Toy of the day this Christmas was one of the stocking-fillers - Tiddly Frogs, followed closely by the Purple Wriggly Worm which Ems is holding below.





It was a lovely day. Dark and rainy outside, but cosy and fun inside. We had a houseful of people, as my parents were staying with us as well as Bobby's mum, but we all fitted into the house just fine.





Boxing day was good too, with my aunt, my cousin, and her daughter joining us for the day. Sophie had tons of fun playing with her second cousin (or possibly first cousin once removed, who knows) and the rest of us ate yet more.





And the sun came out so Sophs could play with her Christmas present - a netball post and ball.





So, two wonderful, harmonious family days.

By day after Boxing Day, though, Bobby and I were starting to keep track of whose relatives were most annoying. I think my dad won my by a short head (combining extreme tactlessness with boring anecdotes is never good), though his mum (freakishly positive about every possible situation) and mine (Eeyoreish in response to the former) were both definitely in the running. So, after my folks and aunt had left, we spent the rest of the day pretty much holed up in the loft, recuperating from Relative Overload by reading, sleeping and (in Bobby's case) fiddling with his toy planes. Very soothing.

On Sunday the celebrations will start again - Emily will be turning 15! So odd to think that she could be ready to leave home in 3 or 4 years time.