A Skim Through Christmas

So that's Christmas over for another year.

It's been exciting yet tiring.

I wouldn't say my Christmas was much different to many households all over the world. The kids were spoilt, we ate alot, we watched alot of tv and movies and we are now trying to catch up on sleep from the chaos.

On Christmas eve we visited family and though the kids went straight to bed when we returned home, hubby was building the kids toy kitchen late at night and we finally got to bed about 1am.

The kids were great Christmas morning sleeping in until 8.30. We opened our presents and had a lazy day. No visitors, no outings, just the 5 of us. Hubby got me an Android and I am loving it. I do like my iPhone games and this just makes them that little bit better. The kids got plenty of Lego and Toy Story items and I got hubby a board game and the rest of his present will be a night stay in a hotel sometime in January as he's treated me to mini breaks enough over the years, it's my turn to pay for us to have a day/night off.

On Boxing day we had family over. As much as I love my family, it feels hard work. Trying to please everyone feels impossible and with an already cantankerous pensioner and a miserable brother, it felt like a losing battle at times. Especially when it got to the point that one snide comment too far from grandmother had my brother storm out the house.

Yep, my family is as bad as everyone elses when it comes to petty squabbles! And for once I am not talking about the kids.

I do feel for my nan, honestly I do, but she is acting more and more the spoilt child as the weeks go on. I know things have been hard since we lost my grandad but it's no excuse for rudeness, strops and sulking.  Though she wasn't staying at my parents house, I understand my dad and brothers frustration at having her there every day for 4 days. The day here was strained so I don't know how they must have felt at the end of day 4! She doesn't particularly enjoy Christmas without my grandad and on Dec 20th, it would have been their 60th wedding anniversary so I understand why she doesn't so much feel like celebrating but she should think about the family she has got and how we are trying to go out of our way to welcome her but it's not taken as that at all. Next year she'll be 80 so she is getting on but something about the elderly brings out the "couldn't care less" attitude towards others.

Yesterday we had a visit from my brother and sister in law and their little boy. It was nice just having the 4 boys together playing. The kids do all get on well and little nephew really is such a happy little chappy!

We then went out shopping and I treated myself to a nice load of underwear. I feel good when I have good undies. Hehe.