Merry Christmas!

Happy Christmas!


The build up was quite hectic. A few highlights, between rushing around panicking that I hadn't got the boys enough/the right things.


Saturday and Sunday evenings our church had a candle lit carol service. Not a particularly traditional one, but the singing was led (and some performances done) by the singing group that Roarke recently joined.


To go off on a tangent, and indulge myself (after all, if I can't do it on my blog, where can I?!), it was so good to hear him sing again. He was professionally trained, and quite serious about his singing in his late teens/early twenties, and when he sings he is such a different person. I love his voice - it is his voice that I fell in love with before I ever met him, having heard him on local radio - and it was definately a Christmas highlight for me.


There is no "celebration" without him, and I'm so very blessed and proud to know him.


Anyway, where was I?


Christmas!


We had ordered BT Vision for the boys, as another Christmas present, so when that arrived on Saturday, the boys discovered two doctor who series in the "library" so no prizes for guessing what THEY have been watching!


Roarke and I have realised that being able to "record" freeview tv means never having to miss another CSI just because we were too tired to stay up and watch the next episode!


We had a nice meal Christmas Eve (coca cola ham and home made potato wedges) then finally (yes I know it was last minute!) got to wrap the boys presents.


When the boys saw Santa at Lapland UK Samuel had asked him if he liked Star Wars, and which film was his favourite. Santa said he preferred the originals, but liked them all. So, last night the boys got all the star wars dvds out and left them out for Santa to watch, together with a mince pie, carrot for Rudolph, and a glass of port (cos Roarke asked Santa what he'd prefer...)


This morning they came down to find the dvds out (Santa must have been in too much of a hurray to put them all away properly...) and the plate/glass empty!


They seemed pleased with their presents. Roarke's mother had phoned out of the blue yesterday and spoke to the boys, and said afterwards to him that didn't seem to be expecting the earth for Christmas.


I thimk that is a mixture of how we approach Christmas - focusing on the real meaning for us as Christians - and also because of home ed. They don't have the peer pressure of having the latest fashions, gadgets, etc. Most HE families are restricted in budgets and don't go over the top at Christmas. Also our kids still get to play, know their own minds, know what they want, and so tend to ask perhaps for more suitable things for Christmas.


Whatever way you look at it, they seemed happy with what they got. Joshua had 10 or more books (look out for more reviews on his book blog!) and dvds amongst other things. Samuel had the spyware he asked for, business items (a real briefcase and desk bits!), and a business board game. They also had the Kent version of Monopoly - figured it would mean more to Samuel to be trying to own things he knew - especially as that includes Ashford International and Eurotunnel! William had nearly all doctor who stuff. He got things the boys didn't have on their list, but which they have immediately decided they want to play with, which is what we suspected. By having given them to William, (in theory) they will have to allow him to set the games/chose if/how they play with them, which *might* allow him to not be overidden in their games!


Having 1 adult and 2 child aspies in the house, Christmas was always going to be tricky (and with my Mum hosting Christmas dinner for my brother/sil/nephew in her room, whereas we are eating ours tonight in our room), but so far it is going well with no meltdowns!


Here are a few pictures: