It was a monster (X) mash :-)

Milly had generously invited all our family for Xmas dinner this year.

We ( all the family ) were sitting round my Sisters table having a meal one weekend and she invited us all to have Xmas dinner at theirs. Milly piped up with " is it not our turn this year" :-)))

How lovely that she wanted to do that....The only slight problem was that her tendency to bounce into our room at 5am on Xmas morning would mean I would be in no fit state to be hostess with the mostess and - more importantly - stay awake through the day :-))

When we talked about that she said she did still want everyone to come and she would try really hard not to wake me before 7am. She thought that she would still wake early but decided she would play and listen to her ipod and then bring toast and tea in to wake us up and we could open pressies in bed together.

 She was quite concerned that she wouldn''t be able to sleep on Xmas eve ( past history would bear this out ) so she enlisted Amy's help in tiring her out on Xmas eve :-) They had a sleepover and on Xmas eve morning they woke at 8 and set of for a run! Then a couple of hours walk with Alan and Beauty and lots of play and chatting on their return til Amy left. She was however still bouncing and it was gone 12 before she actually slept...

Alan had said that if she woke early that he would be available to play/chat til 7:-) She asked to be woken at 7 if by some fluke she managed to sleep late - she did and he woke her at 7 and they went off downstairs together:-)

I woke to see them bringing in a tray and a big sack of presents.

And so it began:-)

She sat at my feet and the first present she opened was from Amy.....

A fantastic head band with a large velvet bow - looks even better when the price tag was removed :-)

Another one from Amy - a necklace with a bottle of poison dangling.

Eleanor's had been opened when we saw them on Friday and El had got her a rather lovely monster high doll to add to her collection :-)

Some rapid fire present opening followed :-)

Abbey abominable Monster. The one monster she was desperate to get.

A happy bunny.

Another monster.

and a witch from Buffy:-)

Gorjuss Mug and Evanessence CD followed. 

Dad got to open a porcelain plaque that Milly had bought. She used her own money for the first time this year and bought gifts for friends and family. The plaque read...

Everything I am,

 and everything I'll be

 I owe it all to you Dad,

 for so inspiring me.

Alan cried which made Milly cry, which made me cry !

Big hug for Dad:-)

 

A lovely calendar with prints from Klimt one of my favourites. I especially love the Mother and daughter one. I will be able to frame some later in the year :-)

More monster inspired books and diary's. This looks ghostly....

More Gorjuss in the form of a really beautiful journal with pockets for storing secret things :-)

Monster beds for the monsters :-)

I opened a few more and got a longed for cookery book from Milly and Alan:-)

Soundtrack from the latest Twilight movie Breaking Dawn.
I do enjoy surprising her and getting her things that aren't on her list of possibilities.

Another couple of things she would never have guessed were t'shirts from How I met your Mother with

"Suit up it's going to be legendary"

 on. And one from the big bang with

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr on it.

They were both big hits.

Super Xmas glasses from an old friend :-)

More presents opened....

Buried under mountains of paper and gifts......

 One of which is a wonderfully smelly Xmas bauble with ginger spice soap inside:-)

More presents opened

Do you think he's nodded off ;-))

Any one fancy helping me put these together so the monster girls can sleep ;-)

Time for me to head off and make bacon butties and leave them to it.

After breakfast we enjoyed a very chilled morning, long bath for me and a walk with Beauty for them. Table setting and food prep before all the family arrived.

The table in all it's glittery, bejewelled glory with homemade place mats and place cards with added presents :-)

We had a lovely meal, everyone played a part with various elements such as starters and puds being made. The prep I had done earlier in the week freezing gravy, veg, spuds etc paid off and Alan and my Sister Paula made a good double act getting the main meal on the table.

It was a great day and am pleased Milly invited everyone.

I also appreciated every body's help in making it as stress free as possible :-))

A monsterly lovely day :-)