

Missus Wookie said...

Your comment about a week at work interrupted by a bank holiday made me smile as I had a week off work interrupted by a day AT work ;) Sounds like a lovely holiday time together tho', hope Penny is recovered and ready to head back to Uni.